Invitation

On a mountain shrouded in dense spiritual energy, radiant clouds, and swirling mist.

"You may depart now!"

A voice like the sound of the Dao rang out from a vast courtyard. At once, doors opened throughout the rooms, and five young people emerged.

A young man in an azure robe with narrow eyes sneered.

"A bunch of trash. With so many people, they still failed to clear all the missions and had to make me personally step in."

The only woman among them was graceful and alluring. Smiling, she parted her red lips. "After cultivating for so long, it truly is time to stretch my limbs. This young lady can earn some resources while she is at it."

"Only Li Huai'an was passable, having completed forty missions. The rest are all wine sacks and rice bags." A scholarly-looking young man said, holding a record sheet.

"You cannot put it that way. They had to undergo assessments while cultivating, so their time was far too tight. Unlike us, who had an entire year devoted solely to cultivation and did not have to work so hard." The fourth youth smiled.

"I am rather interested in the one who took down that Violet Cauldron Genius. I wonder whether he can join our branch. If I join forces with him, we will certainly accomplish something even more earthshaking."

As the last man spoke, his gaze remained fixed on the narrow-eyed young man.

"Let us go. Do not waste time. The sect has given us only two months to clear every mission."

Early on the third day.

Bai Jing made some slight preparations and exchanged all his Ascension Coins for Spirit Stones.

Ascension Coins were useful only during the assessment; once he went to Shangqing Mountain, they would be of no use.

"Eighteen Spirit Stones." Bai Jing touched a treasure box in his robes. This was his entire fortune.

"Junior Brother, we are setting off!" Up ahead, the senior brother carrying a sword turned and called out.

"I'm coming, Senior Brother Lin!"

Bai Jing followed beside Lin Changsheng and soon arrived before a massive Immortal Boat.

Looking up into the distance, he recalled the bold boasts of those disciples aboard the Immortal Boat when he had ridden one for his first mission.

Now, he had made it. Yet he did not know how many of those who had once dreamed of it had entered Shangqing Mountain.

"There are quite a lot of people." The moment Bai Jing stepped onto the deck, he found that many people had already gathered there.

Some of them were even geniuses whose names he had heard before.

I made the right choice. Spiritual Elegance Peak may not be one of the Five Great Immortal Mountains, but its strength is certainly beyond doubt. Otherwise, these geniuses would never have been placed under Spiritual Elegance Peak's name.

Bai Jing thought.

"Hm?" Then he paused, suspicion appearing on his face.

"Li Huai'an? Why did he come to Spiritual Elegance Peak?"

Not far away stood a youth with his sleeves bound back, his bearing seemingly natural and flawless. At the stronghold, he had been known to everyone.

Bai Jing was curious about Li Huai'an, but some people were instead curious about why this Array Dao Prodigy had come to Spiritual Elegance Peak.

Naturally, none of them received an answer.

After a while, all the disciples selected by Spiritual Elegance Peak had arrived.

Boom!

With a thunderous roar that shook the heavens, the Immortal Boat shot straight into the sky.

"Farewell." Bai Jing stood by the side of the vessel, looking down at the increasingly tiny stronghold as he murmured softly.

The stronghold was far from Shangqing Mountain. According to the senior brothers, even by Immortal Boat, the journey would take about a day.

As the Immortal Boat gradually steadied, the disciples on deck gathered together.

"Everyone, once we reach Spiritual Elegance Peak, we will be the closest of fellow disciples. We should huddle together for warmth and support one another, lest the seniors look down on us newcomers."

A disciple who appeared somewhat older spoke.

"My name is Wang Tao. My talent is not particularly good, but in the final assessment, I still earned seven first-class ratings."

"Seven first-class ratings?" Many disciples exclaimed in admiration. Such a result was already outstanding in the assessment. After all, even some Violet Cauldron Geniuses had achieved no more than that.

Seeing the looks in some people's eyes, Wang Tao continued, "These things are not worth mentioning. What makes me happy is that, after several months of arduous practice, I can now refine low-grade Qi Replenishing Pills."

As he spoke, he took out a bottle of pills and opened it. A clear fragrance immediately spread through the air.

He passed the pills around, and the disciples examined their quality one after another.

There was nothing wrong with them. They were precisely the Qi Replenishing Pills they often consumed!

One disciple returned the pill to Wang Tao and asked curiously, "Brother Wang, since you can refine Qi Replenishing Pills, why come to Spiritual Elegance Peak? Would Pill Dao Mountain not suit you better?"

However, Wang Tao shook his head and said solemnly, "To me, pill refinement is merely a method. The great path of the Spiritual Cultivator is what we pursue."

He then looked over the crowd and added, "At present, I have an idea that is not quite mature. I wonder whether you gentlemen would be willing to hear it out?"

"Brother Wang, please speak!" someone said.

Wang Tao nodded before continuing.

"Cultivation is not easy. Though Shangqing Mountain is the best destination for us, it has many disciples and fierce competition. I wish to establish a small group, with the purpose of making things easier for everyone, helping one another, sharing information, and so on."

"Of course, my original intention in establishing this group is for us to huddle together for warmth. These Qi Replenishing Pills sell for one Spirit Stone at Shangqing Mountain, but those who join the group can enjoy a thirty percent discount. In the future, I will refine better pills, such as the Spirit Gathering Pills consumed by Dao Platform Realm cultivators. Their prices will naturally be even more favorable."

"Brother Wang, what are the requirements for joining? I want in!" After hearing Wang Tao's words, several disciples hurriedly spoke up.

They had ordinary talent and no backing whatsoever. Since joining offered so many benefits, why would they not join?

"There are no requirements. I said it already—we are to support one another and huddle together for warmth. How could there be demands? Of course, this is limited to us newcomers." Wang Tao smiled.

"In that case, I, Ma, shall join as well. I cannot refine pills, but I know a little about artifact refinement. If members of the group lack a handy weapon in the future, they may come find me. The price will naturally be cheaper than outside!"

A burly man also spoke, as though he had made some decision.

Before long, nearly half the disciples on deck responded and joined the group.

The small number who did not react were the renowned geniuses. Needless to say, Li Huai'an did not join, while among the others who had condensed Azure Cauldrons and Purple Cauldrons, only one or two reluctantly agreed.

This was not what Wang Tao had hoped to see. He looked at those geniuses, and an idea stirred in his heart. His gaze turned toward a youth at the edge as he invited him.

"Brother Bai Jing, do you have any thoughts on the matter?"

"If an Array Dao master like you joins, it will neatly make up for this group's shortcomings. Then pill refinement, artifact refinement, talismans, and arrays will all be complete."

At those words, many gazes could not help turning toward Bai Jing. Even Li Huai'an glanced over slightly.

Bai Jing had not expected the other party to invite him. Somewhat flattered, he hurriedly said, "It is merely a minor path, not worth mentioning."

"How can it be a minor path? Arrays are immensely powerful. You even brought down a Violet Cauldron Genius—it was simply astonishing."

Wang Tao shook his head and continued, "Brother Bai Jing's talent in the Array Dao leaves us able only to gaze from afar. Yet you have also entered Spiritual Elegance Peak. In terms of resources, I fear it cannot compare with Array Dao Mountain. If you join this group, I promise that whether it is pills, weapons, talismans, or anything else, all will be half price!"

Yet Bai Jing still shook his head, making Wang Tao's expression turn somewhat unnatural.

With such a favorable offer, the other party had rejected him outright.