"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
Gu Sheng and Ji Ziyue looked up.
They saw several streaks of rainbow light flash across the sky, moving extremely fast, like meteors cutting through the heavens.
"Riding the Divine Rainbow?"
Gu Sheng froze in astonishment.
He hadnât expected that before even entering the Supreme Mysterious Sect, he would witness people with such high cultivation levels.
Ji Ziyue was also stunned. She could clearly sense the immense power contained within those rainbow lightsâclearly, these were exceptional figures.
The rainbow lights halted in front of the sect members, dissipating to reveal the silhouettes of several cultivators.
They were dressed in opulent Daoist robes, with handsome faces and an extraordinary presence.
Just from their powerful aura alone, it was evident that they held significant positions within the Supreme Mysterious Sect.
"What! Itâs her?"
Gu Sheng froze abruptly.
At that moment, his gaze fell upon a female cultivator with elegant flowing robes and a tranquil demeanor.
It was Li Xiaoman!
Gu Sheng was dumbfounded, muttering under his breath, "Why is she here?"
Beside him, Ji Ziyue overheard his muttering and leaned closer, asking, "What? Do you have a grudge against her?"
"No... no,"
Gu Sheng immediately denied it.
But his expression seemed slightly unnatural as he spoke.
Ji Ziyueâs sharp gaze caught some hints from Gu Shengâs demeanor.
She softly speculated, "Is she your ex-girlfriend?"
"Huh?"
Gu Sheng froze, stunned that Ji Ziyue had hit the nail on the head.
However, he swiftly regained his composure, striving to appear calm as he denied again, "Thatâs not the case, donât make wild guesses."
Gu Shengâs tone carried a faint ripple of unease, which made Ji Ziyue more convinced of her speculation.
Gu Sheng, realizing his earlier slip, grew slightly irritated and said to Ji Ziyue, "Leave it alone, letâs focus on preparing for the upcoming trial."
Seeing Gu Shengâs reaction, Ji Ziyue understood a bit more.
She knew this topic might touch a sensitive nerve for Gu Sheng, so she refrained from probing further and changed the subject.
"Alright, letâs figure out what this trial entails first."
With that, their focus shifted back to the female cultivator Li Xiaoman, who, together with the other cultivators, was preparing to announce the rules and content of the trial.
Li Xiaomanâs gaze swept across the crowd, seemingly unaware of Gu Shengâs presence.
Gu Sheng let out a sigh of relief.
He didnât want matters from the past to affect his chance of joining the Supreme Mysterious Sect.
Ji Ziyue silently observed from the side.
Suddenly, it seemed as though she spotted someone familiar.
She tugged at Gu Shengâs sleeve, speaking quietly, "Hey, I see someone who visited our Ji family before. What do we do?"
"Can he recognize you?"
Gu Sheng frowned slightly and asked.
"He can. I remember dining together with him back then. Argh, why did I have to run into him here? Damn it..."
Ji Ziyue sounded deeply frustrated.
If Ji Ziyue were recognized and word got back to the elders of the Supreme Mysterious Sect, she would surely be sent back to the Ji family.
At that point, Gu Sheng knew he also wouldnât escape the grasp of the Ji family.
Thinking about this, Gu Sheng suddenly noticed a nearby female cultivator heavily adorned with makeup.
Ordinarily, Gu Sheng found such styles distasteful.
But now he thought that if Ji Ziyue were to adopt a similarly extravagant look, wouldnât it reduce the chances of being discovered?
Gu Shengâs gaze lingered on the heavily made-up female cultivator for a moment, and an idea quickly formed in his mind.
Stepping forward, Gu Sheng complimented her, "Fellow Daoist, your makeup is truly reminiscent of Lady Phoenix rebornâunmatched across the ages."
"Lady Phoenix?"
Upon hearing the name, the female cultivator froze in confusion.
Realizing that his comment might have been too avant-garde, Gu Sheng quickly explained, "Lady Phoenix is a woman of unparalleled charm. Compared to you, however, she pales in comparison."
The female cultivator hadnât expected such praise, especially from a handsome young man.
Her heart soared, and she discreetly cast Gu Sheng a flirtatious glance.
"You flatter me. This makeup is something Iâve carefully refined myself,"
The female cultivator said modestly.
