The second day of the second lunar month is a good day for traveling.
The moderate rain was pouring down, falling on the ground, splashing the fragrance of the soil, falling on the lake, creating ripples, and falling on the heads of passers-by, causing low shouts and curses.
"Who said it's a good day to travel today? It's raining as soon as you go out." Lu Yang complained, regretting not bringing a raincoat in advance.
It was his first time to go out for a long distance, and he had no experience. The rain came suddenly, soaking him all over. His shoes were muddy, and he felt the malice of the ground when he walked - he needed to pull his feet out of the mud pit.
The sound of clattering came from behind, attracting Lu Yang's attention.
Lu Yang turned his head and found that it was a carriage approaching him. There was no coachman on the carriage. The old horse seemed to know the way and didn't need anyone to drive it.
"What a magical horse." Lu Yang exclaimed. There were several scales on the old horse's forehead, like snake scales, obviously some kind of alien monster.
Although he didn't understand the value, he knew the preciousness of this old horse.
At least he couldn't afford it with his financial resources.
"Brother, it's really a good thing for you to walk in the rain. Why don't you sit in the carriage?"
A man's hearty laughter came from the carriage. Lu Yang accepted the man's kindness, pulled his feet out of the mud pit, and hurriedly got in the carriage.
"Excuse me, I'm Lu Yang." Lu Yang got into the carriage carefully, afraid that the rain and mud on his body would dirty the carriage.
"Meng Jingzhou." The owner of the carriage was just like his voice, a carefree young man, optimistic and cheerful, as if he could talk to anyone.
"Brother Lu, are you here to participate in the selection of the Daodao Sect?"
"Just to try your luck."
Meng Jingzhou laughed: "Brother Lu, it's okay to be honest. If you really just want to try your luck, you wouldn't walk to the Daodao Sect in the rain."
Lu Yang was a little ashamed: "Who doesn't want to enter the Daodao Sect?"
The Daodao Sect is one of the five major immortal sects in the Central Continent. There are countless immortal cultivators and it is extremely powerful. Today, the Daodao Sect is recruiting disciples. I wonder how many people want to give it a try.
Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou are two of them.
Lu Yang traveled to the Central Continent. His parents died early. He survived by relying on the little inheritance left by his parents and the help from his neighbors.
During the more than ten years he lived in the town, he heard from storytellers that there was a fairy sword knocking at the gate of heaven, heard about river monsters turning over and floods 500 miles away, heard about disciples of the immortal sect using flying swords to slay monsters, exorcise demons and defend the way, and saw sloppy Taoist priests cheating, soaring into the air, escaping from prison in public, and being caught by the soaring officials.
At that time, he knew that this was not the world he was familiar with, not any dynasty he was familiar with, but a world of immortal cultivation where the power of a person was concentrated in one person.
He wanted to seek immortality and learn the immortal method of longevity.
Wendao Sect was his first choice.
There was no other reason for choosing Wendao Sect, simply because there were no other sects around his home, only Wendao Sect.
Wendao Sect was here, and other sects would not be bored and choose to establish sects nearby.
During the conversation, Lu Yang learned that Meng Jingzhou came from a family of immortal cultivators and had much more knowledge of immortal cultivation than Lu Yang.
"The requirement for the Daodao Sect to recruit disciples is that they must be mortals under the age of sixteen. This is not only the requirement for the Daodao Sect, but most sects have this requirement."
"The road to immortal cultivation is long and difficult, including Qi training, foundation building, golden elixir, Nascent Soul, spirit transformation, refining emptiness, fusion, and tribulation. Each realm is a watershed. I don't know how many people are stuck. Only one in ten, one in twenty, or even one in a hundred will appear."
"There are many factors that determine the success of immortal cultivation, such as luck, wisdom, spiritual roots... By the way, Brother Lu, do you know what spiritual roots you have?"
"Although the Daodao Sect does not have high requirements for spiritual roots, it does not want spiritual roots that are too poor."
Lu Yang frowned. He learned the word spiritual root from the storyteller and did not know what spiritual root he had. "I don't know, what about you, Brother Meng?"
