Chapter Twenty: Mount Tainan

After some struggle, Chen Jiu used the Divine Control Technique to collect the soul that Zi Huan had transformed into.

At first, he was secretly delighted, thinking he could use the Heavenly Eye to trap this fox spirit and make her obey him.

But soon, Chen Jiu was sorely disappointed.

It turned out Zi Huan's soul was completely unfazed by the constraints of his Heavenly Eye. She not only moved freely within the Heavenly Eye's space, but could even see the soul of the mountain fiend he had subdued!

This shocked Chen Jiu deeply—his Heavenly Eye could not restrain this fox spirit!

“Oh, stop looking so grim! I told you my divine sense far surpasses yours, which is why your Heavenly Eye fails. Everything has its limits, doesn’t it?”

Though Zi Huan was in the Heavenly Eye’s space, she could speak to Chen Jiu through telepathy.

Hearing this, Chen Jiu sighed softly, said nothing more, and walked straight toward the Ascendant Tower.

Today was the registration day. He hadn’t reached the gates before seeing a long queue stretching ahead.

A glance revealed hundreds of people.

He silently joined the end of the line, waiting for the queue to move forward.

Just then, the people in front of Chen Jiu began talking.

A young man in blue said, “Zhang San, what are you doing here, you street scoundrel? Everyone registering for the Ascendant Festival is a cultivator—why are you here?”

The one called Zhang San replied mysteriously, “Heh, I heard that last year, even ordinary folks joined the Ascendant Festival, and when they returned, they all received a tidy sum of money…”

Another young man in grey leaned over and whispered, “I heard something too—cultivators who joined the festival seemed to get certain benefits after it ended, regardless of their ranking!”

“Right, right, I also have some inside information…”

Standing behind them, Chen Jiu caught every word.

It wasn’t that he enjoyed eavesdropping, but since entering the mystical path, his senses had grown extremely sharp—no matter how softly others spoke, he heard them clearly.

Unless a cultivator cast a Sound Isolation spell or used telepathy to conceal their words.

Still, this conversation made Chen Jiu more wary.

There are no free lunches in the world, nor do pies fall from the sky.

If even ordinary people could benefit, there must be some price to pay!

To be safe, Chen Jiu asked inwardly, “What realm are you, anyway? Can you overpower them?”

At the front of the queue were scions from several prominent families in the county, all from distinguished backgrounds, likely possessing impressive cultivation.

Zi Huan laughed, “It seems you’re unfamiliar with the hierarchy of our demon race.”

Chen Jiu remained silent.

“We demons have four realms: Heaven, Earth, Myst, and Yellow, corresponding to the first four stages of the human immortal’s Five Towers… As for me, I’m but a humble Yellow-tier demon.”

Chen Jiu’s heart stirred: Yellow-tier demons correspond to the Pill Embryo stage, the first tower of immortality—there was hope yet.

“What, are you disappointed in me?” Zi Huan sounded a bit aggrieved, coquettish.

Chen Jiu raised an eyebrow, feeling goosebumps along his back. “Speak properly from now on! I’m an upright Daoist!”

Zi Huan burst into laughter, clearly amused, teasing,

“Upright Daoist? More like a melon-faced Daoist!”

As the queue moved forward, half an hour passed before it was finally Chen Jiu’s turn.

Before him stood a square table, upon which lay a five-colored stone, behind it sat a white-bearded elder.

The elder raised his eyelids, swept a calm glance at Chen Jiu’s registration slip, then said, “Daoist, place your hand on the stone.”

Chen Jiu nodded and extended his hand, touching the stone.

It was cold to the touch, like ice.

Immediately, the five-colored stone glowed faintly.

Chen Jiu’s expression remained calm, though he felt a bit tense inside.

Zi Huan was hidden in his Heavenly Eye; he wondered if she would be detected.

The white-bearded elder was serene. “You are below ‘Lesser Pill Embryo.’ Do you still wish to participate?”

Chen Jiu relaxed, then nodded.

The elder returned the registration slip. “Go, wait beneath Tower D.”

Chen Jiu replied with a hum, gave a respectful salute, and entered.

He made his way smoothly to Tower D, finding hundreds already waiting there.

He did not squeeze into the crowd, but stood outside.

Then he noticed, beneath Tower C opposite, stood a dozen or so people.

Judging by their attire, they were clearly wealthy scions.

“That’s the one called Zhao Dezhu…” Chen Jiu’s sharp eye spotted the man who had troubled him previously.

“Brother Zhao, why isn’t the Sun family participating this time?” someone called out to Zhao Dezhu.

Zhao Dezhu glanced at the man in the blue Daoist robe before him, a shadow passing through his eyes.

He replied coldly, “How should I know?”

He had originally been the favored candidate for the festival, but his outstanding elder brother had suddenly returned, and he knew he’d lost the spot.

Suddenly, violent gusts whipped down from the sky.

Chen Jiu’s expression changed, and he looked up quickly.

Above appeared several enormous blue birds, their wings stirring fierce winds with just a slight beat.

At that moment, the white-bearded elder who had supervised registration strode over.

He stood between the two towers and announced loudly, “Congratulations on qualifying for the Ascendant Festival! Soon, the Blue Spirit Birds will take you to Mount Tai’nan.”

He paused, squinting at the crowd’s astonished faces, then smiled lightly. “This year’s challenge is gathering spirit herbs…”

Chen Jiu’s heart stirred.

Gathering herbs… So this grand festival is just a fancy way to get people to collect medicinal plants?

Why give it such an impressive name then…

“According to custom, your ranking will be determined by the number of spirit herbs you gather on Mount Tai’nan… Of course, this time, magical duels are not forbidden…”

That statement caused an uproar.

“Of course! We forbid lethal force—no deaths allowed. Otherwise, you’ll be disqualified from trading in the Ascendant Tower,” the elder finished, ignoring the crowd’s astonishment, and beckoned to the sky.

“Come down…”

Soon, Chen Jiu and the others were all atop the giant birds.

Zi Huan remarked in his mind, “These birds belong to the Giant Bird tribe. Who would have thought humans would enslave them? I wonder what their leader would think if they knew…”

Chen Jiu was silent for a moment, then said, “Why? This world is survival of the fittest. The weak are enslaved; only the strong are free…”

Zi Huan fell quiet upon hearing this.

With a flap of their wings, the birds shot tens of yards ahead at incredible speed.

“If only I had a flying artifact like this…” Chen Jiu murmured enviously.

The scenery below receded rapidly, soon becoming a blur.

They sped up further.

Cultivators who haven’t reached the Second Tower of Immortalhood must rely on flying artifacts for travel—though they consume much spiritual power, they far surpass carriages and other means.

Time passed swiftly. After two hours of flight, Chen Jiu finally saw, looming ahead in the mist, a vast mountain, half-hidden and mysterious.

Mount Tai’nan—an enormous mountain outside Xinyang County.

Legend has it that immortals once dwelled here in humble huts; spirit herbs cover the slopes, and rare birds and beasts are as common as cabbages by the roadside.

Beyond Mount Tai’nan, to the south, lies Jingyang County, neighboring Xinyang…