First Test

"... lift a hand those of you who already have a Dao Companion or concubines!..." those words left almost all the young male daoist at a loss.

What did that mean? Could it be some sort of test, or was it just a random question? As energetic young men, almost every single one of them had an "official" partner already, as well as multiple side-chicks. Such practices were essentially cultural in the daoist fraternity. Since a young age, the male daoists would be like furious wolves, fighting to pray on the beautiful fairies of the realm.

After a moment of hesitation, one after another, hundreds of people among the crowd began to lift their hands. There were around a thousand male daoists gathered at that courtyard, and around nine-tenths now gazed in embarrassment at the mid-aged woman.

Yi Jiang was in the strict group of teenagers who remained with their hands down. While searching through the old memories of his body, he discovered that its previous owner was quite feminine when alive. He never interacted with the opposite s*x and even cultivated a chant that turned him into a pretty man. There were some memories, though, that Yi Jiang preferred to keep in the dark from the world.

Looking around the mob of men, the Elder Bao snorted.

"Alright! All of you who have lifted your hands, turn around, and go back the way you came! You have all failed the Celestial Royal Clan's first test!"

Her cold words caused a commotion amidst the crowd. Everyone was questioning each other about the strange, illogical criteria the Celestial Royal Clan used for the first test. Why did they not say so before!? Some people there parted from their sects almost a year ago to arrive there on time! Yet, their noisy discussion was suddenly interrupted by the woman's powerful voice once more.

"Are you questioning a test set up by the Celestial Empress herself!? Alright! If you have any complaints, please follow me to the Imperial Hall and discuss them directly with Her Highness!" Elder Bao said in a dry, cold tone while gazing around with sharp eyes.

Hearing that, the whole crowd became silent at once. Each one of the young masters who were previously shouting their frustration shut up in a mere trice. No one there was a crazy maniac who did not care for their lives! Like, who would dare to complain about something set up by Her Highness, the Celestial Empress herself!?

Legends said that around five hundred years ago, a Holy Disciple of the Celestial Empress destroyed a branch of a powerful Celestial Sect for fun. Therefore, the patriarch of that sect paid a visit to the Celestial Palace, seeking an explanation. Yet, the Celestial Empress said her disciple was in the right and asked if he agreed. The ignorant old daoist disagreed, insisting his sect must have justice. The Empress agreed with his point. Yet, was there really justice for a Sect that no longer existed? The next day, the Hundred Saint Pavilion became part of ancient history.

From then on, no matter what people from the Celestial Royal Clan did, the Celestial Realm daoists would smile and applaud.

What? An imperial Holy Saintess kidnaped our guardian Golden Flood Dragon? Ah, it's alright! He was just sleeping here anyway! *desolate gaze at the horizon*

Hum, the Imperial Hellish Puppy burnt down our Sacred Herb Garden last night? Hope we helped him in his... pursuit of the Pill Dao! *teary eyes*

You mean, the Fifth Imperial Branch took up all the quotas for the Myriad Heavenly Pagoda? Last year we had two, right? It's okay! They need it more than us! *nervous smile*.

Events like that became customary among the realm's history, and an old saying reigned supreme: "The Imperial words are Heaven's words."

"Hum! Looks like there are no complaints! Good, good! Now get out of my sight immediately!" Elder Bao spoke once more after everyone became silent.

A few breaths later, numerous tiny dots filled the horizon above the clouds once more. Yet this time, they were fleeing away from the Celestial Palace, rather than approaching it. Those were all the young masters who failed the first "trial" from the Celestial Royal Clan's selection. Now, there were only a small number of people standing in front of the Visitor Hall. Even the daoists accompanying the approved men did not dare to stay. The elder conducting the light-green carriage just gave Yi Jiang a "good-luck" nod and parted in the horizon with his tail between his legs. Seeing his actions, the other elders followed along.

"Hum, 98, 99, 100... 101! Hey you, have a step forward!" Elder Bao shouted, pointing her delicate finger at the remaining crowd of people. And the one she was pointing toward was exactly Yi Jiang!

Although Yi Jiang was a powerful daoist in his previous life, he was still a bit apprehensive as he walked in the woman's direction. Back then, this Celestial Empress was probably still a small figure, so he did not remember her. Clueless about the situation, and yet to recover his previous cultivation realm, he needed to be cautious! As the ancient proverbs said: "Live today to cultivate another day!"

Or something like that. If it was not, it sounded must better this way! The greatest revenge in life was to cultivate against the Heavens!

"Hum, you look good! Alright, I'll give you two options! Today, I only need 100 candidates, yet, there are 101 people remaining! So, you can either choose to turn back yourself or choose someone of the group behind you to return home!"

Yi Jiang was perplexed with that woman's malice! She could clearly point out anyone of them, yet she chose to make this mind game! By making him choose the one who would go back home, the other members of the group would see him with unpleasant eyes. Also, he would offend the sect behind the person he chose!