Meng Jingzhou's face became very confused, and he also shook his head: "I once tested my spiritual roots in the clan, but the clan elders looked sad and didn't tell me the results. They just said that my talent was amazing, and it would not be a problem to join the five major immortal sects. I will know when I join the five major immortal sects in the future. I secretly asked my parents, and they were more worried than the clan elders, and they also didn't tell me."
Lu Yang speculated: "It may be that your spiritual roots are too shocking, which is easy to bring disaster to the Meng family. Only a behemoth like the Ask Dao Sect can save you."
"Just as I guessed." Meng Jingzhou patted Lu Yang's shoulder, looking like he had met a confidant. The more he looked at Lu Yang, the more he felt that this person was as talented as himself, and was a natural seed for cultivation.
Lu Yang listened to the increasingly loud rain outside, and was glad that Meng Jingzhou let him get in the car.
"Stop." Meng Jingzhou suddenly shouted, and the old horse walked a few steps and slowly stopped.
The carriage was a rare treasure, and Meng Jingzhou could see what was happening outside the carriage.
Meng Jingzhou saw a woman walking in the rain outside the carriage, just like Lu Yang just now.
"This sister is walking in this direction, and she must be going to the Dao Sect to participate in the test. It's raining so hard, why don't you take a rest in the carriage?"
The woman was a little surprised by Meng Jingzhou's proposal, and after thinking about it, she agreed.
As soon as the woman got on the carriage, Meng Jingzhou and Lu Yang were both stunned.
Meng Jingzhou thought he had seen the world, but he had never seen such a beautiful woman, not to mention Lu Yang. The most beautiful woman he had seen was the young widow who sold tofu next door.
Of course, Lu Yang was a gentleman and had no improper thoughts about the young widow.
The woman was like a charming but not gorgeous lotus, dressed in white, standing tall, with bright eyes and white teeth, giving people a feeling of being in another world.
The woman also had a string of golden bells on her right wrist. "Yunzhi thanks you two."
The woman's voice was like a clear spring, which made people feel comfortable.
Lu Yang found something strange and whispered, "Brother Meng, why is her body dry? Could she be a monster?"
In storytelling, monsters often transform into beautiful women to seduce young and strong guys like them.
Just now, Lu Yang was soaked like a drowned chicken, and he was in a mess. On the other hand, Yunzhi didn't have a single drop of rain on her body, and she didn't look like she had walked in the rain at all.
Meng Jingzhou didn't think much about it: "Maybe she has a treasure that can shelter her from the rain, which is also common in aristocratic families."
Meng Jingzhou didn't worry that Yunzhi was a monster or a demon. This is the territory of the Dao Sect. Which monster dared to come to the Dao Sect to make trouble without caring about his life?
"Miss Yunzhi is here to take the test of the Daodao Sect?"
"Yes."
Meng Jingzhou said attentively: "I happen to have the test content of the Daodao Sect here. I spent a lot of money to buy it from the elders of the Daodao Sect. Miss Yunzhi, do you want to listen to it?"
Lu Yang looked at Meng Jingzhou in surprise. Why didn't you tell me?
Yunzhi was even more surprised than Lu Yang: "This is cheating. What if the Daodao Sect finds out..."
Meng Jingzhou waved his hand and said confidently: "My carriage is a rare treasure. Even those great immortal cultivators and secluded old monsters can't use their spiritual sense to detect here."
"I see. Please tell me the content of the test, Mr. Meng."
Hearing this, Lu Yang also pricked up his ears to listen.
Meng Jingzhou cleared his throat: "The test of the Daodao Sect is divided into three levels. The first level tests spiritual roots. This is a hard test. There is no possibility of taking shortcuts. The second and third levels have room for operation."
"The second level tests character. A carriage is out of control and is about to hit five people lying on the roadside. If they are knocked down, they will definitely die. There is another person lying not far away. As outsiders, we can control the direction of the carriage's out-of-control. Should we choose to ignore it and kill five people, or change direction and kill another person?"
Lu Yang said without hesitation: "Kill another person."
Meng Jingzhou was very surprised. Since he learned about the content of the second level, he has not thought of a solution. How can Lu Yang make a decision immediately?
If you choose to ignore it, you will have to watch five people being killed. It is reasonable but not good.
