Chapter 228

In the mortal realm, at Yang Jian's place.

Yang Jian sighed inwardly.

Father is gone, and now, even my only sister has been taken away by the gods.

An overwhelming grief engulfed him like a torrent, but he did not cry.

Tears are a sign of weakness, but he no longer has the right to be weak.

He raised his head and looked up at the high sky, his eyes no longer filled with the innocence of youth.

Without power, one is at the mercy of others and has no right to even protect one's family.

Power! He needs power powerful enough to shake the heavens and the earth!

My father once mentioned that there is Immortal Mountain in the world called Jade Spring Mountain.

There is a cave in the mountain called Golden Cloud Cave, where a highly powerful immortal named Yu Ding Zhenren lives.

That was the only straw he could grasp at right now.

"Wait for me... Mother, Xiao Chan... I will definitely bring you back."

Yang Jian's hoarse vow was scattered by the wind across the ruins.

Without looking back, he resolutely turned around and embarked on a solitary journey towards Jade Spring Mountain.

The journey was far more arduous than he had imagined.

He once feigned death on a battlefield strewn with corpses to evade the heavenly soldiers searching for him, and he once fought with wild dogs for a hard, dry steamed bun.

As he trekked across a desert, a true dead end descended.

The scorching sun was like poisonous fire, baking the sand until it was charred like charcoal.

Yang Jian's water pouch had long since dried up, his lips were cracked like parched earth, and with each breath, his throat felt as if it were being cut by a knife.

My vision began to blur, and the distant sand dunes twisted and leaped in the heat, conjuring up images of my father's smiling face and my sister's mischievous figure.

"Second brother, look, isn't my new flower wreath pretty?"

In his hallucination, Yang Chan ran towards him holding a brightly colored flower wreath.

"Jian'er, run slowly, be careful not to fall."

The father's voice was as gentle as ever.

Yang Jian reached out, trying to grasp the warm phantom, but he stumbled and fell heavily to the ground.

The scalding sand instantly burned his cheeks, pulling him back from his near-death hallucination.

No, I can't die here!

If he dies, who will save his mother?

Who will go find the younger sister?

With his last ounce of strength, he roared and, supporting himself on his elbows, crawled forward inch by inch across the sand.

His consciousness teetered between lucidity and unconsciousness, sustained only by an unwavering conviction that ran deep in his bones.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but when he regained consciousness, he found himself lying on a lush green lawn, with a stream of cool spring water flowing down his throat.

He suddenly opened his eyes, and what came into view was a mountain range shrouded in mist and ethereal beauty.

He stumbled to his feet and saw a stone tablet in the distance with the three characters "Jade Spring Mountain" engraved on it.

He arrived.

With his last ounce of willpower, Yang Jian followed the mountain path and finally found the Golden Cloud Cave, hidden among the waterfalls and springs.

The cave entrance is ancient and simple, as if it has stood here since time immemorial.

He straightened his tattered clothes, and with all his might, respectfully knocked on the cave door.

With a creak, the cave door opened a crack.

A handsome young Daoist boy peeked out, sized him up, and asked, "Who are you? Why are you making a scene here?"

"This junior, Yang Jian, has come with sincere intentions, wishing to become a disciple of the Yu Ding Zhenren. I humbly request the celestial attendant to convey my request." Yang Jian bowed deeply.

The young Daoist shook his head, a hint of apology on his face. "You've come at an inopportune time. Master is currently in seclusion and does not receive guests. Please leave."

Having said that, he was about to close the cave door.

Go back? He went through countless life-or-death experiences to get here, how could he give up now!

"Fairy Child, please wait!"

Yang Jian suddenly stepped forward, using his body to block the closing stone door, then his knees buckled, and he knelt upright in front of the cave entrance.

"This junior, Yang Jian, has made up his mind. If you do not accept me as your disciple in a single day, I will kneel here forever. If you do not accept me in a lifetime, I will kneel here until I die!"

The young Daoist was stunned; he had never seen such a stubborn person.

She tried to persuade him a few times, but seeing that Yang Jian's mind was as firm as iron and he remained unmoved, she could only sigh and return to the cave.

From then on, Yang Jian knelt down outside the cave.

Sunrise and sunset, wind and rain, he remained as steadfast as a rock, neither eating nor drinking, nor moving an inch.

His body grew weaker day by day, but his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Seven days later, deep within the Golden Cloud Cave, a surge of immense magical power quietly subsided.

The cave entrance opened silently, and the young Daoist boy strode out, saying to Yang Jian, who was nearing his limit, "Master has emerged from seclusion and grants you permission to enter the cave for a visit."

Yang Jian's spirits lifted, and he forced himself to stand up, staggering as he followed the young Daoist into the cave.

The cave is a hidden paradise, filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs, and its spiritual energy is so rich that it is almost tangible.

A figure sat upright on the cloud bed in the center of the cave.

Yang Jian raised his head, preparing to pay his respects to the legendary powerful figure, but was completely stunned the moment he saw the other's appearance.

It wasn't the white-haired, youthful-looking old Daoist priest he had imagined, but a woman.

She wore an elegant Daoist robe, its flowing fabric pristine and spotless.

Her long, black hair was casually tied up with a jade hairpin, yet it exuded more elegance than any ornate headdress.

Her appearance was indescribable, possessing a transcendent, serene purity, like the bright moon in the heavens or an unyielding, timeless ice.

What's most unsettling are her eyes, so clear and cold, as if they can see through the three realms and six paths, and understand the deepest secrets of people's hearts.

She sat there quietly, emanating no imposing aura, yet Yang Jian felt a profound sense of awe from the depths of his soul.

Is this the Yu Ding Zhenren?

"Your determination to learn from a master is commendable."

Yu Ding Zhenren, cold voice rang out. "But when I accept disciples, I never look at their determination, only their innate talent and temperament. You must pass three tests before you can become my disciple."

Yang Jian snapped out of his shock. He didn't care whether his master was male or female; he only cared about whether he could learn her skills.

He immediately composed himself and bowed deeply to the peerless figure. "Disciple Yang Jian is willing to accept any test!"

Yu Ding Zhenren nodded slightly, raised his delicate hand, and pointed to a seemingly empty stone wall beside him. "The first level, the Illusion Demon Array."

This formation can reflect your deepest fears. If you can hold fast to your original aspirations and break through the formation, then you have passed.

As soon as he finished speaking, ripples spread across the stone wall, transforming into a bottomless whirlpool.

Without the slightest hesitation, Yang Jian took a deep breath and stepped inside.

After a dizzying spin, the scene before my eyes suddenly changed.

The ethereal cavern vanished, replaced by an endless expanse of crimson mist.

Countless hideous demons appeared and disappeared in the blood mist, emitting piercing screams as they pounced on him.

A stench filled the air, and the murderous intent was so real it sent chills down his spine.

However, Yang Jian's gaze pierced through these demons, fixed intently on the depths of the blood mist.

Just then, a demon's claw slashed his arm...