Emei, I'm Joining for Sure

"Emei opens its doors to accept disciples, treating all equally. Bone Structure, temperament, and perseverance—none may be lacking. The first ten to pass the two gate trials may enter the inner sect; all others shall enter the outer sect and become the foundation of Emei!"

Abbot Juechen's voice rang clear as her gaze slowly swept across the crowd. In those eyes that saw through the ways of the world, Gu Shao'an's figure inexplicably stood out more clearly than those around him.

"But remember this well: the essence of Emei Swordplay and the Core Internal Cultivation Method are secrets passed down only within the inner sect. Outer sect disciples shall learn arts for guarding the mountain and strengthening the body, and bear duties such as cleaning and quiet cultivation. Whether you improve or not depends on your own ability!"

Her words struck the ground with force, making clear the outer sect's status and limitations.

Excitement and anticipation shone in the eyes of the youngsters present.

Gu Shao'an was no exception.

Emei, I'm joining for sure.

After sweeping her eyes around the crowd, Abbot Juechen gave a faint nod.

A young female disciple beside Abbot Juechen raised and brought down a command flag.

"First pass: the Heart-Questioning Stone Steps. Open the Mountain Gate!"

With a loud creak, the heavy wooden Mountain Gate slowly opened, revealing behind it a hundred-zhang flight of bluestone steps, steep as a stairway to heaven.

Even more unsettling was the sight of nearly a hundred Emei servants in gray cloth jackets standing along the steps in pairs.

Beside them lay straight green bamboo poles as thick as arms, or basket after basket of heavy sand, stone, and lumber.

As the Mountain Gate opened, the Emei servants hoisted up the bamboo poles or baskets of materials and began descending the mountain.

The bluestone steps, already only wide enough for two people abreast, immediately became crowded.

"Climb! Do not collide with or obstruct those carrying materials! Those who reach the summit before midmorning pass!"

The instant the words fell, the crowd surged forward like a tide.

Everyone used their own methods. Some leaped lightly, while others lowered their heads and charged upward, all hoping to seize the lead. Chaos erupted at once.

Gu Shao'an did not rush to the front.

He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and started upward with measured yet exceptionally firm steps.

He knew full well that the essence of this trial lay in one's foundation and endurance. Impatience was the greatest taboo.

The reason he knew was simple.

These Three Passes were all fucking designed by him in the game.

The boomerang of time and space had now come chopping down on his own head.

The stone steps were steep, and the bamboo and wood were heavy.

In the narrow space, the two opposing streams of people inevitably clashed fiercely.

Each time a heavy bamboo pole or stone basket bore down from the front, it was like a moving obstacle.

The moment anyone failed to dodge in time and got hit, Emei people would immediately use their lightness skill to carry them away.

Gu Shao'an's gaze was focused, his steps steady.

When the heavy footsteps of another team of servants carrying enormous baskets of sand and stone approached from afar, he had already observed the gaps ahead. He pressed himself tightly against the slick, icy rock along the inner side of the mountain wall, like a stubborn stone nailed to the ground.

A heavy bamboo pole swept past his nose with a gust of wind, while the edge of a sand-and-stone basket brushed past his clothes by a hair. Not a trace of fear appeared on his face, giving off the calm certainty of someone fully in control.

The servant carrying the pole glanced sideways, surprised to see this youth positioned so precisely, causing them not the slightest trouble.

Standing high above, Abbot Juechen surveyed the chaotic scene on the stone steps with an eagle's gaze, paying particular attention to how those at points of conflict responded.

When her eyes swept across Gu Shao'an's area, she happened to see him complete a clean, decisive dodge.

Seeing his calm eyes, the steadiness that did not match his actual age, and that practiced yet unpretentious evasive posture, Abbot Juechen's brows relaxed by the slightest fraction.

For some reason, the calm yet tenacious aura around this child instinctively made her regard this outsider with less of her usual scrutiny.

"Quite steady."

A faint evaluation passed through her mind.

Meanwhile, Miejue behind the cliffside lattice window could not help but nod at Gu Shao'an's performance. She was clearly quite satisfied with the steadiness and resilience he had displayed.

On the bluestone steps, Gu Shao'an advanced cautiously, weaving through the chaos and pressure like a fish through water.

Sweat soaked through his clothes, and his calves ached as though they might split apart, but his breathing never faltered.

Those who had charged ahead so fiercely at first were already panting like oxen, pressed so hard by the heavy transport teams that they could barely move.

Even Gu Shao'an now had beads of sweat constantly dripping from his chin.

Damn it. If I'd known, I would've made Emei's entrance exam easier.

