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The path through Qingyun must eventually be reached, the evening sun towering towards the Ninefold.
Even if fierce winds rise from the ground, I too will ride the winds and break ten thousand miles.
Ninefold Mountain Range, beneath Qingyun Ridge.
The Spirit Testing Stele emitted a faint multicolored mist, among which the blue light was the strongest, with the rest being similar.
"Five Spirit Roots with wood as the main, Root Value wood five, the remaining four, relatively low."
Next to the Spirit Testing Stele, Hong Tao, a steward of the Heavenly Interence Sect with a stern face, pinched the last wooden token, frowning as he scanned the young girl before him.
Her face was filthy and thin like a stick, sparse yellow hair clung wetly to her forehead, hands covered in fresh blood, knees broken, and she had only one straw sandal left on her feet.
Unlike others who were brought by family members, she climbed the immense Ninefold Mountain Range herself. Though in a sorry state, her jet-black eyes were as bright as stars, staring fixedly at the wooden token in Hong Tao's hand that could decide her future fate.
"How many are left?"
"Reporting to senior brother, this is the last one, today exactly three hundred and sixty-five people."
Upon hearing this, Hong Tao tossed the wooden token in front of the young girl, and she quickly grabbed it with both hands, but he did not let go.
"Among this batch, there are many with Five Spirit Roots as well, but your Spirit Root Value is the worst. Even if you enter, you can only become a servant disciple, possibly unable to reach Foundation Establishment in your lifetime, understand?"
Six-year-old Jiang Yuebai had never even seen an Immortal before, let alone understood what poor aptitude, servant disciple, and inability to reach Foundation Establishment meant.
All she knew was that once she entered the Immortal Sect, she wouldn't have to go hungry and cold again, she could fly to the sky, and that wicked woman with red flowers could never have her dragged back to the brothel.
She nodded hastily, clutching the wooden token tightly as if holding onto a lifeline.
Hong Tao let go, and Jiang Yuebai fell on her butt on the ground, causing the group of children nearby to burst into laughter immediately.
Jiang Yuebai didn't feel embarrassed, she grinned widely, her eyes crescent-shaped like the moon, exceptionally charming.
"Go stand over there."
Jiang Yuebai got up and stood next to the group of children, noticing that the well-dressed, fair-skinned, and pretty boy next to her was taller, she quickly straightened her spine and tiptoed, like a lively young seedling.
The boy glared at her and stood straighter, secretly competing.
The gentle breeze blew, the bamboo leaves rustled, and on the Ascension Stairs, the Immortal mist was ethereal, like a dream.
Hong Tao led a dozen disciples dressed in white to stand before the Ascension Stairs, scanning the young faces bathed in the dusk light, full of vigor.
"The Spirit Root is the key to the Immortal Sect, but what decides whether you can step onto the Qingyun Immortal Path is your heart and perseverance, especially perseverance. This is the Ascension Stairs, also known as the Wenxing Road."
"Before sunset, those who reach the ninety-ninth step enter the Inner Sect, those who reach the sixty-sixth step enter the Outer Sect, the rest become servants."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Yuebai noticed all the children around her became nervous. She looked at the cloud-covered stairs with innocence, winding like a dragon through the bamboo forest, with no end in sight.
"It's just climbing stairs, what's so difficult about it."
The boy beside her rolled his eyes, "Fool!"
Jiang Yuebai frowned and tiptoed higher, immediately surpassing the boy by half a head, and pouted triumphantly.
The boy gritted his teeth, continuing to tiptoe in secret, competing still.
"The Ascension Stairs are opening, you all..."
"Wait!"
A Tunneling Light descended in front of the crowd, and for the second time, Jiang Yuebai saw a person controlling a sword flying like an immortal, her curious eyes widened.
It was an old man with white hair, exuding an immortal aura, holding the hand of a girl with an arrogant face.
As soon as she saw the girl's appearance, Jiang Yuebai's face turned pale, uncontrollably stepping back two steps.
Lin Suwan, the second daughter of the Lin Family in Yong'an City, the one who had servants sell her, which ultimately led to her ending up in the brothel.
As soon as the old man appeared, Hong Tao and other disciples of the Heavenly Interence Sect immediately cupped their hands and greeted, "Elder Lin."
Lin Xiangtian nodded in acknowledgment, pulling Lin Suwan to his side.
"I'm sorry for being late. This is a descendant of my Lin Family, our only junior with Three Spiritual Roots in three generations, I ask Manager Hong to add her name to the sect's register."
Hong Tao frowned, "Elder Lin, today we've already received three hundred and sixty-five people, a number set by the Supreme Elder, no more can be added."
Lin Xiangtian, unconcerned, said, "Then just exclude one. The Supreme Elder set the number of people to receive, not the specific individuals. What's the harm in exchanging a Three Spiritual Root for one with the poorest Four and Five Spirit Roots? Unless you want to leave the good and pick the bad on purpose?"
