It turned out that the world he was in was not ordinary, not like the common Mortal world in "Joy of Life."
It was a pity he couldn't be "Fan Xian" in this life!
This world lacked neither glass nor oil and salt, and even ancient poetry had no place to shine.
The manufacturing techniques he had noted down from reading novels before were utterly useless. This was because the world Shi Jiu had been inexplicably Transmigrated to was actually a world of Immortal cultivation!
According to Hou Laohan, this world had Immortals, as well as the Yao Race and many Spirit Monsters and divine beings. When he was young, he had personally seen an Immortal use a small pagoda to subdue a malevolent ghost.
Moreover, about a twenty-day journey from the village, there was a magnificent city called Feixian City.
Approximately every three years, Immortals from the Seven Luminaries Sect would come here to test the Aptitude of children under 15 years old from several small towns and hundreds of villages and towns near the city.
Those who passed the test would receive different rewards for their families based on the quality of their Aptitude.
Even more than a decade ago, a child with special Aptitude even startled an old Immortal, who personally came to take him as his final Disciple.
That child's family was originally a small power in a small town near Feixian City. As a result, with a single word from the old Immortal, the small town's mayor directly abdicated, and the position of mayor was given to the child's father.
His family officially began a life of great wealth and prosperity from then on!
That small town, like Feixian City, was nominally under the Great Wei Kingdom. The prefect of Wei Kingdom immediately reported to the Emperor of Wei that day, and then, by imperial decree, officially appointed the child's father as mayor.
Hou Laohan spoke excitedly, as if his own grandson could also be favored by an Immortal from the Seven Luminaries Sect in the next moment, and he himself could experience the thrill of being a mayor.
Shi Jiu listened, unsure what to say. His heart was quite complex.
He was both amazed by the marvels of the cultivation world and regretful about the rule of only recruiting Disciples under 15 years old.
Uncertain if he could return to his original world, Immortal Ascension through cultivation was undoubtedly the best method he could think of.
Anyway, he absolutely had to go and try his luck at the Feixian City's triennial selection.
So, Shi Jiu opened his mouth and asked the two elders:
"Please tell me, how much longer until the selection in Feixian City?
I have never witnessed such a grand event in my life and wish to see it for myself; perhaps I can also find my lost merchant caravan colleagues."
"Haha, little brother, you probably want to test your own Aptitude for Immortal cultivation, right?"
The burly man, Tie Sheng, chuckled, seemingly seeing through Shi Jiu's thoughts.
Having his thoughts seen through by Tie Sheng, Shi Jiu wasn't overly embarrassed. After all, it was about Immortal Ascension, and presumably no one would want to give up this opportunity.
"This Aptitude assessment indeed has very strict age limits. Last time, a child from the neighboring village, who was apparently one year over the age limit, was prohibited from entering the test. It truly cannot be faked.
Although you, young Shi Jiu, seem young, you should have already exceeded the age limit, right?"
Tie Sheng's explanation indeed made Shi Jiu pause. Did he not even have a chance to try?
Seemingly noticing Shi Jiu's troubled expression, Hou Laohan lightly coughed and comforted Shi Jiu:
"Little brother, although you cannot participate in the Seven Luminaries Sect's selection test, there are also several great Immortal cultivation families in Feixian City that recruit Disciples and some servants and Utility Disciples every year.
If you are lucky and possess Aptitude, even as a Utility Disciple, as long as you enter one of these great Immortal cultivation families, although it may not be as overbearing as the Seven Luminaries Sect, it is still an opportunity to soar to great heights."
After listening to Hou Laohan's words, a flame of hope was rekindled in Shi Jiu's heart.
If the Seven Luminaries Sect's selection was indeed inaccessible, then these great Immortal cultivation families were also good choices.
"The Seven Luminaries Sect's selection in Feixian City will begin in more than half a year. I observe that although your clothing, young brother, is different from ours, your speech and demeanor are quite extraordinary.
