"That's not necessarily true. The Cold-Faced Thunder Monarch is only presiding over the assembly. The various tests and tests are still handled by the inner sect disciples. Even if those large clans can't brazenly cheat, the inner sect disciples will definitely turn a blind eye to small problems." Zhang Haiping interrupted Xie Gang's delusion.
"Aren't you afraid that we cultivators will bring this matter to Cold-faced Thunder Monarch?" The shy Zhou Diilan seemed to be used to the presence of these cultivators and also dared to express her opinion.
Zhang Haiping shook his head and said, "Diilan, you are too naive. If you do this, even if you enter Penglai in the future, it will be very difficult. Who knows if there will be a day when you can't bear the difficulties and leave the sect."
Xie Gang was very unconvinced. "After entering the sect, there are rules and regulations. Why are you afraid of those large clans?"
Zhang Haiping looked at Xie Gang with a resentful gaze. "Think about it. Even if you don't violate the sect's rules and regulations, those large clans will still have ways to deal with you. For example, they will assign you a very time-consuming task every month. Are you still going to cultivate then? Little Brother Shi, please be the judge. Am I right? "
Now that Zhang Haiping asked him, Shi Xuan had to say a few words. "I am upright and upright. Those underhanded tricks can't affect me. I will deal with them when they come." Without a concrete situation, it was naturally impossible to make a concrete analysis. If it was a small trick within the rules, then he could only temporarily endure it. If it went beyond the rules, then the Disciplinary Hall and Cold-faced Thunder Monarch wouldn't die. If their lives were in danger, then they couldn't blame him for making the first move.
Seeing that Shi Xuan also supported Xie Gang and Zhou Diilan's idea, Zhang Haiping was quite depressed. It just so happened that the dishes were all served at this time, so he took the opportunity to vent his emotions on eating.
The shy Zhou Diilan suddenly stood up and waved at the door. "Older Sister Yu, come over here!" After she shouted, she realized that all the cultivators in the hall were looking at her. She was so embarrassed that her face turned red. She wanted to bury her face in her rice bowl.
A female cultivator in a crimson dress came in. She was also about 20 years old. She had a beautiful face, bright eyes, and white teeth. Her snow-white skin looked even more pink and tender under the bright red dress. Her whole person was like a burning flame, but her expression was quite cold and arrogant, which was the opposite of what she was wearing.
"Hehe, Butterfly Orchid, aren't you going to introduce this lady?" Zhang Haiping stood up and greeted the female cultivator enthusiastically.
"This is Sister Yu Ruoshui, the one Dielan mentioned earlier," Zhou Dielan, who could already speak fluently in front of Shi Xuan and the others, stood up and introduced Yu Ruoshui to the three.
Yu Ruoshui's expression was cold. After returning everyone's greetings, she said to Zhou Dielan, "Why are you running around alone? Aren't you afraid of running into bad people?"
As soon as she said this, Zhang Haiping and Xie Gang were embarrassed. Shi Xuan also felt that although Yu Ruoshui's name had the word "Shui" in it, her personality wasn't too good.
Zhou Dielan quickly waved her hand, "Brother Zhang, Brother Shi, and Brother Xie are all good people." Then she repeated what Zhang Haiping said.
After hearing what Zhou Dielan said, Yu Ruoshui's expression softened. Perhaps she knew that her tone was too harsh, so she quickly said to the three, "My younger sister Butterfly Orchid is naturally shy and innocent. I was worried that she would be tricked by bad people, so I spoke a little too hurriedly." Although it was an apology, it was obvious that this lady rarely apologized.
As a man, Zhang Haiping didn't want to dwell on this topic, so he could only change the topic, "I heard that Miss Yu came with your family. Why didn't you come with them?"
Yu Ruoshui's expression changed again, and she blurted out, "Those guys only know how to attract bees and butterflies. If they don't get into Penglai this time, grandpa will break their legs when they get back."
No one dared to reply. Yu Ruoshui also knew that she had said something wrong, so she could only sit at the side with a straight face and not say anything. In the end, Zhou Dielan asked the maid to bring another set of bowl and chopsticks.
"Miss Yu, what's your current cultivation level? Let me tell you, Brother Zhang reached the Leaving Aperture Stage at the age of 25. That's really amazing. "Xie Gang seized the opportunity to flatter Zhang Haiping.
After hearing this, Zhang Haiping slightly straightened his back and puffed out his chest.
Yu Ruoshui showed a faint smile, but she opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. Zhou Dielan, who was sitting at the side, said softly, "Sister Yu reached the Leaving Aperture Stage last year, at the age of 22."
The smile on Zhang Haiping's face immediately froze, and Xie Gang's smile was also extremely awkward. But on second thought, he immediately said loudly, "Miss Yu, you are from a noble family, so it's normal for you to reach the Leaving Aperture Stage at the age of 22. Brother Zhang is a rogue cultivator, but he can reach this stage, so he must be a genius!"
Seeing that Yu Ruoshui only smiled without saying anything, Zhang Haiping's expression softened a little, but it was still ugly. Xie Gang saw Shi Xuan anxiously, and as if he was grasping at straws, he asked Shi Xuan, "Brother Shi, you are also a rogue cultivator, right?"
Shi Xuan nodded, "Yes."
Xie Gang then asked, "Being a rogue cultivator is much more difficult than being a noble family, right?" As he asked, he looked at the others.
Somewhat understanding what Xie Gang wanted to ask, Shi Xuan secretly laughed in his heart. Is this the same as shooting himself in the foot? With a straight face, he replied, "Indeed."
