Chapter 5: The Transformation of Divine Light

Li Murán opened the door and saw a thin young man, who was holding a basket in his hand

Several disciples who were consecrated with intermediate-level talismans were divided and taken away by several Daoist priests in the first round. The remaining disciples had similar qualifications. When these Daoist priests selected disciples, apart from considering their specialties, they primarily assessed whether they found them pleasing to the eye.

It is imperative to clarify this matter. Even if the signal is faint, one must discern whether it is a flicker of flame or a droplet of water; whether it is a sapling or a glimmer of gold. At the very least, one must understand the attributes of the five elements in order to cultivate the corresponding techniques of the five elements.

"Brother Zhao, you didn't go out for dinner tonight, did you? I prepared some for you, just heated it up. You should eat it while it's hot," the young man said, handing the basket in his hand to Li Muran.

Upon waking from a deep slumber, all was silent, and the sky had darkened. A faint moonlight poured into the room through the window, resembling mercury spilled on the ground

The other several Daoists also nodded repeatedly, clearly sharing the same thoughts as the old Daoist of Chixia.

After the conclusion of the consecration ceremony, the process of selecting disciples and accepting the formal apprenticeship by the various Daoist priests begins. This process makes the disciples particularly anxious, as they hope to be chosen by those few masters who are well-regarded and have good temperaments. However, unfortunately, this matter is solely at the discretion of the Daoist priests, and the disciples can only passively accept the outcome.

The disciples, wholeheartedly devoted to the path, earnestly request all the senior uncles and aunts for another opportunity. The other few disciples, unwilling to leave the sect and lacking a master, immediately stepped forward to kneel in a group.

"Brother Zhao, it is I," replied a youthful voice

Mu Li also smiled and said with a sense of relief, "Brother Zhao is truly broad-minded to think this way; I, as a junior, have been overly concerned! It is getting late, so after Brother Zhao and the others have had their meal, please rest early. I take my leave!"

Last night, Master Cangxia Daoist filled the ancestral talisman with vital energy using the vitality talisman, and today the consecration ceremony continues.

However, last night he clearly observed that his ancestral spiritual light shone like the stars and the moon in the sky, radiating boundless brilliance. How could it be that just a few hours later, it appeared so lifeless and dull?

Inside the stone chamber, Li Muran sat cross-legged, with both palms resting flat on his knees, his eyes slightly closed, shoulders slightly hunched, chin slightly retracted, and his nose directed towards his heart.

Is it truly as Master Mo said, that I am merely forcing the opening of my spiritual eye, with extremely poor aptitude?

What is this divine light phenomenon? It has never been seen in the classics! Li Muran was both astonished and delighted, repeatedly observing the divine light, becoming engrossed in it, completely forgetting the hunger in his stomach.

"Shouldn't the senior brothers take in a few more disciples?" said Daoist Cangxia in a loud voice, "These disciples also possess some potential; with proper cultivation, they might very well succeed!"

For instance, when using a low-level fire attribute talisman for enlightenment, upon success, one can observe a flicker of fire within the ancestral aperture, typically appearing as a small flame or a fire point the size of a bean. If a mid-level fire attribute talisman is used, the divine light of the ancestral aperture will be stronger and more pronounced, usually manifesting as a ball of flame, which may reach a size of about an inch. As for using a high-level fire attribute talisman, it is said that the divine light of the ancestral aperture takes on the form of a fire spirit, not only appearing as a larger flame but also capable of transforming into various shapes, such as a firebird or a fire python, which is exceedingly marvelous

The disciples were gradually selected by various masters to become their apprentices and participated in the apprenticeship ceremony, which continued until the afternoon. In the end, only a little over ten disciples remained unselected.

I fear there will be none left in the future!" Li Muran chuckled bitterly, patting his belly: "It doesn't matter, after a few more hours, it will be dawn. Just eat a bit more in the morning.

As he witnessed his fellow brothers being chosen one after another, Li Muran, who had been overlooked, couldn't help but feel a sense of anxiety

Li Muran took the basket, feeling a sense of gratitude in his heart: "Thank you, Junior Brother Mu!"

Thank you! Li Muran cupped his hands and watched Mu Li leave

Li Muran exclaimed in shock to himself that after he woke up and resumed his meditation, he found that the divine light in the ancestral aperture was once again just a faint wisp, almost imperceptible

Li Muran could not help but feel a sense of worry again. The initiation is the first step in cultivation and is also a crucial one; it serves as the foundation of cultivation. Whether this foundation is solid directly determines whether the future path will be smooth and how far one can go

Mo Yunzi added: "Since these more than ten disciples have no sect affiliation, they may leave our sect from this day forth and seek better opportunities elsewhere"

So many rays of light! Li Muran was overjoyed: "They twinkle like countless stars in the sky! Ah, and there is a beam of light, round and bright, resembling a full moon!"

What is going on? After several attempts, I can only see a faint glimmer of light, and I cannot make out what it is at all

On the morning of the second day, Li Muran, who was closing his eyes in contemplation, suddenly changed his expression dramatically

Who is it?" Li Muran put away his sightseeing demeanor and stood up

Li Muran opened his eyes, still somewhat unable to believe: "This isn't some kind of illusion, is it?"

