Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Xiao Liu nodded, looked at the transparent stone in front of him, and very carefully placed his hand on it.

They looked as if they were afraid of breaking something and not being able to afford to pay for it.

As the immortal in front of me lightly tapped his fingertip, it felt as if a stream of energy entered my body.

Before he could react, the transparent stone in front of him was suddenly filled with a white vortex and trembled incessantly on the table.

Xiao Liu was startled and quickly withdrew his hand, fearing that he had caused the strange change.

To everyone's surprise, the immortal before him widened his eyes and said with a hint of astonishment:

"Good child, don't be afraid, let's test it again. Even if it breaks, it's okay, you don't have to pay for it!"

This... could it be a mutated wind spirit root?

Upon hearing this, Xiao Liuzi hesitated for a moment, then reached out his hand again and gently placed it on the transparent stone in front of him.

Elder Chi used spiritual energy as a catalyst to unleash the ability to test the spiritual stones.

The next moment, as expected, a white vortex filled the entire spirit-testing stone!

The stone trembled incessantly, as if it could not withstand this change. Under Elder Chi's spiritual power guidance, the surrounding sand, stones, and leaves rose up without wind, swirling and impacting the barrier.

Among the people queuing behind, some with broader horizons whispered among themselves:

"This is a wind spirit root!"

"I didn't expect that the Star-Picking Tower would recruit another mutated single spiritual root."

"Alas! The Star-Picking Pavilion never recruits many disciples each time, and now that they have someone with such extraordinary talent, our chances are probably even slimmer..."

"Don't say that. The Star-Picking Pavilion has never decided whether someone can enter based on their spiritual root. Maybe that child won't even be able to get into the Star-Picking Pavilion's gate?"

……

Zhu Wuyao was also somewhat surprised.

I never expected that a genius would be right next to me.

Hearing the discussions in front of her, she realized how rare the mutated wind spirit root was. This time, Xiao Liu's future was guaranteed. Even if he couldn't enter the Star-Picking Tower or go to any sect, he would be eager to be taken as a disciple.

Elder Chi thought so too. His expression softened considerably as he looked at the little beggar before him and gently offered his guidance:

"Go and try your luck at the sect of our Star-Picking Pavilion. Even if you don't succeed, don't be discouraged. You can find a place in any sect in the cultivation world."

"Good child, if you achieve success in your spiritual practice, you must always uphold your original intention."

"Although the struggle for the Great Way is about seizing fate from Heaven and competing with people for profit, no matter how much we struggle, we must remember to raise our hands to protect the suffering people when we have the strength to do so."

"I don't ask you to sacrifice yourself for others or relieve suffering; just leaning towards good is already quite remarkable."

Although Elder Chi had seen geniuses with mutated single spiritual roots, the little boy in front of him was so young. Wouldn't it be a pity if he didn't meet a good mentor?

Therefore, he talked on and on.

But Xiao Liu was unusually firm, and he said:

"I will only enter the Star-Picking Tower."

Elder Chi was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Good, good!"

If you don't believe you can get in, you have no chance at all. But if you are determined, the gates of the Star-Picking Tower will be much easier to enter.

He didn't say anything discouraging. He opened the barrier and said, "Go, child."

After watching Xiao Liuzi enter the mountain gate, he remembered what had just happened and took out the communication talisman again to ask:

"What about that chubby kid? Why wasn't he kicked out?"

A voice came shortly after from the communication talisman—

"Elder, we were distracted for a moment when we heard there was a wind spirit root, and who knew that fat guy would seize the opportunity and run in!"

Ok?

Elder Chi was somewhat puzzled. Could it really be a matter of fate?

This Xu San'er is not only cunning, but also very treacherous!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Among the mountains surrounding Zhaixinglou, there stands the tallest building; only it is the true Zhaixinglou.

At the window on the top floor, two elderly men gazed down at the mountain gate.

"Little Bai, does A-Feng still refuse to forgive me? She didn't even come back today when the Star-Picking Pavilion was recruiting new disciples?"

The old man, referred to as "Little White," took a deep breath and said:

"Senior Sister Fang, could you please stop calling me Little White?!"

"Junior Brother Bai, you're saying that A-Feng has stayed in Beixuan City for so many years, yet she refuses to see me even once?"

Sect Leader Fang readily changed his tune.

She seemed to be just making that remark without expecting any response from Elder Xiaobai.

These words were carried away by the wind.

The two silently gazed at the mist before the mountain gate, and saw the little beggar stumbling forward, as if he had fallen into a fog, his face streaked with tears.

This first mountain gate is both the easiest and the most difficult.

Anyone who has touched upon cause and effect or been involved in destiny will have the opportunity to enter the Tao through divination.

Once you enter the misty mountain gate, the past will come flooding back to you; if you retreat or avoid it, you will not be able to pass through this gate.

It's not that the Star-Picking Tower doesn't accept them, but rather that they chose to avoid it themselves. Even if they forcibly entered the Star-Picking Tower, they would never again have the opportunity to sense destiny or enter the Dao through divination.

Sect Leader Fang looked at the child, who appeared to be about ten years old, and said:

"Ignorance is bliss. He entered the illusion, but he probably couldn't understand what the scene before him represented, which is why he was able to get out."

The clearer one understands a matter, the greater the causal relationship involved, and the deeper one's sense of destiny, the more confused one may become.

The illusions are also clearer and more targeted.

There are two types of people who can pass through this door.

The first type involves being unaware of one's own destiny and karma.

The second type is to know that fortune and misfortune have no fixed gate, yet one's mind remains undisturbed.

Elder Xiaobai sighed and asked:

"Is entering this door a blessing or a curse?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Zhu Wuyao was at the back of the queue, and she was somewhat surprised to find that the fat man who bought and sold the spot had not been caught.

They do have some skills.

Xiao Liuzi also successfully entered the door.

However, why do those who failed to enter and wandered back to the mountain gate look so dejected?

Several others were weeping bitterly.

Zhu Wuyao was somewhat confused. Could it be that failing to enter the Star-Picking Tower was a huge blow to them?

Who knows what lies hidden in the mist behind this mountain gate? Is it a martial arts test with countless open and hidden attacks on those who come? Or is there a table for you to sit down and start taking an advanced mathematics test?

She touched her bladeless sword and felt a little more confident.

Unfortunately, those who failed to enter avoided the topic and were taken directly back to the straw boat by the disciples of the Star-Picking Tower.

Just as I was pondering this, I saw that the person who had killed eleven notorious bandits and was allergic to pollen had also finished testing his spiritual roots.

Not only that, but after the next three or four people finished queuing, he still didn't come out.

They should be inside by now.

Although this person likes to make sarcastic remarks, to be fair, he is quite capable and is probably a person of integrity.

Hua Ying, whose hair was adorned with hibiscus, stopped. She was only a few people ahead of Zhu Wuyao in line. Before going to have her spiritual root tested, she waved goodbye to Zhu Wuyao.

Even after her spiritual root was tested, she still hadn't been sent out.

Very good, it's a good omen.

At least it means we'll meet again inside the mountain gate, not outside.

Upon arriving at the Star-Picking Tower, Zhu Wuyao couldn't help but become superstitious.

As the line gradually shortened, it was finally her turn to step forward and have her spiritual root tested.