Chapter 14: The Trial of Zìmíng Shān

“You were simply too fast.”

The latter grudgingly wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve, lifting her gaze toward the still-distant, unseen finish line.

She had not experienced this feeling of ‘running a horse to death while gazing at a mountain’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom describing an arduous journey where the destination seems perpetually out of reach, often leading to exhaustion) in a long time.

Initially, she had been vigilant against mountain beasts and bandits.

Now, however, her eyes saw nothing but the winding mountain path.

[This minor realm has been refined quite well.]

The Immortal Sword observed its surroundings through the Little Girl’s eyes, its sword tip tapping lightly from time to time, offering a comment or two.

[Why do you think that old geezer made us climb this mountain?]

[To screen your aptitudes.]

The Immortal Sword was quite clear on this point; throughout their journey, she could sense a continuous flow of pure spiritual energy replenishing the Little Girl’s body.

While the small formation was ingenious, it seemed far more rudimentary compared to the disciple-recruitment ceremonies of their former sect.

Pausing and pressing on, Yang Qingqing’s resolve was indeed commendable.

She had gritted her teeth and followed the Little Girl all the way, finally reaching the mountain peak with her after an hour.

Pushing aside the dense trees, Distant Mountains were steeped in boundless white clouds, with only two or three verdant peaks piercing the sky.

In the distance, beside a stone table, two figures sat quietly atop the cloud-shrouded peak, playing a game of Go.

Upon seeing the two arrive, Zì Bùxiàn hastily swept his sleeve across the chessboard.

Then, with Qíngyǔ looking on with a helpless expression, he drifted gracefully towards them.

“Cough, cough, both of your aptitudes are quite good.”

The white-robed old Daoist coughed twice, then extended his hand, conjuring the wooden and jade tokens from his pouch once more.

Thankfully, these two had arrived just in time; otherwise, the old Daoist truly would have lost his third game today.

Yang Qingqing braced her hands on her knees, gasping for air in great gulps, watching the immortal’s performance before her with a strange sense of understanding blossoming in her heart.

“Little Mom!”

The Little Girl beside her, however, bore no such burdens.

The moment she spotted Qíngyǔ, she quickly pattered over in a few steps, her face etched with a wronged expression.

“What’s wrong?”

Habitually, Qíngyǔ drew the little one into her embrace.

She parted the Little Girl’s bangs with a puzzled frown, gently stroking her smooth forehead.

“My legs ache so much—”

The girl pouted, complaining pitifully, her body incessantly rubbing against her Little Mom.

Every now and then, she would wrinkle her delicate nose, sniffing around.

‘What exactly are you tired from?’

Yang Qingqing, who was still breathless with exhaustion nearby, silently grumbled this thought.

“Tonight, a foot soak will do you good.

Be a good girl, go listen to the Old Gentleman first.”

Qíngyǔ reached out and playfully tapped the little one’s nose.

Having watched the Little Girl climb the entire way up the mountain, Qíngyǔ (the young woman) knew exactly what mischievous idea she was cooking up now.

“I want to listen while being held!”

“That’s not polite…”

“But I haven’t hugged Little Mom for an entire hour!”

Shaking her head helplessly, Qíngyǔ, with an apologetic glance, had no choice but to pick her up and turn to face the old Daoist.

The latter, meanwhile, wore an utterly indifferent expression.

“Very well, then listen closely.”

Seeing everyone assembled, Zì Bùxiàn casually channeled a stream of spiritual energy to Yang Qingqing.

He then began, “This humble Daoist, Zì Bùxiàn, a guest elder of Zìmíng Shān, happened upon you two today, and it can be said that my wish has been fulfilled. However, joining a sect is no small matter.”

He paused, then raised a hand, drawing forth spiritual energy to guide the jade token and the wooden token, delivering them separately before the Little Girl and Yang Qingqing.

“You two should consider carefully before accepting these tokens.”

Yang Qingqing, for her part, felt no burden.

This was, after all, an opportunity she had long dreamt of; there was no reason for her to refuse.

“Thank you, immortal, for your compassion. This humble girl, Yang Qingqing, is naturally willing to join the sect.”

She reached out and took the wooden token floating in the air.

On its front, the characters ‘Yang Qingqing’ were naturally etched, followed by an image of mountains shrouded in mist, beneath which were the three small characters ‘Zìmíng Shān’.

“Excellent.”

Zì Bùxiàn stroked his white beard, nodding in satisfaction.