If you have nowhere else to go, you can stay in the village for a while longer. In a few months, you can go to Feixian City with the age-appropriate children from the village to try your luck."
The old man saw that Shi Jiu indeed wanted to go to Feixian City to participate in the Immortal selection.
Although he inwardly felt that Shi Jiu had little chance of being chosen by an Immortal, he was willing to take in this young man, considering it an act of kindness.
Shi Jiu was quite touched by the old man's kind offer to stay.
Before Shi Jiu's Transmigration, due to the influence of a few lawless individuals in society, people always harbored some suspicion towards those whose origins were uncertain.
He had initially been considering how to approach the old man and Tie Sheng to ask them to take him in, and then find an opportunity to follow them to Feixian City for the selection, and subsequently find his way home.
However, the old man spoke first, which greatly saved Shi Jiu's Face.
So Shi Jiu, deeply moved, thanked the old man and Tie Sheng, and promised that he would not eat and drink for free in the village. He was willing to help the villagers with farm work every day, considering it his payment for food and lodging.
The old man and Tie Sheng were quite pleased with Shi Jiu's proactive and polite attitude.
So the two waved their hands, repeatedly saying that he only needed to do what he could. The village had enjoyed good harvests in recent years and did not lack the little bit of grain he mentioned.
Thus, in an atmosphere of peace, the old man and Tie Sheng allowed Shi Jiu to rest and recover in the house for the time being, and took their young grandson to rest elsewhere.
After the others left, Shi Jiu looked at the bright, high-hanging moon outside the window and let out a soft sigh.
"I've inexplicably arrived in this place. I hope to successfully find a way to cultivate Immortality.
Then I'll find the entrance to that ruin with the teleportation array, and then return to the world I'm familiar with. I just hope this day doesn't come too late."
That night, Shi Jiu's restless thoughts and troubled heart quietly passed.
Time passed quietly, and days turned into weeks.
Since Shi Jiu arrived in this village, because Hou Laohan's son did small business in a nearby town and his daughter had already married into a neighboring village, the old man was raising his young grandson by himself.
So, Shi Jiu would help Hou Laohan with farm work in the fields during the day, tidy up a small orchard on the mountain every few days, and stay at Hou Laohan's house at night.
He also often told stories to Hou Laohan's young grandson, and the few of them got along quite harmoniously.
About five months passed in a flash.
On this day, Hou Laohan's neighbor, Tie Sheng, came to find Shi Jiu and told him that the selection in Feixian City was about to begin.
Several nearby villages would gather and send the age-appropriate children to Feixian City together.
They would also take the mountain goods and grain from recent months to the city for sale, and purchase some daily necessities.
At this time, each village would send several young and strong men to act as escorts and peddlers, taking the children and goods into the city, and Shi Jiu could go along with them.
Shi Jiu was quite excited to hear this. For the past few months, he had been tirelessly helping with farm work and tidying the orchard.
Even when Hou Laohan told him to rest, Shi Jiu was unwilling to take much rest, because Shi Jiu felt that being busy could reduce his anxiety and confusion.
However, in the eyes of Tie Sheng and others, there was clearly a different feeling.
Especially Tie Sheng, who had a 15 or 16-year-old daughter of marriageable age at home.
Seeing Shi Jiu's unwavering diligence in work over the past few months, he had a strong desire to take Shi Jiu as an in-law.
Shi Jiu also felt this extraordinary enthusiasm from Tie Sheng, the elder brother, but given Shi Jiu's situation, he really couldn't consider romantic relationships.
Besides, for a 16-year-old girl, given Shi Jiu's education, he truly couldn't accept it.
Every time Elder Brother Tie Sheng brought up such ideas, all Shi Jiu could do was give a bitter smile and shake his head, repeatedly denying it.
Then he quickly went to continue working nearby, which indeed left Tie Sheng feeling quite regretful.