Return Journey

Creak.

When Bai Jing opened the door to the largest private room on the third floor of the Ascension Tower, several young people were already seated inside.

He gave them a slight nod as greeting, then took the empty seat in the corner.

The atmosphere was quiet. They seemed unfamiliar with one another and had no desire to converse.

"Half an hour left." Bai Jing calculated the time. There was still a little over half an hour before the last Immortal Boat departed.

"Fellow Daoists!"

Over the following stretch of time, boys and girls gradually entered the private room.

Like Bai Jing, they all offered polite greetings.

Yet the responses they received were merely courteous nods.

Bai Jing grew sleepy. Perhaps because he had been traveling nonstop since early morning, he was somewhat exhausted.

"Fellow Daoist Chen!"

A booming call finally jolted him awake.

When Bai Jing opened his eyes, he found that nearly everyone had risen to their feet.

Moreover, even the seats beside the corner spot he had chosen were now occupied.

There are so many demons here—there are actually twenty or thirty assessment disciples gathered together. he thought.

Bai Jing did not think much of it. He stood as well and followed everyone's gazes toward the private room's entrance.

A young man stood there.

He wore white robes, with a tall, slender frame, remarkably handsome features, and an exceptional, otherworldly bearing.

"There is no need for such courtesy, everyone. Please, sit." The young man approached with a smile.

Yet before he sat down, no one seemed willing to take their seats.

"What are you saying, Fellow Daoist Chen? Please, this way."

A young man seated at the place of honor immediately gave up his seat and welcomed the Chen-surnamed youth over.

The youth surnamed Chen had intended to decline, but the other party was simply too enthusiastic.

Only after he took his seat did everyone else sit down.

Either from a great clan or a genius youth. Bai Jing watched the scene and made his guess.

"His name is Chen Ping." Someone lightly nudged Bai Jing with an elbow and whispered.

Bai Jing turned his head and discovered an exceptionally beautiful young girl beside him.

She seemed to notice the confusion on his face and quietly said:

"No one knew Chen Ping when he first arrived, but he has been spreading everywhere that he has already begun his third assessment task. That has made all the assessment disciples here familiar with him."

"A third task!" Surprise flashed through Bai Jing's eyes.

The first three assessment tasks were not particularly difficult, but the time was too short. They had only been at this for a little over ten days.

When the tasks began, they had only just come into contact with various supreme arts and magical artifacts to fend off demons.

They needed time to familiarize themselves with their respective methods before daring to leave and undertake tasks. The two-month deadline given by Shangqing Mountain proved that they needed time.

Yet this person had perhaps completed three tasks in less than half a month. His talent was evident.

"I also know that he seems to have entered the Second Stage of Qi and Blood." The girl spoke again, leaving Bai Jing rather astonished.

He looked at Chen Ping, who was chatting and laughing with ease. The other party truly was a genius.

But it did not matter. He had the little Sapling. Once his proficiency was unlocked, he would fear no one.

"If nothing unexpected happens, he will be one of Shangqing Mountain's three thousand disciples," the girl whispered.

She noticed the young man beside her narrow his eyes slightly and said:

"Actually, most of the geniuses among this batch of assessment disciples have already completed three tasks. They are all cultivating diligently, preparing for the assessment more than a month from now."

"I heard that the later tasks are all Level Two or even Level One difficulty. The demons involved possess extremely high cultivation, making them very difficult for ordinary assessment disciples."

"They really are difficult." Bai Jing nodded. If not for his little Sapling, he probably would not have much confidence in entering Shangqing Mountain.

"However..." The girl changed the subject. "Since ancient times, immortal masters have not judged superiority solely by talent. Spiritual pills and wondrous medicines are also advanced means of increasing cultivation."

"Do you mean that talent in cultivation is not the only path to Changsheng, and that pill refinement and formation crafting are also possible?" Bai Jing humbly asked for guidance.

"Of course they are."

The girl nodded, though she looked suspiciously at Bai Jing. "But why are you asking about this? I see that your qi and blood have gathered at your waist and your kidney qi is surging. You must cultivate the Minor Formless Technique."

Bai Jing's body trembled. He hurriedly covered his waist and stared at the girl in astonishment.

