Within the Azure Cloud Sect, the Nine Cauldrons Talent Test

"Holy crap! Look at that guy!"

"Holy crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!"

What had they just seen?

That cloud ladder, difficult for them as climbing to the heavens.

A man was striding across it as if he could fly!

It was simply so absurd that absurdity opened the door for it—absurd all the way home!

Even more absurd than that man strolling atop it as though he were taking a leisurely walk in a courtyard.

Truly, comparing oneself to others was enough to make one die of anger!

Qin Han had already reached over three hundred steps, yet he remained as calm as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze.

He noticed someone catching up from behind, but paid no attention, continuing to walk slowly, one step at a time.

Ning Yan surged forward in one burst, overtaking the man ahead of him before continuing his mad dash upward.

As he passed Qin Han, he even turned back for a glance.

Qin Han merely smiled faintly, as if he did not mind being overtaken at all.

After being tempered for tens of thousands of years, an Emperor's state of mind had long become as solid as a rock. Competing for first place was the sort of thing children enjoyed; he had experienced it countless times in his youth.

The Illusionary Sky Ladder had a total of nine hundred and ninety-nine steps.

At this moment, apart from Ning Yan and Qin Han, several hundred people were still gritting their teeth and holding on above the hundredth step.

Their faces streamed with sweat, their expressions filled with struggle. They were nothing like Ning Yan and Qin Han, who appeared so relaxed.

Still, they had already surpassed the vast majority. Those who had failed the trial all hung their heads in dejection.

Some had retreated after only the first few steps, while others had held on for ten steps before being teleported down.

Of course, before the very end, no one knew how things would turn out. After all, failing after one step was no different from failing after nine hundred and ninety-eight.

At the summit.

The three elders exchanged glances.

Not bad. There were still a few promising seedlings.

Especially those two at the very front.

Back on the Heavenly Stairway.

Ning Yan charged to the very top in one breath and arrived before the sect gates.

The crowd below erupted once more.

The first person to complete the test had emerged!

This gave tremendous encouragement to those who had yet to begin the challenge.

Where there was a first, there would be a second, a third, a fourth...

Maybe if they worked hard enough, they could climb up there too?

"Greetings, Elder. My name is Ning Yan."

"Wait a moment. The second test will begin shortly."

Elder Ye Bai said with a smile.

To rush up in such a short time showed that this person possessed an exceptionally steadfast heart and great perseverance. From now on, he would be a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect.

Standing atop the mountain and looking down, Ning Yan saw that the highest climber now was that young man he had looked back at earlier.

He had already passed eight hundred steps, and his footing was still steady. Ning Yan even suspected that this man was deliberately walking so slowly!

Listening to the praise and adulation from the crowd below.

He could not help but feel a little like this:

Ten years of bitter cultivation, unnoticed by all; one day of fame, known beneath the heavens!

Time slowly passed, and before long, Qin Han also made it up.

Half a day later.

By now, half of the hundreds of millions of people had been eliminated.

A thousand people had gathered at the mountain summit.

These thousand people had fought their way out of a sea of hundreds of millions and successfully reached the top, passing the test.

Every one of them happily chatted with the others.

They rejoiced at having reached the summit. Each of them understood better than anyone the hardships of the journey.

They had all gritted their teeth and persisted, encouraging themselves with every step they took—hold on a little longer... try a little harder!

Relying on unyielding determination, they had climbed to the summit step by step.

"The numbers are about right. Now, we will conduct the second talent test."

After Ye Bai spoke, he noticed that some looked downcast while others looked delighted, so he spoke again.

"You already count as disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect, so do not be sad even if you fail the second trial."

"Passing the first trial makes you Servant Disciples. Passing the second makes you Outer Sect Disciples."

"Servant Disciples have a ranking list every two months. The top ten will be promoted to the Outer Sect. The same applies to Outer Sect Disciples: every two months, the rankings are set, and the top ten will be promoted to the Inner Sect."

"So long as each of you cultivates diligently, you will have a chance to become an Outer Sect Disciple, or even an Inner Sect Disciple."

These rules had been established by Feng Qingyang and the elders after discussion, to motivate the disciples.

Wherever there was competition, there would be drive.

Rankings were determined purely by strength. Each ranking list recorded only the top hundred, and any disciple could challenge those ranked above them at any time.

