Sect Leader! Please strengthen our Dao Sect!

"This kid is interesting."

Liu Jiujiang chuckled softly, his divine sense focusing on the scholar who had spoken earlier.

"If you were to take him as your disciple, it would surely be quite interesting."

Shen Shanshui's lips twitched; dealing with Tang Yan alone was already enough of a hassle for him.

This scholar is even more extreme than Tang Yan; if he goes any further, he'll be a traitor.

"Too inexperienced, unfit for important tasks."

Wu Lianshan clearly didn't like this scholar who only knew how to talk big.

A pure military officer like him, he'd just close his eyes and get to work. He got along fairly well with a not-so-pure civil official like Liu Jiujiang. But if he encountered someone who was all talk and no action, it would be hard for him not to kill the other person with a single blow if a real argument broke out.

"Senior brother, when are you planning to let them in?" Shen Lingxi, who had been silent all along, finally couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

"Let's wait a little longer."

Shen Shanshui looked up at the sky, waved his Taoist robe, and summoned a few more dark clouds.

Those waiting at the foot of the mountain had no idea that the heavy snow was actually man-made.

……

"I can't take it anymore!"

Finally, someone could no longer withstand the raging wind and snow and chose to retreat.

And with the departure of the first person, countless others were tempted to give up.

Nobody knows how much longer we have to wait. Will we freeze to death here if we wait any longer?

"Have we been scammed?"

"Did this person never intend to take on any disciples at all?"

Many people arrived more than ten days before the Lunar New Year, and now they have little food left, making them increasingly restless. Shouting out their questions at this point reveals not only a desire to give up, but also a thought of encouraging others to leave.

Human nature is always so complicated; if you don't benefit yourself, you don't want others to benefit either.

Either let's give up together, then we won't just be the ones who fail, and we can find some solace in that.

One by one... more and more people, with resentful looks in their eyes, chose to leave. And when they were about thirty miles away from Tianyi Mountain, the snowy weather immediately turned into a sunny and breezy day.

Many people wanted to turn back, realizing that this snowstorm was a test, but they were surprised to find that an invisible barrier had appeared on their way back. They could get out, but they could no longer go back.

A third of the people left one after another, but nearly a thousand people remained waiting.

Finally, someone, whose identity is unknown, discovered that the invisible barrier on Tianyi Mountain had disappeared.

"I'm coming in!"

"Haha, I'm in!"

With one call, a hundred responses followed. As the first person successfully set foot on Tianyi Mountain, those who had been enduring the wind and snow finally realized what was happening.

"Hurry! We can't be too slow. This master doesn't even know how many disciples he'll take on yet."

The surging crowd quickly surged up the mountain path.

The moment they entered Tianyi Mountain, the overwhelming warmth and rich spiritual energy almost made them succumb.

"Is this... is this the method of a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

Just a few steps apart, yet it felt like two completely different worlds!

Some cultivators with considerable skill almost shed tears of emotion. They had given up hope of their own path of cultivation and only hoped that their descendants could go further. However, if they could stay here to cultivate, perhaps they could still have room for improvement.

Just then, Shen Shanshui's voice suddenly echoed out.

"Those under the age of twenty who are among the first fifty to reach the summit will be given a three-day time limit."

Upon hearing this, the cultivators were inevitably disappointed. Although they had only come to accompany the younger generation, they had also hoped to try their luck.

What if I'm a genius overlooked by the world, and someone truly recognizes my talent?

After a brief hesitation, many cultivators chose to sit down cross-legged and begin frantically inhaling and exhaling spiritual energy.

The younger generation was stunned, staring at their elders, unsure of what to do.

"What are you standing there for? Your destiny is just ahead!"

"Whoever protects my son to the mountaintop will receive ten thousand pieces of gold!"

The wealthy also began to exert their efforts at this time, but unfortunately, not many people paid attention.

Tianyi Mountain is towering into the clouds. Only a few of them are worldly geniuses under the age of twenty who have entered the threshold of cultivation. It is unknown whether they can climb to the top of the mountain within three days, so how can they protect others?

Besides, if I were to truly become a disciple of a master, I would be spending spirit stones from now on; what use would I be for gold?

……

"Your Tianyi Mountain is ten thousand meters high, and most of these young people haven't even touched the threshold of cultivation."

Reaching the top within three days won't be easy. Why not just use the aptitude stone for testing? It'll save you the trouble.

Liu Jiujiang chuckled, clearly finding Shen Shanshui's request too difficult.

"With the current concentration of spiritual energy on Tianyi Mountain, any aptitude seedling can be nourished even without drawing spiritual energy into its body."

With such great perseverance, how could one not reach the summit?

"Those who have never embarked on spiritual practice all harbor the ambition to reach the heavens in one step. But when they discover that spiritual practice is not a simple matter, they will fall into a deep slump."

If they don't pass the test of character, even the greatest talent won't be enough to sustain them on their journey.

Shen Shanshui shook his head; he didn't want to decide whether to let these people stay or leave based solely on their talent.

These are his first batch of disciples, and perhaps the only batch he will personally teach in the future. If he can't find the best promising talents, Shen Shanshui might as well not accept any at all.

……

"worn out!"

"Are you animals? Don't you feel tired at all?"

The group of several hundred people was quickly divided into several tiers.

Even an average person would be out of breath after sprinting a few hundred meters, let alone climbing a mountain.

Tianyi Mountain has no stone steps; it's all steep mountain paths, which are even more physically demanding.

The dozen or so young people who had already absorbed spiritual energy before arriving were at the forefront. They were already able to actively absorb spiritual energy for their own use, giving them a significant advantage.

In addition, there are some people who, although they cannot actively absorb spiritual energy, have wisps of spiritual energy seeping into their bodies without them even noticing.

As for the others, they could only watch helplessly as the people in front of them grew further and further away, their expressions becoming increasingly desperate, as they gasped for breath in pain.

"Scholar, you're quite something."

Li Daniu and He Wenzheng were in the second group. They supported each other and, although they were also out of breath, they were still able to keep up.

"I...I am a scholar...but...but I also exercise regularly."

"Brother Da Niu, don't worry about me. You can go and compete for the immortal destiny first!"

Seeing that Li Daniu was in much better condition than him, He Wenzheng did not want to be a burden to him.

"It's alright, I've been working for the wealthy family since I was a child, I'm strong."

"Everyone's called me 'that guy' since I was little, you silly child. Now that you've called me by my name, we're friends."

Li Daniu was still supporting He Wenzheng, his honest face now filled with stubbornness.

"what!"

Just then, on the steep slope, He Wenzheng suddenly slipped and fell backward.

Li Daniu couldn't react in time and was also pulled backward. Just as the two were about to tumble down, a hand landed on their backs.

"Be careful!"

……

After climbing a very steep mountain path, we arrived at a mountain platform.

The first group of people who arrived here did not go any further because someone blocked their way.

The person with his hands behind his back, guarding the road ahead, was none other than Tang Yan.

"Defeat me! By any means you like!"