Xu Yi looked at the massive stone before them and said, "This is the Mountain Guardian Stone. Visitors only need to place their Identity Tokens on it, and the people on the mountain will know they're here! Lingquan Mountain is one of the better peaks in the outer sect. It has abundant Spiritual Qi and two vacant courtyards. Let's see if you're lucky enough to get in!"
Though Xu Yi knew Fang Chen had little chance of getting into Lingquan Mountain, he had brought him here to try his luck anyway.
He took out his Identity Token and placed it over the groove in the Mountain Guardian Stone.
Buzz!
Xu Yi's Identity Token glowed faintly. The Mountain Guardian Stone trembled, and cyan Runes appeared across its surface.
After a while, the Mountain Guardian Stone slowly moved aside. A young man emerged from the mist. He had a fair, beardless face, delicate features, and a tall figure. He cut a striking figure.
At the sight of him, Xu Yi cupped his hands and said respectfully, "Greetings, Senior Brother Liu Xu! I was instructed to bring someone here to seek a place on the mountain. May I ask if Lingquan Mountain still has any vacant courtyards?"
Xu Yi knew there were two vacant courtyards on Lingquan Mountain. He had only pretended not to know out of courtesy.
The young man Xu Yi had called Liu Xu wore an indifferent expression. He swept his gaze over Fang Chen and said, "Let me see your Identity Token."
Fang Chen immediately handed over his Identity Token.
Liu Xu took the Identity Token and scanned it with his Spiritual Sense. When he saw the information on it, his brows drew together. He looked up at Xu Yi and asked, "This boy has no Spiritual Root?"
Xu Yi nodded slightly. "That's right. Elder Bai Lie tested him personally!"
Liu Xu tossed the Identity Token back into Fang Chen's arms. "Lingquan Mountain has no vacant courtyards. Look elsewhere."
With that, he turned and walked back into the mist.
Rumble!
The Mountain Guardian Stone slowly moved back into place.
Fang Chen frowned. "Senior Brother Xu Yi, didn't you just say there were vacant places inside? Why wouldn't he let me in?"
Xu Yi sighed softly. "The sect holds competitions and other events from time to time. Peaks compete as teams. You have no Spiritual Root, so they think you'll never advance far in your cultivation. In their eyes, you're of no use. If you moved into Lingquan Mountain, you might hold them back. They welcome geniuses, not trash!"
"Most people in the sect care deeply about their own interests, so they do everything they can to protect them. They reject you in their hearts. Even if you moved in, they'd find ways to make things difficult for you. It might not be a good thing for you anyway."
Fang Chen furrowed his brow. "If everyone acts like that, won't nobody take me?"
Xu Yi smiled. "Someone will. Don't worry. Let's go!"
With that, Xu Yi took him to visit another mountain.
The time it took an incense stick to burn later, Fang Chen and Xu Yi arrived at the foot of Lingluo Mountain.
After looking over Fang Chen's information, the people of Lingluo Mountain threw his Identity Token to the ground in disgust. "Trash without a Spiritual Root wants to enter Lingluo Mountain? Go take a piss and look at your sorry face in the puddle!"
With that, the man turned and went straight back.
"That's too much!"
Fang Chen was so angry he ground his teeth.
Xu Yi bent down, picked up Fang Chen's Identity Token, and handed it to him. "That's how it is in the sect. Only people with value earn others' attention and favor."
Fang Chen took the Identity Token. "Thank you, Senior Brother Xu Yi!"
Xu Yi smiled faintly and turned to leave.
Three hours later, Fang Chen followed Xu Yi to a low mountain. There was no Mountain Guardian Stone here. A winding gravel path stretched ahead to the foot of the mountain.
Fang Chen looked exhausted. Over the past three hours, Xu Yi had taken him to more than a dozen peaks, but once the people there learned he was trash without a Spiritual Root, none had been willing to have him among them.
Fang Chen looked at the gravel path stretching toward the foot of the mountain and frowned. "Senior Brother Xu Yi, why doesn't this mountain have a Mountain Guardian Stone?"
