Poison Valley in Taichu Mountain

Zhang Kuang was already scheming in his heart. If I could become the Sect Master, wouldn't that make me the Guardian Immortal Master of the Xianglong Kingdom? That's a title even more prestigious than the Emperor!

At this moment, Xu Tunhu chimed in, "Hmph, if our Taichu Sect could enter the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley and retrieve the Magic Treasures and Spiritual Arts lost during the Immortal-Demon War, we'd be far more than just the top sect in the Xianglong Kingdom!" He paused and said proudly, "Our Taichu Sect has an advantage that no other sect possesses: we are closest to one of the battlefields of the Immortal-Demon War that occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago—the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley!"

"Countless powerful figures perished in that Immortal-Demon War, and all sorts of treasures they spent their lives collecting are scattered throughout the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley. There are long-lost Ancient Spiritual Arts, Demonic Arts, and many Magic Treasures that could stir up a bloodbath in the entire Cultivation World!"

"Then... then why aren't we going to get them quickly?" Zhang Kuang, who had been pretending to be honest, listened intently to Zhao Jialong and Xu Tunhu, afraid of missing a single word. When he heard that the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley, where countless treasures were scattered, was near the Taichu Sect and was an undeveloped virgin land, he immediately became anxious, "Wouldn't it be a disaster if other sects stole the treasures!"

Xu Tunhu glared at Zhang Kuang, whose intelligence instantly dropped to zero upon hearing the word "treasures," and sneered, "If we could just take whatever we wanted, would I need you to remind me? Besides, if other sects dare to intrude into our Taichu Sect's territory, do they think we have no one?"

Scolded, Zhang Kuang cursed Xu Tunhu inwardly but put on a simple and honest smile, repeatedly agreeing.

"Back then, when the Immortal-Demon War reached its most critical point, the Demonic Path began to show signs of defeat. One of the Demonic Path's ancestors, the Myriad Poison Demon Lord, in a fit of rage, self-destructed, poisoning countless experts from both the Immortal and Demonic paths. Except for a very small number of powerful cultivators with similar cultivation realms who narrowly escaped, no one survived! The Myriad Poison Demon Lord was an ultimate expert. Even now, cultivators who enter the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley can still be poisoned to death. Even if they know there are treasures inside, who would dare to venture in to seek them!"

"After the Myriad Poison Demon Lord self-destructed, the poisonous gas spread across more than half of Dayu Mountain, forming the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley! The current Dayu Mountain is only one-third of the original Dayu Mountain. Even cultivators with extremely high realms dare not easily enter, and it is difficult to enter the poisonous valley and resist the poisonous gas. The vast Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley has always been a place with no return."

Qin Haoxuan listened and secretly gasped. He had attached himself to the little snake and explored the depths of Little Yu Mountain, which was already extremely dangerous and easy to get lost in. Moreover, this was the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley, the battlefield of the Immortal-Demon War, which was three times larger than the Xianglong Kingdom's foremost mountain, Dayu Mountain!

Xu Tunhu sighed softly, "Places that are extremely yin, extremely poisonous, or extremely yang in the world are very prone to breeding Mutated Spiritual Herbs. After so many years of nurturing, the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley must have nurtured many Mutated Spiritual Herbs. If we could bring out these Mutated Spiritual Herbs, perhaps the ancestors of our sect who are nearing the end of their lifespan could break through to the fifth level, the Immortal Infant Dao Fruit Realm, and gain several hundred more years of life. That way, the strength of our Taichu Sect could soar once again!"

Listening to Xu Tunhu's words, Qin Haoxuan gradually came to understand. These so-called immortals were actually cultivators. Although they could fly and move mountains, they were not true immortals. There were still places in this world they dared not go, and there were conflicts and spheres of influence. Furthermore, they did not live forever as legends claimed; to live longer, they had to break through to new realms and defy heaven to seize more lifespan.

"Since you two senior brothers are so powerful, you must be masters of the third or fourth level, right!" Zhang Kuang flattered them with a simple smile.

