Chapter 1: When the father suffers humiliation, the son must avenge him

  "Alright, this time's Tiantianmen has come to an end. Those who didn't pass, please wait for a moment here and stay in the valley for half a month. After half a month, someone will send you back." The old man finished speaking and left with a flick of his sleeve, under the envious gazes of the young men, Ji Yuedan and four others followed him out of the mountain valley.

  "Ji Yue Wu is indeed a natural spiritual root, and judging from Hu Chang Lao's expression, the quality of her spiritual root is also very good. She will definitely become a fairy-like figure in the future."

  "Who would have thought that the young master of the Sun family, who usually keeps a low profile, actually possesses spiritual roots? Once he returns to his clan, it's likely that their lineage will flourish immediately. It wouldn't be surprising if they even become the main branch."

  "And then there's Xiao Lin from the Xiao family, who originally didn't have any talent for cultivation like us, but he was lucky and had a treasure that caught the eye of Old Man Hu."

  Many young people discussed it enthusiastically, and their words were full of admiration and jealousy.

  "The temple grounds are not a place for idle chatter, or you will be immediately expelled from the mountain gate." A cultivator from Luoyun Valley shouted sternly, instantly frightening all the young men into silence. The cultivator nodded in satisfaction and smiled to himself before shouting: "Form a line and follow me to Fansian Villa to stay temporarily for half a month. Although you don't have spiritual roots, the spiritual energy within the mountain gate is dense, and even though you can't embark on the path of immortality, absorbing some of it will still be extremely beneficial to you..."

  Xiao Chen's mind was in a mess and he didn't take in half of what the leading disciple said. When he came back to his senses, it was already midnight.

  Lying on the narrow stone bed, although feeling exhausted, he couldn't fall asleep. In a daze, sometimes he saw himself returning to the Xiao family, where he and his father suffered humiliation, seeing his father's extremely disappointed eyes. Sometimes he saw himself becoming an all-powerful immortal master, stepping on a divine sword and roaming freely in the nine heavens.

  The next day, the sky was bright and cloudy, Xiao Chen was awakened by the noise outside the door, stunned for a while, then hurriedly washed his face with cold water and went out. He saw that the empty space in front of the stone house was already crowded with young people from various families who had failed yesterday's test, and standing among them was none other than Hu Changlao, who was in charge of the assessment yesterday!

  Seeing this scene, Xiao Chen's heart skipped a beat for no reason, had something changed again?

  "Hu Zhanglao, the young man you brought yesterday is here. What can we do for you?" said a middle-aged man in ordinary green clothes with a slightly flattering tone.

  "Hmm." Old Man Hu nodded slightly, his half-closed eyes scanning the group of young men before speaking in a soft tone: "I've gathered you all today because Lianyun Valley is lacking some outer sect disciples. If any of you are willing to stay, follow me and participate in a test; if you pass, you can remain here."

  "Outer sect disciples may not be as good as true transmission disciples, but they are also considered people of Luoyun Valley. They can obtain a part of the cultivation method, and as long as they complete their work on ordinary days, they can focus on cultivating. If they are diligent enough and have some opportunities, it is not impossible to set foot on the path of immortality."

  As soon as Old Hu's voice fell, the young men were instantly excited. Even if they couldn't cultivate immortality in this life, becoming an outer sect disciple was enough to make them shine and become a respected immortal master.

  Xiao Chen was even more excited, his whole body trembling. This would be his last chance, and he couldn't afford to miss it no matter what.

  "Alright, since it's like this, you all come with me then."

  Seeing the excitement of the young people, Old Hu nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.

  The Winding Brook of Inquiring the Tao, located in Luoyun Valley, is also a place with a certain reputation. It is said that it was built by the founder of the sect, Luoyun Zhenren, who had reached the Yuanying period and possessed great magical powers. He used his abilities to set up an array and forcibly bring down ice water from the top of the mountain, washing it down from top to bottom, specifically for testing the hearts of disciples towards the Tao. Although Luoyun Valley has gradually declined, with no other Yuanying period cultivators appearing except for the founder, in this generation, only one person within the sect has reached the middle stage of Jindan, but this extremely symbolic Winding Brook of Inquiring the Tao is still well-preserved.

  The assessment test for this outer door disciple is being held here today.

  Old Hu stopped in his tracks, and about a dozen zhang ahead, a steep slope appeared before the crowd. On this slope, a canal that was several zhang long and about half the height of an adult was embedded into it as if by force. The clear water flowed down from above with a gurgling sound, and although they were quite far away, the cold air contained in the water still made all the young people shiver involuntarily.

  Old Hu's face was expressionless as he pointed to the water ditch, saying: "Those who can climb to the top within two hours can become an outer disciple of our sect."

  This slope stands in mid-air, without any support, and there is no sign of where the water comes from. However, these young people knew that they were now in the fairy cave, so they were not too surprised. Moreover, seeing that the waterway was steep but only about 200 meters long, they also had some confidence in their hearts.

