The Immortal Sect Descends from the Clouds

White clouds drifted across the heavens; in the blink of an eye, he had entered a thousand-layered mountain range.

Li Ping'an closed his eyes, opened them again after sleeping for half a day, and found himself directly inside an Immortal Sect.

To him, that was somewhat regrettable.

There had been no sense of ceremony at all.

At that moment, Li Ping'an was gazing northward, toward the direction the middle-aged Daoist nun had pointed out before leaving. There, he could see several mountain ranges enveloped in dense mist. Beams of golden light occasionally lit up within them; the immortals of this sect were likely investigating his father's fortune.

Faintly, Li Ping'an could still hear deep, resounding shouts:

"Quickly invite the Grandmaster! This mortal merchant seems to have the bearing of a Golden Immortal! Supreme fortune!"

That mortal merchant should be referring to his old man.

Before long, more shouting came from afar:

"Quickly invite the Grand Supreme Ancestor! Supreme fortune! An immortal of our East Continent actually possesses supreme fortune!"

Streams of light converged toward the main hall.

"Quickly invite the founding ancestor! What are you standing around for!"

It seemed... his father had caused an enormous uproar...

No!

Things were a bit of a mess. Let him sort this out.

The current situation had completely exceeded his control.

Li Ping'an actually felt like crying.

Over the past two years, he had spent so much effort and so much treasure trying to join the Myriad Cloud Sect's Outer Sect, yet the result was...

His old man possessed supreme fortune and supreme talent for cultivation. He was a cultivation genius seen only once in ten thousand years!

If he had known this earlier, why would he have worked so hard?

According to the Daoist nun who had brought him to the Myriad Cloud Sect, this was the Front Mountain of the sect. Halfway up the mountain stood Flowing Cloud Temple, a place every new disciple had to pass through.

The Daoist nun who had brought him here had also said that his father possessed supreme fortune and would certainly become a disciple fought over by the various Heavenly Immortals and Golden Immortals of the Myriad Cloud Sect. Li Ping'an need not worry; if his father later attained the Golden Immortal Dao, he too would benefit from the blessing.

Li Ping'an laughed soundlessly. With his hands behind his back, he gazed toward the Main Peak at the heart of the Immortal Sect where his father was. His eyes were distant as he let out a quiet sigh.

He had already understood one thing—his father's opportunity to cultivate was not his own opportunity to cultivate.

This was not a vast fortune that could simply be squandered while sitting idle.

The greatest benefit his father's supreme aptitude and supreme fortune brought Li Ping'an was that father and son would no longer need to part ways. They could walk the path of cultivation together and look after one another within the Immortal Sect known as the Myriad Cloud Sect.

The problem now was his own somewhat bumpy path of cultivation.

Li Ping'an swiftly adjusted his mindset and looked up. The stone path beneath his feet wound into the clouds, leading straight to the mountaintop.

Cultivation!

Li Ping'an rolled up his sleeves and began climbing.

After fewer than a hundred steps, he could already see the flying eaves of the Daoist temple above. Filled with enthusiasm and not feeling tired in the least, Li Ping'an wanted to climb all the way up in one go.

Halfway there, a deep, mellow middle-aged man's voice suddenly sounded beside Li Ping'an's ear:

"Li Ping'an?"

Li Ping'an turned and looked around, but he could not see where the speaker was.

The middle-aged man's voice slowly said:

"This is voice transmission. There is no need to look for me.

"I am an Inner Sect Elder of the Myriad Cloud Sect, currently sending you a message on behalf of your father.

"He is well, so do not worry. Stay at the temple on the Front Mountain for now. Once he has taken a renowned master, he will come visit you."

An Inner Sect Elder?

Li Ping'an waited a while longer, but the voice transmission did not respond again. He let out a breath and continued up the steps.

As he walked, several black lines crept across Li Ping'an's forehead.

He Suddenly realized a problem—his above-average fortune was the result after being boosted by his father's top-tier fortune?

Ah, this!

Could his original fortune actually have been negative?

Forget it, forget it. Having some was better than having none.

Li Ping'an raised his brows and smiled. Thinking that he had finally achieved his wish today and gained a chance to cultivate, while his father had obtained a great opportunity, and that the two of them were about to step into a completely new world, made him feel even more at ease.

Regardless, his early plans had been successfully completed.

On and on he walked, watching clouds as he entered the mist.

When he arrived before the gates of that Daoist temple, Li Ping'an calmed his breathing and straightened his clothes. Only after carefully recalling Daoist Priest Chen's many instructions did he climb the steps before the temple.

—Daoist Priest Chen was his "benefactor" in the Mortal World, the person father and son had relied upon to establish themselves among mortals.