"It's not that simple!" Xu Tunhu sighed when talking about cultivation. "The first level of cultivation is the Immortal Root Planting Realm. You only break through to the second level, the Immortal Seedling Realm, after guiding the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into your body and watering the immortal seed until it sprouts and grows leaves. An immortal seedling can grow forty-nine leaves. The more immortal leaves, the stronger the power. After growing all forty-nine leaves, you have a chance to pull the seedling into a tree!"

"I've been in the sect for thirty years and have only broken through to the Immortal Seedling Realm, growing eleven immortal leaves! Senior Brother Zhao is the pride of our generation. He spent over thirty years opening twenty-two immortal leaves. If he can't pull the seedling into a tree and break through to the third level, the Immortal Tree Realm, he will die after his 150-year lifespan is exhausted and he doesn't have any elixirs to extend his life! The third and fourth levels on the path of cultivation are not as simple as they sound!"

"If there were elixirs to aid in cultivation, wouldn't it be twice as effective with half the effort?"

"Nonsense, if elixirs for aiding cultivation were readily available and inexhaustible, even Elder Huang's useless son would have the cultivation of the seventeenth leaf of the Immortal Seedling Realm. If Senior Brother Zhao's father were also an elder in the sect, with Senior Brother Zhao's talent and aptitude..."

Seeing Xu Tunhu getting carried away, Zhao Jialong coughed lightly and said coldly, "Junior Brother Xu! Watch your words!"

Xu Tunhu's expression turned cold. Realizing he had said too much, he shut his mouth and dared not speak further.

Qin Haoxuan and the other two had their own thoughts and schemes.

It seemed that the path of cultivation wasn't just about having top-tier talent; it also required countless elixirs and rare treasures as aids for faster progress! Although his talent wasn't as good as Zhang Kuang's, he had the advantage of the little snake, who was immune to all poisons. Perhaps he could possess the little snake and enter the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley. If he could obtain even one or two treasures, he would surely shine brightly in the Taichu Sect!

Despite the extreme danger, Qin Haoxuan's desire to seek treasures in the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley grew even stronger!

There were countless people with better talent than him in the Taichu Sect, as well as many "immortal second-generation" disciples born with golden spoons in their mouths. With his ordinary talent and no special background, if he didn't seize this opportunity to go all out, he would have no hope of making a name for himself among the tens of thousands of disciples in the Taichu Sect.

They traveled without rest for three days and three nights, finally arriving at the foot of Dayu Mountain.

Dayu Mountain, the location of the Xianglong Kingdom's foremost sect, was majestic and stretched endlessly.

Among the rolling peaks, the main peak, Emperor Huang Peak, pierced the clouds. A winding, rugged, yet imposing Heaven-Reaching Ladder descended from the summit to the foot of the mountain. The starting point of the Heaven-Reaching Ladder was a massive bluestone carved with the sect's gate, simple, grand, beautiful, yet not ostentatious.

Two blood-red official script characters were inscribed on the gate—"Taichu."

The end of the Heaven-Reaching Ladder was the Taichu Treasure Hall, a sacred place yearned for by everyone in the Xianglong Kingdom. If one were not a disciple of the Taichu Sect, ordinary mortals, even emperors, the dragons among men, could only enter once in their lifetime during their investiture.

Dayu Mountain, filled with the spiritual energy of immortals, was a stark contrast to the barren and desolate Little Yu Mountain. As they walked amidst birdsong and fragrant flowers to the foot of Emperor Huang Peak, especially Emperor Huang Peak itself, with its ethereal clouds and lingering immortal music, it was like a fairyland.

Even Qin Haoxuan, who had a steady temperament, couldn't help but be stunned. He had originally thought that Dayu Mountain, being close to the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley, would be desolate and miserable, and that the Taichu Sect must be deep within Dayu Mountain. He had expected the depths of Dayu Mountain to be even more dangerous than the depths of Little Yu Mountain, and he had already prepared to risk his life and push through thorns and brambles to learn the arts. But he never expected this place to be a veritable paradise!

