Chapter 9: The Guiding Messenger

The tall young man hesitated for a moment before summoning his courage to walk in, but his movements were noticeably stiffer than before

Liu Ming's thoughts turned a few times, and without saying anything further, he tightened his grip on the object in his hand and walked towards the cloud ladder

The young man, though still in his youth, was a tall boy of a similar age to Liu Ming, dressed in a brand new blue garment, with slightly dark skin and a somewhat simple appearance

Even with his deep scheming, upon seeing the arrival of the guiding messenger, he could not help but feel a trace of tension in his heart

Moments later, the three of them arrived at the cloud ladder almost simultaneously. After pausing their steps, they exchanged glances at each other.

The old man wore a long gray robe, his face was full of wrinkles, and he held a long dry tobacco pipe in his hand

Beside him, Gu Laosan also had a similarly flickering gaze

As another day and night passed, just as the sky began to brighten slightly, a sudden buzzing sound came from the distant horizon, initially faint but quickly becoming deafening.

Hmph, how many times have I told you, this awakening ceremony is extremely dangerous. Although you have shown good performance in your cultivation since childhood, we still cannot be certain of your spiritual vein aptitude until you undergo the awakening ceremony. Your Aunt Yun is expected to hold a position during this ceremony, and as long as she looks after you a little, while it may not help you break into the spiritual sea, at least she can ensure your safety in a critical moment. Otherwise, our Bai family is not lacking in resources, and it would not be impossible for you to go to the Heavenly Moon Sect or other places.

The young man was taken aback to see so many people already at the mountain top

At this moment, Mu Mingzhu and Gao Dashao were taken aback and, not daring to delay any longer, hurriedly rushed up the cloud ladder, ascending towards the dark clouds one after the other

Are they also from a family of Qi refiners?" Liu Ming couldn't help but ask upon witnessing this scene

As soon as the words fell, under the dark clouds, mist swirled, and suddenly a long cloud ladder descended from the sky, directly extending to the center of the mountain peak

Although Mu Mingzhu had a hundred disagreements in her heart, on the surface, she could only nod repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice

It is not only the aristocratic families that can obtain it; rather, under normal circumstances, only the Qi Refining families possess sufficient financial resources to purchase the quota for the Opening Spirit ceremony. However, if a loose cultivator can also provide the same amount of resources, they would naturally not be turned away. Such occurrences are generally rare, but once they do happen, the sect will definitely place great importance on the loose cultivators participating in the Opening Spirit ceremony. Their chances of success in the ceremony are even higher than those of the disciples nurtured by the sect itself. "" Master Guan whispered, seemingly placing great importance on the old man and the young one.

Those participating in the initiation ceremony of this sect, please come forward with the guiding tokens of our sect. After the verification by this messenger, I will proceed to fulfill the guiding duties in other locations

After a moment's effort, the foremost Mu Mingzhu arrived beneath the dark clouds. Looking at the rolling black mist before her, she gritted her teeth and plunged in.

The cloud ladder appears to be shrouded in mist, yet as soon as one steps onto it, a force naturally supports the body, creating a sensation of walking on solid ground

Liu Ming was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. Before he could ask anything, Boss Guan had already taken out an object and placed it in his hand, smiling as he said

Thus, in a peculiar atmosphere, three groups of people remained at the mountaintop, each keeping to their own affairs without interfering with one another

In the platform, hundreds of young boys and girls stood in small groups, all gazing curiously at the three newcomers.

Liu Mingxin's thoughts stirred as he raised his head to look upwards

Young master, please exercise caution. Simply hand this token directly to the esteemed messenger who comes to your door

I know how to do it. Liu Ming took another deep look at the tall youth and then fell silent.

The other two, Mu Mingzhu and the tall youth, also approached after a round of admonitions, feeling somewhat nervous.

"Oh, wasn't it said that only the disciples of the Qi Refining families could obtain the slots for the spirit-opening ceremony?" Liu Ming expressed his astonishment

This person has some pockmarks on his face, but his eyes shine brightly as he coldly gazes at the three individuals

Liu Ming smiled lightly and similarly stepped up.

This "Third Uncle" holds a position as a top-tier Qi Refiner in the Bai family, second only to the family head. She would not dare to offend him in the slightest unless she truly became an official disciple.

On the other side, the "Third Uncle" of the Mu family naturally recognized the identities of the old and young scattered cultivators at a glance. In surprise, he similarly advised the girl in purple, but for the moment, he did not send anyone to greet them.

