Sect

Luo Wei leaned against the wall and tilted his head back, a trace of reminiscence in his eyes. He slowly said:

"Sect examinations... Sun Lei, you should have heard of sects when you were in school, right?"

"Sect examinations... Sun Lei, you should have heard of sect examinations when you were in school, right?"

Facing Luo Wei's question, Sun Lei nodded. As he forcefully cut apart the Flame Marsh Lizard's claws, he said:

"Captain, I may not have been good at studying, but I still know about this!"

"Captain, I may not have been good at studying, but I still know about this sort of thing!"

"The sects are the four professional organizations established for our Dragon Nation's special profession—the qi cultivators!"

"The sects are four professional organizations established for Dragon Country's special profession—the Qi Cultivators!"

"As I recall, the Spirit Sword Sect, Heavenly Soul Valley, Myriad Treasures Hall, and Miscellaneous Hundred Sect correspond to the four basic professions: melee, ranged, support, and life skills."

"If I remember correctly, the Spirit Sword Sect, Heavenly Soul Valley, Ten Thousand Treasures Hall, and Miscellaneous Sect correspond to the four basic professions of melee, ranged, support, and life skills."

"I got that right, didn't I?"

"I'm not wrong, am I?"

Luo Wei nodded and said to the smug Sun Lei:

"You're right, but that's only the basic information about the sects."

"Hmph...!"

"Hmph...!"

Sun Lei forcefully tore off a Flame Marsh Lizard claw and said between heavy breaths:

"Captain, our school is just the most ordinary school in the city. How could we know any detailed information? If I knew, I wouldn't have asked you."

"Captain, our school is just the most ordinary school in the city. How could we know any detailed information? If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you."

"Hahaha... The sects are truly wonderful places!"

"Hahaha... The sects are wonderful places!"

Huo Lian was amused by Sun Lei's words. Covering her stomach and bending forward slightly, she continued with a laugh:

"Whether it's resources, martial skills, social status, or social security, joining a sect is a hundred times better than anywhere else!"

"Whether it's resources, Martial Skills, social status, or social security, joining a sect is a hundred times better than anywhere else!"

"That good?! Isn't it even better than the City Defense Force? How come I've never heard anyone else mention it?"

"They're that good?! Aren't they even better than the City Guard? How come I've never heard anyone else mention them?"

Sun Lei stopped what he was doing and looked at Huo Lian in confusion.

Huo Lian spread her hands and shook her head.

"Because knowing about them is useless. The sects accept recommendations, and without one, you'll never be able to join a sect in your entire life."

"Because knowing about them is useless. The sects operate by recommendation. Without a recommendation, you could spend your whole life without ever joining one."

"And only geniuses with extraordinary talent are qualified to take the examination."

"And only geniuses with extraordinary talent qualify to take the examination."

Luo Wei lowered his head to look at Sun Lei and said flatly:

"Don't be envious either. Don't assume joining a sect is entirely a good thing. Where there are benefits, there are naturally costs!"

"Don't be envious. Don't assume that joining a sect is entirely a good thing. Benefits naturally come with a price!"

"What costs?"

"What price?"

As he wiped the magic core in his hand, Sun Lei asked Luo Wei curiously.

At that, Luo Wei revealed a trace of envy and respect.

"They're the main force defending the Dragon Nation, and, like our City Defense Force, they're under the official government."

"They are the main force defending Dragon Country, and, like our City Guard, they belong to the authorities."

"But the qi cultivators' duty isn't to protect the cities. It's to resist the monsters that endlessly emerge from the boundary gates along the borders."

"But the Qi Cultivators' duty isn't to protect cities. It is to resist the monsters that continuously emerge from the World Gates on the borders."

"This is the duty every qi cultivator must fulfill. The relatively peaceful era we enjoy today was all won through their battles."

"This is a duty every Qi Cultivator must fulfill. The relatively peaceful era we have today was earned through their battles."

"However, I heard that fewer than one-tenth of the qi cultivators who go to the borders each year survive. I wonder what the future will hold..."