"Dayu Mountain is the place with the best feng shui and spiritual energy in the Xianglong Kingdom, and with the infusion of our sect's immortal aura for thousands of years, it's normal for it to be a place of beautiful scenery and outstanding people." Xu Tunhu did not mock them, as they had been equally shocked when they first joined the sect thirty years ago.

"We rushed here for three days and three nights, and we've finally made it before the final test tomorrow!" Zhao Jialong breathed a sigh of relief, dismounted, and said to the three of them, who were still immersed in the beautiful scenery, "Horses are forbidden on Emperor Huang Peak. You should walk up the Heaven-Reaching Ladder to the Half-Mountain Pavilion, where someone will be waiting to receive you. Rest well tonight, as tomorrow's final test is very important. Remember this!"

After guiding Qin Haoxuan and the other two to register at the mountain gate's registration area, he and Xu Tunhu ascended the mountain with incredible speed, and soon disappeared from sight.

Besides Qin Haoxuan and the other two, other Taichu Sect disciples continuously brought in newly assessed newcomers. They gave the same instructions about being received at the Half-Mountain Pavilion and then vanished, likely rushing back to meditate and cultivate to make up for the lost time from their excursions.

Even Qin Haoxuan, using the fastest speed possible, took a full three hours to reach the Half-Mountain Pavilion. The sky was already darkening, and the setting sun cast a glow over Dayu Mountain, revealing its magnificent twilight beauty.

Standing halfway up the mountain, they could see exquisite buildings with red bricks and green tiles, tall, upright trees, and colorful flower beds emitting a faint fragrance. The buildings and trees were arranged perfectly.

The Half-Mountain Pavilion was actually a long corridor and also served as the Taichu Sect's public notice board. The waist-high low walls of the corridor were carved with various patterns, depicting rare beasts, famous mountains and rivers, and many strangely shaped immortals, as well as some of the Taichu Sect's history.

This long corridor was crowded with people, about one to two hundred, all new disciples selected this year.

The Taichu Sect, with its thousands of years of heritage, amazed these young lads. They all gazed intently at the murals and texts, feeling a sense of pride in becoming disciples of the Taichu Sect.

After the scattered newcomers had all arrived, the sun had already set. A Taichu Sect disciple in his forties arrived leisurely, with an arrogant expression, and said, "Follow me!"

He led the more than two hundred new disciples through exquisite buildings after they had dined in the mess hall, heading towards their accommodations. A young noble, dressed in luxurious clothes and wearing a jade pendant at his waist, couldn't help but exclaim, "My goodness, this is even more beautiful than the Imperial Garden!"

Thinking they would be living in a fairyland more beautiful than the Imperial Garden, most of the disciples from humble backgrounds couldn't help but feel excited and full of anticipation.

However, the guiding senior brother led them through many twists and turns, bringing them near a cluster of low, dilapidated flat houses.

"Tomorrow morning, gather here. Someone will take you to the final test. The area above the halfway point is the sect's important ground, and you are not qualified to enter yet. Remember not to wander around, or you will be expelled from the sect and never be accepted!" He pointed to the low, dilapidated flat houses and said, "This is where you will stay tonight."

A group of youths whose hopes were dashed, though they cursed the Taichu Sect for being stingy in their hearts, none dared to express their dissatisfaction. They watched as the guiding senior brother turned and left.

"Wait! Is this a doghouse? Is this fit for people to live in?" A young man with an imposing demeanor frowned and questioned without reservation.

He was wearing a yellow robe with two golden dragons playing with a pearl embroidered on his chest. A white jade hairpin held his hair in place, and a dragon-shaped jade pendant hung from his waist. He also wore an amber jade ring on his finger. It was clear at a glance that he was not from an ordinary family.

The guiding Taoist priest stopped in his tracks and turned his gloomy face. If he hadn't seen the young man's attire and guessed his identity, he would have exploded at a new disciple acting so high and mighty before even establishing himself. However, he replied unpleasantly, "This is the treatment for new disciples. If you're not satisfied, go argue with the elders!"

