Immortal Ascension Institute

With a fortune at one's waist, riding a crane down to Yangzhou.

Though he was not flying under his own power yet, riding an immortal crane through the clouds still gave him the sensation of ascending to immortality.

This only strengthened Fang Xuan's desire to enter the Mystic Divine Realm—not for anything else, but simply for the ability to fly.

"Hold on tight. If you fall, there's nothing I can do to save you," the Feather Robe Daoist said.

"Many thanks."

Looking down, he saw towering peaks thousands of zhang high, covered everywhere in lush pines and cypresses, cascading waterfalls and clear springs. Palaces stood one after another along the mountainsides and mountaintops, while atop the highest peaks lay heavenly pools with rippling emerald waters, surrounded by even more magnificent residences.

Immortal cranes, Iron Winged Rocs, Golden Crowned Eagles, White Tigers, White Deer, Jade Rabbits, peacocks... spirit beasts and spirit birds wandered throughout the mountains.

Fields of spirit mushrooms, fields of ginseng... spread across the mountains, producing tens of thousands of spiritual medicines.

What a breathtaking immortal landscape.

Before long, a vast plain appeared amid the distant peaks.

A majestic and imposing city had been built upon that plain.

Within the city stood academy after academy and dojo after dojo.

This was a plain in the mountains.

It was not natural. It seemed as if an immortal of boundless magical power had moved away countless peaks from the Immortal Feather Mountain Range, forcibly creating a plain fit for habitation.

Such a divine art of moving mountains and filling seas was truly beyond terrifying.

This was where the Yuhua Sect's true disciples lived and cultivated. The sect's numbers were astonishingly vast; there were over a hundred thousand Outer Sect Disciples alone.

There were also around five thousand Inner Sect Disciples of distinguished status.

That did not even include the servants who performed chores within the sect, raised spirit beasts, and managed demon fields. Altogether, who knew how many there were.

These disciples cultivated daily in the Yuhua Sect's academies, or were organized by the sect to undertake all manner of perilous trials, tempering their will and physical strength in hopes of reaching the Mystic Divine Realm and ascending in a single step.

They were all people of considerable status as well. Even if they failed to reach the Mystic Divine Realm, as long as they cultivated their bodies to the pinnacle and rendered some merit, receiving one or two magic treasures or Spirit Items from the Yuhua Sect, they could return to their families or imperial courts and still enjoy boundless wealth and glory.

"Up ahead is where the disciples of our Immortal Feather Sect reside. A restriction has been placed over the plain's skies, so flying is forbidden. You may walk over. The Immortal Ascension Institute is the site of the examination," the Feather Robe Daoist said.

Fang Xuan and Fang Qingxue jumped down from the immortal crane.

Fang Xuan cupped his hands. "Thank you, Senior Brothers. May I ask your honored names?"

"Pass the examination first. Only if you pass will you become Outer Sect Disciples of our Immortal Feather Sect, and we will naturally meet again then. If you fail, you will be sent back. There is no need for you to know," the Feather Robe Daoist said loudly.

Fang Xuan raised an eyebrow, knowing that the man looked down on the two of them.

He said nothing more, merely cupped his hands and turned to leave.

"Let's go, Big Sister. Are you nervous?" Fang Xuan asked with a smile.

Fang Qingxue shot Fang Xuan a glance as though she were looking at an idiot.

Fang Xuan felt rather awkward and hurried after her.

Following the main road, they soon entered the majestic city on the plain.

The entire city was paved with uniform white stone, smooth and beautiful. Compared to Dragon Abyss City, it was incomparably more beautiful, broader, and cleaner.

In comparison, Dragon Abyss City, the ancient capital of the previous dynasty, was nothing more than some tiny backwater village.

The two did not linger to admire the scenery. Instead, they quickly headed toward a residence on the eastern side of the city.

A plaque hung above the residence, bearing three large characters.

Immortal Ascension Institute.

