Early the next morning.
Fang Hong rose at the crack of dawn and headed for the mountain range where the Star River Sect was located.
The Star River Sect lay amid a stretch of lush, verdant mountains.
Following a road onward, Fang Hong soon arrived before a massive ceremonial archway.
Three large characters were written across the archway in bold, dragon-like strokes.
Star River Sect!
"Who goes there? Unauthorized persons are forbidden from entering the Star River Sect!"
The moment Fang Hong approached, several gatekeeping disciples in matching uniforms on either side of the archway warned him.
"Oh, I am..."
Fang Hong was just about to answer when, before he could finish speaking—
A young man with red strands mixed into his hair interrupted him.
"You must be Fang Hong, the one Elder Xu said was coming to join the sect. Did you bring the token?"
Fang Hong nodded. "That's right. This is Elder Xu's token. And you are?"
As he spoke, Fang Hong took out the token and handed it over.
The man accepted the token and examined it carefully. After a moment, he nodded.
"That's right. It's Elder Xu's token."
The red-haired youth smiled. "My name is Pang Zhenghao. Elder Xu told me to wait here for you."
"Come on. I'll take you inside for the test."
"Then I'll trouble you."
After exchanging a few polite words, Pang Zhenghao led Fang Hong through the archway.
"Hm?"
The instant he passed beneath the archway, Fang Hong's brows rose, and he looked around in surprise.
Clearly, the scenery had not changed at all.
Yet the moment he crossed the archway, he felt something indescribable.
It was as though he had entered another world.
Even the air seemed to have become exceptionally fresh and sweet.
After taking only a few breaths, he already felt refreshed in both body and mind.
"Oh? You sensed it so quickly?"
"Looks like Brother Fang is quite strong. There's a high chance you'll pass the test and enter the outer sect."
"Seems I can call you Junior Brother in advance."
Seeing Fang Hong suddenly stop and look around in astonishment, Pang Zhenghao's eyes lit up as he spoke with a smile.
"Why is that? Why do I suddenly feel so comfortable?"
Fang Hong asked in surprise.
"Haha, Junior Brother Fang, let me explain as we walk."
Pang Zhenghao laughed heartily, then led Fang Hong onward while explaining.
"The environment inside the sect differs from that outside because the sect has set up an enormous formation around the area, covering the entire sect grounds."
"The density of heaven and earth spiritual energy within the sect is utterly incomparable to that outside."
"Although us Outer Disciples have yet to enter the Earth Realm and condense inner energy—"
"Cultivating in such a spiritual-energy-rich environment still allows us to progress far faster than outside."
"Otherwise, why do you think that despite knowing how lowly the status of Servant Disciples is—"
"So many people still want to become Servant Disciples every year, without the numbers decreasing in the slightest?"
"The abundant spiritual energy within the sect is one major reason."
"Oh, right. There are also some things you need to keep in mind..."
As Pang Zhenghao explained things to Fang Hong, he did not forget to tell him about the Star River Sect in detail, as well as the matters requiring attention within the sect.
From the way he acted, he seemed already completely certain that Fang Hong would successfully join the Star River Sect and become his Junior Brother.
Within the area covered by the Star River Sect's grand formation stood many mountain peaks.
Looking into the distance, one could see that many houses and buildings had been constructed upon those peaks.
The buildings at the foot of the mountains were the most numerous and densely packed.
There were far fewer around the mountainsides, while as for the summits—
Shrouded in clouds and mist, the tops of the various peaks could not be seen clearly at all.
Only a few vague outlines could barely be made out amid the clouds and fog.
According to Pang Zhenghao, the clusters of buildings at the mountain feet were the residences of the many Outer Disciples.
The mountainsides belonged to the Inner Disciples.
As for the mountaintops, they were naturally where the sect leadership, the various peak masters, and the elders resided.
This arrangement was also due to the sect's grand formation gathering spiritual energy.
The higher the location, the denser the spiritual energy.
While chatting about the various matters requiring attention, the two soon arrived at a building.
