Minor Cloud and Rain Art

Two mornings later, the flying vessel entered Golden Spirit Sect territory.

The newly inducted disciples emerged from their cabins and gathered on the deck, forming small clusters.

Layers upon layers of emerald mountains rose before them. Dark pines and cypresses swayed in the wind, while mist coiled around the peaks, making them appear and vanish like phantoms.

Streams gurgled through the mountains like countless jade ribbons winding around the ridges before finally converging in the valleys to form vast lakes.

Ancient halls stood quietly amid the mountains' lush green. Blue tiles covered their roofs, and upturned eaves swept toward the sky, carrying an air of mystery.

Some rode immortal cranes as they glided through the air; others rode the wind on flying swords, howling proudly beneath the clouds, detached from the mortal world.

Ji An gazed upon the immortal realm before him, his heart surging.

By entering the sect, he had already taken his first step on the path of immortality. His starting point was far higher than that of independent cultivators.

In his original world, a hundred years of life passed like a white colt flashing through a crack, and in the end, one became nothing more than a mound of yellow earth.

In this world, living for a thousand years after achieving success in cultivation was as ordinary as breathing.

Setting out from the azure sea at dawn and reaching Cangwu at dusk, gazing upon the blue sky and climbing toward the blazing sun.

For cultivators, those words were no dream. He, too, wanted to taste the carefree splendor of riding the void wind to the ninth heaven and plucking the moon from the sky.

Zhang Yuanshan gave a soft cough and said steadily:

"Everyone, as far as I know, once we leave the flying vessel, we will be split up and assigned to different halls. We will have far fewer chances to meet in the future.

"Cultivation values Law, Companions, Wealth, and Place. We all came from Green Pine Dao Academy, and today we have been fortunate enough to enter a great sect. We should support one another all the more.

"Why not make an agreement today to gather once every six months? We can exchange information and lend one another a hand. What do you think?"

Chu He immediately echoed him:

"Senior Brother Zhang is absolutely right. It should be so."

The others nodded in agreement as well.

A single thread cannot make a cord; one tree cannot make a forest. Cultivation was not something to be done by shutting oneself away and building a cart behind closed doors. More exchange brought only benefits, never harm.

They had come from the same place, so they naturally felt close to one another.

Ji An nodded as well, though inwardly, he did not think much of it.

The situation was much like university graduation in his previous life, when everyone was about to scatter in different directions. Those promised reunions would gradually fail to happen for all sorts of reasons, until everyone split into ever-smaller circles.

After traveling for roughly another two hours, the flying vessel slowly descended into the open space before a great hall built halfway up a mountain.

Three Foundation Establishment Cultivators emerged from the topmost cabin and disembarked. The disciples followed them out in a steady stream.

The white-haired cultivator cupped his hands toward a round-faced cultivator approaching them.

"Senior Brother Tian, three hundred and sixty disciples have been recruited this year. Here are their records."

As he spoke, he handed over a gray cloth bag.

It was a Storage Bag. Its interior held a world of its own and was used by cultivators to store items.

The round-faced cultivator accepted the Storage Bag and said with a smile:

"You junior brothers have worked hard."

Then his expression turned solemn. Facing the many new disciples, he said in a deep voice:

"I am Tian Qingbai, Deputy Hall Master of the General Affairs Hall.

"You are to wait here. Do not leave without permission."

An hour later.

At this moment, only two people remained in the open space.

Ji An glanced sideways at his fellow sufferer, trying to guess their present circumstances.

As though sensing his gaze, the man raised his head to meet Ji An's eyes. He smiled kindly and nodded in greeting.

He seemed easy to get along with.

Ji An slung the bundle at his feet over his shoulder, stepped forward with a smile, and cupped his hands.

"Senior Brother, I am Ji An. A pleasure to meet you."

The other returned the gesture. "You are too polite, Junior Brother. I am Liu Yu."

"Ah, I wonder which mountain we will be assigned to. My heart is all aflutter with unease."

"We only need to wait patiently. We will know when the time comes."

