Inner Court

The Inner Court was the most mysterious entity within the Tianyuan Divine Sect. Disciples who graduated from it typically became, at worst, captains of the hidden guards, carrying out special missions for the Tianyuan Divine Sect.

They all wore golden masks, fundamentally different from the silver masks worn by ordinary hidden guards.

After listening to Qi Xuanxuan's introduction, Han Fei sighed softly. "The Tianyuan Divine Sect can rule the surrounding Four Great Empires because its foundations are indeed terrifyingly deep."

Qi Xuanxuan said, "The Inner Court is a very special place. Even among Tianyuan Divine Sect disciples, few truly understand it. To put it plainly, it is where the Tianyuan Divine Sect cultivates its upper ranks."

At the northernmost reaches of the Tianyuan Divine Sect, within a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides, stood a vast complex of buildings.

This was the only opening in the entire Tianyuan Mountain Range. The head of the Tianyuan Mountain Range lay on one side of the valley, while its tail stretched out on the other.

Beyond this opening to the south lay the edge of the continent—the Endless Sea.

Thus, this valley had become an uninhabited land and one of the Tianyuan Divine Sect's most mysterious places.

Han Fei and the other twenty-nine arrived at the entrance to the valley.

On either side of the entrance stood dozens of hidden guards wearing golden masks. In the center, a stern-faced man dressed in One-Star Elder robes was handing over duties with the elder who had led Han Fei's group here.

Then the stern-faced man announced, "My name is Gao Cheng, and I am the examiner for your Inner Court assessment. Han Fei, Gu Yue, Meng Qing... the eleven of you are exempt from the assessment and may enter the Inner Court directly. The remaining nineteen must pass the assessment."

Han Fei and the others who were hearing these rules for the first time were all bewildered.

Qi Xuanxuan explained, "You participated in the arena battles, so you have the right to enter directly. We do not. We were selected by the various Headmasters and elders, so we must pass the assessment. If we fail, we still cannot enter."

Han Fei nodded in understanding. "So that's how it is."

Gao Cheng said, "The eleven of you, come with me. The rest of you will enter the valley in the time it takes to burn an incense stick. As long as you pass through the forest safely and arrive at the entrance to the Inner Court, you will have passed. If you wish to withdraw midway, simply raise both hands. The hidden guards concealed in the darkness will rescue you."

Zhang Yang said, "What? Raise both hands? Isn't that the gesture for surrendering? They really came up with that?"

Gao Cheng said coldly, "Yes, it means surrender. Since you want to become the chosen of heaven, you must endure intense pressure. Of course, I do not consider this pressure at all. If there are no further questions, begin now."

As he spoke, Gao Cheng unleashed powerful spiritual energy, directly lifting Han Fei and the other eleven into the air and flying toward the gates of the Inner Court.

Under the gestures of the golden-masked hidden guards beside them, Qi Xuanxuan and the others calmly entered the valley.

They did not know what awaited them. Still, as Gao Cheng had said, if they wanted to become the chosen of heaven, they had to be prepared to face anything.

By then, Han Fei and the others had arrived at the gates. Light flashed in Gao Cheng's hand, and some unknown Magic Treasure appeared in his grasp. He then tossed it onto the open ground ahead.

With a flash of light, the Magic Treasure immediately split apart into dozens of rays before finally forming several scenes, each about a meter in diameter, just like the televisions Han Fei had seen in his previous life.

The scenes displayed every corner of the forest ahead.

Qi Xuanxuan and the other nineteen had already spread out in a fan formation, each entering a different area. Most of them were not familiar with one another, and as geniuses from their respective peaks, they disdained forming temporary teams with others.

Han Fei saw that Qi Xuanxuan had chosen to advance in a straight line. A few sharp-eyed disciples were also moving on either side of her. Though they did not follow her directly, they remained nearby.

Gao Cheng laughed when he saw this. "Ridiculous. Do they think a trial for geniuses will be that simple?"

Han Fei humbly said, "Senior..."

Gao Cheng cut him off. "I am not your senior. I am an elder brother who graduated from this year's Inner Court."

Han Fei was inwardly shocked. He had been promoted directly to a One-Star Elder immediately after graduating. Just how terrifying was his strength?

Han Fei cupped his hands in salute. "Yes, Elder Brother. May I ask whether cultivation level affects the trial? Does a higher cultivation level give one a greater advantage?"

