Episode Summary
Han Li uses the Immortal Ascension Token to join Huangfeng Valley, causing a stir among the elders and displacing another disciple, Lu Mingyuan, as the recipient of a valuable Foundation Establishment Pill.Despite being accepted, Han Li faces skepticism from his peers and superiors due to his perceived lack of talent, which becomes evident during his initial, difficult attempts at flight training.
Spoiler Alert
After narrowly escaping death, Han Li realizes he can't continue on his own and must find a sect to join. His journey leads him to the renowned Huangfeng Valley. Just as he arrives, his Immortal Ascension Token dramatically flies out of his possession, and in his haste to retrieve it, he stumbles.
This commotion attracts the attention of Song Meng and other disciples, who find the token and immediately report it. Meanwhile, the elder Li Huayuan is in the middle of a bet with his peers over whether the new batch of disciples will be an odd or even number. With sixteen disciples, it seemed Li Huayuan was set to lose. However, the arrival of Han Li with the token turns the number to seventeen, making Li Huayuan the winner. He is overjoyed by this timely turn of events and demands his winnings.
The sect master convenes a meeting with the elders, including Li Huayuan, to discuss the matter of the Immortal Ascension Token. Li Huayuan argues that according to ancient rules, the holder of the token must not only be accepted into the sect but also be given a Foundation Establishment Pill.This creates a dilemma, as the pill was already promised to the winner of the Sky Mist Platform competition. The sect master is hesitant, but Li Huayuan proposes compensating the winner with spirit stones, arguing that the talented disciple will have another chance next year. The sect master agrees, and Han Li's position is secured.
Han Li's entry is met with disdain from other disciples, who can't believe someone like him was admitted. They gossip that he must have relied on the great deeds of an ancestor, all of which Han Li overhears. An "Uncle-Master" approaches Han Li, asking how he obtained such a rare token. Han Li explains it was an heirloom from his mortal family, leading the Uncle-Master to conclude that his possession of it is fated.
Officially a disciple of Huangfeng Valley, Han Li is given a tour and his new gear. He learns that everything in the valley, from food to lodging, requires spirit stones, which can be earned by completing tasks like caring for spirit beasts. The Uncle-Master then presents Han Li with the Foundation Establishment Pill, warning him that many covet it. When Han Li asks about the foundation establishment process, the master's vague reply makes Han Li realize that his potential is being questioned.
The disciples are then gathered by Ancestral Master Hongfu for flight training, a necessary skill in the vast valley. They are given enchanted leaves to ride. Han Li struggles immensely, barely managing to get onto his leaf. Li Huayuan and Hongfu observe his difficulty, with Li Huayuan questioning if someone with a token could truly lack talent. Hongfu remarks that the pill seems wasted on him, though she notes his perseverance and resilience might make up for his lack of innate ability.
Elsewhere, Lu Mingyuan, who was supposed to receive the pill, is furious at only getting spirit stones as compensation. Others console him by saying it was the rule of the token and he can try again next year. As time passes, the sect master begins instructing the new disciples, starting with the practice of Bigu (abstaining from grains), much to the chagrin of one disciple who argues that even powerful cultivators enjoy fine food.
