Chapter 13: Opening the Mountain Gate and Accepting More Disciples It was just daybreak and the faint morning light had not yet penetrated the thick fog in the mountains. The wide square at the foot of Lingshan Mountain was crowded with people, all their attention focused on the stone gate under the main peak. In the main hall of Tianshu Gate, Chong Ying was watching the scene in front of the mountain gate through the circular light technique. He shook his head and sighed, "The mountain gate is opened every three years, and the qualifications of the young men who come to participate in the selection are getting worse with each generation." These words also touched the hearts of the other leaders. He Qing could understand this very well. Although there were occasional conflicts between immortals and demons, there had not been any disaster that could harm the world for many years. Ordinary people's lives had become better, so naturally they were unwilling to suffer the pain of practicing Buddhism anymore. Take this year's batch for example. Although there are many rich young men wearing gorgeous brocade robes, most of them are from poor families who do not have enough food at home, so they want to send their children to the fairy mountain. After a few words, the picture presented by the circular light technique changed. At the foot of the mountain, as the first ray of sunlight fell on the towering mountain gate, a breeze blew, the clouds gradually dissipated, and the magnificent scenery of the four peaks slowly emerged. Birds and cranes flew between the peaks, making crisp chirping sounds. Immediately, dozens of disciples wearing different immortal robes came on their swords and landed steadily in front of the mountain gate. The leader among them was Du Ruo from Kaiyang Palace. After Du Ruo stood still, he reversed his sword and bowed politely, saying, "You have been waiting for a long time. Today is the auspicious day for the five major immortal sects in Lingshan to recruit good disciples. The purpose is to find people over the age of twelve and under the age of sixteen who have a predestined relationship with immortals, have wisdom, and have a heart for Taoism. The road to immortality is long and rugged, and it requires firm belief and fearless courage to succeed. I hope that all of you who come to study here have carefully considered and applied for the position after much consideration." Du Ruo's voice was not loud, it was only amplified by his skills and clearly transmitted to everyone's ears. After hearing the basic entry requirements, some who were not of the right age left with a sigh, some who were unsure whether they would be selected looked uneasy, and some who felt they met all the requirements held their heads high with satisfaction.
There are also people who secretly discuss—— "Five major ones? In previous years, weren't there only four immortal sects when the mountain gates were opened?" "You probably don't know this. I've heard that the leader of the Yaoguang Sect will also accept disciples." Someone nearby overheard this and couldn't help but interrupt, "But the Yaoguang Sect has always only accepted one disciple. Where did you hear this news?" The man snorted, "My family has been practicing Taoism for generations, so we naturally know more about it than you do. I heard that the leader of the Yaoguang Sect broke the sect rules and wants to select several disciples this time." "Really? That's a good thing for us. There will be more opportunities." The man looked around and whispered, "Listen to my advice, this Yaoguang Sect is not a good place to go." …… After the agitated crowd quieted down again, Du Ruo raised his hand and beckoned Gu Changnian who was standing in the team behind him, and then said: "I am Kaiyang Palace Master Du Ruo, who is in charge of this examination. Now, I would like to trouble you to step forward one by one and enter the first round of examination." It is said to be the first round of tests, but compared with the tests later on the mountain, the tests in front of the mountain gate seem particularly simple and crude. Gu Changnian holds a glass bottle in his hand, which contains spiritual energy. The color of the spiritual energy will change at any time due to Gu Changnian's magic control. If you want to go up the mountain, you must be able to see the spiritual energy, and only those who can accurately tell the color can go to the next level. If he met someone with good qualifications, Du Ruo, who was watching from the side, would pretend to ask the other person about his or her study intentions and which immortal sect he or she wanted to go to for training. Of course, some people do not need to take this test. For example, when it is the turn of a young man in a regular Taoist robe to come forward, he only needs to hand the letter in his hand to Du Ruo, and he can pass directly. This kind of special case is usually the child of a family of immortal cultivators, or the introduction of an old friend of a real master. In front of the round light technique in the Tianshu Gate Hall, Guanyue introduced Heqing: "Looking at the way this young man is dressed, he must have been recommended by a certain immortal from the Guanghan Sect in the Western Territory. Although the Guanghan Sect has only been established for a few hundred years, it can be considered a rising star. Are you interested?" He Qing knew what he meant. He was simply thinking about the special skills of the Yaoguang Sect and wanted to select some good candidates for He Qing to join the sect so that they could practice together as soon as possible. He Qing was very grateful for this. At the meeting that day, although several leaders were shaken by He Qing's "what a pity" theory, they did not give in. It was thanks to Guanyue's speaking for her and He Qing's wild promises that they were finally decided. But He Qing was noncommittal about Guan Yue's recommendation.
Because she had already decided who to choose. The first round of testing seems to be the simplest, but also the most efficient. After such a screening, more than half of the team of hundreds of people were eliminated. The elimination rate of any of the three subsequent levels of "Road to the Mountain" would not reach that of this level. When those children reached the top of the main peak after going through untold hardships, many of them could only remain as disciples of the mountain gate due to their mediocre qualifications. And there are only a dozen or so people left who can enter the main hall and become the personal disciples of a certain immortal. Xuan Qingzi stood up first, smiling kindly, "We have seen you all come here hand in hand, fearless and brave, overcoming all dangers. Now, there is only one last hurdle left, you must cheer up and be extra cautious." "Yes!"…… Seeing a dozen young boys and girls ready for battle, Xuan Qingzi couldn't help but chuckle: "Don't be nervous, the test is over. This last level will determine your future path and direction of practice. It is of utmost importance. You must listen carefully." As he spoke, he began to introduce the professional skills of Tianshu Sect and other sects, as well as the masters that can be chosen. He Qing patiently waited for Xuan Qingzi to finish speaking for a long time until he heard him say, "This is the leader of the North Peak, He Qing, the head of the Yaoguang Sect. The Yaoguang Sect's cultivator..." "Master," He Qing nodded slightly, apologizing for interrupting Xuan Qingzi, and said, "Can I introduce myself?" After hearing this, Xuan Qingzi couldn't help but take a closer look at the newcomers in the hall. He was a little curious about which one He Qing had taken a fancy to, and replied, "Of course you can." "Thank you." He Qing was seen walking slowly towards a dozen young boys and girls, and under several expectant gazes, he walked straight to a girl at the end of the team. The girl wore a dark blue headscarf that covered her ears and hair tightly, and had a pair of particularly eye-catching amber eyes. He Qing said in a gentle voice, "I am the head of the Yaoguang Sect. He Qing, I only have two disciples at the moment. If you join me, you will be one of my direct disciples. Are you willing to join me?" (End of this chapter)