Zhou Dielan, who didn't understand the situation, also echoed, "Indeed, my father and I also have a hard time cultivating."
Seeing that both of them agreed with his words, Xie Gang's smile became natural again, "Since that's the case, isn't it amazing that Brother Zhang reached the Leaving Aperture Stage at the age of 25? Brother Shi, when did you reach the Leaving Aperture Stage? You must have suffered a lot as a rogue cultivator. "
Shi Xuan didn't want to embarrass others. After all, during the recruitment ceremony, everyone's cultivation would be revealed. If he lied now, others would think that Shi Xuan was a schemer. Thus, Shi Xuan answered straightforwardly, "I reached the Leaving Aperture Stage before the age of 21."
Xie Gang's smile immediately froze on his face.
Zhang Haiping wanted to smile, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't force a smile out.
Only Zhou Dielan sincerely exclaimed, "Brother Shi, you reached the Leaving Aperture Stage at such a young age. You're really amazing. I believe that Penglai will definitely accept you as his disciple."
Yu Ruoshui, who had been silent all this while, was also a little surprised. It was rare for a rogue cultivator to reach the Leaving Aperture Stage at such a young age.
After that, Xie Gang and Zhang Haiping focused on eating, and they rarely spoke. On the other hand, Shi Xuan, Yu Ruoshui, and Zhou Dielan would occasionally exchange a few words and gradually become familiar with each other.
In the next two days, Zhang Haiping and Xie Gang got to know many other cultivators. They were very carefree on the ship.
As for Shi Xuan, Zhang Haiping still greeted him politely and occasionally struck up a conversation. However, he wasn't as enthusiastic as before. When Xie Gang saw Shi Xuan, he was extremely embarrassed. He basically lowered his head and brushed past him.
Because Zhou Dielan lived nearby, Yu Ruoshui often came down to look for her. Shi Xuan met them a few times, and they could be considered ordinary friends.
On this evening, a lush green island appeared in front of the ship. There was a jade tower on the island. It was at least 300 meters tall, and it reached deep into the clouds.
All the cultivators cheered because this small island was the destination of this trip, the guest island of Penglai Island.
Shi Xuan and Zhou Dielan coincidentally met on the way to the deck. Shi Xuan saw Zhou Dielan walking back and forth and asked curiously, "Miss Dielan, why aren't you going to the deck? We've already arrived at the Guest Island."
"Hello, Big Brother Shi. I'll wait for Sister Yu here. She'll come down soon," Zhou Dielan replied politely.
"Uh, isn't Miss Yu going with her relatives?" Shi Xuan remembered that Yu Ruoshui didn't come alone.
Zhou Dielan was slightly embarrassed. "Sister Yu had a falling out with her cousins, so she told me to wait for her here and go with her."
As soon as she finished speaking, a female cultivator in a fiery red dress came down from the third floor. It was Yu Ruoshui.
"Dielan, let's go. Hm, Daoist Shi is here too. Why don't we go together? " Because there was a sound-suppressing formation between the floors, Yu Ruoshui didn't hear the two of them talking when she came down. She was slightly surprised when she saw Shi Xuan.
The three of them quickly walked down from the ship to the island. In front of them were hundreds of cultivators. In front of them was a middle-aged man in a blue Daoist robe. Behind him were eight young cultivators in black Daoist robes.
Seeing that most of the people on the ship had come down, the middle-aged man in the blue Daoist robe said to the crowd, "I'm Li Zhen, the outer sect deacon of Penglai. Please follow these outer sect disciples to the Jade Tower." His voice wasn't loud, but every cultivator present heard him clearly.
Following the outer sect disciples, the crowd of cultivators slowly walked through the forest. After walking for a full 15 minutes, they finally arrived at the bottom of the Jade Tower.
This Jade Tower was magnificent and dazzling. The upper half was faintly discernible among the white clouds. It looked like the residence of an immortal. It was extraordinary.
Entering the Jade Tower, one could see that the stairs were paved with white jade, twisting and turning, spiraling upwards until the end couldn't be seen with the naked eye. The body of the tower, which was made of green jade, emitted a misty light, making the entire Jade Tower look like a fairyland. As the light and shadow swayed, they could still vaguely see the jade smoke rising from the white jade steps. Everyone couldn't help but take a deep breath. They were shocked by the beautiful scenery in front of them. Even Shi Xuan, who had seen many modern special effects, couldn't help but praise it.
"It's so beautiful." Yu Ruoshui and Zhou Dielan muttered.
When Shi Xuan saw that there were already people walking up the stairs, he coughed once and startled the two ladies beside him, "Ladies, I believe that the top of the Jade Tower is where our objective is. Let's go there quickly."
Yu Ruoshui and Zhou Dielan were slightly embarrassed. They strode up the steps.
This Jade Tower seemed to be only 300 meters tall. However, when Shi Xuan and the others walked up the steps, they felt that it was far higher than that. They had already walked for a full hour, but the steps still seemed to be very long.
"Big Brother Shi, how much longer do you think it will take for us to reach the top?" Zhou Dielan was already panting.
At this time, Shi Xuan was wondering if the test was starting now. When he heard Zhou Dielan's question, he hurriedly encouraged her. "It shouldn't be too far away. Miss Yu, don't you think so?"
Yu Ruoshui understood that Shi Xuan was comforting Zhou Dielan. After all, in terms of the effects of body forging, Leaving Aperture Stage cultivators had much more endurance than Qi Nourishing Stage cultivators. She nodded and affirmed Shi Xuan's words. "Fellow Daoist Shi is right. We should be arriving soon."
It was unknown whether his wish came true. After a short while, a jade door shining with clear light appeared in front of them.
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