The old Taoist skillfully manipulated the mouse on the computer a few times and said, "Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Zhang, no one has requested to read your level 10 auxiliary pills this year."
Old Zhang breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Thank you very much, Brother Yisu." After saying that, he walked to the deserted area on the west side of the pavilion and sat down cross-legged.
Subsequently, according to their cultivation levels, people reported one after another to the pavilions they wished to enter.
For each person reported, the old Taoist priest would check the computer and decide whether to approve or reject the report.
Those who received a reply were overjoyed, while those who were rejected, though full of regret, had no choice but to try again in another building.
"Second Senior Brother, what's going on?" Xiao Wenbing found it amusing and secretly tugged at Zhang Jie beside him, asking.
Zhang Jie was taken aback and said, "Didn't Third Junior Brother tell you?"
Xiao Wenbing shook his head blankly.
"The arts of Taoism are endless. The Heavenly One Sect roughly divides these arts into 108 pavilions, each containing one art. Furthermore, they are divided into ten levels based on individual cultivation. Each time, only ten fellow practitioners are allowed access to the same pavilion of the same level. The more popular pavilions are in high demand, which makes the number of available places a bit tight." Before Zhang Jie could speak, Uncle Shang Ling explained.
Xiao Wenbing suddenly realized and asked, "Senior Brother Shang, why didn't you sign up?"
Uncle Shang coughed and said, "Junior Brother Xiao, the order of registration is based on each person's cultivation level. They haven't reached the Golden Core stage yet."
Xiao Wenbing nodded silently. He nudged Zhang Jie and said, "Second Senior Brother, it seems we'll be far behind in line."
Zhang Jie blushed and said, "Nonsense, I've been in the Golden Core stage for less than ten years, so of course I'm the last one."
After a moment, Shang Lingshu suddenly stepped forward and said loudly, "Disciple Shang Lingshu of Tianfeng Sect wishes to enter the Level 3 Attack-type Magic Weapon Pavilion to learn the arts. Please grant me permission, Sect Master."
As usual, the old Taoist priest checked the records and said, "Accurate."
Shang Lingshu was overjoyed, bowed deeply to him, and respectfully withdrew.
At this point, it was a large number of cultivators at the Golden Core stage who were making requests. Each person who stepped forward would state their sect and name before registering to learn from the master.
The old Taoist priest seemed much more casual towards them, and his golden mouth could only utter one word: "Acceptable" and another: "Not allowed."
However, everyone was used to his almost rude attitude. After all, the difference in their social standing was obvious, and it was understandable that he wouldn't pay attention to them.
Since most of those who signed up at this time were at the Golden Core level, their selection range was much smaller, limited to levels one to three in each pavilion. Soon, many of those who signed up later were rejected.
Every cultivator who successfully registered went to the west side of the pavilion. They were very efficient; in just a few hours, the west side of the pavilion was packed with people, and there were very few cultivators still standing elsewhere who had not registered.
Volume Two: The Fairy in White, Chapter Fifty-Eight: Honorary Elder
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"Disciple He Chuanbing of the Taihang Sect requests permission to enter the Level 3 Defensive Array Pavilion. Please grant me permission, Sect Master," a man stepped forward and said respectfully.
"No."
He Chuanbing showed a slight look of disappointment and said, "This disciple requests permission to enter the Level 3 Defensive Magic Artifact Pavilion. Please grant me permission, Sect Master."
"No."
"This disciple requests permission to enter the Level 3 Defensive Talisman Pavilion. Please grant me permission, Sect Master."
"No."
"…………"
"No."
He Chuanbing's face gradually turned awkward. He reported seven level-three pavilions in a row, but the answer he received was incorrect for all of them.
"You go down first, the others come first." The old Taoist priest was getting impatient and said with a flick of his large sleeves.
He Chuanbing's expression darkened, but he dared not refute, so he could only bow and retreat.
