Chapter 7: The Trial Assembly

When Li Changshou landed with Lan Ling'e in front of Bai Fan Dian, hundreds of figures had already gathered there.

From a distance, groups of young men and women in Daoist robes and long skirts were chatting and laughing animatedly, with hardly any among them having unremarkable appearances. The number of female cultivators here was not fewer than the men; most of them had delicate features and graceful figures, each as unique as spring orchids or autumn chrysanthemums, though a few stood out exceptionally, like cranes among chickens or stars beside the bright moon.

For instance, Lan Ling'e, who was standing beside Li Changshou...

"Isn't that Ling'e from Xiao Qiong Peak? She's grown even more beautiful. I hear her aptitude is quite impressive too—she's already at Lian Qi eighth tier after just ten years in the sect, and it looks like she's on the verge of breaking into Hua Shen realm."

"They say some of the supreme elders have their eyes on taking her as a disciple. We don't have that kind of luck."

"Who's that person with her?"

"Oh, her senior brother, I suppose. Xiao Qiong Peak never had many people to begin with, and he doesn't rank in the top three hundred in the sect. I don't really remember him."

"I think his Daoist title is Changshou?"

"That Daoist title is truly... simple and unadorned, quite distinctive."

"Don't gossip about disciples from other peaks! Mind your manners! If the sect elders hear this, they'll think our peak has no discipline!"

The whispers reached Li Changshou's ears, but he acted as if he hadn't noticed, maintaining a warm smile on his lips without looking around. He first took Lan Ling'e inside the hall to register, then headed to a quiet corner to wait.

The bells rang incessantly as more and more young cultivators arrived from various peaks.

Today was the Du Xian Men event held every five years: the disciple expedition assembly, designed to let disciples venture out, broaden their horizons, and deepen their cultivation insights.

This activity was open to all formal sect disciples for voluntary participation, with twelve destinations to choose from, catering to disciples at different cultivation stages.

Du Xian Men recruited disciples in large numbers every two hundred years, marking a generation by that cycle. Among the current generation, the fastest cultivators had reportedly reached Fan Xu sixth tier, surpassing many sect "elders" who had practiced for a millennium but possessed only average talent.

The four major realms before immortality—Lian Qi, Hua Shen, Fan Xu, and Gui Dao—determined one's strength after becoming an immortal, as well as the progress of future cultivation and the limits of their immortal path.

Someone like Lan Ling'e, who had entered the sect ten years ago under a master with little fame and who hadn't even achieved immortality, had reached Lian Qi eighth tier, naturally drawing a lot of attention.

The senior brother and sister stood three feet apart under a tree's shade, and many onlookers assumed their relationship wasn't particularly close.

Lan Ling'e plucked a tender willow twig and twirled it gently between her fingers, hesitating several times as if she wanted to speak.

The first rule of their three agreements: Maintain a three-foot distance in front of others.

The second rule: Avoid unnecessary chatter when outside.

"Senior brother, where are you going?"

"Guess."

"You never say anything, even after I've asked for days," Lan Ling'e huffed lightly, muttering under her breath, "Anyway, wherever you go, I'll go too. I'm keeping an eye on you."

Li Changshou smiled calmly, his lips parting slightly as he used a sound transmission technique to speak directly into Lan Ling'e's ear.

"Junior sister, you're now a cultivator who's made some progress. You need to learn to face challenges independently."

Lan Ling'e replied righteously, "I'm following Master's orders to watch you, senior brother, so you don't cause trouble outside and tarnish Xiao Qiong Peak's reputation!"

Li Changshou just smiled faintly and said no more.

After the bells rang six times, over sixty cultivators emerged from Bai Fan Dian and hovered in the air.

They varied in appearance and demeanor—some were white-haired and wrinkled, others looked like young maidens in their prime, though most presented a mature and composed facade.

These sixty-three sect members slightly released their auras, instantly silencing the crowd in front of Bai Fan Dian, with faint immortal light surrounding each of them.

They were immortals from various peaks, tasked with escorting this expedition.

A crane's cry echoed as a red-crested white crane descended from the clouds, carrying a slender elder seated upon it.

Upon closer inspection, the elder had subtle auspicious clouds behind him and two green lotus flowers floating around his body, exuding an extraordinary presence that inspired reverence, even without overtly displaying his aura.

This was Zhong Yu Shangren, the deputy sect master of Du Xian Men, reportedly a Tianxian-level expert and among the top ten in the sect's cultivation ranks.

Zhong Yu Shangren didn't deliver a lengthy speech; he half-closed his eyes and parted his lips, his voice resonating throughout the main peak:

"You shall all remember the sect rules during this expedition, uphold Du Xian Men's prestige, and avoid any actions that disgrace our traditions.

This outing includes twelve locations in total. Recently, demons have been causing havoc near several tribes along the Dong Hai coast, and I hope you will eliminate evil and protect our kin.

Ge Zhanglao, begin."

With that, Zhong Yu Shangren rode his crane away without lingering, as the crowd of disciples bowed in unison to see him off.

The elder standing in the air before the hall stepped forward, cupped his hands in acknowledgment, and then proclaimed loudly:

"Those heading to the Dong Hai coast to slay demons, gather on the far left—cultivation must be no lower than Lian Qi sixth tier! Rewards will be based on the number of demons eliminated."

The disciples below immediately sprang into action, with nearly half moving to the left side of the hall, causing a crowd to form there.

This was a standard for every expedition assembly: among the twelve sites, one was always relatively easier and safer but offered generous rewards.

Lan Ling'e turned to watch her senior brother, noticing his feet remained perfectly still.

