Mid-stage Qi Refining, Entering the Outer Sect

The entry-level disciple assessment office stood in the central area of the residences, right next to the dining hall. It was a wooden building that looked rather old.

Wind and rain had bleached the corners of its eaves, but the bluestone steps before its doors had been worn smooth and shiny. The aroma of food drifted faintly over from the nearby dining hall.

It was afternoon. Sunlight spilled through thin clouds, bathing the whole building in a lazy, warm glow.

When Lu Yang arrived, a youth happened to be walking through the door.

The youth was rather thin. Hearing footsteps, he turned around instinctively.

The moment he saw Lu Yang, surprise flashed in his eyes.

Among the entry-level disciples, almost everyone knew Lu Yang.

If nothing else, the Spirit Cuisine Lu Yang had eaten over the past few days was enough to make him a "rich man" known to all.

Not to mention his handsome, otherworldly face, which stood out even in a crowd.

The youth recovered himself and hurriedly nodded to Lu Yang, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Senior Brother Lu, have you... broken through to Mid-stage Qi Refining?"

Lu Yang paused, looking at him in some surprise. "You know me?"

The youth's smile widened. "Which of us entry-level disciples doesn't know you, Senior Brother Lu Yang? Oh, right, my name is Wang Siyuan."

Lu Yang nodded slightly and spoke in an even tone. "Hello, Junior Brother Wang. Are you here for the assessment too?"

"Yes," Wang Siyuan replied eagerly, his eyes shining. "I didn't expect to run into you here, Senior Brother Lu. What a coincidence."

Chatting, the two walked through the door side by side.

Inside the assessment office.

Light slanted through the windows, and a faint scent of sandalwood drifted through the air.

The hall was not particularly spacious.

Two old wooden chairs stood toward the back. A pair of middle-aged people in outer sect deacon robes sat reclining in them, one on the left and the other on the right.

One was a man and the other a woman, and both had their eyes closed as they regulated their breathing.

The room was so quiet that only the soft rustling of leaves outside could be heard.

The assessment office was usually so quiet that the two practically treated it as a secluded room for cultivation.

Only when they heard footsteps did they slowly open their eyes.

The moment their gazes fell on Lu Yang, smiles appeared on their faces almost simultaneously.

Although their duties as outer sect deacons were easy, they were well informed.

A few days earlier, word had quietly circulated in the outer sect that Qin Nanyue of the Qin Household's direct line had actually shared a meal with this entry-level disciple, Lu Yang.

They knew perfectly well what it meant for him to have sat at the same table as Qin Nanyue.

At the very least, a Golden Core force had to be standing behind Lu Yang.

As a result, their gazes naturally grew a little more serious and cordial when they looked at him.

"Junior Brother Lu, are you here for the assessment?" the male deacon asked first, his tone radiating goodwill.

The female deacon beside him also rose to her feet. With a light sweep of her sleeve, she gave him an especially bright smile.

Wang Siyuan, who had been standing to the side all this time, grew even more surprised to see how warmly the two outer sect deacons treated Lu Yang.

He stole a glance at Lu Yang's profile, swallowed, and obediently stepped half a pace aside to let Lu Yang go first.

Lu Yang nodded slightly and cupped his hands. "Yes. Sorry for troubling you, Senior Brother, Senior Sister."

The female deacon waved her hands repeatedly, her laughter clear and bright. "No trouble at all, no trouble at all. It's our duty."

She raised her eyes and took a careful look at Lu Yang. The afternoon light fell across his brow and the bridge of his nose, lending his handsome features an almost translucent clarity.

For no apparent reason, the female deacon's heart skipped two beats.

She had heard people say he was good-looking, but now that she saw him, how was he merely good-looking? Those rumors had been far too conservative.

At that moment, the male deacon pointed to an intricate jade disc on the long table. Its surface was covered in finely etched runes, and four circular patterns lined its edge.

He explained, "Junior Brother Lu, you only need to channel your Spiritual Qi into the jade disc. It will show the result based on the state of your Spiritual Qi. If your cultivation has reached Mid-stage Qi Refining, two of the rings along the edge will light up, and you'll pass. The jade disc can also measure the quality of your Spiritual Qi. The higher the quality, the whiter and brighter the light. If there are any problems, such as Evil Qi, those won't escape its detection either."

Lu Yang had already watched others take the assessment many times, so he knew what to expect.

He cultivated an orthodox Cultivation Method issued by the Golden Rainbow Sword Sect, and his Spiritual Qi was mild and pure. Naturally, he had nothing to worry about.

He nodded, stepped forward, and gently placed his right hand in the center of the jade disc.

It was icy cold to the touch, like pressing his hand against the surface of water.

He slowly circulated his Cultivation Method, and the Spiritual Qi in his Dantian immediately gathered like a stream, surging along his meridians and into the jade disc.

In an instant, the runes on the disc lit up one after another like stars being kindled.

Immediately afterward, the first circular pattern along the edge blazed with light, followed closely by the second.

The light was pure white and luminous, almost dazzling, like moonlight condensed into substance. It brightened the entire room.

The two deacons, who had not paid much attention before, were both stunned.

