The field fell silent for a moment. Zhao Chun could almost hear the sound of the people around her breathing. She was too far from the high platform to see clearly who was speaking.
She could only faintly make out a white figure standing in the center of the platform. Suddenly, the figure became clear before her eyes. It was a slightly gaunt middle-aged man with somewhat high cheekbones and spirited eyes.
He wore a pure white Daoist Robe and held a jade-handled dust whisk. Though he was clearly as far as the horizon, Zhao Chun could see even the fine gold-threaded crane embroidery on his collar with perfect clarity. It must be another special kind of spell.
The Daoist-robed Person curled his lips, offering a smile as if giving alms, and said, "Since everyone is seated, let's not delay. We shall begin immediately." As his voice fell, attendants entered carrying things.
They made no sound, their feet fluttering between the seats. At every place they passed, they set down a bronze incense burner. It wasn't exactly bronze, Zhao Chun couldn't tell for sure.
She felt its luster was brighter than ordinary bronze ware. The body of the burner was hollowed out, and the carved patterns were exceptionally mysterious.
"Close your eyes, sink your qi to your Dantian, and let your hands hang naturally at your sides."
Zhao Chun did as she was told, not daring to make a mistake. Gradually, a strange fragrance lingered at the tip of her nose. It was different from the usual incense she had encountered, a scent she had never experienced in her memory.
It was extremely serene and enveloped her entire being. Her mind became completely clear, her consciousness as if passing through a dull, black cloud of fog and entering a vast, boundless sea. It was a sea, yet not a sea.
Golden-red waves surged, rushing toward her, carrying with them a pain that had almost solidified into substance, and hatred. It was very hot. Zhao Chun felt herself burning, starting from her Dantian and slowly scorching its way to her bones, sinews, and flesh.
"Wake up!"
She opened her eyes. There was no fire, no golden-red sea. She was just sitting quietly at her seat, a wisp of white smoke coiling around her body, seemingly one and the same as the long plume of smoke rising vertically from the incense burner.
Looking around, she saw no one else in the same state.
"Please follow me."
A grey-clad attendant looked over in surprise, then quickly came forward, intending to lead her away. Zhao Chun's heart stirred. She stood up neatly, her gaze suddenly lifting.
She saw a young boy on another seat also wreathed in white smoke. Her thoughts immediately turned, and she knew she had been selected. Relieved, she followed the attendant.
Some at the banquet still didn't understand what was happening, but the more perceptive ones probably realized that those remaining seated had not been chosen, and couldn't help but show a bit of disappointment. When Pang Zhen saw Zhao Chun being led away, a look of joy appeared on his face.
As for Zhao Mian and Zhao Yue, how could they not understand by now? Their little faces crumpled like the folds of a steamed bun, and a wave of sourness welled up in their hearts. Zhao Chun had no time to worry about them; she was busy cursing someone in her mind with her eyes closed.
She didn't know whose rotten idea it was, but since the children's paces were slow, those in charge, fearing they would make the Immortal Master wait, had a Martial Artist simply grab one under each arm and leap up to the high platform. How could that be comfortable?
She only felt that the Martial Artist's grip was extremely strong, almost breaking her in half. After closing her eyes, it felt as if time had been stretched infinitely. Zhao Chun's head was shaken until she felt dizzy and stifled.
Only then did she feel herself being set down. The feeling of stepping on solid ground again was wonderful, and she could finally let out a long sigh of relief. At this moment, she was standing on a round platform made of redwood.
Before her, a white jade staircase connected this spot to the high platform. There were not many children around, only about a hundred or so. To think that only this many people were chosen from tens of thousands.
Zhao Chun clicked her tongue slightly, feeling fortunate that she happened to be selected. Then she heard the Daoist-robed Person on the high platform speak: "The preliminary selection is over. Those who were selected, come forward.
As for the rest—" He waved his wide sleeve, "Let the banquet begin." At once, beautiful brocade-clad maids brought forth fine delicacies, filling the empty banquet tables. The dishes were numerous and their aroma assailed the nostrils, but the most eye-catching thing was the small cup of clear water placed before each person.
