Elder Yuan Hong took out a magical artifact shaped like a small boat and tossed it into the air. With a point of his finger, the Small Boat instantly grew larger. He jumped aboard first and called down, "Everyone, come aboard."
Zhou Xin and Guo Tianyu leaped onto the Small Boat without hesitation. Lin Qian and Qin Xinghan followed, then Xu Qingtong, Dongfang Hui, and An Chengbao jumped aboard last.
Once aboard, Xu Qingtong discovered that the Small Boat was quite different from what he had seen from below. A whole other world lay within it. Toward the bow was a large cabin, where Elder Yuan Hong was already seated.
Behind it were two rows of smaller cabins, four in all. Elder Zhou Xin occupied the first on the left, and Guo Tianyu the first on the right. Lin Qian and Qin Xinghan took the remaining two.
Standing at his cabin door, Lin Qian called to Dongfang Hui, "Little Sister Hui, it's windy outside. Why not come in here with your big brother?"
Dongfang Hui shook her head. "Thank you, Brother Lin, but there's no need. I'm quite comfortable outside, and I can enjoy the scenery along the way." With that, she headed toward the stern.
Qin Xinghan had the same idea as Lin Qian, but after seeing Dongfang Hui refuse, he said nothing.
Xu Qingtong, An Chengbao, and Dongfang Hui reached the stern and each found a place to sit cross-legged. None of them spoke; they sat in silence.
Watching the trees and houses outside race backward, Xu Qingtong felt that the Small Boat was much faster than Sun Biao's Flying Talisman. He had wanted to craft some higher-tier Flying Talismans himself, but unfortunately, the Jade Slip from the Jade Spring Commerce Association contained no method for making them.
After watching the scenery for a while, Xu Qingtong turned his gaze toward Dongfang Hui, just as she happened to look his way. They exchanged a smile, then each looked away.
At the thought of Dongfang Hui's smile, Xu Qingtong's heart began pounding for no apparent reason. He hurriedly gathered his thoughts, silently circulated the True Origin Scripture, and began cultivating.
About an hour later, the Small Boat settled steadily onto the ground. Yuan Hong stood and called loudly, "Everyone, we've arrived. Disembark!"
Once everyone had stepped off, Yuan Hong formed a Mudra and put away the Small Boat.
Xu Qingtong looked around. They stood on a gentle hillside, with a valley not far away, wreathed in clouds and mist that obscured its interior. He guessed that it must be Mist Valley. Another group of some fifteen or sixteen people stood on the hillside. Judging by their clothing, they belonged to the Three Great Sects.
Looking more closely, Xu Qingtong saw that they all wore blue-green robes with two dark blue-green bands along the edges and the character for "gloom" embroidered on their cuffs. They were likely from Gloomwind Valley.
Sure enough, after stepping off the Small Boat, Guo Tianyu walked over to that group.
The Gloomwind Valley disciples all bowed as Guo Tianyu approached. He went up to one of them and spoke a few words in a low voice, then found a clean spot and sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.
A little later, the disciples of Biluozong and the Azure Sea Gate arrived in succession. Each group gathered together and conversed quietly, occasionally turning to look at the other two sects, but very few paid any attention to Xu Qingtong and his companions.
Seeing that all three sects had arrived, yet no one had mentioned entering the valley, Xu Qingtong could not help feeling puzzled. Just then, he suddenly spotted a long sword flying toward them from afar.
A man in his fifties stood on the sword, dressed in Daoist robes. His hair was tied in a topknot and secured with a hairpin, and his hands rested behind his back. With keen, bright eyes and fluttering robes, he had the bearing of an immortal and the bones of a Daoist sage.
The old man approached, lowered his flying sword, and landed. Guo Tianyu and another man hurried forward to pay their respects. The old man waved them back, then stood there alone, eyes closed and utterly motionless.
The sky gradually darkened, and a bright moon climbed above the mountaintop. The old man from Gloomwind Valley suddenly opened his eyes. "Fellow Daoist Peng, you've been rather slow in coming."
