Black clouds rolled across the horizon, as if densely smearing ink. Thunder and lightning traveled back and forth between the lead-like clouds, like silver snakes. The silence of the frozen atmosphere, without a hint of wind, resembled a stream frozen motionless.

Several dozens of youths in clothes made out of sackcloth, walked on the cragged mountain road. They were hurrying with their heads buried, as if something dangerous lurked behind them, not even daring to turn their head once.

"Hurry up! It's nearly time!"

"There's only half an hour left."

Such voices were heard everywhere from the procession. These young children were so anxious that their faces were covered in sweat. They continuously sped up their pace, wanting to pass through the mountain road, but the road was so long

that it was like they would never stop walking,and there was no end in sight.

The mountain walls around them seemed

to reach through the clouds, except for one narrow road, which split between the walls, allowing these children to walk through. It was not long before many young girls collapsed, their body unable to endure the strain. However, an even greater number of people grit their teeth and moved forward with great efforts.

"Honglonglong-"

A bolt of lightning, thick as a water jar, struck down in front of the procession on the

mountain road, and split open a deep, huge pit in the ground. The sound of thunder rolled through the sky, growing louder and louder.

The shaking lightning struck and lit the ground, making the tall young man at the very front shudder with fear.

"I won't go! I won't go! I'll die if this lightning strikes!"

"I won't go! I won't go! I'll die if this lightning strikes!"

"I won't go either! I don't want to be an immortal, I don't want to join Tai Hua Mountain, I want to finish my trial!"

"I want to finish my trial too!"

The people who said "finish trial" were able to dodge the silver rays of light, and quickly disappeared from the mountain road.

The others advanced without delay, continuing their trials.

Tai Hua Mountain was the cultivation world's number one sect. They opened their gates every ten years, accepting any child 15 years or younger for trials. As long as they passed three trials, these ordinary children could receive the chance to enter Tai HuaMountain, and even instant success from then on, becoming the immortals that the common folk held so high in their hearts.

Of Tai Hua Mountain's three trials, the first two held no danger. However, the last one, "Leiting Road",

", had children losing their

lives every time it happened. The thunder and lightning were real thunder and lightning.

These children had ordinary bodies, and they would undoubtedly die if lightning struck them. Not only that, but there was a time limit for walking through Leiting Road. If they went over the time limit, they still wouldn't pass the trial.

There was still a quarter of an hour remaining, and there were still 31 children remaining on Leiting Road.

And they were still a great distance away from the final destination, but the thunder continued to grow even more ferocious.

Every time it struck, the heavens and earth alike trembled and shook, as if it were splitting through the mountain.

A young girl in the group said timidly, face white with fear, "Big brother Chen, can we give up? This lightning could killsomeone..."

A boy about 14 years old was walking in front of her. He heard her and turned around to face the girl.

This young man was not too handsome, but he was well worth a second look. A shrewd light flickered in his eyes, looking oddly at the little girl in front of him. Finally, he laughed. "Little sister, you're not any better than them. Relax, we can both become immortals. Take my hand and walk."

The little girl still wanted to say something, but looking at how resolved the young man was, she swallowed her words.

When they continued forward, a rumbling, thick bolt of lightning struck towards the young man at once. The girl trembled with fright, but surprisingly, she managed to summon her courage and suddenly put forward both hands to block

the young man, shouting, "Big brother Chen, be careful!"

The lightning was no more than ten meters away from the girl, but she didn’t notice. Behind her, the young man she was protecting smiled a little, showing no surprise. His eyes were filled with pride and anticipation, as if he was suppressing something restless.

However, just as the lightning was about to strike the girl, the green glint of a sword cleaved the air!

The sword’s brilliance, swift and fierce, struck the violent lightning, silver sparks surging. That glint was ice cold and ruthless as it skewered the lightning. The green sword’s tip majestically rang, and the children on the mountain road shook so hard they fell to the ground all at once, the lightning instantly fading away to nothing.

The 31 people’s eyes were wide open, staring in shock at the person who suddenly appeared in midair.

Between the almost endless, split precipice, they could only see an immortal standing straight in the middle of the countless lightning and thunder rumbles, with white clothes and wide sleeves. His eyes gazed at the paralyzed trial takers sitting on the ground with indifference.

He had phoenix eyes and long eyebrows, straight nose and thin lips, and the outer corners of his narrow eyes were slightly raised. Then a halo, black as ink, slowly spread out, making the children hold their breath, not daring to breathe. Black hair unable to act on its own, danced and swayed in the air, silver snakes of lightning and thunder behind him. This person bore the countless bolts of lightning without a care, and only looked serenely at the group of children, his eyes drooping.

This was truly a noble man who did not feel any worldly ties, the peak of elegance and tranquility!

Another bolt of lightning struck viciously. He took his sword behind him and shattered the approaching tumultuous lightning into pieces. His long silver sword danced in the air, creating a beautiful display of sparks. It gradually shrunk into a ribbon of silver light, rushing between his eyebrows with a whoosh, and left behind a silver design.

On the entire Leiting Road, not one person dared say a word.

The time limit of the trial had passed long ago, but this issue hadn’t come to anyone’s minds.

It had not been long when three white-robed cultivators hurriedly flew over. Upon seeing that person, they immediately saluted, and yelled, “Senior brother Luo!”

Luo Jianqing lightly nodded, hinting something towards the three people. Then he turned and continued to look at the children on Leiting Road, giving the crowd a glance, and quickly discovered the pair of trial takers that seemed to be brother and sister.