Lin Xiangtian scanned the children, and everyone felt their scalp tighten. Jiang Yuebai hurriedly covered her Token.
Hong Tao frowned, staring straight, but the junior brother behind him raised his hand to point at Jiang Yuebai.
"That child has Five Spirit Roots."
Before the words had even fallen, Hong Tao turned back to give a harsh glare, but it was already too late.
They were all the lowest-level Qi Cultivation Disciples; even though Lin Xiangtian wasn't considered a powerful figure within the whole Sect, he was still a Golden Core Master, someone they couldn't afford to offend, and many wished to please.
Lin Xiangtian flicked his sleeve, and Jiang Yuebai was swept up by a breeze, landing heavily in front of the people, the Token landing right at Lin Suwan's feet.
Ignoring the pain, Jiang Yuebai scrambled over to press down on the Token, but a foot wearing deer-skin boots firmly pinned her hand.
"Why is it you?"
With the sound, several people looked toward Lin Suwan.
"Wanwan, you recognize her?" Lin Xiangtian asked.
Lin Suwan's face was arrogant: "She used to be a maid by my side. Because she stole my jewelry, I had the nanny sell her to a broker."
Jiang Yuebai stubbornly raised her head: "I didn't!"
No one listened to her. Lin Xiangtian said to Hong Tao, "Manager Hong, look, not only is this child's aptitude poor, but her conduct is also problematic. How can she join our Heavenly Interence Sect? It'd be better to send her down the mountain early."
Hong Tao remained silent but glanced at Jiang Yuebai's feet, worn from climbing Ninefold Mountain.
At this moment, Jiang Yuebai fiercely bit Lin Suwan's ankle. As she cried out and withdrew her foot, Jiang Yuebai grabbed the Token, pressing it to her chest.
"This is my Token. I have Spirit Roots, I can cultivate!"
She curled up on the ground, using all her strength to tense up, protecting the Token and her face, with movements as practiced as if she'd done them a thousand times.
"Why did you grab my Token for being late? I didn't steal your things, I didn't!!"
People looked at Jiang Yuebai with sympathy, but it went no further.
Lin Xiangtian scoffed lightly, raised his hand in a small flick, and Jiang Yuebai was sent flying, crashing hard into the nearby rocks.
Intense pain struck, blood spurted out, and the Token fell to the ground.
Lin Xiangtian's fingers slightly curled, the Token flew into his hand. Seeing the bloodstain, Lin Xiangtian showed some disdain, and swept it with the Dust Cleaning Technique, making it brand new.
Jiang Yuebai climbed up, tears filled her eyes, deeply buried with grievances and fear.
She could protect a bun from mortals, but not her Token from Immortals.
"Elder Lin, she's just a child ignorant of the world; let's not delay the hour of Ascending to Immortal Level and Wenxing Road."
Hong Tao couldn't help but say, and only then did Lin Xiangtian restrain his aura.
"Ascension Stairs open, you all receive your Tokens and climb quickly!"
Hong Tao commanded, and all the children clutched their Tokens, stepping into the stairs and disappearing one after another.
Lin Xiangtian handed the Token to Lin Suwan, "Go ahead, if you can't even cross the Ascension Stairs, just go back to the Lin Family; I don't keep useless people around!"
Lin Suwan nodded obediently with fear, looked at Jiang Yuebai with pride when passing by, and stepped onto the Ascension Stairs swinging the Token.
Lin Xiangtian left using Sword Control, Hong Tao sighed, walked over to Jiang Yuebai, crouched down.
"In the Cultivation Realm, aptitude and cultivation decide everything. Today you merely caught a glimpse of its cruelty; with your aptitude, seeking immortality in Heavenly Interence Sect in bloodshed would be better than living freely for decades in the human world. Seeing your tough journey, keep this bit of gold and silver, go back and find a way to make a living."
Jiang Yuebai looked at the little yellow fish thrown in front of her. Not knowing before that there were Immortals in the world, she dreamed of having so much gold and silver to eat all the delicious food in Yong'an City.
But now she suddenly understood that even if she had the little yellow fish, she couldn't protect it, just like she couldn't protect her Token.
Someone stronger than her could strip her of everything, even her life, with just a casual flick of the hand.
She didn't understand much reasoning, only the instinct to survive and a child's stubbornness to get what she wants at all costs.
"I don't want the little yellow fish, I just want my Token!"
Jiang Yuebai fiercely tossed the little yellow fish away, climbed up, and rushed towards the Ascension Stairs.
Hong Tao and others did not stop her; without a Token she would be directly bounced off, letting her crash once to completely give up.
But then, a sudden change occurred.
Jiang Yuebai, who should have been bounced off, had an imperceptible flash of golden light between her eyebrows and rushed up the Ascension Stairs, disappearing before everyone's eyes.
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