In the Nine Star Valley, Chen Xun led the great black bull into a sea of unfamiliar faces. Scattered cultivators hurried about, their eyes filled with a thirst for power. Three days later, the ten great sects would arrive, and the air buzzed with excitement. Chen Xun and the great black bull silently observed the high platform. Each year, the ten great sects sent different representatives, all of whom were Foundation Establishment cultivators.
"Old Bull."
"Moo!"
"Let's break through."
Chen Xun guided the great black bull toward the high platform of the Ziyun Sect, drawing astonished glances from the scattered cultivators. It was indeed quite amusing to see someone bringing a mundane bull to challenge the trials. At the top of the platform stood three women, hands clasped behind their backs, their gazes sharp as lightning, fixed on the figure with the bull, a flicker of interest in their eyes.
The first trial was the Puppet Beasts—ten mechanical puppets at the fifth level of Qi Refinement. Chen Xun had to evade their attacks to advance to the next level, and many scattered cultivators were captivated by him. He was, after all, a seventh-level Qi Refinement cultivator. As Chen Xun stepped forward, the puppet beasts glimmered with a flash of red light, forming a formation to attack him without fear of death.
Suddenly, Chen Xun's feet trembled, leaving a shadow in place. He lifted the great black bull with one hand, swiftly dodging several spells, and in an instant, he was behind one of the puppet beasts. With his palm engulfed in flames, he struck the beast's back, melting it like lava, revealing a crystal within. The puppet beast suddenly became immobile.
With precision and speed, Chen Xun executed the same technique, dispatching all ten puppet beasts as if it required little effort.
"This person... what spell did he just use?"
"The Ziyun Sect's puppets were effortlessly dealt with by him; such materials are quite valuable."
"What an eye-opener! We merely dodge in our trials, yet he annihilated all those puppets. What terrifying strength!"
A wave of astonishment rippled through the crowd below the Ziyun Sect's high platform. They had never heard of someone dragging a black bull while single-handedly defeating ten puppet beasts. At the top of the platform, the three women exchanged looks of shock.
"Senior Sister Yun, this scattered cultivator is a bit excessive, isn't he?" one of the women said indignantly. This was the Ziyun Sect's property, and he had destroyed it all.
"Interesting," Senior Sister Yun said, her lips parting slightly, her tone indifferent. "I want to see what kind of talent he possesses." As her words fell, the three women each picked up a token.
The second trial was to measure bone age and aptitude. Chen Xun entered a grand hall with the great black bull. The hall was vibrant with colors, and at its center was an array. He stepped directly into it.
"Bone age twenty?!" The woman looked at the token in her hand, her voice trembling. "Aptitude... five-element mixed spiritual roots..."
"What a pity. Still, among scattered cultivators, he can be considered a figure of note," Senior Sister Yun said with slight regret. This scattered cultivator had clearly not used his full strength in the first trial, but the Ziyun Sect was strict about qualifications, and combat power at the Qi Refinement stage was not significant to them.
Inside the hall, Chen Xun smiled faintly; his goal had been achieved. The Ziyun Sect valued aptitude above all, and there was no need to continue challenging the trials. The first trial had merely given everyone hope. He had observed the Ziyun Sect for years and had long seen through their ways.
"Old Bull, let's go."
"Moo!"
Chen Xun left through another door, choosing not to continue the trials, seemingly aware that his aptitude was lacking. Senior Sister Yun merely cast a deep glance at Chen Xun before shifting her attention elsewhere. The Ziyun Sect also dispatched several disciples, releasing puppet beasts from their storage bags, and a new round of trials began.
"Friend, please wait." A middle-aged man in blue called out to Chen Xun from another door, his eyes kind.
Chen Xun looked at him in confusion, leading the great black bull. "What is it, friend?"
"I am Yin Jun, a disciple of the Wuyun Sect from Zhiyang Prefecture," the middle-aged man introduced himself, then sighed slightly. "I just witnessed your impressive combat strength, yet it is regrettable that you are limited by your aptitude."
The Qian Kingdom had nine prefectures, and the Ningyun Mountain Range was in the Yongquan Prefecture, quite far away. It would take at least half a year to travel on foot. The Wuyun Sect was also a major sect in Zhiyang Prefecture; although it was not on par with the ten great sects, it was still a well-known entity in the Qian Kingdom's cultivation world. The Wuyun Sect had a good relationship with the Ziyun Sect, and it was said that their upper echelons were quite friendly, which was why Yin Jun could come here to scout for talent.
"So you are a disciple of the Wuyun Sect. I have long admired you," Chen Xun said, cupping his hands in greeting, his eyes lighting up as he awaited the next words, for this man was actually a ninth-level Qi Refinement cultivator.
"Would you be interested in joining the Wuyun Sect?" Yin Jun asked with a smile. Yongquan Prefecture had no major sects, and its cultivation resources were relatively lacking. In the past, scattered cultivators would feel honored to receive such invitations without question.
"How can you prove you are a disciple of the Wuyun Sect? You can't expect me to just follow you based on your word," Chen Xun replied.
"I have actually been observing for a while. Some sects always seek out those scattered cultivators with strong combat power, regardless of their aptitude. Please tell me honestly."
"What is required after joining the Wuyun Sect? There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world; I understand that."
"And most importantly, can I bring my ancestral great black bull with me?" Chen Xun said solemnly. These questions had lingered in his mind for a long time, and they were the main reason he hesitated to join the ten great sects. Disciples of these mid-tier sects could still be reasoned with, but the Foundation Establishment seniors would not indulge in lengthy discussions. What would he do if they forced him to part with the great black bull? When he first arrived, that chubby boy had told him to get rid of the great black bull, and he would rather be killed than do that.
Yin Jun was taken aback, his mouth agape in disbelief. What was wrong with this person? Did he have some huge trauma in childhood...?
"This is the Wuyun Sect's disciple token; please take a look." Yin Jun took out a green token from his storage bag, inscribed with the word "Wuyun," its patterns mysterious, clearly not an ordinary item.
"If this token is activated, it can summon Wuyun Sect disciples within a hundred miles for support," Yin Jun said, slightly speechless. If it weren't for the benefits of recruiting a qualified disciple, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths.
"Then activate it and let me see. Please don't mind; scattered cultivators cannot compare to your sect's disciples."
"I will activate it when the valley closes; then you can discern its authenticity."
"Alright." Chen Xun nodded with a smile, looking expectantly at Yin Jun.
Yin Jun took a deep breath, blinking as he said, "Actually, it's not a big secret; it concerns the lifeblood of low-tier cultivators in the Qian Kingdom."
"Please speak plainly."
"It's about the spirit herbs for the Foundation Establishment Pill..." Yin Jun began to explain slowly.