The clamor outside the camp drew nearer, accompanied by the respectful greetings of many disciples.
"Greetings, Martial Grand-Uncle Qingxu!" "Martial Grand-Uncle, why have you come?"
Martial Grand-Uncle Qingxu? Li Su's heart stirred. He recalled that back at the Jade Clarity Retreat, Yu Jizi and the others had mentioned this martial uncle, who seemed to be a highly accomplished senior.
He put away the dark yellow stone and stepped out of the tent with Zhiwei to investigate.
In the center of the camp stood a middle-aged Taoist dressed in a Bagua Taoist Robe and holding a whisk. His features were lean, and his aura was unfathomable as he spoke smilingly with Yun Yao and the other disciples.
It was none other than True Person Qingxu, the one who had descended upon the retreat that day! His aura was as deep as an abyss and vast as the sea, far beyond Yun Yao, who was at the Heavenly Immortal realm. He was at least a True Immortal, perhaps even higher!
The surrounding disciples all wore reverent expressions. Clearly, True Person Qingxu held an exalted position within the Jade Clarity Sect.
True Person Qingxu's gaze passed over the crowd and fell upon Li Su, who had just emerged from the tent. A trace of subtle deduction and curiosity flickered in his eyes.
Yun Yao hurriedly stepped forward to report, "Martial Grand-Uncle, this is Fellow Daoist Mo Xing."
True Person Qingxu nodded slightly, flicked his whisk, and slowly approached Li Su. His voice was gentle, yet naturally imposing. "Little Friend Mo Xing, we meet again.
Oh, perhaps I should say that I have finally met you."
Li Su bent his bamboo body slightly and offered a salute. "This junior is Mo Xing. Greetings, Senior Qingxu.
What do you mean by that, Senior?" He was secretly alarmed. It seemed the other party had long known of him, perhaps even been watching him?
True Person Qingxu stroked his beard and smiled. "There is no need to be nervous, little friend. A few days ago, I had a sudden intuition and glimpsed a thread of change within the heavenly secrets. After confirming it against certain information sent from Kunlun Mountain, I learned of your circumstances.
As a bamboo spirit, you carry the righteous path of the stars and cultivate array arts as well. Rarer still, you bear a trace of the ancient essence of 'Buzhou.' You earned the Witch Clan's recognition, crossed the Shadowed Marsh, and made your way here. You are truly extraordinary."
His words were calm, yet he recounted parts of Li Su's experiences as though he had witnessed them firsthand. Li Su was secretly shocked. The methods of a True Immortal powerhouse were indeed unfathomable.
"You flatter me, Senior. This junior was merely fortunate." Li Su remained humble.
"It was not fortune." True Person Qingxu shook his head, his gaze profound. "All things in the Primordial World have their destined connections.
That so many destined opportunities came to you is itself your fortune. I came here for two reasons: first, to see what manner of variable you are; second, at the sect's request, to assess your character and foundation."
An assessment? Li Su's mind tightened. He knew this might be the crucial step toward entering the Jade Clarity Sect. Solemnly, he said, "Please instruct me, Senior."
True Person Qingxu smiled faintly. Without any visible movement from him, the surroundings suddenly changed!
The camp and its disciples vanished in an instant. Li Su found himself seemingly beneath a vast starry sky, with endless void beneath his feet. Only the stars revolved overhead, radiating a cold and boundless aura.
"This is an illusion formed from my divine sense. There is no need to panic, little friend."
True Person Qingxu's voice came from the depths of the starry sky. "I heard that you are proficient in array dao and even comprehended it on your own. Why not use the stars as your foundation and set up an array here for me to see?"
Set up an array using the stars as its foundation? Li Su was stunned. Such a method was simply unheard of! Yet he quickly calmed down, knowing this was an opportunity to display what he had learned.
He steadied his mind and focused, letting his divine sense resonate with the stars of the cosmos. Within this illusion, his perception of stellar power became exceptionally clear.
He recalled the profound principles of the Minor Chiliad Array Analysis. Combining them with his understanding of the stars and the resilient dao essence within the Bedrock Rune, he began using his divine sense to guide the stellar power of the cosmos.