Upon seeing this, the cultivator next to him immediately said in a low voice, “That young man is known as Li Xiuchen, 14 years old this year, and has an ordinary constitution. That girl is named Liu Xiaoxiao, 9 years old this year, and her constitution is considered to be third degree.” His voice dropped, then continued, “Senior brother Luo, we do not know what happened today on Leiting Road that it became so serious. If you had arrived later, I’m afraid this young girl would’ve unfairly lost her life here.”

Tai Hua Mountain opened its gates once every ten years, but they didn’t always accept new disciples each time. Although a third degree foundation is not any higher than first degree or second degree, their potential to become an immortal was still considered to be higher than an ordinary person’s. Logically, they could enter Tai Hua Mountain to cultivate.

Luo Jianqing heard his words, and he lightly glanced at the pair of brother and sister. Then he turned his head and started to speak. “Fortunately, I was returning to our sect. It was simply coincidental. This matter of Leiting Road still needs your careful examination to prevent any other mishaps in the future.”

His voice was like a dreamlike sonata, like jade strings colliding, gentle and moving.

The three immediately nodded in acknowledgement.

After a moment, Luo Jianqing left on his sword. In a blink of an eye, he disappeared from Leiting Road.

Once he left, it was like the world resumed moving again, without the intimidating and oppressive atmosphere.

Liu Xiaoxiao swallowed her spit. Pulling on Li Xiuchen’s sleeve, she said very cautiously, “Big brother Chen, that big sister is really good-looking, are all immortals…are all immortals that good-looking?”

Li Xiuchen’s face was gloomy like water, and didn’t respond.

The girl didn’t notice Li Xiuchen’s strange behavior, and continued, “Is that pretty big sister from Tai Hua Mountain? Big brother Chen, we have to join Tai Hua Mountain. She saved us, so we should thank her.”

“Let’s go,” Li Xiuchen said coldly.

Liu Xiaoxiao inhaled. “

Big brother Chen , you’re grabbing me too hard, you’re hurting me.”

Li Xiuchen slowly let go of the girl’s hand, who had been pulling on him. He first turned his head to glance at the little girl beside him, then continued to walk. The girl was completely unaware of what happened, and muttered, “Big brother Chen still isn’t slowing down?” then hurriedly followed after him.

—This was wrong! Completely and utterly wrong!

The little girl never knew that her life should’ve ended there in order to block her favorite big brother Chen from that bolt of lightning.

What happened at Leiting Road was an anomaly: it had suddenly become much more dangerous, and the Li Xiuchen with ordinary constitution was nearly struck by lightning, but was saved by his dear childhood friend, his little sister Liu Xiaoxiao. Liu Xiaoxiao should’ve wilted like a flower, then Li Xiuchen would cry and lament painfully. This act would be seen by the eyes of Tai Hua Mountain’s immortals, and then they would resolve to make an exception to let this ordinary boy through their gates.

—That was exactly what happened in the plot of “Seeking Immortality”.

Three years ago, Li Xiuchen had not been called Li Xiuchen. An accident caused him to cross into “Seeking Immortality”. When he found out that he had been turned into Li Xiuchen, he was so excited that he couldn’t control himself.

Li Xiuchen! “Seeking Immortality”’s protagonist! He possessed a super golden finger rivalled by none! It was practically like he was the heavens’ favorite child!

Three years later, he earnestly led a life based upon his memories of the plot. Afterwards, he brought the little sister Liu Xiaoxiao from next door to join him in Tai Hua Mountain’s trials. He had been prepared to sacrifice this little girl to let himself inside the gates.

But now, why was everything not right? Where exactly did he go wrong?

Why did Luo Jianqing appear now!

At that very moment, that mistakenly named white-robed immortal “big sister” had already flown away from Leiting Road long ago, and stepped inside Tai Hua Mountain’s gates. Senior and junior brothers all around enthusiastically greeted him, every one of which he gently replied to. His handsome face carried a genial smile, beautiful as a woman, face like a spring blossom, brilliant and gentle.

However, after Luo Jianqing stepped inside his room, his sleeves flew as he violently slammed the door shut.

The smile on his face instantly faded without a trace. Luo Jianqing’s eyes were ice cold as he turned his head to look at the desk not far from him. He narrowed his eyes, and a heavy book instantly flew into his hands. On the cover, there were two impressive large words written with spirit—

“Seeking Immortality”.

Luo Jianqing was the chief disciple of Tai Hua Mountain’s Yu Xiao Peak, and the last disciple of the top person of the cultivation world. Because of jealousy towards his junior brother Li Xiuchen, he betrayed his school and became a monster. Many years later, a group led by Li Xiuchen sought to kill Luo Jianqing. After enduring a violent battle lasting ten days and ten nights, he died under Li Xiuchen’s sword. It could even be said that his death was justified, and died to everyone’s satisfaction!

But right now…

The corners of Luo Jianqing’s lips turned up in an easy smile, looking at the sparkling words “Seeking Immortality” with an indifferent gaze.

“I, Luo Jianqing, have returned.”

After a day, a little junior brother came running to tell Luo Jianqing that the mistake at Leiting Road was a complete accident.

As the cultivation’s world number one sect, Tai Hua Mountain accepted disciples from anywhere under the sun once every ten years. Ten years to cultivators was nothing more than one bout of seclusion. This manner of accepting disciples naturally made it impossible to have the sect elders handle it directly, so they handed all of them over to the younger generation of disciples.

Luo Jianqing was Tai Hua Mountain’s chief disciple, but was also the only disciple of Tai Hua Mountain’s seventh peak, Yu Xiao Peak. Ten years ago, he had also handled these matters at one point, but this time he was fortunate enough to be out traveling. Thus, this mission fell to Tai Hua Mountain’s third senior sister, Wei Qiongyin.

