Xuanqing Guard
Chapter 140: The Three Trials
Leaving from the north gate of Pingjiang City, the official road heading northwest was already crowded with people before dawn.
The small village nestled at the foot of Gui Mountain was even more lively. The villagers here were well aware that many people would come to pay respects at the mountain today, and with seasoned experience, whether it was soy milk and steamed buns, meat pies and rice porridge, or even roasted sweet potatoes, the place was already bustling with a morning market scene, as the swarming crowds eagerly dug into their purses while anxiously waiting their turn.
Including Shen Hao, all Xuanqing Guard members who had been temporarily dispatched to Pingjiang City had arrived today. They drew a cordon behind the village and set up five patrol points, covering one another in a strategic formation. Shen Hao’s Black Banner Battalion held the frontmost position, perfectly placed to overlook the giant stone marking the entrance to the Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute.
As daylight began to break, the foot of Gui Mountain grew ever more boisterous. According to custom, the Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute would officially begin its disciple-recruitment ceremony at early morning.
Suddenly, a cry of alarm rose above all the clamor: "Look at the mountain!"
Following the exclamations, more and more startled shouts echoed throughout the crowd. They saw a cluster of white clouds descending from the mountain, covering an area of ten feet in diameter, layered and dense, never dispersing—utterly unlike the common mists of the mountains!
Shen Hao also tilted his head back, his heart racing uncontrollably. He vaguely guessed the origin of that cloud.
Several breaths later, when the cloud had sunk to seven or eight zhang above the ground, those farther back could already see several people standing atop the cloud!
Sure enough, the crowd below fell instantly silent, struck with awe.
The art of Soaring Through the Clouds!
This was true Cultivation Techniques!
As written in the classics: Soar upon the clouds, ride the mist; roam freely across the vastness of Heaven and Earth, unbound and unopposed!
Shen Hao could no longer recall which book he’d read those words in, but remembered clearly that the first half referred exactly to the art of Soaring Through the Clouds, while the latter half explained that those who mastered this technique could travel Heaven and Earth without limits.
Don’t think these words exaggerated; they were fact. For the lowest threshold to practice Soaring Through the Clouds was not the Gathering Spirit Realm nor the Primordial Pill Realm, but the Profound Sea Realm above Primordial Pill!
Shen Hao had never seen a cultivator of the Profound Sea Realm. In his eyes, those with such cultivation were practically Land Immortals—if they could soar through the clouds, weren’t they gods already?
While Shen Hao’s mind raced with such wild thoughts, the cloud had already landed steadily before the mountain gate.
Six figures stepped down from it.
At the head was a man in white robes, hair and beard equally snow-white yet meticulously groomed, a black crown upon his head, and a cyan jade gourd at his waist. His expression was benevolent, and at the center of his brows was a striking Feiyu Xiangguang mark. With hands clasped behind his back and a faint smile on his lips, a gentle aura silently spread throughout the scene, easing the tense hearts of the crowd all at once for no apparent reason.
After only a brief pause, the crowd below bowed as one to the white-bearded, white-robed cultivator in perfect unison: "Greetings, Master Pingyang!"
Shen Hao was startled. Over these days, he had come to know some things of Gui Mountain Cultivation, and could even name a few of its key figures—like the one before him now.
Master Pingyang was his courtesy title; his real name was Li Shuyang, one of the five Council Elders of Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute. It was said he had cultivated for more than six hundred years, his cultivation at Profound Sea Second Layer. Within the Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute, Li Shuyang was a boss who suppressed the sect’s fate and would rarely show himself. No one expected him to come in person today.
Li Shuyang nodded with a smile. He radiated no oppressive aura, but instead bestowed a springlike comfort, making all willingly treat him with the utmost respect.
Without saying a word, a man behind Li Shuyang raised his hand and cast a Dharma Seal into the air. In a blink, a black shard, originally the size of a walnut, grew in the wind. After a few breaths, it landed on the ground, now more than a zhang tall, shaped like a strange stone sculpture with a round depression in the middle.
Shen Hao also recognized Yang Qingyun, who followed by throwing down a stone stele—the Age Stone, something Shen Hao had seen before.
Then Li Shuyang personally struck a seal technique into the giant stone below the mountain gate. Instantly, a plume of dim radiance flew from within the boulder, like a spark falling upon the narrow mountain path beyond. For a moment, it was as if the path was set alight, and an oppressive, mysterious brilliance spread forth.
"Today the mountain’s gates open wide to all under Heaven, presenting three trials: 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
The First Trial: Tested by the Age Stone—those aged over six and under fifteen may proceed.
The Second Trial: Enter the Black Wall. Those who attract Three Appearances of Floating Light at minimum may pass; those who do not, are unqualified. The qualified may enter our Outer Sect as Named Disciples.
The Third Trial: Ascend the mountain on foot, reaching the Hammer Sound Pavilion within three hours. Success means bypassing the Outer Sect and entering our Inner Sect directly.
Do you all understand these rules?"
"We understand!" came a chaotic chorus from below the mountain.
"Then let us begin! Step forward one at a time, state your name; those who fail, leave at once and do not disturb others."
All the while, Li Shuyang never uttered a word, only stood at the foot of the mountain with hands behind his back as if guarding the formation.
Shen Hao stood at the front, his black brocade robe conspicuous. No one crowded him, allowing him to observe the commotion at his leisure. He had thought that with the announcement, chaos would immediately ensue, yet to his surprise, the seemingly unruly crowd was rather orderly; those nearer the front naturally formed the head of the line, with the others queuing crookedly behind—soon the queue stretched beyond sight.
The first trial—Age Stone—went by swiftly; those daring enough to come here surely didn’t cheat about their age.
The second trial—Black Wall—was much slower.
Shen Hao widened his eyes as if watching a magic lantern show, fixing his gaze on the first child stepping onto the Black Wall. It was a boy of seven or eight, brimming with spirit, utterly unafraid before the crowd. He strode straight in, sat cross-legged in the depression in the wall without needing instruction, and stilled his breath to focus.
At the side, Yang Qingyun presided over the Black Wall. Who knows what seal technique he used, but as the wall gave a muffled hum, the boy started quivering slightly, then calmed again in less than three breaths.
The boy hurriedly opened his eyes. All around, everyone’s attention shifted to the smoothed surface of the Black Wall.
A streak of dark gold pattern suddenly emerged on the Black Wall, unbidden, then a second... and a third, faint and tenuous. In any case, there were three!
The three dark gold streaks receded after a few breaths—this was the "Three Appearances of Floating Light."
"Qualified. Move to the back, and after some rest, you may begin the third trial. Next!" Yang Qingyun’s gaze on the boy turned fractionally gentler.
So this was the test for "talent." Shen Hao was curious—what kind of cultivation talent did one need for the Three Appearances of Floating Light? He continued to watch, eager to see how many more after that auspicious start would be so fortunate.
The result... not even one in a hundred passed.
Those who came all had confidence in their children; no ordinary ones would risk embarrassment and bring them here. Thus, most who stepped onto the Black Wall could manage two streaks, and some had the third vaguely forming but never fully appearing, so those truly achieving "three appearances" were pitifully few.
Shen Hao remained at the mountain gate for half the day, and even then, only five children passed the second trial.