Immortal Stele

Having obtained the Command Tally for selecting a cultivation method, the two made their way to another location.

On a spacious square, meditation cushions were set a zhang apart, stretching out in dense rows as far as the eye could see.

The cushions were arranged in concentric circles. In the clearing at their center stood a black stone several zhang tall, roughly oval in shape.

A white character meaning "immortal" was carved into the stone.

"See that Immortal Stele? When selecting a cultivation method, no cushion is better or worse than another.

"Just sit down, and the Immortal Stele will draw you in and select the most suitable cultivation method based on your individual circumstances."

Clan Leader Jiang first brought Jiang Yan to the clerk beside the clearing and presented the Command Tally for selecting a cultivation method.

Then he took out an additional sum of money for the clerk, asking him to pick a cushion in the front row.

Jiang Yan looked questioningly at the patriarch. Hadn't he said the cushions were all the same? Why do this, then?

"Hahaha, a front-row seat is just to give you an auspicious start."

A youth registering beside them watched the two, his face full of envy.

He had also come to select a cultivation method, but neither of his parents had entered the Dao, so they could offer little help.

Seeing someone handle everything for Jiang Yan, leaving him without a single worry, and even spending generously for an auspicious start-how could he not be envious?

Yet simply making it this far already put him ahead of countless ordinary disciples.

After all, not everyone was qualified to obtain a method from the Immortal Stele. That privilege belonged to the outstanding disciples of the county academy.

Those who repeatedly failed their annual examinations, or worse, could not even gain admission to the county academy, could only find cultivation methods themselves, whether through their families or elsewhere.

Such widely circulated methods naturally could not compare with those specifically selected by the Immortal Stele.

"Take your Command Tally over and sit down. There's no need to panic when things start."

Seeing that Jiang Yan had come with an elder from his family, who had also paid for an auspicious start, the clerk spoke gently and gave him a few more reminders.

"All right, thank you."

Turning around and seeing the youth beside him looking his way, Jiang Yan calmly nodded in acknowledgment.

"Yan, since you're all ready, I'll head back to the lineage first."

Selecting a cultivation method through the Immortal Stele was not something that could be finished in a moment. Half a day was quick, while three to five days was perfectly normal, so naturally he could not wait here.

"All right, Fourth Grandpa. Once I've selected a cultivation method, I'll write home to let you know."

Patting Jiang Yan on the shoulder, Jiang Huaizhi took a small bundle from his Storage Bag and handed it to him.

"Some cultivation methods may require special resources to assist your practice. If you can buy them, buy them.

"It would be best to master it before the Prefecture Examination, but don't worry if you can't. You can continue after entering the Prefecture Academy."

With so many people around, Jiang Yan did not open the bundle, but tucked it into Jinbao's mouth instead.

Then he took the new Command Tally the clerk had just given him and walked toward the cushions.

As a place for selecting cultivation methods, this square was naturally far from ordinary.

There appeared to be nothing between the cushions, but hidden intricacies lay within. Complex patterns crisscrossed the ground, interlinked in some unknown formation.

Each Command Tally corresponded to one cushion. Without the matching Command Tally, there was no hope of approaching anyone else's spot.

To prevent interference, not even the slightest sound or scent could pass through.

Walking all the way to the front row, Jiang Yan opened the restriction and sat cross-legged.

Only after watching Jiang Yan settle onto the cushion did Jiang Hanzhi turn to leave.

As leader of the Jiang Household, sparing half a day to escort Jiang Yan was already quite something. He still had matters to handle back home.

Following the clerk's instructions, Jiang Yan put two Grain-Avoidance Pills into his mouth before closing his eyes and looking inward.

The moment he focused his attention on himself, he abruptly felt a force sweep over him.

It passed over him from head to toe in a flash.

Jiang Yan felt as though every part of him had been seen through. Somewhere beyond his perception, it even seemed that something deeper within him had been examined as well.

Despite being scrutinized so thoroughly, he felt no discomfort whatsoever. Instead, he felt warm and wonderfully comfortable.

As the means by which the Immortal Dynasty's Dao Academies helped disciples choose cultivation methods, the Immortal Stele was naturally no simple thing.

It examined not only disciples' cultivation progress and innate qualities such as the strength of their muscles and bones, but also their souls, fortune, and more.

As the force swept over him, the stone book in his mind remained completely motionless.

I wonder whether the Immortal Stele can detect this book... Jiang Yan thought curiously.

Once the examination ended, another force arrived.

This force gave him a tugging sensation, drawing him along with great care.

Naturally, Jiang Yan did not resist, merely exerting himself in the direction of its pull.

Whoosh~

The world spun. He felt himself leave the cushion beneath him in an instant, his entire being arriving somewhere new.

He opened his eyes and looked around. He seemed to be amid a starry sky.

Within the darkness, countless faintly glowing Dao platforms floated silently, each with a person standing upon it.

Above the many Dao platforms flowed a river of stars, endlessly circling.

