Chapter 7: First

Yonglu Mountain was located deep in the heart of the Yonglu Mountain Range. This was only the admissions office, so it was naturally not the actual site of the sect.

In fact, the entire Yonglu Mountain Range was vast. Aside from Yonglu Mountain, there were many sects of various sizes under its protection, and the same was true for Langyuan City outside the mountains.

“Look, if you go down this road, you’ll reach Langyuan City. Doesn’t it look lively?”

Wen Xu had managed to maintain some decency in his attire after all, but he had been too tense earlier to care. Now that Bian Chunzhou reminded him, he also found it unbearable. To be precise, he hadn’t changed this outfit for over ten days. With the bloodstains and sweat now added to it, it was a miracle Bian Chunzhou had tolerated it until now.

But asking him to take it off and wear only his inner robes, how was that different from running around naked?

“Still hesitating? Didn’t we agree? We’ll go down the mountain first and buy a cloak from the villagers in a nearby village. I’ll lend you the money first, and you can pay me back later.”

The common currency of the cultivation world was, of course, spirit stones, but that was only for cultivators. With so many humans on the Hengze Continent, cultivators actually made up only a small fraction. Most of the population had no spiritual roots and could not cultivate, so they lived under the protection of cultivators. Compared to the Mortal Realm, cultivation clans and sects were everywhere here, and there was no imperial rule.

Therefore, ordinary people mostly used gold, silver, and copper coins. It was also worth mentioning that the purchasing power of spirit stones was astonishing. A single ordinary low-grade spirit stone could be exchanged for ten taels of silver.

“Ten taels of silver? That much?” One had to know that when he had passed the exams to become a salaried scholar, he had only received six taels of silver a month.

Speaking of this, Bian Chunzhou was still a bit obsessed. “Right? So if you convert it, going from here to the Suitian Sword Sect costs a thousand taels of silver. What kind of family can afford that? How could they bear to spend so much on a one-way ticket!”

Wen Xu: …

The two quickly went down the mountain. After the villagers at the bottom learned that they were here to participate in the Yonglu Mountain disciple selection, they not only refused to take their money, but were even willing to lend Wen Xu a set of new clothes. However, Wen Xu refused and only borrowed a simple black cloak, promising to return it the next day.

With the cloak covering him, the two finally entered the city smoothly. Langyuan City was incredibly prosperous, and there were cultivation shops opened by various major sects, such as Jinding Pavilion’s auction house and spiritual treasure shop, or Wancao Hall’s spiritual pill and plant shops. These shops were built very much like “castles in the air,” preventing ordinary mortals from accidentally entering.

Even though Wen Xu knew nothing about the cultivation world, he could clearly see the superior social status of cultivators.

As for the more approachable shops, they were no different from those in the mortal world.

Both of them were rookies in cultivation and barely knew how to use simple spells or talismans. So as soon as they entered the city, they first went to buy new clothes, then immediately headed to the bathhouse next door. After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Wen Xu came out looking refreshed and radiant.

Of course, he quietly stood a bit further away from Bian Chunzhou.

“Hey, do you really have to avoid me like the plague? I won’t help you scrub your back next time!” Bian Chunzhou waved his hand, but still couldn’t help drawing closer. “Wen Xuxu, now that you’ve cleaned up a bit, you’re actually so radiant. Where did you get the cloth over your eyes? It even matches your clothes. Did you tear another skirt hem?”

Wen Xu reached up to touch it, then shook his head. “The proprietress of the clothing shop saw that I couldn’t see, so she gave it to me with the clothes.” Actually, he had originally wanted to confess to Bian Chunzhou, but it seemed that eyes weren’t very necessary for cultivation anyway. After all, jade slips could be read with spiritual energy, and cultivation valued spiritual roots and constitution more. There were no fame, wealth, or official rivalries here. Having been blind for a day, he actually felt quite good.

At least, standing in a crowd now, he wouldn’t look up and see everyone with the exact same face.

“She must have given it to you because you’re handsome.”

Bian Chunzhou seemed careless, but he was actually a very attentive person. Walking beside Wen Xu, he would walk slightly faster to leave enough space for Wen Xu to move. He knew that cultivators had sharp senses. Even if Wen Xuxu couldn’t see, having opened his qi ocean meant he had the ability to perceive the world and avoid obstacles. But since he had agreed to be the man’s eyes, how could he do nothing? “Once we pass here, that side is Chenyang Street. Cultivators and mortals live together there, mostly descendants of cultivators and mortals.”

As he walked, he introduced the layout of the city and the shops on both sides of the street. When the mood struck, he would even drag Wen Xu inside to look around. He had just come out of the secret realm, yet who knew where he got such high spirits.

Thanks to Bian Chunzhou, Wen Xu quickly absorbed all kinds of information about the cultivation world. For example, he now knew that it was extremely difficult for cultivators to have offspring with other cultivators, so very few of them married. This was especially true for female cultivators, who would never easily fall in love unless absolutely necessary. Another example was that the largest merchant group in the cultivation world was called Jinding Pavilion. Jinding Pavilion possessed a large spiritual vein, and its businesses covered every category in the cultivation world. It was said that when the young master of Jinding Pavilion went out, he would ride in a gilded carriage with golden feathers, and would casually hand out high-grade spirit stones as tips.

“Sigh, why do these people only spread rumors without any action? With such a good way to earn spirit stones, where is the young master? Where is his contact info? This old servant just wants to help the young master.”

Wen Xu was astonished by Bian Chunzhou’s thick skin. Who would call themselves an old servant? He couldn’t help but say, “Chunzhou, you are very good. There is no need to belittle yourself so.”

