After enduring various twists and turns, Jian Xiaolou finally made it through the gates of Floating Light City. She followed Zhan Tianxiang and the other cultivators heading toward the Fire Refining Sect.
The entrance assessment was held at the outer plaza of the sect. Before stepping onto the main grounds, all entrants had to cross a curved platform of jade, known as the Truth-Revealing Stone. It was said that this jade could expose all illusions and reveal the true nature of anyone within the three realms.
Under the rule of the Heaven's Will Alliance, the Eastern Immortal Continent had an extremely stringent registry system for immortals. No sect could afford to admit fake identities or undocumented souls.
Jian Xiaolou was anxious. If she were truly a reincarnated soul, her roots would be righteous and legitimate—but unfortunately, she wasn't. Years ago, her wandering soul had been drawn into the Jian family mansion by a strange force. Though dazed and unaware, she remembered that upon entering her mother's womb, she had displaced another orb of energy.
Jian Xiaolou suspected that this displaced soul was the true heir meant to be born to the Jian family. It must have been forced to take the form of a magpie and lay an egg when her grandfather's pet parrot inexplicably laid an egg the night she was born.
Feeling a pang of guilt, Jian Xiaolou glanced at the dazed old mynah bird perched on her shoulder. "Xiao Hei, don't worry. I promise to take care of you for the rest of your days," she murmured.
"Hey, girl in front, keep moving," someone behind her urged impatiently.
Snapped out of her thoughts, Jian Xiaolou bit her lip and stepped onto the Truth-Revealing Stone. She crossed it, heart pounding, but seeing the indifferent expression on the face of the senior sister checking records, she finally relaxed.
When it was Zhan Tianxiang's turn, she shared Jian Xiaolou's nervous expression but moved much more confidently and also passed the inspection.
Next came the primary trial for all new disciples: testing one's spiritual roots.
According to the Fire Refining Sect's rules, anyone with a fire attribute score of 50 or higher could enter as an inner disciple. Those lacking fire roots, or whose fire attribute fell short, would proceed to the second trial.
Jian Xiaolou knew she had three spiritual roots: earth, metal, and wood. She skipped the root test, registered with the record-keeping senior brother, and joined the crestfallen group headed for the second trial: the Heaven and Earth Spirit Furnace.
The furnace, three zhang tall and two zhang wide, was intricately adorned with carvings of mystical artifacts and cold weapons like swords and spears. Its outer wall bore twenty ventilation holes, each three and a half inches wide. Within the furnace, iron flame spirits danced, coming in three sizes: half-inch, two-inch, and three-inch.
Candidates needed to use their spiritual energy to draw these iron flame spirits through the holes. Those who managed a half-inch flame spirit could join the sect's elite pavilion, where they'd receive direct instruction from the sect master and elders. However, aside from the sect's founder, no one had ever accomplished this feat, making it nearly legendary.
Drawing a two-inch flame spirit secured a spot as an inner disciple. A three-inch spirit only granted entry to the outer sect. If one couldn't draw a flame spirit at all, their only remaining option was a physical strength test, which, if passed, relegated them to the servant ranks.
"Wow, twenty-two already!"
Jian Xiaolou, just finding a place to attempt the trial, was taken aback by the crowd's astonished exclamations. A cultivator named Gao Zhan had impressively pulled out twenty-two three-inch flame spirits within an hour.
"Even though they're only three-inch, that's still good enough for the inner sect, right?"
"I bet even inner disciples can't manage that many!"
While envious comments swirled around, Gao Zhan basked in the attention. The top spot among the new disciples seemed assured, and his handsome face brimmed with pride.
From the high platform, one of the officials—Shen Yuchu, the chief disciple of the sect master Xuanwei Zhenren—stood up and called out to Gao Zhan. The crowd gasped; Shen Yuchu wore a jade belt adorned with four star crystals, the mark of a four-star artifact refiner. The five officials seated there were all personal disciples of the sect leaders, each a four-star refiner. Their presence was not merely to oversee the trial but to scout for potential talents for their masters.
For Shen Yuchu himself to make a move was unprecedented in the seven days since the trial had begun. Gao Zhan seemed poised to rise in the ranks.
Hidden within the throng, Jian Xiaolou watched with envy. Talent and fortune often determined one's destiny in the cultivation world. Even if hard work could make up for deficiencies, one still needed a good foundation to start from.
Exhaling, she refocused on the Heaven and Earth Spirit Furnace. She circulated her spiritual energy, condensing it into a white glow that entered the furnace. The iron flame spirits were searing hot and slippery, the smaller ones more potent. Jian Xiaolou's energy hovered mid-air, releasing soul-attracting energy to draw the spirits near.
According to the sect's principles, refining talent depended on one's soul fire. If a cultivator's soul carried a flame, the iron flame spirits would be naturally drawn.
Jian Xiaolou prayed desperately. "Dear immortals and Buddhas, I'm a good disciple who doesn't kill, eat meat, or lie. Just let me draw out one three-inch spirit, please!"
Despite having no interest in artifact refining, she had no other choice. Only the Fire Refining Sect was accepting disciples within five years, and joining a sect was the only way to qualify for the Heaven's Will Alliance's examination in three years.
To her surprise, a few half-inch flame spirits began to circle her spiritual energy, though they seemed hesitant.
Jian Xiaolou had no idea why they kept their distance, but she sensed the heat building. Meanwhile, Gao Zhan's triumphant moment soured as Jiang An, the chief disciple of the Discipline Elder, objected to Shen Yuchu's overtures.
Jiang An's playful insults and the ensuing banter distracted many, but one observer remained fixated: Yue Ze. He had noticed something extraordinary within the furnace. The half-inch flame spirits were boiling with fear, something he'd never seen before.
Yue Ze narrowed his gaze, finally locking onto Jian Xiaolou, whose spirit was causing the furnace's turmoil. As her spiritual energy began to falter, Yue Ze decided he wouldn't let her fail.
With her spirit nearly spent, Jian Xiaolou started to withdraw, whispering a silent apology to her deceased brother. Just then, a three-inch flame spirit darted into her spiritual core, leaving her stunned.
A disciple declared, "Jian Xiaolou, three-inch flame spirit, entry to the outer sect!" She stood there dumbfounded before bursting into laughter. Her luck had truly come through!