Disciple of a Noble Family

In less than half a day, over five hundred people in the Enlightenment Hall completed their assessments.

Nearly half of them failed to cultivate the Lingmu Sect's main cultivation technique to the first level and activate their Spirit Eye within three months.

They would have to leave Qingming Mountain and seek opportunities elsewhere.

This meant only a little over two hundred and fifty people passed the Enlightenment Hall's assessment.

The first level of Qi Refining is said to be a major bottleneck, but that's not entirely accurate.

Before entering the first level of Qi Refining, the Magical Power obtained by circulating the Lesser Heavenly Cycle within the Dantian would continuously dissipate. However, this process wasn't fast. As long as the rate of Magical Power accumulation exceeded the rate of dissipation, a so-called Magical Power vortex would form once the Magical Power reached a certain level.

Many people missed the key. Some might have lacked spiritual sensation, others might not have been diligent enough, and some might have become fearful upon sensing the constant loss of Magical Power.

Of course.

More people lacked comprehension, unable to memorize the meridians for circulating the Lesser Heavenly Cycle. By the time they memorized the circulation pathways, their cultivation time had already run out.

"Li Mo, you passed the assessment too, that's great!"

Ma Ling, Niu Li, and Yang Guang approached, saying excitedly, "This means we'll have more time to practice martial arts!"

Some rejoiced, while others despaired.

Liu Yaoyao burst into tears again, but this time Hu Tian'er didn't come to comfort her.

Both of them had failed the assessment.

Hu Tian'er was now in no position to comfort anyone and sat in a corner, sobbing silently. She regretted not working hard enough, not spending time with Lu Tianyou on romance, wasting so much time on Liu Yaoyao, constantly chasing and attacking Lu Tianyou out of spite, not humbly seeking advice due to vanity, not enjoying the flowers and plants in the backyard daily, getting distracted and chatting in class, and sleeping too early every day...

Some other students Li Mo didn't know well also wore expressions of pain and disappointment.

They kept looking around, hoping for some luck or comfort.

But nothing happened.

However, compared to their situations, those like Shi Yazhou who had died from Magical Power backlash had no chance to even regret their actions.

"That was close."

A student from another class stood behind Li Mo, looking as if they had narrowly escaped a disaster.

"If I hadn't risked circulating the Greater Heavenly Cycle a few times a few days ago to speed up the condensation of Magical Power, I might have been eliminated today too."

Li Mo turned his head upon hearing this.

It was a male student about half a head shorter than him, currently wearing an expression of relief.

At this moment, Li Mo couldn't help but think that if the Enlightenment Hall truly prohibited the circulation of the Greater Heavenly Cycle, they shouldn't have taught it. Yet, Uncle-Master Ding Wei had taught everyone the circulation method of the Greater Heavenly Cycle along with the Lesser Heavenly Cycle on the third day of the Enlightenment Hall's opening.

The other Uncle-Masters and Aunt-Masters responsible for teaching other classes had clearly done the same.

Otherwise, so many students wouldn't have died from Magical Power backlash later.

Could meticulousness also be part of the assessment?

"Everyone, pay attention!"

After the five people from the Dharma Protector Hall left, the hawk-eyed cultivator with a pale face who had been speaking earlier called out to everyone.

"You have half a day to pack your belongings. Those who did not pass the assessment will be sent back to their registered residences by the Lingmu Sect's flying ship tomorrow at Chenshi."

As soon as he finished speaking, some people couldn't control their emotions and began to wail loudly.

The speaker seemed accustomed to this.

"As for those who passed the assessment, gather here at Shenshi this afternoon. The sect will arrange residences for formal disciples. From now on, you are all formal disciples of the Lingmu Sect's Advancement Hall. From now on, as long as you complete daily duty tasks according to the sect's requirements, you can exchange them for sect contributions and Spirit Stone rewards, and gain opportunities to attend lectures by Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators..."

Li Mo was fortunate.

None of the disciples he was friendly with were eliminated in the Enlightenment Examination.

What surprised him slightly was that Zhang Guoyin had also passed the assessment. The white-haired old man stood smiling in the crowd, truly eye-catching.

"Wang Feng!"

After everyone dispersed, a beautiful female cultivator with a flying bun hairstyle and dressed in a light gauze dress stood outside the main gate of the Enlightenment Hall and called out, waving.