"However, I heard that fewer than one in ten Qi Cultivators who head to the borders each year survive. I wonder what the future will bring..."

As Luo Wei spoke, a trace of emotion surfaced on his face. When he was young, he, too, had had a chance to join a sect.

Unfortunately, that sect examination had shown him what a true genius was, and he had left in disappointment.

Hearing Luo Wei's words, Sun Lei's eyes widened. He bared his teeth and sucked in a cold breath.

"So becoming a qi cultivator is that dangerous? Then why would anyone still want to join? Though I'd like to go see the boundary gates at the border too..."

"So becoming a Qi Cultivator is this dangerous? Then why would anyone still want to join? Still, I'd like to go see the World Gates on the borders too..."

Hearing Sun Lei, Luo Wei shook his head and burst out laughing.

"Hahaha... Kid, as long as there's even the slightest possibility of becoming stronger, those self-proclaimed geniuses will rush forward and fight over it like moths to a flame!"

"Hahaha... Kid, as long as there's even the slightest possibility of becoming stronger, those geniuses who think highly of themselves will swarm forward to fight for it!"

"The scenery that only the strongest can see is more alluring than anything else!"

"The sights that only the strong can see are more alluring than anything else!"

"How could mere death possibly stop these people from moving forward?"

"How could mere death possibly stop these people from moving forward?"

The moment Sun Lei heard this, he stood up and ran to Luo Wei's side, looking at him expectantly. Pointing to himself, he asked:

"Then, Captain, do you think I have a chance?"

"Then, Captain, do you think I have a chance?"

Unexpectedly, Luo Wei did not even look at Sun Lei before immediately shattering his fantasy.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Sun Lei immediately became indignant. With his hands on his hips, he shouted in displeasure:

"You haven't even tried. How do you know I can't do it, Captain?"

"You won't know whether I can do it unless I try, Captain!"

But Luo Wei only shook his head and sighed before rejecting Sun Lei's words again.

"At best, you can only be considered an ordinary genius. You're still far from meeting the standard."

"At best, you can only be considered an ordinary genius. You're still far from meeting the qualifying standard."

Recalling the scene etched deeply into his memory, Luo Wei said to the still-defiant Sun Lei:

"Every year, the sects recruit Awakened at ages ten to eighteen who have reached Bronze Level Ten. There are a total of [missing number] recommendation slots nationwide!"

"Every year, the sects accept Awakened Ones aged ten to eighteen who are Bronze Rank Level Ten. There are ten thousand recommended places nationwide!"

"Yet among those ten thousand geniuses, fewer than a thousand are accepted."

"Yet among those ten thousand geniuses, fewer than a thousand are accepted."

"Have you ever seen a Bronze warrior cut a one-man-tall trial stone, whose hardness rivaled refined gold, cleanly in half with a single sword strike, even slicing away half the mountain behind it?"

"Have you ever seen a Bronze Rank warrior cut a man-tall trial stone, whose hardness rivaled Adamantine Rank, in half with a single sword, and even slice away half the mountain behind it?"

"Have you ever seen a mage who, despite being only Bronze-ranked, could wield flames with temperatures exceeding ten thousand degrees and instantly melt an iron mountain several hundred meters across?"

"Have you ever seen a Bronze Rank Mage control flames with temperatures exceeding ten thousand degrees and instantly melt a several-hundred-meter iron mountain?"

"Have you ever seen an archer who, despite being only Bronze-ranked, could shoot through a coin fifteen kilometers away with a single arrow?"

"Have you ever seen an Archer shoot through a coin fifteen kilometers away while possessing only Bronze Rank strength?"

"Those three were first, second, and third place when I took the examination. They joined the Spirit Sword Sect and Heavenly Soul Valley respectively."

"Those three were first, second, and third place when I took the examination. They joined the Spirit Sword Sect and Heavenly Soul Valley respectively."

"There were 453 people admitted that year. Even the person in last place was a genius beyond the reach of ordinary people!"

"And there were 453 accepted candidates that year. Even the last-place candidate was a genius beyond the reach of ordinary people!"

Still unconvinced, Sun Lei instantly froze at Luo Wei's words, his face filled with disbelief.

