Chapter 879: Familiar Scenery

Falling from the cloud bridge, the avatar felt a lightness all over as it was guided by a flying sword, escaping the cloud bridge illusion.

Most people had fallen before him. They were now divided into two groups, on the left and right sides of the pier. Some were sitting cross-legged, meditating, while others stood, their expressions varied.

The group on the left was much smaller, with only a dozen or so people. All of them looked exhilarated, including the young man who had fallen first, his previous dejection completely gone, replaced by a joyful expression.

In contrast, the other side, though more numerous, was shrouded in gloom.

Seeing this, the avatar immediately understood that the cultivators on the left had likely been selected by the Misty Cloud Pavilion.

His gaze swept across.

Sure enough, the young man with the three spiritual roots, who had appeared during the previous aptitude test, was also on the left.

As soon as this thought formed, the avatar saw the sword cultivator point his hand to the left. A sudden tightening sensation enveloped the avatar as it was carried by the flying sword, landing on the left side of the pier amidst envious gazes.

A joyful expression appeared on the avatar's face. Without bothering to meditate and recover, he quickly tidied his attire, bowed, and said, "Many thanks for your guidance, senior!"

"You're quite clever!"

The sword cultivator withdrew his flying sword and sneered.

The middle-aged cultivator appraised the avatar from head to toe, undisguised admiration on his face. "Not bad. Daring to be a pioneer, with a tenacious character. It wasn't until your spiritual energy was almost depleted that the cloud bridge affected you and disturbed your state of mind. Although your innate talent is slightly weaker, your temperament is superior to everyone else's. No wonder you managed to break through the three major bottlenecks. You might yet achieve something significant in the future."

The sword cultivator also put away his sneer and said seriously, "You're a good prospect for sword training. Would you like to come to our Flying Rainbow Hall to learn swordplay?"

"Junior Brother Ding!"

The middle-aged cultivator shot him a reproachful look. "These disciples still need to be reviewed by the Pavilion Master and personally assigned by him. The Pavilion Master will consider the situation within the pavilion. As disciples, we shouldn't overstep our bounds."

The sword cultivator chuckled, clearly unafraid of his senior brother. "When Senior Uncle Pavilion Master assigns them, doesn't he also consider their talent and wishes? This boy's temperament no longer needs tempering. Besides our Flying Rainbow Hall, where else would suit him? Are you suggesting he go to the Cauldron Forging Hall to tend fires? I'm merely offering him a little guidance to prevent him from going astray later."

The fourth person beside them suddenly interjected, "With stable temperament, coming to our Snow Shadow Hall to draw talismans wouldn't be bad either."

He then lowered his head, avoiding the sword cultivator's glare.

The middle-aged cultivator and the man in green robes exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly.

Before the disciples were even formally admitted, the internal struggles had already begun.

Listening to their argument, the avatar felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. To think that his level of talent could also attract such competition! It was fortunate that he had 'fallen' in time and hadn't shown too much.

At this moment, there were still five people on the cloud bridge, each with cultivation levels higher than the avatar's, all above the tenth layer of the Qi Refinement stage.

There was even an elderly man in his sixties, surprisingly at the thirteenth layer of the Qi Refinement stage, the highest among everyone.

The four cultivators from Misty Cloud Pavilion were discussing whether to keep the old man.

After a while, these individuals also descended one after another. The old man's performance, however, was remarkable; he almost held on until his spiritual energy was completely exhausted before finally falling.

Right up to the last moment, the old man was assailed by strong winds externally and the mesmerizing influence of the cloud bridge internally. His body swayed like a willow in the wind, yet his mind remained remarkably clear, stubbornly persevering.

Gazing at the old man who was brought back by a flying sword.

Silence fell over the pier.

The four cultivators from Misty Cloud Pavilion looked solemn, casting aside their earlier flippancy.

The sword cultivator let out an almost imperceptible sigh and muttered, "What a pity, he's too old. There's no hope for Foundation Establishment."

The Snow Shadow Hall cultivator's eyes flashed with intense light, as if he had discovered a treasure, instantly forgetting about the avatar.

"Brother, quickly go meditate and recover."

The middle-aged cultivator pointed to the left side of the pier.

The old man, being shrewd, knew at a glance that he had been selected. Despite being utterly exhausted, he still shakily stood up, bowed, and expressed his gratitude, "This junior feels ashamed!"

Tears streamed down his aged face.

No one mocked him.

The cultivators on the right side of the pier showed thoughtful expressions. Some, without waiting for the Misty Cloud Pavilion cultivators to announce the results, cupped their hands in salute and flew away on their escape lights.

"Fellow Daoists."

The middle-aged cultivator turned to face the right side of the pier. "You all failed to pass the cloud bridge trial today. Please return!"

Despite being mentally prepared, some still burst into tears on the spot.

The middle-aged cultivator then turned to the other side. "Although you passed the cloud bridge trial, you are not yet considered disciples of my Misty Cloud Pavilion. You still need to be personally reviewed by the Pavilion Master. For now, please board the boat."

With that, the middle-aged cultivator tossed out a palm-sized bamboo boat.

The bamboo boat grew with the wind, transforming into a large vessel. Everyone entered in an orderly fashion, and the large boat cut through the waves, speeding towards the island in the center of the lake.

The cloud bridge had dissipated at some unknown point, and the mist had completely cleared, leaving no trace.

Soon, the large boat brought them close to the island in the middle of the lake, then drove into the misty sea without hesitation.

The water mist billowed, parting like giant waves to both sides.

Inside, everything was a vast expanse of white. One could easily get lost here if not careful.

Everyone looked awestruck. The avatar, being well-traveled, noticed a hint of something. The misty sea didn't seem to be a very powerful spiritual array, but rather a simple illusion formation.

The Eye of Heaven Butterfly had previously spied on the Misty Cloud Pavilion. The center of the mist might not contain just one island, but possibly a considerable expanse of water sealed by the mist.

Given the Misty Cloud Pavilion's strength, it likely couldn't set up such a large-scale top-tier spiritual array. The true mountain-protecting grand array must be deeper within.

Without any visible action from the middle-aged cultivator, the bamboo boat traveled through the mist for a while, and suddenly, the view ahead opened up.

A vast expanse of mist and water lay before them.

Several green peaks rose from the lake, as tall and imposing as the mountains outside.

White jade bridges connected these green peaks, with a few figures visible on them. Some white jade bridges were covered in vines, dangling unevenly from high above, with the longest ones reaching the water's surface.

The vines swayed in the gentle breeze, like natural curtains, presenting a vibrant scene full of life.

This ethereal beauty, like a fairyland, stunned all the impoverished rogue cultivators.

A dazed expression appeared on the avatar's face.

This scenery of mountains rising from water, with people amidst them, suddenly stirred a memory hidden deep within his heart.

Mount Shaohua.

There were enemies, and there were loved ones.

The memories from that period weren't entirely pleasant, yet this was the place where he had undergone several transformations.

Decades had passed in a flash. Were the old friends still there?

"The peaks ahead are where our Misty Cloud Pavilion's main entrance is located. If all goes well, this will be your future place of cultivation..."

The middle-aged cultivator's voice roused everyone. He lightly tapped his foot, and the bamboo boat vibrated, lifted off the water, and shot towards one of the green peaks.

As they neared the green peak, the middle-aged cultivator took out his waist token and waved it. They ascended without any obstruction, landing on a stone platform halfway up the mountain, where he let everyone disembark.

The stone platform connected to a stone path that led straight to the peak. Hidden amidst the trees, a few majestic halls could faintly be seen.

"Let's go. Follow me to meet the Pavilion Master!"