Though Truth-Seeking Abbey was no longer what it once had been, with stricter assessment standards and higher requirements, its focus had never shifted. Three principles remained unshaken:
Background alone still did not determine admission.
Aptitude was still not the primary consideration.
The three trials still served as the standard for admission.
[Perseverance Trial, Heaven-Ascending Ladder]
Anyone wishing to enter Truth-Seeking Abbey had to start at the foot of the mountain and climb one step at a time, reaching the Welcoming Pavilion at a height of twenty-five hundred zhang within four hours. The steps were steep, the mountain path winding and undulating. Even a strong, sturdy man would struggle to climb it within the allotted time.
Moreover, the ladder possessed its own mysteries. The older one was, the greater the pressure one bore, putting a fifteen-year-old on the same footing as a six-year-old child. Added to the fact that young people had endured relatively little hardship, these various factors ensured that anyone who reached the Welcoming Pavilion possessed considerable perseverance.
[Mindset Trial, Heart-Entrapping Formation]
Cultivators ought to keep their hearts clear and their desires few.
All living beings had desires; even Xuanming was no exception. The Heart-Entrapping Formation did not demand that those entering it be without desire or want. If it did, they might not select a single person. Instead, it tested their self-control.
When my heart knows contentment, my body rests at peace.
Those who could feel desire stir yet restrain it and guard their hearts, who understood moderation rather than letting greed become a snake trying to swallow an elephant, could naturally pass the formation.
Young people tended to have weaker self-control. Anyone who successfully passed the formation was bound to have something worthwhile about them and would have a chance of becoming a disciple of Truth-Seeking Abbey.