Five Great Families

The assessment location for the Five Great Families is situated in a private area within the Inner Sacred Pill City, in a magnificent hall called the "Pill Martial Hall".

This hall was personally established and maintained by Pill Tower and was used exclusively for the Five Great Families Assessment throughout history. Its magnificent and imposing structure, with its soaring eaves and arched beams, exudes a solemn and dignified aura. The very existence of this hall is enough to demonstrate the importance Pill Tower attaches to the succession of the Five Great Families' positions.

This assessment is not conducted in complete secrecy, but rather in a semi-public manner.

Within Sacred Pill City, any force with some qualifications and connections would try every means to arrive here at the start of the assessment, to witness firsthand the changes that could influence the future power structure of the Pill Region.

Of the Five Great Families today, the Ye Family's position is already precarious and teetering on the brink of collapse. If they fail again in this crucial assessment and fail to meet the standards set by the Pill Tower, then the Ye Family's position as one of the Five Great Families, which has been passed down for many years, will be ruthlessly stripped away.

Once the protection and glory bestowed by the Pill Tower are lost, the various forces that have been eyeing the Ye family with covetous eyes will likely swarm in like sharks smelling blood, devouring the now-defunct Ye Family.

Therefore, many forces that covet the resources and influence of the upper echelons of the Pill Tower have paid close attention to the Five Great Families Assessment, eagerly anticipating the moment of upheaval.

As Lin Ming and his group followed Ye Zhong through the heavily guarded Inner Sacred Pill City, they arrived at the Pill Martial Hall, a vast building that resembled a crouching behemoth. What greeted their eyes was the dense, bustling crowd in the Outer Hall Square.

The clamor and chatter merged into a cacophony of sounds that swept over us. Every now and then, groups of people who appeared to be extraordinary and of considerable importance would pass through the tight security formed by the Pill Tower experts at the entrance of the main hall after their identities were verified, and successfully enter the hall.

Let's go...

Ye Zhong gazed at the massive examination hall, its surface gleaming with a cold, hard sheen in the morning light, and his fist trembled slightly uncontrollably within his sleeve.

This place evoked complex and indescribable emotions in him. Every time he stepped into it, it felt like reopening old wounds. The shame and helplessness brought about by repeated failures in the assessments were deeply ingrained in his bones.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice. After speaking, he straightened his slightly hunched back and walked towards the entrance of the main hall. Behind him, Lin Ming, Xiao Yi Xian, Elder Yao, and several core members of the Ye Family followed closely with solemn expressions.

Ye Zhong and his group, who suddenly emerged from the dense crowd, naturally attracted the attention of countless eyes. Immediately, gazes filled with curiosity, scrutiny, schadenfreude, or even pity were directed at them. When these gazes fell upon the special badge representing the Ye Family on Ye Zhong and his companions' chests, undisguised whispers erupted like a tidal wave outside the hall.

"Look, those are people from the Ye Family! They actually dare to come!"

"Heh heh, might as well go all out! If we fail again this time, the Ye Family will be completely kicked out of the ranks of the Five Great Families. Then, heh heh..."

"Alas, life is truly unpredictable. Back in the day, when the Ye Family was at its peak, it was a force to be reckoned with among the Five Great Families, rivaling even the Dan Family and Cao Family. They were incredibly powerful and influential. It's a pity they've fallen to such a state..."

"Fortune's wheel keeps turning; next year it'll be my turn. It's time for a change of fortune in this Pill Region..."

Hearing the undisguised, even deliberately amplified, discussions around him, a deep bitterness and helplessness surfaced in Ye Zhong's eyes. The decline of the Ye Family to this point was undoubtedly the greatest pain in his heart.

He had poured his heart and soul into the survival and revival of his family, and now he was going all in, betting all his hopes and the fate of his family on the seemingly young man in blue robes beside him.

However, when he caught a glimpse of Lin Ming's calm and composed profile, even with a hint of a smile, his initial unease was ultimately replaced by unwavering trust. With Lin Ming's unfathomable strength, especially his increasingly enigmatic Soul Realm since last night, this assessment would surely be a piece of cake!

Under the watchful eyes of many, Ye Zhong and his group remained calm and arrived smoothly at the entrance of the main hall.

The heavily armored guards at the entrance, exuding a fierce aura, glanced indifferently at the Ye Family emblems on Ye Zhong and the others' chests, their eyes filled with barely concealed mockery and contempt. The Ye Family's consecutive failures in the assessments for many years had long been a well-known joke in the core area of the Pill Tower, a shame that was indeed difficult to wash away.

However, although they harbored a sense of mockery towards the fallen Ye Family, the guards dared not openly harass them in front of everyone. The head Guard Team casually waved his hand, skipping even the routine questioning, and stepped aside to make way. Then, he channeled his Dou Qi and shouted loudly into the hall, his voice booming and echoing through the Dou Qi:

"The Ye Family has arrived!"

Ye Zhong's face remained expressionless, as if he was completely unaware of the disdain in the hearts of the guards and the harsh whispers around him. He simply straightened his chest slightly and led Lin Ming and his group with steady and firm steps into the dimly lit entrance of the main hall. Their figures gradually disappeared from the gazes of countless unreadable eyes outside.