Gao Cheng smiled. "You are the first-place winner of this year's tournament, aren't you? This is the first time I have heard of someone in the Innate Realm taking first place in the Thirty-Three Peaks Martial Arts Tournament."

Han Fei humbly replied, "It was all luck. The elder brothers merely let me win."

Gao Cheng smiled mysteriously. "You asked whether cultivation has an impact. Of course it does, but the greatest hurdle they need to overcome is always themselves. That has nothing to do with cultivation."

As soon as Gao Cheng finished speaking, Han Fei saw Qi Xuanxuan become the first to encounter an opponent in the scenes. After all, she had been advancing in a straight line.

A strange aura enveloped the area ahead of Qi Xuanxuan. Countless white venomous snakes hung from the surrounding trees. To pass through, she had no choice but to go through them.

Fortunately, the white snake skin contrasted sharply with the trees around them, making it easy to spot where the snakes were.

Qi Xuanxuan slowly drew her Azure Spirit Sword. A layer of spiritual energy wrapped around her body as she charged directly into the venomous snake zone.

Gao Cheng shook his head. "Protecting her own cleanliness even in battle—what a waste of spiritual energy."

Zhang Yang said, "Elder Brother, perhaps you do not know her identity. How dare you speak of her like that?"

Gao Cheng snorted coldly. "Isn't she the Sect Master's daughter? So what? Do you think she has special privileges? If she did, there would be no assessment. Let me tell you, in the Inner Court, you can rely on nothing. The only thing you can rely on is yourselves. Do you think the Core Disciples of the Divine Sect have such noble status and so many privileges because of their connections?"

"Besides, you are truly fortunate that you do not need to take the assessment. Otherwise, whether you could even arrive here alive would be a question."

Meng Qing asked, "Elder Brother, do you mean the assessment can be life-threatening?"

Gao Cheng merely smiled mysteriously and said nothing more, because someone had already been bitten to death by the venomous snakes.

On the far left, a man had only just entered the venomous snake zone when a massive swarm of snakes shot toward him.

In his panic, he immediately used a wide-range attack, killing half the snakes. But everyone knew that large-scale techniques required time to gather spiritual energy, and after unleashing one, there was a moment—or even several moments—of stiffness.

In that brief interval, the snakes he had missed closed in and bit him on the neck. Then the rest of the snakes swarmed over him, completely burying him. He died a gruesome death without even having the chance to surrender.

Gao Cheng mocked, "Trying to clear the test like that is simply courting death. Someone with that level of intelligence was selected to come here? The quality of Thirty-Three Peaks disciples truly gets worse every year."

Gu Yue said expressionlessly, "Elder Brother, that is a little excessive. No one who made it here lacks intelligence."

Gao Cheng snorted. "I'm excessive? The venomous snakes in the first stage are all low-level. Their spiritual energy has not even reached Level Fifteen, equivalent only to the Innate Realm Fifth Level. This stage tests nothing more than a Martial Artist's speed and coordination with their techniques. There is nothing difficult about it. If he could not even pass this, what else could it be but low intelligence?"

Han Fei asked, "So the sect will simply watch these people die? They are all top-ranked disciples from the major main peaks."

Gao Cheng shook his head. "You are mistaken. The Tianyuan Divine Sect—and indeed any sect—never lacks geniuses. Remember that."

Han Fei and the others fell silent.

Qi Xuanxuan had already entered the venomous snake zone and showed no intention of slowing down. Wearing a purple gown, she transformed into a dazzling purple figure.

As she sped forward, the Azure Spirit Sword in her right hand unleashed streaks of sword light, agile yet lethally sharp.

Slash, slash—each streak of sword light precisely cleaved a venomous snake in two.

Watching Qi Xuanxuan's graceful figure, Han Fei finally revealed a relieved smile.

The venomous snake zone was quickly passed. The others also made it through one after another. Only one disciple died in the first stage, but by the second stage, everyone began to feel the pressure.

Qi Xuanxuan was the first to pass through. What appeared before her was a Blazing Bear with spiritual energy at Level Twenty. Without pausing in the slightest, she engaged the Blazing Bear in battle.

Only then did Han Fei understand why Gao Cheng had said that the assessment did not distinguish between high and low cultivation levels.

Because he saw that the demonic beasts facing each participant were not the same. Each was one level below the participant's own cultivation.