The thing that truly shocked the five peak masters was not the fact that Xiao Tian Wen had endured the Seven Po illusion.
It was the fact that he can actually produce such a high grade spiritual Daoist spell.
As Peak Core Formation Realm, all five of them could sense the sort of energy the spell carried along; it's might had surpassed even the full strength of a 5th Qi Condensation cultivator!
For a mere mortal to chant a spell of the strength of a 5th Qi Condensation cultivator without prior cultivation made them to lament.
Furthermore, their shock came from the fact that Xiao Tian Wen had dared to launch a spell to Liu Mei with such resolute decisiveness despite his age!
One had to understand that Xiao Tian Wen was but a mere 10 year old mortal.
However, Liu Mei was a Peak Core Formation expert, the peak master of Desolate Ice Peak! To mere mortals, he was what they would define as immortals!
Yet, Xiao Tian Wen's spell had the intention of turning Liu Mei into a pile of ash.
"Why did you strike at me?" Liu Mei's gaze was icy as always as she looked at Xiao Tian Wen and asked grimly.
By now, Xiao Tian Wen had realized that he had fallen into an illusion and everything he had experienced was merely his hallucinations.
Lowering his head, he replied, "I mistook you as the one who had struck at me so i attacked in self-defense."
The five peak masters had expected that answer.
However, that answer was also troubling at the same time.
This was a boy that couldn't be tamed. Be it whether the other party was an immortal or had anyone strong backing him, as long as this boy was offended, he would kill the other party!
To them, Xiao Tian Wen was like a double edged sword. Resolute and sharp, not only could he kill, he could injure them as well.
It was hard to tell if it would be a fortune or disaster accepting someone like this into the sect.
However, Xiao Tian Wen had an extremely rare mental fortitude such that he was even able to endure through the tribulations of the Seven Po Illusion. It would be difficult for Heavenly Mist Sect to give up on such a rare talent.
Furthermore, Xiao Tian Wen had already passed all two tests of the sect.
Exchanging glances, all five peak masters could not arrive at a decision.
Normally, Dao Spell Peak's master, Fa Wang, would definitely be the first to accept someone as such. Yet, he was keeping silent at the moment.
Contemplating silently, Fa Wang retrieved a spiritual root testing stone from his storage bag and handed it to Xiao Tian Wen. "Test your spirit root again."
Xiao Tian Wen held the spirit testing stone tightly.
All five elemental colors shone brightly on the stone.
All five peak masters nodded their heads in agreement.
Five Elemental phases of the heavenly grade spiritual root. That's right.
Before that thought passed them, the spirit testing stone turned into ash and scattered from Xiao Tian Wen's fingertips.
Everyone was stunned.
What had just happened?
Even though all five peak masters were Peak Core Formation experts, they had never seen anyone who could turn a spiritual root testing stone into ash for a mere test.
It was weird.
Suddenly, a drunk but relaxed voice boomed from the crowd.
"Fellow Daoist since you don't know what to do with him, how about letting this old man handle him?"
A disheveled old man wearing beggar's clothes said while smiling at the 5 peak master.
"How about it boy, you want to study under this poor old man?"
This voice ended, while everyone was stunned. Though many people didn't know who the tattered old man exactly was, they knew that he must be a powerful man from the sect. And now he asked to accept Xiao Tian Wen as a disciple. That meant that he gave Xao Tian Wen a big chance and let him join the Heavenly Mist Sect!
All the peak masters were shocked; they didn't think this boy could attract this old man's attention. Cang Lang frowned and said, "It's inappropriate, Elder Brother Dong Fang!"
"No, it isn't!" The old man smiled, "However, you know that my peak doesn't have too many disciples. Now i need an inner court disciple to share the work of his elder brothers and sisters. So, fellow daoists, I hope you can make an exception in my favor."
"Urgh…"
The Peak Masters were still about to reject. However, a voice sounded in their ear, "Just say yes!"
Hearing this voice, the peak masters breathed a sigh of relief quietly. Peak Master Li Qing spoke for the first time and said with an overbearing imperial voice, "Since Elder Brother Dong Fang has asked, and then you can take this guy away! However, I need to warn you seriously. Since you take this guy with you, he now is counted as a disciple of our Heavenly Mist Sect. Hence, he must obey our sect's rule, especially the rule of not killing within the sect. If he is caught, he will be killed no exceptions!"
"Of course! Thank you, Younger Brother Li!" The old man replied. He waved to Xiao Tian Wen and said, "Little lad, you should say thank you to Peak Master Li Qing!"
Xiao Tian Wen was pondering who this old man was! Coming to his sense, he made obeisance to all the peak masters by cupping his hands in the other and said, "Thank you very much!"
The five peak masters merely threw a glance at him while accepting the courtesy.
"Now then, come with me!"
Looking at Xiao Tian Wen who followed old man and went far away, other people showed different expressions. Some were envious of him; some looked down upon him; some were indignant. However, nobody dared say a word.
The Haughty Boy was especially angry. He ground his teeth and said secretly, "What luck! How come he can join the Heavenly Mist Sect in such a way! Well, it may be a good thing to some extent! After all, we're now both in the sect, and it'll be much easier to deal with you!"
