Thirty thousand youths in different attires looked up at the huge stele ten zhang high. Each of them had a restrained look on their faces, revealing their inner uneasiness.
The upcoming test would determine their fates!
If they could pass the test of this [Preaching Stele], they would be able to enter the immortal sect and become cultivators. From then on, they would no longer be bothered by worldly affairs. They could travel from the North Sea in the morning to the ends of the earth in the evening, witness the vicissitudes of the world, and overlook the changes of mortal dynasties.
If not, they could only return to the mortal world in disgrace and live a weak, short, and dull life as ordinary mortals.
Ryan, who was among the crowd, although dressed in hemp clothes, had a calm expression. Compared with the anxious youths around him, he unavoidably stood out like a crane among chickens.
Before long, someone took the initiative to come up and strike up a conversation.
"I'm the eldest son of the Chu family in Qinghe. My name is Shaobai."
"My family's ancestor stepped into the cultivation world a hundred years ago. Now, he's only half a step away from the transcendent realm!"
The young man was dressed in fine clothes and rode a magnificent horse. His speech was refined. As soon as he opened his mouth, he revealed his identity as a scion of a noble family. At the same time, he cupped his hands and asked, "May I ask what your name is, brother?"
Knowing his identity, the youths nearby couldn't help but gasp in astonishment and cast envious or jealous glances. Ryan, however, remained expressionless, with a composed and cold stance.
He glanced at Chu Shaobai and said expressionlessly, "You'll know later."
In fact, Ryan's nature wasn't the type to keep people at a distance.
But he came with a purpose and forced himself to play this aloof and indifferent role.
Ryan, who had transmigrated from Earth to this world, already understood that in the Qianyuan Realm, all living beings could embark on the cultivation path by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and thus obtain a long lifespan.
Seemingly without thresholds, in fact, there were thresholds everywhere!
Physical talent, comprehension, immortal fate, cultivation manuals, places rich in spiritual energy... and so on. As long as one of these was lacking, one definitely couldn't go far on the path of seeking immortality.
Fortunately, after transmigrating, Ryan awakened a natural supernatural power named [Causality].
In short, he was able to advance his future cultivation achievements.
For example, if he wanted to obtain the talent called [Narrow Acting Skills · Noble Young Master in the Turbid World], he had to wholeheartedly spend two months painstakingly studying it before he could acquire it.
However, as long as he activated the supernatural power of causality, he could immediately obtain this ability!
The good news was that Ryan could first enjoy the fruits of his future cultivation and then slowly make up for the entire cultivation process.
The bad news was that he not only needed to make up for the cultivation process but also had to pay some interest!
He shifted his gaze away from Chu Shaobai. Seemingly, he was looking at the Preaching Stele, but in fact, he was observing the light blue fluorescent text panel that only he could see.
[Ryan: The Only Awakener of the Supernatural Power of Causality]
[Currently Borrowed Fruits of Cultivation: Obtained Narrow Acting Skills · Noble Young Master in the Turbid World.]
[Degree of Repayment of the Cause of Cultivation: Fully Repaid.]
[Currently Available Times of Advancement: One]
After transmigrating here, Ryan spent sixty-five days to pay off this causal debt. Calculated in this way, the interest wasn't much, just five more days. But this also proved one point.
——The ability to borrow future cultivation achievements in advance must ensure that each time one borrows, one can obtain additional benefits to ensure that one doesn't lose money if it wants to play its role!
When he privately tried to absorb spiritual energy using the simple methods that even peasants and beggars understood, he found that...
It wasn't easy to mobilize the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
His cultivation efficiency was no different from that of ordinary people!
Realizing this, Ryan noticed that his talent wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly outstanding either. It was probably at the level of [Average Talent]. The Qianyuan Realm was different from Earth. It was a world of immortals and martial arts where one could improve one's realm step by step through hard cultivation, gradually increase one's lifespan, and finally achieve immortality.
Here, great cultivators could even ride the wind, move mountains and fill seas, and pick stars and hold the moon through cultivation!
If miracles didn't exist, Ryan could endure his ordinariness.
However, in such a cultivation world full of miraculous glimmers, how could he tolerate the ending of dying of exhausted lifespan due to his mediocre talent and desperate cultivation?
Never!