He, too, was now on a Dao platform, roughly a zhang across beneath his feet.

At its very center stood another square platform, engraved with a mark resembling a ruler.

Where is this?

The question had barely arisen in Jiang Yan's mind when information immediately flowed into it.

This was the Immortal Stele Space. Dao Academy disciples throughout the Immortal Dynasty who were selecting their first cultivation method would all be sent here.

As for the stone platform before him, its purpose was to measure candidates' aptitude and then provide suitable cultivation methods according to their differing talents.

All the Dao Academy disciples selecting cultivation methods in the Immortal Dynasty are here?

How many people would that be? Jiang Yan guessed the number must run into the hundreds of millions.

To oversee so many people without any disorder, this Immortal Stele must be a treasure itself.

Marveling inwardly for a moment, Jiang Yan turned his gaze back to the stone platform. How was he supposed to use this thing?

As he wondered, a speck of light emerged from his body and entered the stone platform on its own.

With the addition of that speck of light, the stone platform seemed to have been switched on. It trembled slightly, then emitted a golden light a zhang high.

At the same time, golden light rose from the surrounding stone platforms as well, some higher, some lower, in varying heights.

Is this a measure of my aptitude in the Flesh Realm?

Jiang Yan received another notification from the Immortal Stele in his mind.

Then specks of light emerged one after another, streaming into the square platform without pause.

His age, state of mind, background, and even his spirit beast Jinbao were each measured and turned into a speck of light that entered it.

Yet the ratios by which these were converted differed. The Immortal Stele seemed to have its own logic for making judgments.

By now, the golden light before Jiang Yan stood around ten zhang high.

For the moment, it was the second tallest in the surrounding area, while the tallest pillar of light was more than twice its height.

Ten zhang? I wonder what level that counts as, and whether it's enough for the two orthodox Daos.

The importance of cultivation methods needed no explanation. Naturally, Jiang Yan did not want to choose the other unorthodox or deviant paths.

He was not even particularly interested in the classic-reading and divination Dao. Compared with external forces, he preferred the Qi-feeding and method-practicing Dao, which relied on his own cultivation.

But seeing the pillar of light begin to lose momentum, Jiang Yan could roughly guess the outcome.

Fourth Grandpa specifically used the two unorthodox Daos as examples. He probably knew I would most likely end up in one of them.

After all, Jiang Hanzhi knew Jiang Yan's aptitude, background, and age. It was perfectly normal for him to draw a conclusion based on past cases.

Although Jiang Yan felt somewhat disappointed, his emotions did not fluctuate much.

In all fairness, the two unorthodox Daos should count as quite good. Besides, he had some fortuitous opportunities of his own, so it was not impossible for him to cultivate the Qi-feeding and method-practicing Dao in the future.

Just as he was considering which of the two unorthodox Daos to choose, another criterion appeared.

-Fortune.

As the Immortal Stele measured his fortune, a ball of light fully the size of a fist flew out of Jiang Yan's body and entered the stone platform.

Boom!

It was like cold water splashed into hot oil, erupting with tremendous force.

The instant that ball of light flew in, the golden light at the center of the Dao platform surged violently, climbing all the way to over fifty zhang!

The surrounding golden lights looked like a group of young children gathered around an adult, utterly tiny beside his.

On a Dao platform not far to Jiang Yan's left, a pair of eyes turned toward him in shock.

Lü Fang had been feeling quite pleased with his own twenty-two-zhang golden light, never expecting someone else's to be more than twice as high.

This person's potential on the immortal path is actually so great? Could he be a direct descendant of someone of immortal rank? A shame I can't make his acquaintance. I've truly missed an excellent fellow Daoist.

Those on the Dao platforms could not make out one another's faces, nor could they hear any sound. There was only a blurry silhouette, so Lü Fang could only offer a Daoist salute toward Jiang Yan in acknowledgment.

Seeing quite a few people around him taking the initiative to salute him, Jiang Yan returned their greetings with a salute all around.

But at that moment, he was also deeply surprised. Was his fortune really this substantial?

He knew his own circumstances best. Fourth Grandpa's judgment should have been correct. The only possible exception was that stone book.

This fortune must have come from it. That made sense-being able to pick up an extraordinary treasure certainly counted as remarkable fortune.

But to increase his fortune so much in one go, this stone book might be far more precious than he had imagined.

Still, Jiang Yan did not worry that he might face danger like a child carrying gold through a bustling market.

Within this Immortal Stele, every examination was handled by the Immortal Dynasty's fortune. There was simply no way anyone could uncover his information.

As thoughts continued running through Jiang Yan's mind, the golden light before him gradually settled.

After a surge, the golden light transformed into a golden chain that soared upward and plunged straight into the river of stars above.

Disregarding the reversed direction, the scene at that moment rather resembled a ship dropping anchor.

At the same time, iron chains shot skyward from the surrounding Dao platforms as well, but Jiang Yan's was especially thick, like a pillar holding up the heavens.