"Come on. The one testing you shortly will be Elder Huang, an outer sect reception elder."
After arriving, Pang Zhenghao's expression became noticeably more solemn. He reminded Fang Hong in a low voice.
"Elder Huang is a stern man. What he detests most is disciples behaving wildly and without discipline."
"During the test, no matter your results or whether you pass, remember not to shout and make a scene. If you incur Elder Huang's displeasure, even a good thing may turn into a bad one."
Hearing this, Fang Hong nodded. "All right, I understand."
The two then entered the main hall.
Inside the hall stood an elderly man with white hair and a youthful complexion, dressed in blue robes.
"Elder Huang, please trouble yourself to test him. Here are the documents."
Pang Zhenghao took a document from his robes and respectfully bowed as he presented it to the old man.
Elder Huang accepted the document but did not choose to read it.
Instead, his gaze immediately turned to Fang Hong.
With suspicion in his eyes, he looked Fang Hong over from head to toe. Then his brows rose, and surprise appeared in his eyes.
Immediately afterward, his brows suddenly furrowed.
A moment later, his eyes flew wide open, filled with shock.
"How is this possible?!"
"How is this possible?!"
After murmuring those words twice in utter shock, Elder Huang abruptly looked at Fang Hong.
"Kid, how old are you this year? What realm have you cultivated to?!"
Elder Huang asked urgently.
Upon hearing this, Pang Zhenghao was greatly surprised as well. His gaze moved constantly between Elder Huang, whose expression had drastically changed, and Fang Hong.
A thoughtful look then appeared on his face.
It seems my earlier feeling was right. This Fang Hong truly is no ordinary person.
Otherwise, given Elder Huang's status and temperament, he could not possibly behave with such loss of composure.
Pang Zhenghao thought silently to himself.
When he had first seen Fang Hong at the archway, he had already sensed that something unusual was going on with him.
Although Fang Hong's aura did not seem unusual—
Pang Zhenghao had been born with keen senses, and he could vaguely perceive an incomparably deep sense of danger from Fang Hong.
Like an abyss, concealed and unexpressed.
Then, when Fang Hong entered through the archway, he immediately noticed the abnormality in the environment.
That only further confirmed Pang Zhenghao's suspicions.
That was why he had been so friendly and enthusiastic toward Fang Hong along the way.
Otherwise, if it had been an ordinary person, why would he have had so much idle leisure to personally introduce the sect and explain all sorts of precautions?
It was not as if his balls were itching from idleness. Wouldn't it be better to use that time cultivating?
"I am sixteen this year, and I have already cultivated to Bone Refinement Great Accomplishment."
Fang Hong answered calmly, neither servile nor overbearing.
Upon hearing this, Elder Huang's brows furrowed even more deeply.
"Impossible. At merely Bone Refinement Great Accomplishment, how could you possess such vast and profound vitality and blood?"
Before his words had even faded, Elder Huang flashed forward and arrived before Fang Hong.
He reached out and seized Fang Hong by the shoulder.
Immediately afterward, Fang Hong felt a stream of energy carrying a faintly biting aura surge into his body through his shoulder.
Yet after only a moment, before that energy could do anything—
It was directly ground away by the powerful vitality and blood within Fang Hong's body.
"It's actually real..."
Yet Elder Huang seemed not to care about that at all. Instead, his expression was dazed.
"His bone age is correct. He truly is sixteen. His realm is correct as well; his marrow has not transformed, so he is indeed at Bone Refinement Great Accomplishment."
"But if he is merely at Bone Refinement Great Accomplishment, how could his body be so powerful? His vitality and blood are so abundant they have reached such an astonishing level?"
"Could it be that Senior Brother's idea back then was right..."
Elder Huang muttered under his breath continuously, his expression dazed.
The next moment, he suddenly raised his head. Both hands tightly gripped Fang Hong as his eyes gleamed and excitement filled his face.
"Kid, do you want to become an Inner Disciple directly?!"
Before you continue