The Assessment Concludes

Shen Hao sheathed his sword and stepped down from the arena, and Zhang Shan practically jogged up to meet him, his face brimming with excitement. Grabbing Shen Hao's arm, he shouted, "Senior Brother Shen, you're incredible! Wang Hu's always so arrogant, and his swordplay is vicious, but you still beat him!"

Shen Hao smiled and patted his shoulder, his gaze sweeping over the various looks cast their way. He said calmly, "You did well too. Holding your nerve in the second round and winning against your opponent—that's no small feat."

By then, the matches on the other arenas had also wound down. The third round had been brutal, weeding out most of the disciples who'd made it through the first two. Those who remained standing on the platforms were the cream of the crop among the Outer Sect Disciples. Some had deep cultivation bases, others had masterful sword skills. Each bore traces of exhaustion, but the anticipation in their eyes was unmistakable.

On the high platform, the Chief Deacon Elder walked slowly to the front, holding a bright yellow scroll in his hand. His gaze swept over the thousands of disciples below, and he announced in a clear voice, "The Elder Council has finished tallying all assessment results overnight. Now, I will announce the names of the top one hundred disciples in the Inner Sect Preliminary Assessment!"

As his words fell, the vast Training Ground fell into dead silence, so quiet that the wind's whisper was audible. Thousands of disciples fixed their eyes on the Chief Deacon Elder on the platform, as if drawn by a magnet. Every heart pounded wildly, every breath held carefully, afraid to miss the name that would decide their fate.

The Chief Deacon Elder cleared his throat, unrolled the scroll, and his voice, amplified by Spiritual Energy, rang clearly through every corner of the Training Ground: "First place, Shen Hao!"

Shen Hao was momentarily stunned, then smiled in relief. His three assessment results—his cultivation test had reached Perfected Qi Refining Third Layer, the highest among all Outer Sect Disciples; his Sword Art Assessment had scored full marks, every move flawless; and his Combat Competition had been three wins, each clean and decisive—made his first-place finish well-deserved.

A thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd. Disciples turned their heads to look at the tall, composed youth standing among them. Zhang Shan jumped up in excitement, grabbing Shen Hao's arm, his voice cracking: "Senior Brother Shen! You're first! That's amazing! I knew you could do it!"

Shen Hao patted his back, feeling the envious and admiring gazes around him, and a quiet sense of achievement welled up inside. Three months of relentless day-and-night training had finally paid off.

The Chief Deacon Elder didn't pause. He continued reading the list, each name rolling off his tongue. With every name, cheers of varying volume rose from the crowd. Those whose names were called beamed with joy, embracing their companions in celebration. Those still waiting grew more tense, their hands clenched, palms slick with sweat.

Shen Hao stood still, listening to the familiar and unfamiliar names. His gaze fell on Zhang Shan, who was pale with nerves, hands clasped together, muttering to himself. He couldn't help but smile.

Finally, when the Chief Deacon Elder reached the fifty-sixth name, it rang out clearly: "Fifty-sixth place, Zhang Shan!"

"I—I passed!" Zhang Shan froze on the spot, then let out a choked cheer, tears streaming down his face without warning. He was the son of a poor hunter, raised in the mountains. Just getting into the Ziyang Sect's Outer Sect had been a stroke of incredible luck. Over these three months, he'd trained day and night with Shen Hao, collapsing from exhaustion countless times, crying silently over slow progress. Now, he'd actually become an Inner Sect Disciple—something he'd never even dared to dream of.

Shen Hao was genuinely happy for him. He patted his shoulder and said warmly, "Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhang. Your hard work paid off."

Zhang Shan wiped his tears, nodding with a sob, but his face was all smiles. "Thank you, Senior Brother Shen! Without you, I definitely wouldn't have made it past the first round!"

The list was soon finished. One hundred names, like a hundred beams of hope, lit up the faces of the lucky ones. They were ecstatic, congratulating each other, babbling with excitement. The disciples who didn't make the cut wore looks of disappointment—some hung their heads, others quietly wept—and eventually, urged by the elders, they withdrew in dejection.

The Chief Deacon Elder looked at the hundred disciples on the platform and nodded in satisfaction. His voice rang out again: "From today, you are Inner Sect Disciples of the Ziyang Sect! Three days from now, at the start of the Mao Hour, report to the Inner Sect's Transmission Hall to receive your Inner Sect Disciple robes, tokens, and cultivation resources. Remember, do not be late!"

"Yes, Elder!" The hundred Inner Sect Disciples answered in unison, their voices loud and clear, echoing through the sky and startling distant birds into flapping away.

After the assessment, Shen Hao and Zhang Shan walked out of the Training Ground side by side. Along the way, many Outer Sect Disciples cast envious glances at them. Some familiar ones came up to offer congratulations, their words dripping with flattery. Shen Hao responded coolly, but Zhang Shan was still overwhelmed, his cheeks flushed red.

Back in Room C, Shen Hao closed the door. The silence inside helped calm his racing thoughts. He walked to the bed, sat cross-legged, and watched the setting sun through the window. His heart still stirred with excitement. He had leaped from an unknown Outer Sect Disciple to an Inner Sect Disciple. This meant access to deeper techniques, more cultivation resources, and a giant step forward on his path of immortal cultivation.

Shen Hao took out the warm Companion Jade Pendant from his chest, held it in his palm, and infused it with a thread of Spiritual Energy. A green light flickered, and the Spirit Devouring Vortex in his dantian began to spin slowly, drawing in the ambient Spiritual Energy from the air. He didn't use any spirit stones, just quietly felt the gentle warmth from the pendant and the soothing flow of Spiritual Energy through his Meridians.

Three months of grueling training had finally earned him today's glory. But Shen Hao knew this was only the beginning. The competition among Inner Sect Disciples would be far fiercer than in the Outer Sect. There would be more talented disciples, stronger opponents, and harsher challenges. He would have to train even harder to stand firm in the Inner Sect, crowded with experts, and carve out his own path of immortal cultivation.