Qingyan Mountain was not very high, perhaps only two hundred zhang, renowned for being entirely covered in green rock.

In the warmth of the third month of spring, although the weather was mild, there was no green grass or bright flowers upon Qingyan Mountain, only the hard, unyielding green stone. As the rising sun cast its brilliant golden rays upon the mountain, the light refracted through the azure rock, scattering manifold, splendid colors down to the base of the slopes.

At the eastern foot of Qingyan Mountain, the elders and juniors of the Ji family waited in anticipation.

Before long, two figures gradually materialized in the distance, approaching at an unhurried pace. Upon seeing them, Ji Yuxing immediately stepped forward to greet them, followed closely by the rest of the Ji clan.

“For the City Lord to take time out of your busy schedule to attend our Ji family son’s Trial—it truly honors our humble dwelling, my lord.” Ji Yuxing, who had held such a high air in the refectory earlier, now bowed slightly, his face wreathed in a deferential smile.

“You are too kind,” City Lord Nie Yuanshan of Qingyan City returned the bow with a smile. His gaze then swept past Ji Yuxing, settling upon Ji Yusheng and Ji Wanyun, father and daughter, standing behind him. He nodded slightly before walking forward alongside the steward, Shao Kang.

At the foot of the mountain, Nie Yuanshan looked up at the roughly two-hundred-zhang Qingyan Mountain and remarked with a smile, “Though Qingyan Mountain isn’t tall, ascending from this angle truly looks perilous.”

To climb Qingyan Mountain from here, the slope angle approached ninety degrees. Apart from jutting outcrops of hard green rock, there was virtually no purchase for hands or feet. It would be a challenge even for an ape, let alone a man.

“That is precisely how we temper these young pups,” Ji Yuxing chuckled, surveying the gathered kin. Seeing that not only the direct descendants but also the collateral branches were assembled, he nodded toward Nie Yuanshan. “Now that the City Lord has arrived, shall we commence?”

“Heh, we should have started long ago; you insisted on waiting for me,” Nie Yuanshan stated mildly.

“All you pups who have not yet reached the Sancai Tian level, prepare yourselves! Whoever rushes to the summit first will earn the right to spend three days on the third floor of the Scripture Repository, free to peruse the Tianshi cultivation secrets and techniques stored within. The second and third to reach the top may spend three days on the second floor. Even those who do not place will, provided they reach the summit, gain three days on the first floor to select one Tianshi secret or technique to cultivate!” Ji Yuxing announced.

All Ji descendants, male and female, clenched their fists, unconcealed excitement and fervor shining in their eyes.

The most precious asset of the Ji family was the Scripture Repository, housing the secrets and techniques for Tianshi cultivation. The secrets outlined the methods for advancing from low to high realms of Tianshi, while the techniques detailed methods for employing Heaven and Earth primal energy in offense, defense, and the use of divine weapons.

Secrets formed the foundation of cultivation; techniques were the means of utilizing primal energy. The two were mutually reinforcing and equally vital.

To obtain suitable secrets and techniques within the Repository meant undoubtedly bypassing many detours on the path of Tianshi cultivation, achieving greater strength, and pulling ahead of others.

Specifically, the third floor housed the most valuable secrets and techniques, normally barred from public access. Only the disciple who claimed the top prize in the triennial Ji Family Trial was qualified to spend three days there, selecting the Tianshi secrets and techniques best suited for their cultivation.

And today was the day of the triennial Ji Family Trial!

Over a dozen Ji youths, male and female, gathered at the base of the mountain. Among them were the direct descendants: Ji Changxiao, Ji Changsheng, Ji Changle, Ji Yueqing, and Ji Xiaolian. Three years ago, Ji Changxiao swept the competition, earning his three days on the third floor; today, three years later, he had already broken through to the Liangyi Tian realm!

