Mysterious mirror hanging high

Looking at Zhao Yuankong who was crying non-stop, Jing Yu laughed for a moment, and after a moment he whispered:

"It's not impossible...but it depends on your performance!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuankong quickly wiped away his tears and said with a smile: "Please give your orders, sir. I will brave the sword and the sea of ​​fire!"

"Come here."

Jing Yuyan said, "In a month, there will be a half-grown child at the Yuankong Temple's [Ascension Conference], and you're going to do this and that..."

----

When Guan Lingxiao arrived at Lingtai Mountain after going through numerous hardships, he found that the place was already crowded with people.

The blurry figures in his vision made Guan Lingxiao so angry that he almost fainted.

"That damned old smoker! How much did he sell that map for? It's truly a business that's making a ton of money with no investment..."

Guan Lingxiao leaned on the wooden sword and felt a chill in his heart. He was blind and lame, and had no internal strength. He only knew some ordinary swordsmanship and had made a little reputation in the martial arts world. Now this place was bustling with people, and there was probably no shortage of martial arts masters. How could he win a place in the Ascension Conference?

He thought to himself, "When the Sword Pavilion was destroyed, I was still young. My family didn't teach me any immortal cultivation classics. They only taught me a few sets of mundane sword techniques for entertainment. If I had memorized some Qi-inducing techniques and breathing techniques back then... why would I bother seeking immortality now?"

However, Guan Lingxiao knew in his heart that he was too young when Jiange was in trouble, and he did not have a photographic memory. Even if he read some immortal cultivation books, it would be difficult for him to remember them all, and he still could not cultivate immortality.

"Look, isn't that the Thousand-Faced Demon Lord? He's Daliang's most renowned martial arts master!"

"Isn't there Master Zhiguang over there? He's the abbot of Liangdu's number one Buddhist temple. He's eighty-two this year, right? And yet he's seeking immortality at this age?"

"Even Lingbo Fairy has arrived... It's over. With all the martial arts masters of Daliang gathered, what chance do ordinary warriors like us have?"

Guan Lingxiao frowned. Compared with these real martial arts masters, his reputation as the "Blind Sword Boy" was not worth mentioning. If there was a competition at that time, how could he win?

At three quarters past the hour of Yin, the morning mist on the top of Lingtai Mountain suddenly condensed into ice crystals.

Nine bell sounds shattered the thin clouds, and the red lacquer gate of Yuankong Temple appeared in the rosy glow...

A middle-aged Taoist priest riding on clouds and holding a whisk flew out from the mountain gate and hung in the air, causing the martial artists at the foot of the mountain to exclaim in surprise.

"It's really an immortal trick!"

The middle-aged Taoist priest may have insufficient magical powers, and the clouds and mist under his feet seemed to be dispersing. After a while, the clouds and mist dissipated, and the Taoist priest landed lightly on the steps, looking down at everyone.

"I am Zhao Ran, the eldest disciple of Yuankong Temple, responsible for presiding over this [Ascension Conference]..."

Although Guan Lingxiao's vision was blurry, his ears were quite sensitive. When the middle-aged Taoist priest approached, he also heard the clues:

"Even the clouds and mist beneath his feet can't last. It seems he's a Qi cultivator... Alas, the immortal cultivation inheritance here is probably just ordinary."

It's no wonder that Guan Lingxiao was disappointed. His mother, Yang Wan, was a foundation-building disciple from the orthodox Yuanying Taoist school, and his father, Guan Zhen, was a true disciple of the Golden Core Sect from the [Jiang Pavilion], one of the three pavilions in Zhongzhou. On a daily basis, not only had he met the Golden Core Master in the pavilion, he had even met the Yuanying Master a few times. How could he look down on the Taoist school of Qi training?

But now he had no time to be picky and could only listen to the Taoist's words patiently.

"This [Ascension Conference] is divided into three tests. The first test is [Climbing the Stairs]."