For a period of time, Li Muran seemed to be surrounded by brilliant stars, with the celestial bodies and bright moon hanging nearby, within reach; the radiant light of the stars and moon almost illuminated the entire world

This is the posture of "sightseeing," a common method for the cultivators of the Harmonious - Diagram - Book to experience the divine light of the ancestral aperture

The consecration on this day proceeded very smoothly, utilizing only a little over half of the ancestral energy, and it took merely half a morning. All remaining disciples completed the consecration.

Li Muran observed from the classics that after consecration, one can perceive divine light through the act of observation. Generally speaking, the strength and form of the divine light seen can directly reflect the effectiveness of the consecration.

Li Muran continued to diligently meditate and observe his surroundings. This endeavor was quite taxing on his mind; after merely one or two hours, he felt a heavy fog settling in his brain. Furthermore, forcing himself to continue observing would lead to a splitting headache, prompting him to stop and rest. However, he soon fell into a deep sleep without even realizing it.

"Brother Zhao, do not dwell too much on the matter of the consecration; there will be opportunities in the future..." Mu Li seemed to intend to comfort Li Muran with a few words, but upon seeing no trace of disappointment on Li Muran's face, he abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

After a stick of incense, Li Muran opened his eyes and frowned

He closed his eyes once more to observe, and this time, he still perceived everything very clearly. Within his ancestral realm, stars twinkled and the bright moon contended for brilliance; the light of the stars and moon was exceptionally radiant, as if it encompassed the entire night sky, completely unlike the scene during the day

The old Daoist Chi Xia laughed and said: "Senior Brother, when it comes to accepting disciples, it is essential to adhere to the principle of 'preferably none than a poor choice.' These disciples either possess exceptionally poor aptitude or lack the ability to endure hardship and diligence. Even if they were to embark on the path to immortality, it would merely be a waste of effort."

Unfortunately, he has already missed dinner time; in the past, Li Muran also missed meals due to his diligent practice, but there were always senior and junior brothers who would proactively prepare meals for him and bring them to him. However, today, no one did so.

Li Muran furrowed his brows, unable to help but ponder deeply over the strange changes in the divine light of the books.

When the bell rang a few times, it was the sect summoning its disciples. Li Muran tidied up briefly and hurried to Kaiyuan Peak

These more than ten individuals are all disciples with unsatisfactory consecration effects, and Li Murán is one of them

Li Muran smiled and said: "Junior Brother Mu need not worry. The path of cultivation is fraught with difficulties; to achieve immortality, one must inevitably face countless hardships and obstacles. A mere setback is nothing to be concerned about!"

This time, he had just closed his eyes, and his mind had not yet fully concentrated on the ancestral portal, when he already sensed a significantly different situation

Li Muran, however, was different from them. As he was about to be expelled from the sect, in a moment of desperation, he hurriedly bowed to the sect leader and pleaded, "Disciple is wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao and is willing to put in double the effort to make up for his shortcomings. I ask all the uncles and elders to grant me this opportunity!"

The sound of knocking, "knock knock knock!", interrupted Li Muran.

At this point, Li Muran even considered revealing the extraordinary nature of his ancestral divine light, but now that his ancestral divine light has dimmed, how many would believe him even if he spoke of it?

On the faces of these individuals, there is little sign of disappointment or frustration; instead, they appear quite relaxed. Everyone knows that these disciples come from wealthy families and have been pampered since childhood. How could they endure the hardships of cultivation? They have long been thinking of the day when they can leave this deep mountain forest and return to the secular world to continue living as young masters.

"Senior Brother Zhao, you overstate the matter; it is merely a small effort, not worth mentioning!" Mu Li waved his hand, and his figure gradually disappeared into the moonlight

Li Muran was very eager to understand what qualities and attributes his own light possessed, as this was of utmost importance for his future cultivation

The four or five young men cupped their hands in respect and left the main hall with the books

In good spirits, Li Muran decided to explore further.

However, this matter is too strange; Li Muran's knowledge of divine light is limited to a few ancient texts, and for a moment, he cannot come up with an explanation.

Only when the cultivation of skills resonates harmoniously with the ancestral essence can the best results be achieved. Life is short, yet cultivation is an endless journey. Only by finding the most suitable method for oneself can one hope to reach higher and further realms

After Mu Li took a few steps, Li Muran suddenly said: "Junior Brother Mu, I will surely repay this favor of a meal in the future!"

If no one is willing to take him as a disciple, although he has already attained enlightenment, he will inevitably have to leave the Yuanfu Sect, possibly severing his ties to the path of cultivation.

What is going on? How has the ancestral spirit light returned to this state?

This junior disciple Mu, who usually speaks little and does not show him particular warmth, unlike other senior and junior disciples who often flatter him with words, unexpectedly at this moment is the only one who remembers to bring him food; this is probably what is meant by true feelings revealed in times of adversity

Among the more than one hundred disciples, not a single person used a high-level consecration talisman for their consecration; only seven or eight used a mid-level consecration talisman. The rest used low-level consecration talismans, and among them, there were even four or five who failed to achieve consecration—these individuals consequently lost their qualification to remain in the Yuanfu Sect. Li Muran, who was consecrated using a "waste talisman," is considered a peculiar exception, barely managing to join the ranks of the consecrated disciples.

It was already late at night, and he had surprisingly slept for so long! Li Muran was taken aback, and at the same time, his stomach growled a few times, indicating that he was hungry

Generally speaking, once the divine light has opened the mind, there will not be much change, at most only subtle alterations. Such repeated dramatic transformations as his are simply incredible