If you choose to change direction and kill another person, then this person is so unlucky and deserves to be killed, and he did it himself.
Meng Jingzhou expressed his doubts, and Lu Yang explained: "How can you have so much time to think? By the time you figured out the result, the five people would have been killed. I guess the test of the Dao Sect is not whether you choose to save five people or one person, but whether you can make a decision quickly."
"I heard from the bookkeeper that a slight difference in the battle between cultivators can mean life or death. What is the character tested in the second level? It depends on whether you are indecisive or decisive. Making a decision in the shortest time is the most important."
Meng Jingzhou suddenly realized.
"The third level tests honesty. The Dao Sect has a mirror that can judge whether you are telling the truth or a lie. If you are found to be lying, you will be kicked out of the test directly."
Lu Yang thought: "This level is simple. If you are not reminded in advance, it is easy to tell lies to cover yourself up. But since you know it in advance, just tell the truth."
Meng Jingzhou nodded, he thought so too.
The two discussed for a while and proposed many possible accidents and countermeasures. After a summary, they felt that it was seamless.
Miss Yunzhi smiled, as if she thought the two of them were talking about a good idea.
"Thank you, Young Master Lu, for telling me."
"Well, has the rain stopped?" Lu Yang found that there was no more sound of raindrops falling outside the car, so he couldn't help but look out curiously.
It was still pouring rain in the place they had just passed, but the place where they were was sunny, with birds singing and flowers blooming, as if a peerless sword energy had divided the world into two halves of yin and yang, never to intersect.
Lu Yang looked up and saw countless rare and exotic animals and immortal magic weapons rushing to the towering mountain that reached the sky.
The towering mountain was coated with a layer of light gold by the sun, and the gorgeous patterns spread out from behind the mountain, covering the sky and the earth, blocking the heavy rain.
That was the gateway mountain of the Wendao Sect, and on it was a protective formation that no one could break.
Out of respect for the Wendao Sect, the Taoist genius, led by his elders, landed at the foot of the mountain and waited for the Wendao Sect to start the test.
The old horse is already a rare species of monster, but it is still inferior to the handsome monsters resting at the foot of the mountain.
"Oh my god, this is much more domineering than our Meng family's house." Meng Jingzhou rubbed his hands, a little nervous. Thinking that he would soon pass the test and become a member of the Dao Sect, he was more excited.
Lu Yang said nothing. He could see this mountain when he was at home. At that time, the distance was too far and he didn't feel anything. Standing at the foot of the mountain, he realized how huge it was.
He was a little nervous. There were ways to pass the second and third levels, but he still didn't know what his spiritual roots were. Maybe he couldn't even pass the first test.
Dozens of cultivators stood in the air, guarding in front of the mountain, all emitting powerful aura fluctuations. Lu Yang suspected that if they completely let go of their auras, there would be few people who could even stand.
These cultivators were silent, giving people psychological pressure for no reason.
Lu Yang heard a family elder introduce the younger generation: "Look at the style of the Taoist robes. These are the core disciples of the Daodao Sect. They are all disciples of the elders. These people will be your brothers in the future."
"Don't be nervous. They are not deliberately putting pressure on you. It seems that they are waiting for the person who will host the test. When the host arrives, the test will begin."
Lu Yang turned his head to see Miss Yunzhi's reaction, whether she was excited or nervous.
It can't be that she is still indifferent, right?
"Miss Yunzhi, you..."
Lu Yang was about to say something when he saw Miss Yunzhi take light steps. Before each step, a white lotus would hold up her weak body.
Everyone was in an uproar. The family elders showed cold sweat on their foreheads and hurriedly asked the younger generation to be silent.
The white lotus paved the road across the crowd. Miss Yunzhi came to the middle of the core disciples of the Daodao Sect. The disciples of the Daodao Sect bowed to her to show respect. Miss Yunzhi raised her white hand lightly, then faced the crowd and smiled.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting. I am the senior sister of the Daodao Sect, the host of this test."
"I declare that the test officially begins."
After saying that, Miss Yunzhi glanced at the dazed Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou with a half-smile.
She was indeed here to participate in the Daodao Sect test, but she was not a candidate, but an examiner.