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

  "Hey! You fool, we've already failed the assessment, why are you still insisting on continuing?"

  "Brother, stop and rest for a while, don't struggle in vain anymore."

  "If you don't stop now, your hands and feet will be crippled, and you might even lose your life!"

  As time passed, people began to notice the anomaly beside them. At first, they had a cold, mocking smile on their faces, but as they watched Xiao Chen struggle and slowly surpass one person after another, these young men who had fallen into the icy waters and refused to continue, couldn't help but look at him with a few points of admiration in their eyes.

  But as for their greetings, Xiao Chen seemed to be completely unaware, still lowering his head, expressionless, and slowly moving forward.

  "Oh! I've reached the top, I succeeded!" At this moment, a sudden shout of excitement came from the finish line. A robust young man who was participating in the test had already climbed to the top and stood up from the icy waterway. Although his body was covered with wounds and his face turned purple due to the cold, he still wore an expression full of pride and triumph!

  At this moment, Xiao Chen had just passed the middle of the mountain, and the water flow became even more turbulent, the temperature lower, and the wounds cut by the ice shards were getting more and more. His speed had slowed down to the extreme, but he never had any intention of retreating, like a small boat struggling in the vast ocean, although it might be destroyed at any time, it could always hold on tenaciously!

  After a while, every now and then, the top of the mountain would come with a shocking roar. They were all sent by various families to test the physical quality of the young people or those with certain skills. Although this question caused great harm to them, it still couldn't stop them from climbing to the top!

  At this moment, Xiao Chen compared to them, is more like the unremarkable little mudskipper in the black mud, although struggling to roll over, still weak and disheveled.

  But before he knew it, he had already attracted enough attention. Whether it was the young man who fell halfway or the one who had long since climbed to the top of the mountain, there were a few admiring glances in their eyes.

  "Time's up!" The monk from Luoyun Valley, who was in charge of keeping time at the foot of the mountain, let out a quiet sigh and shouted loudly.

  "It's finally over!"

  "It's a pity, he tried so hard, but ultimately still couldn't succeed."

  "I had long told him it was a waste of effort, but he refused to listen, and in the end didn't he end up with the same outcome as us?"

  "He's the most tenacious guy I've ever met. Even if he doesn't become a outer door disciple of Luoyun Valley this time, he'll definitely be a top figure in the future."

  When the sound of the test ending came from the foot of the mountain, whether it was the successful ones at the end or the boys who fell halfway, they all let out a sigh of relief and felt a little regret. Looking at those boys who were still struggling to move forward, they really wanted to know if he could crawl to the finish line if given enough time.

  But time has come, and everything will eventually end.

  "You go and bring them down, those who pass the test will be assigned tasks by the gatekeeper, and those who don't will be sent back to their original place. When the time comes, send them down the mountain." Old Hu's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, with a hint of impatience in his eyes. His current cultivation had already reached the peak of the early foundation stage, and he was preparing to seize the opportunity to break through the bottleneck, where did he have so much time to waste on these young people?

  "Yes!" Behind Old Man Hu, a dozen or so cultivators stepped on flying swords and flew out, one by one, to pick everyone up. Soon, the entire Winding Stream was left with only one figure still slowly moving forward.

  "Master Shu, what should we do now?" A cultivator from Luoyun Valley descended and asked hesitantly, looking at the still-moving young man.

  "Hmph! Do I need to ask? The test is already over, do you think I'd still waste my time here?! Hurry up and get him down, treat his injuries, or else he'll really become a cripple. It's also a hassle either way." Hu Chang Lao's eyebrows were furrowed in annoyance as he spoke with a wave of his hand.

  "Yes." The young man did not dare disobey, turned over and stepped onto the flying sword, about to fly upwards.

  "Wait!" Just then, a faint laugh seemed to come from afar. However, the laughter sounded extremely distant at first, but in an instant, it seemed to be right next to my ear.

  A green rainbow flashed across the sky, and in an instant, they arrived at the slope of Wenda Brook. As the light dissipated, Hu Changlao saw clearly the face of the person inside, and he was immediately startled, then respectfully said: "Fifth Master Brother, how did you come?"

  Luo Yungu, the fifth disciple of the Gatekeeper, with the Buddhist name Yaodaozi, has a high status in the entire sect as a third-grade alchemy master. Therefore, although both are foundation-building cultivators, Hu Lao is respectful and courteous, with a hint of flattery.

  "Master!" More than a dozen disciples of Luoyun Valley bowed in unison and respectfully shouted.

  Yao Daozi smiled and waved his hand, saying: "This little guy is very interesting, and his temperament is quite stubborn. I'd like to see if he can reach the end in the end."

  "Alright, since Shixiong wants to see it, let him continue then." Hu Changlao accompanied with a smile, the person in front of him had already reached the Great Perfection of Building Foundation realm, and condensing the Golden Elixir was also highly possible. Moreover, Yaodaozi was extremely skilled at refining elixirs, and within the sect, he was an existence that transcended status. How could a small elder like him dare to interfere?

  So, a rather strange scene appeared on the riverbank of the Taoist temple, where dozens of people led by two foundation-laying monks lifted their necks and looked at the young man in the icy water, slowly moving up bit by bit.

  As time went on, Xiao Chen's movements became slower and slower. By the last stretch of distance, there was not a single unscathed spot left on his entire body. His wounds had become pale and swollen due to blood loss and soaking in icy water.

