Chapter 6

Qingyan Mountain is not very tall, only about two hundred zhang high, and it is famous for its green rocks covering the entire mountain.

In the warm March weather, there were no green grass or flowers on Qingyan Mountain, only hard green rocks. As the sun rose, the golden light shone on the green rocks, and under their refraction, a variety of splendid colors were scattered at the foot of the mountain.

At the foot of the eastern side of Qingyan Mountain, the Ji family, young and old, were waiting for something.

Before long, two figures gradually appeared from a distance, walking neither too fast nor too slow. As soon as Ji Yuxing saw the figures, he immediately went forward to greet them, and the rest of the Ji family followed.

"Lord City Lord, it is truly an honor for the Ji family to have you take time out of your busy schedule to attend the trial of our young men and women," Ji Yuxing, who had been haughty in the kitchen, now slightly hunched his body and smiled broadly.

"You are too kind," City Lord Nie Yuanshan first smiled and returned the greeting, then his eyes swept past Ji Yuxing and landed on Ji Yusheng and Ji Wan Yun, father and daughter, behind him, nodding slightly, and then walked over with the steward Shao Kang.

At the foot of the mountain, Nie Yuanshan looked up at the Qingyan Mountain, which was about two hundred zhang high, and said with a smile, "Although Qingyan Mountain is not very high, it is quite dangerous to climb from this angle."

The slope to climb Qingyan Mountain from here was almost ninety degrees, and apart from the protruding hard green rocks, there was no place to step or use for support. It would not be easy for even a monkey to climb up Qingyan Mountain from here, let alone a human.

"This is how we can temper those little brats," Ji Yuxing smiled, looked around, and saw that in addition to the direct descendants of the Ji family, the other collateral descendants had also gathered. He then nodded and said to Nie Yuanshan, "Since Lord City Lord has arrived, shall we begin?"

"Hehe, it should have started long ago, but you insisted on waiting for me," Nie Yuanshan said lightly.

"All the young men and women who have not reached the Three Talents stage are ready. Whoever reaches the top first will have the right to stay in the third floor of the Scripture Hall for three days, freely reading the cultivation secrets and techniques of the Celestial Scholar. The second and third to reach the top can stay in the second floor of the Scripture Hall for three days. Even if they do not rank, as long as they can reach the top, they can stay in the first floor of the Scripture Hall for three days and choose one Celestial Scholar secret or technique to cultivate!" Ji Yuxing announced.

All the direct and collateral descendants of the Ji family, regardless of gender, were rubbing their hands in excitement and anticipation.

The most precious place in the Ji family was the Scripture Hall, which housed the cultivation secrets and techniques of the Celestial Scholar. The secrets were step-by-step cultivation methods from low to high, while the techniques were various methods of attack, defense, and the use of divine weapons using the elemental forces of heaven and earth.

Secrets were the foundation of cultivation, and techniques were the means of using elemental forces. The two complemented each other and were indispensable.

If one could obtain suitable secrets and techniques from the Scripture Hall and cultivate them, they would undoubtedly avoid many detours on the path of Celestial Scholar cultivation, advance their strength, and stay ahead of others.

Among them, the third floor of the Scripture Hall was where the most precious secrets and techniques were stored. It was never open to the public, and only the top performers in the Ji family trials held every three years had the right to stay in the third floor of the Scripture Hall for three days to choose suitable Celestial Scholar secrets and techniques for cultivation.

And today was the day of the three-yearly Ji family trial!

Several dozen Ji family descendants, both male and female, gathered at the foot of the mountain. Among these descendants were the direct descendants Ji Changxiao, Ji Changsheng, Ji Changle, Ji Yueqing, and Ji Xiaolian. Three years ago, Ji Changxiao won the trial and stayed in the third floor of the Scripture Hall for three days. Three years later, Ji Changxiao had broken through to the Two Instruments stage!

Celestial Scholar cultivation is divided into ten realms: One Element, Two Instruments, Three Talents, Four Symbols, Five Elements, Six Directions, Seven Stars, Eight Trigrams, Nine Palaces, and Ten Directions.

Because each time a Celestial Scholar breaks through to a new realm, they enter a new world of cultivation, the word "Heaven" is often added after each realm, such as the One Element realm being called One Element Heaven, the Two Instruments realm being called Two Instruments Heaven, and so on.

Three years ago, Ji Changxiao was still lingering in the One Element Heaven, unable to break through. After winning the trial, he stayed in the Scripture Hall for three days.

In just three days, no one knew what benefits Ji Changxiao had gained from the third floor, but when he came out of the Scripture Hall three days later, he had already broken through to the Two Instruments Heaven!

Not only him, but Ji Changsheng and Ji Changle, who stayed in the second floor of the Scripture Hall for three days, also made great gains.

To reach the One Element Heaven, one must be able to circulate elemental forces to every corner of the body to temper the physical body, divided into five stages: elemental forces passing through the skin, muscles, internal organs, bones, and brain. Only after passing through these five stages can one break through to the Two Instruments Heaven.

Three years ago, Ji Changsheng and Ji Changle could only circulate elemental forces through their muscles. After staying in the Scripture Hall for three days, they broke through three barriers and could now circulate elemental forces to the brain, the most difficult part to train. Perhaps with one more enlightenment, they could break through to the Two Instruments Heaven.

Faced with these irrefutable facts, all the young men and women of the Ji family regarded the Scripture Hall as a sacred place in their hearts!

For the young men and women of the Ji family, the Scripture Hall was a place that could transform them, so the trial held every three years became their greatest expectation. For three years, they had been accumulating strength, hoping to achieve a good ranking and enter the Scripture Hall for three days.

