The boy’s shout caught Mu Yunran’s attention. After calming the worried Shi Wan, she turned to look at him.
The longer she stared, the more strangely familiar he seemed.
In the original story, Lu Qingran had been a beloved beauty with countless admirers. While the male lead attracted one supporting woman after another, Lu Qingran rejected many men who knew nothing about her. The contrast made readers insist that the male lead was unworthy of the heroine. They demanded that the author replace him and stop tormenting them.
It was not surprising that Lu Qingran had attracted another boy, yet Mu Yunran sensed there was more to this one.
She asked the system, “Look at that boy and describe his appearance.”
The system floated closer and examined him. “Straight, swordlike brows, eyes as bright as stars, and a face whose sharp lines seem carved by blade and ax.”
Mu Yunran knew her guess was almost certainly correct.
“Host, have you fallen for him?”
She frowned. “Read fewer novels and stop asking stupid questions.”
The system gave a wounded “Oh” and went to find a new novel to read.
Both people who had fallen were safely returned to the steps. Lingyunzi warned everyone to be careful, then led the group onward across the Sea of Clouds.
They all reached the mountain occupied by the Sword Intent Hall. Lingyunzi ordered his disciples to arrange the applicants into lines, then approached the Cloudblossom Tree.
He recited an incantation and pressed two fingers together. Water-colored light gathered at their tips.
“Go!”
At his shout, the light struck the sacred tree and sank entirely into its trunk. A breeze stirred the leaves, but the tree gave no other response.
Lingyunzi continued channeling spiritual energy. Only when the heavy drain began to make him uncomfortable did the Cloudblossom Tree finally answer.
Pale-pink light shone from its trunk. Countless glowing particles gathered in the air and arranged themselves into two words:
*What matter?*
Lingyunzi steadied his breathing and beckoned to a disciple at the head of the line. Understanding, the disciple led the first applicant before the tree.
Lingyunzi bowed.
“Sacred Tree, three years have passed. We must trouble you again to foresee the paths these children should follow.”
The Cloudblossom Tree remained silent for a moment. Then new words appeared on its trunk:
*Recruitment token.*
Lingyunzi understood that it had agreed. He instructed the applicant to press his token to the trunk, step back, bow, and only then ask whether he should remain.
Turning to the crowd, Lingyunzi announced, “This is the Clearcloud Sect’s sacred tree. It can resolve uncertainty. In this second stage, it will foretell a path for each of you. Whether you gain its approval will determine whether you may stay in our sect. Going or remaining is the will of heaven. Do not become resentful, and do not question the sacred tree.”
Most of the applicants stared in disbelief.
Did he mean that even after proving they had spiritual roots, their future would be decided by a tree? How could immortals treat such an important matter like a game?
Many had assumed that spiritual roots guaranteed they would become cultivators. They could not accept that a tree would decide their lives. But acceptance did not matter. They remained ordinary mortals. How could mortals oppose immortals? However unhappy they were, none dared complain aloud.
Lingyunzi read every expression and thought that they were children indeed. Few could hide their feelings.
He deliberately checked Mu Yunran. She wore a mild smile and even had the patience to comfort someone beside her.
Lingyunzi stroked his beard, pleased by her conduct.
“First, ask whether you stay or leave. Second, ask which path to follow. Third, ask whom you should take as master.”
He patted the applicant’s shoulder.
“You may begin, child. Remember that sincerity is essential. Show the sacred tree respect and never treat it lightly.”
The boy nodded and pressed his recruitment token against the trunk with great care. He stepped back three paces and bowed properly.
“Sacred Tree, may I ask whether I should stay or leave? If I stay, what should I cultivate, and whom should I take as my master?”
Light flashed across the trunk, forming an answer:
*He Feng: stay. Sword Energy Hall. Yun Bugui. Cultivate the sword.*
Before the words faded, the token flew back into He Feng’s hand. The sacred tree’s answer now appeared upon it, marking him as the first successful applicant of the Clearcloud Sect’s current recruitment.
He Feng was too excited to speak. He struggled to hold back tears, bowed repeatedly to the tree, then joined the Sword Energy Hall disciple waiting nearby.
The disciples present represented the different halls of the Clearcloud Sect. Their main task was to help their masters care for new disciples. If a master was unavailable, they also had to escort the newcomers back to their halls.
Formal ceremonies would take place only after each hall finished making its uniforms. Since the halls arranged their own schedules, the ceremonies would not be held together.
The second applicant was not permitted to stay. The sacred tree advised him to search for a place better suited to him.
The boy burst into tears. Biting his lip, he ran to the rear of the group to calm himself alone.
Mu Yunran did not approach him and stopped Shi Wan from offering comfort.
“This isn’t a good time to disturb him. I know you mean well, but he may not see it that way. Your kindness might feel like humiliation. Besides, one tree’s rejection doesn’t decide everything. If he refuses to give up, he may win approval on his hundred-and-first attempt even after a hundred failures. The Clearcloud Sect isn’t the only cultivation sect. He will find the right place eventually.”
Shi Wan considered this and realized it made sense.
“You’re right. We shouldn’t bother him.”
The Cloudblossom Tree worked quickly. While Mu Yunran and Shi Wan chatted, nearly half the applicants finished. Less than an hour later, the boy Mu Yunran had noticed stepped forward.
He confidently slapped his recruitment token against the trunk. Unlike everyone else’s cautious movements, he used enough force to produce a loud smack. Lingyunzi frowned.
“Great Sacred Tree, which hall should I cultivate in? Who will be my master? And Sacred Tree, do you know where that immortal maiden in white is? I want to cultivate in her hall. It would be even better if we had the same master.”
He neither bowed nor stepped away before asking his questions. His complete lack of manners angered Lingyunzi.
Before Lingyunzi could scold him, the sacred tree released a burst of spiritual energy and hurled the rude boy through the air.
“Ouch!”
He landed on his backside so hard that he thought it had split in two.
Mu Yunran hurriedly covered her mouth to keep from laughing. *What an ungrateful idiot. A handsome face with no brain behind it.*
Shi Wan also found him outrageous. She whispered, “How can he act so arrogantly inside an immortal sect? That fall looked painful.”
Mu Yunran nodded. “Do you feel sorry for him?”
Shi Wan hesitated, then nodded.
“A little. He fell and embarrassed himself in front of all these people.”
Put that way, Mu Yunran also found him somewhat pitiful, even if he had brought it upon himself.
A disciple helped the boy stand and warned him not to behave so boldly.
Pink light flickered across the Cloudblossom Tree. Several lines appeared, declaring his future:
*Long Aoxiang: stay. Sword Intent… No, Sword Energy Hall. Let Yun Bugui straighten you out. Cultivate the sword. Incidentally, the person you asked about belongs to the Sword Intent Hall.*
The instant Lingyunzi saw “Sword Intent,” his heart turned cold. He did not want a disciple like this.
When the words changed to “Sword Energy,” the corners of his mustache lifted. He nearly laughed.
Long Aoxiang’s eyes widened. “What? Why the Sword Energy Hall?”
What about his immortal maiden? Was the sacred tree deliberately tormenting him?
Mu Yunran’s expression shifted when she saw the name. She muttered, “So he’s the male lead. Hah. Serves him right.”
In her opinion, the sacred tree had not thrown him nearly hard enough.
