Becoming a leader of the immortal path begins with sowing the seeds of inner demons.

Have you noticed that there seem to be fewer and fewer people around?

Lu Ming looked around and asked in confusion.

Along the way, the mountain path, wide enough for five or six people to walk side by side, had no forks. To the right were towering cliffs reaching into the clouds, and to the left were deep valleys shrouded in mist.

So far, he has only seen a handful of people.

There was no one ahead; perhaps they were moving quickly.

But Lu Ming found that no one was following behind him.

He and Zhou Jiangyuan were not walking very fast. When they went up the mountain, there were many other cultivators who had successfully registered following behind them.

But not long after that, there was no one behind him.

Zhou Jiangyuan also noticed the anomaly. He silently rolled up his sleeves, his eyes gleaming, and cautiously surveyed his surroundings. He whispered, "Perhaps this is the true test of the Jade Flower Sect."

"Testing endurance, huh?" Lu Ming muttered, and like Zhou Jiangyuan, tied up the cumbersome hem and sleeves of his skirt, clenching his fists slightly.

The two proceeded cautiously, but after walking for a long time, nothing unusual happened.

The fog in the mountains was even thicker, obscuring even the mountain roads in front and behind.

Lu Ming suddenly stopped, frowned at Zhou Jiangyuan, and said, "Did you hear that?"

"I heard you." Zhou Jiangyuan's expression was unusually serious, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"What did you hear?"

"Whispers, insect chirps, wind... they're all meaningless noises that give you a headache. What about you?"

"Same."

Having confirmed that it wasn't a hallucination, Lu Ming had a better understanding of the situation.

According to his guess, the examination of cultivation sects should test one's physical constitution, talent, and temperament.

These are the three most important things in spiritual practice. Regardless of the assessment method, they generally revolve around these three categories.

Unless the Jade Flower Sect has some special requirements.

He had already anticipated many possibilities for this.

The seemingly endless mountain path, the increasingly loud and tormenting noises, the mist that separated the cultivators in this unfamiliar environment and prevented them from finding a sense of security by sticking together, and...

Lu Ming closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then asked, "Can you still sense spiritual energy?"

Zhou Jiangyuan was taken aback, then quickly regained consciousness, his face darkened, and he shook his head.

She had just broken through to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining yesterday, and now she could only control the true Qi that she had previously stored in her Qi Sea and Yellow Court.

Upon seeing this, Lu Ming immediately understood the Jade Flower Sect's intention.

This is a comprehensive test for cultivators under extreme conditions.

No wonder so many people are eliminated in the Jade Flower Sect's selection process every year.

Those with weak mental fortitude have probably already been persuaded to leave...

High in the sky.

A nearly transparent man sat cross-legged in mid-air, with a book on his lap. The book contained a scene of Lu Ming and Zhou Jiangyuan talking.

Seeing that Zhou Jiangyuan relaxed after only a few words, the man murmured in confusion, "Another one who guessed it?"

"Junior brother, how are things going on your end?"

The middle-aged man quietly emerged from the void, glanced casually at the book, and clicked his tongue in amazement, saying, "Two pure Yang physiques? Our Jade Flower Sect has a promising future."

"Senior brother, shouldn't we change our entrance examination?" The man sitting cross-legged closed his book. "Now every cultivator knows that temperament is the most important thing. Our examination is not achieving its purpose at all."

I just saw two people pretending to be unable to hold on, climbing forward on the mountain path, shouting something like, "The road to enlightenment may be long, but my heart is stronger. Nothing can stop me from seeking the Way."

The sound was quite loud, as if they wanted me to notice.

I've figured it out now; they're planning to infiltrate the Jade Flower Sect, even if it's just for show.

As for what would happen after joining the sect, I hadn't even thought about it.

"I came here to talk to you about this," the middle-aged man said with a smile. "The last plan was approved. Get ready."

"You agreed?" The man holding the book was taken aback. "Didn't Third Senior Brother say he was worried about leaving a psychological scar that would affect his future cultivation?"

"After reading it, the eldest brother said that cultivating immortality is not about romantic moments or enjoying wealth and pleasure."

It's a good thing to let them know what the cultivation world is like in advance.

If you can't even handle this much, then going back to your hometown, acquiring some property, and living a peaceful life wouldn't be bad either.

