Chapter 1: The Seven-Colored Dragon Boat, Azure Pearl...

  "The Blue Spiral Fruit has reached maturity at noon today. Although it's not particularly rare, one Blue Spiral Fruit can save you all at least several dozen days of cultivation."

  Dan Ling Sheng's face remained icy and stern, his single hand conjuring up an illusory plant with three crimson-colored triangular leaves. The most eye-catching feature of this plant, aside from its crimson leaves, was the emerald-green, snail-shaped fruit that hung from its branches.

  "The Bixia spirit fruit blooms and bears fruit once a year, but the fruit ripens for only half an hour before falling to the ground and rotting. So you must arrive at the Bixia Valley near the mountain top before noon, each of you pick one Bixia spirit fruit, wrap it in the leaves of the Bixia tree and eat it. Remember that the Bixia fruit is cold in nature and contains toxins, which can only be neutralized by the leaves of the Bixia tree, so you can only eat one. If you are greedy, you will have to bear the consequences yourselves!"

  "This mountain peak is so steep!" Luo Bei and the others looked carefully, all nodding in agreement. However, when they turned their heads back around, a similar thought also arose in Luo Bei's mind.

  Today, Dan Ling Sheng arranged for cultivation to go to the top of Tian Reng Peak to pick a Bixian fruit that is just ripe today. However, the Tian Reng Peak in front of him was steeper than ever before. The entire mountain wall was almost vertical, and a mountain path carved on the mountain wall was like a heavenly ladder climbing to heaven. From a distance, this peak really looked like a knife blade standing between heaven and earth. If it weren't for the iron chain next to the mountain path for handrails, Luo Bei thought that he might not be able to climb to the top either.

  "It seems that besides helping our cultivation with the Bixiao Xian fruit, it's also meant to temper our willpower."

  "Luobei!" Just as Luobei was thinking this, someone suddenly shouted from behind him. "Xuan Wuchi Shixiong?" Luobei turned around in surprise to see Xuan Wuchi standing on the mountain path behind him, slightly panting and with tiny beads of sweat densely covering his forehead.

  "What, didn't you think it was me?" Xuan Wuqi looked at Luo Bei and the others, proudly humming heavily, "The trials you've been through, I also went through when I was facing the wall. Do you think I couldn't pass that trial?"

  "Xuan Wuqi, brother, I didn't mean it that way." Luo Bei was somewhat stunned, having never had even a hint of similar thoughts with Xuan Wuqi before, he was completely at a loss as to what Xuan Wuqi meant.

  "After being punished for ten days, you still have such an overbearing personality. Are people with high cultivation all just shouting about it from their mouths?" However, standing to one side and looking at the approaching Dan Ling Sheng, he also let out a cold hum.

  "Master's teachings are correct." Xuan Wuqi, however, did not show the slightest displeasure and instead bowed respectfully to Dan Ling Sheng, "Disciple Xuan Wuqi has received your teachings and humbly requests to join this trial."

  Dan Ling Sheng didn't speak at first, coldly looking at Xuan Wu Qi for a moment before finally waving his hand, "Go."

  "Thank you, Master!" Xuan Wuqi walked up to Luo Bei's voice with an unprecedented joy, looking at Luo Bei and saying in his heart, "Luo Bei, although I was punished for ten fewer days than you, I will absolutely not lose to you!"

  "Brother Lin Hang, why aren't you leaving?"

  But Luo Bei's attention at this moment was not on him at all.

  The Bixiao fairy fruit ripens at noon, and counting from the time it ripened, Luobei and the others now have only a little more than two hours to rush to the Bixiao mountain valley near the top of the mountain.

  At the moment when Dan Ling nodded in agreement to let Xuan Wuqi join, Luo Bei and Cai Shu were already preparing to set off. However, at this time, Luo Bei suddenly noticed that Lin Hang was standing still, his face slightly pale, so he couldn't help but speak up to ask.

  "Lu... Lu Beishi brother... you guys go ahead first, I'll just follow behind." Jian Hang said somewhat timidly.

  "Why?" Luo Bei looked at Lin Hang with confusion.

  Lin Hang looked at Luo Bei, and after a while, he finally stuttered to explain. "I... I... went... last year also climbed this Tian Reng Peak, but couldn't climb up. The mountain path is narrow, can't hold two people going up and down at the same time...."

  Listening to Jian Hang's hesitant explanation, Luo Bei finally understood that Jian Hang had also accepted this training last year, but because of his inconvenient legs and feet, the mountain road was too steep and he couldn't climb up. And on one side of the mountain road there were no iron chain handrails, it was vertically steep, now Jian Hang was afraid that if he walked in front, he would not be able to climb up, and the people behind him would also be blocked by him, making it difficult for them to move forward.

  Actually, Lin Hang didn't want to drag down his fellow disciples.

  "It doesn't matter!" Luo Bei said to Lin Hang after he understood, "Lin Hang Shixiong, you've cultivated for another year, no matter what, you must have made some progress compared to last year. Moreover, with your leg injury, it's even more reason for you to be in the middle of the team, we can also help you and go up together."

