"Clip-clop, clip-clop," the sound of horse hooves echoed, then a luxurious carriage slowly rolled forth, stopping at the entrance of a dilapidated house. From the carriage, a spirited and dignified old man disembarked, with two armored followers behind him. The old man greeted the other man standing in front of the house, "Brother Tang, sorry to have kept you waiting."
The man referred to as Brother Tang replied with a face full of smiles, "Brother Zhao, I appreciate the effort to recommend Yunlong to the Sky Sword Sect."
This dignified old man was none other than Zhao Wei, the city lord of Luocheng. He was good friends with Tang Tian. The Tang family used to be an established clan, but after falling on hard times, while others avoided them like the plague, Zhao Wei showed his compassion and care for them, treating Tang Yunlong like his own grandson.
"Brother Tang, don't be so modest. I've always treated Yunlong like my own grandson. Anyway, rest assured that no matter what I will make sure the Sky Sword Sect accepts Yunlong. Just stay at home and await the good news." Zhao Wei spoke with a friendly smile. He then turned to Tang Yunlong and said, "Yunlong, get on the carriage." He offered his hand to Tang Yunlong and Tang Tian, helping them onto the carriage, and then they drove off.
The carriage rumbled down the bustling streets of Luocheng. As passersby saw Zhao Wei's carriage approach, they quickly made way. In no time, the carriage had left the city and after travelling a few miles, arrived at a huge town square. This square was specially built for the Sky Sword Sect to choose disciples.
At that time, the sun was high in the sky, delivering a warm touch to everything beneath it. The square was bustling with large crowds from various families sending off their young ones. Many luxurious carriages were parked at the perimeter, signaling the influential backgrounds of these people.
The square was resonating with voices when the crowd turned their heads towards the clattering of hooves. Zhao Wei's carriage pulled in, causing a stir among the crowds. They were astonished to see Zhao Wei, the city lord, himself escorting Tang Yunlong.
"So many people..." Tang Yunlong exclaimed to himself, shaken by the large crowd and the different factions.
Arranged by faction, the influential families of Luocheng are represented by their young descendants, aged between nine and sixteen.
Among them was Li Nian, from the Li family, who Zhao Wei had specially mentioned to Tang Yunlong. Dressed in a white long gown, his thin face and roguish eyes were flashy and attention-grabbing. He appeared to be in his late teens, significantly taller than Tang Yunlong. Seeing Tang Yunlong arriving in the City Lord's carriage, he looked visibly upset.
"Greetings, Lord Zhao," although filled with annoyance, they all greeted Zhao Wei upon his arrival.
"Ladies and gentlemen, today is a great day for our city of Luocheng. The messenger from the Sky Sword Sect will soon arrive, I hope all of you will pass the test and learn the Immortal Way to protect the peace of Luocheng," Zhao Wei addressed the crowd with a broad smile.
"Protect Luocheng? In your dreams," Li Nian muttered to himself, disregarding Zhao Wei's words. "Once I master the Immortal Way, you'll be the first one I'll kill to vent my grudge," he thought, remembering a recent incident where Zhao Wei had caught him bullying a stranger and had punished severely, humiliating him for days.
In a short time, a golden dot appeared in the sky, moving closer. In a blink, it had reached them - a golden ship, with three youths standing at the bow, surrounded by an aura of immortality.
"The Immortals have arrived! Everyone, bow to the Immortals!" a voice echoed among the crowd, followed by the thud of people kneeling, evoking an atmosphere of fervent devotion.
"We are the guide messengers from the Sky Sword Sect, all youths above ten and under sixteen, step into the light circle below." A man on the ship pointed his finger at the ground, summoning up a circular band of light covering several feet in the square.
"Grandpa, please take good care of yourself. Yunlong will come back to visit you whenever I have time." Tang Yunlong strolled towards the light ring, while he turned his head back to speak to his grandpa.
"Yunlong, focus on cultivating yourself, don't be bothered by the concern for your grandpa." Tang Tian, struggling to hold back his tears and trembling a little, gave out this advice. Having been depending on each other for over a decade, the old man was very reluctant to see his grandson leave.
"You chose the path of Immortal Cultivation. Hence, you must let go of everything from the mortal world, including the ties of your heart, or else further cultivation will be difficult," a man, standing on the bow of the ship, murmured while shaking his head after seeing the reluctant farewell down below.
Without much time, everyone stood in the middle of the light ring. "Close your eyes and don't move. I will start chanting the spell," he ordered. He then started forming seals with his hands, and the youngsters in the light circle slowly flew towards the golden ship in the sky.
In the blink of an eye, all the youngsters were pulled up into the big, golden vessel in the sky. The man spoke, "Now you can open your eyes and observe around. It will be beneficial for your future cultivation."
On hearing these words, everyone opened their eyes. The golden vessel was filled with aura like in fairyland, slowly moving in the air. The figures on the plaza below were gradually getting smaller until they disappeared. Surrounded by drifting clouds under the sun, the golden vessel shone brilliantly, just like being in a fairyland. At this moment, Tang Yunlong's desire to cultivate for immortality became even more intense, dreaming that he could gallop freely in the sky one day.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please close your eyes. I am about to speed up the ship. Protect your faces from the oncoming wind to prevent injuries," the man instructed, before initiating a spell on the ship, causing it to glow brightly and speed away. Everyone hurriedly protected their faces, worried that an accident would ruin their good looks. While this flying vessel is just a basic artifact for traveling and had no protective spells, it was not a big deal for cultivators, but it might be harmful to these mortals.
Tang Yunlong quickly used his parcel to protect his face, hearing the wind whooshing in his ears. He was tempted to peek around, but as he slightly moved the bag away from his face, a gust of wind blew onto his face with a cutting pain, almost making him scream out loud. But in the end, he held it in.
"If you want to see, then go ahead," the man said.
After hearing this, Tang Yunlong slowly opened his eyes, only to see a golden light curtain protecting him from the wind. He was astonished to find the mountains and rivers sweeping by, the sunlight spilling a warm light over the clouds, making them seem ethereal from the sky.
"Do you dream of one day freely soaring through the sky?" the man asked.
"I do," Tang Yunlong nodded.
"Then you must pass the test to become an Inner Door Disciple, with this you'll be able to learn Immortal Cultivation. Of course, there are many who do not possess the Spirit Roots needed for Immortal Cultivation, but don't be disheartened if you don't pass. Instead, enjoy your mortal life thoroughly," The man continued with a serious expression, before adding a sympathizing shake of his head and a sigh suggesting none of them would be able to pass the test.
