At this moment, the elder guarding the entry-level stone stepped forward slowly.
His gaze swept past the scruffy-bearded cultivator, then landed on Gu Sheng, and he said in a deep voice, "This is the Holy Land of disciple selection for the Supreme Mysterious Sect. Do not act recklessly here!"
The scruffy-bearded cultivator felt unwilling, but under the elder’s imposing authority, he still had to lower his head and step back.
The elder then turned to Gu Sheng and said, "Young man, the test of the entry-level stone is no trivial matter. Proceed with caution."
Gu Sheng nodded slightly. "Rest assured, elder. This junior knows his limits."
With that, Gu Sheng walked toward the entry-level stone.
He did not touch it immediately but instead quietly stood before the stone, sensing the power contained within.
After a moment, Gu Sheng took a deep breath, slowly extended his hand, and gently placed it on the stone.
This time, unlike the scruffy-bearded cultivator who had been repelled, Gu Sheng felt a warm surge of power flowing from the stone, resonating with the Divine Power inside him.
The surrounding cultivators were astonished to see Gu Sheng’s body gradually become transparent, eventually merging completely into the stone.
A few seconds later, his figure disappeared to the other side of the stone.
The scruffy-bearded cultivator saw this and his face turned extremely sour.
"Van... vanished?"
The scruffy-bearded cultivator exclaimed in shock.
He hadn’t expected that the seemingly frail Gu Sheng would easily pass the entry-level stone’s test.
Just as he was about to resign himself to acknowledging Gu Sheng as "grandfather," a figure suddenly shot out of the stone.
"Whoosh!"
Gu Sheng stood firmly in front of the scruffy-bearded cultivator.
"Haha..."
The scruffy-bearded cultivator let out two hollow laughs. "So you got pushed out too. Looks like your luck has run out. Prepare to die at my hands!"
Saying this, the scruffy-bearded man immediately summoned his treasured sword, preparing to strike Gu Sheng’s head.
"Boom!"
"Ding!"
Gu Sheng suddenly unleashed his Divine Power, instantly sending the scruffy-bearded man’s sword flying.
The scruffy-bearded cultivator’s laughter abruptly stopped.
He realized that Gu Sheng hadn’t been pushed out like he assumed but was calmly standing before him.
Even more surprising to everyone was the hint of playful humor on Gu Sheng’s face.
"You... How is this possible..."
The scruffy-bearded cultivator stared at Gu Sheng in disbelief, unable to accept what had just taken place.
Previously, he had assumed he could completely overpower Gu Sheng.
But now, it was evident he himself appeared like a clown in front of Gu Sheng!
"Brother, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t pushed out. I just wandered inside the entry-level stone and came out to receive my companion."
Gu Sheng said this as he walked to Ji Ziyue.
The scruffy-bearded cultivator’s face turned ashen instantly. He stammered, "You... wandered inside?"
Gu Sheng didn’t answer. He merely flicked his finger lightly.
"Whoosh!"
The scruffy-bearded cultivator suddenly felt a strong force rushing toward him.
This force made him stumble backward, nearly losing his balance.
Meanwhile, the elder guarding the stone was also stunned.
He looked at Gu Sheng and Ji Ziyue, a flash of admiration passing through his eyes.
"Among entry-level cultivators, there has never been anyone capable of passing through the entry-level stone so effortlessly. The future possibilities for you both are endless."
The elder by the stone cast an approving look toward Gu Sheng.
"Thank you for your praise, elder."
Gu Sheng bowed slightly.
Then, turning to Ji Ziyue, he said, "Come on, you try it next."
Ji Ziyue directly pushed Gu Sheng aside, fixing her gaze on the scruffy-bearded cultivator.
"I’m not in a hurry. I want to wait and see someone call you grandfather first."
Ji Ziyue said this while looking at the scruffy-bearded cultivator.
Under her teasing remarks, the scruffy-bearded cultivator’s face turned from red to white and then green.
He gritted his teeth and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, finally muttered, "Grandfather."
The sound was hesitant and subdued, yet crystal clear to everyone present.
In the hall, a massive map hung in the center.
It depicted the Supreme Mysterious Sect’s ninety-nine main peaks in detail. Each peak represented a branch of the sect, with unique cultivation techniques and special features of its own.
Gu Sheng and Ji Ziyue were puzzled by the varying shades of color on the peaks displayed on the map.
Curious, Gu Sheng asked a nearby entry-level disciple of the sect.
"Senior brother, why do the colors of the peaks differ?"
The disciple sized up Gu Sheng before replying with a smile, "The brighter the color, the greater the opportunities and more refined the techniques available on that peak."
"Ah? Is there really such a thing?"
Ji Ziyue’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Other cultivators who had just entered the hall overheard this and immediately looked toward the central peak, which seemed to gleam with dazzling brightness.
"What peak is that?"
Ji Ziyue pointed to the glowing peak and asked.
"That is Ling Peak, the most important peak of the Supreme Mysterious Sect."
The entry-level disciple responded.
Afterward, another nearby entry-level disciple added, "To officially become disciples of the sect, new cultivators must undergo tests by the elders of the chosen peaks. This process helps the sect assess a disciple’s potential and determine suitable cultivation methods for them."
Upon hearing this, the other cultivators began whispering among themselves.
Without a doubt, they were discussing whether to all head to Ling Peak together.
Meanwhile, Gu Sheng and Ji Ziyue carefully studied the map. Their eyes roamed across the many peaks and eventually settled simultaneously on one in the northwestern corner.
The peak appeared unremarkable and dimly lit, seeming more tranquil and secluded than others.
For cultivation, it seemed like an excellent choice.
"What do you think of that peak?"
Gu Sheng pointed toward the northwestern peak.
Ji Ziyue stared at it briefly, and a subtle glow flashed in her eyes. "I feel the aura of that peak resonates well with me. Perhaps its cultivation methods will suit me."
"If that’s the case, let’s choose it."
Gu Sheng decided resolutely.
After a brief discussion, the two chose the northwestern peak as their designated place for cultivation based on their instincts and assessments.

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