Senior brother's target clearly wasn't about seeking benefits...

"Junior sister, your cultivation is still shallow, so you should go with the majority," Li Changshou advised via sound transmission. Lan Ling'e pouted slightly but stayed put beside her senior brother.

Ge Zhanglao continued, "Those going to the southeastern border of Zhong Shen Zhou to slay demons, gather on the right—cultivation must be no lower than Lian Qi eighth tier."

Only a few dozens of disciples moved this time, all of them solidly in Hua Shen realm.

And so, as Ge Zhanglao kept calling out, disciples departed one after another to their chosen destinations.

The minimum cultivation requirements for the later sites rose steadily, and by the time he announced "no lower than Hua Shen second tier," Lan Ling'e's eyes were filled with resentment as she looked at her senior brother...

Her own true cultivation was exactly Hua Shen second tier.

"Senior brother, where on earth are you going?"

Li Changshou merely smiled without answering.

Soon, only twenty-three people remained unmoved, with just two sites left unannounced.

Among these twenty-three, aside from the senior brother and sister in the corner, nearly all were the sect's "chosen talents"—the top-cultivated disciples of this generation, ranking high in the disciple lists.

Ge Zhanglao glanced at Lan Ling'e before announcing, "Those heading to Dong Hai Lin Yun Island for training, enter the hall—cultivation must be no lower than Hua Shen ninth tier."

Of the remaining group, seventeen moved at once, each revealing an aura of Fan Xu second or third tier!

Murmurs of admiration rose from the surroundings as the seventeen disciples quickly flew into the hall.

Now, only six people hadn't moved, and the crowd's attention swiftly shifted to a young woman in a fiery red immortal skirt, carrying a broad-bladed treasure sword on her back.

The young woman stood with her eyes closed, like a transcendent immortal or a spirit from the nine heavens, as if surrounded by an aura that said—

Keep out.

She was one of the most renowned disciples in Du Xian Men today—not only was she stunningly beautiful and elegant, with a flawless figure, but her cultivation aptitude was also extraordinary. As she subtly released her aura, it revealed she was at Fan Xu fourth tier.

Having entered the sect just over sixty years ago, her talents had earned her the sect's favor, and she had long been accepted into the lineage of Po Tian Peak's sect master.

'It'll be good if You Qin Xuanya is going to Bei Ju Lu Zhou too.'

In the corner, Li Changshou wore a faint smile. Traveling with such an attention-drawing figure would help him stay even less noticed.

Lan Ling'e, standing nearby, sniffed the air lightly and detected something unusual.

Her gaze darted between her senior brother's smile and the young woman in the red skirt...

Something was definitely up!

Whispers emerged from the crowd:

"Is Xuanya senior sister going to Bei Ju Lu Zhou to gather herbs?"

"If Xuanya senior sister is going to Bei Ju Lu Zhou, then Yuan Qing senior brother must be going too."

"Isn't that obvious? Yuan Qing senior brother hasn't moved because he's waiting for Xuanya senior sister's decision."

"Watch your words, guard your hearts—don't offend these two cultivation prodigies from Po Tian Peak."

In the air, Ge Zhanglao frowned at Li Changshou and Lan Ling'e, shook his head slightly, and continued:

"Disciples heading to the chaotic miasma forests in the southeast of Bei Ju Lu Zhou, enter the hall—this place is extremely dangerous, with frequent disciple casualties; cultivation must be no lower than Hua Shen ninth tier!"

The young woman in the red skirt opened her eyes, her phoenix-like gaze clear and bright. She lightly tapped the ground with her toe, her skirt swaying like a blooming fire spirit flower, drawing gazes as she floated into the hall.

Following closely was a refined and gentlemanly young cultivator, his aura revealing Fan Xu fifth tier; his eyes never left the red figure ahead—he was naturally Yuan Qing senior brother.

Li Changshou also stepped forward. With You Qin Xuanya and Yuan Qing drawing all the attention, he went unnoticed, which suited him just fine.

But after just two steps, he suddenly shivered for no reason, feeling a pair of resentful eyes shadowing him...

"Senior brother, why are you suddenly going to Bei Ju Lu Zhou?"

Li Changshou paused, turned back, and said solemnly, "Naturally, to gather herbs."

"Senior brother? Don't we have enough herbs at home? You..."

"Xiao Qiong Peak's Lan Ling'e."

A voice called from the air—it was Ge Zhanglao, frowning at the pair. "Are you still participating in this expedition?"

"Yes."

Lan Ling'e looked up and replied, feeling the gazes around her as her face flushed slightly.

The atmosphere had shifted from a chilly wind to a warm spring in an instant, her expression changing quite naturally...

Lan Ling'e quickly added, "I apologize for troubling you, Elder. My cultivation is still weak, and I was unsure earlier, but I've decided to join the others at the Dong Hai coast."

Ge Zhanglao nodded, smiling kindly. "Hurry back to the group, then. Don't delay the departure."

"Yes."

Lan Ling'e breathed a quiet sigh of relief, but when she turned to look for her senior brother, he had already vanished.

"Really, why insist on going to such a dangerous place?"

She puffed her cheeks and muttered softly, "He didn't even say to take care... Be careful yourself, you big idiot of a senior brother!"

As she turned, Lan Ling'e had resumed her normal expression and walked toward the distant crowd, where several talented disciples from various peaks greeted her with smiles.

...

Inside the hall, a dozen gazes fell on Li Changshou in the corner, most laced with curiosity and doubt, as if wondering who he was.

Li Changshou quietly released his own aura...

Hua Shen ninth tier, just barely qualifying, on the upper end for this generation's disciples.