"Cultivators must first cultivate their hearts." Senior Sister Mu stepped forward, appearing far more gentle and approachable compared to Li Lin. "Without sufficient patience and composure, acting rashly and impulsively will inevitably hinder one's progress. Our Jade Flower Sect has always been strict in selecting disciples. The fact that you’ve made it this far means you’ve already passed the first test."
The first test! Shi Xia froze. Could it be that the entire month spent on the ship was just part of the entrance exam? Thinking back, those who had been teleported away earlier had all, to some extent, clashed with the disciples guarding the ship or expressed dissatisfaction. No wonder they had insisted on taking the arduous journey by boat instead of using the convenient teleportation array. This whole thing had been a trap from the start! Luckily, she hadn’t fallen into it.
After Senior Sister Mu finished speaking, Senior Brother Bai stepped forward and delivered a lengthy speech, mostly about the Jade Flower Sect’s history and other formalities. Shi Xia was nearly dozing off by the time he finally got to the point.
"This is our sect’s Stairway of Trials," he said, turning to gesture at the long stone staircase behind him. "It is the final test for entry. Once you ascend these steps and pass through the Jade Flower Gate, you will officially become a disciple of our sect."
The crowd, which had been silent for a while, suddenly came alive, their faces brimming with eagerness.
"However, the Stairway of Trials is unpredictable and perilous. If you cannot reach the summit, simply break the wooden token in your hand, and a disciple will escort you out." Senior Brother Bai signaled for them to begin but reiterated, "Do not force yourselves beyond your limits."
The remaining hundred or so candidates surged toward the staircase.
Shi Xia looked up at the steps and the enormous stone archway in the distance, its golden characters spelling out "Jade Flower Sect" gleaming so brightly they nearly blinded her. She couldn’t understand—what was so dangerous about a mere hundred steps? At most, it was like climbing ten floors. Was it slippery from disrepair?
Shi Xia shook her head and followed the crowd. She had never been fond of exercise, and climbing ten floors in one go would admittedly be tiring for her. But since there was no time limit, she took her time, treating it like a spring outing and strolling upward at a leisurely pace.
After ascending a dozen or so steps, she noticed some people already struggling to continue, stopping on the stairs drenched in sweat and panting heavily. Shi Xia glanced at one particularly muscular young man and silently shook her head. Kids these days! How could someone with such bulging muscles be so out of shape? Probably kidney deficiency.
She ignored them and kept climbing, but more and more people began halting on the steps, with one stair even crowded with seven or eight individuals. She had to detour through the bushes on the side. Originally the last to start, she somehow ended up at the front without realizing it.
Along the way, she ran into her acquaintance, Chicken-Feather Lu Ren, who was gasping so hard his face had turned pale. His eyes were glazed over, as if he’d been gaming nonstop for three days and nights.
"Need a hand?" she offered, extending hers out of courtesy.
To her surprise, he didn’t even acknowledge her. Instead, he shot her a glare, his expression screaming, How dare you look down on me? before plopping down on the steps to catch his breath.
Well, fine. She’d been wasting her concern.
Shi Xia, feeling slightly snubbed, turned and continued upward. Honestly, she didn’t get men and their pointless pride. If your body’s weak, what’s the use of being stubborn? Oh, right—he was Chicken-Feather.
Inside the Jade Flower Sect’s grand hall, several figures of extraordinary grace and imposing presence sat on either side. At the center, atop the main seat, was an elder with a white beard. Though his hair was silver, his eyes sparkled with vitality, showing no trace of old age as he smiled at the assembly.
"Senior Brother Sect Leader, today is only the first day of the disciple selection. Was it really necessary to summon us all so early?" Yuan Xia, the Peak Master of Danxia Peak, grumbled toward the man at the head of the hall.
"Junior Sister, that’s not quite fair," Yuan Zhao, the sect leader, didn’t respond, but Yuan Xi, the Peak Master of Lijian Peak, interjected. "Since the Demon Lord wreaked havoc on the cultivation world, this is the first time in a century our sect has opened its doors to new disciples. Naturally, we should take it seriously."
"Does Senior Brother Yuan Xi not know our sect’s rules?" Yuan Xia scoffed, clearly displeased with him. "Those disciples have only just reached the mountain’s base. With the Stairway of Trials ahead, it’ll take at least a day or two before any of them make it up here." The staircase was layered with formations—each step a trial. Those lacking mental fortitude would fall into illusions, and breaking free could take anywhere from half a day to four or five.
Yuan Xi’s face darkened.
Sect Leader Yuan Zhao quickly stepped in to mediate, beaming. "Junior Brother Yuan Xi’s dedication to the sect is commendable. Indeed, this selection is unlike any before, so extra caution is warranted." Then, turning to Yuan Xia, he added, "But Junior Sister Yuan Xia is also correct. The Stairway of Trials was laid down by our Venerable Ancestor himself. It is fraught with peril and can easily breed inner demons. Even with our cultivation, it would take us at least an hour or two to traverse it, let alone these new disciples."
His words carefully avoided taking sides, rendering them effectively meaningless. The two arguers rolled their eyes in unison, exchanged a glare, and huffed, plunging the hall into awkward silence.
Yuan Zhao inwardly sighed. Being both the eldest senior brother and sect leader these days was no easy task. He shot pleading glances at the other junior brothers nearby.
Junior Brother A: Suddenly finds the tea in the main hall exceptionally refreshing—sips intently.
Junior Brother B: Suddenly finds the ceiling in the main hall exceptionally dazzling—stares upward.
Junior Brother C: Suddenly finds the pillars in the main hall exceptionally majestic—turns to admire them.
Yuan Zhao: For heaven’s sake!
"Ahem, Junior Brother Yuan Xi, Junior Sister Yuan Xia." With no backup, Yuan Zhao gritted his teeth and smiled brightly at the two stubborn figures, continuing his peacemaking efforts by changing the subject. "Speaking of the Stairway of Trials, when I first joined the sect, it took me two full days to pass through the Jade Flower Gate. How long did it take you, Junior Brother?"
"Ten hours," Yuan Xi answered, a hint of pride in his voice.
"And you, Junior Sister?" Yuan Zhao turned to Yuan Xia.
"Likewise, ten hours," she replied, equally smug.
Their anger gradually subsided, and the atmosphere in the hall lightened.
Yuan Zhao exhaled in relief—finally, he’d smoothed things over. He continued lavishing praise, pouring on the flattery. "Both of you have always been exceptional talents. The Stairway of Trials was naturally no challenge for you. I daresay, within our entire Jade Flower Sect, only the two of you could ascend it so swiftly."
The other peak masters, who had taken seven or eight hours, silently averted their gazes, pretending not to hear.
"Today marks our sect's first disciple recruitment in a century. To select those with exceptional character, waiting another ten hours in this hall is but a small price to pay." Yuan Zhao stroked his goatee. "Now that the first batch of disciples has entered the Heart-Questioning Steps, I dare not hope for candidates as gifted as my two junior siblings. All I ask is for someone to ascend the Jade Flower Summit within a single day—"
"Hello? Anyone here?" Before he could finish, the door creaked open a crack, revealing a curious face peeking through.
Yuan Zhao suddenly felt as if something had smacked him right across the face.
Ouch... That stings!
Can't this sect maintain even a shred of dignity anymore? Unbelievable!
