Su Xin said, “For the Dragon Ascension Gate Gathering.”
“…The Dragon Ascension Gate Gathering?”
Xu Ziqing shook his head. “Brother Su, just tell me plainly.”
Su Xin rubbed his nose, then answered frankly. “I won’t hide it from you. The Dragon Ascension Gate Gathering is a meeting for talented young disciples from the Upper Nine Continents of our Haotian Small World. Everyone gathers to become acquainted, make a few friends, and support one another in the future.”
Xu Ziqing considered this. It sounded as though it had something to do with entering a great world.
Sure enough, Su Xin continued.
The Dragon Ascension Gate Gathering was also held once every ten years. Its timing was fixed for the year before the Foundation Establishment cultivators entered the Dragon Ascension Gate, which meant the ninth year of each ten-year Dragon Ascension Gate cycle.
Not just any cultivator could attend this gathering, however. There were rules for selection, and no small number of them.
The selection rules could be called simple, yet also complicated.
The simple part was that age eliminated one group first. Anyone aged fifty or older was barred from attending. Cultivation then eliminated another group: anyone below Qi Refinement layer 9 could not attend either. Foundation Establishment cultivators were likewise ineligible.
That alone removed most cultivators, but those were only the broad requirements.
After that came the detailed rules.
Each sect was allotted a certain number of places. Famous great sects naturally received more, while small sects received fewer. Time was limited, after all, so each sect had to send only its most outstanding disciples.
Large and small cultivation families also had allotted places. However, families generally had fewer outstanding youths than sects, and many talented family descendants had already joined sects and therefore no longer counted under their families. Thus, families had only a maximum quota, not a minimum.
Other powers were allotted places as well, such as the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. The number depended on the size of the organization and how many notable experts it possessed.
As for whatever maneuvering took place behind the scenes, that depended entirely on each faction’s own ability. The organizers of the Dragon Ascension Gate Gathering did not investigate too closely.
There were, however, exceptions beyond these rules.
Those exceptions were based on spiritual roots.
Although entering by this method still occupied one quota, the cultivation requirement was much more lenient. Only the age requirement remained strict.
A cultivator with dual spiritual roots, one thick and one thin, could enter directly if they were between thirteen and twenty-five years old, inclusive and had reached at least Qi Refinement layer 6.
A cultivator with a single spiritual root needed only to be at least thirteen. Regardless of cultivation, they could enter the gathering directly.
To prevent anyone from secretly attacking such talents, however, cultivators admitted under either of these two conditions had to be accompanied by a senior.
After listening for a long while, Xu Ziqing gradually understood, but one question remained. “What benefit does the Dragon Ascension Gate Gathering offer?”
Su Xin’s eyes curved with amusement. “Brother Ziqing really is perceptive.” Then he explained, “Besides giving those likely to enter the Dragon Ascension Gate a chance to meet one another, the gathering offers another tremendous benefit.”
That tremendous benefit was a third-grade spiritual vein.
Beneath the Dragon Ascension Gate was a gatekeeper who lived in the Tenglong Mountain Range before the Gate itself.
The Tenglong Mountain Range was surrounded by danger and extremely difficult to reach. Within the range stood a main peak called Tenglong Peak, and inside it ran a third-grade spiritual vein powerful enough to conceal the entire mountain. The spiritual energy contained in a third-grade spiritual vein was more than a hundred times denser than outside the peak. Even the three minor secret realms of the Haotian Small World could not compare with it, which showed just how abundant its spiritual energy was.
The spiritual apertures of Lingqiao Mountain where Xu Ziqing lived could not compare, and neither could the small spiritual vein beneath the mountain where the Elders’ Hall stood.
The Dragon Ascension Gate Gathering was held on Tenglong Peak under the personal guidance of the gatekeeper.
No one dared look down on this gatekeeper. According to rumor, he came from the Qingyun Great World, and a new gatekeeper replaced the previous one every ten years. His cultivation was unfathomable, and no one in the Haotian Small World dared claim they could match him.
