Jadechen Thunder-Attracting Art

"Help from a benefactor...?"

Fang Hong could not help giving Su Yao a few more looks.

Then he turned toward Fang Li beside her.

Several compass stars of different colors flashed through the Fate Mirror in succession-Prosperity God, Early Death, Void, and Robbery Fiend.

Fang Hong frowned. "Prosperity God signifies a privileged background, with no worries over food or clothing. Early Death signifies a short life. Void signifies hollow fame and profit, talent unable to flourish, and good things coming to nothing. Robbery Fiend makes one prone to becoming embroiled in struggles and schemes... Fang Li's fate bears signs of great calamity. I wonder how Fang Qing fares?"

He quietly turned the Fate Mirror toward the plump Fang Qing, only to find its interior a murky, sunken black, without any fate stars.

"...?"

He thought the Fate Mirror had malfunctioned, so he looked at Fang Mu and Xiao Ya again. This time, fate stars flashed through the mirror once more. Clearly, nothing was wrong with it.

Fang Mu's fate held the Traveling Horse and Prosperity God.

Xiao Ya's fate held the Virtue and Talent Benefactor, Day Noble, Golden Carriage, and Naked Bathing.

Their fate stars did fit their respective positions. One toiled and traveled for the lineage, but had no worries over food or clothing.

The other was gentle and obedient, born to serve a master.

"It seems there's something amiss with Fang Qing."

Fang Hong recalled Fang Qing's background. He came from a branch of the Fang lineage, was friendly and generous by nature, and possessed third-grade spiritual meridian talent. He could be considered outstanding among the Fang lineage's younger generation; otherwise, the lineage would not have chosen him for this occasion.

Perhaps sensing Fang Hong's unusual gaze, Fang Qing chuckled and struck up a conversation. "Young Master Hong, did you know that Zhu Kan, the Shangqing Sect's master, recently fought a fierce battle with Sun Yan, Taihua Gate's disciplinary elder? Sun Yan was defeated on the spot, and Zhu Kan climbed another three places on the Golden Core Rankings. He's now ranked fifth."

"Oh, really? You're well informed, cousin. Even the Fang lineage's higher-ups haven't heard about this," Fang Hong said, feigning surprise.

"If I remember correctly, Feng Shuyue of the Yin-Yang Sect is fourth on the Golden Core Rankings. I wonder whether Zhu Kan could beat her?" Fang Li could not help chiming in.

The Shangqing Sect was renowned for its twin masteries of talismans and swords. Its cornerstone Daoist art, the Shangqing Treasure Register, led straight to the Nascent Soul Realm, and its sword techniques and talisman arts wielded tremendous power, enough to look down upon cultivators of the same realm.

Sect Master Zhu Kan had attained his Golden Core a century ago. He had roamed the Donglai Sea Region of the South Sea throughout his life, always fond of seeking others out to cross swords and hone his swordsmanship. Accounts of his exploits were widely circulated, and many cultivators regarded him as a model for cultivation and the pursuit of the Dao.

Being young, they grew excited as soon as the conversation turned to rankings and such matters.

The three opened the floodgates of conversation and chatted away. Xiao Ya listened with relish beside Fang Hong, while Su Yao rested with her eyes closed.

The flying carriage swept over the sea. In less than an hour, Tianyu Island, home to the Shangqing Sect, appeared where sea met sky.

Shangqing Immortal Market was not far from Tianyu Island to begin with. Most shops in the market were run by cultivation aristocratic clans from the nearby seas, making it convenient for Shangqing Sect disciples to purchase each lineage's specialty products.

"Young Master Hong, we're nearly there."

Deacon Mu, who was driving the flying carriage, turned back with a smile.

As they drew closer, those inside the carriage looked ahead and saw an enormous island standing majestically upon the sea.

Mountains crowded the island, with nine magnificent peaks standing like giants between sea and sky.

A misty sea of clouds drifted among the mountains. Within it, grand, resplendent palaces appeared and vanished, as though bathed in immortal light.

Rainbow-like waterfalls also poured down the peaks, with immortal cranes wheeling among them-a veritable blessed land of the immortal Dao.

A little over ten li south of Tianyu Island lay another small, verdant island. It resembled a mountain half submerged in seawater, its slopes thick with ancient pines. When the sea breeze blew, waves of rustling swept through the trees.

At the island's edge was a bluestone square covering a hundred mu, where quite a few people had gathered. Along its edges stood more than a dozen flying Dharma Treasures shaped like boats, carriages, and palaces.

The Fang lineage's carriage descended from the sky and slowly landed at the edge of the square.

Not far away, two cultivators in moon-white robes patterned with gold sat behind a long table, their expressions cold and haughty. They appeared to be Shangqing Sect disciples.

Fang Hong and the others alighted from the carriage. Led by Fang Mu, they approached the table and bowed with clasped hands. Fang Mu then said, "Honored immortals, I am a cultivator of the Fang lineage on Yunchuan Island. These four are the promising young cultivators our Fang lineage has recommended this time."

