Outer Sect Disciples

The young disciples who entered the three gates all encountered difficulties along the way. Some were trapped by snow, some were swept up and tossed about by fierce winds, some were nearly dehydrated by the blazing sun, and still others were chased by wild beasts, leaving everyone hard-pressed to cope.

After enduring heavy rain, blizzards, scorching sunlight, and raging winds, Wei Yunxi was met with pursuit by a spirit beast. Though she felt it was all fake, she did not dare stop, because the pain of being injured felt far too real.

As she ran, Wei Yunxi muttered to herself:

"Yunxi, hang in there! You're the best! You'll definitely come in first! Come on! Charge forward!"

The Haoran Sect elders watching this scene through the water mirror could not help but laugh.

"This little girl is quite interesting."

"She looks like the type who refuses to admit defeat."

"Don't mock her. She really did take first place in both previous rounds of testing. It was only because she has Three Spiritual Roots that she never caught your eyes."

"Then let's see how she performs in this round. If she still takes first place, I'll accept her as a Nominal Disciple. Spiritual Root aptitude is important, but temperament and perseverance are important as well. Everyone knows that once one reaches the Spirit Realm, aptitude matters less; what matters more is comprehension."

The one speaking was Lu Danyang, an elder of Alchemy Peak.

"What Elder Danyang says is true, but that is only if this girl can cultivate to the Spirit Transformation Realm. There are countless disciples who lack neither temperament nor perseverance, yet are constrained by their aptitude. Accepting disciples should still require an all-round consideration."

An elder with the air of an immortal said this.

Elder Lu was not angered. Smiling, he said:

"Elder Yu Yang is right as well. Then let us continue watching."

Wei Yunxi had no idea that her muttering had successfully drawn attention. She was still running forward, not daring to relax in the slightest. But after sprinting at full speed for a stretch, she began to run out of steam.

"Awoo!" A cry sounded behind her, frightening her into immediately accelerating. She felt sharp teeth graze past the hem of her clothes.

This time, she channeled the Spiritual Qi in her body into her legs, allowing herself to keep charging forward. She had no desire to test the sharpness of the beast's teeth behind her with her own flesh.

She publicly displayed the cultivation of the first layer of Qi Refining. To conceal the truth, she held a spirit stone in her hand as she ran, making it appear as though she had spirit stones continuously replenishing her, thus hiding the fact that her Spiritual Qi reserves exceeded those of the first layer of Qi Refining.

She ran for another entire day. Just as Wei Yunxi felt she could no longer endure, she finally saw light at the end of the Blue Stone Path.

"The finish line is almost here. Wei Yunxi, you have to keep going!"

Encouraging herself, she increased her speed for the final sprint. She was only one last step away. She had to give it everything she had.

Yet as Wei Yunxi ran, she realized that the point of light remained ahead of her. No matter how she ran, the distance between them did not seem to shrink.

Wei Yunxi felt exhausted in both body and mind. This was like dangling a yellow carrot in front of her, making a horse run itself to death while staring at a mountain!

In her heart, Wei Yunxi sent greetings to the Haoran Sect's founding ancestor. In the end, she simply shut her eyes and began running, choosing out of sight, out of mind. Once she could not run anymore, she would just lie flat.

The people of Haoran Sect would not simply watch her get bitten to death. They were accepting disciples, not destroying young sprouts.

Once Wei Yunxi settled her mindset, the distance between her and the point of light rapidly shrank. But with her eyes closed, she did not dare release her divine sense, so she did not know that she had run out through the exit a quarter hour later. It was only when she crashed into a wall of flesh that she opened her eyes.

Wei Yunxi rubbed her forehead and opened her eyes, only to discover that she had run into someone she knew.

Song Ke looked at the somewhat dazed little girl with a smile.

"Wei Yunxi, congratulations on passing this trial. You are now an Outer Sect Disciple of the Haoran Sect."

Hearing this, Wei Yunxi lowered the hand rubbing her forehead and said in disbelief:

"Senior, I passed the assessment? Really?"

Song Ke replied with a beaming smile:

"Of course. You may now call me Uncle-Master Song. From now on, we are fellow disciples."

"Disciple Wei Yunxi greets Uncle-Master Song. Thank you, Uncle-Master Song, for your guidance."

"Good. Go rest over there. Once the assessment ends, someone will take you to handle the procedures for entering the sect."

"Yes, Uncle-Master!"

Wei Yunxi's heart was brimming with joy. She had finally passed the assessment. What followed immediately was exhaustion throughout her body. She walked into a corner, plopped down, and began meditating to recover.

The core of this assessment was perseverance. As long as the children who entered the gates could persist until the end, most of them passed the assessment.

Because of the persistence in her heart, Wei Yunqing also passed the assessment smoothly this time. Seeing Wei Yunxi pass before her yet again, she felt deeply uncomfortable.

All eight members of the Wei Family performed very well this time. Because they had all already completed Qi Introduction, the difficulty of their trials had been increased. If the mortal children experienced a fine drizzle, then what they experienced was a raging storm.

After gathering the children who had passed the assessment, Song Ke introduced himself with a smile:

"I am Song Ke, an Inner Sect Disciple of the Haoran Sect. I accepted the task of recruiting new disciples through this trial. Next, those whose names I call should gather over here."

Song Ke then began calling names:

"Mu Chen, Liu Yuxing, Feng Heyong."

After reading out a string of names, Song Ke said:

"You will enter the Haoran Sect's Service Peak. Once you cultivate to the late Qi Refining stage, you may advance to become Outer Sect Disciples. Of course, if you do not wish to become Miscellaneous Servant Disciples, it is not too late to withdraw now."

The thirty-odd people whose names had been called looked at one another, but none were willing to leave. Their aptitude was merely poor; it was not as if they could not cultivate. As long as they entered the Outer Sect, there was still hope.

"Good. If no one is leaving, Elder Su of Service Peak will come pick you up shortly."

After saying that, Song Ke addressed the remaining disciples:

"You will cultivate in the Outer Sect. I will first take you to the Outer Disciple Hall to register your identities."

With that, he released his Flying Sword. Amid the young disciples' cries of surprise, it grew larger and wider. Once all twenty-two of them had stepped onto it, Song Ke flew his sword toward the Outer Sect's Disciple Hall.

The Steward of the Outer Disciple Hall was a middle-aged cultivator with a small goatee. Upon seeing Song Ke, he came forward with a smile.

"Junior Brother Song, you're here?"

"Steward Zheng, I have come to deliver the new disciples who passed the trial. Please trouble yourself with preparing new Identity Jade Tokens for them and settling this batch of new disciples."

"Junior Brother Song, you have worked hard. Leave the rest to me!"

Song Ke exchanged a few pleasantries with Steward Zheng, greeted the little carrot-heads, then flew away on his sword once more.

Steward Zheng also put away the smile on his face and said sternly:

"Everyone, line up here to process your sect Identity Jade Tokens."

This time, every member of the Wei Family entered the Outer Sect. Wei Yunting stood first in line. After reporting her name, age, and cultivation, she quietly stood there.

Upon learning that they were Wei family disciples, Steward Zheng smiled again and said to Wei Yunting:

"You Wei family disciples achieved quite good results in the assessment. After your Identity Jade Tokens are processed, wait outside the Disciple Hall. I will take you to the residences of the Outer Sect Disciples."

"Thank you, Steward Zheng. We are troubling you."

Wei Yunting immediately expressed her thanks.

"You are welcome. It is my duty."