Tianshi cultivation was divided into ten realms: Yuan, Liangyi, Sancai, Sixiang, Wuxing, Liuhe, Qixing, Bagua, Jiugong, and Shifang.

Because a Tianshi entered a wholly new domain upon breaking through to a new realm, each realm was often suffixed with the character ‘Tian’—for instance, the Yuan realm was called Yuan Tian, Liangyi realm became Liangyi Tian, and so forth.

Three years prior, Ji Changxiao had been lingering in the Yuan Tian realm, unable to advance. After winning the previous Trial and spending three days in the Repository…

No one knew precisely what benefit Ji Changxiao had gained on the third floor, but three days later, when he emerged, he had already broken through to the Liangyi Tian realm!

It was not just him; Ji Changsheng and Ji Changle, who had spent three days on the second floor, had also reaped immense rewards.

The Yuan Tian realm required circulating primal energy to every corner of the body to temper the physical form, divided into five stages: primal energy passing the skin/flesh, tendons/meridians, five organs/viscera, bone marrow, and finally, the brain. Only after successfully passing these five stages could one possibly break through to Liangyi Tian.

Three years ago, Ji Changsheng and Ji Changle could only guide their primal energy through the meridians. Yet, after their time in the Repository, they emerged having broken through three bottlenecks, and today they could guide their energy to the most difficult area—the brain. They were perhaps only one moment of enlightenment away from reaching Liangyi Tian.

This ironclad fact lay before them: every Ji descendant regarded the Scripture Repository as a sacred sanctuary!

For the Ji youth, the Repository was a place capable of transforming them entirely. Thus, the Trial held every three years became their greatest aspiration. For this day, they had been gathering strength for three years, hoping to secure a good ranking to gain access to the Repository for three days.

At this moment, the Ji youths calmed their breaths, fixed their gaze on the steep angle of Qingyan Mountain, and pressed their hands onto the protruding rocks, poised for action, waiting only for Ji Yuxing’s command.

...

Just then, the sound of light footsteps echoed from afar. The frail figure of Ji Changkong slowly materialized in the sunlight. He was still clad in the same dirty blue robes, though his small face had been washed clean.

Ji Yuxing was about to issue the command to begin the Trial when he noticed Ji Changkong arrive in his soiled attire. He paused, as if the dirty clothes brought shame upon the Ji family, and couldn't help but frown. “Changkong, weren’t you told you didn’t need to attend today’s Trial?”

Ji Changkong approached the assembled group. First, he bowed to City Lord Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang, and then proceeded to bow in turn to Ji Yuxing, Ji Yusheng, and the other Ji elders. Once all formalities were observed, Ji Changkong looked at Ji Yuxing, his eyes clear, and said softly, “Second Elder, I am seventeen this year. According to family rules, I should be qualified to participate.”

The triennial Ji Family Trial allowed any clan member named Ji, regardless of gender, to participate upon reaching the age of fifteen. Three years ago, Ji Changkong was fourteen and ineligible. Today, at seventeen, he met the requirement.

“Tsk, he wants to join the Trial? He’s mad!”

“What a joke. He can’t even gather Heaven and Earth primal energy. Isn’t joining the Trial suicidal?”

“Exactly. I managed to get my energy flowing through my meridians, and I nearly fell to my death in the last Trial. He actually dares to think about it!”

“Ha! Don’t expect him to even get halfway up the mountain. He’ll probably fall dead right at the start.”

“…”

As Ji Changkong finished speaking, the Ji descendants who had been gathering their strength nearby burst into scornful, disdainful laughter.

“Ahem…” Ji Yuxing let out a sharp sound, and the murmuring immediately ceased.