"Th-Those were really Bronze-ranked Awakened? Not Gold-ranked Awakened?!"

"Th-Those were really Bronze Rank Awakened Ones? Not Gold-grade Awakened Ones?!"

Sun Lei's voice trembled uncontrollably as he looked at Luo Wei in shock.

Luo Wei, however, looked relieved. With the air of someone who had been through it before, he patted Sun Lei on the shoulder.

"Shocking, right? Seeing it with my own eyes, I was even more shocked than you. Even my current strength can't reach that level!"

"Shocking, isn't it? I was even more shocked than you when I saw it with my own eyes. Even I can't reach that level of power now!"

Huo Lian, standing nearby, nodded as well and said with a sigh:

"Exactly. The top three in my year were also unimaginable monsters."

"That's right. The top three in my year were also unimaginable monsters."

"Especially the first-place candidate. That monstrous blacksmith flattened a block of cold iron with one hammer blow, hammering both the hammer and the anvil red-hot along with it!"

"Especially the first-place candidate. That monster Blacksmith flattened a piece of Cold Iron with a single hammer blow, turning the hammer and anvil red along with it!"

"The Spirit Sword Sect even wanted to recruit him as a sword cultivator. In the end, the elders of the Myriad Treasures Hall and the Spirit Sword Sect started cursing each other at the venue. They would have come to blows if no one had held them back."

"The Spirit Sword Sect even wanted to recruit her as a sword cultivator. In the end, the elders of the Ten Thousand Treasures Hall and the Spirit Sword Sect started cursing each other at the venue. They would have come to blows if people hadn't held them back."

Sun Lei's face showed a complex expression of shock, incomprehension, and overwhelming envy.

Then that expression wilted, and his dejected look instantly amused Luo Wei and Huo Lian.

"Hahaha... Kid, just stay peacefully in the City Defense Force. If you want to take a look, next year's slot is yours!"

"Hahaha... You brat, just stay happily in the City Guard. If you want to go take a look, next year's spot is yours!"

Luo Wei slapped Sun Lei on the back, making him stagger.

"Ssss—! That hurts!"

"Hiss—! That hurt!"

Sun Lei rubbed his aching back, the corner of his mouth twitching. He sighed and said:

"If I won't be accepted, is there any point in going?"

"If I can't be accepted, is there any point in going?"

"Of course! Go see how vast the world is. Besides, you might even end up joining!"

"Of course! Go see how big the world is. Besides, you might even get accepted!"

Luo Wei gave Sun Lei a thumbs-up and flashed a huge grin, his teeth seeming to shine.

Sun Lei was left awkwardly stunned by Luo Wei's expression and forced a smile.

Huo Lian clapped her hands and said with slight impatience:

"All right, all right. We can continue talking once we get upstairs. I've had enough of staying here."

"All right, all right. Let's continue talking after we get upstairs. I've had enough of staying here."

"Ah, let's go!"

"Ah, let's go!"

Luo Wei put an arm around Sun Lei and headed back the way they had come.

"Speaking of which, how many materials did we collect this time?"

"By the way, how many materials did we get this time?"

"Ah, Captain! Twelve Bronze-level claws, three Silver-level claws, two hearts, three magic cores..."

"Ah, Captain! Twelve Bronze Rank claws, three Silver Rank ones, two hearts, and three magic cores..."

"Yes! That's quite a haul. The team will pay you a bonus according to your share!"

"Indeed! That's quite a haul. The team will give you a bonus according to the distribution!"

"Ah! Yes, thank you, Captain!"

"Ah! Yes, thank you, Captain!"

"Not bad at all. Do you want to go have a drink when we get back?"

"Not bad at all. Want to go for a drink when we get back?"

"..."

"..."

In the darkness, a pair of eyes watched the three men leave in the distance, a dim green light flickering within them.

"Puyo!"

Puyo!

A Slime bounced onto the severed Flame Marsh Lizard, stretched out its body, and swallowed it whole. Then it vanished without a trace.

Everything seemed as if it had never happened. The bustling sewer once again returned to its former tranquility...