Zhao Ran said calmly, "The foot of the mountain where you are is 3,333 steps away from Yuankong Temple... The first 30 people to reach the mountain gate will enter the next level..."

"Let me make it clear in advance that our [Yuankong Temple] is a reputable and upright sect. If anyone is found engaging in private fighting during the climbing process, their qualification will be immediately disqualified and they will never be hired again!"

Guan Lingxiao's heart sank. "Oh no... My legs and feet are not good, and there are many other martial artists who are good at Qinggong. How can I compare to them?"

Upon hearing this, all the warriors rushed up the stone steps. Several martial arts masters even took the lead, lightly tapping their toes and leaping over several steps. It only took them a few quarters of an hour to reach the mountain gate.

Guan Lingxiao gritted his teeth and stepped onto the stone steps. After a few steps, he discovered the clues of the stone steps...

"No, there is a gravity restriction on these stone steps..."

Guan Lingxiao was puzzled. "Gravity restrictions are rare. How could a mere Qigong sect possess them? Could it be that Yuankong Temple is actually hiding something? If so, how could they establish a sect in such a spiritually barren place..."

Guan Lingxiao climbed up with his head down, and soon found that the martial arts masters who were in the first echelon had slowed down and were actually overtaken by many ordinary warriors who seemed to have shallow internal strength.

"This gravity restriction is a high-end product that varies depending on the individual! I'm afraid the gravity those martial arts masters can withstand is ten or even a hundred times stronger than mine... It seems the master of this sect wants to select those with strong wills... Then there's hope for me!"

Guan Lingxiao gritted his teeth and persisted. He was burdened with a great hatred for the extermination of his family, so he naturally could not miss the opportunity to embark on the path of immortality. He was young and had experienced the vicissitudes of life. His determination was incomparable to his peers. Despite the gravity on his shoulders, he slowly made his way to the first echelon.

At this moment, beside him, an old man in a blood-stained robe was panting. Looking at Guan Lingxiao who was climbing silently, he couldn't help but shout:

"Little brother, I can't walk any longer... Can you lend me a hand? The immortal just said we can't fight each other, but he never said we can't climb together!"

Guan Lingxiao glanced indifferently at the blood-robed old man and said in a muffled voice, "Old man, cultivating immortality is all about fighting for a glimmer of hope. How can we afford to help others achieve enlightenment? I, a young master, can barely protect myself now, so you'd better fend for yourself."

The blood-stained old man panted and said, "This level might be a test of the character of the initiate. You helped me to ascend the ladder, which just happened to earn the favor of the immortal... Good deeds will be rewarded. If you help me this time, you may be blessed in the future."

Guan Lingxiao sneered, "If good deeds are rewarded, why would I be here participating in this ridiculous Immortal Ascension Conference?"

After saying that, he ignored the old man and continued to climb the stone steps.

The old man in the blood-red robe looked at Guan Lingxiao who was getting farther and farther away, and a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.

Another half hour passed, and Guan Lingxiao had already climbed to more than 2,000 steps. There were only a few people around him who could hold on to this point. It was obvious that this test was not so easy to pass.

Guan Lingxiao felt as if his chest was burning at this moment, and his whole body was already soaked with sweat, but he just stared at the top of the stone steps, taking firm steps and climbing up limpingly.

In a trance, he seemed to have returned to the day when Jiange was destroyed, as if the same gravity was upon him at that time.

A martial arts master beside him named [Thousand-Faced Demon Lord] saw that this little cripple was at the same level as himself, and his face was rather embarrassed. However, due to the ban on private fighting, he could not attack him, so he could only sneer and say:

"A mere cripple is seeking a chance to become an immortal..."

Guan Lingxiao had a blank expression on his face, but he was roaring inwardly, "So what if I'm disabled?"

"Heaven and earth owe me justice..."

"I will use my lame legs to measure the land, my blind eyes to look at the sky, and demand justice inch by inch!"