As soon as you enter the main hall, the noise from the outside world seems to be blocked by an invisible barrier, instantly becoming faint.

Soft light poured down from the ceiling of the hall, illuminating the vast interior space. The moment the light shone on his body, Lin Ming keenly noticed that the gazes of the representatives of various forces, who were already seated inside the hall, filled with various meanings—curiosity, scrutiny, disdain, and expectation—were all cast upon him like searchlights.

Lin Ming slightly raised his eyes, his gaze calmly sweeping across the main hall. Around the hall, rows of seats were arranged in a circular pattern, already filled with many people. Most of these people possessed considerable auras and were dressed in luxurious attire, clearly from powerful forces or families in Sacred Pill City and even Middle Continent. They were there simply to witness the fall of the Ye Family as soon as possible, or... to hope for a miracle.

Ye Zhong paid little attention to the various gazes coming from all directions, which felt like needles pricking him. He knew that most of these people were hoping that the Ye Family would fail the assessment, so that a position in the top power structure of the Pill Region would become available, one that they would fight over fiercely!

As Ye Zhong led Lin Ming and his group toward the Ye Family's seats, which were located at the back and in a more secluded spot, he pointed ahead and whispered, "Those are the exclusive seats for the Dan, Cao, Bai, and Qiu families, the other Four Great Families."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ming followed Ye Zhong's gaze. Sure enough, at the very front of the main hall, there were four seats that were significantly more spacious and ornately decorated, standing out like stars surrounding the moon. However, only three groups of people were seated comfortably in these four seats. Judging from the unique badges embroidered on their robes, they should belong to the Dan Family, the Bai Family, and the Qiu Family.

Lin Ming's gaze first swept over the Bai Family and Qiu Family. The people from these two families mostly carried a sense of superiority and condescension, especially when their eyes swept over the Ye Family, where their disdain was almost undisguised. His gaze finally settled on the Dan Family's seats.

The Dan Family didn't send many people this time, but their presence was the most outstanding. Among them, a young girl in a white dress was particularly eye-catching. She had a beautiful and refined appearance, and her temperament was as elegant as an orchid. She sat there quietly, seemingly out of place with the surrounding noise. Her bright eyes were clear and bright, and she was looking at Lin Ming and the others who had just entered with a bit of curiosity.

"This girl looks unfamiliar, but since she can represent the Dan Family in that position, her status within the Dan Family must be quite high..." Ye Zhong's gaze lingered on the girl for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly as if he were recalling relevant information, but clearly he hadn't found anything.

Immediately, his gaze First Revolution and landed on a handsome young man in blue standing beside the girl, with a refined and gentle demeanor. His expression changed slightly, and he exclaimed in a low voice, "Dan Xuan! I didn't expect him to be here too!"

His voice carried a hint of solemnity and helplessness. "This person possesses exceptional talent in alchemy, ranking among the top in the entire Dan Family. His reputation far surpasses that of Cao Dan from the Cao Family! Within the Cao Family, the only younger generation who can consistently outshine him is probably that Demoness from the Cao Family. The Dan Family has sent him this time to compete for a top-three finish, or even a better ranking. Alas..."

A sigh perfectly encapsulated the vast gap between the Ye Family and the younger generation of these top families.

Lin Ming simply nodded slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Whether it was Dan Xuan or any other genius, for him, whose Soul Realm had now reached the Spirit Realm Grand Perfection of the Spirit Realm and who possessed Ancient Soul Cultivation Method, the outcome was already predetermined from the moment he stepped into this hall.

"Elder Ye Zhong, who will the Cao family send this time? Is it still that Cao Dan?" Lin Ming was getting a little bored while waiting. He scanned the hall and noticed that the Cao family's seats were still empty. Thinking of the young master of the Cao family who had been taught a lesson twice and looked utterly humiliated, he suddenly felt that if he were to make him suffer a third humiliation in front of everyone in the assessment hall today, his expression would be hilarious. He couldn't help but ask Ye Zhong with a hint of mockery.

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhong forced a bitter smile and shook his head, saying, "The Cao Family has three young members who are hailed as the future pillars of the Cao Family. Among them, Cao Ying, that Demoness, is the leader, while Cao Dan is merely the last one. Above her, there is another person named Cao Xiu."

Ye Zhong paused, then continued, "It's said that Cao Xiu's talent in alchemy is no Cao Dan's, and in some aspects even surpasses it. However, his temperament is far more composed and ruthless than Cao Dan's. After reaching adulthood, he went out to train alone, returning after seven years, having already firmly established himself as Seventh Grade Alchemist. As I estimate, he's now at least at the Seventh Grade Intermediate level. Cao Dan has suffered several defeats at your hands, losing face completely. This time, for an assessment concerning the family's reputation, the Cao Family, for the sake of prudence, will most likely send the more composed and reliable Cao Xiu..."

Lin Ming nodded slowly. The Cao Family was indeed a family with a deep foundation and a long line of geniuses. It was no wonder that they had been able to maintain their position among the Five Great Families for so long, and even showed signs of becoming the leader. In comparison, the Ye Family was indeed far inferior, with a serious generational gap.