Taiyi Immortal Sect

"The Immortal Boat of the Taiyi Celestial Sect has arrived!"

Someone shouted.

In the next moment, many young cultivators in the town rushed toward the central square, and even people in the shops on both sides hurried out.

Ye Chuan followed the crowd’s gaze.

In the distance, the sea of clouds suddenly split apart.

A massive immortal boat slowly emerged from behind the clouds. Its entire body was a greenish-white, surrounded by dozens of layers of immortal light, like a mountain sailing across the sky.

At the bow stood a giant banner.

It bore only two words.

Taiyi.

Wherever the immortal boat passed, the clouds and mist in the sky automatically parted to either side.

Several enormous spirit beasts, which had been circling high above, lowered their heads and made way upon sensing that aura.

Lan Xiaoke looked up for a long time.

"This one seems pretty big."

"Yeah."

"Does it have beds inside?"

"Is a bed all you can think about?"

"And the—the stuff we do in it."

She thought for a moment, then added, "With you."

Before she could finish, Ye Chuan had already pinched her cheek.

Lan Xiaoke was starting to remind him of one of those giggly, lovesick fools who only had silly joy on their minds.

"Today is their once-every-decade disciple recruitment day. As long as you pass the trials, you can board the immortal boat and return to the sect!"

"After joining Taiyi Celestial Sect, not only can you use the sect’s teleportation formations for free, you can also collect spirit stones and elixirs every month," many people shouted.

"Let’s go."

Since the Taiyi Celestial Sect was a major power nearby, it would surely have complete maps and teleportation formations leading to other regions.

First, blend in.

Then develop.

"Let’s go."

Ye Chuan turned and walked toward the central square.

Lan Xiaoke followed beside him, still holding an unfinished spirit fruit in her hand.

Hu Li walked half a step behind, her fox ears occasionally twitching as she observed the cultivators around them.

The central square of Green Mountain Town was packed with people.

Tens of thousands of young cultivators stood around the square. The weakest among them had already reached the Dao-Comprehension realm, and some were even at the peak of the Ascension realm.

In the normal Tianxuan Continent, such a lineup would be enough to crush an entire sacred land.

But here, they were just young people signing up for a sect’s entrance exam.

Back in the Old Tianxuan Continent, there weren’t many subdivisions for lower stages either—only two main distinctions: those who hadn’t become immortals and those who had.

If it weren’t for the fact that this place was also called Tianxuan Continent, Ye Chuan would have wondered whether he’d stumbled into the Immortal Realm.

The immortal boat hovered above the square.

Several figures descended from the boat. The leader was a middle-aged man in a cyan long robe.

The aura he gave off was not particularly ostentatious.

Yet the moment he landed, the spiritual energy throughout the entire square seemed to still.

A genuine Celestial Immortal.

Ye Chuan glanced at him and then looked away.

To him, anyone below Golden Immortal now made little difference.

Behind the middle-aged man were a dozen or so disciples.

They all looked young, but their cultivation levels were mostly around the Quasi-Celestial Immortal stage, and they wore the green jade badges of the Taiyi Celestial Sect on their chests.

One of the disciples stepped forward.

"The Taiyi Celestial Sect is recruiting disciples. Anyone under fifty years of age whose cultivation has reached the Dao-Comprehension realm may participate."

"The trials consist of three rounds."

"Natural talent, comprehension, and heart of the Dao."

"Those who pass two rounds may enter the Outer Sect."

"Those who pass all three rounds may enter the Inner Sect."

"For those with special physiques or immortal bloodlines, the Sect Elders will make separate assessments."

His voice, amplified by immortal power, spread across the entire square.

The crowd stirred with excitement.

Many had already lined up in advance, their faces a mix of tension and anticipation.

Ye Chuan led Lan Xiaoke and Hu Li to the back of the line.

Lan Xiaoke looked at the endless line ahead of them.

"How long will it take?"

"Fast."

"My feet are tired."

"You’ve only been standing a little while."

"But I already walked so far earlier—Ye Chuan, carry me~"

With that, Lan Xiaoke leaned softly against Ye Chuan, wrapping herself around his arm like a noodle.

Several nearby young cultivators watched this scene, their expressions turning strange.

One young man in white robes eyed Ye Chuan up and down.

He couldn’t sense any cultivation level from Ye Chuan.

Then he looked at Lan Xiaoke and Hu Li beside Ye Chuan—Lan Xiaoke’s aura was so pure it felt otherworldly, while Hu Li carried the faint trace of a powerful noble bloodline.

A twinge of resentment crept into the young man’s gaze.