Li Mo looked back and felt the female cultivator looked a bit familiar.

It wasn't until Wang Feng hurried over that Li Mo remembered. Wasn't this the female overseer from the Supervisor Hall who had examined his spiritual root aptitude back then?

Could this be Ye Xuan, whom Wang Feng had mentioned?

Recalling the banquet at the Heaven's Mandate Bureau, Zhu Yidan, as his cousin, had sat alone next to him. Wang Feng had likely gone out on a date with this Ye Xuan then, which was why Li Mo hadn't seen him at the banquet.

After Li Mo saw Wang Feng and Ye Xuan displaying affection and chatting happily at the entrance of the Advancement Hall courtyard, his guess was confirmed.

"Let's go, pack up."

Lu Tianyou stretched, looking excited.

"For the next three years, no, to be precise, it will be two years and seven months, we will be spending it on Qingming Mountain."

Every year, after the Evening Moon, it was time for assessments.

They had arrived at Qingming Mountain in early May, during the Dragon Boat Festival. Three months had passed since then, so they only had two years and seven months of cultivation time left.

"Mm!"

After bidding farewell to Ma Ling, Niu Li, and Yang Guang, Li Mo returned to the dormitory with Lu Tianyou to pack.

Li Mo didn't have much luggage, so he finished packing quickly.

Lu Tianyou, on the other hand, had brought quite a few things and let out a helpless sigh after a long time packing.

"If only I had a Storage Pouch."

"Storage Pouch?"

Li Mo recalled how, at the Pingshan Society, Tai Shou of the Nine Rivers Thunder Dragon had taken out various materials from a cloth bag, and he suddenly understood.

However, that Storage Pouch was likely confiscated by the Heaven's Mandate Bureau Inspector who was posing as 'Zhang Tiedan'.

Lu Tianyou's mouth seemed to have been blessed!

Afternoon, Shen hour.

The more than two hundred people who passed the Enlightenment Examination gathered punctually in the courtyard.

Twelve Foundation Establishment cultivators, including Ding Wei, who were responsible for the enlightenment education, stood solemnly on a high platform. After a moment, a male and a female cultivator walked over.

"Uncle-Master Ye, Uncle-Master Han!"

"Mm."

The middle-aged female cultivator with single eyelids, dressed in a plain gray robe, looked very unapproachable. She responded indifferently to the group.

"From today onwards, you are official disciples of the Lingmu Sect's Advancement Hall. I am your Hall Master, my surname is Ye. You can call me Grand-Aunt-Master Ye or Hall Master Ye. This is Deputy Hall Master Han. For the next three years, you will be advancing your studies within the sect's Advancement Hall. In front of you are two batches of senior disciples who entered the sect before you. If you have any questions, you can spend Spirit Stones to humbly ask them for guidance."

After the female Hall Master Ye finished speaking, she gestured for Hall Master Han to speak.

Compared to Hall Master Ye's cold demeanor, Hall Master Han was much gentler.

His temples were streaked with white, and he had a kind expression.

"The Lingmu Sect has been established for over twelve hundred years. The next three years will be a period you will never forget in your lives. You will meet true friends here and experience the greatness of the Lingmu Sect's lineage. Next, the Lingmu Sect will issue each of you a Storage Pouch to store your daily necessities. After one year, when your cultivation has progressed and you pass the sect's year-end assessment, the Lingmu Sect will also grant you more rewards..."

The twelve Foundation Establishment Realm Uncle-Masters each took out a stack of Storage Pouches and distributed them publicly.

Li Mo also received a Storage Pouch.

After channeling a small amount of Magical Power into it, he untied the opening of the Storage Pouch. Seeing the space inside, which was large enough to fit a bed, he was first incredulous, then secretly delighted.

He immediately threw his meager luggage into it.

Lu Tianyou was also relieved.

"Alright, it's getting late. Let's arrange the dormitories quickly."

After Hall Master Ye spoke, the more than ten Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators immediately signaled for everyone to follow and left the courtyard of the Enlightenment Hall where they had lived for three months.

As for those who did not pass the assessment, they could only watch the others leave with disappointment.

The group excitedly passed through the Divine Tree Plaza, then skirted around several large courtyards, and arrived at a courtyard in front of several rows of wooden buildings. They found that over thirty people were already waiting there silently.