"Disciple Zhang Jie of the Secret Talisman Sect requests entry into the Level One Attack Array Pavilion. Please grant me permission, Sect Master."
"allow."
As Zhang Jie successfully entered the reading room, only two people remained who had not yet registered.
One is Xiao Wenbing, and the other is He Chuanbing, who was repeatedly rejected.
The old Taoist priest clicked a few times on the computer and a series of attic names popped up.
"These are the remaining attics below level three. Pick one."
He Chuanbing hesitated for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Elder Yisu, it seems that the number of people in those pavilions I reported did not reach the limit. Why can't we enter?"
The old Taoist was taken aback. In all these years, this was the first time someone had questioned him, and it was only a cultivator at the Golden Core stage.
A flash of anger crossed his face, and he abruptly stood up.
Suddenly, the Sect Master of Tianyi Sect coughed softly beside him. The old Daoist immediately sat down, falling silent. He casually clicked on a selection on the computer, his expression suddenly changing as he exclaimed, "Huh? Something's up?"
Thousands of eyes were fixed on him, and everyone's expressions were quite strange.
Ghosts? What are those? In the mortal world, some might fear them like the plague. But who are these people here? Cultivators. If a ghost encounters them, it's like throwing a meat bun to a dog—a one-way trip.
"Junior brother, what's wrong?" an old Taoist priest beside him asked.
"Senior Brother Yiming, according to the regulations, each level of the pavilion can accommodate ten people at the same time. However, the computer is currently showing a maximum of eight people. Tell me, isn't that strange?"
"Yes, I've said it before, these things are unreliable. The writing implements passed down from our ancestors are much more reliable." Old Daoist Yiming stroked his beard, his face full of righteous indignation.
"My two junior brothers, this maximum number of participants was changed on my orders," the Tianyi Sect Master suddenly said.
"Senior brother, why are two people being cut?"
"This is all because you, brother, have specially allowed the two of you to freely visit all the pavilions without any restrictions, which is why the maximum number of people allowed in each pavilion has been reduced by two."
The two old Taoist priests looked at each other, clearly this was the first time they had heard of this matter.
A slight ripple occurred in the arena. Although no one dared to question the sect leader of the Heavenly Dao Sect, everyone inevitably felt some dissatisfaction.
"Sect Master, I have a question for you, but I don't know..." The first Taoist priest to sign up, Zhang, opened his tightly closed eyes and asked.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang, you want to ask which two individuals have received this honor, right?" Sect Master Tianyi asked with a smile.
"Indeed, the Heavenly Dao Sect is the orthodox lineage of our Daoist school. Although I firmly believe that the Sect Master's decision must have a profound meaning, public opinion is a fearsome thing. I would only like to ask the Sect Master to elaborate a little."
The Sect Master of Tianyi Sect swept his gaze across the faces of everyone present, immediately realizing that although no one responded, almost everyone shared the same thought. He nodded slowly and said, "Since our sect was founded three thousand years ago, accepting disciples from various sects to cultivate in seclusion, the first rule we have established is fairness and strictness, with no favoritism. Each pavilion and level of the reading room allows ten disciples from each sect to study there each year, a rule that has remained unchanged for thousands of years. However, in one particular situation, the number can be reduced as an exception."
He paused briefly and said, "Junior Brother Yisu, tell me, which situation is it?"
Yi Su bowed respectfully and said, "The second rule of the sect is that if a rare talent is encountered, one may be granted the honorary position of Tianyi Elder, occupying one spot in each pavilion and at each level, by exception."
“However, senior brother, we haven’t made an exception in the past three thousand years!” Old Daoist Yiming suddenly exclaimed.
One night, he frowned, secretly grumbling that the sect leader shouldn't have brought his senior brother, who was a bit dim-witted, along.
Although Master Yiming possessed high cultivation, he had never stepped outside the mountain gate in his entire life. Aside from cultivation, he had a pure and innocent heart, and he didn't know how to speak tactfully. By saying this, wasn't he giving others ammunition? If the two chosen by the sect leader didn't deserve the title of "once-in-a-millennium talents and gems," wouldn't they lose face?
