Chapter Nine: Outstanding Disciples with Comprehensive Development in Morality, Intelligence, and Physical Fitness

I, I mean that is a living person

Hai Yunfan nodded slightly and said, "Then I will have to rely on you. I truly lack confidence in achieving good results in this village."

Liu Xian angrily said: "Who is going to pay for your reckless antics? You need to understand that although the Lingjian Sect has not held an Ascension Conference for many years, all the procedures were established hundreds of years ago, and every step has been refined through countless trials..."

However, just thinking about how the treatment of those who came later is even worse than mine brings me some sense of balance in my heart

Upon hearing that familiar voice, which had appeared countless times in his nightmares, Liu Xian's calm battle intent, nurtured by the ethereal heart of a renowned immortal, instantly ascended to the heavens. The light of his sword flickered, and a tremendous force capable of moving mountains and filling seas surged forth with the sword light, suddenly crashing towards the rear.

On one side, Liu Xian and Zhou Ming were left speechless.

Haha, we will be friends for life

Where exactly did this Peach Blossom Village come from

Oh, oh, oh, it's you

Little Sea

The villagers of Taoyuan are warm and hospitable. On the very afternoon of their arrival in Taoyuan Village, the village chief hosted a banquet for the master and servant at his home, and more than half of the villagers gathered there. The scene was lively and boisterous, as Wang Lu and the young scholar feasted heartily, drinking sweet wine made from mountain spring water and wild fruits, their fatigue from the journey completely swept away.

According to the theory of adventurers, if the path to immortality is regarded as an adventure, Lingxi Town undoubtedly serves as the novice village. Jin Qiao and Yun Wu represent the first major adventure, while Taoyuan Village thereafter is a crucial turning point that connects the past and the future, marking the beginning of numerous main and side quests, akin to the main city in many adventure stories. However, the villagers' insular reactions clearly eliminate any possibility of undertaking tasks.

Wang Lu patted his shoulder and said, "What’s wrong? Haven't you been complaining for a long time about being thirsty and hungry? This is a ready supply point."

The black-and-white disciples, being pressed by the master of the Mysterious Peak with red eyes, were under immense pressure, almost having to draw forth the spiritual swords they bore in order to maintain their stance under their master's oppressive aura

... ...

A certain person with a peculiar sense of humor completely altered the path to immortality, arrogantly placing a mysterious village between the Cloud Wave Map and the Netherworld Path, thus creating an insurmountable obstacle. No matter what choices anyone makes in the Cloud Wave Map, the next destination will invariably be Peach Blossom Village

Senior brother, please remain calm

Young master, there is a village ahead

Haha, we are friends!

What? Are there still immortals outside? The flying immortals wielding swords are so impressive! Here, this is the village's specialty, yellow croaker. Give it a try...

"Wait a minute, what do you mean by that? I have no intention of supporting you financially!"

What is the rhythm of this unfinished work?

Zhou Ming smiled wryly: "No wonder you are angry, Senior Brother. This Taoyuan Village... is truly a source of both laughter and tears."

Unfortunately, such an extraordinary sword energy encountered the wrong opponent

The era of the battle between immortals and demons is no more; the prevailing theme of the current Jiuzhou continent is peace and development. The days of bravado and violence are outdated; forging friendships is the foundation for establishing oneself in the realm of cultivation. I designed this Peach Blossom Village to test the interpersonal skills of newcomers. If one cannot even get along with the simple villagers in this mountain village, there is no need to mention the far more brutal realm of cultivation. You all must be familiar with the story of the unparalleled war god from Junhuang Mountain a hundred years ago, right? Tsk tsk, with a cultivation level at the half-step Great Ascension stage, unmatched in Jiuzhou, yet due to having too many enemies, he was reduced to ashes when the heavenly tribulation arrived... Without sufficient emotional intelligence, how can one thrive?

The brilliant and fierce sword energy of the Geng metal, unmatched in sharpness, melted away like snow in front of the white figure, quietly settling down without a sound. The white-clad woman who had walked up from the foot of the mountain flicked her wrist and said, "Senior brother, what are you doing? Are you demolishing something?"