In order to attain the Tao and become an immortal and live a carefree and long life, Ryan made a bold decision.
——By disguising as a celestial prodigy to deceive the sect into tilting resources towards him, he could greatly improve his cultivation efficiency!
Therefore, when he first used the supernatural power of causality to borrow cultivation achievements in advance, he chose the [Narrow Acting Skills · Noble Young Master in the Turbid World], a secular ability with a very narrow use but extremely strong pertinence.
He did this to show off his acting skills when the immortal sect recruited disciples, making himself look like a celestial prodigy and making it less likely for others to spot flaws.
Facts proved that the skills recognized by the supernatural power of causality were really powerful!
"My [Plan of Disguising as a Celestial Prodigy] depends on this!"
"Every expression, every word, and every look of mine from now on must be perfect!"
Ryan demanded this of himself.
He was actually extremely excited in his heart and was looking forward to this moment more than anyone else, but on the surface, he appeared nonchalant.
Given Chu Shaobai's personality, if someone else responded so coldly, even if he didn't make enemies on the spot, he would immediately leave and wouldn't continue the conversation.
However, Ryan's coldness and aloofness made Chu Shaobai feel that this person was extraordinary even more, and he vaguely had a feeling that "he and I are of the same kind".
Originally, it was just a casual question, but now he vaguely had the idea of getting to the bottom of it.
Chu Shaobai didn't feel embarrassed at all. He just stood beside Ryan on his own and chattered on, "This Xuanji Cave Heaven is the most time-honored and powerful cultivation sect within a radius of ten thousand li."
"Look over there - the King of Shu from the Dayue Imperial Dynasty! The Princess with Double Pupils from the Blood-eyed Imperial Dynasty! The Young Marquis Who Won the Championship from the Diting Imperial Dynasty!"
"These powerful figures who held high positions in the mortal world all had rapid breathing and accelerated heartbeats when facing the assessment of Xuanji Cave Heaven."
"And you... You're unusually calm."
He stared at Ryan and asked, "Aren't you worried that you won't pass the assessment?"
Ryan almost responded to him.
Fortunately, his targeted acting skills, which had almost become a habit and integrated into his subconscious, didn't allow him to be too approachable.
Ryan slightly closed his eyes and didn't respond. Although dressed in hemp clothes, he had the air of an aloof and proud young master who was unapproachable.
Chu Shaobai was originally curious by nature. In the past, wherever he went, he was always warmly treated and regarded as an honored guest. Even the princes and princesses of powerful imperial dynasties and the frontier officials didn't dare to be presumptuous in front of him.
And Ryan's reaction also made him a bit competitive.
"I want to see what kind of confidence you have!"
Thinking like this, the serious Chu Shaobai quickly adjusted his mood and took the initiative to say, "I don't know how other paradises and immortal sects test their disciples, but I've heard something about the entry rules of this Xuanji Cave Heaven!"
"This Preaching Stele looks ordinary, but in fact, it's a powerful magic weapon with restrained spiritual charm."
"As long as you stay within a hundred li radius of it, your qi and blood will be stabilized and slowed down, and your losses will be eliminated. Even if you don't eat or drink for ten days and ten nights, your body won't weaken at all!"
Chu Shaobai seemed to be sharing information for free, but in fact, he was also showing off to Ryan that he was well-informed. "Moreover, a powerful fundamental cultivation method is engraved on it, which is also our assessment content."
"That profound method is full of pearls of wisdom and contains the charm of the Tao. It can't be written down with ink on paper, nor can it be passed down orally."
"Even if you want to privately teach it to your blood relatives, Taoist companions, or close friends, you will lose your mind when you pick up a pen and forget what you want to say when you open your mouth!"
"Now, it happens that [Fairy of Turbid Wine] has returned from her travels and training and has become our assessor. If we can enter the fairy's sect, our future immortal paths will surely be smooth and we will benefit endlessly!"
Speaking of this, Chu Shaobai couldn't help showing a look of longing on his face.
The next moment, a thick aroma of wine swept over, suddenly filling the sky and the earth.
At the same time, a female voice as ethereal as a crane's cry reverberated in all directions, resounding through the clouds: "In the 7,500th year of the Chixiao Era, the disciple recruitment assessment of Xuanji Cave Heaven officially begins!"