  When old Hu gave the order to start, they let out a loud whoop and charged forward wildly.

  Xiao Chen was born with a weak physique and started at the back of the pack.

  As soon as they entered the waterway, the current was not too rapid, and although the water temperature was low, it was still within a tolerable range. Some young men with excellent physical fitness who had practiced martial arts could swim against the current and rush out more than 50 meters away in the blink of an eye. However, once they exceeded a certain limit, the speed of the current suddenly increased by more than double, and the water temperature dropped below freezing point. In the rushing water, there were even small ice floes mixed in! Although these ice floes were fragile, under the rapid flow of water, they became like sharp little knives, and if one was not careful, they would be cut off with a narrow and long wound!

  So, the journey that was still relatively easy for the young people suddenly became difficult.

  Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!

  Taking big breaths, Xiao Chen felt his lungs were filled with a scorching hot sensation, dense beads of sweat rolled down and flowed into his eyes, bringing a wave of scorching heat. But soon after being washed away by the icy water flow, he regained some clarity.

  The speed became slower and slower, from the original step by step climb to a little bit of movement upwards, finally becoming a slow and laborious progress. Xiao Chen's entire body was submerged in the water, his body trying its best to crawl downwards to reduce the force of the rushing water, while both hands and feet worked together to grab onto the jagged rocks at the bottom of the river and pull himself up. The clothes on his knees and elbows were quickly worn out, and the skin underneath, under the dual friction of the ice and the strange rocks, rapidly appeared with streaks of blood, finally becoming covered in fresh blood, only to be quickly washed away by the flowing water!

  This two-hundred-meter-long waterway, for these young men, was like ascending to heaven. Each person was striving forward with all their might. The wounds on their bodies gradually became more dense, and as they flowed down the waterway, it actually dyed the water a deep crimson color.

  In the distance, this river of inquiry seems more like a blood-filled river filled with evil spirits. The young people in it are like fish swimming against the current, exuding a tragic and heroic atmosphere!

  In the valley below the Winding Stream, a dozen or so cultivators from the Luoyun Valley Sect gazed at this scene, their faces involuntarily revealing complex expressions.

  "Half an hour left!"

  The monk in charge of timing at the foot of the slope shouted loudly, and under the blessing of Zhenyuan, the rolling sound waves were enough to spread throughout the small mountain. At this moment, several young men with the best physical quality were not far from the finish line. But the water flow was obviously more turbulent, and the ice floes mixed in it had become blocks of crushed ice.

  A young man is crawling on the gravel at the bottom of the ditch with his head down, despite countless wounds on his hands, but he has a firm expression and no intention of giving up.

  "Boom!"

  But at this moment, a piece of ice suddenly smashed onto his forehead, and the boy's head was instantly covered in blood, his figure being swept away by the rushing water.

  Whoosh!

  The monk of Luoyun Valley, who was responsible for the safety of the young people, quickly reached out and pulled him out of the water ditch, and quickly fell to the slope below.

  Old Hu looked at him expressionlessly and said lightly: "Treat his injuries, and after this matter is over, send him back home."

  That young man's head was bleeding profusely, but upon hearing the words, he weakly shouted: "Master! Give me another chance, let me try again. I was just a little short of succeeding earlier."

  "Really, I was just one step away! Master Xian, why didn't you give me another chance? Why!" The young man's spirit collapsed and he burst into loud wailing.

  Old Hu's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he shouted, "The path of cultivating the truth is not just about having talent, but also about having opportunities! The ice block that knocked you down earlier was a sign that your opportunity is not good and you are not destined for the great way. Don't force it, take him away!"

  The monk of Naluoyun Valley heard this and respectfully saluted. Immediately, a flash of light appeared on his body, and he quickly flew away with the young man in his arms.

  At the same time, in the Taoist temple, countless young people suddenly felt a sense of despair.

  "Oh no, I'm running out of time!"

  "It took us half a watch to crawl halfway up, and the water flow is getting faster and the temperature is getting lower as we go higher, we have no hope!"

  "Whatever, I'm not climbing anymore, I'm exhausted!"

  One by one, the young men looked on in despair, and suddenly wailed in unison. They used all their might to grasp the rocks beneath them, fixing their bodies in the waterway, with expressions of hopelessness and desperation etched on their faces.

  But this sound reached Xiao Chen's ears, but he didn't hear it. At this moment, his spirit had long been blurred, and now he could still move, completely relying on a stubborn will to support his body. So when all the boys around him gave up, he was still moving up little by little.

  His palms, elbows and knees were all bruised and battered, his face, arms and chest covered in cuts from the icy slashes. The fast-flowing ice-cold water, the pain that covered his entire body, the desperate cries of the young men, but none of this could enter Xiao Chen's ears.

  At this moment, he had only one conviction in his heart: advance! Advance! Keep advancing!

  Nothing can stop his footsteps! He must succeed and make his parents proud, so they will never be looked down upon again!

  Success, he just needs success!