Before the disciple selection in Wan City, Daoist Priest Chen had introduced Li Ping'an to the rules of the Myriad Cloud Sect's Flowing Cloud Temple. It was nothing more than a three-year time limit and masters choosing disciples.

Disciples with good aptitude and high fortune would be selected soon after arriving at Flowing Cloud Temple.

Most disciples who remained in Flowing Cloud Temple for a long time could not truly enter the Myriad Cloud Sect.

If a disciple stayed in Flowing Cloud Temple for three full years without finding a renowned master, they would still have one chance to participate in a trial. Passing it would allow them to enter the Myriad Cloud Sect's Outer Sect and cultivate.

At the end of that path stood Daoist Priest Chen—representing the Immortal Sect while stationed in the Mortal World, protecting the cities of the secular Immortal Dynasty.

Besides that, Daoist Priest Chen had warned him that Flowing Cloud Temple had an Outer Sect Deacon who enjoyed making things difficult for new disciples. He needed to mind his manners and avoid offending this "Temple Master."

Li Ping'an stood outside the gate and peered inside.

The temple's Front Courtyard seemed somewhat empty. The doors and windows of the old houses on either side were shut. Several long tables stood before the doors, holding folded clothes and porcelain bottles containing medicinal pills.

The main hall directly ahead was merely a simple structure of stone pillars and flying eaves, open to the wind on all four sides and draped with curtains. Within stood an idol of a Goddess covered by a veil, likely the statue of the Human Mother Goddess.

Covered corridors stood to the left and right of the hall, leading toward the temple's rear courtyard.

Li Ping'an waited at the entrance for a while, but no one came out. He raised his voice and called:

"This disciple, Ping'an, has come here in search of the Dao."

The Front Courtyard remained silent, while the pine needles of the Guest-Greeting Pine swayed gently.

No one?

Li Ping'an glanced at the threshold before the temple. Just as he was about to go inside and wander around, he suddenly recalled something.

He chuckled and voluntarily stepped back two paces, then sat down on the steps before the gate.

Looking down at the Pine Forest and Bamboo Sea, he listened to Immortal Birds and Spirit Beasts.

From time to time, he could see young men and women flying past above the Front Mountain on clouds or artifacts, and a little more envy would appear in Li Ping'an's eyes.

After waiting for roughly one or two hours, the sky gradually darkened.

Creak—

Movement came from behind him. Li Ping'an immediately rose to his feet and looked toward the Front Courtyard.

A middle-aged Qian Dao emerged from one of the side rooms, stretching lazily.

The Daoist priest's features were fairly proper, and he was tall, lean, and slender. His slightly high cheekbones made him appear even more gaunt, while his narrow eyes were rather lively.

A gourd hung from the priest's waist. A black cloth cap gathered up his messy long hair, and several straw strands had come loose from the straw sandals on his feet.

Upon seeing Li Ping'an, the man revealed a faint smile and adopted the manner of a lofty senior:

"Come in. Your disposition is not bad."

"Thank you, Senior."

Li Ping'an entered the Daoist temple gate.

The Daoist priest clasped his hands behind his back and circled Li Ping'an twice, clicking his tongue in wonder.

"I am no senior, merely the gatekeeper of Flowing Cloud Temple, holding the post of Outer Sect Deacon.

"I have been at this Flowing Cloud Temple for several hundred years. Every so often, young disciples enter, and each time they are children. It is rare to see an adult like you. You must possess outstanding aptitude, though it is a pity that a pearl has been covered in dust.

"I heard you announce yourself earlier. Your name is Li Ping'an?"

Li Ping'an fumbled around From His Sleeve and took out a jade pendant. Ripples of water seemed to flow across it, and it contained A Little spiritual energy. At a glance, it was clearly a valuable item.

Li Ping'an smiled as he presented the jade pendant with both hands and said quietly:

"Daoist Priest Chen asked this disciple to bring you something for your amusement. There are no great treasures in the Mortal World, so please do not laugh at it."

"Daoist Priest Chen? Could it be that Chen Gongmin? That fellow actually still remembers me. That is no easy thing."

The Daoist priest accepted the jade pendant and carefully traced its patterns with his fingers.

After shaking his head and putting the jade pendant away in his sleeve, the smile on his lips grew deeper. He continued in that affected tone:

"He counts as half a disciple of mine. Though his aptitude was poor and his fortune lacking, and he Could Not take an immortal master as his teacher, he still successfully entered the Outer Sect and eventually got himself a fine assignment stationed among mortals."

Hearing this, Li Ping'an sighed inwardly.

Though this Immortal Sect stands apart from the Mortal World, it has not truly escaped it.

The Daoist priest beckoned. "Come here."

