Chapter 26
After serving a six-month confinement, Hao Tianping was promptly rewarded with… another six-month confinement.
“Junior Sister Lou, I’m counting on you.”
As the enforcement disciples escorted him away, he stretched out a hand toward her like a man entrusting his final will.
Lou Yuqing nodded solemnly. “Leave it to me.”
The Spirit Testing Assembly arrived in the blink of an eye.
As the mountain-protecting array activated, the scene before the Wendao Sect’s gates shifted dramatically.
The lush mountains and clear waters vanished, replaced by a towering staircase that stretched from the foot of the mountain all the way to the summit.
Nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine steps.
Only by crossing the final step could one reach the plaza above.
Around the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), Lou Yuqing arrived at the viewing area.
Enforcement disciples stood in orderly formation around the plaza, while the observing disciples were gathered in a designated section. Lou Yuqing quickly spotted Si Nidie and made her way over with Gu Buqi.
Si Nidie’s excitement was obvious. “Finally—we get to see the Spirit Testing Assembly!”
Lou Yuqing blinked. “Senior Sister, haven’t you been in the sect for a while? You’ve never seen one before?”
“I had the chance,” Si Nidie said, waving dismissively toward the enforcement side, “but my brother wouldn’t let me. Said my cultivation was too low and forced me to stay in seclusion.”
Lou Yuqing followed her gesture and spotted Si Nanren among the enforcement disciples.
“With low cultivation, one should focus on training,” Gu Buqi said in a tone that made him sound like a lecturing elder. “Youth is when your vitality is strongest. Progress comes fastest then. Once you grow older, even if you want to break through, it becomes difficult.”
Si Nidie pouted. “Well, I’ve already established my foundation, and my lifespan has increased. Meanwhile, you two Qi Refining novices should work harder and break through soon, understood?”
Gu Buqi: “…”
Being urged on by a junior felt… strange.
Lou Yuqing, meanwhile, quietly calculated that she was already at the fourth level of Qi Refining. Foundation Establishment didn’t seem that far off.
“They’re here!” Si Nidie suddenly exclaimed.
Five clouds descended from the sky, each carrying a powerful figure.
At the center stood Sect Leader Qingxuzi, his presence calm and transcendent. To either side were Meng Zonghan and Elder Wei Tu, with Zeng Xuangan and a striking female cultivator in red further beside them.
Qingxuzi turned to the red-robed woman. “Many thanks to Junior Sister Hongyan for lending the Frost Toad. The fire poison in Li’er’s body has been completely eradicated, with no lingering effects.”
Madam Hongyan smiled. “As long as my niece is safe, that’s enough. Though… it seems quite a few things have happened here recently. Care to share?”
Her gaze lingered meaningfully on Zeng Xuangan and Elder Wei Tu.
Zeng Xuangan gave a wry smile. “Junior Sister, don’t tease me. My poor judgment caused trouble for Uncle Zixiao. Fortunately, he didn’t hold it against me.”
Madam Hongyan chuckled.
Meng Zonghan smoothly changed the subject. “I heard Junior Brother Zeng returned to the family. Cleaning house?”
Zeng Xuangan nodded. “If I don’t keep watch, the younger generation grows restless. I’ll have to supervise them more closely from now on.”
Elder Wei Tu snorted. “Good thing I don’t have a family. Managing one sounds exhausting.”
Madam Hongyan laughed. “With your temper, Senior Brother Wei, they’d probably be slapped to death before they could cause trouble.”
“That’s not impossible,” Wei Tu replied flatly.
Meng Zonghan then asked, “What about your disciple’s matter from the other day?”
Wei Tu clicked his tongue. “Don’t bring it up. Even if they’re not dead, I’ll make sure they wish they were.”
Qingxuzi cut in calmly, “Enough. Focus on the matter at hand.”
The elders’ expressions turned serious.
Moments later, five beams of light shot from the clouds and struck the void.
Space rippled—and a massive light screen unfolded, revealing the scene at the foot of the staircase.
Dong—!
A deep bell tolled.
The first stage had begun.
Below, countless participants surged forward, stepping onto the stairs.
Everyone knew the rule: only those who reached the summit would qualify to enter the Wendao Sect.
Lou Yuqing fixed her gaze on the screen, searching for the person Hao Tianping had mentioned.
“Just look for the most eye-catching one.”
Those had been his exact words.
She scanned the crowd.
“That one?” Round as a ball.
“Or that one?” Nearly three meters tall.
“…This one?” Hair sticking up like antennae.
Her eyes began to ache.
Which one was it?
Just as she rubbed her temples, her gaze drifted toward the starting point—and froze.
Someone was late?
While everyone else was already charging up the steps, a white figure appeared at the base.
In the next instant, it moved.
Like a ghost, it surged forward—clearing a hundred steps in the blink of an eye, overtaking one person, then two, then three…
It was climbing stairs, yet somehow felt like a sprint across flat ground.
Si Nidie’s eyes widened. “That speed—!”
The surrounding disciples all turned to watch, curiosity piqued. Nearly ten thousand steps wasn’t just about speed—it was a brutal test of endurance.
On the clouds above, Qingxuzi stroked his beard, clearly pleased. “This year has quite a few promising talents. If any of you take a liking to someone, feel free to accept them as disciples.”
Elder Wei Tu snorted. “I already have Ming’er. That’s enough.”
Madam Hongyan sighed. “Senior Brother Wei is fortunate. My cultivation method… makes it nearly impossible to find a suitable disciple.”
Her technique allowed rapid progress, but at the cost of accumulating fire poison within the body. Without her Fire Spirit Physique, she wouldn’t have survived it herself.
Even then, she had to rely on external means like the Frost Toad to suppress it.
For others, attempting the same method would only result in a violent backlash—and eventual death.
Zeng Xuangan waved dismissively, showing no interest in taking disciples.
Meng Zonghan smiled. “Why don’t we let the Sect Leader decide? Shuangya has been complaining that things are too quiet lately.”
Qingxuzi pointed at the white figure. “Do I even need to say it? That one’s already caught your eye.”
Meng Zonghan coughed lightly. “Nothing escapes Senior Brother’s notice.”
Suddenly, the scene on the light screen shifted.
People began to tumble.
One after another, like a chain reaction—rolling down the steps like falling dominoes.
At the center of it all, someone hurriedly pulled back their hand, then pointed accusingly at the white figure sprinting past.
“It was you! Why did you push them?!”
White figure: ?
…Wait.
Are you serious?