If one wishes to ascend to immortality, this ascent is the first trial.
This trial is simple, merely reaching the high platform within the allotted time signifies success.
Countless cultivators surged onto the platform, approaching the outer disciples, and thus began the second trial… examination.
A myriad of colorful lights flashed below the platform; in an instant, one’s immortal path could be determined.
If they possessed potential, they would advance to the next stage; if not, they could only stop here.
Yun Ze watched the figures, some dejected, others excited, and couldn’t help but recall his own past.
A three-attribute Yellow-grade mid-tier spirit root, with the water attribute granted by Miao Jue, yet he had still reached this point.
Alas, speaking of which, he wondered if he could get a spirit root detection ball to see what grade his current spirit root was.
Yun Ze’s eyes lit up, but he knew this was not the time.
Gong Yu Shan was still watching from above.
He subconsciously glanced up at Gong Yu Shan, only to find the man had already closed his eyes, resting.
This was rather strange.
It wasn’t that Gong Yu Shan should have been targeting him, but based on their previous encounters, he shouldn’t have been so inactive.
Was there some hidden reason behind this?
Yun Ze dared not look for too long, merely casting a couple of glances before lowering his head, continuing to watch the Qi Condensation stage cultivators rushing towards the platform.
“Daoist Tu.”
A person in a yellow Daoist robe stepped forward and spoke, “There is something I wish to ask, though I am unsure if I should.”
“Hmm?”
Yun Ze looked at the person, slightly puzzled. “What is it? Daoist, please speak freely!”
“I heard that Gong Xiao’s Sumeru ring is in your possession. Other items within are of no consequence, but I know some of the cultivation techniques from the Talisman Pavilion…”
“Ah, that should indeed be returned.”
Yun Ze said, taking out the Sumeru ring and handing it directly to the other person. “Apart from the spirit brush that rightfully belongs to me, I have not touched anything else inside. If Daoist is concerned, you can ask someone from the Immortal Mansion to verify.”
“Ah, I naturally trust Daoist.”
The person opened the Sumeru ring, took out a few jade slips, and then returned the ring to Yun Ze. “Since Daoist Tu has sought justice for Daoist Gong, this Sumeru ring and the talismans within should naturally belong to Daoist Tu. Please accept it.”
“Hmm?”
Yun Ze was not yet at a point where he would disdain having too many Sumeru rings.
However, the person’s words were somewhat strange.
He frowned slightly and asked, “Sought justice? Why does Daoist say that?”
“This… Daoist Tu, you don’t know yet?”
“Let me explain.”
The veiled woman from the Tian Xiang Sect suddenly spoke. “After the debate, Senior Gong Yu Shan brought Gong Li back to the Immortal Mansion for investigation. It was ultimately determined that the matter indeed originated with him. Afterward, he, as a member of the Gong family, brought Gong Li to the Talisman Pavilion to confess his sins. Then, in his capacity as an investigator of the Immortal Mansion, he killed Gong Li on the spot. The entire Talisman Pavilion knows of this matter, and it is considered settled.”
“Gong Li is dead?”
Yun Ze felt a sense of strangeness and a growing unease.
If Gong Li were still alive, he might not feel this way, but now that Gong Li was dead, he felt something was amiss.
He looked at Gong Yu Shan again.
If he were truly willing to let Gong Li die, why had he sought out the Shangguan family to protect him back then? Why had he intervened on his behalf in the Cheng Tian Golden Hall? And now, he killed him at the Talisman Pavilion?
Wasn’t that a pointless endeavor?
There must be something fishy going on!
“Yes, Daoist Tu, please accept it.”
The cultivator from the Talisman Pavilion directly placed the Sumeru ring into Yun Ze’s arms. “If you do not accept it, Daoist Gong’s spirit in heaven may not rest in peace.”
“…Alright.”
Yun Ze did not refuse and casually tucked the Sumeru ring into his waist.
However, his heart was still heavy.
This matter was filled with strangeness, and he would not feel at ease until he understood it.
He currently had no clues and could only continue watching the Ascension Assembly.
Half an hour later.
Someone had already reached Zi Ji, preparing for the final test to join the Tong Tian Academy, yet Yun Ze had only just spotted Ji Xiu.
This fellow was hampered by his physique. After finally squeezing onto the platform, it took him another quarter of an hour to reach the outer disciples examining spirit roots.
Seeing this, Yun Ze leaned forward.
He also wanted to know what kind of spirit root this little fellow possessed.
Noticing Yun Ze’s interest, the other Foundation Establishment cultivators around them also became curious about the boy. After all, according to ‘rumor,’ this child had once confronted Gong Li!
“Are you ready?”
An outer disciple looked at Ji Xiu and pointed to the spirit root detection ball. “If you are ready, place your hand on it and inject a trace of spiritual energy.”
“Yes, thank you, senior brother.”
Ji Xiu politely thanked him, then placed his hand on the detection ball and injected a trace of spiritual energy.
Instantly!
Brilliant light erupted, almost engulfing the entire platform!
Everyone!
Including Gong Yu Shan, who was seated on the high platform, opened his eyes and looked down, his gaze filled with disbelief.
This was… Heavenly Spirit Root!
And it was red, blue, yellow, and green – a four-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root!
Although this low-grade detection ball couldn’t determine the specific grade of the Heavenly-tier spirit root, it was indeed a Heavenly-tier spirit root.
Yun Ze’s heart trembled.
This talent was simply too terrifying!
