Immortal Path Space

Old Man Dao circled around Younger Brother twice, assessing him from top to bottom. Stroking his beard, he inquired, "What is your name?"

"I am Wang Yi," Younger Brother replied, bowing respectfully.

"Do you wish to join the Taihao Sword Sect and cultivate Immortal Techniques under my guidance?" the old Daoist asked.

Simultaneously, he reached into a small cloth bag at his waist, producing a radiant small sword. The sword, initially about a foot long, elongated in the wind, reaching several feet in length after a moment.

Pointing towards a large stone in the distance, Old Man gestured, and the massive sword, resembling a bolt of lightning, slashed towards the stone.

"Boom!"

The mountain-like stone immediately shattered into pieces.

The sword danced in the air for a moment, then shrunk back to a foot in length, landing in Old Man's hand.

Younger Brother's mind was in disarray from the sudden and overwhelming display. He was unable to react immediately. Old Man seemed satisfied with Younger Brother's stunned expression and waited patiently, stroking his beard. The others were also in a state of shock.

"An immortal! I've only heard legends before. I never thought I would have the chance to see one in person. I can boast about this for a lifetime!"

"If I could seize this opportunity to join the immortals, I would become an Immortal Master myself in the future."

"Why isn't this kid agreeing already? I'm getting anxious for him."

After a moment, Wang Yi finally recovered and turned to look at Wang Hong. He asked the Immortal Master, "May Immortal Master also accept my elder brother?"

Following Younger Brother's gaze, Old Daoist found Wang Hong. Wang Hong, torn between his desire to join the immortal sect and concerns about burdening his younger brother, looked conflicted.

Old Daoist shook his head, saying, "Is this your elder brother? His aptitude is too poor; he has Four Elements Spiritual Roots. I don't have the authority to admit him to the sect. Only the Golden Core Elders have such privileges. Unless you can persuade a Golden Core Elder in the future or achieve Golden Core cultivation yourself – which, given your Single Element Spiritual Root aptitude, shouldn't be a problem."

Younger Brother, still reluctant, asked, "Is there no other way?"

Wang Hong, fearing his brother might persist and upset the Immortal Master, hurriedly said, "Younger Brother, rest assured and follow the immortal senior. Don't worry about me. When you've cultivated the path of immortality, come back to see me."

Old Daoist glanced at Wang Hong, not particularly concerned as long as there were no conflicts of interest. He said, "Apart from that, there is the path of wandering cultivators, but it is indeed quite challenging." Old Daoist shook his head, then turned to Wang Hong, "When you become stronger, you can head west to the Qingxu Mountain in the Chu State. There is a Qingxu Immortal City in the mountain. However, this route is extremely perilous for ordinary people."

The Wang brothers expressed gratitude for the guidance of the Immortal Master. Younger Brother turned to Wang Hong and said, "Brother, wait for me. When I achieve success in cultivation, I will find a way to have you join the immortal sect."

The brothers spoke to each other on the side, reluctant to part. Meanwhile, Old Daoist tested the Spiritual Roots of the remaining dozens of people, but no outstanding talents appeared. Satisfied, Old Daoist looked forward to receiving generous rewards upon bringing Wang Yi back.

At this point, many people in the audience had already knelt down, seeking to become disciples, asking for elixirs of eternal life, or seeking Immortal Master's blessings for wealth and gambling luck. There was even a teacher requesting blessings for a son from his wife. And so on.

Old Daoist paid no attention to these requests, his face slightly turning green. He was not a dark cultivator and had no intention of taking drastic measures for trivial matters.

He could only release a bit of Foundation-Building Pressure outward, frightening everyone into bowing their heads like garlic. Some even thought Immortal Master was granting their requests and knocked their heads with a resounding thud.

Old Daoist once again tossed the small sword into the air. When the sword extended to over ten feet, he leaped onto it, reaching out to grab Younger Brother onto the sword. Then, he threw two porcelain bottles, landing in the hands of Wang Hong and the old dean.

"This is two pills for enhancing your physical fitness. They are a gift to you," Old Daoist said before transforming into a beam of light and disappearing into the sky. The two brothers quickly expressed their gratitude. Wang Hong looked at the pills in his hand with a sense of loss.