However, a mishap occurred at Leiting Road.

The disciple in charge of activating Leiting Road with spiritual stones was careless and put in medium-grade spiritual stones to serve as low-grade spiritual stones. This led to the sudden increase in danger and nearly turned it into a disaster.

Wei Qiongyin knew that she had made a mistake in her direction, and for her punishment, she had to run to Siguo Cliff to meditate for a month, and thus the matters of the all-peak examinations were given to Luo Jianqing.

Listening to Wei Qiongyin’s voice transmission (1) that had traveled across a thousand miles, Luo Jianqing didn’t know whether to cry or laugh.

“Senior brother Luo, of Tai Hua Mountain’s seven peaks, your Yu Xiao Peak is the most idle. This time was my mistake. I must be punished. According to our head martial uncle, I ask you to help me with the all-peak examinations. Many thanks. Wei Qiongyin.”

Who would tell someone “you are the most idle” and still ask for help?

It seems that Wei Qiongyin was just like the one in his past life – she still only knew how to cultivate and not how to conduct herself.

Luo Jianqing didn’t reject this matter. In fact, he had handled the all-peak examinations in his past life. He stared blankly at the child with ordinary constitution that seemed to have saint-like generosity. In just a short ten days, his strength had progressed enormously. In the end, one move had turned him into the second ranked in the all-peak examinations and directly stepped into Yu Xiao Peak, becoming Yu Xiao Peak’s second disciple.

Three days ago, Luo Jianqing had woken up in the middle of a pile of carcasses.

All over his body, his bones felt like they were going to be crushed, his head felt like it weighed a thousand jin (2), the white robe on his body was covered in mud and soaked in thick blood, and he was surrounded by hundreds of dead beasts. Luo Jianqing had thought that he was in hell, but when he found his spiritual energy starting up automatically, he was overjoyed. At the same time, he suddenly remembered where this place was—

The Wan Shou Mountains.

Many years ago, he often liked to come to the Wan Shou Mountains and kill demons, so much that he wouldn’t return for two or three years at a time.

There was no one to punish him if he killed demons at the Wan Shou Mountains. Demonic cultivators also came here to hunt and kill human cultivators, as it was an unregulated area. Also, there were often human cultivators and demonic cultivators that came here to settle grudges. Massacres occurred here, and no one was likely to show any self-restraint.

After waking up, Luo Jianqing didn’t get up right away, and sat in the middle of the pile of beast carcasses, while thinking about what happened in his past life. He already knew that he had gone back eighteen years in the past, when Li Xiuchen still hadn’t joined Tai Hua Mountain or become his junior brother yet.

And now, he was just in time for that important week when Li Xiuchen joined the sect!

After realizing this point, Luo Jianqing hastily moved to prepare his return to Tai Hua Mountain, to prevent Li Xiuchen from joining his sect. Who would’ve guessed that one step after he got up, not having gotten on his sword yet, that he suddenly felt like something was falling from the sky, which smashed directly into his body.

Luo Jianqing raised his hands and grabbed what he thought was some kind of secret weapon. He glanced downwards. “Seeking Immortality?”

After opening up the book, Luo Jianqing’s entire life was completely turned upside down.

His world was a book! And it was a stallion novel devoid of the rules, logic, or any of the three views (3)!

When Li Xiuchen raised his head, he received a blessing. When he lowered his head, there was a spiritual beast. Ever since he first stepped into Tai Hua Mountain, he was like a fish back in water. He had practically snatched all the luck under the heavens. In this book, when every young lady met him, they treated him unfavorably. But there was always an opportunity for Li Xiuchen to heroically save the beauty, making their opinions change so drastically that they pledged their hearts to him.

After finishing the book, Luo Jianqing did not feel well. His beautiful elegant face was filled with rage, and his phoenix eyes were squeezed tight. Then he took his sword and killed a demonic cultivator who had been secretly preparing to attack him. Afterwards he hurried to fly back to his sect on his sword.

However, “Seeking Immortality” didn’t seem to be very complete, and only told the story of Li Xiuchen replacing Luo Jianqing and turning into Tai Hua Mountain’s beloved little junior brother. Luo Jianqing knew that after that, he would be framed by Li Xiuchen time and time again. Then he lost his temper and impulsively hacked Li Xiuchen’s only spiritual beast to death, and also caused Li Xiuchen to be injured critically in the Hidden Realm, and so he was driven out from Tai Hua Mountain.

—Obviously there was a guarded treasure in the Hidden Realm, because this matter had come up during his huge fight with Li Xiuchen. In the end, he had unexpectedly turned it into a sneak attack against Li Xiuchen!

The entire time he was traveling from Wan Shou Mountains back to Tai Hua Mountain, Luo Jianqing had read “Seeking Immortality” front to back twelve times.

The feeling of being stabbed through the heart in his past life still remained in his memory, but this time he refused to let something like that happen again.

Before he arrived at Leiting Road, Luo Jianqing recalled Li Xiuchen very quickly, who had killed him with his sword. But this was merely a thought, and there were many junior brothers and sisters at that moment watching him at Leiting Road, so he couldn’t slip and behave strangely in that manner. Thus Luo Jianqing changed the course of the story so that guileless little girl who would’ve been struck by lightning, wouldn’t die a tragic death.

Although…

“Senior brother Luo, this is the roster of this year’s new disciples. Please look it over.”

Luo Jianqing looked down at the dozens of names, and upon seeing the words “Li Xiuchen” his lips twitched slightly. Smiling as he raised his eyes to meet the little junior brother, he said genially, “I remember that this Li Xiuchen’s constitution is quite ordinary, yet he entered this sect?”

