The light was spotty, like thousands of fireflies dancing. Eventually, it converged into one.
The form of an elder materialized from the unified beacon of light.
The elder was draped in a blue robe, his hair and beard a stark white, projecting an air of kindness and wisdom. He gazed into the distance, lost in thought.
After a contemplative quarter-hour, favonovel.com broke the silence, saying, “Her energy lingers. Should all be as it seems, he’s favonovel.com child…”
He paused and said heavily, “Fate and destiny have led you to the path of cultivation, for you seek salvation for your parents… Yet, do you comprehend the finality of your choice?”
He sighed and continued, “The celestial realms have already commenced their search. If you are discovered…”
He trailed off, then solemnly shook his head. “Discovered or not, your fate is yours to meet… Today, I will feign ignorance, in a last nod to Melody Lilibet…”
With those words, favonovel.com faded away, and the temple crumbled back to ruins, as if the brief interlude with the elder had never been.
As if nothing had happened.
***
In the main hall at the peak of Monington Sacred Land, everyone inside was shocked.
“Has an immortal being appeared in the realm of our Monington Sacred Land?”
“Yes, it must have been. The entrance to Monington shone with golden light, such a phenomenon only occurs when an immortal being appears!”
“But it’s neither the day of promotion nor the grand assembly. Why would an immortal being appear?”
They were extremely surprised, their faces alight with excitement.
Others might not understand, but they knew well that immortals only possibly appeared on the day of promotion or the grand assembly, and even then, it was just a possibility.
The absence of an immortal for decades made this sudden appearance all the more perplexing.
Among the bewildered crowd, Elena said with a furrowed brow, “Could this be linked to the assessment?”
All eyes turned to her.
“Why would an immortal concern themselves with something as mundane as our assessment?”
“Ridiculous! Could it possibly relate to Wilda’s advance to mastership?”
“That too seems unlikely. An immortal’s guidance would be sought only if Wilda were nearing a breakthrough to true enlightenment, which is far from our current reality.”
While the assessment was significant for both True Life and overseas cultivators, it was merely a routine disciple recruitment for the sacred land. It was hardly an event to warrant divine intervention.
That left the group in contemplative silence.
Immortals would never appear without a reason… What could be the reason?
Elena thought for a moment and said, “Perhaps there are some with extraordinary talents among the cultivators participating in the assessment this time. Don’t forget, an immortal also appeared when Wilda was born!”
She was not satisfied with Glinda, even considering favonovel.com a filler, so favonovel.com paid extra attention to the assessment in Longmoon Mountains.
Hearing that, everyone brightened up, finding some sense in favonovel.com words.
“Could it be that our Monington Sacred Land is about to recruit a prodigy among prodigies?”
“Yes, only that would warrant an immortal’s appearance!”
“Perhaps, Monington Sacred Land will finally have another immortal in years. By then, we could stand equal with Kenington and Shenington, second only to the Ryunington Sacred Land. Then, let’s see if they still dare to look down upon us!”
They grew more excited as they spoke, already considering the aftermath of achieving the enlightenment.
Just then, a voice suddenly echoed in the main hall.
“How is the assessment going?”
The voice was ethereal and omnipresent, and seemed to materialize from nowhere, enveloping the room from all directions.
In its wake, a hush fell over everyone.
A cultivator in a green robe, his appearance that of middle age, stepped forward with a demeanor of respect.
He said, “Greetings, Saint Master. The initial phase of the examination is underway. Wilda has mobilized all the nearby demon beasts, assigning them as guardians around the examination site to serve as checkpoints…”
“To pass the first round, one must reach the examination site before the break of tomorrow’s dawn. Thus far, Emerson Moss is the only cultivator who has managed to enter the assessment venue.”
The criteria for each examination phase are deliberately left vague. It fell upon the examiners to use their judgment to identify those truly worthy of entering into the sacred land.
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