Chapter 305: I Rarely Have a Change of Heart, Yet You Insist on a Dead End
Blushing aside, Song Jiulai shamelessly accepted.
She cupped her hands and said, “Two Seniors, have I passed this round?”
“Passed? You’ve passed this round.” The white-bearded old man scrutinized Song Jiulai. “Our Myriad Immortal Sect’s selection conference only accepts the most outstanding disciples. Your temperament is good, but other aspects are currently unknown.”
Song Jiulai nodded vigorously, “This junior understands.”
The white-bearded old man looked at Song Jiulai with satisfaction. The female cultivator beside him pointed behind them.
“Proceed to the next round. However, you cannot use pills in the next round.”
Her tone was gentle, and the direction she pointed was a cliff.
This was already the mountain top.
Moreover, this mountain was an illusionary realm. Looking at it now, it resembled a peak ten thousand feet high.
Even though she knew the actual terrain might not be like this, the woman’s gesture would make anyone with a slight fear of heights tremble.
Song Jiulai’s expression remained normal. She cupped her hands in farewell to the two cultivators whose cultivation levels were indiscernible and walked forward.
With every step she took, clouds automatically surged from behind, completely obscuring the original terrain.
Until the figures of the two from the Myriad Immortal Sect could no longer be seen.
The female cultivator watched Song Jiulai’s retreating back and smiled slightly, “For this first round, she has performed the best so far.”
In that time illusionary realm, it was more than just extending time.
It also deepened the sense of loneliness in one’s heart.
For someone in the early Qi stage, lasting three to four days was considered extremely talented. Song Jiulai had been unaffected for seven days, making her the most outstanding performer.
The old man stroked his beard, “It’s just a pity that her aptitude is average.”
Although spiritual roots could not be seen with the naked eye.
Even cultivators of higher cultivation levels could sense them when they were close.
The complete lack of reaction proved that Song Jiulai’s spiritual root was the most ordinary.
“An average spiritual root isn’t a big deal,” the female cultivator chuckled. “This time, we’re not looking at spiritual roots. The trials we’ve prepared are all about a cultivator’s comprehension. Those with poor comprehension, even with excellent spiritual roots, are not our ideal candidates.”
“Even so, with an average spiritual root, the path of cultivation ahead will be difficult.”
The old man sighed, “Let’s see, let’s see.”
*
Song Jiulai walked forward and reached the edge of the cliff, looking down.
The ten-thousand-foot abyss was unfathomable.
It made one tremble just looking at it.
At the early Qi condensation stage, at this height, it was easy to fall due to insufficient spiritual energy.
If one fell down this…
Song Jiulai suddenly thought of Zhen Weida back then, who had slipped and died.
“How do I pass this second round?”
“Are you passing, or am I passing?” The System tsked. “Daughter-in-law, don’t hesitate to jump down. At worst, you’ll die a tragic death!”
Song Jiulai: “…”
She looked left and right. Both sides were rolling clouds, and she indeed saw no other path.
The only path laid out before her was this one.
Jump down?
Song Jiulai raised an eyebrow slightly. She extended a leg, circulated some spiritual energy, and stepped out.
“Bang—”
As expected, this was not a cliff before her, but a path.
It was just invisible.
And as Song Jiulai took this step, the environment before her instantly changed again.
Her body swayed, and as her foot landed, she unexpectedly found herself standing in a small wooden boat.
The surroundings instantly transformed into a raging sea.
The sea churned, and the wind howled.
Song Jiulai stood in this small wooden boat, barely large enough for her to stand, swaying violently with the sea’s undulations.
Seawater, accompanied by the fierce sea wind, splashed onto her face.
She wiped her face. The sensation was incredibly real; even the seawater that accidentally splashed into her mouth was salty and bitter.
And it wasn’t just her. Around her, dozens of other cultivators were also swaying in their small boats on this violently surging sea.
Upon closer inspection, they were all in the early Qi condensation stage.
So this was the second trial for their early Qi condensation stage.
Song Jiulai, having experienced storms before, showed no fear or agitation.
However, for the other disciples, this environment was a true test of their temperament.
Several early Qi condensation cultivators looked terrified. One accidentally fell into the sea and was instantly swallowed by a giant wave.
Only faint screams could be heard amidst the wind, with no chance to even struggle to get up.
The waves would devour spiritual energy, and falling in meant elimination.
Many people cast basic incantations of various magic spells to propel their boats forward.
However, the constantly churning sea and the occasional giant waves made even early Qi condensation cultivators, with their spiritual energy, feel somewhat powerless against such natural forces.
They could only continuously expend spiritual energy to maintain their boat’s balance, fearing they would fall.
“Reach the small island ahead—”
Suddenly, a loud sound transmission from a cultivator echoed through the sky. “Obtain a flag, and this second round will be passed.”
Everyone looked forward. Song Jiulai squinted and indeed saw the faint silhouette of a small island behind the rolling waves, with countless flags planted on it.
It seemed that reaching the island and getting a flag was all that was required, with no time limit.
Just as Song Jiulai thought this, she heard everyone gasp.
Ahead, not far away, a giant wave at least tens of feet high suddenly surged. If this wave hit, anyone with unstable spiritual energy would likely be knocked off.
Many cultivators showed expressions of terror.
Some cast ice-based magic spells, attempting to freeze the giant wave before them, but their spiritual energy was like a drop in the ocean.
Others used spiritual energy to accelerate their boats, trying to bypass the giant wave.
And some simply waited for the giant wave to arrive.
As long as they could maintain their boat’s balance and not fall, there was still a chance even if the impact came.
Song Jiulai was of the third type.
She quietly waited for the giant wave to approach.
With the sea’s undulations, the boat had already begun to be lifted by the water.
Song Jiulai used spiritual energy to guide the boat. Her internal spiritual energy was clearly more potent than that of an average early Qi condensation cultivator, so supporting the boat was not a problem.
But as the boat was thrown high by the giant wave, the experience, comparable to bungee jumping, caused several cultivators to scream. Some who couldn’t hold on were directly swept into the giant wave.
“Whoosh—”
A male cultivator, who was behind Song Jiulai, saw himself about to be thrown off the sea by the giant wave. He suddenly cast a vine, tying it to his boat’s bow and the stern of Song Jiulai’s boat.
Song Jiulai looked back. The male cultivator showed a look of terror and unwillingness. “Fellow Daoist, please save me. If I pass, I will reward you handsomely!”
Song Jiulai looked at him and pondered for a moment.
Then she turned her head back, not casting any incantation to break the male cultivator’s vine.
The male cultivator’s face lit up with joy. “Thank you, Fellow Daoist!”
Dragging a boat, Song Jiulai’s boat remained stable. As the giant wave subsided, she saw herself about to land safely.
Suddenly, the male cultivator yanked the vine, with great force attempting to capsize Song Jiulai’s boat.
His voice was somewhat ferocious, “Fellow Daoist, we are both in the assessment, we are all competitors. You cannot blame me—”
Before he finished speaking, an extremely sharp ice blade pierced directly through his head.
Song Jiulai didn’t even blink.
“I rarely have a moment of conscience, yet you insist on taking the path of ruin, and you talk too much.”
