Jiang Wen, ascending the Heavenly Platform, remained unswayed by the allure of money and power, these things dissipating before him like smoke.
His gaze was piercing, his expression unwavering.
For the sake of cultivating immortality, he had diligently practiced martial arts for years, even spending a fortune to hire martial arts instructors.
For the sake of cultivating immortality, he had traversed mountains and rivers; also for the sake of cultivating immortality, he had refused the solicitations of various merchant guilds.
How could he possibly halt before these illusory temptations now?
Gazing at the approaching mountain gate, Jiang Wen felt a surge of excitement.
The moment he stepped into the immortal gate, he felt the impurities leave his body, his spirit refreshed.
Looking up again, he saw a sea of clouds shimmering like golden waves, mountains and sky blending into one, inspiring ambition.
"Father! Mother! I finally made it! Your child has not disappointed your expectations!"
"I never imagined that one day, I too could enter the immortal gate!"
Various voices arose around him, and Jiang Wen turned to look at them, all people who had just ascended the Heavenly Platform.
At this moment, everyone's expressions were different; many were weeping, some were filled with ambition, and even more were entranced, unable to believe they had ascended the Heavenly Platform.
Seeing this scene, Jiang Wen couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨(gan kai, difficult to translate directly but means mixed feelings of awe, sorrow and reflection).
This path of cultivating immortality was so cruel, one must first pass the test to be qualified to enter the immortal gate; if one's talent for cultivating immortality was insufficient, one might not even be able to enter.
In the end, one could only live a mediocre life, ordinary in this world.
Just as he was filled with emotion, he heard an old man's voice beside him.
"All of you have passed the Heavenly Platform, now you need to have your innate qualities checked."
The speaker was an old Daoist, wearing a blue Daoist robe, stroking his long beard as he looked at everyone.
"We respectfully obey the immortal elder's decree."
The young men, hearing the old Daoist's words, respectfully bowed to him.
Then, they stood nervously in place, awaiting the old Daoist's instructions.
The old Daoist nodded with satisfaction, and with a wave of his horsetail whisk, conjured a piece of jade stone.
The young men, seeing the stone appear out of thin air in the old Daoist's hand from such a close distance, all exclaimed in surprise.
Their eyes were filled with even more zeal for the magic of the immortals.
The old Daoist was naturally somewhat proud upon seeing this, he placed the jade stone in front of him, allowing it to float in the air.
"Touching this object will reveal your innate qualities and potential.
Which of you will go first?"
As soon as the words fell, a young man stood up bravely.
Jiang Wen looked towards this person, and saw that he had a square face and firm features, his appearance indicating a righteous person.
"Good."
The old Daoist naturally praised him upon seeing someone stand up so quickly.
"What is your name?"
"Chang Yunshan, Xia Yun Town, Li Haoran is my name."
The young man answered generously and confidently.
"Your courage is commendable, come then."
The old Daoist smiled happily, pointing to the jade stone, signaling the young man to come forward.
Li Haoran didn't hesitate, striding to the jade stone and placing his hand on it.
Immediately, the stone lit up with white light, as bright and clear as the moon.
"Li Haoran has excellent innate qualities, he may enter Gan Mountain."
The old Daoist looked at Li Haoran with some surprise, and then announced his destination.
With someone taking the lead, the remaining people naturally refused to be outdone.
They all rushed forward, eager to be tested.
Seeing so many people, Jiang Wen decided to wait a while before going over.
From his experience, this old Daoist must be a hidden master.
He was here now, just to see how everyone's Dao heart was.
According to the events in the novels, indecent behavior would displease the immortals.
What he needed to do was to show a humble and polite attitude, increase the old Daoist's goodwill, and perhaps even trigger a hidden opportunity to become a disciple of a reclusive master?
Thinking this way, Jiang Wen was not in a hurry to be tested.
"Wang Daniu has medium innate qualities, enter Kun Mountain."
"Pan Xiaomei has low innate qualities, enter Kun Mountain."