Xu Yi smiled. "It does!"
He lowered his head and found a pitch-black stone in the grass beside the road. It was only about the size of an ordinary washbasin and covered in cracks. Three crooked characters spelling "Dog Head Ridge" were written on it. Fang Chen even suspected a dog had scratched them out.
The stone was small, but it had a groove on top.
Xu Yi placed his Identity Token on it. Cyan Runes immediately appeared across the black stone's surface.
After a while, a middle-aged man riding a scrawny little donkey came slowly along the gravel path toward Fang Chen and Xu Yi. His face was covered in stubble. A long scar ran diagonally from the left side of his forehead to the right corner of his mouth, and a black patch covered his left eye.
When he reached them, the middle-aged man tried to dismount, but Xu Yi stopped him.
"Senior Brother Li Yanshan, there's no need for ceremony!" Xu Yi said.
The middle-aged man looked at Xu Yi. "Junior Brother Xu Yi, I didn't know you were coming. Forgive me for not coming out to greet you!"
Xu Yi shook his head slightly. "Senior Brother, saying that will shorten my life! I'm here to bring someone to seek a place on your mountain. This is Junior Brother Fang Chen. His circumstances are a little unusual. Junior Brother Fang Chen, show Senior Brother Li Yanshan your Identity Token."
Fang Chen nodded and immediately handed over his Identity Token.
Li Yanshan took Fang Chen's Identity Token and scanned it with his Spiritual Sense. A trace of surprise appeared on his face. "Junior Brother Fang Chen truly has no Spiritual Root?"
Xu Yi nodded slightly. "That's right!"
Li Yanshan glanced at Fang Chen. He finally understood why Xu Yi had brought him to Dog Head Ridge. "If you don't mind the place, Dog Head Ridge will be your home from now on!"
"Thank you, Senior Brother Li Yanshan!"
Fang Chen immediately bowed deeply to Li Yanshan.
Xu Yi smiled too. "Senior Brother Li Yanshan, you're a generous man. Thank you for accepting Junior Brother Fang Chen!"
Li Yanshan waved his hands vigorously at Xu Yi. "You're joking, Junior Brother. I should be thanking you! Dog Head Ridge has so few people that even a mouse wouldn't come here. I can't thank you enough for bringing us someone. Come on in. I'll put out some wine, and we can have a drink!"
"Haha, Senior Brother, you do know how to joke. In that case, I'll leave Junior Brother Fang Chen in your care. I still have things to handle, so I won't come in. When I have time, I'll be sure to come drink with you!"
Smiling, Xu Yi politely declined Li Yanshan's invitation. He was not putting on airs; he really was busy. Fang Chen's affairs had already taken up a great deal of his time today.
"All right. When you have time another day, Junior Brother Xu Yi, you must come by!"
Li Yanshan's invitation had been a courtesy. Since Xu Yi had declined, he could not insist.
Xu Yi looked at Fang Chen. "Junior Brother Fang Chen, work hard at your cultivation on Dog Head Ridge. I hope you can pay off your debt soon!"
"I will. Thank you for all your effort on the way here, Senior Brother Xu Yi!"
Fang Chen bowed deeply to Xu Yi. Xu Yi had accompanied him from mountain to mountain, enduring countless disdainful looks along the way. Yet he had remained neither servile nor arrogant. In a cultivation world where human kindness was scarce, that was rare indeed.
"I'm off, then. Until we meet again!"
Xu Yi smiled at Fang Chen, then turned and left.
Fang Chen watched Xu Yi go. Only then did he turn to Li Yanshan, who sat on the donkey's back, and cup his hands respectfully. "Greetings, Senior Brother Li Yanshan!"
Li Yanshan waved a hand at Fang Chen. "No need to call me Senior Brother. If you don't mind, call me Uncle Li!"
"All right, Uncle Li!"
Fang Chen bowed slightly to Li Yanshan again.
Li Yanshan smiled, turned his donkey around, and headed along the gravel path toward Dog Head Ridge. Fang Chen immediately followed.
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