SPMT : Chapter 101 Difficulties of Entering the Immortal Sect

 

“Daddy, do you think that girl will be selected?” Xiao Fan asked, swinging his legs.

 

Xiao Jingting shrugged. “I don’t know, son.” A prestigious sect like Qingyun Immortal Sect surely has high standards for admission.

 

Resting his chin on his hand, Xiao Fan continued, “That girl said Qingyun Immortal Sect has old monsters who can live for two thousand years.”

 

Xu Mu’an interjected, “Foundation Building cultivators live up to two hundred years, Core Formation cultivators up to five hundred, and Nascent Soul cultivators up to two thousand. Mo City doesn’t even have a Foundation Building cultivator.”

 

Previously, making ends meet was a problem, so Xu Mu’an naturally didn’t think about the elusive Foundation Building. But now, he couldn’t help but yearn for it. If given the choice, who would want to live an ordinary life?

 

Xiao Jingting sighed impatiently. “They’re not monsters; they’re seniors. Don’t let others hear you.”

 

Nascent Soul cultivators, capable of controlling clouds and rain with a wave of their hand. If Qingyun Immortal Sect’s disciples heard about this, they would be on their guard.

 

Thousand-year tortoises, ten-thousand-year turtles, and old monsters living two thousand years indeed sound terrifying! Such longevity is truly awe-inspiring.

 

Looking at Xiao Jingting, Xiao Fan asked, “Father, if that girl is selected for Qingyun Immortal Sect, could she become an old demon?”

 

Xiao Jingting paused, speechless.

 

Turning to Xiao Jingting, Xu Mu’an asked, “Should we continue following them?”

 

Xiao Jingting nodded. “Let’s follow. They say that without someone familiar with the way, you can’t even enter Star City. Whoever said that, to go far, you need thick skin.”

 

Xu Mu’an agreed, “Alright.”

 

The Ouyang family’s convoy proceeded grandly, each carriage more exquisite and magnificent than the last, presenting a spectacular sight.

 

“It seems like there are many children,” Xiao Fan observed, looking at the Ouyang family’s convoy.

 

Xiao Jingting nodded. “Yes.”

 

During dinner, the children emerged from the carriages, a dense crowd of them. They were probably the children of the Ouyang family attending the assessment.

 

Watching the solemn expressions of the children, Xiao Jingting couldn’t help but recall his own college entrance examination from his previous life. The candidates then, like these Ouyang children, looked equally serious. It’s a pity these children have to face examinations at such a young age.

 

…

 

Ouyang Mingyue pulled Ouyang Jinyue into the luxurious carriage and cast a soundproofing spell.

 

“Jinyue, do you like that chubby boy named Xiao Fan?” Ouyang Mingyue asked.

 

Ouyang Jinyue nodded instinctively. “Sister, he’s very interesting! Don’t you think so?”

 

Ouyang Mingyue smiled. “I don’t. Jinyue, your current task is to focus on cultivation. Li Chengfeng, the son of the Lord of Li City, has already been selected. His talent is highly regarded, and the people above value him a lot. The Li City Lord’s mansion is acting quite arrogant now.”

 

“Although our Ouyang family has a Golden Core ancestor, our bloodline connection is already weak. Moreover, the Golden Core ancestor is said to be nearing the end of his life and has been in seclusion. If something happens to him, our Ouyang family’s position will be precarious. Jinyue, you are the most talented person our Ouyang family has had in decades. You must be selected to ensure our family’s stability.”

 

Ouyang Mingyue took a deep breath. The Ouyang family and the ancestor’s bloodline have been distant for several generations. Now, the ancestor’s descendants are contacting them.

 

Qingyun Immortal Sect looks down on them, considering them poor relatives from the Savage Continent. However, because of some special products from the Savage Continent, they can still trade with Qingyun Immortal Sect. Recently, Qingyun Immortal Sect seems to be increasingly greedy.

 

Ouyang Mingyue sighed lightly. Although the elders of the family are somewhat dissatisfied with the greed of the other party, they dare not offend them.

 

The Ouyang family has people in the Immortal Sect, as do other families. It is said that the ancestor has at most twenty years left. The descendants of the ancestor are not particularly outstanding cultivators. Once the ancestor is gone, the power of the ancestor’s lineage will inevitably decline sharply. The urgent task is to cultivate someone who can stand firm in the Immortal Sect.