It was colorless and odorless. One could see the bottom of the cup at a glance, and it seemed no different from ordinary water.
"This is Mind-Clearing Dew. It has the effect of clarifying the mind and spirit, and stabilizing the soul. Everyone, please, partake."
Everyone drank it down, half in belief and half in doubt. It was sweet and cool upon entering the mouth. A stream of clear qi rose from the lower abdomen, traveled through the meridians, and gathered at the Baihui Acupoint on the crown of the head.
Those who drank it felt their minds clear and their vision sharpen, their chronic illnesses swept away. Some even felt the bottleneck that had puzzled them for years show signs of loosening. Pang Zhen was one of them.
He had been stuck at the Second Realm of the Martial Way for nearly twenty years. The older he got, the more he felt that the Third Realm was like a heavenly chasm, untouchable in this lifetime. After drinking the Mind-Clearing Dew, years of distracting thoughts were swept away in an instant.
The breakthrough point to the Third Realm of the Martial Way became increasingly clear in his mind. Overjoyed, he quickly stood up and made a deep bow towards the high platform. There were many people like Pang Zhen.
Zhao Chun saw a clear trace of self-satisfaction on the Daoist-robed Person's face and found it amusing. Do cultivators who seek transcendence also care about such external things? The children standing with Zhao Chun on the wooden platform couldn't help but show envious gazes.
Seeing this, the Daoist-robed Person slightly raised his chin and said, "There is no need for you to be envious. Later, you will come forward one by one for this humble Daoist to conduct another screening. Those who are not selected may receive a pot of Mind-Clearing Dew.
As for those who are chosen—" He stroked his long beard and said, "There will naturally be rare treasures bestowed upon you." Zhao Chun had already seen the state of the people below and understood how precious that Mind-Clearing Dew was.
She thought to herself, "If I'm not selected and have to return to the Zhao Family, with Zhao Jian's personality, how could that treasure possibly be used on me? Not to mention Zhao Jian, I'm afraid Pang Zhen would confiscate it in the name of the family on the way back.
In that case, being selected is my only way out." Someone came forward and arranged the children into a single file line. Organized by the order of their prefecture cities, Zhao Chun was placed near the end of the line.
In front of her was Wang Chuyan of the Wang Family Sisters from Hedong Prefecture. Of the twelve summoned from there, only one had been chosen. Thinking of Wang Yijiao's bright yet slightly sorrowful little face, Zhao Chun sighed.
She hadn't been selected. Zhao Chun had perhaps thought too simply. One from over eight hundred in Pingyang Prefecture, and still only one from over thirteen hundred in Hedong Prefecture—both could be considered to have great fortune on their side.
There were also several prefecture cities where not a single person was chosen. It was just that she happened to know Wang Chuyan, so she couldn't help but feel a couple of pangs of regret for the more familiar Wang Yijiao. While she was feeling wistful, the secondary selection had already begun at the front of the line.
Unlike the preliminary selection, the secondary selection was conducted by the Daoist-robed Person himself. A youth in a blue and white Daoist Robe came forward holding a jade basin. Inside the basin was a silver fish, its belly turned up as if it were dying.
The Daoist-robed Person snorted coldly. He flicked the dust whisk in his right hand, resting it on the crook of his left arm. With his left hand, he formed a two-finger sign, drew several lines of talisman script in the air before him, and then pressed down towards the basin.
The silver fish immediately sprang up and swam about joyfully in the basin. The Daoist-robed Person's beard trembled slightly as he softly scolded, "Greedy little beast." He then gestured to the child at the front of the line, "You, come forward."
The child was no more than eight or nine years old. Having just witnessed his divine spell, he was in a daze. Hearing the Immortal Master call him, he shuddered in fright, standing rooted to the spot on the verge of tears, not daring to move.
The youth holding the jade basin saw the Daoist-robed Person's face darken. He stepped in front of the child and said softly, "Just put your hand into the water." The youth was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a handsome and refined face.
