Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Chapter 96: Chapter 10: First Encounter with Changfeng

At the moment the Sect Protection Array was activated, more than three hundred teenagers of about fourteen or fifteen years old scrambled towards the mountain path behind the gate.

It was as if the first to reach the top would be accepted into the Sect.

A few teenagers paused to ponder, contemplating the purpose of the trial.

There were also some who walked in leisurely, with faces full of calm composure.

Li Ji’an fully opened his Spiritual Sense, focusing on observing those particularly composed teenagers.

Just as the Sect Steward left, he suddenly realized that in this world, Body Refining existed, and one could start Body Refining as early as thirteen years old.

If this Sect trial was meant to test willpower, wouldn’t those who had undergone Body Refining have a huge advantage?

Once that apparent purpose of the trial was ruled out, Li Ji’an found it hard to understand the Sect’s style of work.

Luckily, while he didn’t understand the Sect, he did understand human nature.

No matter how strict the system, there would always be loopholes.

This kind of competition mechanism, separated by a single door, with destinies as different as heaven and earth, would inevitably have someone finding a loophole.

He just needed to find such people, and perhaps he would gain some insight.

Among the more than three hundred teenagers, only three were truly composed: two richly dressed boys and one well-mannered girl, all acting independently.

Li Ji’an followed from a distance, discreetly.

Sure enough, when following the small path from the mountain gate for several tens of zhang, turning past a small mountain, a single mountain road split into two paths.

The initial sprinting teenagers mostly hesitated here.

Some were anxiously sweating in front of the two paths, clearly suffering from indecision.

A few of the Body Refining teenagers simply charged ahead, not slowing down, thinking they could just turn back and try again if this path was a dead end.

But the three monitored by Li Ji’an’s Spiritual Sense each independently and casually chose the right path that seemed no different from the other.

After several more li, another two paths appeared ahead.

By now, fewer than two hundred people had reached this point.

The three once again, without hesitation, chose the left path.

After several more li, two more paths appeared...

In this way, after passing five intersections, only eighteen people remained on the same path as the three, including Li Ji’an.

”Dong!” As the group of eighteen saw a temple not far away, a bell tolled.

By now, it was dusk.

”The first trial ends, Grade A, eighteen...”

”Wait, wait, I’m coming!” Just as the Sect Steward was about to announce, a handsome but vigorous teenager came rushing up.

Li Ji’an remembered him as the first of all the trial participants to rush through the mountain gate.

He looked even younger than him, but with strong vitality no less than his own.

Because of this, Li Ji’an had paid extra attention to him for a moment.

Among the more than three hundred people here for the trial, fewer than fifty had actually undergone Body Refining, and only this one person’s Body Refining level matched his own.

”Hmph, lucky for you... The first trial ends, Grade A, nineteen people; Grade B, sixty-seven people; the rest, leave the mountain immediately.” The Steward glanced at the handsome boy, amplified his Magical Power, and announced.

The sound echoed throughout the area.

The next moment, the forest path everyone had just traveled suddenly shimmered, and in a blink, those small paths vanished, as did the intersections, leaving only a broad avenue leading to the mountain gate.

Meanwhile, the other teenagers also appeared.

”Illusion Realm?” Li Ji’an slightly raised his brows, having noticed nothing earlier.

Over three hundred joined the trial, and nearly eighty percent were eliminated in the first round.

The eighty-six who passed were then taken into a hall ahead.

”It’s already late; rest here for the night, and the second trial will begin tomorrow.” After saying this, the Steward turned and left.

After confirming the Steward was gone, the eighty-six in the hall began to discuss among themselves.

”What exactly was tested in the first trial? I didn’t feel any difficulty at all?”

”Yeah, my dad said it was definitely a test of willpower, telling me to grit my teeth and keep going, but I found it quite easy throughout.”

”It was only a few dozen li of mountain path; except for that guy... no one seemed overly exhausted.”

...

”So, brother, what do you think was really tested?” The handsome boy, cheerful and sunny, quickly made friends with those around him, including Li Ji’an.

Li Ji’an smiled and shook his head, ”The intentions of the Upper Sect’s experts are beyond my understanding.”

”Brother, you practice Body Refining too? Have you broken through the Early Period yet?”

”Oh, by the way, my name is Xiao Changfeng, and I love making friends.”

Xiao Changfeng’s character was quite lively.

Li Ji’an responded with a smile, not having broken through the Early Period yet in Body Refining, his qi and blood couldn’t be fully controlled at will, so it’s normal for people nearby to sense the vitality within him.

”I’m Li Fan, nice to meet you.” Li Ji’an replied politely.

People with lively characters generally have no hidden intentions, as they can’t conceal them easily.

”Oh, I almost forgot to say, brother, your mother is so beautiful, no wonder you’re so handsome too.”

Li Ji’an’s eyelids twitched, but he still smiled and responded, ”Thank you.”

”Then we’ll be friends from now on. If we both get into the Sect, we must stick together.”

”Let’s talk about it after the trial.” Li Ji’an slightly regretted engaging in conversation.

Interacting with someone too lively makes it hard to keep up with their pace.

”By the way, your mother is a Foundation Establishment Great Power, why did she send you to the Sect trial? Are you... a bastard?”

”...” Li Ji’an touched his nose and sighed quietly.

But it’s no wonder Xiao Changfeng asked.

Sects and clans have different ecosystems.

Clans focus on bloodline continuity, have more cohesion but less inclusiveness.

Sects emphasize master-disciple lineage, are more inclusive but have less cohesion.

So, to enhance cohesion, Sects require members to sever ties with their prior clan relationships and remain loyal to the Sect alone.

The Sect would also provide some compensation to their family.

Thus, better-qualified descendants in a clan are generally not sent to the Sect, unless the clan is too small to support them, or they are illegitimate children or ones not valued in the family.

Paying no more heed to Xiao Changfeng, Li Ji’an feigned sleep, reviewing today’s first trial.

Suddenly, a spark of insight hit him.

He recalled the scene when he first entered this realm and met Chen Zhaohu.

”Could this trial be testing one’s fortune?”

After analyzing for a while, Li Ji’an was almost certain.

The Cultivation Realm places importance on auspicious fortune; it makes sense.

However, to this day, he hadn’t figured out how to define luck and probability.

So, he couldn’t determine the advantages and disadvantages of Biyun Sect’s trial method.

”The first trial tested luck. What will the second one be about? Heart Nature or Comprehension?”

The next morning, at the first crow of the rooster, Li Ji’an was the first to step out of the hall.

His Divine Soul was strong, and he had condensed his Spiritual Sense early on, so not sleeping for several days wasn’t an issue.

Moreover, just before the rooster crowed, he keenly sensed that yesterday’s Sect Steward had already arrived outside the hall.

”Today’s trial should be about Heart Nature. Determination? Perseverance?”