Choosing (Please Follow and Bookmark)

"These Five Great Immortal Mountains are the pillars and the calling card of Shangqing Mountain."

"You mean that geniuses usually enter these Five Great Immortal Mountains, while I may not be chosen by any of them?" Bai Jing asked.

"Brother Bai, you're clever. Before I could even say it, you had already guessed." Xu Shan nodded. "All disciples of the Array Dao and Alchemy Dao lineages will be selected into Array Dao Mountain and Pill King Valley. The remaining Spiritual Cultivators, along with a few talisman cultivators and the like, will be chosen by the other three great immortal mountains."

"And geniuses are indeed more likely to be selected by those three immortal mountains."

"The reason that senior told us to wait three days is because, during these days, the Five Great Immortal Mountains will take away the disciples they favor. Those left behind will then be assigned together to the other spirit mountains."

As he spoke, he glanced at Bai Jing. "But Brother Bai, there's no need to be nervous. I think your talent in the Array Dao is outstanding. You became famous for defeating a Violet Cauldron Genius with formations, so there's a good chance Array Dao Mountain will choose you."

After hearing Xu Shan's words, Bai Jing lowered his head in thought, his expression unchanged.

His goal was not the Array Dao. Spiritual cultivation was his first choice.

But according to Xu Shan, if none of the three great Spiritual Cultivator immortal mountains took a liking to him, then he would likely have no choice but to go to Array Dao Mountain.

"Other than these Five Great Immortal Mountains, are the rest of the immortal mountains not good enough?" Bai Jing asked.

"According to Ling Qinghe, beneath the five mountains stands a powerful peak called Spiritual Elegance Peak. That lineage is quite formidable too, but it has many disciples, so competition for resources may be fiercer," Xu Shan answered.

"Understood." Bai Jing nodded.

"I believe that we two brothers will definitely enter one of those Five Great Immortal Mountains."

As time passed, all three thousand newcomers learned about the Five Great Immortal Mountains and the process to come.

Now, all they could do was wait for the immortal mountains to choose their people.

Boom!

At dusk, a massive Immortal Boat descended outside the encampment, causing a tremendous stir.

"Everyone, if fate allows, we'll meet again!"

More than a hundred disciples packed their belongings and bid farewell to their neighbors and friends.

"Fellow Daoist Bai!"

Inside a thatched cottage, Bai Jing heard the call and woke from cultivation.

He went to the window and saw two pretty young women standing outside. One of them was Ling Qinghe.

He then opened the bedside cabinet and took out a pile of Ascension Coins.

Watching the youth walk out of the house, Ling Qinghe smiled. "If Fellow Daoist Bai had remained unresponsive, I would've called my senior brother to break through your formation by force."

"My apologies. I was busy cultivating and actually forgot that I still hadn't settled the account with you, miss." Bai Jing looked apologetic as he handed her several dozen Ascension Coins. "Count them."

"No need. I trust Fellow Daoist Bai's character." Ling Qinghe swept her hand grandly, and all the Ascension Coins went into her sachet.

"By the way, Fellow Daoist, have you decided which immortal mountain you wish to enter?" she asked again.

"Do I have a choice?"

"That's true. With your talent in the Array Dao, you'll likely enter Array Dao Mountain." Ling Qinghe nodded, then said, "Then this is goodbye. We're heading to Pill King Valley. If you need any pills in the future, you can come find me at Pill King Valley."

"Certainly!" Bai Jing nodded politely, thinking, Certainly not looking for you.

Only after watching Ling Qinghe vanish at the end of the road did he turn and return to his room.

The next afternoon, another enormous Immortal Boat arrived, a huge banner hanging from it.

"Judging by that banner, it should be Array Dao Mountain!" someone said.

"It's the Array Dao banner. Brother Bai should be heading to Array Dao Mountain!" Xu Shan hurried out upon seeing the Immortal Boat descend.

Before long, he arrived outside Bai Jing's house.

"Brother Bai!" Xu Shan called, but he did not dare enter.

"What is it?" A moment later, Bai Jing emerged from the house.

"Aren't you packing? You're about to leave." Seeing that Bai Jing had come out empty-handed, Xu Shan could not help asking.

"Leave for where?" Bai Jing looked utterly confused.

Xu Shan froze, then said in surprise, "The senior brothers from Array Dao Mountain are here. They didn't choose you?"

Bai Jing shook his head.

"After Array Dao Mountain, tomorrow it will be the turn of the three great immortal mountains."

Above the clouds, Lin Changsheng spoke.