Seeing the youths fall silent at his single reprimand, Ji Yuxing narrowed his eyes and spoke solemnly. “Changkong, according to the rules, you are qualified. However, for one who cannot gather Heaven and Earth primal energy, participating in a Trial of this intensity seems rather unsuitable. You must consider this carefully. No one may assist you during the family Trial; you must rely only on yourself. Qingyan Mountain isn't terribly high, but it’s not low either, and ascending from this side is extremely steep. One wrong move, and a fall might result in more than just serious injury…”

“Nonsense!” Ji Yusheng, whose face had been grim since Ji Changkong appeared, suddenly roared, his eyes wide as he glared at Ji Changkong. “Do you think the Trial is child’s play? Every Trial is fraught with extreme danger! Even those with primal energy risk severe injury if they fall! With your physique, if you fall midway, there is only a dead end!”

“Changkong, don't be willful! If you cannot gather primal energy, your aunt will help you find a way. Don’t be rash at a time like this!” Ji Wanyun said, her heart fluttering with panic. In her view, Ji Changkong was far more sensible than the average Ji youth and should not be acting so recklessly now.

“Grandpa, I want to try!” Ji Changkong, who had always been obedient, displayed a rare streak of willfulness. His clear eyes met Ji Yusheng’s without fear, and his voice was firm.

“No! Absolutely not!!” Ji Yusheng thundered in rage. “If you want to die, that’s your business, but I absolutely will not agree!”

“Er…” City Lord Nie Yuanshan looked from Ji Yusheng to the clear-eyed Ji Changkong, then suddenly laughed. “Let Changkong try. Rest assured, with me here, Changkong will be fine.”

As if to reassure Ji Yusheng, Nie Yuanshan raised his hand, and a stream of silvery-white starlight burst forth from his palm. The light coalesced into the shape of two stars, dragging long, waterfall-like trails as they circled Qingyan Mountain once. A series of sharp explosions immediately followed. The large, millstone-sized green rocks on the mountain were pulverized into fine dust and scattered by the wind wherever the starlight passed.

Nie Yuanshan had casually swept his starlight around Qingyan Mountain, turning nearly a hundred of the green rocks to dust with a single gesture.

This display stunned every member of the Ji family!

Ji Changkong stared intently at the left hand Nie Yuanshan had extended, as if trying to etch the very pattern of the meridians on his palm into his mind!

Ji Changkong’s heart pounded with excitement. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to cry out, but his heart hammered fiercely. He thought to himself: This… this is the power of a Tianshi? It is truly heaven-shaking!

“A Qixing Tianshi!” Ji Yuxing exclaimed in shock.

Taking a deep breath, Ji Yuxing smiled enviously at Nie Yuanshan. “Congratulations, City Lord. I did not expect you to have broken through to the realm of Divine Roaming Seven Stars and drawing upon the power of the Seven Stars to temper the soul body within these three years. With a Qixing Tianshi present, one who can borrow the power of the Big Dipper to soar the skies—even if these young pups wanted to get hurt today… it would probably be difficult.”

Even Ji Yuxing, the head of the Ji family, was merely a Liuhe Tianshi.

“I only entered the Qixing Tian realm two years ago, and currently, I can only achieve Divine Roaming of the Tian Shu and Tian Xuan stars, barely enough to use their power to soar the skies. It’s nothing significant,” Nie Yuanshan replied with a slight smile, before glancing at Ji Yusheng. “Uncle Sheng, since I am watching Changkong, you should be relieved now, yes?”

“Thank the City Lord immediately!” Ji Yusheng hissed, barking at Ji Changkong.

Ji Changkong inclined his body slightly and said softly, “Thank you, Uncle Nie.”

He knew that Nie Yuanshan had some past connection with his long-lost father, Ji Haotian. This was why others addressed Nie Yuanshan as City Lord, but he called him Uncle Nie—a request made by Nie Yuanshan himself.

Nie Yuanshan smiled and nodded, then cast a cool glance at Ji Yuxing, asking, “Shall we begin now?”

“Changkong, choose your own starting spot,” Ji Yuxing instructed. Seeing Ji Changkong walk to a relatively secluded spot where few people stood, he roared with thunderous authority, “Charge the summit!”

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