Bian Chunzhou smiled and leaned in. “I’m just joking with you. Why would the young master lack people to serve him? Wen Xuxu, I’ve noticed you’re a little bit old-fashioned.”

Wen Xu couldn’t help but explain, “I am merely practicing the self-restraint and propriety of a gentleman.”

…Ah, not listening, not listening, just a turtle chanting scriptures^[1].

“Besides, Jinding Pavilion is so massive. The guards they employ when going out are Golden Core at the very least. I’m not even qualified.” Rumor had it that the young master of Jinding Pavilion, Pei Mingshan, had a unique talent and seemed unable to cultivate. It was also said that he was intelligent to the point of being demonic, so even though he was a mortal, no one dared to offend him.

Of course, in Bian Chunzhou’s opinion, since the man was the young master of Jinding Pavilion, even if he were a pig, no one would dare to offend him.

Wen Xu realized clearly once again that making a name for oneself in the cultivation world was by no means an easy task.

Stopping and starting along the way, the two even paused to grab a bite to eat before finally arriving at the market established by Yonglu Mountain in Langyuan City. This market only allowed Yonglu Mountain disciples to set up stalls and trade. Although the two of them had not yet officially joined the sect, they had passed the preliminary trial, and their Mountain Exam tokens granted them entry for a single shopping trip.

The outer disciple guarding the market checked their tokens and quickly waved them through.

“Things really are twenty percent cheaper here than in the shops outside,” Bian Chunzhou remarked in pleasant surprise. His goal for this trip was to buy some Blood Recovery Pills and Qi Replenishing Pills. If he was lucky, he would buy two more talismans to save his life. He wasn’t picky; a Blazing Fire Talisman or a Wind Riding Talisman would do. They were perfect for both fighting and fleeing. He had heard that the Mountain Exam didn’t forbid combat between candidates, and since the exam questions changed every year, he hadn’t bothered wasting energy trying to dig up information.

Besides, the rumors he heard weren’t always entirely accurate. Take the Poyun Secret Realm, for instance. Anyone in the know was aware of the King Danxiang Grass, but it was only because he had run into Wen Xu that they had stumbled upon it and harvested it.

“Senior Brother, how much for the Wind Riding Talisman? Can you make it a bit cheaper?”

The Yonglu Mountain disciple running the stall looked up and immediately pegged him as a pauper. “No bargaining. But if you’re in the top ten of the preliminary trial, you can get another twenty percent off.”

Bian Chunzhou was quick to seize the opportunity. “You have sharp eyes, Senior Brother. I did indeed just pass the preliminary trial.”

A little rookie at the Qi Refining Stage, yet quite the flatterer. Too bad sweet talk didn’t work on him. “So you’re not in the top ten. Are you buying or not?” Just as he finished speaking, his eyes drifted to the young man standing behind Bian Chunzhou.

How rare, he thought. The top scorer of the preliminary trial is actually browsing the market in person? Could he be here to show off his results?

“Are you two friends?” Seeing them nod, the disciple immediately said, “Since you’re friends, why not have him pay for you? The top scorer of the preliminary trial gets a ninety percent discount.”

After all, anyone who could place first in the Yonglu Mountain exam would almost certainly become an inner disciple. Building a good relationship with a future inner disciple meant this transaction was a win.

“What? Senior Brother, how do you know he placed first?”

The senior brother couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Anyone with eyes can see it. When the two of you walked over here, just about everyone stared at you. Didn’t you notice?”

And here I thought everyone was staring just because there are no blind people in the cultivation world, Bian Chunzhou thought.

“Is it because of the token?” Wen Xu had felt something when they entered. However, he walked with his eyes closed. Ever since opening his Qi sea, he could clearly sense the movement of air currents. The information carried by the wind allowed him to walk normally as if he weren’t blind, even though he couldn’t see the world.

In other words, he had been too absorbed in exploring the pros and cons of pretending to be blind to pay attention to the looks from others.

“Of course. The tokens for the top ten are different, and the first-place token is the most unique. Never mind Yonglu Mountain disciples, even ordinary cultivators who know how things work can tell at a glance. As the saying goes, the tallest tree in the forest catches the wind^[2]. Those with outstanding talent are naturally meant to be in the spotlight. If you don’t even have the mindset to bear this honor, why bother competing for first place?”

So that was it. Still, Wen Xuxu had obtained the King Danxiang Grass, so he absolutely deserved first place. However, Bian Chunzhou was a bit worried. His new friend had just come from the Mortal Realm. If he was targeted during the Mountain Exam because of his first-place ranking, things might turn ugly.

With this in mind, he decided to lend all his spirit stones to his friend. After all, a ninety percent discount was too good to pass up. It would be a crime against heaven not to take advantage of it.

*

Elder Zhan returned to the sect with the preliminary trial results and the King Danxiang Grass to hand in his mission. Because the King Danxiang Grass was so precious, he reported directly to Sect Master Gu Wufang. Of course, this was also because the Sect Master was taking a special interest in the recruitment of new disciples this year.

“Someone actually harvested King Danxiang Grass this year? When did the cultivation world produce another talent of this caliber?” Or was it simply a matter of incredible luck?

“Reporting to the Sect Master, this youth is named Wen Xu. He accidentally entered the Poyun Secret Realm from the Mortal Realm.” Elder Zhan briefly described Wen Xu’s background, then added, “Although his spiritual roots have not yet been tested, his talent must be exceptional. Therefore, I took the liberty of ranking him first.”

Gu Wufang was genuinely astonished by this, but astonishment quickly turned into pleasant surprise. “Very well. I look forward to seeing how he performs in the Mountain Exam.”