: Entering the Outer Sect

Hearing the knock, Gu Fan went to open the door.

The newcomer was a young man with a square face and somewhat sallow skin, but his eyes were gentle and warm. He was wearing the long robes that all the disciples of Zixia Temple wore. When he saw Gu Fan, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, as if he was afraid that he had arrived too late.

"Congratulations on your Qi cultivation, Senior Brother Gu." The young man bowed in greeting.

Gu Fan smiled and said, "Senior Brother Qi, why are you being so polite with me?"

The visitor was named Qi Yan, one of the few acquaintances Gu Fan knew in Zixia Temple.

Since he went up the mountain to cultivate, Gu Fan has devoted himself to studying Taoist scriptures and rarely interacted with others. His acquaintance with Qi Yan can be described as a matter of fate.

At that time, Gu Fan had just arrived at the mountain. After climbing the mountain and gathering qi every day, he was drenched in sweat and his legs were sore and weak. He almost lost his footing when he came down the mountain, but fortunately Qi Yan reached out and pulled him up, so he didn't fall down the mountain.

Seeing that Gu Fan was thin, Qi Yan simply helped him down the mountain and escorted him back to his courtyard. He then instructed his servants to brew some medicinal soup, which Gu Fan drank and finally recovered.

The two became acquainted and would gather together for drinks during festivals. Because Qi Yan was older, he addressed Qi Yan as his senior brother.

Qi Yan felt relieved when he heard that Gu Fan's reply was not unfamiliar. Gu Fan then led him into the courtyard and closed the door. The two sat down under the pine tree.

Looking at the package beside Gu Fan, Qi Yan secretly felt relieved and asked softly, "Senior Brother, are you going to report to the Abbot and enter the Upper Academy for cultivation?"

"Indeed." Gu Fan nodded slightly, having already guessed Qi Yan's purpose in coming here, and said, "Senior Brother, what brings you here..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qi Yan stood up and bowed deeply.

Gu Fan was startled and quickly stepped forward to stop him, but Qi Yan insisted on bowing until he could no longer resist Gu Fan's strength and had no choice but to straighten up.

After helping Qi Yan up, Gu Fan comforted him, "I already know why you came, Senior Brother. We've known each other for many years, there's no need for this."

Qi Yan's eyes showed emotion, and he bowed his head and clasped his hands, saying, "I have come here only to ask my senior brother to teach me the method of Qi cultivation. Whether I succeed or not, I will repay you with my life."

In fact, Qi Yan went up the mountain two months earlier than Gu Fan, but he was unable to cultivate Qi for a long time.

Unlike Gu Fan, he was not a lone individual, but was supported by his relatives. The day his spiritual root was discovered was a day of celebration for the entire clan. It would be unacceptable for him to go down the mountain and return to his hometown.

Gu Fan pondered for a moment, without revealing the Qi Circulation Diagram. Instead, he recounted his method of guiding Qi, the process, and his insights. After today, he would enter the outer sect for cultivation, so he didn't need to worry about offending his master.

As for Qi Yan, he didn't care much at all. He lowered his body slightly, stretched his neck forward, and wished he could prick up his ears and engrave Gu Fan's words into his heart.

The two talked for less than half an hour before Qi Yan took his leave. His expression was calm, as if he had only come to say goodbye, but he could not hide the excitement in his eyes.

After Qi Yan left, Gu Fan followed closely behind and left the courtyard.

Zixia Temple is located deep in Yunjie Mountain. Gu Fan only visited it once, on his first visit to the temple. Even then, he did not get to meet the abbot. Instead, he was led by a servant to register and pay respects to his teacher.

Upon arriving at the Zixia Temple, a young Taoist boy in black stood at the entrance. Seeing Gu Fan's figure, he respectfully inquired, "Is it Senior Brother Gu Fan?"

Gu Fan raised an eyebrow, not expecting the news of his Qi Induction to spread so quickly. He nodded and replied, "Indeed, I am initiating Qi Induction today and request an audience with the Abbot. Please inform him."

"Please wait a moment, senior brother." The young Taoist responded, turned around and quickly walked in. After a moment, he returned and said with a smile, "Please follow me, senior brother."

