Traveling through time to cultivate immortality: a life and death test

The Black Star Tower sits on a scenic hillside in the South District, surrounded on three sides by water and shaded by lush trees. The tower consists of seven floors, each featuring relief carvings depicting the historical stories of the monks of Seaside City defending the city and battling demonic beasts. The vivid and detailed carvings tell a moving story, making it a popular destination for tourists. Liu Xing wandered down each floor, lost in thought. Reaching the top floor, he could take in the panoramic views of the South District's buildings and the surrounding waters. There's something soothing about ascending high and overlooking the horizon. In the evening, the sunset glow painted the sky a vibrant crimson, a breathtaking sight. It was time for his scheduled meeting with Nie Xiaoqian.

Liu Xing had just descended from the Black Star Tower when he spotted a beautiful figure, gracefully standing before it. Having changed his makeup, Liu Xing decided to test Nie Xiaoqian's recognition. He casually approached, but Nie Xiaoqian seemed to have recognized him already, waving at him from afar. Liu Xing felt a little depressed, silently reminding himself not to underestimate anyone.

"Brother Liu, sorry to have kept you waiting." Nie Xiaoqian greeted with a smile.

"Miss Xiaoqian, you're so punctual. I arrived early because I wasn't familiar with the area. The scenery here is so beautiful, and time flew by so quickly." Seeing that the other party recognized him without any hindrance, Liu Xing couldn't help but admire his powerful perception. Nie Xiaoqian was also shocked by Liu Xing's appearance. If she hadn't been familiar with his aura, she wouldn't have been able to tell from his appearance at all. She didn't know what disguise technique Brother Liu used, but it was truly amazing.

"Let's go, it's almost time."

"It's all up to you, young lady. Please lead the way."

So the two of them left the Black Star Tower one after the other, their movements seemingly slow but actually fast, and walked towards the distance. They arrived at a desolate hillside in the suburbs, with mass graves everywhere and a gloomy atmosphere. It was really rare for people to come here. Nie Xiaoqian took out two black cloaks, put one on herself, and handed the other to Liu Xing. The two covered their faces tightly. The veil on the cloak had a restriction that could block the detection of spiritual consciousness. It was estimated that even a cultivator in the foundation-building stage could not see through it. It was quite magical. She then took out a jade pendant and cast a spell at a tombstone in front. A light gate appeared in front of them, and behind the gate was a stone staircase leading to an unknown place. Nie Xiaoqian stepped into the light gate first, and Liu Xing hurriedly followed. The light gate closed automatically. From the outside, the tombstone here has returned to its original state, and there was nothing unusual.

Following the stairs, going up and down, left and right, after several twists and turns, the view suddenly opened up and a brightly lit hall appeared before his eyes. The roof of the hall was covered with luminous pearls, making the hall unusually bright. Half of the people in the hall were already sitting, all of them were cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage. Almost all of them wore black bamboo hats, and their faces could not be seen clearly. There was a desk in front of the hall, which was currently empty, with no one and no objects. Everyone was waiting quietly, and no one was communicating. It seemed that everyone was very wary of each other and did not want to reveal any information about themselves. At the door of the hall, there were two cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage guarding, one in the middle stage and the other in the early stage. Their strength should not be underestimated.

"Welcome, fellow Daoists! Please pay the entrance fee, one hundred spirit stones each." The guards were doing their routine. Liu Xing had heard Nie Xiaoqian mention the situation here beforehand, so he was naturally prepared and handed the guard two hundred spirit stones. The tickets were incredibly expensive; hopefully, he'd get something out of it, Liu Xing said with anticipation.

Liu Xing and the other man found a seat at the side and quietly waited. Then, more people began to arrive, mostly in pairs, though some came alone. It seemed many new members had joined. After about an hour, the hall was almost full. Most of the people who were supposed to be there had arrived, and according to the rules, all entrances had been locked, preventing anyone from entering from outside. They could only leave after the exchange meeting was over.

Four Foundation Establishment cultivators took the stage. Leading them was a female cultivator, strikingly capable of peak Foundation Establishment strength, seemingly just one step away from achieving Core Formation. The other three cultivators were also in the late Foundation Establishment stage. They all wore matching masks and black nightgown. Aside from being female cultivators, their ages and features were unrecognizable. Their combined presence on stage represented an immensely powerful force, enough to intimidate everyone present and deter them from harboring any ill thoughts.

"The time has come. Welcome all fellow Taoists to participate in this underground exchange meeting. This exchange meeting will be hosted by me. According to the old rules, we will first put out some treasures for auction. After the auction, it will be time for all Taoists to barter freely. Our exchange meeting is completely voluntary, regardless of the source, and regardless of good or evil. Everyone can make their own judgment and rely on their own ability." The leading female cultivator quickly introduced the rules of the exchange meeting.

"These are the four most powerful golden flowers in our Huanxi Sect besides our master. The leader is the eldest sister Jinlian." Nie Xiaoqian secretly introduced them to Liu Xing through voice transmission.

"They are all very strong." Liu Xing praised in a voice transmission, but Liu Xing was not too scared. Except for the eldest sister who made him a little wary, he felt that he was fully capable of fighting with the other three.

"That's for sure. Now the four branches of Huanximen in the east, south, west and north are respectively managed by them. Each of them has developed its own power, and the lineups are very powerful." Nie Xiaoqian continued to introduce.

"Miss Xiaoqian, which team do you belong to?" Liu Xing asked curiously. He is now good friends with Nie Xiaoqian and they will cooperate for some time in the future. Naturally, he wants to grasp some information in advance in case of emergency.

"My cultivation is low. I usually serve my master and practice hard. I don't belong to any faction. Senior Sister usually takes good care of me, so we have a good relationship." Nie Xiaoqian said embarrassedly.

"Miss Xiaoqian is devoted to Taoism and has a strong will. She is not tempted by external power. She is admirable." Liu Xing praised sincerely.

"Brother Liu, you are too kind. I have no interest in power. I just want to go further on the path of cultivation." Nie Xiaoqian inadvertently revealed her ambition.

"That's right, cultivation is difficult, we must seize every moment. Power is just a passing cloud and not worth clinging to." Liu Xing agreed very much.

As the two conversed, the auction on the stage had already begun in full swing. Various magical instruments, techniques, elixirs, minerals, and other valuable items appeared one after another, triggering a flurry of bidding from the audience, with each item fetching high prices one after another. Liu Xing had no interest in these ordinary items. His most prized talismans and cultivation-enhancing elixirs still hadn't appeared, leaving him deeply disappointed. This also once again demonstrated the scarcity of cultivation-enhancing elixirs, making them virtually impossible to purchase through shopping malls or auctions.