"Recommended by the Fang lineage of Yunchuan? What are your names?" Their expressions shifted slightly. One raised his eyes toward the four young people and asked the routine question.

Smiling broadly, Fang Mu gestured toward Fang Hong and began introducing him. "This is our Fang lineage's..."

"Did I ask you?" The Shangqing Sect disciple cut Fang Mu off coldly. His brows creased, displeasure showing on his face as he lifted his chin toward Fang Hong and demanded of Fang Mu with a hostile look, "Can't he speak for himself?"

Fang Mu gave an awkward chuckle and hastily retreated a few steps. He handed Fang Hong a jade talisman and gave him a meaningful look, not daring another word for fear of saying the wrong thing again.

Fang Hong stepped forward and cupped his hands. "I am Fang Hong. Greetings, senior brothers."

As he spoke, he smoothly placed the jade talisman on the table.

Under cover of leafing through the register on the table, the Shangqing Sect disciple discreetly put away the jade talisman. A sweep of his divine sense through its contents immediately brought a smile to his face.

The storage jade talisman contained a full two hundred low-grade spirit stones.

The King of Hell was easy to deal with; it was the petty ghosts who were troublesome.

Although Fang Jian, the original owner's father, had bribed the Shangqing Sect's Golden Core elder in charge of this examination and obtained its questions, the disciples on duty below him knew nothing of it.

After all, the more people knew, the more easily the matter could leak out.

And whenever Shangqing Sect disciples heard that aristocratic clan scions were attending the entrance examination, they were bound to put on airs. A little obstruction and intimidation could earn them a tidy sum of spirit stones on the side.

With rogue cultivators, no amount of putting on airs was any use, because there was simply no fat to squeeze out of them.

The Shangqing Sect disciple took out a precious mirror and channeled his magical power through it to shine it over Fang Hong. Then he turned to a page in the register bearing Fang Hong's portrait and name. He picked up his brush and marked the name "Fang Hong," then pointed toward the square, his tone now mild.

"Junior Brother Fang, your identity is confirmed. Go wait over there. The entrance examination will begin shortly."

"Thank you, senior brother." In his previous life, Fang Hong had seen plenty of similar people, both at school and out in society. His heart remained entirely unruffled.

He walked aside and waited for Fang Qing, Fang Li, and Su Yao to register and have their identities verified.

Not far away, the young people attending this entrance examination had loosely separated into two groups.

One group wore luxurious clothes and gathered together, chatting and laughing freely, each displaying the ease of those accustomed to privilege.

The other group wore simple, coarse clothing and stood scattered far apart. Most stood alone in silence, showing a measure of reserve, excitement, and curiosity.

At a glance, these people clearly came from rogue cultivator backgrounds.

To enter the Shangqing Sect without a recommendation from an aristocratic clan recognized by the sect, rogue cultivators had to pass four examinations in sequence before they could reach this point today.

Each of those four trials was harder than the last. Those who ultimately reached today's final trial were all outstanding rogue cultivators, gifted in both aptitude and talent, with a seventy- to eighty-percent chance of becoming Shangqing Sect disciples.

Before long, Su Yao and the others finished registering and entered the square with Fang Hong to wait.

Fang Mu returned to the carriage with Xiao Ya.

Soon, the hour of the Snake arrived. A dazzling streak of flight light descended from the mountaintop and, in moments, stopped above the square, hovering motionlessly.

The radiance faded, revealing a handsome, distinguished young man. His gaze swept over the cultivators in the square, and the surroundings immediately fell so silent that not even a crow or sparrow could be heard.

The two Shangqing Sect disciples in charge of registration hurried to their feet and bowed respectfully to the young man. "Greetings, Senior Brother Gao."

Senior Brother Gao stood in the air with his hands behind his back and spoke gently. "There's no need for ceremony. Has everyone arrived?"

They answered, "Everyone is here."

Senior Brother Gao nodded, then turned his gaze toward the people in the square. "Fellow Daoists, I am Gao Yi, honored to serve as a true disciple of the Shangqing Sect. On Elder Qin Yiming's orders, I have come to oversee this round of the entrance examination."

As he spoke, he raised a hand and traced a line. Thunder suddenly rumbled in the sky, and several winding streaks of lightning converged, then spread apart, forming a lengthy passage of text overhead.

"This is a first-tier spell Elder Qin created on the spur of the moment, called the Jadechen Thunder-Attracting Art. If you can master it within one month and use it to open the formation restrictions outside Lingyun Pavilion on the mountaintop, you may enter our Shangqing Sect!"

Everyone hastily looked up. The words formed of lightning lingered for a mere ten breaths before dissolving into threads of electricity.

Gao Yi paid no heed to whether they had memorized it, merely smiling faintly. "I shall await you all at Lingyun Pavilion."

With that, he swept out his sleeves and shot upward in a dazzling streak of flight light. Like a rainbow spanning the sky, he reached the mountaintop and vanished in an instant.