After bathing, Lu Jin'an put on the Wandao Sect's standard brocade robe for direct disciples, which was white with gilded black patterns, and then left Taichu Peak directly.
As the first Immortal Sect in the world today, with a legacy spanning tens of thousands of years, the Wandao Sect naturally has a profound foundation and immense scale.
With the Taiyi, Taichu, Taishi, Taisu, and Taiji Halls at its core, transitioning from Wuji (Limitless) to the beginnings of all things as derived from Taoist teachings, the Wandao Sect organizes its layout according to the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, comprising two academies, four halls, five pavilions, eight towers, and nine peaks, which collectively manage the operation of the entire sect.
When Lu Jin'an first came to the Wandao Sect, the first thing was to follow his Master Pei Wanyu to visit the Immortals in these places one by one. Besides remembering these individuals, he learned more about how high Master Pei Wanyu's status was within the Wandao Sect.
Deputy Sect Master and Taichu Hall Master Pei Wanyu is the second strongest in the Wandao Sect, second only to the Sect Master.
Back then, he thought that he couldn't disgrace his charming, seductive Master.
Lu Jin'an accomplished that as well.
Leaving the range of Taichu Peak, Lu Jin'an stepped onto the stone bridge corridor leading down to the sect of Wandao Sect, where the number of people suddenly increased.
"Finally finished the morning practice. The Immortal Seed Examination is almost starting. Let's go see the group of naive and green examinees; it's so interesting."
"Yes, let's also buy some snacks on the way to the cafeteria."
"There are many adorably silly, innocent fellows every day. Their exams are too interesting to watch. Do you think something more interesting will happen today?"
"B-b-b..."
"Perhaps?"
"Senior Brother!!!"
"Senior Brother? Where, where? It's really Senior Brother!"
"Who called Senior Brother? Has Senior Brother emerged from seclusion... Senior Brother!"
"Met Senior Brother!"
"Met Senior Brother!"
Amidst the restless footsteps, gradually came the chaotic but quite orderly polite greetings of bows.
Lu Jin'an, stopping in his tracks, also politely returned the greetings to the junior brothers and sisters, followed by curious inquiries like "When did Senior Brother emerge from seclusion?", "Where is Senior Brother going?", "Is Senior Brother going to take on another task?"
Just past seven in the morning, the scene abruptly displayed a vibrant vitality.
When Lu Jin'an informed everyone that he was going to invigilate on behalf of his Master, they all politely didn't disturb him further, making way for Lu Jin'an to proceed first, and then—
One by one, the Communication Compasses lit up, relaying the same message: Senior Brother has emerged from seclusion.
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Walking past a few kilometers up from the Wandao Sect's mountain gate, there is a platform on the mountainside, which has always been the examination venue for the Wandao Sect's Immortal Seed Selection Conference.
Just past seven, it was bustling with noise here.
There were Wandao Sect disciples responsible for maintaining order at the scene, disciples conducting invigilation for sessions, but mostly, it was young individuals and their families coming to participate in the Selection Conference.
As the first Immortal Sect in the world, the Wandao Sect's triennial Immortal Seed Selection Conference mainly divides into two levels: one is young immortal seeds who can embark on the path of cultivation at the age of seven, and the second is talented seedlings who complete the thirteen levels of Qi Refinement and step into the Guiyuan Realm before ten.
However, regardless of the level, the examinations are extremely stringent: because the disciples recruited by the Wandao Sect must at least have the potential to become True Monarchs in the Sitting and Illuminating Realm.
But even with the strict criteria, applicants for the Wandao Sect's triennial Immortal Seed Selection Conference continue to emerge in an endless stream.
In this era of intense competition, there are countless applicants. Even after several rounds of elimination, the examinees gathered here remain a dense black crowd, appearing endless at a glance.
The examinees maintained order by Wandao Sect disciples, while further away, the parents of examinees watched nervously yet expectantly.
Further away on the high platform, dozens of cultivators in standard brocade robes for direct disciples stood with hands behind their backs, all emanating the aura unique to the Tongsheng Realm in silent solemnity.
For direct disciples of the Wandao Sect, until reaching the Harmonization Realm, one remains a direct disciple and does not have the qualification to establish their own sect or formally participate in the sect's affairs in its various academies, halls, pavilions, towers, or peaks.
"There are still eight or nine thousand people who have reached this stage this year. I estimate that around five thousand will finally be taken into the sect."
"So many, thankfully, they won't need to compete with us for food... Why hasn't Junior Zhao come over yet? I really want to eat the Wild Ox Meat Buns they are selling today in the cafeteria."
"Are they selling Wild Ox Meat Buns today?"
"Yes, but the quantity is limited."
"I'll quickly ask where Junior Zhao is."
The serious-faced direct disciples quietly transmitted messages, and then someone asked the youth standing in the middle: "Senior Second Brother, have you had breakfast yet?"
Jiang Wuya responded calmly, "We should begin."
"Why is the Deputy Sect Master late today?"
"Maybe it's… hmm?"
With a dripping sound from the Communication Compass, the senior and junior martial siblings who previously wore stern expressions immediately displayed changes, exchanging glances with each other, then simultaneously looked at Jiang Wuya, whose Communication Compass hadn't made a sound, their eyes instantly filled with mischievous delight.
Then—
"Go!"
The direct disciples immediately left the high platform, heading toward the mountain.
"You all..." Jiang Wuya's eye twitched. The examination was about to start; how could they run off upon receiving a message?
"Senior Brother has come out of seclusion!"
"Really?"
"Honestly, the senior brothers and sisters on the mountain have already let it slip, hehe."
"I was wondering why the senior brothers and sisters of the direct disciples suddenly ran off..."
"Hahaha, Senior Second Brother won't make it."
On the high platform, already hearing the voices of junior brothers and sisters maintaining order at the scene below, Jiang Wuya felt his expression couldn't hold, instinctively taking a step forward, then hurriedly stopped.
If he ran off, who would oversee the examination?
'They're teaming up to mess with me... I'll have to loosen their muscles and bones in the afternoon!' Jiang Wuya clenched his fist, absent-mindedly glancing at the road heading down the mountain, while the whispers of the Inner Sect disciples maintaining order at the scene gradually overshadowed the voices of the examinees and their families.
"It's already time, why hasn't the examination started?"
"Look, only the Head of Taishi Hall, Jiang Wuya, is among the direct disciples left."
"Even the Inner Sect disciples are in turmoil. Did something significant happen in the Wandao Sect?"
"Doesn't seem like it... look at them!"
Only to see all the Inner Sect disciples present looking in unison at the same direction, their eyes showing reverence, as even the Head of Taishi Hall, Jiang Wuya, on the high platform turned around with joy in his eyes. Senior Brother, you finally came out of seclusion.
Everyone was astonished, thinking some great figure of the Wandao Sect was descending the mountain for inspection, and couldn't help but fall silent, making the scene quiet for a moment.
Then came—
"Met Senior Brother."
As the second senior brother of the Wandao Sect, Jiang Wuya was the first to bow, followed by the Inner Sect disciples maintaining order and other disciples coming to watch the Immortal Seed Selection Conference, all respectfully bowing in unison, sounding like a mighty bell.
"Met Senior Brother."
On the mountain's stone steps, amidst a group of direct junior brothers and sisters surrounding him like stars around the moon, Lu Jin'an descended step by step.
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Author: Thanks to Juezi Zi Juezi for the 1000 coin reward, and to Bi Cang Zhe Tian for the 100 coin reward.