Chapter 11

Song Zhizhi's eyes lit up. What child who had grown up watching immortal martial arts dramas hadn't dreamed of flying on a sword?

Once she reached the Foundation Establishment Realm and learned the art of Sword Flight, she would be able to do the same.

Several disciples circled overhead on their swords before landing directly in front of the crowd.

"Welcome, fellow Daoists, to the Sword Sect's new disciple selection. This selection will last five days and consist of two trials—" The Sword Sect disciple's clear voice rang beside everyone's ears. "The first trial is Questioning Heart Road, with a total of nine hundred and ninety-nine steps. Those who reach the summit within two days may enter the Sword Sect as Outer Sect Disciples."

"The second trial is the Heart-Trial Stone. Anyone who passes this trial may enter the inner sect." The disciple in white clasped his hands in salute. "The selection now officially begins! May you all win a victory at the first stroke of the banner. My junior brother and I will await your arrival at the mountaintop."

With a thunderous crash of gongs and drums, countless people surged toward the Sword Sect's mountain gate. The sea of dark heads was so dense it would make anyone with trypophobia's scalp crawl.

Song Zhizhi had cultivation, so she walked near the front of the crowd and reached the foot of the mountain before long.

The Sword Sect did not require Spiritual Roots to be tested before selecting disciples, because those without Spiritual Roots simply could not walk the Questioning Heart Road. And anyone who could reach its summit was bound to be an exceptional talent in aptitude, perseverance, temperament, and every other respect.

The instant Song Zhizhi stepped onto the stairs, thick fog enveloped her. She discovered that everyone around her had vanished. In her sight, only the steps beneath her feet and the other end of the Questioning Heart Road atop the mountain remained.

She lifted her foot and climbed upward. When she had reached roughly the hundredth step, the scenery around her changed in an instant.

"Song Zhizhi is a bastard with no father or mother. My mother said we can't play with her."

At four years old, Song Zhizhi's father was unknown, her mother had died young, and she had been ostracized by children her age, growing up all alone—this was the deepest childhood memory of the body's original owner.

Song Zhizhi knew this was an illusion created by the Questioning Heart Road. Every hundred steps, it generated an illusory realm. Sometimes that realm was desire; other times, it was a shadow.

Song Zhizhi ignored the little Song Zhizhi huddled in the corner crying and continued up the steps.

At the two-hundredth step, the illusion showed the ten-year-old "Song Zhizhi" being tested and found to possess Dual Water-Fire Spiritual Roots, only to be ridiculed as a waste.

Song Zhizhi stepped onto the two-hundred-and-first stair, and the illusion shattered behind her.

If Song Zhizhi had turned back then, she would have seen many people trapped in their illusions behind her, crying or laughing, crazed in appearance.

But she did not look back.

At the Main Peak plaza, the Sword Sect's elder of teachings led the inner and outer sect disciples in watching this selection before the Water Mirror.

"Cultivation is like walking the Questioning Heart Road all over again. At every stage, you will encounter new problems. If you hesitate because of them, or even lose yourselves, then remember the state of mind you had when you first walked the Questioning Heart Road."

"Cultivate the Dao, cultivate the heart—only then can it be called immortal cultivation."

As his words fell, some of the disciples below lowered their eyes, seeming to gain some insight.

Song Zhizhi had already reached the five-hundred-and-first step. Behind her was an illusion where "Song Zhizhi" had both parents when she was born, possessed the rare Mutated Ice Spiritual Root, cultivated without setbacks, and ultimately entered the Sword Sect, becoming a peerless prodigy of her generation.

Song Zhizhi's expression remained calm. This had been the original Song Zhizhi's dream, but it was not the current Song Zhizhi's dream.

The five-hundredth step was a watershed on the Questioning Heart Road. Looking down from the summit, one would find that nearly eighty percent of people had stopped below the five-hundredth step, while fewer than a hundred among the remaining twenty percent could reach the top.

The first day soon passed, and night descended. There was no distinction between day and night on the Questioning Heart Road. Spiritual energy was abundant, and their bodies would automatically absorb it, so it did not matter if they went a night without sleep.

But Song Zhizhi was not included among them.

Song Zhizhi felt that perhaps her habits from her previous life had yet to change. Lately, she often got sleepy as soon as the time came. Perhaps because of the recent temperature changes, it had become even more frequent. When cultivating at night, she often fell asleep without realizing it.

When Song Zhizhi reached the six-hundredth step, the illusion arrived as expected. This time, it seemed to be using seduction. Good heavens—handsome men of every type, from every age and land, surrounded her. There were fair-skinned, refined young men and dark-skinned, rugged fellows, some gentle and tender, others wickedly charming and domineering.

This illusion was far more real than the previous ones. Song Zhizhi could smell the faint cool fragrance on the handsome men, which seemed somewhat familiar. She could even touch their firm, well-filled muscles, warm beneath her fingertips.

But Song Zhizhi was so sleepy that she could barely keep her eyes open. Even if Pan An himself had been reborn, he could not have drawn her attention.

Remembering that this was an illusion from the Questioning Heart Road, she was about to keep climbing when all the beautiful men around her suddenly vanished. Ahead of her emerged a battle-worn beauty in bloodstained white robes, with exquisite, otherworldly features and an aloof temperament.

The beautiful man gazed at her with deep affection. He took Song Zhizhi's hand, his voice low and pleasant as he said, "Zhizhi..."

Battle-worn beautiful men were very much Song Zhizhi's type, but only on the premise that he was not wearing a face eighty percent similar to Xie Xiuji's.

For several nights after Song Zhizhi fled the little wooden hut, she dreamed of Xie Xiuji haunting her like a lingering ghost, pestering her to take responsibility for him or else he would kill her.

A beautiful man might be precious, but life was worth even more. Song Zhizhi coldly pulled her hand free and took two steps back. "Honey, I don't feel a spark for that face of yours. I suggest you switch to Wu Yanzu's face instead."

The affectionate expression on "Xie Xiuji's" face froze. Then he lowered his eyes in dejection. "Zhizhi, don't you like me anymore?"

Song Zhizhi shuddered, thoroughly disgusted. Her eyes filled with disdain. "...Don't wear that face while talking to me like that. You look really effeminate this way, nothing like him at all."

Drowsiness washed over her again. Song Zhizhi yawned, shoved this "Xie Xiuji" aside, and said, "Move. Don't block the way."

From beginning to end, Song Zhizhi was never fooled by the illusion. At incredible speed, she overtook everyone who had been ahead of her and became the first person to pass the six-hundredth step of the Questioning Heart Road.

Every one of her actions was witnessed by the disciples watching the selection before the Water Mirror.

Ranking List

Transmigrated into a Book

Sweet Romance

Time Travel and Rebirth Romance

Tu Yanyan

Amnesia Trope