Cultivating Immortality: I Have a High-Martial World

Chapter 3 Sect Assessment: Ascend to Immortality at 30,000 Steps!

Lin Chen glanced at the countdown on his arm.

38:57.

He traveled from Zhoucun to the foot of Changchun Mountain, walking along mountain paths, and then it started to rain.

The mountain road was muddy and difficult to travel, which caused some delays, taking more than five days.

There is still a day and a half before he returns to Earth.

Before traveling back to Earth, Lin Chen needs to learn more about the cultivation world.

Joining a sect of immortals is undoubtedly the best way.

"If I can get the country's attention, I can get more help..."

"At that time, I will also be able to have a place in this dangerous world of cultivation."

Lin Chen strolled around the market.

Relying on this market town under the Changchun Gate, a town called Changchun was built within a radius of ten miles.

Aside from some cultivators, the town was mostly populated by wealthy merchants and families among the ordinary people.

They settled in this market town in hopes of finding a connection with the immortals.

But how difficult is it to ascend to immortality?

The market was filled with thousands of thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boys from major towns and cities within a radius of thousands of miles.

These young people are all here to participate in the Changchun Sect's Immortal Seed Assessment.

Lin Chen walked to the innermost part of the market and soon arrived at a spacious square.

After registering his age and name with the examiners, Lin Chen walked to a long set of steps leading up the mountain.

These winding steps lead straight to the top of Changchun Mountain, stretching as far as the eye can see.

This is the first stage of the Changchun Sect's assessment for promising young talents.

Ascend to immortality through 30,000 steps!

Changchun Mountain is 2,400 zhang high, which is close to 8,000 meters.

There is only one main road from the top of the mountain to the bottom, which consists of these more than 30,000 steps.

The first challenge of the Immortal Seedling Assessment requires one to climb over 30,000 steps and reach the mountaintop within half a day.

This is not difficult for Qi Refining cultivators or martial artists.

However, those who participate in the Immortal Seed Assessment are all teenagers under the age of eighteen who have not yet cultivated.

Even for a young boy, fourteen or fifteen years old, it's not easy to climb all 30,000 steps, no matter how energetic he is.

This is a test of the seedlings' physical fitness, as well as a test of their character and perseverance.

Lin Chen had been traveling for four days and was already very tired.

But he dared not rest too much, because today was the last day of the Immortal Seed assessment.

He had to climb over 30,000 steps and reach the summit before sunset, or he would have to wait another three years...

After drinking an i-3 stamina potion, Lin Chen felt his stamina rapidly recovering.

Then we began climbing the steps!

One step, two steps, a hundred steps...

The initial steps of climbing the mountain are not difficult and can be easily managed by ordinary people.

Many of the lively teenagers were chatting and laughing, walking very fast, and seemed very relaxed.

But Lin Chen took one step at a time, making steady progress.

He knew that the ten thousand or even twenty thousand steps ahead would not be difficult for him; with his level nine martial arts apprentice physique, it would be a piece of cake.

But when you reach the last few thousand steps, the mountain becomes too high and the cold is unbearable.

At a peak of seven or eight thousand meters, in the dead of winter, with bitterly cold weather and strong winds on the mountain, even he could not let his guard down.

Therefore, conserving energy is undoubtedly the best approach at this moment.

The sun gradually moved westward, and before we knew it, nearly two hours had passed.

Lin Chen stopped, adjusted his breathing slightly, and drank half a bottle of stamina potion.

"I've probably climbed about 20,000 steps... I'm currently halfway up the mountain, at an altitude of over 5,000 meters..."

Lin Chen looked back down the mountain and saw that the number of people climbing the mountain was decreasing at this point.

Most of the boys who had been laughing and joking earlier were exhausted and fell behind, some even turning back to prepare to descend the mountain.

"Although the people in this world have excellent physical abilities, there are still a few teenagers who can climb more than 5,000 meters in one go..."

"To be able to climb this far, their physical abilities must be extraordinary, which is also a sign of possessing spiritual roots..."

Lin Chen thought to himself.

The first stage, the Ascension to Immortality, involves 30,000 steps. It is a selection of one's character and perseverance, as well as a test of one's aptitude.

People who can climb to the top of the mountain not only have great perseverance, but also good physical fitness, and usually have spiritual roots.

Only those who possess spiritual roots can embark on the path of cultivation.

Of course, this method of testing qualifications is not accurate. There will be a more accurate spiritual root test after the first stage.

"I hope my luck isn't too bad; I at least need to have the aptitude for cultivation..."

Lin Chen rested briefly before continuing to climb the mountain steps.

In this world of cultivation, half of the mortals have the aptitude for cultivation, that is, they possess spiritual roots.

Of these qualified mortals, the majority have "inferior spiritual roots" and have extremely low sensitivity to spiritual energy, making cultivation difficult.

Above inferior spiritual roots is mixed spiritual roots.

Among the five elements of spiritual roots (metal, wood, water, fire, earth), those possessing more than three of these attributes are considered mixed spiritual roots.

Cultivating with mixed spiritual roots is still difficult, but it's much better than cultivating with inferior spiritual roots.

Above mixed spiritual roots is dual spiritual roots.

Having dual spiritual roots is already a rare talent, one in a thousand.

Above that are the True Spiritual Root, Earth Spiritual Root, Heavenly Spiritual Root...

Lin Chen didn't aspire to be a one-in-a-million true spiritual root; he only needed to reach the level of a mixed spiritual root.