Looking at his fair and elegant face and that smile that was cold as wind, the little junior brother couldn’t help but swallow. His voice quivered as he said, “Although Li Xiuchen’s constitution is not good, he passed Leiting Road. Senior brother Luo, after you took it upon yourself to stop the lightning, Leiting Road was quick to close itself. Therefore you have received 14 junior brothers and sisters altogether.” He had received nearly all the last ones who took the trial.

Luo Jianqing raised his eyebrows, not saying anything else. The little junior brother watched him with a reverent and admiring gaze. By the time he had left Luo Jianqing’s room, he had turned his head six times. What he said was: Three days after the all-peak examinations, he would come ask Luo Jianqing to take charge of them.

Luo Jianqing agreed to his requests one after another. When his junior brother left, the smile on his lips swiftly vanished.

He sighed heavily and got up to leave Yu Xiao Peak. It had only been half a day since he came back, and already he had more business to settle.

After three days, the examinations started on schedule.

24 newcomers stood in the arena below, sizing up their peers around them with curious eyes. Out of these 24 newcomers, there were no more than eight girls, including the most lovable one, Liu Xiaoxiao, who was also very eye-catching. Next to her, a boy who had been dragged to her side the entire time, was talking and not really paying attention to the people next to him.

Even if this boy may be outstanding, Li Xiuchen actually had an ordinary constitution, which was reflected in his looks.

This made many people pay attention to his arrival, wanting to see how this guy had such good luck with women, what made this new female disciple with a third degree constitution like him so much.

“Big brother Chen, did you practice your techniques well enough? I feel like you don’t know them very well. Don’t you think something might go wrong today?”

Li Xiuchen carelessly nodded. “Mn.”

Seeing how the other person didn’t seem to care, Liu Xiaoxiao’s little face frowned sadly. “Big brother Chen, didn’t you say that if we joined Tai Hua Mountain, we could become immortals, and then my parents could live happily? But yesterday that senior brother said we couldn’t go home whenever we wanted to.”

Li Xiuchen said unhappily, “You’ll be able to go home sooner or later.”

When Li Xiuchen spoke those words, he didn’t spare any glance for Liu Xiaoxiao, making this little girl, who wasn’t even 10 years old yet, feel very hurt.

Liu Xiaoxiao didn’t know what was going on with her Chen-gege. Before Leiting Road, Chen-gege had always treated her with special care. In the past three years, he would always care about and cherish her. But nowadays, Li Xiuchen seemed like he never wanted to pay attention to her. She followed Li Xiuchen so she could let her parents live out their days comfortably, but she didn’t recognize this person at all.

In a moment, every kind of bitter emotion sprang up from her heart. After all, she was only an eight or nine year old little girl. Liu Xiaoxiao blinked, and tears fell from her eyes. But once she opened her eyes, she saw that lively white-clothed beautiful person, and widened her eyes in surprise. She shouted loudly, “Big sister! Big brother Chen, come look! It’s the big sister who saved us!”

Though Liu Xiaoxiao’s voice wasn’t quiet at all, most of the disciples there had refining levels higher than hers, so their hearing was excellent, hearing her words very clearly.

“Big… big sister? This little girl called senior brother Luo a big sister?”

“Hahahaha, really, our senior brother Luo is that charming and carefree. Indeed he is the man of countless women’s dreams, in all thirty six prefectures.”

“The first day I entered Tai Hua Mountain I thought senior brother Luo was some senior sister who liked to wear men’s clothes, he is truly very good-looking…”

Upon hearing these words, Luo Jianqing immediately looked distracted. Astonished, he lowered his head to look at the young girl in the arena, only seeing the latter tightly hugging her Chen-gege’s arm, happily waving her arm continuously.

He was thin and a meter taller than her, yet this little girl who was like a small bean sprout, called him a big sister?!

A young man in black clothes chuckled, and moved close to Luo Jianqing to say in his ear, “Senior brother, this little girl has an excellent way of looking at things.”

Luo Jianqing glanced at him while his head was down. The black-clothed young man immediately spread his hands innocently, not saying another word. Luo Jianqing returned to calmly sweeping his eyes over the arena, and his junior brothers and sisters who had been whispering quietly quickly shut up as well.

However, there were still people who were secretly sending voice transmissions, conversing in stealth. Luo Jianqing could guess what they were saying even with his eyes closed. His lips turned up in a small smile, and walked up to the middle of the tall platform, accepting a white crystal into his upturned palm.

Beneath the glorious and brilliant sunlight, the tall, handsome young man wearing a silver-lined white chang pao surveyed his junior brothers and sisters with a mild gaze. His extremely fair face seemed as carefree as a bird, so beautiful that people couldn’t take their eyes off him. In reality, his powerful and dominating aura made people think twice about their actions, having no choice but to gaze at him with reverence.

Luo Jianqing lightly waved the white crystal in his hand, saying, “The six peaks of Tai Hua Mountain accepting disciples in the all-peak examinations is a major event during this important time. Therefore, you must avoid any secret underhanded behavior by all means. If this voice transmission stone lights up, don’t blame my ruthlessness when I put you under my sword. I’ll send you to see your gentlest senior sister Wei.”

The crowd of disciples shut up immediately. “…”

On the Siguo Cliff far away, Wei Qiongyin was silent as she was helplessly being ridiculed. “…”

The black-clothed young man next to him said, “Hehe, senior brother, you really abuse your position. We can’t even send voice transmissions? And our gentlest senior sister Wei? If senior sister Wei was so gentle, then no man under the heavens would be more infatuated than me.”