Any other daoist in his position would be extremely hesitant, yet Yi Jiang was different! He did not care about these casual offenses and partnership between fellow daoists! His path to the Great Dao was a lonely one, and only his beloved master had a spot in it! Do you want revenge? Just let me hide in secluded cultivation for a few centuries, and then we will see! By then, who nows? Maybe you even "give" me your cultivation resources together with your head!

Contrary to the mid-aged woman's expectations, Yi Jiang just turned around expressionless and pointed to a random guy in the crowd. The moment he did so, that young daoist began to shout at him.

"Hum! A mere peak Daoist, and you dare to offend me, a mighty early Enlighten Daoist!? If you repented right now and leave, I'll forgive you! Hehehe!" as he said so, a powerful aura released from his body, targeting Yi Jiang.

Before Yi Jiang had to defend himself from the incoming attack, though, something unexpected happened! A white flash flew from behind him, instantly arriving before the arrogant young daoist. He did not have time to blink as his head flew a hundred meters away, and his headless body fell to the ground in a puddle of blood.

"Hum! You dare go against my will right in front of me!? Stupid like that, you don't need your head anymore!" afterward, Elder Bao just stared at Yi Jiang for a second.

*Elder Bao's internal thoughts*

Hum, not bad, not bad! Daring, ruthless, decisive! This young man appears to have some fiber! I shall take note of him and pass it on to Her Highness later!

*

"Young man, what's your name?" she asked in a friendly tone.

"Yi Jiang!" he responded after a split moment. Yi Jiang was still surprised about the passed event! That Elder Bao did not hesitate at killing! As such, it was better to take note of her in the future, at least until he recovered his previous cultivation.

"Good! Also, don't worry about that trash's sect! If they dare say something, they will be the next in line for reincarnating!"

"Now, let's get going! Although you guys passed the first test, there is much more ahead of you! But first, are there any questions?"

A young man from behind the crowd was about to lift his hand, yet was violently interrupted.

"No? Great! Now let's get going, folks! Come on, everyone entering through the Visitor Hall! Also, let me remind you all: don't roam away from the group, or terrible things could happen to you." she said with a gentle smile.

Then, Elder Bao just turned around and calmly walked inside the hall. Behind her, the apprehensive young men formed a straight line, with Yi Jiang in the lead. By now, everyone stared at him with unfriendly eyes, yet Yi Jiang seemed detached from the world as he walked inside the marble hall and met the incoming view.

Right in the middle of the hall was a fist-sized crystalline sphere with some loose white mist floating around inside it. Many thick golden pillars surrounded it, fixing it in space with multiple hands carved from their ends. From time to time, from between the golden fingers, the white fog inside it would take beautiful forms, shifting from a divine lotus to an angelical fairy, then a noble White True Dragon, and so on.

The moment Yi Jiang entered the hall, that magnificent item caught his attention straight away! Somehow, that mysterious orb was quite familiar to him! It was like he had already seen it before in his life! Yet, no matter how he forced himself to remember, the memory related to it was just too distant. For powerful daoists who could live for thousands of years, their older memories began to fade with time, becoming vague and missing details.

"Beautiful, isn't it? This orb you guys see right now is known as the Truth Shifting Eye! It is a mysterious magical treasure capable of gazing deep into the cultivation, the soul, and the heart of anyone who touches it! No matter who! Even Her Highness herself can't hide the truth for it! Although this is not your second test, it is a tradition that anyone who enters the domains of the Celestial Palace shall touch it!"

"Now please, don't be shy! Step ahead and place your hand above it!"

As everyone jumped ahead excited to show off their powerful cultivations and profound chants, Yi Jiang was in a daze. That was it! After hearing Elder Bao's explanation about that strange item that appeared so familiar to him, he finally managed to squeeze the long-repressed memory from his soul. That tiny crystal ball remembered him of his missing beloved master!

All those years ago, when he was just a peasant kid in the slums of a random daoist city, one day, he met a good looking man in the streets. The man looked at him with compassionate eyes. With a swing of his hands, a tiny crystal orb appeared in his hands, just like that one!

Back then, the orb indicated an empty sky with an unmovable mountain standing alone in the void, never shaking. When the man saw that, he asked me if I was willing to become his disciple. Then he welcomed me, gave me what to eat, what to vest. He was the first person ever to treat me with kindness in my life. He was my master!

And from what Yi Jiang knew, his master was the only person he recorded of having a Truth Shifting Eye in the whole Celestial Realm! As so, what was the relation of this Celestial Empress with his missing master!? Could she be the one behind his mysterious disappearance? Did she kidnap him? He had to get to the bottom of this!

As such, for the first time in Yi Jiang's life, he began mobilizing his will for something besides his pursuit of the Great Dao! It was time to discover what happened to his master!

Coming back to reality, Yi Jiang noticed he was the only one who had not touched the crystal orb yet. Taking a step forward, he placed his hand upon the Truth Shifting Eye for the second time in his existence.