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墨書 Inktalez
Early in the morning, the Spirit Stone Taoist called all the youths to gather in the courtyard. The small temple was now packed with around two hundred people, leaving no room even for a needle to fit through.
The old Taoist glanced around and, without any visible movement, soared up to the roof like a large bird, standing on the eaves and looking down at everyone.
The youths collectively gasped in amazement, their jaws nearly dropping to the ground. Someone excitedly shouted, "What my father said is true! We can learn great skills from now on!"
Li Hong squeezed through the crowd, envious of the old Taoist's remarkable agility that left him speechless. At that moment, Zhao Xuan beside him muttered disdainfully in a low voice, "Uninformed! This is nothing; the real skill is yet to come..."
Li Hong felt a significant shock within him. He looked at Zhao Xuan.
Zhao Xuan noticed and turned his head away upon seeing Li Hong's inquisitive gaze, tightly closing his mouth like a clam and saying nothing more.
The old Taoist stood high on the eaves, hands behind his back, and shouted, "Listen carefully. No matter how you manage to find your way here, not everyone will be accepted by us. Starting today, I will test you all; only those who pass the test can officially enter our sect."
Our sect? Li Hong felt another wave of shock. He keenly noted this term and looked at Zhao Xuan again. This time, Zhao Xuan was fully focused on listening to the old Taoist, clearly intent on remembering every word spoken.
How could someone from a wealthy family care so much about passing a test and staying in this small rundown temple? There must be some secret here, something extraordinary. Li Hong's heart was suddenly filled with anticipation.
He heard the old Taoist continue, "Everyone will be divided into four groups. You must reach the top of Guandi Mountain before sunset. No food is allowed; you cannot bring anything with you. You may find water along the way. Now start dividing into groups and set off immediately!"
Soon all the youths were divided into four groups, each led by a Taoist priest up the mountain. Li Hong, Bear Kid, and Zhao Xuan were placed in the same group under Ling Panzai's leadership.
Walking out through the main entrance of Azure Oil Temple revealed Guandi Mountain capped with white snow. The problem was that looking at the mountain was one thing; climbing it was another. Having grown up in the Lüliang Mountains, Li Hong knew there was no path from here to Guandi Mountain, meaning they would have to rely entirely on their own hands and feet to forge a way up.
With a command given, Li Hong mixed into the crowd as they set off, with Bear Kid beside him. Taking advantage of the chaos, he quietly instructed Bear Kid, "Don't show off; conserve your strength and take it slow." Bear Kid nodded in understanding.
Climbing Guandi Mountain wasn't an issue for them; the challenge lay in needing time. It would take at least four or five hours to reach the summit on foot. Without food provided by the old Taoist, they would exhaust their energy by afternoon and be too hungry to move when their stomachs were pressed against their backs. Conserving energy at first was crucial.
When Li Hong said this to Bear Kid, Zhao Xuan was not far away; he seemed to have heard them as his pace noticeably slowed when he intended to overtake them.
Li Hong noticed this and thought that this wealthy kid who seemed oblivious wasn't actually foolish.
The paths taken by the four groups were different, and gradually they could no longer see anyone from other groups. Ling Panzai's figure in his white hemp robe flickered ahead of them. Initially, they could still hear laughter among the youths, but an hour later, no one was laughing anymore. The terrain became steeper and harder to navigate—many places had no path at all. Everyone bent down as they walked; the group began to stretch apart until sometimes they couldn't see anyone ahead but only heard heavy breathing from those around them.
As they crossed the hilltop, Li Hong tugged at Bear Kid's sleeve, and the two intentionally lagged behind the group.
It was nearly noon, with a strong wind blowing and the sun shining faintly without any heat. On the left side of their path, there were some red spots in the forest, indicating a wild hawthorn tree. Hawthorn is a good thing; it quenches thirst and can stave off hunger. Li Hong pulled Bear Kid away from the group and quietly approached.
The fruits on the hawthorn tree had already been eaten by birds and beasts, leaving only shriveled remnants. Nevertheless, they each managed to gather a handful. Soon, they caught up with the group again, occasionally sneaking a piece into their mouths.
With food in their stomachs, their steps were much lighter compared to the others.
When they reached the foot of Guandi Mountain, the pace of the group noticeably slowed down.
Most of the boys were drenched in sweat, exhausted from overexertion, and hungry to boot; they simply couldn't go on. Some boys plopped down on the ground, gasping for breath and unwilling to get up.
From a distance came Ling Panzai's calm voice: "If you can't keep up and want to give up, that's fine; just sit down."
Li Hong silently walked past those boys sitting on the ground.
He really wanted to be taken as a disciple by the old master and retrieve that damned Contract of Indenture. As for the others, this was not the time for sympathy.
Ahead, a determined figure caught his attention—it was Zhao Xuan. He didn't seem much stronger than those boys; he was practically crawling step by step. Although his perseverance was commendable, with his stamina and this manner of moving, he would never make it to the top of Guandi Mountain in this lifetime.
Li Hong deftly brushed past Zhao Xuan. Suddenly, he heard Zhao Xuan call out from behind: "Li brother, please wait!"
Hmm? What does he want? Li Hong stopped.
Zhao Xuan's clothes were terribly dirty, and his hands were bloodied from sharp stones and grass blades. He gasped for breath as he crawled up to Li Hong and whispered, "If you take me to the Summit, I'll tell you that secret you've always wanted to know."
A secret! Li Hong's interest was piqued immediately. This was indeed hitting his Vital Point. Coming to this Azure Oil Temple had initially been purely coincidental—just seeking a way out—but gradually he realized that this Azure Oil Temple was far from an ordinary Taoist temple, and that Spirit Stone Taoist was not just an ordinary priest. The truth could very well be known by Zhao Xuan.
Li Hong glanced ahead; Ling Panzai's figure remained at a peculiar distance—not too far yet not too close—visible but at least a hundred feet away, likely unable to hear them. Considering this, he pulled Zhao Xuan up and said softly, "Alright! As long as you tell me the truth, I can take you to the Summit. But you must promise not to deceive me."
"With your talent, you'll find out sooner or later; why would I need to act treacherously? Don't worry; I won't lie to you." Zhao Xuan struggled to stand up and whispered, "First give me something to eat. Don't say you don't have any; I saw your cousin's mouth moving."
Beside him, Bear Kid was clearly taken aback. Li Hong looked over at him, momentarily speechless. Bear Kid still had some red hawthorn fragments at the corner of his mouth. This kid!
The three of them avoided prying eyes and moved behind a large rock. Li Hong pulled out the remaining hawthorn and handed it to Zhao Xuan, saying, "Don't say it's not tasty; I just picked these quietly on the way, and this is all we have left."
Without a word, Zhao Xuan took the hawthorn and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing vigorously and forcing it down his throat.
Seeing his pained determination, Li Hong was genuinely impressed; this rich kid could really endure. He urged him to speak quickly.
Zhao Xuan glanced around and leaned closer to Li Hong's ear, whispering, "Do you know the legend of the Immortal Sect?"
"Immortal Sect? What does that mean?" Li Hong asked, confused.
A look of habitual disdain appeared on Zhao Xuan's face. "Remember, no matter how difficult Spirit Stone Daoist makes it, you must pass the test. At that time, it's not just about learning some tricks to fly onto rooftops; you can learn great skills and powers, capable of flying through the sky and moving mountains like a deity! I'm not exaggerating; believe it or not!"
He refused to say another word and urged Li Hong to help him on his way.
Li Hong's heart trembled greatly. He had thought he would be learning some advanced martial arts, but it turned out he was going to be an apprentice to a deity! A wave of dizziness washed over him.
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