Luo Jianqing turned his head to look at his own junior brother, and said seriously, “Fourth junior brother, I could pass on what you just said to third junior sister.”

Xie Zizhuo’s face flooded with fright. “Senior brother Luo you’re a bully!!!”

Luo Jianqing smiled wordlessly.

This was just a brief interlude, as after a short period of time, the all-peak examinations officially began after Luo Jianqing’s announcement.

24 new disciples drew lots to fight on-stage one after another, as previously, to demonstrate their progress in cultivation over the past ten days to the senior brothers and sisters of the six peaks. The winner could continue in the next competition, and if they were talented enough, they could even be taken in by an elder as their last disciple.

The disciples that were accepted must not have any cultivation base, even if they were a young master or young lady of a large family. At most, they were allowed to learn self-defense techniques, but weren’t allowed to have even a bit of spiritual power. Thus, the all-peak examination this time was to see every disciple’s strength and their effort during the ten days, which was unusually fair.

Anyway, these disciples didn’t have any cultivation base, so fights like these weren’t anything interesting.

Most of the female disciples secretly looked at the platform towards the eminent white-clothed senior brother. Luo Jianqing was completely calm, playing with the sound transmission stone in his hands. His lips carried a smile, and his expression serene, as he looked at what was happening on the arena.

After a long time, it was finally time for the boy with ordinary constitution, the unexpectedly fortunate Li Xiuchen, to come up to the platform. Luo Jianqing’s hands suddenly came to a halt, which Xie Zizhuo keenly noticed. He turned to look at Li Xiuchen, and said with a low smile, “It seems that senior brother is very interested in that boy with the worst constitution out of everyone here.”

Luo Jianqing raised an eyebrow. “Do you think he can win?”

Xie Zizhuo laughed out loud. “If he won, I would practice seclusion for a year!”

Luo Jianqing waved a hand. “You don’t have to be so dramatic. Accompanying your senior sister Wei at Siguo Cliff is good enough.”

Xie Zizhuo’s eyes were wide open. “Senior brother Luo, you’re a bully!!!”

Luo Jianqing’s lips raised in a soft smile, seeming to be completely relaxed. However, even Xie Zizhuo didn’t know that Luo Jianqing’s gaze had always been fixed on Li Xiuchen. Watching this mediocre, ordinary boy walk up to the arena with a gloomy face, Li Xiuchen stared at the opponent across from him with a complicated look.

Luo Jianqing’s smile slowly dwindled, a dark glint flashing through his clear and limpid eyes.

“…You don’t have anything of that kind, Li Xiuchen. What will you do now?”

The next day, the 24 newcomers competed one after another on the arena, and every single one did not have any foundation for spiritual power. This sort of competition was very dull, and the great majority of official disciples were bored stiff watching. In fact, by the time it was Li Xiuchen’s turn, many people didn’t even look at him.

There was only Luo Jianqing, whose gaze had been concentrated on this ordinary-looking young man this entire time.

Throughout the entirety of his past life, Luo Jianqing never understood how a young man with such a mediocre constitution could oppress the stars in the all-peak examinations with average strength, or how he received second place. Even though none of the other disciples had any spiritual power, there were many new disciples among them that had come from clans who studied martial arts techniques since childhood, and their strength far exceeded that of an ordinary person’s.

However, Luo Jianqing was actually the only one who had achieved Qi Condensation level in ten days!

Among the 36 provinces, the human cultivators were divided into nine levels: namely, Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Out-of-Body, Body Fusion, Calamity Passage(1), Mahayana, and Immortal Ascension. Every level had their own sub-levels: namely the initial stage, the middle stage, and the last stage, except the Qi Condensation period was divided into nine phases, from Qi Condensation Phase One to Phase Nine.

In his past life, there were 23 disciples altogether (apart from the deceased Liu Xiaoxiao), and surprisingly only the worst one, Li Xiuchen, had reached Qi Condensation! And not only was Li Xiuchen born in poverty, but there wasn’t any good environment for children in his family to cultivate. Just like a fantasy story.

Nowadays, after reading “Seeking Immortality”, Luo Jianqing finally understood why.

How could’ve he said that? It was simply because Li Xiuchen was a child of the heavens!

See a magic potion when he raises his head, meet a spiritual beast when he lowers it — this was the truth when it came to him.

Li Xiuchen and the rest of the new disciples were temporarily assigned as outer disciples of Tai Hua Mountain to cultivate for ten days. This is what “Seeking Immortality” said: Due to his dear childhood friend’s tragic death, Li Xiuchen was determined to become strong, working hard to cultivate every day. However, his innate skill was actually very low, and there was a huge difference between him cultivating for eight days and someone else cultivating for one day. Therefore, the night before the all-peak examinations started, he went to the back of the mountain to entertain himself, and then… he stepped on a medicine pill!

The Spirit-Melting Pill.

This was considered to be the most common medicine pill, and what Li Xiuchen also didn’t know was that some medicine master had accidentally left it behind, which was how he found it.

The Spirit-Melting Pill was a very average, level one medicine pill. If 10,000 of these were put in front of Luo Jianqing he wouldn’t give them a second glance. But he was no match for the glittering MC halo! This Spirit-Melting Pill wasn’t too bad; actually, it was a heaven-rank Spirit-Melting Pill! After Li Xiuchen took it, his meridians were cleansed and became stronger overnight, and officially stepped into the first level of cultivation!

When he got to this point in the book, Luo Jianqing was speechless.

A heaven-rank Spirit-Melting Pill, huh!

