I have the face of a great demon.

At the foot of Shuangjimen Mountain, there was an inconspicuous little village.

Because the immortals in the mountains often came down to this place to purchase supplies, the small village gradually prospered and eventually developed into a bustling town, which was renamed Shuangji Town.

On ordinary days, there are always some dreamers who come here, hoping to find their destiny in the immortals.

Therefore, there are many inns in the town.

On that day, all the inns in town were fully booked.

Liu Xingchen and Tie Zhu arrived in this small town, searched around, but couldn't find a single inn where they could stay.

Even the surrounding houses were full of guests seeking lodging; there was simply nowhere left to stay.

The two searched the entire town but couldn't find a place to stay.

In the end, they had no choice but to spend the night in the corner of a house.

The next morning, the two were awakened by the noise of the town and found it packed with people, with excited faces everywhere.

It turns out that the once-in-a-decade recruitment ceremony of the Immortal Sect has attracted people from hundreds of miles around to gather here, creating a lively and extraordinary scene.

Liu Xingchen and his companion found a shop to have breakfast, and while eating, they asked the people around them about the recruitment of new members for the immortal sect.

An old man stroked his beard and said slowly:

"The Shuangji Sect opens its gates to recruit new members once every ten years. I've lived in this town for decades and have been fortunate enough to witness it five times."

"The rules for recruiting new employees are quite simple: it's all about passing a test."

"Do you see Twin Pole Mountain ahead? At the foot of the mountain, there is a long stone staircase leading directly to the gate of Twin Pole Gate. Soon, the bell on the mountain will ring, and those who want to pass the test can climb the staircase."

"Reaching the mountain gate of Shuangji Gate before noon means you've passed the first hurdle—the Heavenly Ladder."

Upon hearing the old man's words, the people around gasped in surprise.

Some people complained bitterly: "This mountain is so high, climbing all the steps up there is almost killing me."

Just looking up at this towering mountain makes one's legs weak, let alone climbing it.

"Climbing steps is nothing. The real difficulty lies in the time limit. You have to arrive before noon. That's the most crucial thing."

Someone wailed, "It's already broad daylight, and there's not much time left until noon."

"Two hours," the old man said, holding up two fingers. "There are only two hours from the time the bell rings until noon. You must climb up within these two hours, or you will not be qualified."

Another round of groans erupted: "How is this possible? Who could do that in such a short time?"

"Hehe, anyway, I, an old man, can't do it. Nobody in town can do it. Only the people in the mountains can do it," the old man said with a smile.

"Do immortals also climb steps to get up the mountain?" Tie Zhu asked curiously, thinking that immortals should fly up on swords.

"Hehe." The old man chuckled and shook his head.

"Immortals can fly up the mountain, but the mountain is not only for immortals. New disciples who have just entered the mountain gate have to rely on their own two feet to go up and down the mountain."

“They often come down the mountain to buy food and supplies. Carrying loads of about 100 kilograms, they can climb to the top of the mountain in an hour.”

"Wow!" A chorus of envious exclamations rang out. To them, being able to climb the mountain in an hour while carrying loads on a shoulder pole was already a miracle.

Tie Zhu rubbed his fists together, eager to try.

He was confident that he could do anything a menial disciple could do; his innate superhuman strength was no joke.

After breakfast, the two followed the crowd to the foot of the mountain, where they were greeted by a spectacular sight of a sea of ​​people.

Most of the people waiting to climb the mountain to challenge the trials were martial artists, each carrying a sword and a knife, looking eager to try.

That makes sense. If one hadn't practiced martial arts for several years, who would have the courage to challenge such a towering mountain?

Liu Xingchen carried his divine sword on his back, wrapped in cloth, not afraid of being recognized.

Tiezhu was still carrying his two heavy iron maces, but this weight was negligible to him.

People stretched their muscles at the foot of the mountain, waiting for the moment when the challenge would begin.

After waiting for a while, a series of loud bell sounds came from the top of the mountain, like the morning bell and evening drum, stirring everyone's hearts.

This bell was the signal they had been waiting for.

The crowd immediately erupted in excitement, and a massive influx of people surged up the steps like a tidal wave, heading towards the summit.

Some impatient martial artists, like arrows released from a bow, strode ahead and quickly distanced themselves from the main force.

Seeing this, Tie Zhu couldn't help but try to quicken his pace to catch up, but Liu Xingchen grabbed him.

"No rush. The road up the mountain is so long, it's a long race, there's no need to rush."

"Those who are in the lead now may not have the last laugh."

"We will proceed steadily and maintain our own pace, without worrying about others."

Tie Zhu nodded in agreement, and the two of them climbed steadily and slowly, step by step.

After all, they were martial artists with internal energy, so although they weren't at the very front, they were still quite fast.

Climbing upwards is the most physically demanding part; after walking for only a short while, some people were already panting heavily.

Liu Xingchen and his companion maintained their steady pace, passing one person after another who had stopped by the roadside to catch their breath.

As time went on, the mountaineering teams gradually became more stratified.

Those ordinary people who thought they were physically strong were left behind, and some were even too weak to walk, sitting on the stone steps beating their chests and stamping their feet in frustration.

Among them were people who had practiced martial arts, and they were still able to manage to keep going.

Those at the very front are those with better martial arts skills, especially those with good lightness skills or profound internal strength; Liu Xingchen and Tie Zhu are in this category.

During the six months they spent learning martial arts at the Azure Sky Sect, both of them made significant progress.

This long and steep ladder was no longer a challenge for them.

It took the two of them a little over an hour to climb the Heavenly Ladder and arrive at the gate of the Twin Extremes Sect.

The area in front of the mountain gate is shrouded in mist, resembling a fairyland.

Liu Xingchen and Tie Zhu stood in front of the door, looking back at the bottomless stone steps below, a sense of accomplishment welling up in their hearts.

At the mountain gate, two disciples of the Dual Extremes Sect had been waiting for a long time. As soon as they saw Liu Xingchen and Tie Zhu, they stepped forward and said:

"Congratulations to you both! To stand out among so many challengers and successfully reach the top is truly remarkable! Young heroes indeed!"

"Go inside and turn left. There is tea available for you two to rest for a while."

After bowing and thanking the gatekeeper, the two entered the mountain gate.

Although the gatekeeper found Liu Xingchen somewhat familiar, he did not connect him to the great demon.

The great demon has been missing for nearly a thousand years, and the cultivation world has gradually relaxed its guard against him.

Since the Twin Extremes Sect is not one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects, its rules in this regard are even less strictly enforced.

These young disciples merely glanced at the great demon's portrait as a formality, and their impression of him was not deep.

If the great demon appeared before them in a majestic and imposing manner, they might still think of him as the great demon.

It's absolutely impossible to associate Liu Xingchen, a newcomer who enters the sect as a challenger, with the great demon.