Chapter 1, The Path of Immortality Must Be Contended For

She nodded eagerly, pulling at the wooden sign with all her might, as if she were grasping a lifeline

Lin Xiangtian nodded in acknowledgment and pulled Lin Suwan closer to him

A beam of light fell before the crowd, and Jiang Yuebai saw the sword-flying immortal for the second time, curiously widening her eyes to look over

Though fierce winds may rise from the ground, I shall ride the winds and traverse thousands of miles

A faint multicolored glow emanated from the Spirit Testing Monument, with the blue light being the most prominent, while the others were nearly equal in intensity

At that moment, an anomaly arose

But now she suddenly understands that even if she has the little yellow fish, she cannot protect it, just as she cannot protect her own token

I do not want the small yellow croaker, I only want my token

Lin Xiangtian handed the token to Lin Suiwan, affectionately ruffling her hair, "Go ahead, the ancestor is waiting for you in the Tianyan Sect"

The river moon is white and stubbornly tilting its head, "I did not!"

The crowd cast sympathetic glances at Jiang Yuebai, but that was the extent of it

As soon as the words fell, Jiang Yuebai noticed that all the children became tense. With a face full of innocence, she looked towards the staircase shrouded in mist, winding like a dragon, meandering through the bamboo forest with no end in sight

Elder Lin, he is merely a child unacquainted with the ways of the world; do not let him miss the moment for ascending to immortality and seeking enlightenment

Jiang Yuebai did not feel embarrassed; instead, he smiled broadly, his eyes resembling a crescent moon, exceptionally graceful and charming

Beside the Spirit Measuring Tablet, the middle-aged steward of the Tianyan Sect, Hong Tao, with a stern expression, held the last wooden token and frowned as he surveyed the girl in front of him

In this batch, there are quite a few with five spiritual roots and books, but your spiritual root value is the lowest. Even if you manage to enter, you can only become a servant disciple, and it is likely that you will never be able to establish a foundation in your lifetime, do you understand

Lin Xiangtian left on his sword, and Hong Tao sighed as he walked over to Jiang Yuebai's side

And wait!

Hong Tao and the others did not intervene; without a token, she would be directly ejected, and a hard collision would allow her to completely let go of her feelings.

Lin Xiangtian flicked his sleeve, and Jiang Yuebai was swept up by a gust of clear wind, crashing heavily in front of several people, with the token landing right at Lin Suiwan's feet

Upon seeing the appearance of the girl, Jiang Yuebai's face turned pale, and she stumbled backward.

Stand over there

She does not understand many principles, only the instinct for survival, and the stubbornness of a child who will stop at nothing to obtain what they desire

The boy gritted his teeth and continued to secretly stand on tiptoe, competing in strength.

A gentle breeze flows, the bamboo leaves rustle, ascending the immortal steps shrouded in ethereal mist, resembling a dream or an illusion

That child possesses five spiritual roots

Hong Tao furrowed his brows and stared straight ahead, but his junior disciple behind him raised his hand and pointed at Jiang Yuebai

Jiang Yuebai got up and stood next to those little children. She noticed that the boy beside her, dressed in luxurious clothing and looking fair and handsome, was taller than her. She hurriedly straightened her back and stood on tiptoe, resembling a lively little seedling.

It is just climbing stairs, what is so difficult about it

At the age of six, Jiang Yuebai had never even seen an immortal, so how could he understand the meaning of poor aptitude, servant disciples, and the inability to establish a foundation

Lin Xiangtian's fingers curled slightly, causing the token to fly into his hand. Upon seeing the bloodstains on it, Lin Xiangtian displayed a hint of disdain. With a sweep of the Cleansing Technique, it appeared as good as new.

Lin Suiwan nodded obediently, passing by Jiang Yuebai with a triumphant shake of his head, swinging the token as he stepped onto the immortal ascent.

He was an elderly man with white hair, exuding an air of immortality, holding the hand of a proud little girl with a haughty expression.

Hong Tao furrowed his brow and said, "Elder Lin, we have gathered a total of three hundred sixty-five individuals today, as determined by the Grand Elder. No further additions are permitted."

Mountains of Jiuchong, beneath the Qingyun Ridge

Lin Xiangtian nonchalantly said: "Then let's reduce one first. The Grand Elder has determined how many to collect, not specified individuals. What is wrong with exchanging one of the three spiritual roots for the lowest quality four or five spiritual roots? Are you really going to pass up the good ones and insist on picking the bad ones?"

Lin Xiangtian scoffed disdainfully, raised his hand and gave a gentle flick, sending Jiang Yuebai flying and crashing violently against the nearby rocks.

At the command of Hong Tao, all the children tightly grasped their tokens and gradually stepped onto the stairs, disappearing from sight

The Jiang Yue, which should have been sent flying, flashed a barely noticeable golden light at the center of its brow, unexpectedly charging up the Immortal Ascension Steps, disappearing from the sight of everyone.

In the realm of cultivation, aptitude and cultivation level determine everything. The cruelty of it is something you have only glimpsed today. With your aptitude, it would be better to enjoy a few decades of leisure in the mortal world than to seek immortality in the blood-soaked Tianyan Sect. Considering the difficulties you have faced and the books you have read, it would be wise to keep this little bit of gold and silver and return to find a way to survive.