They stared blankly at the overflowing white light, their pupils narrowing slightly.

The female deacon drew a breath, her voice rising a little. "Junior Brother Lu's Spiritual Qi is such high quality!"

The male deacon could not help nodding repeatedly, his eyes full of astonishment.

The two had kept watch at the assessment office for who knew how many years, seeing batch after batch of entry-level disciples, but Spiritual Qi as pure and bright as this was truly rare.

Such quality usually appeared only when a profound-rank Cultivation Method had been cultivated to an exceptionally deep level, or perhaps... when the cultivator practiced an earth-rank Cultivation Method.

But then they recalled the earlier rumors about Lu Yang, and suddenly it seemed only natural.

If Junior Brother Lu truly had that kind of backing, it would hardly be strange for him to cultivate an earth-rank Cultivation Method.

Their main responsibility was to check whether there was anything abnormal about a disciple's Spiritual Qi. Since everything was in order, he naturally passed.

The female deacon was the first to recover, her smile growing even brighter. "You passed. Congratulations on officially entering the outer sect, Junior Brother Lu. Please give me your sect token, and I'll upgrade it to an outer sect token for you."

Lu Yang remained calm and handed over the token as instructed.

On the other side, the male deacon looked at Wang Siyuan, who had remained silent the whole time, and softened his voice. "Junior Brother, are you here to be tested too?"

Wang Siyuan hurried forward and cupped his hands respectfully. "Wang Siyuan greets you, Senior Brother. Sorry to trouble you, but could you test me?"

The male deacon nodded. "You heard what to watch out for just now. Go right ahead."

Wang Siyuan nodded in agreement and walked up to the jade disc.

He took a deep breath and reached out, his hand trembling slightly. It was unclear whether he was nervous or excited.

He channeled in his Spiritual Qi, and the runes on the jade disc slowly lit up. The light, however, was weak and faint, like a candle flame veiled in mist.

Although two circular patterns lit up, compared with Lu Yang's earlier light, incandescent white as the bright moon, it was like a firefly beside the full moon.

Neither Wang Siyuan nor the male deacon was in the least surprised.

The quality of a cultivator's Spiritual Qi could differ as vastly as heaven and earth depending on their Cultivation Method, talent, and resources.

Since Wang Siyuan could light up two rings, he had genuinely reached Mid-stage Qi Refining.

After examining the result, the male deacon nodded. "All right, you passed. I'll arrange your outer sect status right away."

A smile burst across Wang Siyuan's face, and he said loudly, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

By this time, Lu Yang had received his new sect token from the female deacon.

The front of the token still bore the Golden Rainbow Sword Sect's sharp sword-pattern emblem, but a ring of delicate outer sect markings had been added around the edge.

The token felt warm and smooth in his hand, and even seemed a little more substantial.

The female deacon gave him some friendly instructions. "Junior Brother Lu, take this outer sect token straight to the Outer Sect Affairs Hall. The senior brother there will register you."

Lu Yang nodded to her. "Sorry for the trouble, Senior Sister."

As they spoke, Wang Siyuan finished his own paperwork and hurried over to Lu Yang, his eyes still bright with lingering excitement. "Senior Brother Lu, shall we go to the outer sect together?"

Lu Yang glanced at him, thought for a moment, and nodded. "Let's go, then."

After leaving the assessment office, they walked toward the outer sect. Wang Siyuan's face was flushed red, and his steps were a little unsteady. He could not help murmuring, "I'm finally going to enter the outer sect..."

Seeing him like this, Lu Yang could not help smiling. "Junior Brother Wang, aren't you a little too excited?"

Wang Siyuan scratched his head sheepishly, even the tips of his ears turning red. He gave an awkward laugh. "Senior Brother Lu, you have a powerful background. How could you understand the difficulties of disciples from small, humble families like ours? My family are Rogue Cultivators, with no roots or foundation. If I can enter the outer sect, once the news gets home, even my parents will be able to speak with a little more confidence in the market, and their lives will be much easier."

Lu Yang fell silent for a moment, his heart faintly touched.

How different were he and Wang Siyuan, really?

Although the Lu Household bore the name of a cultivation lineage, in truth it was as small as a lineage could be, without a single Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If he could officially enter the outer sect, his parents, uncles, and clan elders would surely feel they could hold their heads high when they heard the news.

Once I'm settled here, I'll write a letter home.

He suddenly remembered that the New Year was only two months away.

In the years since he had joined the sect, he had been busy cultivating, and because he had never passed the assessment, he had always been afraid of disappointing his family if he went back. So he had kept putting it off and had never returned home.

Now, he could finally go back.

Over the past few years, his lineage had regularly asked people to bring him a few Spirit Stones.

Although the amount was pitifully small, he knew very well that it was a token of his parents' and elders' care, saved by taking scraps from their own mouths.

Now he had saved up some money, enough to give his family a better life too.

Light and shadow filtered through the branches of the ancient trees lining the road and fell across the two of them. Lu Yang slowly let out a breath, and his steps grew a little lighter.

Beside him, Wang Siyuan kept feeling the outer sect token he had just received, unable to keep the corners of his mouth from rising.