Fang Qingxue looked up at the plaque, and a surge of heroic spirit rose within her. She blurted out, "What imposing grandeur."

The aura around her stirred and rose without end. She could enter the Divine Courage Realm at any moment.

Seeing this, Fang Xuan's teeth ached. All he could say was that she truly was the Reincarnation of Lightning Mother. Her breakthroughs seemed as easy as drinking water—could she advance just by looking at a few words?

"Junior Sister possesses an excellent state of mind and remarkable courage. To have her heroic spirit stirred by these three words, she will enter the Divine Courage Realm before long."

A young man in white approached gracefully, holding a purple jade folding fan as he lavished praise upon Fang Qingxue.

"I am Zhang Yuzhen, son of the Heavenly Martial King of the Great Xu Dynasty. May I ask Junior Sister's name?"

Fang Xuan's heart stirred. The Immortal Feather Sect accepted offerings from three great dynasties: the Great Li Dynasty, the Great De Dynasty, and the Great Xu Dynasty. There were also numerous smaller nations. Each year, the sect granted these dynasties a number of Outer Sect Disciple slots, while the dynasties offered treasures, Earth Veins, and even incense offerings in return.

The Heavenly Martial King was clearly a prince or noble of the Great Xu Dynasty, a member of the imperial clan.

Sure enough, in the Immortal Feather Sect, tossing down a brick might kill the son of some prince.

Fang Qingxue frowned. She generally could not be bothered with nobles and royals like this, but as she had only just entered the Immortal Feather Sect, she did not wish to seem overly cold.

In a chilly voice, she said, "Fang Qingxue, Dragon Abyss Province, Great Li Dynasty."

"Qingxue, a fine name." Zhang Yuzhen snapped his purple jade folding fan shut, his smile as warm as a spring breeze. Pointing at the enormous plaque of the Immortal Ascension Institute, he said, "These three words were inscribed with a sword by a senior expert of the Mystic Divine Realm. They mean that once you cross the threshold of this residence, you step onto the immortal path. The immortal path demands courage to press forward; it demands that one cut through thorns and brambles. Of course, courage is the most important of all. Without courage, how would one differ from those mud-legged peasants who bury their heads in the soil every day? How could one step onto the immortal path?"

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother."

With that, she turned and entered the Immortal Ascension Institute.

Fang Xuan cupped his hands toward Zhang Yuzhen and followed closely behind her.

Zhang Yuzhen watched Fang Qingxue's retreating figure, a lewd gleam flashing through his eyes.

"Skin like jade, bones like ice, cold as the moon. This heir likes her."

In truth, this Immortal Ascension Institute was merely an academy for new entrants to the Immortal Feather Sect, a place where prospective disciples underwent examination.

At that moment, quite a few young men and women stood in the square before the Immortal Ascension Institute. They were dressed in extravagant finery, their eyes sharp and spirited, and their backgrounds clearly extraordinary. Evidently, they had all been recommended for admission.

The Yuhua Sect was one of the ten great immortal sects, faintly controlling several dynasties from its lofty position. The Great Li Dynasty alone had a population of several billion. There were countless members of powerful clans, noble houses, and the imperial family, all desperately striving to rise above others. Without question, entering the Yuhua Sect—even as an Outer Sect Disciple—provided capital for advancement and the chance to learn supreme immortal arts.

Thus, every year at this time, people were recommended here, granted slots, and sent to undergo examination.

Moreover, the Yuhua Sect recruited only young people as new disciples, because the young possessed vigorous vitality and blood, giving them hope of entering the Mystic Divine Realm. Once people reached middle age, their vitality and blood began to decline, making it impossible for them to cultivate to the Mystic Divine Realm.

Although the father of Fang Xuan's current body, Fang Zetao, the Fang Family's patriarch, had reached the tenth level of the physical body, the Divine Transformation Realm, he could not take the Immortal Feather Sect's examination either. He no longer had any potential.