[The second day of lunar February, a good day for trips.]
The rain was whirring down on the ground, splashing up the aroma of the earth. The lake made no complaints about ripples from the drops, while those pedestrians muttered curses about the rain.
"Hell good for trips huh? Started raining the moment I stepped out." Lu Yang complained as he left his raincoat back at home.
With no experience, the rain during his first long journey suddenly soaked him. He felt like the ground was maliciously trying to consume him—he had to pull his feet out of the mud.
The echoes of hooves from behind drew Lu Yang's attention.
A horse-drawn carriage approached him as he turned around. There was no coachman on the carriage, and the old horse seemed to know the way all by itself.
"What a miraculous horse." Lu Yang praised. The old horse had snake-like scales on its forehead. Evidently, it was a kind of mutated demon beast.
Though he got no clues on its value, he knew the old horse must be precious.
At least he couldn't afford it now.
"This gentleman seems to enjoy strolling in the rain, would you like to come and sit in the carriage?"
A hearty laugh of a man came from inside the carriage. Lu Yang accepted the man's kindness, took his feet out of the mud, and quickly got in the carriage.
"Excuse me, I am Lu Yang." Lu Yang sat cautiously inside, worrying that the rain and dirt on his body would soil the carriage.
"Meng Jingzhou." The owner of the carriage, as expected from his voice, was a profoundly relaxed young man. Obviously an optimistic mind that could strike up a conversation with anyone.
"Brother Lu, here to join the Seek Dao Sect selection?"
"Just trying my luck."
Meng Jingzhou laughed heartily, "Brother Lu, honest is always a good virtue, right? If you were actually just trying your luck, you wouldn't walk towards the Seek Dao Sect in the rain."
Lu Yang got a little embarrassed, "Reallu hard to find one without interest in Seek Dao Sect..."
The Seek Dao Sect, one of the Five Great Immortal Sects in the Central Continent, had countless cultivation masters and was extremely powerful. Today, the Sect was recruiting disciples that drew countless eyes.
Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou were no exception.
Lu Yang had been living in the Central Continent after being orphaned at a young age. He survived on his parents' small heritage and donations from neighbors.
During his years living in the town, he heard from a storyteller about many tales. Immortal flying to the gate of heaven with his sword, the river demon causing a flood that affected five hundred miles, the disciple of the Immortal Sect slaying demons with his flying sword. A shabby Daoist swindler levitating in public, breaking out of jail, only to be captured again by levitating masters of justice.
That's when he knew, this was not the world he was familiar with, not any era he knew. It was a world of cultivation where personal power could reach amazing heights.
He wished to seek immortality and learn the longevity method of immortals.
The Seek Dao Sect was his first stop to fulfill this desire.
The reason he chose the Seek Dao Sect was simple: there were no other sects close to his house, only the Seek Dao Sect.
With the Seek Dao Sect established here, other sects wouldn't be foolish enough to try and establish their sect nearby.
During their conversation, Lu Yang learnt that Meng Jingzhou came from an influential family of cultivators, his knowledge of cultivation far exceeded that of Lu Yang.
"The requirement for the Seek Dao Sect's acceptance of disciples is for them to be under the age of sixteen. That's the case not just for the Seek Dao Sect, but a common requirement for most sects."
"The path of cultivation is long and difficult, with stages of Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Refining the Void, Unification, and Pass Tribulation, all representing a breakthrough in cultivation. Countless people are stuck at each of these stages."
"There are many factors determining success in cultivation, such as luck, wisdom, spirit root... By the way, Brother Lu, do you know what your spirit root is?"
"Although the Seek Dao Sect doesn't set high requirements for spirit root, it wouldn't accept one that is too weak."
Lu Yang frowned, he heard of the term spirit root from the storyteller and did not know what his spirit root was.
"I don't know, what about you, Brother Meng?"
Meng Jingzhou's face turned puzzled, shaking his head in return, "I have tested my spirit root in the family, but the elders did not tell me the result with a worried look on their faces. They just said that my talent was extraordinary and that it wouldn't be a problem for me to join one of the Five Great Immortal Sects and find out when I do so. I tried asking my parents secretly, but they were even more worried and didn't tell me either."
Lu Yang speculated, "Maybe your spirit root is so extraordinary that it could bring trouble to the Meng Family. Only a giant sect like the Seek Dao Sect could protect you."
"That's what I guessed too." Meng Jingzhou patted Lu Yang on the shoulder. Now he deemed Lu Yang as talented as himself—what a pair of gifted cultivator.
Lu Yang listened to the increasing sound of the rain outside and was glad that Meng Jingzhou had invited him into the carriage.
"Halt!" Meng Jingzhou suddenly shouted. The old horse slowed down and came to a halt.
The carriage was a rare treasure, and Meng Jingzhou could see the world outside from inside the carriage.
Meng Jingzhou noticed a young woman walking in the rain, looking like Lu Yang had before.
"Lady, since you're walking in this direction, you must be heading to the Seek Dao Sect to join the examination. The rain is quite heavy, why not rest your feet in the carriage?"
The woman looked a bit surprised at Meng Jingzhou's offer but decided to accept it after contemplation.
As soon as the woman got on the carriage, Meng Jingzhou and Lu Yang were both stunned.
Meng Jingzhou, who considered himself worldly, had never seen a woman as beautiful as her, and there's no need to mention Lu Yang, the prettiest woman he had ever seen was the young widow who lived next door and sold tofu.