Plunging from the Cloud Bridge, the incarnation felt his whole body grow light as a flying sword caught him, drawing him out of the bridge's illusion.
The vast majority of applicants had already fallen before him. At present, they were divided into two groups standing or sitting on either side of the pier, some cross-legged and regulating their breath, others standing in place with varied expressions.
Among them, the group on the left was far smaller, numbering just over ten people. Every one of them looked radiant with high spirits, including the youth who had fallen first; all traces of his earlier dejection had vanished, replaced by an expression of pure delight.
By contrast, the other side was crowded, yet shrouded in gloom and misery.
Seeing this, the incarnation understood at once: the cultivators on the left were the ones chosen by Yanmiao Pavilion.
He cast a quick glance over them.
Sure enough, the youth with three spiritual roots who had appeared during the aptitude test was also standing on the left.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, the sword cultivator pointed toward the left pier. The incarnation felt his body tighten, and amid envy-filled gazes from all directions, the flying sword carried him over to land on the left side of the pier.
A look of delight appeared on the incarnation's face. Without pausing to meditate or recover, he hurriedly straightened his clothes and hair, bowing respectfully. "Thank you for granting me this chance, Senior!"
"You certainly are quick on your feet!" The sword cultivator sneered faintly as he retrieved his flying sword.
The middle-aged cultivator looked the incarnation up and down, making no effort to conceal his admiration. "Not bad. You had the courage to lead the way for everyone, and your character is resolute. Only when your spiritual power was nearly exhausted did the Cloud Bridge affect you and unsettle your mind. Though your innate talent is somewhat lacking, your disposition is among the very best of all gathered here. No wonder you broke through the three major bottlenecks so smoothly. In the future, you may well achieve something of note."
The sword cultivator put away his sneer and spoke in earnest. "He's good material for sword practice. Would you like to come to our Feihong Hall to study sword arts?"
"Junior Brother Ding!" The middle-aged cultivator cast him a reproving glance. "These disciples must still be reviewed by the Pavilion Master and assigned by him personally. The Pavilion Master will make his considerations based on the pavilion's needs. As disciples ourselves, we shouldn't overstep our authority."
The sword cultivator chuckled, not the least bit intimidated by his senior brother. "When Martial Uncle Pavilion Master assigns them, won't he also consider their talent and wishes? This boy's temperament doesn't need further tempering. Aside from our Feihong Hall, where else would suit him? Don't tell me he should stoke fires in Cauldron Casting Hall? I'm merely offering him a bit of guidance so he won't be led astray when the time comes."
The fourth person beside them suddenly piped up out of nowhere. "With such a steady temperament, coming to our Xueying Hall to draw talismans wouldn't be bad either."
He then lowered his head, ignoring the fierce glare the sword cultivator shot his way.
The middle-aged cultivator and the green-robed man exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly.
The disciples had not even officially joined, yet the covert vying had already begun.
Listening to their bickering, the incarnation found it hard to decide whether to laugh or cry. That a talent like his could actually incite competition was amusing, but fortunately, he had 'fallen' in time and had not overplayed his hand.
At this moment, only five people remained on the Cloud Bridge, every one of them possessing cultivation higher than the incarnation's, above the tenth layer of the Qi Refinement stage.
There was even a sexagenarian elder who possessed a cultivation at the thirteenth layer of the Qi Refinement stage, the highest among everyone present.
The four cultivators of Yanmiao Pavilion were currently discussing whether to keep the elder.
After a short while, these remaining applicants began falling one after another. The old man's performance was truly eye-opening; he held out until his spiritual power was practically bone-dry before tumbling off the bridge.
Until the very last moment, battered by the fierce winds without and tempted by the bridge's illusions within, the elder's body swayed like a willow in a storm, yet his mind maintained a shred of clarity as he stubbornly persevered.
Watching the old man brought back by the flying sword, the pier fell completely silent.
The four Yanmiao Pavilion cultivators looked solemn, shedding their earlier flippancy.