These people were all dressed in simple crane cloaks, half male and half female, with upright postures and beautiful faces. They looked at the approaching crowd in the distance with proud smiles.

"Those should be the aristocratic disciples of the Lingmu Sect."

Wang Feng stood in front of Li Mo and spoke upon seeing these people.

Within the Lingmu Sect, there were four major cultivator families: Chen, Jiang, Lu, and Ye. Each family had Golden Core Stage cultivators holding important positions, and not just one.

Below the four major families were over twenty medium and small families.

These families intermarried.

Because both parents possessed spiritual roots, the probability of their offspring having spiritual roots was also very high. After centuries of development, these families had become deeply entrenched, occupying the best resources of the Lingmu Sect.

In comparison.

Rogue cultivators like Li Mo had to start from scratch, and each acted independently, naturally putting them at a disadvantage in competition.

Not to mention anything else.

The Hall Master Ye of the Advancement Hall was likely a Golden Core Stage cultivator from the Ye family, one of the four major families.

"Wow!"

At this moment, Li Mo noticed Lu Tianyou beside him, his expression one of dazed infatuation.

Many people nearby were also looking in the direction of the thirty-odd aristocratic disciples.

Li Mo looked puzzled until he turned his head to get a closer look and noticed a peerlessly beautiful female cultivator among them. He felt as if a fog had lifted from his eyes.

Bright eyes and white teeth, charming eyes with a hint of shyness, ice-like skin and jade-like bones, flawless like white jade, a graceful and elegant beauty, an otherworldly enchantress, standing tall and graceful, outshining all other beauties.

His inner admiration was evident. It was no wonder so many people were infatuated with her.

Just one glance, and Li Mo felt his soul stirred, as if he had seen a beauty that could bring down a nation. He dared not look any further.

Many people began to inquire about the identity of this female cultivator.

Hall Master Ye did not intend for everyone to introduce themselves. After briefly explaining the matters that everyone needed to pay attention to, she had the more than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators arrange dormitories for everyone.

Li Mo was soon led by Ding Wei to a wooden house.

"From today onwards, this will be your residence. Be careful at all times, tend to the flowerbed in front of the door, and carry important items with you."

"Yes."

After Li Mo responded respectfully, Ding Wei nodded and continued to assign rooms to the others.

The house wasn't large, with three rooms in total.

Upon entering, there was a simply decorated reception living room, followed by a separate light-blocking secret room, and a resting bedroom. In front of the door was a flower bed blooming with unknown purple flowers.

"Li Mo!"

Someone knocked on his window from outside.

Li Mo turned his head and saw it was Ma Ling.

Ma Ling's dark face broke into a wide grin, revealing two rows of white teeth. She looked at Li Mo with great excitement.

"We're neighbors from now on!"

Upon hearing this, Li Mo got up to look. Ma Ling's room was right next to his. After chatting briefly with Ma Ling at the window, he began to meticulously tidy his own room.

When half the time had passed, Ma Ling knocked on his window again, signaling for him to join her for food.

"Okay."

Li Mo dropped his rag and left the room. He went with Ma Ling to the refectory of the Advanced Studies Hall.

Wang Feng, Zhu Yidan, and Zhao Xiaonan had already arrived at the refectory. Upon seeing Li Mo arrive, they immediately called him over to join them.

Besides the first-year students, there were many second and third-year students in the refectory.

Ma Ling sat excitedly next to Li Mo, eliciting a burst of laughter from Wang Feng.

Li Mo said helplessly, "Have you seen Lu Tianyou?"

"He's probably gone to inquire about that noblewoman cultivator."

Wang Feng chuckled, "But he's probably going to be disappointed this time. Ye Xuan just told me that a few days ago, a Golden Core ancestor from their Ye family brought back a peerless beauty named Ye Yimeng from who knows where, claiming she's a distant cousin. From now on, the Ye family will spare no effort to cultivate her. Furthermore, that Hall Master Ye just now regards her as his most treasured jewel. She's most likely that female cultivator."

"Ye Yimeng?"

Hearing this, Li Mo couldn't help but mock, "I think she's warning you not to get any funny ideas, right?"

Zhu Yidan and Zhao Xiaonan couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this.