Where does this come from? I have been exhausting myself to make the Immortal Ascension Conference more efficient. In order to arrange the Peach Blossom Village with the library, I even used my treasured high-grade spirit stones, which I paid for out of my own pocket. Just now, my request for overtime pay was rejected by my senior brother

At the dining table, apart from eating and drinking, there is also laughter and conversation. According to Wang Lu, this is a prime opportunity to gather intelligence. However, it is strange that the isolation of Taoyuan Village exceeds imagination. Not to mention the Jiuzhou Continent, the villagers are even unaware that they are situated in a fairyland. For the villagers, the surrounding green mountains and clear waters constitute their entire world.

In Taoyuan Village, Hai Yunfan, who believes that there is no place in life where one does not encounter others, is very envious of Wang Lu's fortunes

Upon seeing the person walking out from the woods outside the village, Wang Lu nearly swallowed the mouthwash he was using.

Meanwhile, the person in charge on the Miao Peak was on the verge of madness

Liu Xian felt somewhat impatient: "It is probably just some prank that no one can understand..."

Wang Lu put down the toothbrush and cup, looking puzzled: "I never expected to encounter you. I thought this was just a minor side quest, yet here you are, a mere passerby. Or have we unknowingly formed a team?"

After the clouds and mist, a village of moderate size appeared before the eyes of the master and servant. The young scholar was momentarily taken aback, but could not help but take a few steps back.

Not long ago, the anger that leaked from the sect master swept through the Cloud Mist Great Formation. Now, Liu Xian seems to harbor a sense of rivalry, and in his fury, he unleashed the power of his primordial spirit, causing the entire Mysterious Sword Hall to tremble incessantly. The sea of clouds surrounding the mountain peak boiled and rolled, as if being grasped and torn by countless invisible hands. Within a radius of one hundred meters around Liu Xian, those whose cultivation was below the Void Dan realm could not stand firm.

I have a bit of understanding about the entire Ascension Conference... Brother Wang Lu, are you interested in hearing about it?

Wang Lu's experiences were largely like this; even with the intention to guide, it was impossible to expand the conversation. The villagers' thinking was as stubborn and unyielding as if they had eaten too much Guanyin soil.

Liu Xian coldly snorted: "What nonsense! Over all these years, has Senior Brother ever truly said anything about her?"

Although it is said that ... can single-handedly modify the Ascension Array centered around the Mysterious Peak without anyone noticing, which is indeed an impressive skill, using this talent to create trouble for the sect is simply outrageous

Having also emerged from the mist of the cloud wave map, Hai Yunfan, as the second wave of entrants to the village, received significantly less favorable treatment than Wang Lu. Although some villagers offered warm hospitality, a banquet was out of the question, and he was accommodated in a regular dwelling.

Wang Lu tossed and turned, unable to sleep. It was not until the next morning, while he was brushing his teeth by the river with a toothbrush and a cup, that things took a turn for the better

Liu Xian drew his sword and then calmed down, yet his anger remained unabated: "Look at the mess you've created! The Ascension Conference has turned into a complete disaster!"

At the evening banquet, he had conversed with most of the villagers, and there were no signs of any tasks being initiated

Zhou Ming sighed, "... ... I wonder what the sect leader has to say this time?"

... ...

... ...

Wang Lu had a look of disgust and said, "Is there more to come?"

Hai Yunfan's smile suddenly became a bit awkward: "Little Hai... let's just call it Little Hai, Brother Wang Lu. I didn't expect to meet you here"

The book boy pointed with his hand, and on the village path, an old woman carrying firewood was walking slowly.

So what? Did your heart race wildly when she looked at you?

As for Wang Lu, he was perplexed by the villagers' reactions during the day

Moreover, my Peach Blossom Village is not that simple. The village inherits the results of the Cloud Wave Map, and the challengers will receive different starting points. Then, based on their personalities and opportunities, they will trigger different task chains within the village. Depending on the completion of these tasks, they will receive various rewards. For instance, if one maximizes the village chief's favorability, they can obtain a reward that halves stamina consumption when entering the Red Ridge Mountain route... Hey, are you all listening carefully?

There were none before, but now there are some clues... However, we need to wait a little longer to confirm.