Seeing her pleased mood, Gu Sheng seized the opportunity and asked, "Your makeup skills are truly admirable. Would it be possible to borrow your beauty kit?"
"Hmm, such a small matter."
The female cultivator paused briefly, then chuckled and nodded before generously handing over her makeup kit to Gu Sheng.
"If Fellow Daoist has a need for it, by all means, take it."
"Many thanks, many thanks,"
Gu Sheng responded with repeated gratitude, then turned back to Ji Ziyue holding the beauty kit in hand.
Ji Ziyue glanced at the kit in Gu Shengâs hands and instantly understood his intentions.
But as a young lady from the Ji family, she couldnât help but feel resistantâafter all, her elegant, lotus-like beauty was her pride, and using such mediocre makeup was akin to demeaning herself.
"Take it,"
Gu Sheng handed over the makeup supplies.
"You donât mean for me to...?"
Ji Ziyue was stunned.
"Exactly,"
Gu Sheng nodded earnestly, "Itâs all for ensuring we can enter the Supreme Mysterious Sect without being recognized."
"I... I could throttle you right now!"
Ji Ziyue muttered begrudgingly.
Despite her reluctance, she understood her circumstancesâif she didnât disguise herself, sheâd undoubtedly be found out.
After some quick deliberation, Ji Ziyue reluctantly accepted the idea.
Thus, under Gu Shengâs direction, she began to apply the makeup.
Before long, Ji Ziyueâs original ethereal beauty transformed into a heavily made-up appearance.
Eyeshadow, blush, lipstickânone of it was missing.
Watching Ji Ziyueâs new look, Gu Sheng could barely suppress his laughter.
Had Ji Ziyue been buck-toothed, sheâd truly resemble Lady Phoenix!
"Phew..."
Afraid of angering Ji Ziyue, Gu Sheng took a deep breath to stifle his amusement.
Ji Ziyue noticed Gu Shengâs suppressed laughter and felt immensely irritated.
Yet she knew her makeover was rather over-the-top, attracting attention from the surrounding cultivators as a result.
"This should do, right? No one should recognize me now,"
Ji Ziyue said, pouting.
Gu Sheng held back his laughter and nodded, "Indeed, it would be hard to identify you like this, but... your look has its own unique charm."
"Ugh, this is all your rotten idea,"
Ji Ziyue glared at Gu Sheng.
The two of them, one holding back laughter and the other enduring frustration, prepared to enter the Supreme Mysterious Sect.
The sectâs ninety-nine main peaks towered like pillars bridging heaven and earth, vast and majestic. Each peak emanated an ancient and dignified aura.
Ninety-nineâsymbolizing the cycle of returning to truth.
Ultimately, every cultivator strives to become whatâs called "true."
The Supreme Mysterious Sect is no exception, forever pursuing this ultimate "truth."
Standing at the entrance of the sect, Gu Sheng and Ji Ziyue couldnât help but feel a sense of solemn awe.
As the two were immersed in admiration for the sect, the skies suddenly shifted.
Dozens of Divine Rainbows tore across the heavens and converged from all directions toward the sectâs gates.
These rainbows shimmered brightly, with each containing immense energy waves.
Evidently, these were all masters within the Supreme Mysterious Sect.
Gu Sheng and Ji Ziyue exchanged a glance, secretly marveling at the strength of these cultivators.
They hadnât expected the sect to house so many powerful figuresâand it seemed they were all here to greet the new disciples.
The Divine Rainbows landed at the entrance, revealing dozens of cultivators.
They had youthful features despite their white hair, some men and some women.
Without exception, these cultivators exuded an imposing aura.
Their gazes swept over the incoming disciples, as though searching for something.
Gu Sheng and Ji Ziyue felt an invisible pressureâthese cultivators were the inheritors of the Supreme Mysterious Sectâs legacy, each possessing earth-shattering abilities.
Their arrival signaled the beginning of the trial.
Suddenly, an elder stepped forward.
With a flick of the horsetail whisk in his hand, he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the first hurdle to entering the Supreme Mysterious Sect is the trial of the Entry Stone. This stone was refined by the ancestor of the nineteenth generationâwhether you pass or not depends on your destiny..."