  Down the slope, Yao Daozi's eyes showed a few points of appreciation, but his divine consciousness had carefully scanned the young man several times, and he could only sigh secretly. This child's character was tough and unafraid of hardship, which was a rare treasure on the path of cultivating immortality, but unfortunately, there wasn't even half a bit of spiritual root in him, which was truly a pity.

  Three hours later, as daylight gradually faded, what stood in front of Xiao Chen was only the last step!

  Finally, a bloody hand stretched out to the end point, grasped a protruding rock, and slowly exerted force. In everyone's shocked gaze, that young man who had already shocked their nerves countless times actually slowly stood up. Although he was swaying unsteadily, as if a gust of mountain wind could blow him away, yet everyone's eyes looking at him had become exceptionally solemn.

  Xiao Chen forced himself to open his eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching, and his body suddenly fell backwards! Being able to hold on until now had already exceeded his physical limits, relying solely on that unyielding will. At this moment, upon reaching the end point, that will dissipated, and the strength sustaining his body also vanished instantly.

  A gentle force held his body up, and before he knew it, Yao Dongzi was already behind him, frowning as he looked at the young man whose mouth still had a hint of a smile.

  "Your temperament is excellent, but unfortunately you don't have a spiritual root! Never mind, since we've met it's already a fate, I'll keep you by my side. As for the future, it depends on your own luck."

  "Hu Shidi, this child will follow me as a nominal disciple from now on. You can send his identity jade card to my residence later." The Medicine Daozi finished speaking and flashed away with a burst of light, instantly disappearing into the envious gazes of all the young men, taking Xiao Chen with him.

  。。。。。

  Lingyao Valley, in the entire Luoyun Sect, has a pivotal position. The master of this place, Yao Daozi, not only has his cultivation reach the Great Perfection of Building Foundation, with hopes of breaking through to the Congenital Realm, but is also a third-grade alchemy grandmaster, with an extraordinary status within the sect.

  The valley was several thousand feet in size, and except for the courtyards, there were countless precious spiritual medicines planted everywhere. The thick fragrance of the medicine made people's hearts tremble when they smelled it. In this mountain valley, there were more than a dozen simple stone houses, one of which had a young man frowning and lying on his bed.

  "What's going on? Did I pass the test or what?" Xiao Chen opened his eyes and cautiously observed his surroundings.

  The room is not big, but it's quite clean. There is a sunbeam slanting in from the window and shining on a green plant of unknown name on the windowsill.

  Xiao Chen furrowed his brow, he only remembered that he had been slowly moving in the winding ditch, as for what happened later, he didn't know, it seemed like he fainted and when he woke up, he was here.

  So did it pass the test?

  Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open from outside and a figure stepped in.

  Arched eyebrows, a delicate nose and cherry lips, a pretty face without the need for powder or cosmetics, exuding an air of nobility that comes naturally, with skin as white and smooth as jade, and three thousand strands of black hair falling from her waist, revealing an aura of elegance.

  Kimiari Mai, it was actually her!

  Xiao Chen had already woken up, and Ji Yuewu was slightly stunned. She calmly said, "Master's orders are to have you drink this bowl of medicine after waking up, then go find him in Yao Valley." After speaking, she put down the bowl of medicine in her hand and turned around to leave.

  From head to toe, his eyes never stayed on Xiao Chen for a moment.

  Xiao Chen was not aware of Ji Yuewu's coldness, and even if he felt it, he wouldn't take it to heart. After all, the other party was a proud son of heaven with an excellent spiritual root, so it was natural for him to be a bit arrogant. What made him anxious at this moment was his future fate. Although from various signs, it seemed that he had already passed the assessment, otherwise how could he have been assigned to work with Duan Yao, a direct disciple of Luoyun Valley? However, before confirmation, he still felt somewhat uneasy in his heart.

  After taking the medicine, he stretched his body and walked out of the door. The bright sunlight made him squint slightly, and as he walked, he found that his body seemed to have become much stronger, with an endless supply of energy throughout. He thought to himself for a moment, then thought that this was indeed the power of the immortal family, so he wasn't too surprised after all!

  Passing through the courtyard, under the envious gaze of many disciples in charge of managing the outer sect's herbs, Xiao Chen nervously walked towards the outside. Seeing that person not far away, Xiao Chen hesitated for a moment before kneeling down on the ground, "Mortal Xiao Chen, pays respects to Master Xian, thank you Master Xian for saving my life again!" Although he was unconscious at the time, his physical injuries were still vivid in his memory, and now that his body was fine, it wasn't hard to guess that it was Master Xian's doing.

  Yao Daozi turned his head, at this moment he was carrying a ordinary medicine basket on his back, with some mud still stuck to his hands, and a warm smile all over his face, without any difference from an ordinary old man picking herbs in the mortal world.

  But Xiao Chen did not dare have a slight disrespect, and knelt down on the ground with reverence.

  "Heh heh, get up, little guy. I'll consider this kneel as your courtesy call to me as your master. This is your identity jade card, from now on you're one of my registered disciples." Handing the jade card over to him, Yao Daozi looked at Xiao Chen, still unable to help feeling a bit regretful in his heart. This child had an excellent temperament, but unfortunately was born without a spiritual root, otherwise he would have been an ideal candidate to inherit his mantle.

  Moreover, if he hadn't taken a liking to him, with his pride, how would he have personally come out to accept an ordinary child without spiritual roots.