"Spiritual Elegance Peak is the last to choose. I wonder how many outstanding disciples will remain after they finish selecting." His junior brother Fang Wenze curled his lip.

Buzz!

Suddenly, a flash of white light appeared, and a white-robed cultivator stepped out from it.

Lin Changsheng's eyes lit up. "Senior Disciple Yun, how did it go?"

"Not bad. They'll leave behind quite a few good seedlings." Senior Disciple Yun nodded.

"What about Bai Jing? Did you mention him?"

"Just as you expected, Array Dao Mountain had long had their eye on him. Luckily, you told me in advance. Otherwise, Bai Jing would have boarded Array Dao Mountain's Immortal Boat today."

"Good, good. Our Spiritual Elegance Peak is about to gain another outstanding figure in the Array Dao." Lin Changsheng patted his chest.

"Whether he can rise to prominence in the Array Dao still depends on his third realm." Senior Disciple Yun looked calm as he added, "There is also an exceptionally formidable genius coming to our Spiritual Elegance Peak!"

Below the clouds, inside the thatched cottage.

"Array Dao Mountain actually didn't come for Brother Bai. What were they thinking?" Xu Shan said with an unhappy expression.

A cultivator who had eliminated a Violet Cauldron Genius with formations had actually not been selected.

One had to know that during the assessment, the entire Array Dao lineage had been unremarkable. The only one who had truly shone in the Array Dao was his brother here.

"Stay calm. Being able to enter Shangqing Mountain is already a great blessing. Why force it?" Bai Jing remained composed, without a trace of disappointment.

He himself did not care much. The three great immortal mountains were his most desired choice, while Spiritual Elegance Peak would also be good.

"That's right. Outstanding people shine wherever they are. I believe Brother Bai will one day stun everyone, then slap them across the face." Xu Shan nodded.

The two chatted for a while longer before Xu Shan rose to bid farewell.

The next morning.

Boom!

An Immortal Boat flying a blue banner arrived.

"The senior brothers from Wind Star Valley are here!" someone said excitedly.

This was one of the three great immortal mountains most desired by Spiritual Cultivators.

One genius after another was selected.

"Are you willing to join my Wind Star Valley?"

"Yes, yes!" Xu Shan's head bobbed wildly up and down.

He knew there was a high chance he would be selected by one of the three great immortal mountains, but he had not expected it to happen so quickly.

Then, under Bai Jing's farewell, Xu Shan boarded the Immortal Boat.

"See you at Shangqing Mountain someday!" Xu Shan waved from the deck.

Not long after Bai Jing sent Xu Shan off, another enormous Immortal Boat descended.

"Fire Spirit Peak!" someone said upon seeing its banner.

The senior brothers of another immortal mountain had arrived and began selecting disciples.

"Li Huai'an still hasn't left. He must be going to Water Moon Peak." Some disciples were paying close attention to Li Huai'an, the foremost genius. Seeing that the senior brothers of Fire Spirit Peak had not gone to his house, they could not help speculating.

What a pity I won't be able to cultivate and grow alongside that man!

As Chen Ping passed Li Huai'an's house, he glanced slightly at the figure standing on the second floor and thought to himself.

Time passed.

When the afterglow of the setting sun shone across the entire encampment, Water Moon Peak's Immortal Boat slowly approached.

"Senior brother, Li Huai'an isn't joining our lineage?" As several geniuses departed, they passed Li Huai'an's house and asked in surprise.

They had all noticed that this renowned genius did not seem to have joined any of the three great immortal mountains.

"He is not." The senior brother from Water Moon Peak smiled.

"Even a genius like that wasn't chosen by any of the three great immortal mountains?" The geniuses were deeply puzzled, but received no direct answer.

Elsewhere.

Bai Jing watched Water Moon Peak's Immortal Boat turn into a shooting star and fly toward the horizon, faint disappointment rising in his heart.

He dearly wished to enter one of those three great immortal mountains, but it seemed his talent had not caught their eye.

Of course, if he revealed his cultivation foundation, he would certainly be able to enter.

But before it reached perfection, he could not reveal even the slightest bit of it.

Otherwise, if he revealed a Purple Cauldron today and a Golden Cauldron tomorrow, the day after that he might be lying on the experiment table of some old monster from Shangqing Mountain.

At dusk.

"Junior Brother Bai Jing!"

A call woke Bai Jing from cultivation.

He went to the window and saw a young man carrying a longsword on his back.

Elsewhere.

Senior Disciple Yun looked smilingly at the silent youth and said, "Li Huai'an, are you willing to join my Spiritual Elegance Peak?!"