On the entire Tai Hua Mountain, the Qing Lan Peak Lord, the honorable Yu Qingzi was able to refine medicine. But how could a great master who could refine a heaven-rank Spirit-Melting Pill, possibly refine a level one Spirit-Melting Pill? Not only that, but did that old woman have nothing to do than look for outer disciples strolling around at the back of the mountain, and casually drop a heaven-rank medicine pill on the way?

Where is the logic?! Where is the reasoning?! This made no sense at all!

Therefore, three days ago, Luo Jianqing left Yu Xiao Peak without a word, and headed to the back of the mountain to gather items.

Someone, not just Li Xiuchen, would’ve stepped on that heaven-rank medicine pill at some point, but Luo Jianqing had practically overturned the entire mountain to look for it. Finally after an entire night, he found the gold, glittering medicine pill. This pill was truly extraordinary as it said, the will of the heavens was so slanted that you couldn’t see its face!

After using his spiritual sense to examine it, he put the heaven-rank Spirit-Melting Pill inside his storage ring. Luo Jianqing’s thin lips curved up slightly, blossoming into a tranquil and easy smile. His umber-black eyebrows lightly smoothed out, his phoenix eyes curving so they resembled crescent moons. Seeing this, the hearts of many female disciples toppled one after another. However, Luo Jianqing’s gaze had been fixed on what was happening on the arena, not even the slightest bit distracted.

And so he said, you don’t have the Spirit-Melting Pill, so how will you defeat your opponent as an ordinary person?

Luo Jianqing’s jade-like slender fingers gently rapped against the black iron table. His eyes slightly narrowed, and his smiling expression was profound.

In the arena, Li Xiuchen was gloomy, his entire heart restless. He nearly wanted to go back and read “Seeking Immortality” again.

“Seeking Immortality” was a very well-known stallion novel with a super golden finger. In his past life Li Xiuchen read it no less than ten times. He went over the details in his mind over and over, but nothing particular came up. He clearly remembered that on the ninth day, he had walked around the back of Tai Hua Mountain, then stepped on the heaven-rank Spirit-Melting Pill and raised his cultivation in one go. But yesterday, he spent the entire night walking around the back of Tai Hua Mountain where the outer disciples were. Don’t even mention a heaven-rank medicine pill, he didn’t even see a single spiritual root!

Can you really say he isn’t depressed? Can you really say he isn’t sullen?

Without the heaven-rank Spirit-Melting Pill, how could he win against these disciples who were raised in clans?

His constitution was nothing special at all!

“Tenth match of the Tai Hua Mountain new disciple all-peak examinations. Xu Hua from Changzhou, fourth-degree constitution: Li Xiuchen from Yuzhou, no constitution.”

After the voice fell, the senior brothers who were judging them retreated a step back to give the newcomers some space. Seeing the sturdy built Xu Hua across from him, Li Xiuchen’s face twitched: He didn’t have a single thick arm! How is he going to fight him? He was no better than a punching bag!

On the high platform, two people were watching this massive gap in strength. Xie Zizhuo chuckled, completely covered in black, and moved close to mutter quietly in Luo Jianqing’s ear, “Senior brother, didn’t I say this earlier? How could you say he might have a chance to win? That Xu Hua’s constitution is fourth-degree, and his cultivation is already a level higher, but Li Xiuchen doesn’t have any constitution at all, and he is short and small. If he wins, wouldn’t the heavens be too biased?”

Luo Jianqing turned his head to look at Xie Zizhuo, his fair and elegant eyes softly curving into a smile. He looked at his sloppy-looking junior brother with a smile that wasn’t quite right. “Are you so sure that he’ll lose?”

Xie Zizhuo said like it was obvious, “Of course. If he does win, tomorrow I’ll go to Siguo Cliff and accompany senior sister Wei!”

Luo Jianqing feigned surprise, raising his eyebrows. “You’re going to take that large a gamble?”

Xie Zizhuo said mysteriously, “Yes, I will. Anyway, senior brother Luo, if you end up being wrong… I want the jade ox comb you use everyday.”

The corners of Luo Jianqing’s lips pulled into a smile. “…”

Xie Zizhuo saw his senior brother’s “don’t be such a pervert” expression. He immediately waved his hand and made himself clear. “It’s not what I want, it’s what little junior sister wants. Senior brother, did you know that little junior sister has been in love with you since she was young? Otherwise she would never refine. I don’t want this to happen ever, so you can argue with her, but her ultimate wish is to use your jade ox comb.”

“… Why would little junior sister possibly want my jade ox comb?”

Xie Zizhuo’s eyes widened, and said in disbelief, “Why wouldn’t she? If Yu Xiao Peak wasn’t so strict, our little junior sister would never go up. Do you believe me when I say that she would even climb up in the middle of the night to peep you!”

Luo Jianqing, “…”

Xie Zizhuo’s words were still coming like an unending torrent. He was obviously talking about how his own little junior sister was so wretched and perverted, but he didn’t have a single bit of disdain in his words. Instead, it was more accurate to say he sighed with pride. “Little junior sister is so willful. If I was even half as bold as her, I would’ve visited Cang Shuang Peak everyday.”

Hearing his words made Luo Jianqing smile wordlessly, but in his heart, a bitter moodiness started to stir.

He had been very close with his little junior sister since they were young. Before she became of marriageable age, she declared that she wouldn’t ever marry. But his little junior sister was married to Li Xiuchen until the end, becoming his wife with her hair tied and all(2). He never expected that from his proud and stubborn little junior sister, and her husband still took nine more wives after that. Luo Jianqing heard his little junior sister was very generous in taking care of Li Xiuchen along with other sisters, but he couldn’t imagine anything like that.