Truth be told, at nearly eighteen years of age, Yang Qingqing was indeed no longer suitable for entering a sect to cultivate.

Thus, even though she possessed spiritual meridians, he had initially not intended to accept her as a disciple.

It was only after her persistent pleas, and her actions embodying a profound sense of ‘seeking,’ that she barely managed to catch his eye.

“In seeking and cultivating the Dao, you must always remember this character: ‘seek’ (求).”

“This disciple will bear it in mind.”

This act served as her registration.

Later, when Zìmíng Shān officially opened its gates to admit spiritual talents into the Dao, she would only need to present this wooden token and would be exempt from further assessments.

Before the end of the Heavenly War, he would have been able to bring people back to the mountain at this very moment.

Now, however, he had to wait until the unified disciple recruitment period.

Glancing at the relieved expression on Yang Qingqing’s face, Zì Bùxiàn nodded.

He then turned to look at the Little Girl, who was nestled in Qíngyǔ’s arms.

“Might I ask how the mountain scenery was on your journey?”

He did not broach the topic of accepting disciples, but merely smiled, asking like an elder.

The Little Girl turned to look at her Little Mom.

Seeing no particular reaction from her, she finally spoke, “The mountain scenery was very beautiful, and the water was very cool, but it seemed like there weren’t any animals?”

“That is natural; this mountain is still a phantom construct for now,” Zì Bùxiàn chuckled contentedly.

“It cannot yet accommodate living creatures.”

“So weak…”

“After all, this old Daoist’s cultivation is shallow, incomparable to a true immortal.”

The old Daoist shrugged, extending his hand to summon the jade token before the Little Girl.

“Little Girl, may I ask if you are interested in our sect?”

“What benefits are there if I join you?”

“If the Little Girl joins the sect, then naturally, a dwelling, spiritual stones, spiritual artifacts, and all other cultivation necessities will be provided.”

“What about my Little Mom?”

“This…” Zì Bùxiàn was momentarily stunned.

He had not expected the child to ask such a question, and could only look towards Qíngyǔ.

The latter shook her head.

It was naturally impossible for her to join a sect, at least not at the moment.

“Hmm… if she is willing, she could also join our sect…”

The old Daoist felt a pang in his teeth.

He still couldn’t quite grasp Qíngyǔ’s temperament or cultivation level, and since she had explicitly refused to join his sect, taking her daughter as a disciple seemed far too difficult.

“Then, is Little Mom willing?”

The Little Girl turned and reached out, tugging at her Little Mom’s collar.

“I am a mortal; of course, I cannot join an immortal sect.”

Qíngyǔ shook her head, gently smoothing the strands of hair from the Little Girl’s forehead.

Her words left the two individuals and one sword still present feeling stifled and disheartened; they had truly never encountered such an ‘immortal’ before.

“After I become a disciple, will I still be able to see Little Mom?”

Zì Bùxiàn had been on the verge of dejectedly putting away the jade token.

Upon hearing the Little Girl’s words, however, a sliver of hope rekindled in his heart.

“Yes, yes, yes, that is absolutely possible.

Our sect offers an opportunity for family visits once every five years; you will certainly be able to see your mother then.”

“So, I can’t see her every day?”

The old Daoist was choked once more by her words.

Logically speaking, those who came to Zìmíng Shān to cultivate either had no family left, or their families would soon be gone after a few years of cultivation.

They generally did not accept disciples from prominent aristocratic families.

Even if they did, they would explicitly forbid them from interfering in mortal affairs.

This was the first time they had encountered a situation where an ‘immortal’s’ child sought to join the mountain.

“Seeing her every day is naturally not possible… Moreover, cultivators, in the end, must face solitude alone.”

Zì Bùxiàn sighed, having intended to put it away, but still handed the jade token to the Little Girl.

“Take this jade token.

If, within five years, before the sect gates fully open, you change your mind, you may still register yourself.”

The girl was about to push back the ‘evil’ jade token that threatened to take her Little Mom away.

However, upon hearing Qíngyǔ speak, she reluctantly wrapped the token in her clothes with a look of utter disdain.

“Many thanks for your kind intentions, Sir.”

“A trifle, a trifle.”

The old Daoist had just spoken of the loneliness of immortal cultivators.

Now, seeing the two figures huddled closely together, and recalling his own family who had long turned to dust, a faint trace of envy stirred within his heart.

“Then, the matter of accepting disciples concludes here for today.”

He clapped his hands, dispelling the minor realm.

Everyone felt their vision blur for a moment, and then before them was the Yang family’s small courtyard once more.