Cang Lang coughed slightly to draw everyone's attention, "Alright! Now the recruitment of our sect has ended. We will choose who goes to which peak from the seven of you!"
Xiao Tian Wen wasn't in the mood for caring about the result since he experienced that 99 Lives of Samsara illusion.
He seemed to be in a sleepwalk status, following that old man and winding through the sect. He was grinding through his thoughts so much that he did not notice that there were several spiritual seals which sank into the ground when the old man beside him swung the arms while drinking, and this made his every step cover a distance of almost tens of meters.
Even so, they walked for about an hour, and the old man finally stopped. He looked at the small mountain before him which was in a height of three hundred meters around and smiled, "Boy, this is the sixth peak in the Heavenly Mist Sect. It's our zone!"
The Sixth Peak of the Heavenly Mist Sect!
Hearing this, Xiao Tian Wen was shocked. He turned around and found that there were five peaks behind him. The old man had already led him to go through the five main peaks.
However, he had never thought that there was still a small peak behind the Five Peaks of the Heavenly Mist Sect. Actually, it was more proper to call it a mountain rather than a peak. It was totally shaded by the five peaks. He couldn't help murmuring, "I have never known that the Heavenly Mist Sect has six peaks. And the sixth peak hides behind the Five Peaks!"
"You're exactly right!" The old man's eyes became shiny, "This Mountain is called the Hidden Mist Peak. You just hit the point! It seems that you are really the destined one! Oh, I forgot to ask your name first."
Jiang Yun was stunned for being praised. A short time later, he answered, "I am Xiao Tian Wen!"
The young man nodded, "I'm Dong Fang Bo, the peak master of the Hidden Peak Master but you can call me Old Master Bo. And I call you the little Tian Wen. Let's go. We should go up the mountain first and then we can talk as much you want!"
After that, Old Master Bo went with up while Xiao Tian Wen followed behind. They went up the Sixth Peak of the Heavenly Mist Sect, the Hidden Mist Peak!
Compared to the other five peaks, the Hidden Mist Peak was smaller. But its scenery was pretty beautiful.
The whole mountain range was filled with green grass and trees. While there were several cottages beside each clump of trees; a brook meandered; a waterfall dropped from the peak, channeling a small lake at its foot.
Apparently, Old Master Bo was quite talkative. He kept introducing the Heavenly Mist Sect generally to Xiao Tian Wen when they walked to the mountaintop.
"The Dao is as boundless as myriad worlds. The Heavenly Mist Sect practices five kinds of cultivation methods, each divided into five peaks in accordance to their inheritances. It's more proper to say that leaving our Hidden Mist Peak out; the other five peaks have their most adept cultivation arts.
What Old Master Bo had said was interesting to Xiao Tian Wen. He listened carefully and bore these in mind. And after Old Master Bo finished speaking, he couldn't wait to ask, "Then what kind of cultivation method does the Hidden Peak do best?"
However, Old Master Bo wasn't about to answer. He smiled mysteriously, "You should find it by yourself!"
Xiao Tian Wen sighed helplessly as he simply listened.
Old Master Bo kept saying, "Though there is a Spiritual Energy Vein underground which makes our sect full of Spiritual Energy, different terrains have different degrees of Spiritual Energy. To sum up, the higher the terrain is, the stronger the Spiritual Energy are.
"And according to one of the sect's rules, nominal disciples can only live at the mountain foot where the Spiritual Energy is thinnest; outer court disciples can live in the mountainside; only the inner court disciples are allowed to live above the mountainside!
"It's extremely difficult to become an inner disciple. The basic requirement is to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm; but if you're talented enough, like the white blouse girl who has a variant spiritual root, you will be accepted as an inner disciple directly; and another way is the Five Peak Sect Competitions which are held every five years."
Xiao Tian Wen asked while mumbling, "Five Peak Sect competitions?"
"Yes, fight between disciples from different peaks for a chance to be inner court disciples!" Old Master Bo nodded with no more explanation, "The competition is very ruthless and there is a risk to lose lives. Only the best can win!"
"In a word, the amount of disciples in our Heavenly Mist Sect is over ten thousand, and the number of outer court disciples is about one thousand like those young cultivators who went to recruit you from different locations, while the inner court disciples are only tens."
Jiang Yun was shocked. He had never imagined that the amount of the Heavenly Mist Sect was so large and that the requirements to become an inner court disciple were so strict.
"However, don't worry, little lad. Our Hidden Mist Peak doesn't have such a rule. You can choose anywhere you like to live in the whole Hidden Mist Peak and cultivate in peace."
"Thank you very much Old Master Bo!" Jiang Yun asked another question, "Old Master Bo, then may I know how many people are there in the Hidden Mist Peak?"
"Um, there are about five people including you!" Suddenly, Old Master Bo clapped his forehead heavily and said, "Oh, I almost forgot one thing. Since you have joined our sect, you should get some rewards. Alright, I will go to take them for you. Now you can just hang out here. And there is a small cottage near the mountaintop. You can live there if you want!"