Chapter 748 399: Taking the Initiative (Part 3)

Yang An followed the path the City God had once trod and soon sensed someone rapidly approaching him.

"Where did you come from, Wandering Soul? Why are you lingering here?"

A voice preceded their arrival. Moments later, two men in white robes landed in front of Yang An.

Both men appeared young, but their hair was styled in formal topknots beneath coronets. Dressed in white robes, they exuded an air of immortal grace and detached superiority.

'Little rascal, if this goes south, get ready to run.'

Bow Lady's voice reached Yang An's ears. She was on guard, still unconvinced his attempt would succeed, and wanted to give him an immediate warning.

In his soul form, Yang An's face was unmasked, leaving his every move and expression visible. The moment the two men arrived, he instantly slipped into character.

He didn't respond to Bow Lady. Instead, a bewildered expression spread across his face, and upon seeing the two men, he subconsciously took a few steps back.

"Who are you? What is this place? Why am I here?"

This was the typical reaction of a normal person whose consciousness had just awakened after death. In that moment, Yang An was like an actor possessed by his role.

Hearing Yang An's words, the two from Emei Mansion exchanged a glance, immediately understanding the situation.

The Immortal Mansion served as the gateway to reincarnation for mortals. The souls of all ordinary people were drawn here after death to begin the cycle anew.

However, this wasn't the case for everyone. Some souls would awaken en route, shaking off their daze but remaining unclear about what had happened to them.

In the eyes of Cultivators like them, these individuals possessed a certain spiritual aptitude.

This spiritual aptitude referred to the ability to maintain a clear mind, allowing one to quickly regain full consciousness after death and break free from the pull of reincarnation.

This meant such individuals were innately qualified to embark on the path of cultivation; should they begin, their progress would be remarkably efficient.

Such occurrences were not uncommon in the Immortal Mansion. In fact, most of its Cultivators had entered the path of cultivation through this very process. It was one of the key criteria the Immortal Mansion used to screen for new disciples.

Understanding Yang An's situation, the two men's expressions softened slightly.

"This is the Emei Immortal Mansion," one of the men explained, addressing Yang An's questions. "We are disciples of the Immortal Mansion, responsible for guiding the souls of deceased mortals. Your arrival here means your worldly ties have been severed, and you possess the aptitude to join our Immortal Mansion."

Yang An looked utterly shocked, standing frozen on the spot.

"I… I'm dead? You're saying I'm already dead?"

Both men nodded.

Yang An suddenly clutched his head and slowly crouched down, looking as if his head were about to split open.

In truth, he was simply mimicking what he'd seen. The gesture was similar to the City God's own behavior before entering Emei Mansion—an act he knew from the memories Bow Lady had absorbed. It wasn't the least bit exaggerated.

"I remember now… I think I was in a car crash, and then… I was here…"

As Yang An's "memories" quickly returned, he began to recall what had happened before his arrival. An expression of pure agony washed over his face.

The two men from the Immortal Mansion were accustomed to such displays and saw nothing strange in Yang An's behavior. One of them continued to explain, "Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the will of heaven and cannot be defied. But you are different from the others. You are fortunate. You possess the aptitude to begin cultivation, which means you can refuse to enter the cycle of reincarnation and instead join our Immortal Mansion to practice."

"Cultivation? You're saying I can become an Immortal?"

Yang An asked, looking up in surprise.

"Come with us to the Immortal Mansion. If you can pass the assessment, you will become a disciple of the Mansion, begin your cultivation, and be one of us."

The two men didn't elaborate, merely offering him the same hopeful choice they extended to all who possessed this spiritual aptitude.

Bow Lady silently watched the two men from the Immortal Mansion, but she couldn't detect anything suspicious. Their attitude toward Yang An was normal; it seemed they hadn't seen through his deception.

This made Bow Lady suspicious. 'Has the little rascal put on some kind of disguise I don't know about?'

But this was only the beginning. Getting into the Immortal Mansion wouldn't be that easy.

Bow Lady's warning came again, her tone solemn. 'Little rascal, don't let your guard down for a second. Be ready to bolt at a moment's notice. One part of the Immortal Mansion's so-called assessment involves reviewing the deceased's life story. They have a record of every person's past life. If you haven't figured out a way around that, you have no chance of passing.'