Gu Fan followed the young Taoist through the temple gate and saw five main halls. In the center of the temple, a bronze incense burner was emitting blue smoke. Upon entering the main hall, a white-robed Taoist with white hair and a youthful face sat cross-legged on a futon. Behind him was an incense table with no statues of gods on it, only a golden lotus carved on the wall.

The golden lotus had twelve petals and very simple lines, but in Gu Fan's eyes, it kept spinning and blooming, as if trying to absorb his mind and spirit.

"Duh!"

A low shout reached his ears, and Gu Fan snapped out of his daze. He quickly withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the Taoist priest. He knew that this was Wang Jingxuan, the abbot of Zixia Temple. He bowed and said, "Disciple Gu Fan greets the abbot."

Wang Jingxuan had already stood up, looking at Gu Fan. Seeing that he was full of energy and had indeed drawn in Qi, she smiled and encouraged him, "The path is long, you should have a steadfast heart and not be easily swayed."

Gu Fan assumed that Wang Jingxuan was dissatisfied with his earlier behavior, so he became even more respectful: "This disciple is enlightened."

Wang Jingxuan nodded in satisfaction and said softly, "Now that you've begun to cultivate your Qi, follow me!"

After speaking, Wang Jingxuan took the lead and walked out of the main hall. With a wave of his sleeve, a small white jade boat landed on the open ground in the courtyard and instantly grew to be more than two zhang long.

Wang Jingxuan boarded the white jade boat first. After Gu Fan boarded, he waved his hand and made a hand seal. Clouds rose from beneath the white jade boat, carrying the two of them into the air and flying towards the back mountain.

The back of Yunjie Mountain is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, so its true appearance is never seen.

Gu Fan had been warned since he arrived at the mountain not to go to the back mountain at will. He had also heard of people who had recklessly trespassed there, wandering around for three days before finally emerging exhausted. Now, carried by the white jade boat, he was speeding through the clouds and mist, feeling as if he were in a fairyland. He reached out and gently scooped up some passing clouds and mist, feeling the coolness on his fingertips, which amazed him greatly.

Unfortunately, the clouds and mist obscured his view, limiting him to less than ten feet, preventing him from taking in the panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, which left Gu Fan somewhat disappointed.

Thinking of this, Gu Fan had a sudden inspiration. He stared intently at the clouds ahead and activated his Myriad Manifestations Divine Eye.

In an instant, the clouds and mist before my eyes were replaced by countless stars, which were connected by dazzling lines to form a magnificent picture, as if containing the ultimate truth of heaven and earth, and radiating dazzling light.

Before Gu Fan could see clearly, he felt a sharp pain in his eyes, let out a muffled groan, and tears streamed down his face.

As the intense pain subsided, I slowly opened my eyes and saw that the clouds and fog had cleared, revealing a vast mountain range stretching for hundreds of miles.

It turns out there's a hidden paradise behind Cloud Realm Mountain!

Before Gu Fan could even express his feelings, Wang Jingxuan asked in confusion, "Why are you crying?"

Gu Fan was momentarily flustered. Enduring the stinging pain in his eyes, he wiped away his tears and pretended to choke out, "I have been cultivating for more than two years. I thought I had no hope of ever entering the sect in this lifetime. Today, I have finally been able to enter the sect. I am somewhat overwhelmed with emotion."

Wang Jingxuan fell silent.

Over the years, he has sent many disciples to the Lingxiao Sect. Some pretended to be calm, some were excited and ecstatic, but it was rare to see them weeping bitterly.

Shaking his head inwardly, Wang Jingxuan said nothing more and steered the small boat toward a mountain peak.

Gu Fan breathed a sigh of relief and reflected in his heart: There are countless mysterious and strange things in the cultivation world. Whether it was the golden lotus earlier or the white light just now, they all caught him off guard. Even with the Myriad Manifestations Eye, he should still be as cautious as if walking on thin ice.

The white jade boat flew for another quarter of an hour before landing in front of a two-story pavilion.

Gu Fan looked up and saw three large characters written in bold, elegant strokes on the pavilion's plaque: "Welcoming Immortals Pavilion."