"Just a small trick." The girl shook her head, then continued, "Those who cultivate the Minor Formless Technique must know their talent is lacking, which is why they crave rapid advances in cultivation. Dao Brother, am I right?"

"Yes." Bai Jing nodded, thinking, Not exactly.

"The Minor Formless Technique indeed accelerates cultivation, but for geniuses, this degree of improvement is still not enough to catch up to them. With the aid of medicinal pills, there may be some hope," the girl added.

"You jest, Fellow Daoist. The pills in the Pill Pavilion at the main camp are exorbitantly expensive. For people like us, the Ascension Coins earned from tasks must be saved to exchange for more powerful supreme arts and magical artifacts. Where would we have spare coins to buy such resources?"

"Not expensive, not expensive at all! My Qi Replenishing Pills are only five Ascension Coins!"

The girl took a beautiful jade bottle from her robes and looked at Bai Jing with a smile.

"A bottle of Qi Replenishing Pills from the Pill Pavilion costs ten Ascension Coins. The bottle in my hand is only half that price. Would Dao Brother be interested in buying one? I guarantee you will advance to the Second Stage of Qi and Blood in a short time."

At that moment, Bai Jing felt as though the top of his skull had exploded, and his gaze nearly froze solid.

After becoming an assessment disciple, the girls cultivating immortality whom he had encountered had all been rather cold and distant. It had not been easy to meet a cheerful girl who spoke so pleasantly.

He had thought that his out-of-place aura had drawn this beautiful girl's attention, leading her to discuss immortality and the Dao with him.

Sure enough, only salespeople would be so willing to tell him everything they knew and bare their hearts to him.

"Do not mention it again, Fellow Daoist. I have no spare coins." Bai Jing's gentleness turned into stiff solemnity as he waved her off with an icy expression.

"It's fine, you can buy on credit. This junior sister knows Dao Brother cannot take out so much right now. You can owe it first, and there will be no interest for three months."

"..." Bai Jing.

He still firmly refused the proposal.

The girl was not disappointed. She merely smiled and said, "If you need medicinal pills, you can come find me. They will certainly be much cheaper than the Pill Pavilion's."

"Immortal Masters, the Immortal Boat has arrived. You may board now."

At that moment, the acting manager of the tavern came in from outside and called out to them.

"My name is Ling Qinghe. The same goes for you all—if you want to buy pills, come to District One of the main camp."

Ling Qinghe rose to her feet and added one last remark.

Bai Jing did not respond. He only watched the pill-selling girl trot over to Chen Ping, who was surrounded by people, to strike up a conversation.

Perhaps relying on her looks, she soon began chatting warmly with the genius Chen.

The other female disciples were somewhat envious, but Bai Jing knew she was not really trying to make conversation. Her mind was likely filled with getting the genius to buy her Qi Replenishing Pills.

A short while later, on the open ground behind the tavern.

A massive Immortal Boat stood before the disciples. Its two enormous immortal sails fluttered gently in the wind like a pair of magnificent wings.

The intense spiritual energy fluctuations produced tremendous noise, like deafening roars continuously blasting into the heavens.

"Future junior brothers of Shangqing Mountain, please board!"

Before the Immortal Boat, a young man shouted energetically.

"One Ascension Coin for the deck, where you can climb high and gaze far. Two for a private room to taste immortal tea. Very affordable! If you need a cultivation room, it is only three Ascension Coins, and you can experience Shangqing Mountain's most proper cultivation rooms."

"Junior Brother, you are like a dragon among men, like a phoenix among birds. Would you like a cultivation room?" The senior brother smiled at Chen Ping.

At this moment, many gazes were focused on the genius youth, curious whether he would agree.

"Give me one!" Chen Ping waved his hand grandly and immediately took out three pieces of white jade, drawing a wave of envy from the crowd.

"Junior Brother is generous!" The senior brother could barely suppress the curl of his lips as he deftly stored the white jade in his storage pouch.

"Junior Sister, a true phoenix descended to earth. Would you like one?"

"No."

Bai Jing was not surprised to see Ling Qinghe coldly refuse. She paid one Ascension Coin and boarded the Immortal Boat.

He likewise chose the deck to climb high and gaze far. During the assessment, Ascension Coins were resources for their advancement—how could he spend them carelessly?

Boom!

Not long after, accompanied by a violent roar, the Immortal Boat shot straight into the heavens.