"Chang Mingyuan has excellent innate qualities, enter Gan Mountain."
… …
Jiang Wen silently listened to the old Daoist's words, analyzing the meaning within them, and gaining some understanding of the immortal gate's system.
Entry-level disciples were judged by their innate qualities; the good ones could enter Gan Mountain, while the bad ones could only enter Kun Mountain.
Although he didn't understand the difference between Gan Mountain and Kun Mountain, Jiang Wen guessed that it might be related to cultivation resources.
The immortal gate would definitely prioritize cultivating those with good aptitude, rather than those with mediocre or low aptitude.
The welfare conditions of Gan Mountain were definitely the best among the newly entered disciples.
Being able to enter Gan Mountain was naturally the best.
Thinking about these things, Jiang Wen felt a bit uneasy.
He didn't even know what his own aptitude was like; wouldn't it be a pity if he couldn't enter Gan Mountain?
But then he thought that he had already reached this point, and he would definitely not be worse than others, so he wasn't so nervous.
As long as he could enter the immortal gate, weren't Gan Mountain and Kun Mountain the same to him?
The testing speed was very fast, and he saw that there were much fewer people.
Jiang Wen then composed himself, mustered his courage, and walked towards the jade stone.
"Junior Jiang Wen, pays respects to senior."
Jiang Wen bowed respectfully to the old Daoist.
"Good.
Go."
The old Daoist smiled and stroked his beard, telling him to go to the jade stone.
Standing in front of the jade stone, Jiang Wen took a deep breath and slowly placed his hand on it.
He only felt a chill coming from it, and the jade stone emitted a faint white light.
"Alas, as expected, I am not one with excellent talent."
Seeing this scene, he knew that his aptitude was not very good.
Feeling slightly regretful, Jiang Wen still calmed down.
After all, having innate qualities was at least better than not having them; it just meant he couldn't enter Gan Mountain.
As long as he could come into contact with cultivation, this little thing didn't matter.
Waiting for the old Daoist's announcement, Jiang Wen was full of anticipation for cultivating immortality.
"Jiang Wen, poor aptitude, failed to enter the gate."
"Thank you, sen… …"
At the moment the old Daoist finished speaking, Jiang Wen bowed respectfully to him.
But as he made the bowing motion halfway, his whole body froze in place.
He raised his head, looking at the old Daoist in disbelief.
"Sen, senior, what did you just say… …"
"Your aptitude is poor, you cannot enter the immortal gate."
Seeing Jiang Wen asking him, the old Daoist's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
His tone was slightly impatient, but he still answered Jiang Wen's words.
"I failed to enter the gate?!
Senior, have you made a mistake?"
Jiang Wen felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, he had never imagined that he would not be able to enter the immortal gate.
Earlier, he saw that many new disciples had the same light as him during the test, belonging to average talent.
These people had all entered Kun Mountain.
Jiang Wen naturally felt that he would 100% be able to enter the immortal gate.
But the old Daoist's words made his heart grow cold.
"Are you questioning me?"
The old Daoist looked at Jiang Wen with displeasure.
"It's just that your talent is poor, unsuitable for cultivating immortality."
"But the previous people were just like me, why could they enter?!"
Jiang Wen asked in confusion.
"Those people are not the same as you, you should leave quickly.
Don't shout at the mountain gate."
The old Daoist waved his hand impatiently at Jiang Wen, signaling him to leave.
"But… …"
Jiang Wen looked at the old Daoist unwillingly, wanting to say something more.
The people who had not yet been tested behind him also saw this scene, all feeling somewhat astonished.
"Presumptuous!"
Seeing that Jiang Wen was unwilling to leave, the old Daoist shouted angrily.
He pinched his fingers and drew a talisman.
"Soldiers of Jia and Yi, come quickly!"
Two clay figures appeared beside the old Daoist, both resembling two-meter-tall warriors.
"Capture this孽畜(nie chu, a derogatory term, roughly translated as 'evil creature')."