Li Ping'an asked, "How should this junior address you, Senior?"

"I am Wei Yanzi."

The temple-guarding Daoist priest answered with a smile and began guiding him through the temple.

"Come this way. Do you see these pills?

"These are Five Grains Pills. Others may take one bottle every seven days, but you are an adult and surely get hungry faster, so you may take one bottle every three days.

"Do not underestimate such pills. Though they are refined only from the Essence of Plants and Trees, taking them for a long time can help you expel impurities and improve your constitution."

"These are the Daoist Robes of Flowing Cloud Temple, somewhat different from the clothing of Outer Sect Disciples. There may not be any here in your size. Tomorrow, I will report to the sect and bring you a few sets of proper Outer Sect disciple robes and shoes."

"Follow me this way. I will take you around the rear courtyard. This is the main hall. If immortal elders come to teach on ordinary days, it will be here. Bells and drums will summon you then. If you are cultivating and unwilling to come out, that is also fine..."

As night deepened, Wei Yanzi took Li Ping'an around Flowing Cloud Temple.

Perhaps it was the effect of Li Ping'an waiting two hours, or perhaps the jade pendant had Played Its Part. Although this Daoist priest always spoke in a somewhat dismissive tone, he was generally rather considerate toward Li Ping'an.

The rear courtyard of Flowing Cloud Temple was quite spacious, with many small houses and courtyards inhabited by more than thirty boys and girls.

Li Ping'an asked Daoist Priest Wei Yanzi a few questions and discovered that the young disciples here were mostly between seven or eight and eleven or twelve years old. He thus gave up the thought of making a few friends.

Wei Yanzi chose a fairly clean little courtyard for Li Ping'an.

Wei Yanzi smiled. "The boy who originally lived here had good luck. An elder from the sect took a liking to him and brought him back to tend alchemy furnaces. You can stay here. Perhaps you can borrow some of his fortune!"

"Thank you, Daoist priest."

"Mm, take this."

Wei Yanzi took out a bundle of bamboo slips From His Sleeve.

"This contains the foundational mnemonic verses for entering the Myriad Cloud Sect's cultivation arts, as well as the basics of Qi cultivation. Every disciple who enters Flowing Cloud Temple receives a copy."

The Dao lineage of immortals!

A cultivation technique!

Li Ping'an's heart burned with excitement as he accepted the bamboo slips in both hands.

"Do not tell Chen Gongmin that I failed to look after you. Giving you this also counts as forming a good connection."

Wei Yanzi took out a scroll From His Sleeve again.

"This is the Visualization Diagram formed from our sect's foundational mnemonic verses. If you cannot read, study this diagram yourself. If there is anything you do not understand, comprehend it on your own. If you still cannot comprehend it, come ask me three months later."

"Thank you, Daoist priest!"

"Stop thanking me. You have thanked me all the way here. Why so many formalities?"

Wei Yanzi stretched lazily, turned, and stepped away. In a flickering blur, he was already several yards away. He raised a hand and waved.

"The mountains hold the most freedom.

"We Qi cultivators need not be so restrained!"

Li Ping'an cupped his hands in salute, watching the direction in which Steward Wei Yanzi vanished, then quietly let out a breath.

The night breeze was faintly cool.

He turned and pushed open the door, surveying the simple, clean arrangement within. After closing the door, he Rushed To the bamboo bed beside it. By the gentle glow of the artifact lamp on the wall, he carefully opened the bamboo slips and the Visualization Diagram, lowering his head to study them.

The bamboo slips contained several hundred characters of mnemonic verses. Li Ping'an read through them once and vaguely gained something, yet it felt like looking at flowers through fog. He did not understand their true meaning.

At the center of the Visualization Diagram was a bank of flowing clouds. Beneath it was thoughtfully drawn a meditative posture, as well as how to guide the first wisp of "Primordial Qi" produced within the body once it began circulating.

With this Visualization Diagram, it truly was twice the result with half the effort.

Li Ping'an could not help feeling a little more grateful toward Daoist Priest Wei Yanzi, though unfortunately, that gratitude lasted only until the next morning.

—When he got up and wandered around the temple's rear courtyard, he discovered that identical Visualization Diagrams hung in every Flowing Cloud Temple disciple's room.

Thus, Li Ping'an temporarily settled into Flowing Cloud Temple and began his initial fumbling steps in cultivation.

His information was limited, and he had no idea what a tremendous uproar Father Lord had caused within the Myriad Cloud Sect.

When Li Ping'an formally began cultivating;

Myriad Cloud Main Peak;

Inside Cloud Immortal Hall.

Extra chapter on the first day of the book's release... I'm already platinum now, so the editor definitely will not scold me. Hands on hips.