In other words, if you had what it took, then step up.

The people who had passed the Heavenly Stairway eagerly followed the elders into the Azure Cloud Sect.

This day had finally come. They had entered the sacred land of cultivation they had dreamed of.

The moment they entered the sect, boundless spiritual energy rushed toward them. As far as the eye could see, spiritual energy had condensed into mist, while pavilions, terraces, and towers resembled an immortal realm.

Shocking!

A shock unlike anything they had ever felt!

Though they lived in Spirit Province, they had never come into contact with a sacred land. When had they ever seen a sight capable of utterly crushing even sacred lands?

And when they thought that they now counted as disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect, that they could cultivate and live here in the future.

They became even more excited. They had only known before that the Azure Cloud Sect was powerful, a supreme sect that dominated all of Spirit Province.

Now they understood just how profound the Azure Cloud Sect's foundation was. With such a sect, what was there to fear about rising to greatness?

Qin Han narrowed his eyes as well. This Azure Cloud Sect was not simple! The density of its spiritual energy far surpassed that of the Central Domain!

He had noticed it the moment he arrived at the Azure Cloud Mountain Range. Even the spiritual energy at its outskirts rivaled that of the Central Domain, yet inside the sect, it was several times greater.

Could it be that he had stumbled into a great hidden sect by sheer accident?

Even an Emperor was shocked! Let alone the old man within Ning Yan's necklace.

What kind of place is this...?

He had just been bragging to his disciple that there was no scene this old man had not seen before.

But damn it... he truly had never seen a scene like this!

At this moment, the Nine Cauldrons Great Dao Bell had already been moved over. It had been prepared three days ago.

"This is our Azure Cloud Sect's exclusive item for testing talent."

"Strike it with all your strength. If the bell rings three times, you will pass the test and become an Outer Sect Disciple."

"Making it ring three times is quite easy, so relax."

If one could make it ring three times, it meant their talent was already quite good—they could be called a genius.

Emperor Qin Han was stunned again. He sensed the Nine Cauldrons constantly swallowing and exhaling Dao Rhythm, suppressing fortune and destiny. Could such a supreme treasure be an immortal artifact?

And you were telling him that the Azure Cloud Sect used an immortal artifact to test talent?

What extravagance!

Like Leng Bingning, he began to doubt it as well. The Azure Cloud Sect could no longer be described as merely a great hidden sect. Could it be an immortal sect from the upper realm?

Using an immortal artifact to test talent was such a waste of heaven's gifts! You really knew how to do things!

Hearing the elder's words, everyone hastily expressed their disbelief.

Making it ring three times was easy?

You had said the same thing about the Heavenly Stairway just now! Easy?

Elder, you had no martial virtue!

This was probably going to be another extremely difficult task.

Everyone lined up and stepped forward to take the test in turn.

"Ha!"

A young man struck the Nine Cauldrons with all his strength, then looked at it expectantly.

Dong, dong!

"The bell rang twice. Failed. Next."

Dong, dong!

"Failed. Next."

Dong, dong, dong!

"It rang three times, Elder!"

"I passed, haha!"

A man said excitedly. His talent had never been poor since childhood.

However, after seeing more than a hundred people before him eliminated one after another, he had still felt rather uneasy. Now, the great stone in his heart had finally fallen to the ground.

"The bell rang three times. You have passed the assessment."

The testing continued.

Some were eliminated one after another, while others passed.

Every person's joys and sorrows were different.

A few exceptional talents who made the bell ring four times appeared along the way, as well as one who made it ring five times.

Only after the elders explained did everyone learn that four rings meant one's talent was higher than that of an ordinary genius—neither high enough to stand above the rest nor low enough to fall behind them.

Five rings, meanwhile, meant one possessed the aptitude of a peerless talent.

Though the one who made it ring five times was excited, he did not say much. Everyone was the same: regardless of how many times it rang, anyone who passed became an Outer Sect Disciple. They could only see who was truly better through their strength in the future.

There was also someone named Ji Ni Tai Mei who was especially unfortunate. The bell had only rung two and a half times, and he failed the assessment.

On the spot, he put on a mask of agony, waving his arms and bursting into tears.

Even Elder Ye Bai found it a great pity. Half a ring had held this disciple back.