The steps to ascend to immortality are opened, you all...

A sharp pain struck, blood gushed forth, and the token fell to the ground

The boy next to him rolled his eyes and said, "Fool!"

They are merely the most junior Qi refining disciples. Even though Lin Xiangtian is not considered a formidable figure within the entire sect, he is at least a Golden Core True Person, someone they cannot afford to offend, and many are eager to curry favor with him

She can protect the bun from the hands of mortals, yet she cannot safeguard the token in front of the immortals

Before sunset, ascending ninety-nine steps leads to the inner gate, ascending sixty-six steps leads to the outer gate, and the remainder is for miscellaneous duties

Lin Suiwan, who was sold by others, ultimately fell into the hands of the brothel in Yong'an City, becoming the second young lady of the Lin family.

Jiang Yuebai looked at the small yellow fish thrown in front of her. In the past, she did not know that there were immortals in the world. She dreamed of having so much gold and silver, wanting to taste all the delicious food in Yong'an City.

The path to the azure clouds will eventually be reached, as the setting sun shines brightly towards the heavens.

Hong Tao could not help but say a word, and only then did Lin Xiangtian restrain his imposing manner

How are you?

At that moment, Jiang Yue, with her white hair, bit down fiercely on Lin Suiwan's ankle. Taking advantage of her cry of pain as she withdrew her foot, she seized the token and pressed it against her chest

The Ascension Stairs have opened, you all take the token and ascend quickly

Why did you take my token when you were late yourself? I did not steal your things, I did not!

The Five Spiritual Roots are primarily Wood, with a root value of 5 for Wood, while the remaining four are relatively low

Respectfully, Senior Brother, this is the last one with the *illustration* book, and today happens to be three hundred sixty-five people

Hearing the sound, several people turned their gaze towards Lin Suiwan

As Hong Tao released his grip, Jiang Yuebai fell onto the ground with a thud, and the group of children nearby immediately burst into laughter

How many are there behind?

Jiang Yuebai fiercely threw the small yellow croaker and immediately got up to rush towards the Ascending Immortal Steps

Jiang Yue furrowed her brows, raising her foot a little higher, immediately surpassing the boy by half a head, and proudly pouted her lips

Hong Tao remained silent, merely gazing at Jiang Yuebai's feet, which had been worn and bruised from climbing the Ninefold Mountain

She was covered in dirt, small and thin like a twig, with sparse, wet yellow hair sticking to her forehead, her hands stained with fresh blood, her knees torn, and only one sandal remaining on her foot

As soon as the words were spoken, Hong Tao turned around and shot a fierce glare, but it was already too late

This is my token, I possess a spiritual root and I am capable of cultivation

Upon hearing this, Hong Tao threw the wooden plaque in front of the girl. The girl hurriedly grasped the wooden plaque with both hands, but he did not let go.

Lin Suiwan wore a proud expression, "She used to be my maid, but after stealing my jewelry, I had the matron sell her to a broker."

As soon as the elder appeared, Hong Tao and the other disciples of the Tianyan Sect immediately clasped their hands and said: "Elder Lin"

She only knows that once she enters the immortal gate, she will no longer have to suffer from hunger and cold, and she can fly to the heavens, and that wicked woman with the red flower will never be able to drag her back to the brothel again

Jiang Yuebai got up, tears welling in her eyes, concealing deep-seated grievances and fears

Jiang Yuebai, unable to care for the pain, rushed forward with both hands and feet to press down on the token, only to have her hand firmly stepped on by a foot clad in deerskin boots

No one listens to her, Lin Xiangtian said to Hong Tao: "Manager Hong, look at this child. Not only is her aptitude poor, but her character also has issues. How can she possibly be accepted into my Tianyan Sect? It would be better to send her down the mountain as soon as possible."

"Does Wanwan recognize her?" Lin Xiangtian asked

Unlike others who were sent by their families, she climbed the towering nine-fold mountain range by herself. Though she was in a sorry state, her dark eyes shone like stars, fixated intently on the wooden plaque in Hong Tao's hand that could determine her future fate

The boy glared at her, standing up straight, silently competing with her.

She curled up tightly on the ground, straining with all her might to protect the token as well as her head and face, her movements so practiced as if she had rehearsed them a thousand times.

I sincerely apologize for my late arrival. This is a descendant of the Lin family, the only one with a triple spiritual root in three generations. I kindly ask Manager Hong to add her name to the clan's register.

Lin Xiangtian surveyed the children, and everyone felt a chill run down their spines. Jiang Yuebai hurriedly covered his token.

The spiritual root is the key to the immortal gate, but what determines whether you can embark on the path of immortality is your character and perseverance, especially perseverance; this is the ascent to immortality and also the path of self-reflection

Those who are more powerful than her can simply wave their hand and make her lose everything, even her life

Hong Tao led more than ten disciples in white standing before the Ascension Steps, surveying the youthful faces bathed in the glow of the evening sunset, full of vitality and innocence