"Fellow cultivator, are you also here to take the trials?" someone asked.

"Yeah."

"But I can’t sense your cultivation at all."

Ye Chuan thought for a moment and replied very seriously,

"I think that just means you’re too weak."

The young man’s expression froze.

He had only meant to imply that Ye Chuan had no cultivation, but instead Ye Chuan had outright called him weak.

"I’m at the late stage of the Ascension realm!"

"Mm."

Ye Chuan nodded.

"That really is quite weak."

The young man: "..."

A few people nearby almost laughed out loud.

Lan Xiaoke hugged Ye Chuan’s arm and nodded along.

"Ye Chuan isn’t lying to you."

The young man wanted to argue, but the line ahead had already started moving. He could only snort coldly and turn away.

The speed of testing was faster than expected.

Three massive white stone tablets stood in the center of the square, each capable of testing several dozen people at once.

Most cultivators, when they placed their hands on the tablets, could only light up two or three layers.

Occasionally, someone lighted the fifth layer, and cheers would erupt around them.

The disciple in charge of recording would then loudly announce the results.

"Wang Lin, Earth-tier upper-grade talent, qualifies for the Outer Sect."

"Zhao Xuan, Heaven-tier lower-grade talent, qualifies for the Inner Sect."

"Lin Yue, innate Fire Spirit Body, temporary Core Candidate!"

Whenever someone displayed a special physique, the elder on the platform would take an extra look.

The line moved forward steadily.

Soon, it was Hu Li’s turn.

The disciple in charge of registration glanced at the fox ears atop her head, but was not particularly surprised.

In this world, demon beasts and half-beasts were not uncommon.

Inside the Taiyi Celestial Sect, there was even a separate lineage for beast cultivators.

"Name."

"Hu Li."

"Race."

"Fox clan."

"Place your hand on the Spirit Immortal Tablet."

Hu Li turned back to look at Ye Chuan.

Ye Chuan nodded, "Go ahead."

Hu Li walked up to the stone tablet and gently pressed her palm against it.

At first, nothing happened.

Just as the recording disciple was about to speak, a golden light suddenly ignited inside the tablet!

Then, the second layer, third layer, and fourth layer all lit up at the same time!

A brilliant white fox silhouette emerged, looking up toward the sky.

Behind her, nine tails unfurled, covering nearly half the square.

An ancient, noble aura from the great fox-clan bloodline descended in an instant.

Many beast cultivators in the vicinity paled and instinctively lowered their heads.

"Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox bloodline?!"

From the high platform, a white-haired old woman shot to her feet.

Her figure flickered, and she appeared directly before Hu Li, her eyes brimming with excitement.

"Little girl, would you be willing to take me as your master?"

"I am the Peak Master of the Spirit Beast Peak, a Taiyi Golden Immortal."

"If you agree, you can become a personal disciple starting today!"

The other elders swiftly reacted as well.

"Hold on—"

"The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox is naturally attuned to the Illusory Path, so she should come to my Illusory Moon Peak."

"Nonsense. Her blood energy is so pure that she's clearly more suited for body refinement."

"And you want a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox to train in body refinement? Have you lost your mind?"

Several elders, who were usually above such squabbling, actually argued right in front of everyone.

The young cultivators in the square were completely dumbfounded.

Direct disciples!

And multiple peak masters were fighting over one!

But Fox Li didn't agree immediately.

She glanced in Ye Chuan's direction, then gently shook her head.

"Sorry," she said.

"I only follow the boss."

The white-haired old woman was taken aback. "The boss?"

Everyone's gaze followed Fox Li's line of sight.

It finally landed on Ye Chuan.

The young man in white robes was also stunned.

A peerless genius with the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox bloodline actually called this guy, whose cultivation level couldn't even be read, her boss?

Ye Chuan, on the other hand, was entirely at ease. He waved his hand casually. "If you want to take a master, go ahead. No need to mind me."

He had only joined the sect for fun anyway, not to accomplish anything serious.

Might as well scout around for some treasure, grab a bit, and be done with it.

Besides, little Fox Li's constitution was a Divine Fox Sacred Body. He had installed that on her himself—a hot-swappable physique.

Fox Li shook her head and said obediently, "I don't want to be too far from the boss."

The white-haired old woman immediately replied, "That's no problem. If he can pass the assessment, he can enter the Taiyi Immortal Sect as well."

She paused.

"Even if he doesn't pass, we can arrange a job as a servant."

Ye Chuan: "..."

Before he'd even been tested, they'd already lined up a servant position for him? Could they be any quicker to make assumptions?