His gentle words naturally made one feel a sense of closeness. The child recovered from his fright, cautiously raised his hand, and dared only to dip his index finger into the water. Startled by the finger, the silver fish instantly swam away.
The youth moved the jade basin aside, returned to the Daoist-robed Person's side, and said, "There was no reaction."
"En."
The Daoist-robed Person was expressionless. He gave a look to an attendant, "No Immortal Fate. Lead him away."
"Next."
The dazed child was led off the high platform by an attendant. The second one hurried forward, afraid of being looked down upon. However, Immortal Fate was clearly not judged by one's demeanor.
The silver fish showed no reaction other than avoiding the finger. With a command from the Daoist-robed Person, the second child also left dejectedly. This repeated for more than ten people, all ending in failure.
The Daoist-robed Person gradually lost his patience, his brows tightly knitted, his face as grim as water. After two more were led away by attendants, the seventeenth child produced a strange phenomenon. This was a slightly older boy, probably twelve years old, almost exceeding the age limit for recruitment.
The moment he put his finger in, the silver fish leaped up and latched onto it as if it were being fed. The fish looked small, but it had a mouth full of sharp teeth. It immediately bit through the boy's fingertip and swallowed a drop of his blood.
The Daoist-robed Person hovered his hand above the basin, and the fish immediately shot away as if electrocuted. The boy quickly pulled his finger out and heard the youth say, "Congratulations." As expected, the Daoist-robed Person nodded slightly and asked, "What is your name?"
"This commoner is Liu Ziyi."
The boy was dressed in brown clothes, indicating he was a commoner. His reply carried a slight local accent.
"You possess Immortal Fate. Go to the side and wait."
The Daoist-robed Person didn't care about the background of the chosen. Cultivation was all about oneself. He had once heard that a certain senior was merely a roadside beggar before entering the Dao.
Later, he encountered an opportunity, broke through realms one after another, and rose to the position of an elder. It was clear that one's origins in the mortal world were the least important thing. Liu Ziyi could no longer contain his joy.
He stepped forward and bowed, then was led by an attendant to take a seat beside the high platform. The people next to him were all powerful nobles from the State of Chu with connections that reached the heavens, which made him feel a sense of pride.
After him, as if one good thing led to another, several more strange phenomena occurred in succession. The Daoist-robed Person showed a hint of satisfaction, his expression relaxing considerably. He waved his hand, allowing the three selected boys and one girl to also take their seats.
Seeing that he wasn't the only one selected, Liu Ziyi reined in his complacency. He lowered his gaze from his seat and began to quietly observe the others around him. However, Immortal Fate was rare after all.
In the stretch that followed, all the way until it was the turn of the person before Zhao Chun, not a single other person was chosen. When it came to Wang Chuyan, however, there was a slight change of events. The youth gave her a slightly familiar smile, and the Daoist-robed Person understood at once.
He asked, "Is this a relative of yours?"
"Indeed, she is my younger sister."
No strange phenomenon occurred for Wang Chuyan, but the Daoist-robed Person seemed to hold the youth in high regard. He said, "Junior Brother Wang will also be heading to the sect in the future. We were going to select some mortal servants for you anyway.
Since she is your relative, she is more suitable than others. In that case, let her stay to serve." So this was the one from the Wang Family who had been chosen in advance.
Zhao Chun was surprised; he and the Daoist-robed Person were actually of the same generation. However, thinking of Wang Yijiao's dejected expression, and then seeing the undisguisable distance and indifference in the youth's eyes, and hearing the Daoist-robed Person's every word of "mortal servant" and "serve," Zhao Chun felt a chill in her heart.
Wang Chuyan, despite having no Immortal Fate, was allowed to stay. Joy was instantly written all over her face. Although the others felt it was unfair, considering the youth's status, they did not dare to speak up.
The one in front left, and then it was Zhao Chun's turn. She took a deep breath and slowly submerged her index finger into the water.
(End of Chapter)