 

If Jinyue is valued by the Immortal Sect, even if the ancestor is gone, the Ouyang family will have a support.

 

Ouyang Jinyue looked at Ouyang Mingyue’s eyes full of expectation, feeling a bit bitter. “Sister, you’ve said this many times. It feels like a burden. Everyone says that selection depends on fate. It’s useless to force it.”

 

Ouyang Mingyue’s face showed a hint of embarrassment. When she was young, she also participated in the disciple selection. Many in the family thought she would be selected, but she failed. Ouyang Mingyue still remembers the envoy’s words back then: mediocre spiritual roots, unfit.

 

In the Savage Continent, people mainly make a living by planting spirit herbs, and wood attributes are highly respected. However, Qingyun Immortal Sect doesn’t see it that way. They value the types of spiritual roots. The fewer the spiritual roots, the better the talent. They also consider physique; some people have special physiques and are highly sought after.

 

In the Savage Continent, if someone is said to have water and wood attributes, they might not actually have both. The Savage Continent can only test the main spiritual root, but almost everyone has secondary spiritual roots. The more secondary spiritual roots one has, the more it affects their cultivation speed, especially as they reach higher levels.

 

It is said that having three spiritual roots makes it difficult to build the foundation, and the hope of building it with four spiritual roots is even more slim. As for five spiritual roots, there is basically no possibility of building the foundation. Therefore, the envoys who come to recruit disciples usually only accept those with one or two spiritual roots.

 

People with a single spiritual root are rare and not easy to come by. It’s not easy to encounter them. Above single spiritual roots, there is a type called Heavenly Spiritual Root, which can enter the Core Formation stage without any bottlenecks. Once encountering a Heavenly Spiritual Root, the sect will focus on nurturing them.

 

Ouyang Mingyue looked at Ouyang Jinyue, unable to help but feel tense.

 

“Sister, please don’t look at me like that! It puts a lot of pressure on me. Everyone says that selection depends on fate. It’s useless to force it,” Ouyang Jinyue said with a bitter face.

 

Hearing this, Ouyang Mingyue’s eyes flickered, and she sighed lightly.

 

Back then, she was highly valued by the family and also had high expectations. Full of confidence, she participated in the test, but unfortunately, the people from Qingyun Immortal Sect didn’t take her seriously at all. Although no one from her batch was selected, Ouyang Mingyue remembers that many were rated higher than her by Qingyun Immortal Sect.

 

After failing, her world almost collapsed.

 

“Alright, let it be,” Ouyang Mingyue sighed.

 

“Sister, do you think that chubby boy will be selected?” Ouyang Jinyue asked.

 

Frowning, Ouyang Mingyue replied, “Why do you ask like that?”

 

“I think he’s special! He exudes a spiritual aura,” Ouyang Jinyue said.

 

“Maybe he’ll be selected, but he doesn’t even have the qualifications for the selection,” Ouyang Mingyue replied.

 

Qingyun Immortal Sect mostly recruits disciples from its own territory. They only select ten disciples from the Savage Continent each year. For these ten spots, various forces in the Savage Continent compete fiercely. Many powers in the Savage Continent are eyeing these spots, so how could they let an outsider have a share?

 

Ouyang Mingyue drew back the carriage curtain and looked at the children outside. Her brows furrowed slightly. In her heart, she still hoped her sister could be selected. Although most of the people outside were from the Ouyang family, they shared honor and disgrace. However, who could be without selfish desires?

 

In the past, even peripheral branches of families were selected. As a result, after those people rose to prominence, they immediately supported their peripheral branch families. The main family members were thoroughly suppressed.

 

…

 

Ouyang Jing looked at the magnificent carriage with narrowed eyes.

 

Different fate for different people! Back then, she also participated in the selection of Qingyun Immortal Sect’s disciples. At that time, the envoy evaluated her as above average in three spiritual roots, while Ouyang Mingyue was below average. Ouyang Jing wasn’t very clear about Qingyun Immortal Sect’s evaluation criteria, but she understood the difference between above and below.