The sword cultivator let out an imperceptible sigh and murmured, "A pity he is so advanced in years. Foundation Establishment is hopeless for him."
The Xueying Hall cultivator's eyes flashed brilliantly, as if gazing upon a rare treasure, instantly putting the incarnation entirely out of mind.
"Brother, quickly go regulate your breath," the middle-aged cultivator said, gesturing toward the left side of the pier.
The old man was worldly and experienced; a single glance told him he had been selected. Though running on empty, he still struggled shakily to his feet to bow in gratitude. "Junior is ashamed!"
Old tears streamed down his face.
No one laughed.
The cultivators on the right pier took on thoughtful expressions. Some did not even wait for the Yanmiao Pavilion cultivators to announce the results; they cupped their fists toward them, mounted their lights, and flew away.
"Fellow Daoists." The middle-aged cultivator turned to look at the right pier. "You failed the Cloud Bridge trial today. Please return!"
Though they had prepared themselves mentally, some people still burst into tears on the spot.
The middle-aged cultivator turned to the other side. "Although you passed the Cloud Bridge trial, you cannot yet be considered disciples of our Yanmiao Pavilion. You still require the Pavilion Master's personal review. Board the boat first."
With that, the middle-aged cultivator tossed out a palm-sized bamboo boat.
The bamboo boat expanded upon meeting the wind, transforming into a large vessel. The crowd filed aboard in single file, and the great boat cleaved the waves, speeding toward the island in the center of the lake.
The Cloud Bridge had dissolved at some point, and the mist cleared entirely, leaving not a trace behind.
Soon, the large boat brought them near the central island and sailed straight into the sea of mist without hesitation.
Billowing vapor parted to both sides like great waves.
Once inside, pure white surrounded them, and a momentary lapse in attention could easily leave someone lost.
The applicants looked on with reverence. The incarnation was widely experienced and spotted a clue; this sea of mist was likely not a particularly powerful spirit array, but merely a common phantom mist formation.
The Heavenly Eye Butterfly had peered into Yanmiao Pavilion earlier. The center of the mist contained more than just an island; an extensive area of water was likely sealed within the fog.
Given Yanmiao Pavilion's strength, they probably lacked the capability to set up such a massive top-tier spirit array over so vast a territory. The true mountain-protecting grand array lay deeper inside.
Without any visible movement from the middle-aged cultivator, the bamboo boat cruised through the mist for a short while, and then the scene before them abruptly opened up.
A vast expanse of misty waters stretched out.
Several green peaks rose from the lake, no less towering than the mountains outside.
White jade bridges spanned the spaces between these green peaks, with a few figures visible walking upon them. Creepers and vines hung densely from some of the white jade bridges, cascading down from high above in uneven lengths, the longest reaching down to touch the water's surface.
The vines swayed in the light breeze like natural curtains, forming a scene brimming with vitality.
The picturesque view, resembling an immortal realm, stunned these impoverished rogue cultivators.
A dazed expression appeared on the incarnation's face.
This sight of mountains rising from water and people dwelling among peaks suddenly stirred memories buried deep within his heart.
Shaohua Mountain.
There were enemies there, and friends and family.
The memories of those years were not entirely pleasant, but that was the place that had witnessed his successive transformations.
Decades had flashed by in the blink of an eye. Were the people of old still there?
"The peaks ahead are where our Yanmiao Pavilion's mountain gate lies. Barring any surprises, this will be where you cultivate in the future..."
The middle-aged cultivator's voice snapped everyone out of their daze. With a light tap of his foot, the bamboo boat lifted off the water and shot toward one of the green peaks.
As they drew near the green peak, the middle-aged cultivator produced a waist token and flashed it. He flew upward without hindrance and landed on a stone terrace halfway up the mountain, letting everyone disembark.
The terrace connected to a stone path running straight toward the summit. Through the shelter of the mountain woods, several imposing grand halls were faintly visible.
"Let's go. Follow me to see the Pavilion Master!"
Leading the way, the middle-aged cultivator brought the group up the stone steps.
Chapter 879