  "This...this...how can this be, what if I..."

  "Did you use the Divine Movement Talisman I gave you last time? It's okay if you did, I still have some with me. If you really can't hold on later, I'll help you stick two talismans and you'll definitely be able to make it up. The Azure Spiral Fruit has that kind of effect, we can't miss out on it."

  "Alright, Elder Qian Hang, you can just stay in the middle then."

  "Right, if we're going up, let's go up together..."

  Lian Hang was originally reluctant to go up, but after hearing Luo Bei say that, and also hearing Cai Shu and Ling Dongshan say the same thing, he stopped speaking, lowered his head and quietly walked behind Luo Bei.

  At this moment, Luo Bei gave those divine talismans to his bosom, wrapped in a square cloth.

  These few talismans were what he had obtained when he went to Tian Zhu Peak last time to search for herbs, and he hadn't been willing to use them.

  But what made him give up was not these few talismans, but that he couldn't bear to decline Luo Bei's sincere friendship and kindness anymore.

  The words of his fellow disciples also moved him in a way he had never experienced before. He lowered his head, not because of his usual humble and timid nature, but because he could no longer hold back the tears that were about to flow out.

  Lian Hang felt that it was only after Luo Bei arrived that everyone gradually became kinder to themselves. Now, when it comes to him, people's attitudes have changed from ridicule to concern and help. However, while he thought so, he didn't realize that a large part of this was also because of himself. Because he was one of the few who had gone through that cruel test, even though he lived in such humility on Mount Shu, he still refused to poison those around him.

  And those who have gone through the test together have an invisible relationship that is much closer than before.

  Perhaps true friendship can only be produced in real trials.

  "Venerable Brother Lin Hang." Just as Lin Hang was following Luo Bei's back, feeling a bit tearful, Gong Yang Jin Bo, the most mischievous and active of the seven people, including Xuan Wu Qi, suddenly chuckled and said, "Venerable Brother Lin Hang, you shouldn't be at the end, it should be Sister Cai Su instead."

  "Why?" Lin Hang and Luo Bei were also at a loss for a moment, and they couldn't help but pause in surprise.

  "Because we men look at other men's buttocks, it doesn't matter, but if the adopted sister of Zhuo Shi is crawling in front of us... this seems somewhat indecent." Gong Yang Jin Bo smiled slyly.

  "Gong Yang Jin Bo! What are you talking about!" Gong Yang Jin Bo's words had just fallen when Cai Shu suddenly jumped up, "Do you want to die? Is it not enough that the saber-toothed tiger grabbed you last time?"

  "Haha, I know I was wrong, Master Caizhu." Gong Yang Jinbo jumped back while laughing and begged for mercy, "Please forgive me, I won't dare to do it again next time."

  "Hmph, next time you dare to spout nonsense, I'll tear your mouth apart. What are you calling me? Have you eaten too much and become a rice bucket? Don't you remember that I arrived at Shu Mountain before you?"

  "Oh... I forgot, it's only Luo Bei who can call you Shizhi (younger sister), Cai Zhu Shizhi..."

  ……..。

  "Strange, why didn't I feel that feeling of being unable to climb up this time? Has my cultivation really improved a lot?"

  Luobei and his companions were making their way up the mountain path of Tian Reng Peak with great difficulty, using both hands and feet. Although they were all sweating profusely and panting like oxen, Jianhang felt as if his internal organs were about to jump out of his mouth, but what surprised him was that he didn't have the same feeling as last year when climbing this mountain peak, where every step made him feel like he couldn't climb any further.

  It's just a moment now, although they rested twice along the way, Lin Hang followed Luo Bei and has already climbed over half of the height. Raising his eyes to look up again, as long as he goes a few hundred meters further, it will no longer be such a steep mountain path, but a flat mountain ridge.

  So this time, as expected, I can climb up anywhere now.

  In fact, what Xian Hang lacks the most now is not anything else, but confidence and recognition from others. His talent is not as bad as he imagined it to be. The slow progress in his cultivation is largely due to a lack of confidence and recognition from others.

  But these things, Luo Bei has never lacked.

  Looking from behind, Jian Hang saw that Luo Bei's entire back was already drenched in sweat, and he could also hear Luo Bei's extremely heavy breathing. However, Luo Bei's silhouette gave him an incredibly powerful feeling, and just this silhouette gave Jian Hang confidence, making him feel that following Luo Bei, he would definitely be able to reach the Bixiao Valley!

  "Xuan Wuqi's determination is indeed unwavering!"

  Luobei didn't know what Xuan Wuxin was thinking in his heart, but he had Xuan Wuxin right in front of him. This arrogant and stubborn young man was actually climbing ahead of Luobei, scrambling to the very front. It was clear that Xuan Wuxin's physical strength wouldn't be much stronger than Luobei's. However, on the final steep mountain road of several hundred meters, Xuan Wuxin amazingly didn't rest even once, and climbed up with a burst of energy. On the slightly flat mountain ridge, he turned around to look at Luobei.

  Seeing Xuan Wuqi like this, Luo Bei was also deeply inspired and climbed up with a burst of energy.

