Mist Valley Trial

Shopkeeper Gu had been overjoyed these past few days. The brisk sales of mid-grade talismans had not only brought the shop a handsome income but, more importantly, made the Jade Spring Commerce Association famous. More and more cultivators were coming on the strength of its reputation.

He was somewhat puzzled. What was going on? Almost everyone who entered the shop headed straight for the talismans. Only when there were no mid-grade talismans left did they turn to magical artifacts and elixirs. After making a few inquiries, Shopkeeper Gu learned the reason.

As it turned out, the Mist Valley Trial, held once every thirty years, was approaching. During this period, all the cultivators planning to participate, whether rogue cultivators or those from lineages, were preparing with everything they had.

As luck would have it, Xu Qingtong had produced powerful mid-grade talismans that were far cheaper than conventional ones, leading to a scramble to buy them.

Xu Qingtong had never heard of the Mist Valley Trial. Curious, he asked Shopkeeper Gu about it, and Shopkeeper Gu explained its origins to him in full detail.

Mist Valley lay about five hundred li due south of Azure Cloud Mountain, right between Biluozong and Gloomwind Valley. A powerful formation shrouded the entire valley, preventing even golden core cultivators from entering. Mist swirled through the valley year-round, hence its name.

Biluozong's Forefather, Peng Muyang, had once explored Mist Valley together with Dongfang Jin, a golden core cultivator from Gloomwind Valley.

The two had spent half a year at the valley entrance without managing to open the formation, but they had made a new discovery. On nights of the full moon, when yin energy intensified, the formation would briefly weaken. By combining their strength, they could just barely open a gap for people to pass through.

The gap could only last half an hour and was extremely unstable, allowing only those below the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining to pass. If someone with too high a cultivation level entered, it would trigger an attack from the formation.

Moreover, no more than fifty people could enter at a time, or the gap would collapse.

After discussing the matter, the two golden core Forefathers each selected ten disciples at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining from their respective sects and sent them into Mist Valley to investigate.

Yet a month later, only nine emerged from the valley: six from Biluozong and just three from Gloomwind Valley. Although fewer than half the disciples had survived, every survivor had returned with their bowls and pots filled to the brim. They had gathered all manner of precious medicinal herbs rarely seen outside.

According to the disciples who returned, the place was probably an ancient sect's medicinal garden or a training ground for its disciples. In any case, it held many treasures, especially spiritual herbs in extraordinary abundance. Even herbs hundreds or thousands of years old could be found there.

However, opportunity often went hand in hand with danger. Second-tier Demon Beasts were everywhere inside. There were also mysterious formations that were difficult to escape once entered.

After putting their heads together, Peng Muyang and Dongfang Jin decided to open the secret realm once every thirty years, lest they drain the pond to catch the fish. Each sect would send twenty disciples to participate in a month-long trial.

However, after the trial had been held just once, the Azure Sea Gate learned of it. Its sect master joined forces with several rogue cultivators and approached Biluozong and Gloomwind Valley, forcibly wresting a slice of the cake from the two sects.

In the end, the three golden core Forefathers agreed to leave the Trial schedule unchanged, opening the realm once every thirty years. Each of the Three Great Sects would send fifteen people, while the remaining five places would go to rogue cultivators.

Choosing the participating disciples from the three sects for the Trial was straightforward; each sect could conduct its own selection. Dividing the five places for rogue cultivators, however, was much more difficult.

Someone like Xu Qingtong, who had stumbled into the cultivation world by accident, was a rogue cultivator in every sense of the term. Cultivation lineages and small sects with no powerful backing were also counted as rogue cultivators.

Thus, those five places became hot commodities that burned the hands reaching for them. Fierce clashes broke out among some lineages and rogue cultivators over the places, leaving many dead or injured.

After consulting with representatives of the rogue cultivators, the Three Great Sects came up with a solution. A month before the Trial, they would jointly hold a Young Talents Assembly to select the participants.

Any rogue cultivator below the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining could participate by paying a registration fee of five spirit stones.

The selection tournament had two stages. The first was a points competition, with one point awarded for every victory. Anyone who earned five points could advance to the next stage.

The second stage was an elimination tournament. Opponents were decided by drawing lots; the winners stayed, and the losers were eliminated. The Young Talents Assembly would end once the final five participants had been chosen and awarded places in the trial.

None of the matches in the Young Talents Assembly were fights to the death; only victory or defeat mattered. A match ended when one side conceded or was knocked off the platform. Anyone who deliberately took another's life would be disqualified.

At present, the Young Talents Assembly was in full swing, and the rogue cultivators were fighting desperately for a place in the elimination tournament.

Once they reached the elimination tournament, they would have a chance to be selected by one of the Three Great Sects as an outer disciple, regardless of whether they made it to the final rounds.

Those who placed in the top five could enter the Mist Valley Trial. As long as they emerged alive, they could choose a sect, hand over what they had gained during the trial, and become an inner disciple.

During the points matches a few days earlier, someone had used talismans made by Xu Qingtong and gained a tremendous boost in combat strength. That was what had sparked the buying frenzy.

At this, Xu Qingtong's heart stirred. To think that participating in the Mist Valley Trial could give me a chance to become an inner disciple of one of the Three Great Sects!

Before Shopkeeper Gu could finish, Xu Qingtong asked eagerly, "Shopkeeper, can I still register for the Young Talents Assembly?"

Shopkeeper Gu glanced at Xu Qingtong and immediately understood what he had in mind. "The first stage of the Young Talents Assembly, the points competition, ends in two days. You can still register now, but can you be sure of earning five points in two days?"

"I want to try!" Xu Qingtong said, his gaze resolute. He did not want to spend his entire life here as a shop assistant, living an unremarkable life like Shopkeeper Gu and Big Brother Wu. He wanted to become stronger. He still had to avenge his mother!

Shopkeeper Gu fell silent for a moment. "Qingtong, I know you don't want to stay in this little shop. But even if you join one of the Three Great Sects, you may not be better off than you are here. With your Talisman Crafting skills, you don't have to worry about cultivation resources here. Unless you can enter the inner ranks and become a true disciple, an outer disciple will be left to sink or swim on his own."

"Besides, becoming an inner disciple is easier said than done!" Shopkeeper Gu continued. "You either have to participate in the Trial and emerge alive, or distinguish yourself in a sect tournament among thousands of competitors! You're only at the Third Layer of Qi Refining now. You probably can't even use a magical artifact. How could you defeat those at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining?"

Xu Qingtong silently weighed it up. The Mist Valley Trial only happens once every thirty years. If I miss it this time, I'll have to wait another thirty years. By then, wouldn't even the daylilies have gone cold?

His mind was made up, and Shopkeeper Gu's words did not sway him. He bowed deeply. "I've made my decision. Please grant my wish, Shopkeeper!"

A complicated expression crossed Shopkeeper Gu's face, and he let out a long sigh. "Very well. Since you've made up your mind, this old man won't say any more. I'll take you to register now!"