 

In the eyes of Qingyun Immortal Sect’s people, her talent should be slightly better than Ouyang Mingyue’s. However, it wasn’t much better, so she was still not selected.

 

After she and Ouyang Mingyue failed, Ouyang Mingyue underestimated her father, the city lord. He continued to push forward, and now he has cultivated to the seventh level of Qi Refining. She, on the other hand, has remained at the fifth level of Qi Refining.

 

Ouyang Jing gritted her teeth, feeling a bit frustrated. Although it’s all Ouyang family members on the surface, Ouyang Mingyue, despite being rejected, continued to be heavily nurtured by the family. But once she was rejected, the family didn’t pay much attention to her.

 

She remembered that the Duke of Yongning’s mansion also had a peripheral daughter participating in the selection. The girl had just reached the first level of Qi Refining and was not outstanding among the children at the second or third levels of Qi Refining. However, when Qingyun Immortal Sect’s people found out that the girl had dual spiritual roots, they said she was exceptional among dual spiritual roots and accepted her into Qingyun Immortal Sect.

 

The girl who was originally taken along by the Duke’s mansion unexpectedly stood out after being selected by Qingyun Immortal Sect.

 

Her family’s status also improved, and the mansion provided her family with plenty of good food and drink.

 

It is said that there are many such examples; the selection by the Immortal Sect is an opportunity to change fate! Many lucky ones have emerged, but unfortunately, she wasn’t one of them.

 

Just as Ouyang Jing was about to leave, she was intercepted by Qian Yu.

 

“These people are shameless. Let’s keep our distance from them. Why are they so close?” Qian Yu said displeasedly.

 

“Jinyue is young and playful. When she meets people of the same age, she naturally feels curious,” Ouyang Jing thought to herself.

 

Ouyang Jinyue’s temperament is a bit capricious, and many children of the family who are her age are a bit afraid of her. She doesn’t know what this girl sees in Xiao Fan, to actually have a different view of such a person.

 

“Hmph, such a shabby carriage, and they dare to follow us. It’s really annoying,” Qian Yu sneered.

 

Ouyang Jing furrowed her brows. She doesn’t look favorably upon Qian Yu, who is just a wet nurse. However, she has a big presence, even bigger than the young ladies of their noble family. This person happens to be the dowry maid of the city lord’s wife and holds quite a bit of sway with the city lord’s wife.

 

“They wouldn’t be able to find Star City if they didn’t follow us,” Ouyang Jing said.

 

“Why are they going to Star City? Madam said that’s where wealthy people go. Without money or connections, going to Star City is asking for trouble!” Qian Yu said.

 

Ouyang Jing thought to herself: Even a wet nurse like you can use taking care of Jinyue as an excuse to follow to Star City. It’s not surprising if others want to go too.

 

“A small family like theirs wouldn’t have made it this far if they didn’t have thick skin!” Ouyang Jing said.

 

This fellow, Xiao Jingting, doesn’t know if he’s had some stroke of luck. He’s already at the seventh level of Qi Refining so quickly. She’s only at the fifth level of Qi Refining. Could it be that Xiao Jingting has a single spiritual root? The quality of spiritual roots, it is said, is more evident the higher the level.

 

“Those two little brats are pretending to be stupid. It’s obvious they want to participate in the selection,” Qian Yu said.

 

“How could that be?” Ouyang Jing shook her head.

 

The Ouyang family has blood ties and good relations with them.

 

Recently, the Ouyang family lost a Foundation Establishment senior, and the influence began to shrink. It was difficult to meet the resource demands from above, so they accepted a few children from other families for the test. In return, these families presented generous gifts to the Ouyang family.

 

Ouyang Jing pursed her lips. If it weren’t for the family’s dire situation, they wouldn’t have allowed children from other families to participate in the test. The city lord’s mansion may look splendid, but in fact, it’s already declining!

 

Ouyang Jing glanced at Qian Yu. She knew that the Ouyang family allowed children from other families to participate in the test. Qian Yu wanted to sneak her child in and had been pestering the city lord’s wife for a long time, but she was refused.

 

Ouyang Jing thought to herself: Other families have paid quite a bit of silver to get their people in. How could the Ouyang family agree to such a request from her? The children selected are strictly scrutinized. However, it’s true that some children from other families have been sneaked in this time.