Chapter 768: Black Shaman Mountain (II)

As its name suggested, the Immortal Shaman Alliance was a small alliance formed by immortal cultivators interested in the Shamanic Dao. If Lin Zheyu could join it, he might learn many of the Immortal Dao's methods for studying the Shamanic Dao, which would help him comprehend its inheritance.

"The Immortal Shaman Alliance is dedicated to researching the Shamanic Dao, so every cultivator seeking admission must prove that they possess sufficient value. That value may take many forms, such as a profound understanding of the Shamanic Dao, distinctive insights into it, or a deep fortuitous connection with it. For that reason, the Immortal Shaman Alliance established a trial. Anyone who enters Black Shaman Mountain, passes its third trial, and successfully obtains the reward there may become a full member of the alliance," Wei Lixin explained slowly.

"Black Shaman Mountain? Do you mean the Black Shaman Mountain that the Mengna Tribe, one of the ten great Shamanic Clan tribes of ancient times, used to test its clansmen?" Lin Zheyu asked in surprise.

The texts Qiong Yun had passed down contained information about Black Shaman Mountain. Lin Zheyu had not expected Wei Lixin and the others to have actually found it.

"Precisely. It seems you also know something about the history of the Shamanic Clan," Wei Lixin said with a smile.

Lin Zheyu shook his head. "I merely happened to learn about it from a few texts. My knowledge cannot compare to yours."

"If you are willing, you need only sign a contract and swear a Great Dao oath. I will then tell you the location of Black Shaman Mountain," Wei Lixin said.

With a thought, a sheet of parchment bearing the Immortal Shaman Alliance's contract flew from his robes and landed before Lin Zheyu. Lin Zheyu briefly examined it and found no unfair provisions. The Immortal Shaman Alliance did indeed appear to be an organization through which cultivators exchanged knowledge and helped one another.

"Very well, I accept." After reading the contract, Lin Zheyu agreed without much hesitation. Rather than signing it immediately, however, he asked curiously, "Are those fellow cultivators who participated in the earlier discussion also members of the Immortal Shaman Alliance?"

"They are not members of the Immortal Shaman Alliance. The alliance has extremely demanding requirements for its members, and only three hundred and twenty-seven of its cultivators remain alive today. Its members are scattered throughout every corner of the continent and are not limited to cultivators from Great Wei," Wei Lixin said with a smile. He had been the one to invite that Immortal Shaman Alliance member here.

"I see. It appears the Immortal Shaman Alliance's trial is no easy matter," Lin Zheyu said meaningfully.

During his two discussions of the Dao with Wei Lixin, Lin Zheyu had not sensed that the man's attainments in the Shamanic Dao were particularly profound. Yet with the Immortal Shaman Alliance imposing such stringent admission requirements, there had to be a reason Wei Lixin had qualified as a member.

"With your abilities, you will surely pass the trial and become the Immortal Shaman Alliance's three hundred and twenty-eighth member," Wei Lixin said with a smile.

"May your auspicious words come true," Lin Zheyu replied with a smile. After confirming that there were no problems, he decisively signed the contract and swore a Great Dao oath. Neither the contract nor the oath contained any harsh or unfair conditions. They merely imposed the customary obligations of secrecy.

Wei Lixin took out a jade scroll and handed it over, giving him this solemn warning. "This contains the location of Black Shaman Mountain. Besides its location, the jade scroll also records certain matters you must bear in mind when attempting its trials. You must be extremely careful when you go there. If a trial proves beyond your abilities, do not attempt to force your way through, or your life may be endangered. Remember that well."

Lin Zheyu accepted the jade scroll and thanked him. "Many thanks, fellow friend."

After agreeing to join the Immortal Shaman Alliance and undertake its trial, Lin Zheyu and Wei Lixin returned to the hall. They said nothing about the Immortal Shaman Alliance. Unless they encountered a cultivator with sufficient latent potential whom they intended to recruit, they were forbidden from revealing any information about the alliance to outsiders. Once the Dao discussion concluded, the cultivators departed one after another.

Wei Jiarou emerged from the void and approached Wei Lixin. "I secretly observed him for a long time, but I still could not see through him. He must be using some kind of secret treasure to conceal his aura. What I can confirm is that he has indeed condensed a natal shamanic pattern with a complete underlying structure. I simply cannot tell how close it is to true completion.

"He is only in the mid-stage of the Shackles realm. Although he possesses a relatively complete natal shamanic pattern, entering Black Shaman Mountain with such strength would be no different from throwing his life away. Why let such a natal shamanic pattern go to waste?" Wei Jiarou asked calmly.

Back then, she had only passed Black Shaman Mountain's third trial by relying on her formidable resources and expending vast quantities of dharma treasures, talismans, and hidden trump cards. Even she had been deeply distressed by the cost. A cultivator of ordinary origins like Xiao Yu could never amass so many powerful resources. Wei Jiarou did not believe Lin Zheyu stood any chance of passing.

"There is no other choice... Time is running short. The Extraterritorial Battlefield is about to open, the demon realm will soon descend in its entirety, and all-out war between the two realms is about to erupt. We do not have much time left. If we do not resort to this, how can we find the cultivators truly born to face this tribulation, those blessed with sufficiently powerful fortune and destiny from the Shamanic Clan? If he does not possess such fortune and destiny, then his death will be of no consequence. It is only a relatively complete natal shamanic pattern. Its loss would be regrettable, but nothing more than that," Wei Lixin said calmly.

Black Shaman Mountain's trials were exceedingly dangerous. Without a seemingly endless supply of dharma treasures, secret arts, and talismans to serve as trump cards, even a Nascent Soul realm cultivator would face a high chance of perishing inside. Even if they were fortunate enough to survive, they would still need certain concealed methods to pass the third trial.

All of this required the support of a powerful background and deep reserves. Wei Lixin and Wei Jiarou had only managed to pass Black Shaman Mountain's trials and become members of the Immortal Shaman Alliance by relying on the Wei Family's powerful backing and a secret treasure they had fortuitously obtained.

Lin Zheyu, however, possessed neither such a formidable background nor that secret treasure. If he wished to pass Black Shaman Mountain's third trial, he could only rely on extraordinary fortune and destiny connected to the Shamanic Clan.

Wei Jiarou shook her head slightly, clearly holding little hope for Wei Lixin's plan. "After all these years, you have sought out so many cultivators, yet not one of them has succeeded."

Wei Lixin merely smiled and offered no rebuttal. This was far from the first time Wei Jiarou had expressed her doubts.

He asked calmly, "Has the date been confirmed?"

"It has. Everything is ready as well. We were only waiting for you," Wei Jiarou replied.

"Good. Then let's go."