Cloud Bridge

Side by side, the two swept down toward Bluestone Shoal. Their arrival alerted the crowd on the shoal. Heads turned in their direction, several gazes carrying faint hostility. As they drew near, the green-robed man who had been resting with closed eyes opened them. Looking them up and down, he spoke. "Are you here to take part in Yanmiao Pavilion's disciple recruitment ceremony?" "Yes, yes..." Fang Ting nodded repeatedly, looking innocent and lively. As if hypnotizing himself, the incarnation silently chanted *I am Zhang Yue* before speaking in a solemn tone. "This disciple, Zhang Yue, has longed for the immortal path since childhood and admired Yanmiao Pavilion for ages. Please grant me this chance, Senior." "The ceremony has not yet begun. Whether you are selected is not for me to decide." Noticing the incarnation's cultivation, the green-robed man spoke without harshness. A warm, pleasant smile then surfaced on his face as he said softly, "Find a spot to rest and gather your strength. In two days, the outcome will be decided." Seeing the smile on the green-robed man's face, the incarnation almost thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. When had disciples of prestigious sects ever been so approachable? Looking closely, he realized the man was smiling at Fang Ting. The two each found a bluestone to sit on. The others cast a brief look their way before returning to meditation to nurture their energy. As soon as the incarnation arrived, he noticed the spiritual energy on Bluestone Shoal was richer than in the surrounding area, making it a decent cultivation spot. After exchanging a couple of voice transmissions with Fang Ting, he settled into stillness to await the ceremony's start. Meanwhile, Qin Sang's true body had also appeared by the lake shore not far away. Finding a secluded spot, he concealed himself, quietly standing guard from the shadows. Two days passed in the blink of an eye. More people arrived in succession until the bluestones along the shoal were almost entirely occupied. Among the crowd were naive young boys and girls, as well as rogue cultivators whose eyes could not conceal their murderous edge—veterans of the jianghu through and through, including no shortage of unruly characters. Yet under the watch of that Foundation Establishment cultivator from Yanmiao Pavilion, none dared to cause trouble, and Bluestone Shoal remained remarkably peaceful throughout. Just past the Hour of the Tiger on the third day, while dark shadows still shrouded the mountains, the green-robed man abruptly opened his eyes and announced in a deep voice, "The hour has come. The disciple recruitment ceremony begins now. Those who wish to join our Yanmiao Pavilion, follow me." The moment his voice fell, the green-robed man rose, summoned a stalk of white bamboo, stepped onto it, and flew along the lakeshore. A stir broke out among the crowd as everyone rose to pursue him. Each employed their own methods; some relied on magic tools, while others displayed evasion techniques. Colorful streaks of light illuminated Bluestone Shoal at once, reflecting across the lake water in a dazzling display. With a flick of his finger, the incarnation produced his bamboo-leaf magic tool. Fang Ting summoned her sword light as well, and the two hastily set out. The green-robed man slowed his pace, leading the crowd around several mountain peaks before arriving before an obviously man-made pier. Facing the large island at the lake's center, the pier had several boats moored alongside it. Behind it lay a fog-cloaked valley of considerable size. Curiosity gripped the crowd as they landed on the pier behind the green-robed man. The incarnation swept his gaze across the area and finally looked toward the misty valley. The fog obscured ordinary sight, but it could not block the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. Deep in the valley lay a mortal town, nestled like a hidden paradise far removed from the world. Just then, three streaks of escape light flew out from the mortal town, emerging through the mist as a hearty laugh rang out. "Junior Brother Mu has already brought them." "Reporting to the three senior brothers, these fellow Daoists comprise everyone participating in this recruitment ceremony," the green-robed man said, cupping his hands. From among the trio, a composed middle-aged cultivator stepped forward. His gaze swept over the crowd, a look of satisfaction showing on his face as he nodded. "Good. More cultivators have come to join this year than in past years. We should be able to fulfill the Pavilion Master's quota. Junior Brother Mu, shield them first. The three of us will now lay down the Cloud Bridge..." At these words, the green-robed man waved his hand, sending out a beam of green light that formed a barrier before the crowd. At the same time, an uproar spread among the rogue cultivators. "What is the Cloud Bridge? I heard Yanmiao Pavilion's recruitment always consisted of the Three Minor Trials. I've never heard of a Cloud Bridge trial!" One rogue cultivator was filled with surprise and disbelief. Another beside him chimed in, "Indeed! I took part in the last recruitment ceremony, and it was still the Three Minor Trials then. How could it change so suddenly?" A gaunt cultivator with a sallow complexion wore an expression of despair, his face blank as though his very spirit had been drained away. The pier was thrown into clamor. "Silence!" A sword cultivator standing beside the middle-aged man suddenly roared, stating coldly, "Who ever said the trials had to remain set in stone? The purpose of setting trials is to test your performance. If you seek to rely on petty tricks, you will never pass through the gates of Yanmiao Pavilion even if you clear the trial. Those dissatisfied may leave now." Scolded harshly by the sword cultivator, the crowd looked chastened and dared not speak out of turn again. The three Yanmiao Pavilion disciples produced three identical bronze mirrors. The bronze mirrors flew high into the air, assembling together above the pier. After a slight shudder, they shot a beam of white light straight toward the central island. Though the distance between the two places was considerable, the white light bridged the gap in an instant, linking with the island. Next, the sea of mist over the central island churned violently, spreading outward along the beam of white light. Gradually, a Cloud Bridge connecting both shores formed, suspended above the lake water. Composed entirely of mist and clouds, it was merely one zhang wide, looking ethereal, hazy, and extraordinarily fragile. The onlookers could not help but worry whether stepping onto the bridge would cause them to fall straight through. As the Cloud Bridge formed, the white light faded. The bronze mirrors flew back into the palms of the three cultivators. Just as they were about to speak, a figure suddenly flew out from the central island. The white silhouette flickered several times and appeared before them in the very next instant—a youth with sharp, sword-like brows, starry eyes, and flowing white robes. Seeing him, the expressions of the four Yanmiao Pavilion cultivators turned solemn. They immediately stepped forward and bowed. "Disciples pay our respects to Martial Uncle Chen!" The crowd on the shore looked dazed. Such a youthful man was actually an expert of the Core Formation stage! Trembling in fear and reverence, they bowed along with the disciples. The incarnation lowered his head slightly. The moment this Martial Uncle Chen appeared, he had immediately ordered the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to retract its divine ability and enter a deep slumber to avoid detection. Once the Heavenly Eye Butterfly was completely concealed, the incarnation felt relieved and reined in his mind. Suddenly, he noticed something unusual about Fang Ting beside him. She was staring straight at the Yanmiao Pavilion Core Formation cultivator, her face filled with both shock and delight. Witnessing this, the incarnation's heart stirred. Cultivator Chen raised a hand slightly and spoke indifferently. "Rise, all of you. Among you, is there anyone with a heavenly spiritual root or dual spiritual roots, or who possesses a special constitution that aids cultivation? Step forward. You may bypass the Cloud Bridge trial and enter the sect directly." In truth, triple spiritual root cultivators were practically guaranteed entry; even if they failed the trials, very few were ever rejected. However, they were clearly far less favored than those with heavenly or dual spiritual roots. Judging by this posture, being taken as a personal disciple by a Core Formation expert was not out of the question. Certain special spiritual constitutions were rarer than heavenly spiritual roots. Some were beneficial while others were detrimental, and some had no effect on cultivation at all. The incarnation keenly noticed that as Cultivator Chen spoke, his gaze drifted toward Fang Ting beside him, his eyes carrying a warm smile.