Slow Fairy Road (Fairy Spirit Realm)

  Her sudden movement startled the golden elixir cultivator, who looked at her with a deep expression, thinking that she wanted to provoke trouble. His tongue was tied as he stuttered, "Y-you, what do you want to do?!"

  Xiao Yao didn't have the mind to bother with such a sycophantic servant, and instead focused her attention on the man named Zi Dong: He was in the Hua Shen stage of cultivation, wearing a simple dark blue Daoist robe, his hands clasped behind his back. Except for his slightly raised phoenix eyes, which stood out somewhat, his other facial features were unremarkable. So at first glance, it was easy to focus on his eyes, but soon one would unconsciously look away. These eyes seemed careless and unfocused, but in reality they were profound and inscrutable, giving off an inexplicable sense of trepidation.

  She couldn't help but look away and instead stared at his lips.

  "This Taoist friend suddenly turned around and looked at me for so long, is there something on your mind?" His voice was very pleasant to listen to, if it were a low whisper, it might be that enchanting and seductive tone.

  Xiao Yao's palms were sweating, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond. She wasn't sure if the person in front of her was really the Zi Dong who had fooled her before. The voice was completely different from what she had heard during the treasure hunt. She had always thought that someone who could leave such words and say such things would be an old man with white hair, but now it seemed that cultivators had all sorts of magical powers and could disguise themselves, so only the writing and voice couldn't explain anything. Moreover, Zi Dong was able to subdue Jin Ze, which shouldn't be possible for someone who was only in the Huan Shen stage.

  "Fellow Taoist?" The man saw his expression change several times, and after a long time of being dazed, he couldn't help but smile all over his face to remind him.

  Although the other party was very polite, why did she feel a sense of invisible pressure? Fortunately, at this time, the Jin Dan cultivator who had been ignored all along seemed to have seen something and said impatiently: "Hurry up and line up! He's not the Zidong master you think he is!"

  Xiao Yao was shocked again: Could it be that there are other Zidong in this Xianling realm?!

  The man's attitude was very good, and he smiled lightly as he said, "I am indeed named Zidong, and I do not change my name or surname whether I'm walking or sitting."

  "Got it!" The golden elixir man's eyes showed disdain, "You can pretend! With a Purple East like you, I can meet several in a year!" After finishing speaking, he flicked his sleeve and turned around, no longer paying attention to the two.

  Because he turned around too quickly, he didn't notice the hint of amusement flashing in the man's eyes. However, Xiao Yao caught the expression and felt a chill run down her spine, straightening up and not daring to pay attention to what was behind her again.

  But some things aren't as easy to avoid, no matter how hard she tries. Her heart still tense and unresolved, a low, soft voice drifts from behind her, "I didn't expect that the great name of Zidong would be known even by newly ascended cultivators. When did his reputation spread to the lower realm?"

  This remark was like a soliloquy and yet seemed to be full of suspicion, which made Xiao Yao's back stiffen, until she was summoned into the inner house, only then did she slightly breathe a sigh of relief, quickly escaping from the front courtyard.

  She temporarily put aside the many doubts in her mind, took a deep breath before stepping across the threshold, and quickly scanned the room. The room was decorated with all sorts of exquisite furnishings, the red wood-colored table, chairs, and tea tables were brand new and shiny, the air was filled with a hint of refreshing woody fragrance, and there were many calligraphy and paintings on the walls, among which one particular hanging scroll stood out: "The Strong Have No Bounds!" The four characters were bold and powerful, carrying an aura of murder and violence that made ordinary people tremble with fear.

  A burly man with a thick beard sat at the top of the Eight Immortals' chair, under the hanging character. He didn't look like a cultivator, and the jade pendant on his waist was different from any he had seen before. He held a cup of fragrant tea, his eyes cast down as he savored it slowly, his movements unexpectedly elegant. In front of him stood two cultivators, a man and a woman, both with yellow jade pendants on their waists. One of them, the same as Xiao Yao, had an engraved dog character, while the female cultivator had an engraved ermine character.

  As soon as Xiao Yao walked in, a man and a woman looked at her simultaneously, their eyes inquiring, and after scanning her token, a hint of disgust and hostility appeared in their eyes.

  At the same time, Da Han put down the teacup in his hand and raised his eyes to scan the three people with a expressionless face. "Since everyone is here, let's start the test. The first level is very simple. You three will take turns releasing your aura. If you can enter my eyes, it counts as passing. Who goes first?"

  "Let me come first," said the male cultivator, not waiting for Xiao Yao and Nü Xiu to speak up. "I'm Wu Ming, nephew of Lu Guan Shi from the pavilion. Before I came, my uncle specifically asked me to greet you on his behalf. And this Feng Ling tea is a gift from him to show his respects." As he spoke, he handed over a small paper package to the big man.

  The big man glanced at the object in his hand, neither accepting nor refusing it. The male cultivator smiled awkwardly and put the thing on the case table. The big man opened his mouth lightly: "Let's begin."

  The man stood up straight, puffed out his chest and walked to the center of the room. Xiao Yao and the female cultivator instinctively stepped aside, watching as he rolled up his sleeves, let out a loud roar, his throat rolling, his eyes bulging, his entire body radiating intense energy.

  Xiao Yao suddenly felt a breath of air in the room slowly spreading, soft and without momentum. The big man changed back to his previous posture of lowering his eyes to taste tea, not even looking at him. After several breaths, the male cultivator gathered his momentum, slightly bowed his waist with a flattering expression and asked: "Manager Jiang, how is it?"

  "Finished?" The big man didn't even raise his eyes.

  "It's done." The man bowed his head and bent at the waist.

