In the world of cultivation, one grinds for proficiency and longevity.

Lu State, Liuyun Valley.

The third stage of the Immortal Sect's assessment: Dream Plaza.

On the dreamlike plaza built of white jade, about two hundred teenagers were enveloped in a pale blue halo, trapped in an illusion. Their expressions ranged from great joy to infatuation, and some even descended into madness...

"Pop!"

Chen Changqing, dressed in white, groaned and suddenly woke up.

In the illusion, she was incredibly tender and proactive... If I hadn't retained a sliver of clarity in my heart, I would have almost succumbed to her charms and had my Dao heart clouded!

Since breaking free from the mystery of his birth in the mortal world, Chen Changqing has been obsessed with the martial arts of this world.

Thanks to the meticulous cultivation of his father, who was the leader of the Explosive Heaven Gang, and his exceptional physique and innate talent, he glimpsed the innate realm at the young age of twenty-one.

In no time, he became famous throughout the martial arts world, captivating countless beauties.

Fang Qingxue is one of the daughters of the leader of the martial arts alliance.

However, three days before their wedding, Chen Changqing encountered a down-on-his-luck cultivator and learned that there truly was a path to immortality and carefree living.

In pursuit of that sliver of opportunity to transcend the mundane, he resolutely canceled his wedding.

Although the martial arts alliance leader was displeased with Chen Changqing's actions, he did not blame him too much. He even spent money and effort to help him search for immortal techniques, eventually gifting him a copy of the "Changchun Gathering Qi Technique" and a copy of the "Spiritual Power Flicking Technique".

After all, befriending a future immortal master is a wise move no matter what.

Although Chen Changqing's parents were extremely reluctant, they ultimately supported him through tears. His siblings were there to take care of him, so he didn't need to worry too much.

Fang Qingxue, however, was deeply in love and could not extricate herself from it.

When Chen Changqing entered the Immortal Sect, she begged her father to send two innate masters, Lao Liu and A Ping, to accompany and protect him on the way.

"Excellent! 'Dream Plaza' is the second to wake up, showing exceptional willpower."

On the high platform, several immortal masters were giving their private comments.

Dream Plaza is the final stage of the entrance examination for Flowing Cloud Valley, testing one's mindset and willpower.

"Chen Changqing, with a mid-grade spiritual root, was the second to awaken in 'Dream Square,' so he can be considered a small immortal seedling."

"Huh? Level 1 Qi Refining, but bone age over 20?"

"What a pity..."

Many slightly regretful sounds came from nearby.

Even though I was the second one to wake up, why do people seem to be... feeling sorry for me?

Is it possible that one cannot join a cultivation sect after the age of twenty?

Chen Changqing's heart skipped a beat; he had a bad feeling.

As time passed, the talented young men in the illusion gradually awoke. Some of them noticed Chen Changqing, who had woken up earlier, and asked with slight surprise, "Chen Changqing, when did you wake up?"

"I'm no different from you, I just woke up."

Chen Changqing loosened the wrinkles in his clothes and looked at the two men and one woman in front of him.

They were all seedlings brought from Chenghua Avenue, and met along the way.

Yu Nianqiu possesses a mid-grade spiritual root and comes from a scholarly family.

At only fifteen or sixteen years old, she had already grown into a graceful and elegant young woman with a beautiful figure and a pair of bright, intelligent eyes. She was definitely a beauty in the making.

Wang Feng, a pseudo-spiritual root, is the illegitimate son of the Marquis of Weifeng.

At sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed smartly, with bright eyes and prominent eyebrows, he had the highest cultivation level among those present, reaching the third level of Qi Refining.

At this moment, Wang Feng looked sullen, showing no joy whatsoever.

Li Erniu, a pseudo-spiritual root, comes from a farming family.

He was dressed in short linen clothes, thin, with dark skin, and looked slightly flustered and timid, not daring to get close to Yu Nianqiu and Wang Feng.

"Brother Chen, this ghostly illusion is terrifying! If I hadn't suddenly remembered that the wheat at home was ripe and needed to be harvested, I'm afraid I would still be trapped in it, enjoying myself and forgetting who I am!"