Though he grumbled inwardly, not a hint of it showed on Gu Shao'an's face.

Step by step, he climbed upward in silence and stubbornness, steadily passing one figure after another.

When the golden light of the sun finally broke through the thin mist over the mountaintop and gilded the towering jade archway, Gu Shao'an stepped onto the final bluestone stair and stood firmly within Abbot Juechen's sight.

His chest rose and fell, sweat running from his temples and neck into his collar, but the determination on his face had not diminished in the slightest.

The clear voice of the disciple in charge of recording rang out. "Gu Shao'an, first to reach the summit!"

Abbot Juechen's gaze fell upon Gu Shao'an.

His face still bore the traces of youthful immaturity, yet its lines were already distinct. His eyes, made brighter by sweat, and the tightly pressed curve of his lips that spoke of tenacity—all showed this youth's remarkable endurance. What caught her attention even more was—

the strange quality about him that made even her, stern as an iron-faced judge, rarely feel that someone was rather pleasing to the eye. Among the many girls in utter disarray or struggling to hold on, his performance stood out like a crane among chickens.

She said nothing more. Her cool gaze lingered on Gu Shao'an only briefly before shifting to the vast bluestone plaza beyond the archway.

Several rows of stone locks of varying sizes stood there, along with heavy bows that needed to be drawn and an array of stone pillars carved with intricate patterns. Several powerfully built, sharp-eyed stewards stood solemnly on guard.

The first pass alone had eliminated nearly thirty percent of the candidates.

The remaining people were led before a deep bamboo forest.

The emerald bamboo stretched like a sea, lush and dense. Thin mist drifted through the forest, and the paths appeared and vanished from sight.

"Second pass: cross this 'Maze Bamboo Grove.' Enter from the east and find the correct route to the western exit within half an incense stick's time to pass!"

Abbot Juechen announced it personally.

"The bamboo formation within changes according to its own patterns. Markers may be obscured by mist, and those with restless minds will easily lose their way. Remember: calm your hearts and discern clearly!"

As her words fell, the command flag swung down.

Countless figures immediately rushed into the bamboo forest.

At first, it was fine. There were faint paths left by those who had gone before, but before long, everyone discovered that the forks ahead were becoming more numerous.

Moreover, this bamboo forest was quite unusual. Though it was no longer early morning, mist still filled the grove. The bamboo had also become denser and more alike, making it easy to lose one's sense of direction.

Some grew impatient and charged about wildly, only to quickly discover that they were going in circles;

some tried to climb the bamboo for a distant view, only to find layer upon layer of bamboo leaves overhead, making it impossible to see afar;

others, irritated and flustered, stepped on places they should not have touched, triggering simple traps or alarms. A bamboo whistle sounded softly, and Emei disciples immediately appeared to take them away, declaring them eliminated.

The moment Gu Shao'an stepped into the bamboo forest, he sensed an atmosphere unlike that of the wilderness.

A fresh fragrance of bamboo permeated the air, along with an almost imperceptible sense of oppression.

The paths in the forest crisscrossed and broke off unpredictably. Mist like thin gauze flowed between the bamboo stalks, obstructing one's vision.

Unlike the others, he did not grow anxious. Instead, he stopped not far from the entrance, took several deep breaths of air carrying the crisp scent of bamboo and damp earth, then swept his sharp gaze around.

He looked relaxed, but was actually studying the bamboo forest.

At times he bent down to inspect the ground; at others, he raised his head to observe the gaps between bamboo branches and the direction in which the mist above flowed.

Sometimes, he even pinched up a little dirt between his fingers or pressed his hand against bamboo stalks to sense differences in temperature.

The Maze Bamboo Grove of the second pass appeared simple—it only required finding the exit—but Gu Shao'an knew that this bamboo forest of the Emei Sect had been built according to the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams.

It was of little use against those with powerful lightness skills, but for children like them, only eleven or twelve years old, finding the exit quickly without understanding the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams was quite difficult.

The most direct method was exactly what Gu Shao'an was doing: judging the way out by following the direction in which the bamboo grew.

Above the Bamboo Sea, Abbot Juechen looked down at the orderly Gu Shao'an below and could not help nodding again.

"To think he so quickly realized he could use the bamboo's growth direction. Not bad."

A quarter of an hour later, outside the bamboo grove, Gu Shao'an emerged, and the clear voice of the recording disciple rang out once more. "Gu Shao'an, first!"

After bowing to the recording disciple and Abbot Juechen's group beside her, Gu Shao'an quietly walked to one side. His back stood straight as bamboo, his bearing naturally apparent.

Several Emei Sect elders nodded to themselves.