Over a hundred people brought up on the stage, realizing that they might have missed the opportunity to enter the path of immortality, were now wailing. Witnessing the extraordinary abilities of the immortals, everyone nurtured a deep longing. The chance seemed so close yet slipped away.

The news of an immortal visiting Qingyang Academy quickly spread to Qingyang City. The entire city was abuzz, and the next day, the County Magistrate personally visited the academy to inquire. Confirming the authenticity of the event, the County Magistrate was envious, especially learning that the immortal had bestowed immortal pills. The County Magistrate personally met Wang Hong, the immortal senior, and presented fifty liang of silver.

The news spread like wildfire from Qingyang to the surrounding regions and even reached nearby states. The information underwent significant distortion through the storytelling and exaggeration of those who spread it.

Ultimately, it turned into a tale of a demonic threat at Qingyang Academy, prompting an Immortal Master to come and eliminate the demon. The Immortal Master was described as a giant mountain-like figure with eyes like bronze bells, a mouth capable of swallowing several cows at once, three heads, six arms, and wings on the back. A three-day battle ensued before the Immortal Master successfully vanquished the demon.

Following this, the immortal senior selected over ten students from the academy as his disciples and gifted the academy dozens of immortal pills. It was said that merely smelling these pills prevented all illnesses, and consuming one could increase a martial artist's power by fifty years. The entire martial world was stirred up. Though the rumors were somewhat exaggerated, where there's smoke, there's fire, and some enthusiasts firmly believed in the tales.

Due to the restricted access for outsiders at the academy, various people lurked around the entrance these days, trying to gather information.

On the second day, Wang Hong swallowed the immortal pill. Holding onto such a precious item drew many curious onlookers who wanted to see and even smell the pill. They wished they could devour Wang Hong too. Fortunately, Wang Hong still carried the title of an immortal senior, and for now, no one dared to forcibly snatch it. The wrath of an immortal was something nobody wanted to endure.

In front of some people, Wang Hong swallowed the pill in one go. His face immediately turned red, and he staggered back to his room, seemingly drunk on the power of the pill.

Wang Hong felt the pill turn into a warm energy upon entering his stomach, spreading throughout his body. It felt like soaking in warm water, leaving him with a pleasant warmth all over.

Quickly entering a meditative state, Wang Hong guided the internal energy, directing the warmth into his dantian. The internal energy accumulated more and more in his dantian, causing it to swell as if on the verge of bursting.

Suddenly, there was a "bang" inside his body. The flow of energy from the dantian seemed to find a release point, descending through the Yin channel, passing the tailbone's strong acupoint, running along the spine through the Governing Vessel, pausing briefly before rushing through the Mingmen acupoint, ascending through the Yang channel, directly surging to the Fengfu acupoint at the back of the head. Wang Hong calmly guided the internal energy, allowing it to ascend. In just a few breaths, with a "buzz," the internal energy surged through the Fengfu acupoint into the upper dantian.

The internal energy didn't stay in the upper dantian for long. Wang Hong guided it downward through the Ren and Du meridians to the lower dantian, completing a small circulation. This marked the completion of the Microcosmic Orbit, signifying Wang Hong's official entry into the Acquired Stage as a martial artist.

Wang Hong had only been practicing internal energy for a few days, but with a single immortal pill, he had become a martial artist in the Acquired Stage. The methods of the immortal were indeed extraordinary. This pill alone could replace five years of cultivation.

Moving gently in the room, Wang Hong felt his senses sharpened, his mind clear, and his spirit refreshed. Clenching his fist, he felt a surge of strength throughout his body. Generally, when a martial artist entered the Acquired Stage, their strength could reach six hundred kilograms.

Wang Hong was considering finding a place to test his strength when he heard a "knock, knock, knock" on the door.

Opening the door, a student in academy attire stood outside. "Wang Hong, the dean is looking for you."

Wang Hong asked with some confusion, "Do you know what it's about?"

"I have no idea. You'll find out when you go."

"Alright, thanks! I'll go right away."

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