Nine Gates of Qi and Blood

Buzz!

In no more than a moment, a glowing bubble appeared within the Scorched Earth.

Without any hesitation, Bai Jing immediately tapped it onto the fifth blank talent branch.

Wind's Chant · Not Yet Initiated (1/100)

At that moment, he gained a rudimentary understanding of wind-element power.

Yet he also personally experienced just how profound the immortal-path supreme art he was about to cultivate was—utterly beyond comparison with those martial arts supreme arts from the stronghold.

Just as he was preparing to carefully contemplate this immortal-path supreme art, a voice rang out:

"Junior Brothers, time is up. Stop now."

Senior Brother Chu spoke.

Everyone was reluctant, but they had no choice but to withdraw their immersed minds.

Moreover, they had now come into contact with all three Heaven Scrolls. It was time to make a choice.

"You have all deeply experienced the strength of the Heaven Scrolls. The three supreme arts are each related to their corresponding Heaven Scroll Platform Chapter, complementing one another. If you feel one suits you, make your choice as soon as possible."

Senior Brother Chu glanced at the newcomers and offered a reminder.

Then he led everyone out.

On a patch of grass in Wind Star Valley, the lush flowers and grass were dyed crimson by the afterglow of the setting sun.

Senior Brothers from the various immortal mountains had gathered together, discussing and exchanging thoughts.

"I wonder how many of these newcomers will pass the trial on their first attempt and receive a Heaven Scroll inheritance."

"Purple Cauldron talent is ultimately inferior to Golden Cauldron talent. I only hope that half of the talented disciples from my Fire Spirit Peak can pass."

"Same here. Back then, few of us passed the trial on our first try. We only received the Heaven Scroll inheritances after growing further later on."

"It's still not quite the same. The first opportunity costs nothing, while the second is an opportunity we exchange for with Immortal Merit earned through blood, sweat, and toil. Our mindsets differ, so naturally the success rates differ as well."

"Whatever. We'll just treat it as going through the motions. Success is fortune; failure is fate."

"Exactly, exactly."

"Of course you formation and alchemy branches don't care. The paths you walk are different." Lin Changsheng and the other Spiritual Cultivators shrugged.

"They're coming out!"

At this moment, a cultivator spoke. Everyone ceased their conversation and looked in a certain direction.

Not far away, Senior Brother Chu was leading a group toward them.

"How was it? What are your thoughts?" Lin Changsheng went to meet the disciples of his branch. He found that, aside from Bai Jing and Li Huai'an, the rest wore worried expressions.

"Senior Brother, which Heaven Scroll trial is easier to pass?" One disciple lifted his head and looked at him with a trace of expectation.

"Anything ranked among the Heaven Scrolls cannot be called simple. Each has its own characteristics. You must choose the one most compatible with yourself."

Lin Changsheng shook his head and answered seriously.

"The time was too short. There was simply no way to tell which suited us better. They all felt profound to me." The disciple spoke solemnly, and the other Violet Cauldron Geniuses nodded in agreement. Nearly all of them felt the same.

"Heaven Scroll trials are like this. It is impossible to let everyone study them for a while before making their choices. Though cruel, this is also how the outstanding are selected. If you feel this hurdle is too difficult to cross, you may give up directly. No one will blame you."

Hearing this, everyone fell silent. No matter what, they would not give up on a Heaven Scroll inheritance.

"Enough. Think it over carefully tonight and decide which inheritance trial you will choose."

Lin Changsheng spoke coldly, then looked toward Bai Jing with a smile. "Junior Brother Bai, have you made up your mind?"

"Wind Element Heaven Scroll."

Receiving the answer, he nodded.

For a formation-path genius, choosing any of them was the same. It was merely to lay a foundation for the Dao Platform Realm, so there was no need to consider what came after.

Then Lin Changsheng and the other man carried the newcomers back to Spiritual Elegance Peak.

"Gather here tomorrow morning. Do not be late." The Senior Brother gave his instruction, then vanished from where he stood.

The disciples each returned to their residences.

