Born as an ant, I was summoned to ascend to immortality.

Chapter 39 Paper Crane Message

"This disciple...does not understand."

On Purple Cloud Peak, Zhou Li responded, but when he looked up again, there was no sign of Master Yan Qing. Only the mountain wind swept through the purple bamboo forest, swirling up a few bamboo leaves.

"To give something from Heaven and not take it, only to suffer the consequences?" He shook his head, thinking to himself, "What kind of veiled meaning is this?"

Just as Zhou Li was about to turn back to his cave, he suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from afar, as if thin silk was fluttering in the wind.

His gaze sharpened, and looking into the distance, he saw a pure white silhouette emerging from the forest. In an instant, it rushed to a stop three feet in front of Zhou Li, and it turned out to be a paper crane the size of a palm.

The paper crane gracefully circled around Zhou Li, its wings fluttering slightly, seemingly scattering a few golden rays.

Zhou Li subconsciously reached out his hand, and the paper crane landed in his palm as if returning to its nest. The crane's body unfolded layer by layer like a lotus flower blooming, revealing a line of small golden characters.

"Fifteen days from now, Fairy Chiling of Kunyang Peak will hold a sermon at the preaching ground, imparting the profound methods of the Xuanmen sect. Disciples who are cultivating their Qi may travel there by crane."

"A message delivered by paper crane..." Zhou Li said excitedly, "Since it's for Qi Refining disciples, it's probably about the principles of cultivation. Maybe it can help me solve my problems with cultivation techniques."

A moment later, all the writing on the paper in Zhou Li's hand suddenly turned into fireflies and scattered in all directions. The unfolded paper stretched several times its original length in mid-air, then closed up again, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a lifelike crane.

This transformed crane was taller than a person, with every feather on its body clearly visible. It gently landed at the entrance of Zhou Li's cave, raised its neck, and let out a clear and melodious crane cry.

Zhou Li was stunned: "This is truly the work of a celestial being."

Fifteen days passed in a flash. Zhou Li had already refined the Fangcunqian, but he still made no progress in visualizing the ancient demon.

On the day of the sermon, Zhou Li rode a paper crane to the preaching ground. The paper crane flew through the mountain peaks, leaving a long trail of light.

After flying for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the paper crane broke through the last vortex of clouds, and suddenly the view opened up before it.

Thousands of mountains float in the air, connected by rainbow bridges. In the center of the misty, jade-like peaks, there is a platform a hundred feet square, as flat as a chessboard and as clear as the Milky Way.

Legend has it that the founder of the Changtian Sect once sought a platform to use for spreading his teachings. With a single sword stroke, he cleaved a towering, solitary peak in two, thus creating the place where he now preaches.

At this moment, the preaching ground was bustling with people. Not only had many disciples gathered in the center of the ground, but the surrounding mountains and the rainbow bridge were also crowded with people.

The majestic phoenix carriages and flying boats in the sky, along with the colorful crane shadows and lotus platforms, complement each other and intertwine to create a magnificent scene of the sect.

Zhou Li rode the paper crane around twice before finding a relatively empty platform in a corner of the temple and landing.

The moment it landed, the mount transformed into a paper crane in Zhou Li's palm, its luster slightly dimmed. Zhou Li estimated that after a few more flights, the paper crane would "die of old age."

Zhou Li walked to a nearby spot with a good view and found a clean futon to sit down.

Before I could even sit down properly, I heard a reproachful voice from behind me: "Hey senior brother, I only brought a futon, and you just took it and sat on it without even asking. That's so impolite of you."

Zhou Li turned around and saw a girl with her black hair tied up high standing not far away. She had very beautiful features, but she was raising her head slightly and looking Zhou Li up and down.

He hurriedly stood up, cupped his hands in embarrassment, and said, "I didn't expect it to be my junior sister's prayer mat. I was being presumptuous. Please forgive me..."

Before he could finish speaking, the girl smiled and said, "This cushion is mine, but this spot was chosen by my senior brother. Besides, my cushion is so big, everyone can squeeze in."

After saying that, he sat down on one side of the futon, patted the exposed half of the futon, and said, "Senior brother, please sit down."

Zhou Li thought to himself, "She's quite a free-spirited girl." Without any hesitation, he sat down next to her.

"Thank you for the seat, Junior Sister. I have yet to ask you any questions..."

"You must be Senior Brother Zhou?" the girl interrupted Zhou Li.