"How dare you! Do you know who he is! He is the Third Prince Li Jing, the current Emperor of the Xianglong Kingdom's most beloved son!" A follower next to the Third Prince Li Jing shouted. This follower was also dressed in fine clothes and had an imposing demeanor, clearly also from a noble family.

A look of disdain appeared on the guiding Taoist priest's face. He flicked his large sleeve and said, "Even if your Emperor father himself came here, he would have to abide by the rules of the Taichu Sect on Dayu Mountain. The Third Prince? A mere mortal. Don't put on airs at Taichu."

With that, he leisurely departed.

After being put in his place, Li Jing and several other sons of nobles by his side wore grim expressions. Li Jing chuckled and said, "Doesn't Father often teach us to go deep among the people and understand their hardships? Isn't this a good opportunity to experience it?"

As expected of royalty, he successfully extricated himself with this remark, finding an easy way out and even earning the favor of many from humble backgrounds.

Li Jing took the lead into the dormitory. A musty smell immediately assaulted their noses. The narrow, long dormitory was dark and damp. Stepping on the floor caused it to squish, making a squish sound.

Li Jing's status as a prince attracted a lot of attention, and many people proactively approached him to build connections.

Zhang Kuang and Zhang Yang, with beaming smiles, had already gathered several youths and were chatting enthusiastically.

While everyone else was making friends and forming alliances for their future, a few individuals sat silently on the edge of their beds. These were either too self-conscious or naturally introverted and poor at communicating.

Qin Haoxuan didn't join the commotion. He gave perfunctory replies to any youths who approached him, chose a bed, and began tidying up.

Beside Qin Haoxuan stood a small, thin boy, only reaching Qin Haoxuan's shoulder. He looked very delicate and out of place, seemingly on his first trip away from home and his first time sharing a room with so many people. Because he was thin and small, he was easily overlooked, and no one initiated contact with him.

"Hey, help me pull down this blanket?" Seeing his lonely and helpless appearance, Qin Haoxuan's compassion was stirred. He took the initiative to greet him, "Qin Haoxuan from Little Yu Mountain, and you?"

The boy smiled slightly, revealing his pearly white teeth. He nimbly took the blanket and, after shaking off the dust with Qin Haoxuan, timidly said, "Xu... Xu Yu..."

While most people were socializing, Qin Haoxuan and Xu Yu, who were arranging their bedding, caught Li Jing's attention.

Aside from the small and thin Xu Yu, Qin Haoxuan was open and sunny. His tanned muscles and sturdy build indicated good physical fitness and likely excellent potential.

Li Jing walked up to Qin Haoxuan and cupped his fists in greeting. "Li Jing, may I ask your esteemed name!"

"Qin Haoxuan," Qin Haoxuan returned the gesture with a cupped fist.

"Brother Qin, from now on, we are all disciples of the Taichu Sect and fellow disciples of the same cohort. The Taichu Sect has countless experts, and we new disciples are not highly regarded. Let's support each other and advance together!"

Li Jing, with an enthusiastic smile, slung an arm around Qin Haoxuan's shoulder, appearing very friendly.

After all, Li Jing was the third prince of the Xianglong Kingdom. Since he had taken the initiative to speak to him, it would seem arrogant to be dismissive. Qin Haoxuan smiled and chatted with him casually. However, the thin Xu Yu stood beside Qin Haoxuan, but Li Jing didn't even glance at him, as if he didn't exist, completely ignoring him.

Soon, Qin Haoxuan formed an assessment: Li Jing, while outwardly enthusiastic, was inwardly very calculating, only befriending those he deemed valuable and promising.

After the group of youths chatted for a while, it became completely dark. The cold mountain wind howled through the cracks in the walls.

Although the daytime temperature in early autumn was not low, the temperature difference between day and night was extreme, especially in this cold and damp dormitory. Some with weaker constitutions were already shivering from the cold.

While these two large dormitories could easily accommodate two hundred people, and over two hundred blankets were provided, the blankets were damp and thin. Squeezing them hard could wring out water, and they emitted a pungent moldy smell.

This is the clearest outline in my heart. This is Taichu, and everyone is welcome.