Sure enough, Zhang Daoren followed up by asking, "Sect Master, who are the two newly appointed honorary elders of the Heavenly Dao Sect?"
The Sect Master of Tianyi Sect flicked his sleeves and said, "These two are right in front of you, fellow Daoist." He pointed to the white-clad woman behind him and Xiao Wenbing, who stood alone in the center of the arena, and said, "These are Fellow Daoist Feng Baiyi and Fellow Daoist Xiao Wenbing."
Upon hearing this, a gasp of astonishment, which could no longer be suppressed, erupted in the room.
The Tianyi Sect holds a very high position on Earth, on this not-so-ancient planet, and is recognized as the leading sect within Taoism.
The elders of the Heavenly Dao Sect hold the highest status, while the honorary elder is a supreme honor bestowed upon fellow Daoists sent to other sects. In the past three thousand years, there has only been one such example, namely the founder of the Secret Talisman Sect, Master Baihe, who once dominated the entire cultivation world.
Apart from this peerless genius, no one else has ever enjoyed this honor.
Today, the Sect Master of Tianyi not only bestowed such honor upon two people in a single day, but what is even more unexpected is that the cultivation levels of these two individuals are truly unbelievable.
It wasn't that the height was unbelievably high, but rather—it was so low that it made one doubt their own divine perception.
One is in the early stage of Golden Core, and the other is in the middle stage of Core Formation.
Here, among the more than a thousand people on this platform, it would be extremely difficult to find someone with a lower cultivation level than them.
"Senior brother...you, you..." Old Daoist Yiming was speechless. Fortunately, although he was clueless about human relationships, he was not an idiot and did not say anything unpleasant.
Zhang Daoren stared at the two of them in disbelief for a long time before saying, "So you two are fellow Daoists with spiritual roots. However, isn't what the sect leader did a bit... a bit too... well, perhaps you should have considered things more carefully?"
Volume Two: The Fairy in White, Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Bet
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His status in the Earth's cultivation world was considered among the top. However, he didn't have the courage to directly criticize Sect Master Tianyi, so he could only express his dissatisfaction in a roundabout way.
The Sect Master of Tianyi smiled slightly and said, "Fellow Daoists, this Feng Baiyi is the disciple of the Fairy Bixia of Tianshan. She began cultivating at the age of three and is only twenty-six years old this year. She has already stepped into the Golden Core Path."
These words were like a bombshell dropped into the water, splashing up a shower of rain.
The room was filled with lively discussion, like a bustling marketplace, with everyone vying to speak, completely devoid of the refined and peaceful demeanor of a Taoist practitioner.
Xiao Wenbing was startled and looked at Feng Baiyi. It turned out that she was only twenty-six years old, which meant she was two years younger than him.
My impression of her changed drastically.
In his mind, someone who could reach the Golden Core stage was at least a hundred years old.
Although Feng Baiyi was stunningly beautiful and possessed an elegant demeanor, she should still be an old hag over a hundred years old. At such an advanced age, to still look more beautiful than flowers and act so flirtatiously is simply repulsive.
Unexpectedly, she turned out to be a truly stunning and beautiful woman in the prime of her life.
Xiao Wenbing looked up at her and saw her stunningly beautiful face. A strange feeling suddenly rose in his heart, subtle yet very real.
"Twenty-six years old?" Zhang Daoren stood up involuntarily. He looked at Feng Baiyi with a face full of desolation: "So there really is such a peerless talent that is seen only once in tens of millions of years in this world."
"Fellow Daoists, do you have any objections to my decision?" Sect Master Tianyi asked, looking at everyone's expressions with satisfaction.
No one answered. No one dared to utter a single dissenting word about this beautiful woman who had comprehended the Golden Elixir Dao at the age of twenty-six.