At this moment, the young men and women of the Ji family were all calming their minds, looking up at the steep slope of Qingyan Mountain, pressing their hands on the protruding green rocks, ready to start at Ji Yuxing's command.

...

Just then, the sound of "tap tap" footsteps came from a distance, and Ji Changkong's weak body slowly appeared in the sunlight. He was still wearing his dirty green robe, but his face was now clean.

Ji Yuxing was about to give the order to start the trial when he suddenly noticed Ji Changkong in his dirty clothes. He was taken aback, feeling that Ji Changkong's dirty clothes disgraced the Ji family, and could not help frowning and asking, "Changkong, didn't I say you don't need to come to today's trial?"

Ji Changkong came to the front of the crowd, first bowed to City Lord Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang, then bowed to Ji Yuxing, Ji Yusheng, and other elders of the Ji family, and after completing the formalities, looked at Ji Yuxing with clear eyes and said softly, "Second Uncle, I am seventeen this year. According to the family rules, I should have the right to participate."

The Ji family trial held every three years allows all Ji family descendants, regardless of gender, to participate as long as they are fifteen years old. Three years ago, Ji Changkong was fourteen and did not have the right to participate. Three years later, he was seventeen and qualified.

"Tsk tsk, he wants to participate in the trial, he must be crazy!"

"What a joke, he can't even gather elemental forces, participating in the trial is just asking for death!"

"Right, I've only managed to circulate elemental forces through my muscles, and I almost fell to my death in the last trial. He really dares to think he can do it!"

"Ha, it's a wonder if he can even reach the top, let alone survive the fall!"

"..."

As soon as Ji Changkong's words fell, the young men and women of the Ji family, who were ready to start, all sneered with disdain.

"Hem..." Ji Yuxing lightly coughed, and the voices immediately stopped.

Seeing the young men and women of the Ji family fall silent at his light cough, Ji Yuxing narrowed his eyes and said sternly, "Changkong, according to the family rules, you do qualify. However, you cannot gather elemental forces, and participating in such a strenuous trial seems inappropriate. Think carefully, the family trial cannot be assisted by anyone, you can only rely on yourself. Qingyan Mountain is not very high, but it is also not very low. The climb from here is extremely steep, and one misstep could result in more than just serious injury..."

"Ridiculous!" Ji Yusheng, who had been frowning since Ji Changkong appeared, suddenly roared, his eyes wide open, glaring at Ji Changkong and shouting, "Do you think the trial is a game? Each trial is extremely dangerous, and even those with elemental forces can suffer serious injuries if they fall! With your body, if you fall halfway, it will be a certain death!"

"Changkong, don't be stubborn! You can't gather elemental forces, and your aunt will find a way for you. Don't be impulsive at this moment!" Ji Wan Yun, in a panic, quickly advised. In her view, Ji Changkong was more sensible than the average young men and women of the Ji family and should not act rashly at this moment.

"Grandfather, I want to try!" The usually obedient Ji Changkong was unusually stubborn, looking straight at Ji Yusheng with clear eyes, unafraid, and his voice firm.

"No! Absolutely not!!" Ji Yusheng roared in anger, "If you want to die, that's your business, but I will never agree!"

"Uh..." City Lord Nie Yuanshan looked at Ji Yusheng, then at the clear-eyed Ji Changkong, and suddenly smiled, "Let Changkong try. Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing happens to him."

Seemingly to reassure Ji Yusheng, Nie Yuanshan raised his hand, and a silver-white starlight burst from his palm, forming two star-like shapes, trailing long streaks of starlight as it circled around Qingyan Mountain. A series of explosions followed, and the green rocks, as large as millstones, were shattered into dust and scattered by the wind.

With just a casual wave of his hand, Nie Yuanshan turned nearly a hundred green rocks on Qingyan Mountain into dust.

Such a display stunned the entire Ji family!

Ji Changkong's eyes were fixed on Nie Yuanshan's left hand, trying to see every detail of the tendons and veins on his palm.

Ji Changkong was extremely excited, biting his teeth to prevent himself from shouting out, but his heart was pounding fiercely. He thought to himself, "This... this is the power of a Celestial Scholar, truly earth-shattering!"

"Seven Stars Celestial Scholar!" Ji Yuxing exclaimed.

Taking a deep breath, Ji Yuxing smiled enviously at Nie Yuanshan, "Congratulations, Lord City Lord. I didn't expect you to have broken through to the realm of traveling through the Seven Stars and tempering your soul with their power in just three years. A Seven Stars Celestial Scholar can use the power of the Big Dipper to soar through the sky. With Lord City Lord here, it will be difficult for those little brats to get injured today."

Even Ji Yuxing, the head of the Ji family, was only a Six Directions Celestial Scholar.

"I just entered the Seven Stars realm two years ago and can only travel through the first two stars, Tian Shu and Tian Xuan, using their power to barely soar through the sky. It's not much," Nie Yuanshan smiled slightly, then glanced at Ji Yusheng, "Uncle Sheng, with me watching over Changkong, you should be reassured, right?"

"Thank Lord City Lord!" Ji Yusheng coldly snorted and scolded Ji Changkong.

Ji Changkong bowed slightly and said softly, "Thank Uncle Nie."

He knew that Nie Yuanshan had a past friendship with his long-missing father, Ji Haotian, so while others called Nie Yuanshan "Lord City Lord," he called him "Uncle Nie" as per Nie Yuanshan's own request.

Nie Yuanshan smiled and nodded, then glanced coldly at Ji Yuxing and asked, "Can we start now?"

"Changkong, choose your starting point," Ji Yuxing instructed. Seeing Ji Changkong stand in a less crowded, more secluded spot, he then roared, "Charge to the top!"

PS: Remember to bookmark and vote, help me push the new book to the front, (*^__^*) bookmark, bookmark, vote, vote...

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