Upon witnessing the extraordinary sight before them and hearing the words of Senior Brother Qiu, the cultivators on the platform were momentarily stunned before quickly rising to their feet, assuming expressions of respectful attentiveness. They knew that their chances of joining the prestigious Luoyun Sect hinged entirely on the three individuals before them, and thus dared not leave a poor impression.
Seeing that these rogue cultivators were well-behaved and not causing chaos, Senior Brother Qiu nodded in satisfaction.
“Presumably, all of you are already aware of our sect’s disciple recruitment criteria. I won’t waste time reiterating them. Now, those among you with dual or triple spiritual roots, or those possessing special spiritual constitutions, step forward first,” Senior Brother Qiu said solemnly.
A murmur rippled through the crowd, but after a moment, only four individuals stepped forward—three men and one woman.
“You will follow Junior Brother Liu. He will assess your cultivation aptitudes,” Senior Brother Qiu said coolly, sweeping his gaze over them.
At this, the pale-faced youth beside him took two steps forward and, without a word, flicked his sleeve, releasing a streak of white light that transformed into a massive brocade handkerchief, floating gently a few feet above the ground.
“Board this. I will take you to another location for aptitude testing. Those who fail will be sent back,” the pale-faced youth said expressionlessly, stepping onto the handkerchief first. The four exchanged hesitant glances before obediently boarding the artifact.
With a hand seal from the youth, the white light flared, and the handkerchief soared into the sky as a streak of radiance, vanishing into the distance.
After watching them depart, Senior Brother Qiu turned to the remaining cultivators, including Han Li, and continued in a slightly milder tone, “Next, those with cultivation at the tenth layer or above, step forward. You will follow Junior Brother Yu. As long as your background checks out, you may join our sect. As for the rest, if you wish to enter Luoyun Sect, you must undergo a series of tests. Only those who pass will be accepted. Otherwise, we advise you to continue cultivating diligently and return when your skills have improved.”
This announcement stirred unrest among the previously quiet crowd. Aside from a few individuals, most rogue cultivators wore expressions of disappointment.
The selection criteria this time were noticeably stricter than before, dashing the hopes of those who had harbored slim chances. Though the offer of testing seemed to leave a door open, everyone knew it was merely a formality—a polite gesture to the many hopefuls who had come, as the sect couldn’t outright deny them all.
For those below the tenth layer, the tests were notoriously difficult. Those at the seventh or eighth layers stood almost no chance, while ninth-layer cultivators had a sliver of hope. In past selections, a handful of ninth-layer cultivators had passed, though their numbers were negligible.
Those who succeeded might lack talent in cultivation, but they invariably possessed exceptional perseverance and determination. Even if their cultivation prospects were limited, they might excel in auxiliary disciplines, which the sect did not disdain.
Under the envious gazes of the crowd, Han Li and six others stepped forward.
Senior Brother Qiu gave them a brief glance and nodded.
The spirited youth wasted no time, summoning a massive bronze bowl as a flying artifact. Without needing instruction, Han Li and the others obediently boarded. The bowl then transformed into a streak of yellow light, soaring toward the depths of Yunmeng Mountain.
As for whether any of the remaining unqualified rogue cultivators would attempt the tests or eventually join the sect, Han Li neither witnessed nor cared. Inside the yellow protective barrier of the bronze bowl, he studied his six companions with interest.
Four men and two women—aside from a quiet, yellow-robed woman in her twenties, the rest appeared to be in their thirties or older. One green-robed cultivator even looked to be in his fifties. Though he had the highest cultivation among them—at the twelfth layer of Qi Condensation—Han Li couldn’t help but shake his head slightly.
Low-tier cultivators with mediocre aptitudes often spent far more time reaching the tenth layer or above, barring extraordinary luck. This explained why Han Li and the yellow-robed woman, both in their twenties, were the youngest in the group.
Had it not been for the mysterious vial whose origins he still didn’t understand, Han Li, with his pseudo-spiritual roots, might never have broken past the fifth or sixth layer by this age, let alone joined a major cultivation sect.
Briefly lost in reflection, Han Li soon snapped back to reality and observed the others. The rest seemed unremarkable, their faces alight with excitement.
However, when his gaze lingered on a burly, bearded man, his eyes narrowed imperceptibly before returning to normal.
The man’s appearance was unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, he exuded a faint, indescribable chill—a sinister aura so subtle that even Han Li’s formidable spiritual sense nearly missed it. This was no ordinary fluctuation of elemental energy from basic cultivation techniques; the man clearly practiced some esoteric art.
Yet his cultivation was undeniably at the tenth layer of Qi Condensation, with no signs of deception. Han Li remained outwardly composed but inwardly intrigued.
As he pondered, the bronze bowl, under the control of the Yu surnamed youth, suddenly arrived before an endless sea of mist. The roiling white fog, dense and impenetrable, echoed with the sounds of wind and thunder, hinting at its extraordinary nature.
Han Li tentatively extended his spiritual sense, but it was blocked after penetrating only a dozen or so feet into the mist. Realizing this was no ordinary barrier but likely part of Luoyun Sect’s formidable protective formation, he hastily withdrew his probing consciousness.
His companions, awestruck by the sight, wore expressions of reverence. Though none had encountered such formations before, the sheer spectacle left them in awe.
The Yu surnamed youth then altered his hand seals, bringing the flying artifact to a halt. He retrieved a cyan formation flag from his storage pouch and began chanting an incantation. The flag soon glowed with a piercing cyan light, growing increasingly radiant.
“Open!”
With a final shout, the youth pointed the flag at the mist. A thick beam of cyan light shot forth, piercing straight into the fog.
Astonishingly, while the rest of the mist continued to churn, a small section calmed instantly. A clear chime rang out as the white fog parted, revealing a passage several yards wide.
Without delay, the youth urged the artifact forward, carrying them into the passage, which sealed seamlessly behind them.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, they emerged from the mist into a paradise.
Before Han Li could take in the scenery, a surge of rich spiritual energy washed over him. He inhaled deeply, his heart leaping with joy as he finally gazed upon the vista before him.
A vast expanse of lush greenery stretched endlessly, alive with birdsong and floral fragrance. Towering peaks, some near and some far, rose thousands of feet into the sky. Around these mountains sprawled countless buildings—halls, pavilions, and residences—while robed cultivators of various attires bustled about, flying in and out in ceaseless activity.
“Take a good look. This is Liufeng Peak, the heart of Luoyun Sect. If you are accepted, this will become your home. For now, follow me to the Pinesong Residence on Tianquan Peak, where we will verify your backgrounds and conduct detailed assessments of your cultivation,” the youth said, amused by their awestruck expressions. He then pointed toward the nearest mountain.
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