With the support of the entire martial arts world behind him, he can still make a name for himself in the cultivation world!

……

One hour later.

The sun was gradually setting in the west, and there was less than an hour left before the end of the assessment.

At this moment, Lin Chen continued his steady ascent towards the summit.

"The number of young people who make it this far along the mountain path is dwindling..."

Lin Chen did a quick calculation and realized that he should have climbed more than 28,000 steps by now.

The altitude exceeds 7,000 meters.

From his vantage point, he could already see the mountaintop; only three or four thousand steps remained.

Along the way, Lin Chen has already surpassed many of the teenagers who started climbing the mountain earlier.

The number of teenagers that can be seen in the last few thousand levels has become extremely limited.

"The final leg of the journey is undoubtedly a tremendous test of perseverance..."

"These 30,000 Ascension Steps alone will probably eliminate 99% of the young people..."

Lin Chen drank another half bottle of stamina potion.

At an altitude of over 7,000 meters, the air is extremely thin, and ordinary people cannot stay there for long periods of time, let alone engage in strenuous exercise.

At the same time, the sub-zero temperatures of tens of degrees below zero make people shiver with cold.

Fortunately, Lin Chen was wearing an A-57 light combat suit, which provided excellent insulation, so he didn't feel too cold.

Lin Chen continued to climb step by step toward the top of Changchun Mountain.

Half an hour later, there were less than a thousand steps left.

Of the thousands of teenagers who participated in the assessment today, only a very few have made it this far.

At the top of Changchun Mountain, several elders of the Changchun Sect also noticed Lin Chen.

"This young man is steady and methodical, climbing the mountain at a measured pace, demonstrating excellent character..."

"His physical attributes are also excellent; he should be a promising immortal with spiritual roots."

An elder dressed in a Taoist robe stroked his beard, his eyes filled with admiration.

"That's right. This time, the Immortal Seed Assessment will last for seven days, and the number of young climbers will be no less than 40,000."

"Only a handful of fewer than three hundred people were able to reach the summit..."

"This young man is a promising talent. What's his name?"

As the elder of Changchun Sect inquired, several disciples handed over the list.

"Lin Chen..."

The elder frowned slightly and said regretfully:

"Unfortunately, I'm already seventeen, which is a bit too old... I've missed the best age for cultivation."

Upon hearing this, the elders on the mountain all showed expressions of regret.

Cultivators are different from martial artists.

Martial artists typically begin training after the age of sixteen, as their bodies are still developing before that age.

Practicing martial arts too early may affect one's physical potential.

However, in the world of cultivation, the best seedlings of immortality must begin their cultivation at the age of twelve or thirteen, or even eight or nine.

After all, the path to immortality is long and arduous. The earlier you start and lay a solid foundation, the broader the scenery you will see in the future.

At this moment, an old man dressed in a green robe said:

"However, not necessarily... Seventeen is a bit old, but it still meets the sect's requirement of being under eighteen for the assessment."

"If this young man has good spiritual talent, it might not be too late..."

Upon hearing the old man's words, the other elders remained silent, but they understood perfectly well what was going on.

This old man in green robes is Han Jihai, the peak master of Danfeng in Changchun Sect, whose cultivation has reached the perfect stage of Foundation Establishment.

Unfortunately, he failed to break through to the Core Formation stage a few years ago, and he is also getting old, so he probably wants to take on a closed-door disciple to inherit the position of peak master.

Changchun Sect is divided into five peaks: Sword Peak, Array Peak, Weapon Peak, Talisman Peak, and Elixir Peak.

Besides the Sword Peak, which is under the control of the sect leader, Changchun Sect is famous for its array formations, making its array formation peak the most prosperous.

In comparison, Danfeng is the weakest of the five peaks.

Throughout the entire Changchun Sect, there are only a handful of alchemists, all of whom are disciples of Han Jihai.

"Hehe, then congratulations in advance to Peak Master Han on gaining such a fine disciple..."

The peak master of Zhenfeng said with a smile. He was a middle-aged man who looked refined and cultured.

Compared to Lin Chen, he had higher hopes for the other young men who had already reached the top.

……

Changchun Mountain is located at an altitude of nearly 8,000 meters.

Lin Chen was already panting heavily; several hours of climbing had greatly depleted his physical strength.

The high altitude and lack of oxygen made Lin Chen almost see stars.

But Lin Chen gritted his teeth and continued climbing.

"Phew, just a hundred or so steps left..." Lin Chen challenged the limits of his physical strength and willpower.

One step, ten steps, a hundred steps...

Finally, when Lin Chen stepped onto the last step, he felt a change before his eyes.

Below the summit of Changchun Mountain, there is severe cold and heavy snow, and nothing grows there...

However, the top of Changchun Mountain is full of spring and lush vitality.

Even the air felt exceptionally fresh. Lin Chen leaned against a large tree, greedily inhaling the oxygen.

"So this is the formation... The world inside and outside the formation feels like another world..."

Lin Chen thought to himself.

At this moment, Han Jihai, dressed in a green robe and with white hair and beard, walked up to him, nodded with a smile, and said:

"Good, congratulations on passing the first stage of the Immortal Seed Assessment."

"Let's rest for the night and test our spiritual root aptitude again tomorrow morning..."

P.S.: There will be one more chapter at 6 PM. After that, the update time will be adjusted to one chapter at 8 AM and one at 6 PM for everyone's convenience. Thank you for your support.

(End of this chapter)