Being personally led onto Tenglong Peak by such a person was already an enormous honor.
The gathering also contained another major event. The gatekeeper would personally select exceptional talents and allow them to remain on Tenglong Peak for one year, giving them the chance to reach Foundation Establishment during that period and then pass smoothly through the Dragon Ascension Gate.
There were several methods by which candidates could be chosen.
Spiritual-root quality came first. Those with qualifying dual spiritual roots or single spiritual roots who entered the gathering through the special rule could usually remain directly without undergoing the other tests.
Those who had not entered by virtue of their spiritual roots, however, would be tested by the gatekeeper. They might be made to duel one another or face some other form of assessment. In the end, only twenty would remain.
It was precisely because Tenglong Peak possessed this third-grade spiritual vein that so many cultivation families, great sects, and peerless geniuses flocked to the gathering.
Before Su Xin purified his spiritual roots into a single fire root, he had possessed dual spiritual roots, one thick and one thin. When he first met Xu Ziqing, he had been at Qi Refinement layer 5. His supposed confidence in reaching Foundation Establishment had actually meant that he planned to advance to Qi Refinement layer 6 within two years and thereby qualify for the Dragon Ascension Gate Gathering. With his aptitude, he exactly met the spiritual-root route’s requirements. He would then spend the final year trying to establish his foundation. That had been his original plan.
When he invited Xu Ziqing, he had in fact suspected that Xu Ziqing might also be a genius with dual spiritual roots. He did not know whether Xu Ziqing’s roots were one thick and one thin or both thick, so instead he had hoped Xu Ziqing could advance rapidly enough over the next two years to reach Qi Refinement layer 9.
And now Xu Ziqing had not disappointed him. He had indeed reached that level.
Once Su Xin had laid everything out, all of Xu Ziqing’s questions were resolved.
Su Xin smiled. “Since you already meet the requirements, I can ask Master to reserve one place for you. With your cultivation at your age, no one could reasonably object.”
The quotas were precious, and the Rogue Cultivator Alliance contained its own factions, so competition over them naturally existed.
Hearing this, Xu Ziqing felt even more grateful for Su Xin’s intentions.
From the very beginning, Su Xin had explained every advantage and danger clearly and had concealed nothing. He had even hinted to Xu Ziqing that unsavory maneuvering could occur in the struggle for the Alliance’s quotas. His openness showed that he was straightforward at heart. Even when he had his own calculations, he laid them out plainly rather than hiding treachery behind a pleasant face. After everything Xu Ziqing had experienced, he could also tell that Su Xin’s friendship toward him was genuine rather than false courtesy. Naturally, Xu Ziqing returned some sincerity of his own. No matter what knots remained in his heart, he was willing to regard Su Xin as a true friend.
Xu Ziqing raised a cup of tea in salute and said, “Tea in place of wine. Thank you, Brother Su.”
Su Xin laughed loudly. “Between you and me, what need is there for thanks? Once we enter the great world, just don’t pretend you don’t know me.”
Xu Ziqing could not help smiling.
Who knew how many dangers the great world held? Once they were there, he might truly need to watch Su Xin’s back while Su Xin watched his.
Three days later, Xu Ziqing indeed received a message by jade sword telling him to report to the Inner Alliance to collect his gathering credential.
He went gladly. When he arrived outside the Inner Alliance, Su Xin was already waiting for him. The two entered side by side and went directly to the Elders’ Hall.
The Alliance Leader sat waiting inside, just as he had the last time they met, with numerous elders accompanying him.
This time, no one tested Xu Ziqing. Several divine senses merely swept across him, and everyone immediately knew his cultivation.
The Alliance Leader smiled. “Qi Refinement layer 9 indeed. Young Friend Xu truly possesses outstanding talent and boundless potential.”
Xu Ziqing showed no pride at such extravagant praise. He only smiled gently. “Alliance Leader flatters me.”
A trace of approval flashed through the Alliance Leader’s eyes, but he did not continue praising him. He raised a hand and sent out a streak of white light. “Catch.”