Under that blue sky and scorching sun, Li Xiuchen held a heaven-rank medicine pill in his hand as he said to him with arrogance, “Luo Jianqing, though you are Qing Lan Peak’s inheriting great disciple, these medicine pills you have been enjoying throughout your life are now with me. Don’t feel any regret.” He was that kind of person. Those red clothes were as bright as fire. Was it possible that he actually enjoyed being superior to Li Xiuchen until the very end?

—Because he was a hero that saved beauties! Because the poison of desire ran through his body!

How were the heavens ever unfair? The heavens were only fair towards Li Xiuchen!

His elegant, pale face was slowly covered in a layer of grief, only to fade away in an instant. Luo Jianqing watched Li Xiuchen with a complex expression. Not knowing why, he said without thinking, “Fine, if he loses, I’ll give you my jade ox comb.”

Xie Zizhuo had been earnestly trying to persuade him, and from time to time he would pull Wei Qiongyin in, saying things like, “Accompanying senior sister Wei is such a scary thought. Senior brother Luo, it’s lucky that you won’t lose anything by giving me your jade ox comb.” Hearing Luo Jianqing suddenly agree made him elated beyond belief, and looked towards the arena with excitement.

But in the next second—

The tall and strong Xu Hua suddenly covered his stomach. “Ah… it hurts! Judges… senior brothers, please give me a moment!”

Judges, “…”

Li Xiuchen, “…”

Xie Zizhuo was stunned. “…”

Luo Jianqing was completely silent. “…”

Even though he had guessed before that the heavens were biased all the way to the other end of China, he didn’t think they would be this biased!

Li Xiuchen’s first match ended as the other person’s stomach hurt too much, winning without a fight!

Li Xiuchen’s second match ended just as the other person made a move and suddenly sprained his waist, winning without a fight!

Li Xiuchen’s third match was against Liu Xiaoxiao. Just as Liu Xiaoxiao extended her hand to strike Li Xiuchen’s arm, he howled in pain, scaring Liu Xiaoxiao into pulling back her hand and asking timidly, “Big brother Chen, are you okay?” After that, Li Xiuchen moved to subdue her.

Everyone watching was completely silent. “…”

Luo Jianqing sighed. “…”

Xie Zizhuo was inconsolable and indignant. “This isn’t fair! This is just luck! Everything’s only been luck!”

Luo Jianqing gently shook his head and laughed, “Junior brother, as we immortals say, luck is always power.”

Xie Zizhuo watched the arena, fuming with anger. He said furiously, “There’s only three people left. The other two are both children of the eighth largest aristocratic family. I don’t believe it. One has a first-degree constitution, and the other has a second-degree constitution. How could they be worse than a terrible little boy with no constitution?”

Li Xiuchen’s fourth opponent happened to be excused, naturally winning without a fight.

Xie Zizhuo was silent as tears streamed down his cheeks. “…”

Below, the entire arena was filled with muttering, and many people were pointing at Li Xiuchen. The little girl Liu Xiaoxiao hadn’t stopped rubbing her aching stomach, and wasn’t sitting so close to her big brother Chen anymore. Li Xiuchen’s palm had ruthlessly struck her body. Although she was young and only knew how to depend on her familiar big brother Chen , she wasn’t stupid.

That palm of Li Xiuchen really didn’t hurt that much, but she was very upset, her small pretty face completely broken-hearted.

What happened wasn’t anything different from his past life. Li Xiuchen got second place yet again in the all-peak examinations, bound to become an inner disciple. After that, Li Xiuchen beamed with happiness, and muttered proudly, “So this is the protagonist halo, huh? This is really cool! Hehehehe.”

Luo Jianqing was watching Li Xiuchen’s immensely proud face with complex feelings in his heart. After watching him for a long time, he slowly started to smile. He raised his head, looking towards the clear blue sky, as if he could see things from the ancient past in the dark blue sky. His delicate, beautiful face held only a gentle smile.

He came in second place again this time, but already, there were some things that were different.

In his past life, after Li Xiuchen got second place, the disciples on the stage below all exclaimed in admiration. A new junior brother without any constitution was shining on the arena above, becoming the only disciple to achieve Qi Condensation. This encouraging event made people cannot help but admire him. And many people also knew that this junior brother had just lost his childhood friend, so they were sympathetic towards him.

But now?

“This guy is really lucky, huh?”

“Yeah, that guy is pretty vicious. He just struck down that little girl he knew in the arena.”

“He’ll become an inner disciple with second place, but I don’t know if he’ll be so lucky in the future.”

Luo Jianqing took in these mutterings without a word, a small smile on his face. Xie Zizhuo stood at his side, so depressed that he had been paralyzed above his chair. He said, dispirited, “The heavens aren’t fair, the heavens really are too unfair. This kind of luck is something that I, Xie Zizhuo, has never heard of! The heavens aren’t fair!”

Luo Jianqing laughed once, and said tranquilly, “Junior brother, the heavens have never been fair.”

Originally, Xie Zizhuo only spoke without thinking, and didn’t expect to receive an answer from Luo Jianqing. He raised his head to look at his senior brother, and saw a despondent look on his face for just an instant. Then Luo Jianqing smiled bitterly, saying, “If the heavens are not fair, then make them fair. Junior brother, our cultivation is due to ourselves, not the will of the heavens. Do you understand what I just said?”

Xie Zizhuo was startled for a moment, then respectfully nodded, without any trace of his carelessness from before. “Yes.”

The all-peak examinations had ended.