Li Erniu patted his chest with lingering fear and instinctively moved closer to Chen Changqing.

Among this group of teenagers from diverse backgrounds, Chen Changqing's chivalrous background and calm demeanor made him feel the most at ease.

"Erniu, you possess spiritual roots. Once you embark on the path of cultivation, all the past events will become nothing but smoke and clouds."

Chen Changqing looked at the humble and somewhat timid Li Erniu and gently patted his shoulder.

"Um."

Li Erniu nodded heavily.

At this moment, Wang Feng paced back and forth, looking irritated, and couldn't help but ask, "Chen Changqing, what number were you when you woke up in this 'Dream Plaza'?"

Chen Changqing glanced at Wang Feng, seemingly lost in thought.

Just now, in the third level, "Dream Square," Wang Feng came in last among these people.

In terms of cultivation, Wang Feng was the highest among the three, having reached the third level of Qi Refining.

However, in the third test of mental state, Wang Feng performed the worst, even better than Li Erniu, who came from a farming background.

"It should be second place, if I remember correctly."

"Second place?"

Wang Feng's expression turned somewhat grim, as if he couldn't accept this setback. His overall performance in the first two rounds had clearly surpassed Chen Changqing's.

"I never imagined Brother Chen possessed such remarkable character! No wonder he's a young martial arts hero from the Jianghu! Congratulations!"

Yu Nianqiu was also surprised, her beautiful and lively eyes lingering on Chen Changqing for a long time.

On the way to the sect, Chen Changqing, as a martial arts expert, was experienced and easy-going, and became familiar with Yu Nianqiu.

As he was the oldest, the latter called him Brother Chen.

The relationship between the two was even slightly better than that between Wang Feng, who came from a noble family.

Hmph, it's a good thing I didn't get "first place". If I had gotten "first place", I could have ignored the results of the first two rounds and become an outer disciple of Liuyun Valley directly.

Thinking of this, Wang Feng, whose mood was getting worse, finally felt a little better.

"quiet!"

"I'm announcing the list of those who passed the assessment. Those whose names are called, please stand up!"

A steward from Liuyun Valley arrived on the wind, hovering in mid-air. His voice was not loud, but it clearly carried to every corner of the square.

Upon hearing this, the noisy square quickly quieted down, and everyone looked eagerly at the deacon.

Chen Changqing was no exception.

"Ye Tieshan... Yu Nianqiu... Qian Lei..."

The deacon read the list without expression, reciting more than fifty names in one breath.

The boy whose name was called wept with joy, his eyes sparkling with anticipation for the future.

"How come I'm not here... Did someone miss me?"

Wang Feng's lips trembled, and his face turned deathly pale. He considered himself a top-tier Qi Refining Level 3 cultivator at seventeen, and with his family having already made arrangements, this result was completely beyond his comprehension.

It wasn't just him.

Chen Changqing and Li Erniu's names were not on the list either.

"The rest of you, leave the mountain immediately."

The deacon's voice was as cold as iron. He waved his hand and led the selected immortal talents away without a trace of regret.

The remaining hundred or so teenagers, including Wang Feng and Li Erniu, all looked dejected and resentful.

Chen Changqing felt a little better because he had guessed before that he might not be old enough to enter the sect, but he was still confused.

Back in the mortal world, at the age of twenty-one, he was a master of innate cultivation, admired by thousands. How spirited and high-spirited he was!

"Brother Chen, does this mean we can no longer cultivate immortality?"

On the way down the mountain, Li Erniu had a long face, looking like his dreams had been shattered.

"It's alright. With spiritual roots, there's always a path to cultivation."

Chen Changqing offered words of comfort, his voice steady, yet a hint of melancholy remained.

In this world, it's not easy for independent cultivators to survive.

"Changqing, why...did you come down the mountain?"

As soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, Old Liu and A Ping, who had been waiting for a long time, came to greet them. The two men first smiled, but then immediately showed a sorrowful and sympathetic expression.

Because although they were sent to escort Chen Changqing, they were also carrying out other tasks assigned by Fang Qingxue—

That is, if Chen Changqing fails the sect's assessment, persuade him to return to the secular world and marry her.