"Yes, Zhu Er knows she was wrong." Upon seeing the elder's anger, the girl in purple immediately drooped her little face, not daring to say anything more

Liu Ming, who is meditating in the distance, is naturally unaware of all this and continues to silently cultivate his control over the Yuan technique

However, it was also due to the teachings of this uncle that the young lady of the Bai family instinctively developed a sense of aversion towards "Bai Congtian"

When the clouds resembling books slowly but swiftly flew to the very top of the mountain, the buzzing sound suddenly came to an abrupt halt, and a cold male voice emerged from the clouds

Although the Bai family and our Mu family had a period of strained relations due to your aunt's matters, compared to other noble families, we still maintain some friendship. Moreover, during festivals and holidays, the formalities between the two families have never truly ceased. Since Bai Congtian is valued so highly by the head of the Bai family, he must possess decent cultivation talent. It would be wise to cultivate a relationship with him before the Spirit Awakening Ceremony. If he truly succeeds in awakening his spirit, the Mu family and the Bai family could potentially restore their past friendship. Although your aunt's situation is somewhat regrettable, it is an issue from many years ago. Our noble families cannot be swayed by personal feelings; we must prioritize the interests of the family.

However, the two individuals were not ordinary people; when that dark cloud truly approached the mountain peak, no signs of any abnormality could be seen on their faces.

Hehe, for a family of cultivators, purchasing a quota may be a significant strain. However, for loose cultivators, it could mean depleting the accumulated resources of several generations, even up to a dozen generations. If the disciple's aptitude is not truly remarkable, and there is at least a 30% to 40% chance of successfully passing the Spirit Awakening Ceremony, they would never gamble on it. This time, it was Gu Laosan who responded with a chuckle.

Yet, it was merely an old man and a young boy.

"Hurry up, if you delay any longer, I will directly revoke your qualification to awaken your spirits," said the man on the dark cloud, showing some impatience.

The Bai family would likely choose the lowest-ranked Mangui Sect, primarily because this sect requires the least resources for the spirit awakening ceremony. If it weren't for Aunt Yun also being in the Mangui Sect, I wouldn't attend this spirit awakening ceremony. The Mangui Sect deals with ghostly entities all day long, which I am not particularly fond of. " Mu Mingzhu pouted her lips, looking somewhat displeased.

The old man in the gray robe, upon witnessing this situation, was not surprised. He called out to the young man and found another spot to sit down at the mountain top.

"The Guide Messenger has arrived. From now on, the two of us will no longer be able to be with you. I have already told you everything that the Bai family and ordinary Qi Refiners should know. Be sure not to let anything slip! As long as you can get past the Guide Messenger, everything will be fine." Old Man Guan immediately whispered a reminder to Liu Ming.

In this manner, two groups of people remained at the mountain top for an entire day and night without disturbing each other. During this time, they each took out some provisions and hurriedly consumed a little food.

Liu Ming was secretly astonished, yet he did not dare to walk too slowly, following the two individuals ahead as they ascended into the heights

The three individuals resting at the summit were immediately startled and stood up, looking up towards the source of the sound.

Guidance Sign

Above, at a height of seven or eight zhang, there was a small gray-white cloud quietly suspended in the air, upon which sat a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe.

In saying this, the other party at least felt a one-third certainty of becoming a disciple. Liu Ming, upon hearing this, was secretly astonished and could not help but turn his head to glance at the tall young man again, yet he truly could not discern any unusual traits.

Although he has had the talent for multitasking since childhood, the time spent on cultivation has still been somewhat short. Naturally, it is not a simple matter to make further progress in this regard

The entire platform spans approximately an acre, with a stark white color. At the edges, there are over a dozen peculiar statues standing, all enveloped beneath a layer of milky white light.

There are always scattered disciples participating in the Opening Spirit Ceremony, but the number is never too large. It is unexpected that the young master happens to be at the same location as one of them. If possible, it would be beneficial for the young master to establish a good relationship with this person, as it may prove advantageous in the future. " After a moment of hesitation, Old Man Guan said this to Liu Ming.

At noon the next day, two more individuals ascended the mountain path that led up from the牧家 and others.

Oh, why is this? Liu Ming felt somewhat puzzled

Having witnessed the actions of the two from behind, Liu Ming no longer hesitated. With a swift movement, he directly plunged into the dark clouds

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the head of the Bai family, since they have sent this young master here, it is likely a desperate gamble. As far as I know, the Bai family's strength has significantly declined over the years, and allocating such a large amount of resources is indeed a substantial sacrifice. There is no other choice; among the next generation of the Bai family, only Bai Yan'er has shown decent potential to become a spiritual apprentice, while the other disciples have not passed the spiritual awakening ceremony, and very few have even survived. This Bai Congtian must carry a considerable amount of hope for the Bai family

It seems not; they should be solitary cultivators. After assessing the two individuals, Boss Guan said solemnly.

In the distance, a dark cloud appeared in the sky, seemingly out of nowhere, and it gradually flew this way, emitting a startling sound

The moment he came into contact with the dark cloud, he felt a slight chill on his body. After a brief flash of light before his eyes, he found himself at the edge of a vast square platform.

Are there only the three of you? Then please take out the invitation tokens and state your names; I will verify your identities.