Chapter 66: Choosing the Domain Gate

  Nadan smiled and bid farewell to the female disciple, leading twenty people back into the mountains, deep into the dense fog. This time they headed towards a mountain waist, where an ancient cave was hidden in secrecy. Nandan led the crowd and dove in headfirst.

  The stone walls of the cave were red, and as they went deeper, it got hotter. Everyone felt their mouths and tongues dry, and the heat was unbearable. As they continued further in, a thick stone gate was tightly closed in front of them.

  Nadan pointed at the stone gate and laughed: "This is the Mystic Fire Cave, heavily guarded, ordinary people are not allowed to enter without permission, we won't even call out for entry, too much trouble with formalities."

  In the Xuanhuo Cave, there are twenty smaller caves, each of which extends hundreds of feet underground. Below, they connect with the Xuan Huang Di Huo and are stabilized by ancient tripods. Even if we haven't cultivated the Threefold True Fire of the Dan Xian period, we can still refine elixirs and instruments in these smaller caves. However, without knowledge passed down from that lineage, it's probably not possible to get here.

  "The Xuan Huang Earth Fire is extremely rare. Each disciple can only enter once every six months at most, and each entry requires 100 points."

  Probably only Qin Duanmu, the young master of a large family, has truly studied alchemy and artifact refinement. He didn't show much interest in these disciples here.

  Seeing the skeptical expressions on everyone's faces, Nadan smiled and led them out. Suddenly, he turned back and said: "By the way, this is also one of the domains. If anyone is interested, you can choose to join here too. However, I must remind you all that being a guardian of the Mystic Fire Cave is a tough job, with a harsh environment and scorching heat, very few people are willing to choose it. The only advantage here is that there's no restriction on using the cauldron."

  Everyone burst out laughing, Nadan led these disciples out of the stone cave, and for a moment, he seemed to be in high spirits: "Alright, next I'll take everyone to see Lingyao Valley, that's where my sect is located. The beautiful scenery of the mountains there will surely feast your eyes."

  A crowd of people walked out extremely far, a warm mountain valley surrounded by a majestic peak, with misty fog and a faint scent of elegance wafting from afar. Along the winding stone path into the valley, new greenery filled the eyes, and as one looked further away, the scenery was scattered yet harmonious.

  Everyone had been admiring the beautiful scenery of Stone Mountain for a long time, and suddenly they saw this kind of vital energy, and everyone was immediately delighted. Li Ran's eyes sparkled with excitement that he couldn't hide, as if he had returned home.

  Nadan smiled and led the crowd into the valley, occasionally seeing disciples busy in the medicine fields.

  A girl walked along the ridge with a smile: "Nadan Shixiong, bringing so many younger brothers and sisters to play?"

  Nadan smiled and nodded: "Aqiao, is today's irrigation finished?"

  The girl slightly pouted: "Not yet."

  Nadan turned back and smiled: "Just let you guys open your eyes and see the power of your Ajiao Shizhi Xiaoyunyu symbol."

  The girl's face turned a little red and she smiled faintly: "It's so nerve-wracking to have me demonstrate in front of so many people."

  With a slight flick of her wrist, she held a pale green jade token in her hand. Nada explained beside her, "This jade token is made by filling a wooden bucket with spiritual spring water from the mountain, adding a drop of bitter spirit jade essence to the bucket, and then using the Jade Condensation Technique to condense it. One jade token can store a large bucket of spiritual spring water, making it very convenient for irrigating the medicinal fields."

  Everyone nodded in unison, feeling enlightened.

  The girl, Ajiao, lightly rotated her wrist, and a faint milky color flowed into the jade symbol from her fingertips. With a sudden flick of her hand, her face changed color, and she blushed as she withdrew her hand, holding the jade symbol in front of her eyes to examine it. Stomping her foot, she said: "Nadan Shixiong, who made this Cloud Rain Symbol? It's clearly been ruined, and it's caused me to lose face in front of all the younger brothers and sisters."

  Nadan couldn't help but laugh, just about to walk up and take a look, Li Ran took a step forward and walked out first, taking the jade symbol from Aqiao's hand and pinching it between his fingers. He nodded lightly and said: "It's not ruined, it's just that an extra horizontal line was added unintentionally. When using it, just bypass the last horizontal line and apply the pure yuan energy directly to the condensed water core of the jade symbol."

  Li Ruo said, suddenly raised his hand in the air, and saw the jade token in his palm transform into a large piece of misty rain, falling evenly into the medicine field.

  Aqiao and Nadan were both stunned at the same time.

  Li Ruo Dao's previous conversation had already shocked them, and at this moment, seeing Li Ruo Dao's hand seal casting the Rain Technique, the scope of coverage was vast, evenly distributed, and the force exerted was balanced, with a round and refined skill that seemed to have been honed over countless years, far surpassing their own abilities.

  Nadan walked over with a smile: "Ran Jian, you're actually so proficient in Spirit Symbol Rain Technique?"

  Li Ruo's knife smiled and nodded, the hundred grasses of his previous life had tempered him, this dull technique had made him suffer for many years.

  Nadan's eyebrows jumped slightly, and he suddenly turned his head to the crowd and said loudly: "Lingyao Valley is also one of the domains. Welcome everyone to choose here. In addition to what I just showed you, there are also the Jingtie Mine, the Ling Beast Enclosure, and the Hushan Guard Team in the domain. They are a bit far away, so we won't go there today. After returning tonight, please think carefully about which one to join. Because three days after the Dragon Gate, you must make a choice, and once chosen, it will determine your future way of life."

  Everyone's expression became serious at the same time, and they nodded silently.