Not only him, but the other Foundation Establishment cultivators on the platform were also shocked. And in the next moment…
Only two people remained on the platform.
Except for Yun Ze and the veiled woman from the Tian Xiang Sect, everyone else had approached Ji Xiu, as if trying to persuade him of something.
Yun Ze snapped back to his senses, and Ji Xiu was already surrounded.
He remained unperturbed, sitting in his spot and watching quietly.
This was a form of confidence.
Since Ji Xiu had initially wanted to join his sect, he wouldn’t easily change his mind. Yun Ze just needed to wait to accept him as a disciple.
It was just this person next to him…
Yun Ze asked curiously, “Why aren’t you going down?”
“Is it useful?”
The veiled woman retorted, “Didn’t he already agree to join your sect? I fear any persuasion from us would be in vain.”
Yun Ze couldn’t refute this and could only nod slightly.
However, he did not intend to go down and accept Ji Xiu immediately, preferring to let the boy ascend step by step.
That would be more meaningful!
On the first tier of the platform.
The outer disciple responsible for the examination was dumbfounded.
He hadn’t expected to encounter such a monster, nor had he expected so many Foundation Establishment immortals to descend at once, and even more so…
This young man in front of him actually refused the incredible offers made by so many immortals!
Offers like direct discipleship from sect leaders, golden core cultivators, guarantees of reaching the Golden Core stage, and even promises of the next sect leader position!
He listened, not daring to breathe.
But the boy then asked him…
“Senior brother, I can go up now, right?”
“…Yes.”
“Thank you, senior brother.”
Ji Xiu cupped his hands in thanks, then continued to the second tier of the platform.
The Foundation Establishment cultivators also returned to the eighth tier of the platform, staring at Yun Ze with envious and resentful eyes.
The second tier: Soul Measurement.
As Ji Xiu ascended the platform, the people in front of him immediately made way, allowing this Heavenly Spirit Root user to proceed with the soul measurement.
The person in charge of soul measurement saw this and quickly pushed the soul measurement stele forward, explaining how to use it to Ji Xiu before stepping aside.
Ji Xiu placed his hand on the soul measurement stele.
A golden radiance immediately bloomed!
This… this was a mutated divine soul!
While not a Heavenly-tier divine soul, its rarity and growth potential were comparable.
A four-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root, coupled with a mutated divine soul.
What was this?
This was an unparalleled genius!
The people on the high platform could only grit their teeth and stare at Yun Ze.
Damn it, why wasn’t it me!
Yun Ze could only shrug, as if he hadn’t seen anything, and continued to focus on Ji Xiu’s actions.
It was at this moment that Zi Ji persuaded the previous person to leave.
Although that person had a three-attribute Profound-grade lower-tier spirit root and a decent temperament, he was not suited for scholarly pursuits and thus unsuitable for the Tong Tian Academy.
After being rejected by the Tong Tian Academy, he could no longer enter the Tian Xiang Sect and could only leave the Ascension Assembly to seek his next opportunity.
Ji Xiu reached the third tier.
This tier was for combat.
Ji Xiu’s opponent was at the fourth level of Qi Condensation, one level higher than him.
However, he did not use the second-tier spirit sword that Yun Ze had given him, but instead took a mortal sword and, with his keen insight, easily won the match.
Arriving at the fourth tier platform.
As Ji Xiu’s target was neither the Sword Pavilion nor the Talisman Pavilion, he cupped his hands and ascended to the fifth tier platform.
He finally stood opposite Zi Ji, cupped his hands, and smiled, “Senior Brother Zi Ji, we meet again.”
“Daoist, it is still too early to call me Senior Brother.”
Zi Ji said with a stern face, “Let me ask you, are you certain you wish to join my Tong Tian Academy? If you fail, you will lose the right to enter other sects.”
“I am certain!”
As Ji Xiu’s voice fell, the crowd on the platform tensed.
This was their only chance.
Only if Ji Xiu was eliminated would they have a sliver of an opportunity to recruit him through means other than the Ascension Assembly!
“Good!”
Zi Ji responded, then pulled out a sheet of white paper and handed it to him. “Within two hours, answer the questions on this paper, and you will pass.”
This was the assessment method of the Tong Tian Academy.
This plan was not decided by Yun Ze, nor by Zi Ji.
Long before they departed, the Immortal Mansion and the sects had already determined this assessment method. Whether it was in the Cheng Tian Dynasty or elsewhere, this method had to be followed for the assessment.
They were merely to execute it.
This was to prevent those presiding over the Ascension Assembly from engaging in favoritism and fraud, hence the pre-arranged assessment plan.
“Thank you, Senior Brother.”
Ji Xiu cupped his hands in thanks, then accepted the paper and began writing with his brush, appearing confident.
Yun Ze temporarily shifted his gaze and turned to look at Gong Yu Shan on the ninth tier platform.
If he had only suspected something was amiss before, he was now certain!
This man was definitely problematic!
Let alone being in the Golden Core stage, even if he were in the Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, or even Tribulation Transcendence or Mahayana stage, he could not remain so calm in the face of a four-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root and a mutated divine soul!
But what exactly did he want to do? And why was he like this?
Yun Ze was filled with confusion.
Never mind, thinking so much was not as good as simply trying!
He directly stood up and faced Gong Yu Shan, calling out, “Envoy, I have a question!”
Gong Yu Shan slowly opened his eyes, looked at Yun Ze, and uttered a single word.
“Ask.”
“When you killed Gong Li, did his head retract into his shell?”