"It should have been done a long time ago." The man holding the book slammed it shut. "Then I'll go now."

"Oh right, bring the Soul-Returning Pill with you. If your soul is scattered, you can bring it back in time."

"clear......"

the other side.

Lu Ming and Zhou Jiangyuan felt like they had been gone for more than three months.

On the road, there was no food or drink, constant noise in the ears, and the surrounding things remained unchanged, making one feel as if they were always standing still.

During this period, the two of them relied entirely on carefully managing their internal energy to maintain their vitality.

At first, they were in the mood to observe their surroundings and prepare for any possible tests.

They no longer have the energy to even think.

Lu Ming licked his chapped lips, his voice hoarse. His once-refined face was covered in dust, making him look like he had just escaped from a disaster.

He sat on the ground, his eyes glazed over, being dragged forward step by step by Zhou Jiangyuan, who pulled him by the back of his collar, leaving a long trail of muffled thuds as his body collided with the steps on the mountain path.

Zhou Jiangyuan's appearance was no better; his eyes were unfocused, he was covered in dust and dirt, and he looked even more disheveled than Lu Ming.

Even though she obtained a pure yang physique and supreme yang consciousness through reverse cultivation, it was still just refining qi, and she had already reached her limit.

Exhausted both physically and mentally, every step she took was purely instinctive.

"Okay, you take a break, it's my turn." Lu Ming patted Zhou Jiangyuan's calf weakly, stood up with a thud, and then Zhou Jiangyuan collapsed flat on the ground.

Lu Ming didn't react at all. In the past three months, they had tried all sorts of positions.

In the end, it was discovered that no posture was energy-saving; only by lying down on the spot the moment one let go could one barely conserve some energy.

Lu Ming bent down with difficulty, grabbed Zhou Jiangyuan's arm, and, amidst the familiar muffled thuds, slowly made his way into the thick fog.

After an unknown amount of time, just as Lu Ming was about to switch to someone else for a rest, he suddenly noticed something bright.

He blinked blankly and found himself standing in a vast square that seemed to stretch to the horizon.

All around him were men and women in similar sorry state. When they looked at each other, there was no mockery or ridicule, only a shared sense of sorrow and sympathy.

The trench assessment is finally over!

Lu Ming couldn't help but curse, then collapsed to the ground with a thud.

All he wants now is to have a big meal, get a good night's sleep, and then ask which genius came up with this kind of test.

There are no extraordinary encounters or opportunities imbued with the charm of immortals, no thrilling challenges or adventures, and no ingenious choices that test one's wisdom.

Pure torture.

Is the Jade Flower Sect recruiting cultivators or laborers?!

Just then, a torrential downpour began.

The moment he got wet, Lu Ming was surprised to find that his physical and mental fatigue was rapidly subsiding.

In just a few breaths, he returned to the state he was in before going up the mountain.

"Welcome to the Jade Flower Sect." A clear male voice suddenly rang out from the sky. "The sect entrance examination is now beginning. Please prepare yourselves."

So it was the sect entrance exam, huh? No wonder they had to reinstate it... Wait a minute?!

Is the entrance examination for sectarianship beginning now?

What was that just now?!

Lu Ming suddenly looked up, trying to find the person who had spoken.

But in the clear sky, without a single cloud, there wasn't even a bird in sight.

"What he just said was... the sect entrance assessment is starting now?" Zhou Jiangyuan, who had recovered, looked almost dazed.

Lu Ming nodded, but out of the corner of his eye he suddenly noticed the equally bewildered cultivator beside him and felt something was amiss.

He subconsciously looked into the distance and discovered that the square, which could hold nearly 10,000 people, was already half full.

So many people?

Lu Ming was taken aback.

Is it because the assessment standards are different?

Or perhaps he encountered a time of great strife, a period during which the seeds of cultivation flourished?

Just as he was wondering what was going on, his vision suddenly blurred, and when his vision returned, he was back on the familiar mountain path.

Are you coming again?!

Lu Ming scratched his head in frustration and turned to ask, "This time we... who are you?!"

"My name is Xu Ran." The young man, recovering from the changes around him, bowed to Lu Ming and said, "Greetings, young lady."

It seems I'll be traveling with the girl from now on.

"..."