  Bidding farewell to Nadan, the twenty returned to the courtyard of the inn beside the square, where they couldn't help but have a lively time with their fellow townspeople and brothers. Two thousand people had taken their twenty places, each one being the pride of their respective mountain cities.

  Wang Shou Dao looked at Li Ruo Dao and Qin Feng Chuan, his mouth was so happy that it couldn't be closed, and he praised them highly.

  It was night, and Li Ran returned to his room with a heavy heart. He shook the gourd of medicine, but there wasn't much spiritual medicine left inside, and his own vital energy had yet to break through the last threshold of the Seventh Bottle Neck.

  Sevenfold is just like this, and in the future, the energy required for cultivation will be even more massive. The more spiritual medicine, the better, but it's too hard to get points.

  But now there is a most important question, which field should I choose to join?

  There was a sudden knock at the door outside. Li Ran's knife came back to his senses and he said in a low voice, "Please come in."

  The wooden door was gently pushed open, and it turned out to be Nadan Shixiong, who had taken them on a stroll all day. His clean and tidy green robe showed off his proud identity as a strong practitioner in the divine movement period.

  Li Ran Jian hastily stood up and saluted: "Nada Shixiong has arrived..."

  Nadan turned back, closed the door and smiled, waving his hand to indicate that there was no need for formalities. He sat down opposite Li Ruo and said: "Ruo, Brother Shi has come to visit you at night, he must have something important to discuss with you."

  Li Ran Dao slightly bowed: "Elder brother, please proceed."

  Nadan smiled again: "Fengdao, when I took you to the Spiritual Medicine Valley, I could see the eagerness and longing in your eyes. And with your hand-sealing technique of Rain Art, I also saw how deep your foundation in spiritual medicine was. Fengdao, our fellow disciples in the Spiritual Medicine Valley are all very good people, united and helpful. Whoever is in trouble will be helped wholeheartedly. How about it? Come to the Spiritual Medicine Valley, and all our fellow disciples will welcome you with open arms."

  Li Ran's knife paused slightly, he hadn't expected this senior brother to be a mediator.

  It seems that he has taken a fancy to his own cultivation talent. If he can recruit him, he will have greater development in the future, and the reputation of the entire Lingyao Valley will be better.

  Looking at Li Ruo's stunned expression, Nadan hastily continued:

  "Blazing sword, joining Lingyao Valley has many benefits. Long-term cultivation near the spiritual medicine can make your progress faster than anywhere else. Our fellow disciples in Lingyao Valley are extremely united, if you come, in the future if you have any difficulties with your cultivation, we will all do our best to help you."

  And I can also promise you one thing...

  Li Ruo's heart slightly stirred, and he looked up at his senior brother. Nada continued, "Ruo, the ceremony of Fish Leaping Dragon Gate in three days is not actually a glorious event for you all. Among the thousands who stood out and joined the sect, which one was not a genius? Which one was not proud and arrogant? The purpose of Fish Leaping Dragon Gate is to kill your pride."

  That day, there will be more powerful gray robes who will test you, and they must make you ashamed, not letting a single person pass smoothly. On that day, they want to give you a profound lesson.

  This bitter taste of defeat is unbearable.

  However, if you join Lingyao Valley, Brother will rely on my connections to secretly help you. On the day of the assessment, he can make things easier for you and let you pass with ease."

  Nadan's eyes stared intently at Li Rendao, he didn't know what reason this junior brother had to not accept such words, when he saw Li Rendao fall silent for a moment, then slowly shake his head.

  Nadan was taken aback, his eyes revealing a disappointment that he couldn't hide, and he furrowed his brow slightly: "Ran Jian, you don't want to enter the Lingyao Valley, do you want to join the Yanshen Hall instead? Alas, indeed, it's more enviable there. With your achievements, you have a certain chance of entering..."

  Li Ran Dao smiled and shook his head again: "Senior brother, I don't want to join the Performing Immortals' Hall either."

  Nadan was taken aback again: "Then you..."

  "Senior brother, I want to join Xuanhuo Cave."

  "What?"

  Nadan's face was bewildered, staring blankly at Li Ran's knife, unable to guess his thoughts.

  Xuanhuo Cave is generally not chosen by anyone, but rather some neglected disciples are assigned there. Li Ruo Dao, the top-ranked disciple, actually volunteered to go there, and Nadan couldn't understand this junior brother's thoughts at all.

  Seeing Li Ruo's determined expression, Na Dan sighed and shook his head, knowing that the other party had made up their mind and would no longer try to dissuade him: "Ruo, if you go to Xuanhuo Cave, three days later at Yuyue Longmen, your senior brother will not be able to lend a hand... after all, you don't belong to my sect..."

  Li Ran Dao smiled and nodded: "Shixiong, I understand."

  See off Nadan with a belly full of doubts, Li Ruo closes the door and smiles.

  After some careful consideration, Li Ruo had already made up his mind.

  Lingyao Valley indeed made him feel at home, but in Lingyao Valley, the cultivation of spiritual medicine was strictly supervised by the sect, and private possession was absolutely not allowed. Everything had to be handed over to the sect, making it impossible for him to quickly accumulate points there.

  To make money, Li Ruo Dao needs to refine medicine, and even prepare for refining Dan. In his previous life, Li Ruo Dao obtained the true transmission of Bai Cao Dao Ren, a master of alchemy who could increase the value of ordinary spiritual medicines by several times after refining them. Whether it's refining medicine or refining Dan, both require a furnace fire.

  "Is Xuanhuo Cave really that bitter? Maybe I can stay inside with a bit of sound and color."