Faced with such a bold rebuttal, Liu Xian's momentum slightly weakened: "Then what do you say *pictures* and *books* are?"

Strangely, the villagers did not show much curiosity towards the sudden appearance of outsiders. They are hospitable, yet completely uninterested in the outside world

Hai Yunfan smiled and said: "Those who can walk out of the Yunbo Map must number around fifty or sixty, but it seems that the longer one stays in this village, the harder it becomes to get by... It's strange, what exactly is going on in this village? I've never heard of it before!"

"Ah, is my genius design merely a prank in your eyes? Senior brother, your taste for burning the qin and boiling the crane truly remains unshaken for a hundred years"

I always feel that encountering a ghost in such a place is more normal than encountering a person

No

Emotional intelligence? Making friends? ... You ...! ... How dare you say such a thing, you street rat!

Then you can just go over and say hello, calling him Old Ghost

Wang Lu sighed: "If you are afraid, just obediently follow me. I suspect this village has many stories to tell. Take your time; we should not rush."

In the evening, the two stayed at the village chief's house, where the elderly chief had specially cleared out a vacant room in the backyard, which was even better than the main rooms of the inn. However, both the master and servant seemed somewhat distracted.

Zhou Ming's eyes lit up: "What a powerful strike filled with indignation, this Geng Jin sword energy has actually surpassed the peak of the Yuan Ying stage... It seems that my senior brother will break through to a new realm within fifty years"

Indeed, where in life do we not encounter one another

However, it still feels quite strange. Look! There are still people in the village!

After walking for two hours, feeling both tired and hungry, there should certainly be a village nearby; otherwise, we would deserve to starve to death

At first, Liu Xian thought that this village was merely a prank initiated by someone out of whim. However, when the second wave of people from Yunbo Tu was also sent to Taoyuan Village, he realized that the situation was somewhat beyond his control

Nonsense, not a person, could it be a ghost

Master, even if you ask me like this, I still cannot answer you.

The book boy is troubled in heart; on the path to immortality, where is there such abundance of fish and meat? In the stories, which of the poor scholars did not endure countless hardships to achieve their goals? Is it not a bit pathetic that the two blue and white figures at the Immortal Peak could enter so easily through a life of indulgence?

Zhou Ming, also an elder of the sect, shook his head, reached out, and patted Liu Xian on the shoulder. A refreshing sword intent seeped in, and Liu Xian's gaze instantly cleared: "I apologize, I lost my composure"

Before the words were finished, they were ruthlessly interrupted: "Having been tempered countless times by mediocrity, it is merely an ordinary program. The cloud wave map determines direction, while the Red Ridge Mountain and the Nether Path determine elevation. The concept is indeed good and can certainly assess a person's various qualities. However, you have been cultivating for hundreds of years and are renowned as Yuan Ying experts; do you not understand that the most crucial aspect of cultivation is neither talent nor spiritual roots, nor is it temperament or opportunity!"

Sigh, I really don't know what Fifth Senior Sister is trying to do this time. This Peach Blossom Village is strange in every way.

Hai Yunfan was not surprised by this: "So, what is your opinion on this village?"

Young Master, that old lady seemed to be looking at us just now

... ... ''

Upon hearing this, Wang Lu furrowed his brows—Hai Yunfan's commentary on the path to immortality was all too familiar: "Do you know about the path to immortality?"

The village hidden behind the clouds and mist is not as mysterious and terrifying as the fantasies of the scholar. After conversing with the passing villagers, I learned that the village is named Peach Blossom Spring, where the villagers have lived in seclusion for hundreds or even thousands of years, indifferent to worldly affairs. Nestled among the immortal mountains, the area is rich in resources, and life has been prosperous and comfortable for countless generations

The young servant furrowed his brow, his face showing fear: "Young master, don't you find it strange? How could there be a village here?"

Especially when walking with Wang Lu, the disparity becomes particularly evident; the villagers' smiles are invariably directed at Wang Lu, while Hai Yunfan seems to be like a transparent person

What is an emperor? Is he greater than a village chief? What, one must kneel before the emperor, and a careless mistake could lead to losing one's head? What a barbaric village this is! Still, let me try the steamed buns my wife made...

Of course, it is emotional intelligence