Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 115 Trial Realm
The fifth day of the eighth lunar month, the month of Yi-You, the day of Wu-Xu.

It is auspicious for sacrifices, travel, marriage, betrothal, and expiration of marriage.

On the day of the Immortal Gathering, the scene of celestial music and colorful clouds that everyone had imagined did not appear.

Just after Chen Shi (7-9 AM), in the direction of the towers standing in front of the White Stone Immortal Sect's mountain gate, a narrow stone bridge suddenly appeared above the Black Abyss.

Although the stone bridge leads to the other side of the Black Abyss, which is the territory of the White Stone Immortal Sect, it does not lead directly to the ground on the other side. Instead, it leads to a twisted, mirror-like, huge "water curtain," where one can vaguely see that there are reddish-brown stone bricks everywhere, which looks somewhat oppressive.

Just as everyone was looking at each other in bewilderment, Fairy Murong, riding a crimson fairy fox, flew into the air beside the stone bridge and said, "Only those who cross the bridge can enter the trial secret realm of the White Stone Immortal Sect's Immortal Fate Assembly. The secret realm is extremely dangerous, and one's life may be in danger. Please be careful when crossing the bridge!"

The sound echoed through White Stone Mountain, traveling for miles. Murong Ruyan repeated it three times before riding the little fox and flying away from the stone bridge.

The crowd gathered in front of the stone bridge, whispering amongst themselves, but no one dared to be the first to step onto it.

Although everyone came to seek immortality, many people backed down when they heard that "their lives might be in danger."

Even if you have a great affinity with the immortals, it's not so good if you might lose your life.

Even Huang Wu, squeezed into the crowd, spat out, "Damn it, how could someone possibly die like this?!"

Tang Xiaoyu didn't reply, but only glanced at Zhu Ye. Then, she gathered her energy, lightly touched the ground, and flew into the air, leaping out of the crowd. She then used her lightness skill to flip and land on the stone bridge. Under everyone's watchful eyes, she swaggered across the stone bridge and stepped into the secret realm.

Once the first person takes the plunge, others become eager to follow suit.

Soon, a second person stepped onto the stone bridge, followed by a third, a fourth, a fifth, a tenth...

However, many people gave up on entering the secret realm, but still stubbornly stayed by its side, not knowing what they were waiting for.

After a while, the Ye family members, all dressed in clothes with gold trim and jade pendants engraved with the character "Ye" hanging from their waists, came up from the foot of the mountain in a grand procession.

As they approached the stone bridge, the elder at the head of the group instructed the Ye family members, "Let me repeat myself: this trial may be life-threatening. If you have any concerns, then don't go. The Ye family won't force you to risk your lives!"

The Ye family members chimed in, saying, "This opportunity for immortality is not only what the family head desires, but also what the disciples desire. How can we give it up?"

"Indeed, Seventh Young Master has already taken the lead; how can we possibly fall behind?"

"Just as the patriarch said, this is an opportunity that only comes once in a thousand years. Even if I lose my life, let alone risk my life, I will have no regrets!"

The old man smiled with satisfaction, but waved his hand and said, "Since that's the case, then go ahead, go ahead. This old man values ​​his life, so I won't join in the fun. The patriarch is waiting for you inside the White Stone Immortal Sect..."

After the old man finished speaking, the Ye family members all bowed deeply to him respectfully before crossing the crowd in twos and threes and walking onto the stone bridge.

Seeing so many members of the renowned Ye family calmly enter the secret realm, some of the previously hesitant individuals became eager to join in.

Coincidentally, not long after the Ye family entered the secret realm, another group of people went up the mountain.

This group of people were all dressed in fine clothes and were quite young, mostly in their twenties or thirties. However, many of their features did not resemble those of people from the Central Plains; they looked more like Mohe people...

"They seem to be from the Imperial Academy in Kyoto?"

"You're from the Imperial Academy, right?"

Speculation rippled through the crowd, but the group, clearly wealthy and powerful, kept their eyes glued to the stone bridge, one by one stepping inside and entering the secret realm. Once everyone was inside, Zhu Ye could no longer contain himself. He snapped his paper fan shut, making a move to go over, but Huang Wu grabbed him, glaring at him and asking:
"Mr. Zhu, are you going too?"

Zhu Ye replied, "Since we're already here, why not go?"

Huang Wu hesitated for a moment, then said tentatively, "But...but didn't that little immortal say there might be a danger to my life?"

"How can a great man live a mediocre life? What does it matter if his life is in danger? How can one seek immortality without paying a price?"

As Zhu Ye spoke, he pointed to the entrance of the secret realm with the ribs of his fan and continued, "Besides, the magnificent immortal path is so close at hand, how could we bear to give it up?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Wu gritted his teeth and said, "Mr. Zhu, you're right! Then I'll go too!"

With that, he made up his mind and, without waiting for Zhu Ye, rushed onto the stone bridge and all the way into the secret realm.

Huang Wu ran towards the entrance of the secret realm with his eyes closed.

He felt a sudden weightlessness, then his feet felt light, and he stumbled and almost fell, finding himself in a terrifyingly dark room.

No, it couldn't be called a room, but rather a place like a grand hall. I was standing on a dark red stone platform, surrounded by winding stone walls.

Huang Wu's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly became somewhat panicked.

Standing on the stone platform, he could still barely make out the direction of the various stone walls in the distance. But once he stepped off the platform, he would probably be immediately trapped in this endless maze.

Just as he was hesitating, another person suddenly appeared beside him, startling Huang Wu so much that he almost fell off the stone platform.

Upon closer inspection, the person who appeared was none other than Zhu Ye, who had just been talking to him outside!
Seeing familiar faces, Huang Wu felt much more at ease. He grinned and greeted Zhu Ye, showing his yellow teeth: "Mr. Zhu, you're here too!"

The tone was as if asking the other person if they had eaten today.

Zhu Ye gave a wry smile, and just as she was about to say something, another person appeared on the platform.

This time, it was someone neither of them recognized. The three of them stood on the platform, looking at each other in bewilderment. Huang Wu was the first to speak up: "Hey, my surname is Huang, and I'm the fifth in my family. What's your name, kid?"

The man quickly clasped his hands in a salute and introduced himself: "My surname is Lu, my name is Lu Lin, my courtesy name is Renjia. I am greeting Brother Huang Wu."

Zhu Ye also cupped his hands in greeting and simply stated his name: "Zhu Ye".

Lu Lin was taken aback when he heard Zhu Ye's name. He carefully examined Zhu Ye until he saw the folding fan carved with red maple leaves in his hand. Then he widened his eyes and asked, "Could you be the number one Hundred Knowledge Scholar in the world, Mr. Zhu Ye?"

Zhu Ye nodded slightly and replied, "You flatter me, but I am indeed a 'know-it-all' in this profession."

Lu Lin looked at Zhu Ye with admiration, then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "Mr. Zhu, your cultivation level must be at least fifth rank, right? With such a high level of cultivation, you're still willing to enter the secret realm? I've heard that if you want to join the immortal sect, you have to give up your true qi cultivation!"

Zhu Ye smiled, opened his folding fan and waved it, saying, "To seek immortality, one must always give up something in order to gain something. Your cultivation is not low, yet you still managed to get in, didn't you?"

Lu Lin was taken aback, then seemed to remember something and laughed awkwardly: "Haha, you're right, you're right."

(End of this chapter)