After receiving thirty taels of silver from Old Brooks, Henry Sullivan gathered his friends and led a group of youths to the town’s tavern for a hearty feast. Only after everyone had enjoyed themselves to the fullest did they part ways.

While drinking at the tavern, the youths heard an extremely exciting piece of news: “Word is, tomorrow is the big day when the immortals on the mountain open the gates and select disciples!”

Upon returning home, Henry Sullivan slept soundly until dusk. At that time, the town mayor sent someone to gather all the sixteen-year-old youths in town and announced this thrilling news in the town square.

“Tomorrow at Pozi Ridge, the immortals from the mountain will select the most outstanding among you to take as disciples. This is a rare opportunity, so you must all be on your best behavior and take it seriously. If you are chosen by the immortals, you will also receive a settlement allowance of two hundred taels of silver every year!”

Two hundred taels of silver! And every year at that!

Two hundred taels of silver was already a huge sum for Henry Sullivan, let alone for these youths who had never seen much money—the astronomical figure of two hundred taels a year left them utterly stunned.

“If you wish to sign up, come register with me. At dawn tomorrow, we’ll set out for Pozi Ridge.”

Even without the lure of two hundred taels of silver a year, being chosen by the immortals to become a disciple was enough to make these youths flock to the opportunity. Henry Sullivan also longed to become an immortal, but he was more worried that, after he left, his aging parents would have no one to provide for them. How could he run off to become an immortal and leave his parents alone and helpless?

But now, with the annual settlement allowance of two hundred taels of silver, things were different. If he was chosen by the immortals, this allowance would ensure his parents would be well cared for and enjoy their later years in comfort. He could then pursue the art of immortality with peace of mind, and surely his parents would support him!

Henry Sullivan, along with the excited youths, registered with the mayor. Meanwhile, Jason Bolton, buoyed by the flattery of several of his followers, was brimming with confidence, thinking he would soon be chosen by the immortals and would no longer be an ordinary person. As a result, he was no longer as fearful of Henry Sullivan as before.

“Henry Sullivan, I will definitely be chosen by the immortals tomorrow. When that happens, we’ll settle some old scores.”

Henry Sullivan wrote his name in the registration book, and behind him came Jason Bolton’s almost arrogant voice. He turned around, his eyes glaring at the confident Jason Bolton, a cold light flashing in his gaze, but he remained silent.

Jason Bolton felt as if Henry Sullivan’s look pierced straight into his heart, seeing through his soul. He couldn’t help but shiver, goosebumps rising all over.

After being glared at by Henry Sullivan, Jason Bolton quickly calmed down, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He silently blamed himself for being too impulsive in his moment of pride, shot a venomous look at Henry Sullivan, and turned to leave in front of the onlookers, drawing a round of mocking laughter. Truly, he had lifted a rock only to drop it on his own foot.

Watching Jason Bolton’s departing figure, even Henry Sullivan couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart. Someone as cunning and treacherous as Jason Bolton, who knew when to advance and retreat, would require extra caution if they were both chosen.

Chapter 0003: Supreme Immortal Lord, True Yi Primordial Sect

At dawn the next day, Dadian Town, which should have been asleep, was bustling with activity. Every household with a sixteen-year-old candidate was brightly lit, slaughtering pigs and sheep, worshipping heaven and ancestors. Many parents knelt before their home altars all night, praying for their children to be chosen by the immortals and achieve great success.

Henry Sullivan bid farewell to his parents, who had knelt at the altar all night. Seeing their haggard faces, he, who had slept soundly the previous night, left home with a heavy heart.

Escorted by more than twenty strong hunters, a group of forty sixteen-year-old youths set out in grand procession for Pozi Ridge.

Pozi Ridge was the boundary between the inner and outer mountains of Xiaoyu Mountain, a flat meadow.

Not long after Henry Sullivan and the others arrived, two beams of white light broke through the mist from the eastern sky, riding swords as they came. When they landed, Henry Sullivan realized with a start that they were the same two people who had tried to buy his polygonatum at a high price the day before.

Not only Henry Sullivan, but the other youths were also shocked to discover that these two were the outsiders who had appeared in Dadian Town yesterday.

Jason Bolton’s face lit up, and he exchanged a smile with his cousin and follower Ryan Bolton. After failing to buy the polygonatum from Henry Sullivan yesterday, they had later bought it from Old Brooks for the sky-high price of five hundred taels. Perhaps they bore a grudge against Henry Sullivan, making his chances even slimmer.

After the two landed, the flying swords at their feet circled the field, dispersing the surrounding mist and creating a small vacuum zone. The swords then automatically returned to the scabbards on their backs.

This display of flying swords dispersing the mist instantly awed all the youths present.

After the two immortals arrived, the town mayor was the first to kneel: “Dadian Town has forty-one eligible youths this year. Please, immortals, make your selection.”

The forty-one youths, along with the twenty hunters escorting them, all knelt respectfully.

Scanning the forty-one candidates, the immortals saw a mixed group—most hung their heads timidly, while a few held their heads high, looking confident, though their expressions betrayed a mix of inferiority and self-assurance.

Only one youth, dressed in a gray cloth shirt, stood with poise and composure, exuding a calm and dignified air that caught their attention. Wasn’t this the youth who had sold polygonatum at the The Brooks Family pharmacy yesterday? They found themselves looking forward to his test results.