  "Well, then take your things and get out of here. The White Jade Courtyard has never raised useless people with no future."

  The tone of the big Han language is full of disdain and contempt, making the male repairer sweat profusely on his forehead, repeatedly begging: "Manager Jiang, can you just make an exception this time? When I return, my uncle will still send it..."

  "Get out." The big man suddenly raised his eyes, and the male cultivator met that piercing gaze, feeling like a beast about to be devoured, not daring to move an inch. The words he was going to say next were swallowed back into his stomach. Finally, when the big man withdrew his gaze, he slowly walked away with heavy footsteps, looking very intimidated, yet unwilling to give up just yet.

  "The big fellow didn't say much either, just said: 'Next one.'"

  This time, the woman stepped forward, her steps swaying, and she gave a gentle bow to Da Han. Her voice was like a yellow oriole singing in the valley: "I am Liu Su'e, at your service, Sir Jiang."

  The girl's demeanor was elegant and refined this week, her speech was proper, just like a young lady from a painting. Even the big man couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, looked at her for a moment, "Alright, let's begin."

  The woman adjusted her breath, the air circulating inside the house, carrying a faint fragrance. After several deep breaths, she broke out in fragrant sweat and gathered her breath, saying: "It's done."

  The big man nodded and gestured for her to go aside and wait.

  "Thank you, Officer Jiang." The woman bowed and stepped aside, her eyes glancing at Xiao Yao and the male cultivator with a hint of pride.

  Suddenly, someone was enraged and lost his composure, asking loudly: "Steward Jiang, what is the meaning of this?!"

  Not only did Nan Xiu ask, but Xiao Yao also had some doubts in her heart. The pressure from these two people was almost the same, and they might be able to intimidate ordinary people very well, but if they were facing fellow cultivators, it's likely that even a Yuan Ying period cultivator from the mortal world wouldn't be intimidated. Only by choosing the taller one among the shorter ones, Nan Xiu's pressure was still slightly stronger than Xiao Yao's. What basis did this big man use to judge that Xiao Yao was stronger than Nan Xiu?

  "Hah, what's the reason?" The big Han sneered and his eyes swept between the male and female cultivators: "The selection rules of Bai Yu Bie Yuan are: either you have superior strength or a strong background. Which one do you belong to?!"

  In an instant, the man's face turned pale, and he immediately fell silent. The woman's complexion also became flustered, she lowered her head, fidgeting with her own hem.

  Dahan coldly glared at the two of them: You rely on your connections to get ahead and still want people to give you a good face? For a moment, his mood was not good, and his tone was unpleasant as he said to Xiao Yao: "In the end, it's only you left, hurry up and start, don't waste time and words!"

  Xiao Yao didn't say anything and simply stepped into the house.

  Outside, in the corridor just a door away, the man who called himself Zidong was waiting with nothing to do, when suddenly his expression froze, and his careless demeanor changed. His phoenix eyes flashed with an unusual light, and he stared fixedly at the large gate, his gaze almost piercing through it.

  "You..."

  Inside the house, Da Han stared at Xiao Yao in astonishment, his hand had crushed the tea cup into powder, and for a long time he couldn't say a word.

  In a daze, he felt as if he was looking up at the heavenly might, and countless ominous auras and murderous intentions were swirling around him. What kind of cruel battle would he have to go through, how many people would he have to kill to have such an aura? Fear crept from the bottom of his heart, spreading silently. If it weren't for this woman's cultivation being lower than his own, he would not be able to withstand this pressure at all and would be unable to resist kneeling down!

  The two others inside the house were even more miserable, and as soon as Xiao Yao's oppressive aura was released, they couldn't bear it and coughed up blood. Now the two of them had vomited a pool of blood on the ground, collapsed to the ground, and looked at the woman in the room with fearful faces. She just stood there, without any movement, but this alone made people dare not look directly at her, as if she was a fierce Asura, feeling that as long as they moved slightly, they would be slaughtered mercilessly by her!

  "Stop, little friend!" The big man shouted: "If they die like this, it won't be good to account for!"

  Xiao Yao heard this and quietly retracted her imposing aura, now that things have come to this point, it's not good to say that she hasn't used her full strength, so she can only wait quietly for the outcome.

  "In the lower Gan Yu, it is a famous body repair, I don't know how to address you, little friend?" Da Han took a deep breath and asked politely.

  "Returning the courtesy," Xiao Yao bowed, "I am Zhong Rou, a Huashen period cultivator, and have just ascended to the Eastern Extreme Realm."

  Jiang Yu saw Xiao Yao's expression unchanged from start to finish, her attitude neither humble nor arrogant, polite but not fawning, and his favorable impression of her increased by another notch. He smiled and said: "Little friend, your demeanor is quite good, you don't disappoint a cultivator like me. Come, let's go to the side hall and talk."

  Then he looked at the two people who were lying on the ground, raised an eyebrow and said: "You can get up now and leave. Those who have passed the first test will be led out by someone later."

  The two of them seemed to have been truly frightened, quickly tidied up their appearance and retreated, and before leaving, they looked at Xiao Yao with eyes as if they were looking at a man-eating monster.

  Xiao Yao let out a soft sigh and asked Jiang Yu: "Senior, about the test that young one had in the back..."

  "No need to continue, these small tricks are used to make things difficult for those people like Fang Cai. You have passed the first test and become a disciple of Bai Yu Bie Yuan from today!"

  Is that all? Xiao Yao found it somewhat hard to believe. Jiang Yu looked at her expression and knew what she was thinking, so he smiled: "Anyone with a bit of strength can join the White Jade Courtyard, but it's not easy to stand out after entering. Come with me for now, and I'll tell you all about the courtyard's rules later."