More than a month ago, when Zhenren Yun Qing came.
He mentioned after drinking that this alliance meeting would have significant changes and new items added.
Among them, it would be very friendly to the younger generation.
At that time, many tests and rewards were mentioned.
Now, hearing about this "Refining Heart Road," we are even more curious.
"Qiu Xi, what is the Refining Heart Road all about? Tell us!"
"Yes! What are the main rewards, and is there any lightning technique?"
Lao Mo and I both spoke up.
Lao Mo's main purpose for this trip was to find a lightning technique, so he was particularly interested.
As for Chen Yao, she just widened her eyes and looked at Qiu Xi curiously.
Qiu Xi smiled and continued:
"There are many projects. Almost every major sect will set up its own test items and offer corresponding rewards.
So far, there should be over ten projects!
Anyway, there are quite a lot.
Whether there's lightning technique or not, I'm not sure. We'll find out when we look later."
After Qiu Xi finished speaking, everyone's anticipation grew even stronger.
"Alright, let's eat quickly, and then we'll go check it out!"
Lao Mo was very excited and ate as if he was gulping everything down, with a clatter, he finished everything on his plate.
Then, seeing me and Chen Yao staring at him in surprise, he wiped his mouth and said:
"Hurry up, you two! The rewards will be taken by others if we're slow."
My friend Chen Yao and I were speechless; this guy was too impatient.
But we also picked up the pace of our meal.
After eating, we left the dining hall under Qiu Xi's guidance.
As soon as we exited the mess hall, we ran into two acquaintances.
Yun Long and Yun Hu from Bai Niu Mountain, the two disciples who were in the same team as us on the way to the Black Demon Palace, the ones who used the Sun and Moon Twin Wheels.
The two of them were standing at the entrance of the dining hall, leisurely smoking cigarettes.
They hadn't seen us at all.
Seeing these two, I smiled and greeted them:
"Yun Long, Yun Hu!"
As soon as I spoke, the two of them turned their heads.
Seeing our group emerge from the dining hall, their faces lit up:
"Holy crap, Brother Qin!"
"Qin Ze, Mo Ting, Xia Qiu Xi..."
In their surprise, they quickly walked over.
Lao Mo also smiled and said:
"Fellow Daoists, long time no see!"
After all, Yun Long and Yun Hu had fought alongside us through life and death, so they were happy to see us:
"Indeed, it's been half a year since we parted ways at Black Water Mountain."
"When did you guys arrive? Why didn't we see you earlier?"
"..."
Upon meeting, we chatted with each other for a while.
Yun Long and Yun Hu, like us, had arrived that morning.
They had just arrived a bit earlier than us, rested in their rooms for a while, and then came to eat.
When they heard us mention the "Refining Heart Road," they were also very enthusiastic and said they wanted to go with us.
A few more people would make it more lively.
So, as we chatted, we made our way to the Refining Heart Road.
The Refining Heart Road was not in the main hall but in the back mountain.
We chatted as we walked.
Yun Long and Yun Hu said they came with their master, Daoist Gou Cheng.
They also asked why we didn't return to Black Water Temple after going to the Black Demon Palace.
They had been thinking of finding us for a drink at the Black Water Temple's celebration banquet.
Although Yun Long and Yun Hu had experienced life and death with me, I definitely couldn't mention my near-death experience.
So, I just made up an excuse, saying I didn't particularly like that kind of atmosphere and left early.
I also said that since we met again, we should have a drink together tonight.
Yun Long and Yun Hu were straightforward, and they smiled and agreed, "We won't return until we're drunk..."
Our group of six, having left Tai He Palace, followed Xia Qiu Xi towards the Refining Heart Road in the back mountain.
The journey took about twenty minutes, not too far.
Along the way, there were quite a few people coming and going.
They were all fellow martial artists.
And many of them knew Xia Qiu Xi and were greeting her.
When we reached the back mountain and walked past two stone staircases, we saw a stone tablet.
On the stone tablet, three large red characters "炼心路" (Refining Heart Road) were prominently displayed.
Beside the stone tablet was a path where the stone slabs were so worn down they had become sunken.
Xia Qiu Xi looked at the small path and then said to us:
"I heard from their disciples at Wudang.
This path is the small trail that their ancestor walked back and forth when seeking to refine his heart and transform himself before ascending.
Later, it was passed down and named the Refining Heart Road."
Of course, we just listened to this.
After all, many famous mountains and rivers have legends of immortals and demons.
In the end, it all proved to be false.
They were just mere reputations created by later generations who admired their predecessors.
We didn't dwell on it and walked straight in.
We found that there were still quite a few people here.
They stood in small groups, chatting with each other.
At the same time, two young men walked over:
"Brother Li, the test at Emei is really simple, but the test at Shaolin is really difficult!"
"That's right. I tried ten times and never succeeded."
"Alas! Enough said, let's go eat, and we'll try other things this afternoon!"
"..."
After speaking, the two of them met us.
Although we didn't know each other, our eyes met. As fellow Daoists,
The other party still gave us a polite smile and brushed past us.
And we continued to walk forward along the Refining Heart Road.
Before long, we saw many test projects on both sides of the Refining Heart Road.
Around each project, there were a few or a dozen people gathered.
The noisy and chaotic sounds could be heard clearly from a distance...