Chapter Twenty-Four: Ascending the Heavenly Path

“First in the Outer Sect, Ling Xiao. Second, Guang Chengzi. Third, Zhen Yang. Fourth, Xu Zhiyu. Fifth, Jiang Xun. Sixth, Xu Xian. Seventh, Wang Tao. Eighth, Ke Dong. Ninth, Su Ye. Tenth, Zhou Weiqing. New disciple, Shen Qingyun!”

A clear, resonant voice echoed throughout the Outer Sect of the Azure Cloud Sect, instantly making every disciple prick up their ears.

As always, the slots for the annual Ascent to Heaven Path were reserved for the top ten disciples of the Outer Sect.

“Did the elder make a mistake? Why is there a new disciple’s name?”

“Huh? I thought I misheard.”

After the announcement, a brief commotion swept through the Outer Sect. The reason was simple—this year, there were eleven names, not ten. And the extra one was a newcomer!

The voice rang out once more, “All named disciples, three days from now, the Ascent to Heaven Path!”

“What is the Ascent to Heaven Path?” many new disciples asked in confusion.

“The Ascent to Heaven Path…” Shen Qingyun, in the midst of cultivation, heard this name, both foreign and familiar, and the corners of his mouth quirked in a faint smile.

The Ascent to Heaven Path, also known as the Path of Self-Inquiry, was a method used by a few sects to select disciples. A thousand years ago, Shen Qingyun had faced the Path of Self-Inquiry, but he had failed. Because he did not know his own heart…

But this time, there would be no repeat of the past.

"Consider it fulfilling an old wish," Shen Qingyun murmured with a smile, then closed his eyes and continued to cultivate.

Three days—swift for some, endless for others. With anticipation and anxiety, the top ten of the Outer Sect awaited the day.

There was a forbidden ground within the Azure Cloud Sect’s Outer Sect, a place never open under ordinary circumstances. Even if one strained to glimpse it, only a screen of mist could be seen.

Today, the forbidden ground would open. Every time it did, crowds of disciples gathered to watch, hoping to learn from the experience.

Each year, ten would attempt the path; some succeeded, some failed, and those who failed emerged dazed, as if lost to themselves. When asked, they could only shake their heads and mutter incoherently, “Who am I? Which path should I walk?” and the like.

But this year was different—there were eleven. And the extra was a mere novice. Many veteran disciples felt slighted—why him, not one of us?

Others viewed Shen Qingyun with curiosity. Since his induction into the sect, rumors of this odd new disciple had spread throughout the Outer Sect. Yet no one had seen him.

Now, with the elders suddenly naming him for the Ascent to Heaven Path, disciples found it extraordinary, even gossiping in private that perhaps Shen Qingyun was some elder’s illegitimate child.

“I wonder who will pass the Ascent to Heaven Path and enter the Inner Sect this year,” someone said, staring at the swirling white mist.

“I don’t know, but I can guess who will fail!” his companion laughed.

He turned in surprise, “Who?”

“That new disciple, of course!”

At this, laughter rippled through the crowd. Indeed, the newcomer seemed doomed to fail.

“Still, every opening of the Ascent to Heaven Path is a stage for the prodigies, unlike us! Ah…”

“Don’t be discouraged. Your turn will come one day.”

“Oh, please. We only get a few days a month to cultivate as it is.”

Many nearby nodded silently—life as an Outer Sect disciple was tough. Cultivation resources could only be earned through completing tasks, and those were hardly easy. If one managed ten days of cultivation a month, it was a blessing!

“Look, they’re coming!”

A disciple’s shout cut off all conversation.

Eleven figures appeared. Ten wore azure-and-white Daoist robes, hems fluttering, bearing themselves with confidence as they followed the guiding elder. Amid the blue and white, a single unadorned robe stood out—Shen Qingyun’s, drawing every eye.

Compared to the others, he seemed utterly at ease, as if out for a stroll.

This scene made many disciples shake their heads—indeed, a novice, with no sense of the gravity of the Ascent to Heaven Path!

The guiding elder led them to the mist and turned, face solemn. “Many elders are watching this time. I hope you perform well, win their favor, and are taken as disciples. Such is your immortal destiny!”

At mention of the elders’ attention, the top ten straightened with pride. Only Shen Qingyun remained unmoved, as if nothing could faze him.

The elder cast a glance at Shen Qingyun, finding nothing remarkable about him save for his indifferent expression and lack of interest in the proceedings.

The elder shook his head. The higher the hopes, the deeper the disappointment. He had thought Shen Qingyun might be extraordinary, destined to soar if given a chance. But it seemed not to be.

Even if one did not understand the purpose of the Ascent to Heaven Path, surely the atmosphere alone would suggest its importance. Yet Shen Qingyun gave no sign…

Disappointed, the elder nonetheless explained the rules.

“When the path opens, you will enter in order. When the bell tolls, it means you have passed! The longer the sound echoes, the higher you have ascended on the path.

“In the Azure Cloud Sect’s history, the bell has rung for nine breaths but once, and no one has matched it since. May one of you make history today!”

These words left the assembled disciples unmoved—it was said every year, and reality never lived up to expectation. Perhaps it was meant to encourage them, but no one truly believed.

Seeing the hour had come, the elder turned to the mist and called, “Time is upon us—open the Ascent to Heaven Path!”

His command echoed thrice before fading, and the white mist gradually dissipated.

As the mist parted, all strained to see this legendary path. What met their eyes was an utterly ordinary mountain road—so plain, it was a letdown. This path was not even as imposing as the sect’s main gate.