The best six of the examinations all became inner disciples, the rest having become outer disciples. And the top three could pick wherever they wanted to go, going from first to third in order. The first place winner came from a powerful family, with a first-degree constitution, and immediately chose the peak of Tai Hua Mountain’s sect leader, Cang Shuang Peak. The inheriting disciple from Cang Shuang Peak came and took him away.

Next was Li Xiuchen.

Luo Jianqing stood on the center of the high platform, his handsome face calm and collected as he said neutrally, “In the past ten days, there should’ve been an inner disciple that told you the main circumstances of our Tai Hua Mountain. Since you have come in second place in the all-peak examinations, we will let you choose from Tai Hua Mountain’s six peaks. Which one do you wish to go to?”

Unlike the first place disciple, no one said a word after Luo Jianqing’s voice fell.

All of the senior brothers and sisters of the six peaks that came to receive the new disciples were all mute, staring oddly at Li Xiuchen, who was on the stage. They didn’t really like this weak junior brother, and no one wanted to personally help him get stronger. Could they take this boy by the neck and make him go back? Would his luck be as good as today’s in the future?

This situation was entirely different from the one in his past life. At that time, everyone was clamoring for Li Xiuchen, but now no one was showing any interest. Luo Jianqing’s expression didn’t change as he watched Li Xiuchen, showing neither sorrow nor joy. Like a god in the frosty skies, his imposing manner and neutral expression were oppressing.

However, exactly the same as his past life, Li Xiuchen humbly cupped his hands in greeting, saying seriously, “Senior brother, I heard that Tai Hua Mountain has seven peaks altogether. Why do you say I’m allowed to pick one out of the six peaks?”

Once his words fell to the ground, everyone was in an uproar.

For a while now, Luo Jianqing had felt ice-cold and cutting in his heart, but he said with a tender smile, “The Yu Xiao Peak where I reside does not accept disciples. I am the only one, so go ahead and choose from the other six peaks.”

After hearing these words, pleasant surprise flashed through Li Xiuchen’s eyes. Feigning indifference, he continued, “Senior brother, I would like to enter Yu Xiao Peak. Sir Xuan Lingzi is rivaled by none, challenging demonic cultivators with his own strength, a model for us cultivators. I will not hide from you, senior brother, that I greatly admire him. In fact, I came to Tai Hua Mountain just to study under Sir Xuan Lingzi. Even if I became an odd-jobs disciple, I would be most willing.”

When this happened in his past lifetime, Luo Jianqing was so angry that the spiritual energy in his body rebelled, a flick of his sleeve nearly sending the boy falling to his death.

His accomplishments since birth had been excellent, he had extraordinary patience, but his only weakness was that person. Li Xiuchen had hit his sore spot just right, and he couldn’t help but grow furious. He injured Li Xiuchen, then that person, who had never left the gates before, suddenly left Yu Xiao Peak to go back and personally treat Li Xiuchen. Then he told him in a neutral voice, “Jianqing, from now on, he will be your junior brother.”

In his past life, he was framed countless times by Li Xiuchen. though there was only one thing that Li Xiuchen said that was right.

—He hated Li Xiuchen. He hated that Li Xiuchen had become that person’s disciple, sharing that position reserved only for him.

The past floated like clouds in front of his eyes and passed in a flash. Luo Jianqing lowered his head to look at Li Xiuchen. He saw that the latter was looking at him with slight fear, but his eyes also had a trace of expectation, like he was waiting for something. Yet this time, Luo Jianqing merely sighed heavily. Under his sleeves, his fingernails tightly clenched his palm. He said with a gentle smile, “Yu Xiao Peak has never accepted any disciples. Junior brother, pick another one.”

Li Xiuchen was instantly stupefied.

This entire time, he had been waiting for Luo Jianqing to attack, and then Xuan Lingzi would come to help resolve the dispute with Luo Jianqing, while simultaneously bringing him into Yu Xiao Peak. How did Luo Jianqing never raise a hand against him all this time? Perhaps he had passed into this book, and that’s why he changed so radically?

After waiting for a moment, Li Xiuchen’s expression indecisive the entire time, he slowly ran out of words to say.

He didn’t speak. Luo Jianqing said nothing as well and patiently waited. To his side, however, Xie Zizhuo was impatient. “Stop being so indecisive and pick somewhere to go already. That young lady who got third place, I can see that your constitution’s pretty good. Do you want to go with my senior brother to Hao Ming Peak? Our Hao Ming Peak has the most beautiful scenery in Tai Hua Mountain, and fits a cute young lady like you the best…”

The other five disciples who had been waiting the entire time already picked their own school to go to. Li Xiuchen was still standing at the same place he was before, unmoving. When Liu Xiaoxiao was taken by the Qing Lan Peak person, she hesitated for a moment, then said to Li Xiuchen, “Chen-gege, Qing Lan Peak is really good. Do you want to come with me to Qing Lan Peak?”

Li Xiuchen answered her in a resolute tone, “I want to study under Sir Xuan Lingzi.”

Luo Jianqing heard what he said. The smile on his lips deepened, and he didn’t reply.

Finally, the other 23 disciples had all picked out the peaks they wanted to go to, leaving only Li Xiuchen who was slow with his decision. He raised his head to look at Luo Jianqing, who lowered his head to look at him. Of the two, one stood in a high position, wearing a white robe, natural and graceful, so handsome it appeared he held the radiance of the whole world; one stood in a low position, wearing clothes made of sackcloth, looked completely ordinary, and his eyes were filled with a shrewd look.

After a while, Luo Jianqing said gently, “Junior brother, you should go to Hao Ming Peak. Their techniques suit you better.”

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