  "Hmph, still slower than me." But in the eyes of Xuan Wuqi, Luo Bei, who didn't have the intention to compete with him, suddenly became deliberately comparable.

  Sweat-soaked shirt.

  After climbing the last few hundred meters, all six people who reached the ridge were drenched in sweat!

  It was only at the end that the lotus flower, which looked the most delicate, had only a small patch of its back wetted, clearly showing that it had the best foundation.

  "Hahaha!" Luobei and the others were panting like cows for a while, seeing each other's disheveled appearance, and suddenly they couldn't help but burst out laughing together.

  "That should be the Valley of the Blue Spiral."

  In the midst of loud laughter, Luo Bei suddenly saw a depression in the mountain valley near the summit, and from afar, it revealed a deep red color.

  "It smells so good!"

  "Ah, what a thick fragrance!"

  Before they even reached the valley, Luo Bei and the others had already caught a whiff of a rich fragrance that seemed to carry a hint of sweetness, making one feel carefree and exhilarated just by smelling it.

  "How beautiful!"

  As soon as they entered this flat and level mountain valley, everyone was suddenly stunned.

  The entire valley was filled with emerald-green trees that were several times taller than two people.

  The leaves of the Bodhi tree are as big as palms, crimson in color, while the withered leaves that have fallen to the ground are golden yellow. At this time, the ground in the valley is covered with a thick layer of golden yellow leaves, with almost no weeds. The entire valley, being close to the mountain top and dry due to good ventilation, feels like walking on a luxurious carpet when treading on the thick layers of leaves.

  The top of its head is a large patch of red, while the soles of its feet are a patch of golden yellow.

  This intense color impact left everyone deeply shocked.

  Biluohua!

  Suddenly, the public sheep silk fabric issued a cheer, and everyone immediately discovered that on the same crimson branches, there were sparse, emerald green, snail-shaped fruits. The skin of the fruit was very thin, with a watery luster inside, and the sweet fragrance was emitted by this green spiral fruit.

  Just by looking at its color and smelling its fragrance, both Luo Bei and Cai Shu could confirm that the Bixi fruit was already ripe.

  "Let's pick some fruit first."

  Luobei immediately picked one up and wrapped it in a betel leaf as Dan Ling said, then handed it to Cai Shu.

  The lotus root was naturally accepted, and Luo Bei picked another one himself, just wrapped it with leaves, and suddenly heard Ling Dongshan cheering again. Following the sound, there was actually a clear small stream in the valley, winding and flowing.

  After two hours of arduous climbing, everyone was parched and gasping for air. Suddenly seeing this clear little stream, the group couldn't help but let out a cheer and rushed over.

  "Exquisite! Exquisite! First, let's take a few sips of the mountain spring to quench our thirst, and then we can slowly savor this Bixi Xian fruit." Gong Yang Jinbo laughed and bent down to drink. "Wait!" Ling Dongshan, who was the first to discover the stream, hesitated and stopped him. "Although the water is clear, I don't know if drinking it will cause any problems."

  As soon as he finished speaking, the group of people hesitated for a moment. Just like heaven was refuting Ling Dongshan, no sooner had his voice fallen than a gray squirrel suddenly jumped down from a nearby green spiral tree, drank a few mouthfuls of stream water, and then jumped up the tree, disappearing without a trace.

  "It seems there's no problem anymore." Luobei and others were stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but burst into laughter as they looked at each other.

  "Delicious!" Gong Yang Jin Bo took a big sip first and made an expression as if he had just tasted fine wine.

  Luobei also smiled and took a sip, the creek water was clear and refreshing, still carrying a hint of the unique sweetness of mountain springs.

  "Haha, then let's have a good drink together!"

  Miao Mu sank half of his face into the creek water and drank with an open mouth.

  But just then, something that Luo Bei and the others did not expect happened - several youths wearing dark-colored robes appeared in their line of sight, looking like they were a year or two older than them.

  These few people seem to be from the mountain top, looking at their clothes, Luo Bei and Cai Shu can see at a glance that they should be fellow disciples of Zong Zhen's lineage.

  Unexpectedly, there were others who came, and Luo Bei's group suddenly saw these people, all of whom were somewhat dazed.

  However, before they could make any move, the several boys wearing dark-colored shirts seemed to have not seen them at all, and directly walked past from a short distance away from their bodies, to the upper reaches of the stream where they were.

  "Hong Jing Shixiong, the creek water here is quite refreshing, why don't we soak our feet together?"

  No matter the people who were still drinking water, such as Miao Muo, among several boys in black shirts, a boy with a pale face, thin and long eyebrows, and a sharp-looking face said this sentence to a round-faced and fine-eyed boy beside him. Then he casually took off his shoes and socks and soaked his feet in the creek water.

  "Alright, let's soak our feet together." The others also smiled and took off their shoes and socks, putting their feet in the creek water, stirring it up.

  "These people are here on purpose to pick a fight!" Luo Bei and Cai Rou exchanged a glance, and in an instant, this thought flashed through both of their minds!