Liu Yu spoke slowly and unhurriedly, his expression remarkably composed, as if he did not care where he was sent.

Ji An fell silent. Liu Yu wore an extravagant Daoist robe, and one look was enough to tell that it was woven with Spirit Silkworm Silk.

He could not understand how someone from such a background had ended up in circumstances so similar to his own.

A moment ago, senior brothers from various halls had come one after another to collect people. The Artifact Refining Hall, the Beast Taming Hall, and other desirable assignments had all come by.

He would never believe that assignments were truly random.

The best posts must have been picked out long ago. What remained was surely the unwanted work.

At that moment, a chubby young man ran out from the General Affairs Hall and greeted them with a beaming smile.

"Are you Junior Brothers Liu Yu and Ji An?"

The two bowed together. "Greetings, Senior Brother."

"Something delayed me, so I have kept you waiting. Please forgive me, Junior Brothers! My name is Wei Songnian.

"You two have been assigned to Azure Water Lake for Spiritual Grain Farming. These are your jade tokens."

As he spoke, he opened his hand and offered them two white jade tokens.

Ji An and Liu Yu each took a token and bowed in thanks once more.

Wei Songnian looked them over, then took out two jade slips from the Storage Bag at his waist.

"These are the cultivation arts for outer sect disciples. Disciples of different halls receive different ones.

"The two of you have received the Clear Origin Scripture, the Minor Cloud and Rain Art, and the Thick Earth Art.

"The Clear Origin Scripture is a cultivation art. It is used to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and raise your cultivation. It can support your cultivation up to Mid Qi Condensation.

"The Minor Cloud and Rain Art and the Thick Earth Art are Five Elements Spells, Farming Spells that Spirit Farmers must learn. However, they only contain the first two levels and can support you until you cultivate the third level of the spells.

"The jade slips also contain the sect's various rules. You can look through them slowly after you return."

Spells were divided into five levels: beginner, proficient, minor accomplishment, major accomplishment, and perfection.

Ji An silently accepted the jade slips, smiling bitterly inwardly.

Being assigned as a Spirit Farmer was one thing, but none of the spells he received were offensive spells.

He cupped his hands and asked:

"May I ask, Senior Brother, where should we go if we wish to learn new cultivation arts or spells in the future?"

Wei Songnian waved a hand and said familiarly:

"We are fellow disciples; no need to stand on ceremony.

"What Junior Brother asks is all written in the jade slips."

He pointed toward the sky and continued:

"I will send you two junior brothers to your residence. It would be best to arrive before sunset."

As he spoke, he took three pieces of ochre folded paper from his Storage Bag, each shaped like a paper crane.

The folded paper was the size of a palm and bore azure talismans.

"These are wild geese made of talisman paper. Input spiritual power, and they can fly."

Liu Yu waved a hand and said gently:

"Thank you, Senior Brother, but I have a Mounting Talisman Bird."

He took a piece of red-and-white folded paper from his robes. Once he poured spiritual power into it, it rapidly expanded.

It became an immortal crane, far larger than a real crane and lifelike in appearance.

"A fine Talisman Bird," Wei Songnian praised, then turned his gaze toward Ji An.

What a wealthy family. Ji An felt envious, but he smiled calmly. "I will need Senior Brother's help. I have only just entered the Qi Condensation Stage and have yet to refine any mana."

"Haha, Junior Brother is a fortunate man. You only opened your immortal veins these past few days, then?"

Wei Songnian remained as warm as ever. He poured spiritual power into two paper geese, then explained how to control them. Ji An committed every detail to memory.

The three mounted them and flew eastward in a triangular formation.

They were not particularly fast, but Ji An was even more excited than he had been aboard the flying vessel. He could not help letting out a long howl.

Wei Songnian looked back. He remembered his own excitement the first time he had ridden a Talisman Bird, and he smiled kindly.

Beneath the setting sun, the vast expanse of blue water was dyed orange-red.

Wei Songnian pointed toward a valley beside the great lake and called out loudly:

"We are almost there. That is your residence—the Spirit Fields of Azure Water Lake, number Guiwei."