Zhou Li was taken aback upon hearing this, and said, "It's me."

The girl seemed a little excited as she said, "I have long admired Senior Brother's reputation for being a master of double armor. I am Shen Qing, and I am currently cultivating in Hanxijian."

"Cold Stream?"

Shen Qing chuckled: "Heh, Senior Brother, haven't you heard of the Cold Stream?"

Zhou Li felt ashamed: "How would I know? I was dragged to Ziyun Peak by my master right after the exam. Apart from one senior uncle who was away, there was only one unreliable senior sister on the mountain."

He could only awkwardly cup his hands and say, "I was just about to ask my junior sister for guidance."

Shen Qing explained: "The twelve main peaks beneath the three great grotto-heavens of Changtian Sect are actually eleven peaks and one stream."

"Beneath the Lingxiao Cave Heaven are the four peaks of Taixu, Kunwu, Lingtai, and Wuji."

"Beneath the Jade Purity Grotto-Heaven are the four peaks of Azure Sky, Jade Balance, Crimson Cloud, and Purple Cloud."

"Beneath the Jade Pool Grotto, there are the three peaks of Cuiwei, Tianchi, and Kunyang, and my junior sister in this cold stream."

Shen Qing was very happy: "Junior Sister has been practicing martial arts since childhood. Her family was originally a rough and uncultured family. By chance, she obtained a door guide and came to Changtian Sect to give it a try."

"My spiritual root is only of the fourth grade, but because I comprehended the 'True Method of Heavy Water' from the Enlightenment Stele, I was favored by my master and became the youngest disciple of Hanxijian."

Zhou Li smiled and said, "It just so happens that Senior Brother is also a fourth-rank cultivator, and has just crossed the boundary between immortals and mortals. It is indeed a predestined relationship between you and Junior Sister."

Shen Qing chuckled: "Senior brother, you really know how to talk."

Zhou Li looked at the thousands of people around him and asked, puzzled, "There aren't this many new disciples this term, are there?"

"Senior brother, you may not know this," Shen Qing pointed to the distant mountains and the rainbow bridge, "Most of these disciples in the distance come from the subordinate sects of the Changtian Sect. These small sects rely on the Changtian Sect for cultivation, and whenever a True Person gives a lecture, they are allowed to come and listen."

"Those who came in flying boats in the preaching ground are the outer disciples of this term; while those who came riding cranes are inner disciples like you and me."

After saying that, Shen Qing looked up at the sky and said, "As for those strange vehicles sitting in the sky, they are mostly scions of noble families in the sect. They can enter the inner sect to cultivate without having to take the major exam."

Zhou Li nodded: "I see."

At that moment, a clear and melodious bell sound came from the air, growing louder as it approached.

As everyone looked up, three fiery red kites soared through the sky, dragging a cloud palanquin as it flew in. Bronze wind chimes hung from the four corners of the palanquin's eaves, their sounds echoing in the wind, creating a magnificent spectacle.

All that could be heard was a murmur of discussion around them:

"This is the Fang family's car, and it belongs to the eldest son of the Fang family!"

"I heard that the Fang family has two sons who have come of age this year. The older brother is named Fang Lan, and the younger brother is named Fang Yu."

"Yes, yes, it seems that my younger brother Fang Yu also participated in the sect's entrance examination this year."

"Nonsense, what kind of aristocratic family scions participate in the sect entrance examination? It's unheard of."

……

At this moment, aboard the cloud sedan chair.

"Young brother, you could have gone straight into the inner sect, why did you have to participate in that damn entrance exam?" Fang Lan leaned against the rosewood armrest, raising an eyebrow as she glanced at Fang Yu.

Upon hearing this, Fang Yu gently put down his teacup and replied, "The three tests for entering the sect are all extraordinary. I was thinking of giving it a try."

"Tsk tsk, I heard you only got third place?" Fang Lan's lips curled into a mocking smile. "What a disgrace to the family."

Fang Yu didn't respond, but instead said, "This year's seekers of the Dao are full of hidden talents, so don't underestimate them, brother."

"Underestimating?" Fang Lan suddenly chuckled. "I heard the top scorer in the big exam is a once-in-a-millennium double A, uh... what's his name again?"

"According to Zhou Li, everyone relies on their own abilities in the grand examination, so please don't target him, elder brother."

"Heh." Fang Lan sneered, thinking to herself, "Fang Yu, you're so naive. The things you don't want to do, your older brother has no choice but to do."