Bai Jing returned to the pavilion and headed straight for the cultivation chamber.

He took the five bottles of Qi Replenishing Pills from his robe and poured out a pill, swallowing it directly.

Once he took part in the supreme-art trial, his cultivation would have to be delayed for some time.

He wanted to try and see whether he could break through to the Nine Gates of Qi and Blood tonight.

The next morning.

Facing the rising sun, Bai Jing circulated the Minor Formless Technique and greedily absorbed the Morning Glow Spiritual Tide.

A quarter-hour later, he stopped.

The Talent Tree probably won't grow any more talent branches in the short term. Bai Jing cast his gaze toward his sea of consciousness.

But!

"Nine Gates of Qi and Blood!" Feeling the all-around strengthening of his body, he revealed a satisfied expression.

After last night's fierce assault, he had finally raised his cultivation by another step.

Then, after washing up a little, he left.

Before long, Bai Jing arrived at the gathering place.

"Have you decided which inheritance trial to choose?"

"Not yet. I simply can't tell which one suits me better. I can only leave it to luck."

"Same. I asked around last night. Every time the newcomers undergo the trials, very few pass. They usually only obtain an inheritance on their second attempt. But if we want to learn it afterward, we'll have to exchange Immortal Merit for it. A single Heaven Scroll costs ten thousand Immortal Merit—that's another problem."

Quite a few disciples had already been waiting there. They discussed it among themselves, their faces somewhat tense.

Soon, everyone had arrived.

"Set out!"

As Lin Changsheng spoke, he waved his sleeve, and a cloud appeared beneath everyone's feet.

Before long, they arrived at Fire Spirit Peak.

At that moment, quite a few disciples from the immortal mountains had already arrived before the stone wall, though there were far fewer than yesterday.

"Those choosing the fire-element trial may go over. A Senior Brother will explain the trial rules to you." Lin Changsheng said gravely.

Immediately, the three Violet Cauldron disciples from Spiritual Elegance Peak walked to the other side.

Then Lin Changsheng brought the remaining people to Water Moon Peak.

Li Huai'an and two disciples immediately jumped down from the cloud.

"Compared to the other immortal mountains, my branch still has rather few talented disciples." Lin Changsheng looked at the final two and sighed.

Not long afterward, in Wind Star Valley, Bai Jing and a Violet Cauldron Genius walked toward the trial site.

"I only hope that two or three from my Spiritual Elegance Peak branch can pass." Lin Changsheng murmured softly again. Then he turned and left with Fang Wenze.

Before the trial site, disciples from the various mountains stood in groups of three or five. Only the two from Spiritual Elegance Peak seemed somewhat sparse.

"Only you and I from Spiritual Elegance Peak are left. May I know your name, Daoist?" Bai Jing looked at the rather tall youth beside him and could not help smiling.

Yet the other kept his eyes straight ahead, as though he had not heard. Only after a long while did he lightly say, "Liang Hai."

Bai Jing gave a quiet "Mm," but no longer had any desire to continue the conversation.

The two remained silent. Suddenly, Liang Hai greeted a youth with a face full of smiles:

"Brother Zhou!"

"Brother Liang, you came for this Heaven Scroll trial too?"

Bai Jing watched the two geniuses chatting enthusiastically and gave a slight shrug.

All right, he was the extra one here.

"Daoist Brother Bai!" At that moment, a crisp, pleasant voice came from behind him, accompanied by a refreshing fragrance that drifted into his nose.

He turned around. It was Ling Qinghe, the wealthy patron he had been thinking of.

"So it's Daoist Ling. You chose the Wind Element Heaven Scroll too?" Bai Jing was somewhat surprised.

"The Wind Element Heaven Scroll is dashing, free as the wind, and unparalleled in speed throughout Shangqing Mountain. Our cultivation is still weak, so we should choose this method!"

"A fellow traveler!" Bai Jing nodded repeatedly in agreement.

This was also why he had chosen the Wind Element Heaven Scroll. Cultivation was the cultivation of one's life—if one could not even preserve one's life, how could one speak of longevity?