A voice came from due west. "Brother Dongfang, you're simply early. Can't you see that old fellow Mu hasn't even arrived yet?"
No sooner had that voice faded than another came from the northwest. "Peng Muyang, you're badmouthing me behind my back again! When will you break that damned habit?"
As they spoke, two figures drifted down onto the hillside, one after the other.
"Old Mu, you're the last to arrive every time!"
"I have farther to travel! But you, you old rascal, live so close and still arrive this late!"
"Please, both of you, stop bickering. It's getting late, and we should make our preparations!" Seeing the pair about to launch into another war of words, the old man from Gloomwind Valley hastily intervened. He knew that if they were allowed to keep arguing, even three days and nights might not produce a winner.
After listening to their exchange and recalling what Shopkeeper Gu had told him, Xu Qingtong began to guess their identities.
The old man surnamed Peng was probably Peng Muyang, the Forefather of Biluozong. The old man with the bearing of an immortal was likely Dongfang Jin, Gloomwind Valley's supreme elder. And the rugged old man who had arrived last had to be Mu Ze, the sect master of the Azure Sea Gate.
Dongfang Jin ignored Peng and Mu and headed toward the valley entrance, with the other two hurrying after him. Upon reaching it, they looked up at the moon, then peered into the entrance. Dongfang Jin said, "It's nearly time. Fellow Daoist Mu and I will join forces to break open the restriction. Fellow Daoist Peng, hurry and prepare to set up the Teleportation Array."
With that, Dongfang Jin took out an octagonal plate engraved with patterns. He tossed it to the edge of the mist, formed seals with both hands, and sent a stream of magic power into it.
The plate abruptly emitted a beam of light that shone onto the mist, making it thin somewhat. Seeing this, Dongfang Jin called to Mu Ze, "Fellow Daoist Mu, assist me!"
Mu Ze dared not delay. He quickly summoned his magic power and poured it into the plate. With his assistance, the plate blazed with light and tore open the mist, revealing a passage.
At that moment, Peng Muyang, who had been waiting nearby, swept his right hand, sending several small flags down at the passage entrance. His hands then moved ceaselessly, casting a dazzling succession of Mudras, and the flags sank into the ground.
Next, he took out a plate similar to Dongfang Jin's and placed it at the passage entrance. After another flurry of Mudras, the plate vanished from sight, leaving only a pillar of light at the entrance.
Only after Peng Muyang had finished casting did Dongfang Jin and Mu Ze breathe a sigh of relief, withdraw their magic power, and retrieve the plate.
Once everything was ready, Dongfang Jin said, "All disciples, listen closely. Come to me shortly, and each of you will receive a Jade Token containing the tasks for this Trial. This Jade Token is also essential for entering and leaving Mist Valley. Hold it and stand within the pillar of light at the valley entrance, and you will be teleported to a random location inside."
"During the Trial, you need only crush your Jade Token to be teleported back to the valley entrance at any time. The Trial lasts one month. Make certain you return within that month. Once the month has passed, you will no longer be able to return."
As soon as Dongfang Jin finished, Peng Muyang added, "Your destination inside the valley will be random. There are many demon beasts within, including third-tier demon beasts. After entering, you should find your companions as quickly as possible and travel together. Only by gathering all the medicinal herbs listed in your Jade Token will you complete the Trial's task. Remember, do not take another person's life lightly!"
Xu Qingtong keenly sensed a hidden meaning in Peng Muyang's words. They seemed to express concern for those participating in the Trial, yet one phrase carried considerable significance. He had said, "Do not take another person's life lightly," not, "Do not take another person's life." There was something to ponder there!
After speaking, Peng Muyang gestured for the Biluozong disciples to come forward and collect their Jade Tokens. One after another, they received a token, stepped into the pillar of light, and vanished before everyone's eyes.
Next, the disciples of Gloomwind Valley and the Azure Sea Gate collected their Jade Tokens and entered the pillar of light in succession. Xu Qingtong had the lowest cultivation, so only after everyone else had entered the valley did he collect his Jade Token and step into the light.
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