Chapter 1 - The Battle for Immortal Dao

There's a path to reach the Azure Clouds, ultimately, one must ascend to the Nine Heavens at dusk.

Even if the fierce wind rises and the earth trembles, I shall ride the wind to break through ten thousand miles.

*

Under the Azure Clouds Mountain, at the foot of the Qingyun Peak.

On the Test Spirit Stele, a faint multicolored radiance flashed, with the predominant color being green, and the others not far behind.

"Five Spirit Roots, dominated by Wood, with a value of five, and the other four are relatively lower."

Beside the Test Spirit Stele, a middle-aged Tianyan Sect disciple named Hong Tao held the last wooden plaque, frowning as he scanned the young girl in front of him.

Her face was dirty and she was thin as a skeleton, her sparse yellow hair wet and clinging to her forehead, her hands covered in fresh blood, torn knees, and only one straw sandal left on her feet.

Unlike the others who were brought there by their families, she climbed the Ten Thousand Zhang (1 Zhang ≈ 3.3 meters) Nine Heavens Mountain herself. Though she appeared disheveled, her pitch-black eyes were as brilliant as stars, fixedly staring at the wooden plaque in Hong Tao's hand, which would determine her future destiny.

"How many are left after her?"

"Senior Brother, this is the last one. There are exactly 365 people today."

Hearing this, Hong Tao finally threw the wooden plaque in front of the young girl, and she quickly grabbed it with both hands, but he didn't let go.

"This group has quite a few Five Spirit Roots, but your Spirit Root value is the lowest. Even if you are accepted, you can only become a menial disciple, and perhaps you'll never be able to build a foundation. Do you understand?"

Six-year-old Jiang Yuebai had never seen an immortal before, so she didn't understand what "menial disciple" and "unable to build a foundation" meant. She only knew that once she entered the immortal sect, she wouldn't have to endure hunger and cold anymore. She could fly up to the sky, and that wicked woman with the red flowers wouldn't be able to drag her back to the kiln.

She nodded eagerly, gripping the wooden plaque as if it were a life-saving straw.

Hong Tao released his grip, and Jiang Yuebai sat down on the ground. The other children nearby immediately burst into laughter.

Jiang Yuebai didn't feel embarrassed; instead, she grinned, her eyes like crescent moons, especially spirited.

"Stand over there."

Jiang Yuebai got up and stood beside the other children. Seeing a handsome and well-dressed boy taller than her nearby, she quickly straightened her back and tiptoed, like a vibrant young seedling.

The boy glared at her and also stood up straight, competing silently.

A gentle breeze blew, bamboo leaves rustled, and immortal mist enveloped the Immortal Ascension Steps, seeming dreamlike and unreal.

Hong Tao led a dozen disciples of the Tianyan Sect to stand before the steps, surveying the young and energetic faces shining with twilight radiance.

"Spirit Root is the key to the immortal sect, but what determines whether you can step on the Azure Clouds Immortal Path is your temperament. This is the Immortal Ascension Steps, and it is also the path of self-reflection."

"Before the sunset, if you ascend ninety-nine steps, you would enter the Inner Sect; if you ascend sixty-six steps, you would be in the Outer Sect; the rest would become menial disciples."

As he spoke, Jiang Yuebai noticed that all the children became nervous. She innocently looked at the stairway obscured by clouds, winding like a dragon, meandering through the bamboo forest with no end in sight.

"It's just climbing a staircase, what's so difficult about it?"

The boy next to her rolled his eyes. "You're such a fool!"

Jiang Yuebai frowned and raised her feet higher, surpassing him by half a head, smirking in triumph.

The boy gritted his teeth and continued to silently compete.

"Open the Immortal Ascension Steps, and you all..."

"Hold on!"

A streak of light fell in front of everyone, and Jiang Yuebai saw a person flying on a sword for the second time, curiously widening her eyes.

It was an old man with white hair, an immortal demeanor, and he held a proud-looking young girl in his hand.

Seeing the appearance of the young girl, Jiang Yuebai's face turned pale, and she hastily retreated.

Lin Suiwan, the second young miss of the Lin family of Yong'an City, who sold her to a kiln.

As soon as the old man appeared, Hong Tao and the other Tianyan Sect disciples immediately saluted, "Elder Lin."

Lin Xiangtian nodded and brought Lin Suiwan to his side.

"I'm sorry for being late. This is one of my Lin clan descendants. We've only produced this triple Spirit Root after three generations. Hong steward, please add her name to the sect's enrollment roster."

Hong Tao furrowed his brow, "Elder Lin, today we've gathered the exact number of 365 people as stipulated by the Elders. We cannot add any more."

Lin Xiangtian seemed indifferent, "Then deduct one for now. Can't we exchange a triple Spirit Root for a four or five Spirit Root with the worst aptitude?"