In the void, countless rays of starlight were drawn in, gathering and flowing as they gradually traced countless mysterious trajectories.
Using the phantom of his own bamboo body as the array core, stellar power as the lines, and stars as the nodes, Li Su laboriously but steadily constructed an array.
He did not pursue anything overly complex or grand. Instead, he combined the three basic array concepts he understood most thoroughly—defense, trapping enemies, and gathering spiritual energy—with the laws of stellar movement, laying down a simplified Cosmos Stellar Dust Array!
Though this array was far inferior even to a ten-thousandth of the legendary Cosmos Stellar Array, and could not compare to the profound arrays recorded in the Minor Chiliad Array Analysis, it was the fusion most aligned with the stars that he could currently achieve!
The instant the array took shape, a miniature stellar vortex slowly revolved in the void, producing the combined effects of stable defense, disrupting space and time, and gathering stellar power.
True Person Qingxu gave a soft sound of surprise, and the illusion dissipated. The two returned to the camp, while the surrounding disciples seemed not to have noticed anything unusual.
True Person Qingxu looked at Li Su, the admiration in his eyes deepening. "At the Earth Immortal realm, you have already touched upon the essence of stellar array dao. Though immature, your direction is correct and your foundation solid. More importantly, you possess such natural affinity with the stars... Little Friend, you truly have a connection with our Jade Clarity lineage, and an even deeper affinity with the path of the stars."
After a pause, he added, "When I observed your array just now, it seemed to contain the essence of 'bedrock'—unyielding and stable. Did you encounter some other opportunity?"
Li Su was once again impressed by the other man's discernment. He answered frankly, "This junior did encounter a small opportunity in his early years and happened to obtain a trace of an ancient defensive dao essence, which I integrated into my array."
He did not explain the Bedrock Rune in detail.
True Person Qingxu nodded and did not press further. Everyone had their own opportunities and secrets.
"I already know why you have come. You wish to travel to Kunlun to seek a master; such ambition is commendable. However, Kunlun's gates are not easily entered, especially since... Master Yuanshi Tianzun has not personally accepted a disciple in a long time."
True Person Qingxu's tone remained calm. "Still, with your talent, even if you cannot directly enter under Master's tutelage, entering the inner sect of the Jade Clarity Sect—or even earning the favor of one of your martial uncles or martial elders and being accepted as their disciple—will not be difficult."
Hearing this, Li Su felt both a measure of disappointment and great hope. So long as he could enter the Jade Clarity Sect, it would already be a tremendous step forward!
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior!"
True Person Qingxu took out a violet-gold token from his sleeve and handed it to Li Su. "This is my personal token.
With it, you may travel without obstruction all the way to the Welcoming Immortal Pavilion at the foot of Kunlun Mountain.
Disciples on duty will receive you there and conduct the subsequent assessments.
Whether you can truly enter the sect, or even encounter immortal fortune, will depend on your own destiny."
The violet-gold token felt warm and smooth in his hand, containing powerful dao essence. It was far more precious than the white jade token from before.
"This junior will certainly not disappoint your great expectations!" Li Su accepted it solemnly.
True Person Qingxu nodded in satisfaction, then glanced toward the northwest. "Because of the beast tide ahead, space has become unstable, and the conventional teleportation arrays can no longer be used.
You must travel on foot through the three-thousand-li Riftwind Canyon before reaching a relatively safe region.
Not only are the canyon's gale winds fierce, but spatial rifts also appear from time to time. You must be especially careful. Yun Yao."
"This disciple is here." Yun Yao stepped forward.
"Tomorrow, select a team of elite disciples to escort Little Friend Mo Xing through Riftwind Canyon."
"Understood!"
After making these arrangements and offering Li Su a few more words of encouragement, True Person Qingxu transformed into a streak of clear light and vanished.
The camp returned to calm once more, but every disciple now looked at Li Su completely differently, their eyes filled with curiosity and reverence.
To be so highly regarded by Martial Grand-Uncle Qingxu and personally given his token, this senior bamboo spirit's background was surely anything but ordinary!
Li Su gripped the violet-gold token and looked toward the northwest.
Riftwind Canyon... was this the final trial?
Kunlun was already within distant sight!
Before you continue