Xu Ziqing had already prepared the moment the man lifted his hand. He reached out at once and caught the white light.
The glow faded, revealing the object inside.
It was an exquisitely small jade ruyi, shaped somewhat like a lingzhi mushroom. A dragon pattern had been carved into its head, while the long jade handle carried the faint impression of an opening or passage. There was something mysterious about it, extremely subtle and seemingly impossible to imitate.
The Alliance Leader said, “This is your gathering credential. The Rogue Cultivator Alliance possesses only eight in total. You have received one, and Xin’er has another. Because you qualified by different routes, however, your credentials differ slightly.”
Su Xin laughed at the side and obligingly held out his own credential for Xu Ziqing to see.
There was indeed a difference. Both were jade ruyi, but Su Xin’s was emerald green, clear and lustrous, giving it a light and ethereal quality.
If Xu Ziqing revealed that he had a single spiritual root, his credential should have matched Su Xin’s. Yet he was only an unaffiliated rogue cultivator at present, and saying so would be inconvenient. His background and origins would inevitably invite suspicion. Since his own cultivation had already earned him a place, there was no need to reveal anything more. He could wait until he reached Tenglong Peak.
After thanking the Alliance Leader, Xu Ziqing prepared to leave.
Although no one had tested him this time, he could see that not every elder looked pleased. Several showed clear displeasure, most likely because of the quotas.
Xu Ziqing knew his place well enough. He did not linger in the hall and risk becoming even more unpleasant to their eyes.
After leaving the hall, Xu Ziqing bade Su Xin farewell again.
Only half a month remained before the Dragon Ascension Gate Gathering. They agreed to meet again then and travel together to the Tenglong Mountain Range.
Inside the quiet chamber, Xu Ziqing sat cross-legged in thought.
He carefully recalled everything Su Xin had told him and found himself increasingly curious about the gatekeeper.
The Dragon Ascension Gate opened once every ten years, and the gatekeeper was replaced once every ten years as well. Was this arrangement meant to preserve fairness at the gathering, or was there some other consideration behind it?
The immortal path was perilous. Xu Ziqing could no longer afford not to think deeply whenever something arose, lest he once again fall prey to a villain’s scheme and lose both life and Dao.
He pondered for a long time but still could not reach any firm conclusion.
He simply knew too little. Any speculation would lack a foundation and amount to idle guessing. If he gained anything from the exercise, it was only that he had imagined more possibilities and prepared himself mentally. Even if the worst situation arose, he would be able to hold fast to his true heart and keep his state of mind from wavering.
Gradually sorting out his thoughts, Xu Ziqing raised his left hand and looked at the storage ring on his little finger.
Inside the ring was his closest friend, someone widely knowledgeable, cold-faced yet warm-hearted. If Xu Ziqing could ask him, then even if Yun Lie had no answer, simply hearing his thoughts would put Xu Ziqing more at ease.
But should he ask or not?
Over the years, he had already disturbed Brother Yun far too many times.
Xu Ziqing had always been considerate of others. In his view, his friend Yun Lie was plainly a cultivator wholly devoted to the Dao. Even with only a soul remaining, his will was firm as stone. He had chosen to persist in the Dao he followed while alive rather than take the path of ghost cultivation.
Thinking back to when they first met, Yun Lie had sat upon the stone platform with his eyes closed, saying nothing. He had likely been tempering his state of mind or reflecting on himself. Had Xu Ziqing never disturbed him, Yun Lie might have remained there unmoved, steady as a mountain. Clearly, Yun Lie greatly valued quiet.
Then there was his sword qi, so sharp and indestructible. Such power could only have come from relentless cultivation. Yet even so, whenever Xu Ziqing suffered hardship or his state of mind wavered, Yun Lie had never begrudged him guidance. Xu Ziqing knew that even if his body were ground to dust, he could never fully repay such kindness.
And now he was considering relying on Yun Lie yet again merely because of a little curiosity and speculation. How could Xu Ziqing have the face to do that?