Volume One, Chapter Twenty: Leaving Home

Ten days later.

The Grand Elder of the Gu family once again convened a clan meeting, addressing the large group of youngsters before him: “Those who choose to join the sect, stand on the left side; those who choose to remain in the family, stand on the right.”

The children moved accordingly, and Gu Mingxi stood on the left, exchanging a smile with Gu Mingyue, who was also on that side.

The Grand Elder stroked his beard with satisfaction as he looked at the children on both sides — these were the future of the Gu family!

Over the years, the Gu family’s descendants have consistently split evenly between joining the sect and staying to cultivate within the family, and this year was no different.

What surprised Gu Mingxi slightly was that Gu Zhaoming, the boy she had met while studying array formations—who possessed exceptional talent in that field—had chosen not to join the sect. But then she thought about it: with their ancestor being a ninth-rank array master, staying in the Gu family meant he would receive excellent guidance, perhaps even better than at the sect.

After all, the sect had Mo Yuqing, the female lead, making it hardly a peaceful place. It was far better for him to remain in the Gu family and fully develop his talent.

The Grand Elder gestured for the children to quiet down, then continued: “Since you have made your choices, those going to the sect should return home today to pack your belongings. Tomorrow morning, gather at the gate; we will escort you to Yicheng.”

Curious readers may wonder why they were heading to Yicheng.

Ha ha, not only readers but even Gu Mingxi herself was curious. When she asked Gu Moyuan, he paused, then chuckled and said to her, “Xixi, you really ought to learn more about the basics of the cultivation world.”

After shaking his head, he began to explain why they were going to Yicheng.

“There are five top-tier sects on Qingyun Continent, which you already know. The reason we’re going to Yicheng is because all five sects hold their enrollment exams there. They recruit every ten years, and the location for all of them is unified in Yicheng. Those who wish to join must first go there for spiritual root testing and preliminary selection. Only after passing this can they proceed to the sect. Even then, the sect has an additional trial gate, and only after passing that can one formally be accepted.”

Gu Mingxi nodded thoughtfully. “So Yicheng acts as a kind of transit station.”

Gu Moyuan nodded in agreement. “Exactly.”

Her attention then focused on his last sentence.

Curious, Gu Mingxi asked, “After entering the sect, there’s another trial gate? Do you know what that tests?”

Gu Moyuan thought for a moment. “All five sects have the same trial — the Trial of Inner Heart.”

“Trial of Inner Heart? To probe one’s heart?”

Upon hearing this, Gu Mingxi’s thoughts drifted to a song lyric from Journey to the West in her past life that spoke of probing one’s heart.

Gu Moyuan raised an eyebrow in agreement. “Yes, it’s precisely about delving into one’s heart. During the Trial of Inner Heart, you undergo a process to seek and test the purity of your Dao heart.”

“Confirming your Dao heart early on is highly beneficial to your future cultivation.”

Dao heart?

Her own Dao heart must be quite clear!

Putting the topic aside, Gu Moyuan handed Gu Mingxi a storage ring. “Xixi, you’re leaving home. There’s nothing more I can do except give you more resources and spirit stones.”

Gu Mingxi accepted it with a smile. “Don’t worry, Father. I’ll establish my foundation soon and come back to see you!”

Gu Moyuan sighed, reached out to pat her head, and cautioned, “If anything happens, contact me through the transmission. If anyone bullies you, fight back immediately. You’re the eldest daughter of the Gu family. If trouble comes, I’ll take the blame. Don’t be afraid!”

Hearing this, Gu Mingxi’s eyes shone like stars — she loved it! Her father was so formidable; she felt completely secure!

Nodding repeatedly, she hugged his arm and swayed it gently, cooing, “Xixi loves Daddy the most!”

…

The next morning, all the Gu family disciples heading to the sect gathered in the plaza in front of the main gate.

Elder Qi was their leader, responsible for safely escorting this group of youngsters to Yicheng.

After counting the number of people, Elder Qi brought out a flying ship and loudly announced, “Boarding begins!”

Some of the children, about to leave their parents, cried their eyes out, glancing back every few steps as they sobbed toward the ship.

Gu Mingxi and Gu Mingyue, two young ladies, held hands and boarded together.

Once everyone was on board, Elder Qi counted heads again and declared, “Departing!”

The flying ship lifted off, soaring higher and higher until the people on the ground shrank to tiny dots, eventually disappearing from sight.

Gu Mingxi’s melancholy was quickly dissipated by the crying around her.

Some children, curious, looked left and right after boarding; others who had been crying outside continued to do so inside.

But children forget quickly, and soon they were captivated by the passing scenery.

The ship flew over a vast mountain range. Since they had departed early in the morning, the sky was still shrouded in mist. After passing through the clouds, the full grandeur of the mountains appeared. The rising sun dissipated the fog, bathing the peaks in golden light — a breathtaking spectacle.

The stunning view caught everyone’s attention; even the crying children stopped and gathered at the ship’s edge to admire the beauty.

Gu Mingxi couldn’t help but marvel at nature’s wonders — the most beautiful sights often come unexpectedly.

Though the ship traveled swiftly, the Gu family’s distance from Yicheng meant the journey would take about half a month. Even the most beautiful scenery grows tiresome after days in the air. Therefore, after a day or two, most chose to retreat to their rooms to cultivate.

Returning to her room, Gu Mingxi activated an array formation and entered her spatial pocket to train. Although each room on the ship was equipped with a Spirit Gathering Array, the spiritual energy there was still not as dense as in her pocket. Whenever possible, Gu Mingxi preferred to cultivate within her space.

Once inside, she went directly to her Thunder Spirit Pearl to focus on cultivation. She instructed Little Hua to keep an eye on the surroundings and awaken her if anyone came looking for her.