The old Daoist pointed at Jiang Wen, and the warriors strode forward.
Before Jiang Wen could resist at all, the warriors captured him.
Jiang Wen was both angry and annoyed, looking at the old Daoist with great confusion.
He had never met this person before, had no connection with him in his life, why was this old Daoist targeting him for no reason?!
"Next."
The old Daoist glanced at Jiang Wen, and snorted lightly.
The next person walked up happily, approached the old Daoist, and secretly handed him something.
The old Daoist accepted it with pleasure, and then handed a jade slip to that person.
"Go in, Kun Mountain."
That person ran in happily, not even looking at the trapped Jiang Wen.
"… …"
Jiang Wen suddenly understood something, looking at the old Daoist with burning anger, his teeth about to creak.
It turned out that it wasn't that his innate qualities were not good, nor that he couldn't enter the immortal gate.
But because his quota had been bought by someone else!
This old Daoist, as someone who cultivates immortality and seeks the Dao, actually did such a vulgar thing.
Jiang Wen was very angry in his heart, but he had no way to do anything.
The old Daoist's two clay figure warriors held him like mountains, making him unable to move at all.
Along with the testing of the remaining people, Jiang Wen slowly lowered his head.
Listening to the old Daoist's voice, he only felt irony.
His fists were clenched pale, clenched until his skin cracked.
His lips were also bitten with blood, flowing down along his lips.
At this moment, he only had one thought in his mind, which was that he would fight to the death to get things clear.
But reason told him that everything had not yet reached the end of the road.
Because, it wasn't worth it.
After everyone entered the mountain gate, the old Daoist slowly walked to Jiang Wen.
"Little baby, do you still want to make trouble?"
The old Daoist smiled.
"How can the land of immortals allow you to be presumptuous.
Giving you some punishment like this, I hope you will be a good person in the future."
Listening to the old Daoist's words, Jiang Wen raised his head and looked at him fiercely.
"Pah!"
A mouthful of saliva with blood was spat on his face, and the old Daoist didn't recover for a long time.
"You Daoist, privately collecting benefits and doing such vulgar things, you are unworthy to be a member of the immortal gate!"
Jiang Wen said angrily.
"You! Good! Good!!"
The old Daoist came back to his senses, wiping the saliva on his face.
He looked at Jiang Wen with a sneer, revealing malice.
"Just now I saw that you were a child and didn't bother with you, but I didn't expect you to be so rude.
If I don't give you some lessons, I'm afraid you will be a villain even in the human world!"
Saying that, the old Daoist had the warriors grab Jiang Wen, and ordered another warrior to teach him a lesson.
Jiang Wen watched the warrior slowly walk towards him, only struggling in vain, no matter how hard he tried, it was useless.
The warrior raised his fist, about to swing it at him.
Jiang Wen looked at the old Daoist's triumphant face, and slowly closed his eyes.
"Is this the immortal gate?
Is this the righteous sect of Jingxu Palace?
Ridiculous… … If cultivating immortality is like this, I would rather not cultivate this immortality."
Thoughts sank, only feeling a huge pain in his body.
At this moment, Jiang Wen seemed to let go of his obsession with cultivating immortality.
And in his mind, a sound like glass shattering came.
At this moment, all kinds of thoughts surged out.
Even the pain on his body became non-existent.
Also at the moment when the warrior raised his fist, Jiang Wen opened his eyes.
He recalled everything, remembered what he had to do.
"Zhuang Zhou dreamed of a butterfly, is it illusion or reality?
It's just that there is reality in illusion, and illusion in reality.
Being obsessed with illusion and reality, isn't it just like my current obsession with the path of cultivating immortality."
He smiled calmly, and everything in front of him solidified.
Whether it was the old Daoist's hideous smile, or the warrior's act of raising his fist, or the smiling faces of the selected disciples in the distance, all were frozen like wooden puppets.
Until Jiang Wen stretched out his hand and gently tapped the old Daoist's forehead, everything instantly came to life.