Everyone glanced nervously at Jiang Yuebai, and she quickly clutched her wooden plaque.

Hong Tao remained silent, but his junior disciple pointed at Jiang Yuebai.

"That kid has a five Spirit Root."

Before he finished speaking, Hong Tao turned around and glared at him, but it was already too late.

Lin Xiangtian waved his sleeve, and Jiang Yuebai was swept away by a gust of wind, crashing heavily in front of a group of people, and her wooden plaque landed at Lin Suiwan's feet.

Ignoring the pain, Jiang Yuebai grabbed Lin Suiwan's ankle, causing her to yelp and withdraw her foot. Jiang Yuebai then grabbed the wooden plaque and held it to her chest.

"This is my wooden plaque, and I have Spirit Root. I can cultivate!"

Jiang Yuebai didn't mind the pain and used both hands and feet to rush forward, grabbing her token. Unexpectedly, a foot in deer-skin boots stepped on her hand.

"Why is it you?"

Hearing the voice, everyone looked at Lin Suiwan.

"You recognize her, Suiwan?" Lin Xiangtian asked.

Lin Suiwan's face showed arrogance, "She used to be my maid, but she stole my jewelry, so I sold her."

Jiang Yuebai stubbornly raised her head, "I didn't!"

No one listened to her, and Lin Xiangtian said to Hong Tao, "Hong Steward, you see, this child not only has poor aptitude but also has a problematic character. How can she enter Tianyan Sect? It's better to send her down the mountain early."

Hong Tao remained silent, but he looked at Jiang Yuebai's feet, which were injured from climbing the Nine-Layered Mountain.

At this moment, Jiang Yuebai became resolute. She bit onto Lin Suiwan's ankle, and when Lin Suiwan screamed in pain and retracted her foot, Jiang Yuebai grabbed the token and held it tightly to her chest.

"This is my token; I have a Spirit Root, so I can cultivate!"

She curled up on the ground, using all her strength to protect both herself and the wooden plaque, as if she had practiced this thousands of times.

"I didn't steal your things; I didn't!"

Everyone gave Jiang Yuebai sympathetic glances, but that was all they could do.

Lin Xiangtian sneered, lifted his hand, and with a gentle flick, Jiang Yuebai was sent flying, crashing heavily into a nearby rock. Blood sprayed out, and the token fell to the ground. Lin Xiangtian flicked his finger, and the token flew back into his hand. Seeing the bloodstains on it, he showed some disdain, using his Purifying Dust Technique to make it look brand new.

Jiang Yuebai got up, tears welling in her eyes, along with a deep sense of grievance and fear.

She could protect a bun from ordinary people, but she couldn't protect her token from immortal cultivators.

"Elder Lin, she's just an ignorant child. Don't delay her chance to ascend to immortality."

Hong Tao couldn't help but speak up, and Lin Xiangtian finally softened his aura.

"The Ascension Steps are open. Take your tokens and ascend quickly!"

With Hong Tao's command, all the children tightly held onto their tokens and gradually disappeared up the steps.

Lin Xiangtian handed the token to Lin Suiwan and gently rubbed her head, "Go, the Patriarch is waiting for you in the Tianyan Sect."

Lin Suiwan obediently nodded, and as she passed by Jiang Yuebai, she proudly shook her head, flaunting the token as she ascended the steps.

Lin Xiangtian flew away on his sword, and Hong Tao sighed, walking over to Jiang Yuebai's side.

"The cultivation world's talent and strength determine everything. What you saw today is just a glimpse. With your talent, entering the Tianyan Sect and seeking immortality through bloodshed might not be as good as living freely in the mortal world for several decades. You've gone through a lot along the way, keep this bit of gold and silver as you find your own path."

Jiang Yuebai looked at the gold and silver thrown in front of her. In the past, she didn't even know that immortals existed, and she had always dreamed of having this much gold and silver to enjoy all the delicious food in Yong'an City.

"But now, she suddenly understood that even if she had the gold and silver, she couldn't protect them, just like she couldn't protect her own token.

People stronger than her could easily make her lose everything, even her life, with just a casual wave of their hand.

She didn't understand many things, only the instinct to survive and the stubbornness of a child who would do anything to get what she wanted.

"I don't want the gold and silver! I want my token!"

Jiang Yuebai fiercely threw the gold and silver away and got up, rushing towards the Ascension Steps.

Hong Tao and the others didn't stop her. Without a token, she would be directly repelled, and letting her experience a hard collision might make her give up completely.

Just at this moment, a sudden change occurred.

The supposed-to-be repelled Jiang Yuebai had a fleeting glimmer of imperceptible golden light on her brow. Surprisingly, she ascended the Ascension Steps and disappeared in front of everyone's eyes.

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