Combat Assessment

Zhang Su and his group moved with the swiftness of thunder and the force of wind.

Along the way, they ran into some Outer Sect disciples.

These Outer Sect disciples were all astonished.

After all, Zhang Su was now the "Outer Sect's Number One." He was usually difficult to spot.

"Senior Brother Zhang Su is even bringing Chu Dachuan and the others. Where are they going?"

"Senior Brother Zhang Su keeps a low profile and rarely leaves Jinyu Peak. I heard he's painstakingly cultivating a second peerless divine art. Why would he be willing to come down the mountain?"

"This direction seems... to lead toward the Inner Sect?"

"Senior Brother Zhang Su is going to the Inner Sect? Could it be..."

Some Outer Sect disciples seemed to have guessed something, and their hearts jolted.

There were even some who loved excitement and followed behind Zhang Su's group.

Zhang Su did not care whether anyone was following them.

He headed straight for the Inner Sect.

The Combat Assessment was held in the Inner Sect Main Hall.

The moment Zhang Su and the others entered the Inner Sect Main Hall, they immediately drew the attention of some Inner Sect disciples.

After all, the Outer Sect disciple uniforms they wore were far too conspicuous.

It was not as if Outer Sect disciples never entered the Inner Sect.

But they were usually only scattered individuals.

And now?

Not only were there four people in Zhang Su's group, but a large crowd of Outer Sect disciples followed behind them.

That made them exceptionally conspicuous.

"Who is this person? What an imposing display."

An Inner Sect disciple frowned and asked.

However, Zhang Su was quite famous now.

Even people in the Inner Sect knew of him.

"It's Zhang Su, the newly risen 'Outer Sect's Number One'! But his status as the 'Outer Sect's Number One' is somewhat unusual. He's already over the age limit..."

"Over the age limit... Has he come to the Inner Sect to take the Combat Assessment?"

"The 'Outer Sect's Number One' is taking the Combat Assessment? That's rare. We should go take a look..."

Many Inner Sect disciples became interested as well.

The Outer Sect's Number One in the past had basically always been a genius among geniuses.

As long as they cultivated Internal Force, they could be directly promoted to the Inner Sect. There were scarcely any overage disciples, so naturally, there was no need for them to undergo the Combat Assessment.

Zhang Su was indeed very unusual.

Even in the history of the Guiyuan Sect, it was exceedingly rare for the Outer Sect's Number One to be an overage disciple.

"Elder, this disciple Zhang Su wishes to apply for the Combat Assessment."

Zhang Su came before an Inner Sect elder and spoke respectfully.

"Bring me your Identity Token."

The elder gave Zhang Su a glance and spoke indifferently.

Zhang Su respectfully handed his Identity Token to the elder.

The elder accepted the Identity Token and carefully examined Zhang Su's information.

"Eh? He's still the Outer Sect's Number One... But he's nearly seventeen. He is indeed over the age limit."

The elder was somewhat surprised.

He had not expected this overage disciple before him to actually be the Outer Sect's Number One.

Zhang Su's expression did not change. He remained perfectly composed.

The elder took out a Force Testing Stone.

"Come, test your Internal Force."

There was nothing particularly special about this Force Testing Stone. Once Internal Force was pressed into it, its color would change.

Zhang Su placed his hand on the Force Testing Stone and gently sent a stream of Internal Force through his body.

Sure enough, the color on the Force Testing Stone gradually deepened.

The elder nodded. "All right, you may participate in the Combat Assessment. However, you must wait for the time being. Three people ahead of you are also taking the Combat Assessment."

Zhang Su naturally agreed.

He had not expected there to be quite a few Outer Sect disciples taking the Combat Assessment today.

That was normal.

There were over ten thousand Outer Sect disciples.

Naturally, there were many overage disciples. They too wanted to pass the Combat Assessment, advance into the Inner Sect, and become Inner Sect disciples.

"Senior Brother, how did it go?"

Chu Dachuan asked expectantly.

"Let's go. We only need to wait in the back for the Combat Assessment."

Thus, Zhang Su and the other three arrived at the Martial Arts Arena behind the Inner Sect Main Hall.

The place was extremely spacious.

It seemed someone was currently undergoing the Combat Assessment.

There were also some disciples inside the main hall watching the battle.

Only, their numbers were rather small.

To many Inner Sect disciples, there was little interest in watching ordinary Outer Sect disciples undergo the Combat Assessment.

However, with Zhang Su's arrival, everything became different.

Many people followed behind him.

Although most of them were Outer Sect disciples, there were also quite a few Inner Sect disciples among them.

In an instant, the crowd occupied every spot near the Martial Arts Arena behind the Inner Sect Main Hall, packing it to the brim.

As far as the eye could see, there were people everywhere.

Some Inner Sect disciples who had been watching were dumbfounded.

Why had so many people suddenly arrived?

Only after asking around did they learn that Zhang Su, the "Outer Sect's Number One," had come to take the Combat Assessment.

That was why he had drawn so many people here.

Moreover, as the news spread, more and more people came to the Inner Sect Main Hall.

Yet Zhang Su paid no attention to the disciples watching.

His attention was fixed on an Outer Sect disciple currently taking the Combat Assessment.

That Outer Sect disciple was facing three puppets.

The three puppets were all humanoid and appeared exceptionally agile.

Although they did not possess Internal Force or Blood Qi like martial artists,

their materials were hard, and they possessed boundless strength. Their combat power truly rivaled that of martial artists at the early Mingjin stage.

Even in a one-on-one fight, an early Mingjin martial artist might not necessarily defeat one, much less face three puppets at once.

Bang!

One puppet drove its fist into the Outer Sect disciple's body.

The Outer Sect disciple was instantly sent flying and crashed heavily onto the ground.

The Combat Assessment had failed!

"Failed..."

"That's normal. It isn't so easy for overage disciples to pass the Combat Assessment."

"Out of ten overage disciples, it would already be good if one could pass the Combat Assessment. Those who fail can only become stewards in the Outer Sect, be sent out to guard various places, and take on the most dangerous tasks."

The Inner Sect disciples had long ceased finding it strange for overage disciples to fail the Combat Assessment.

Failure was normal. Passing was what was comparatively rare.

"Next, Tang Rong!"

Very soon, the elder called for the next disciple taking the Combat Assessment.

Tang Rong immediately rose and entered the Martial Arts Arena.

She was a female disciple.

Her features could not be called stunning, but she was tall and slender, with fair skin. More importantly, she was young, drawing many vigorous young disciples' gazes.

Tang Rong's expression was grave.

She wielded a light, nimble longsword.

Her swordsmanship was not particularly strong, but her movement technique was highly agile. It had likely reached perfection in a superior movement technique.

Yet even such nimble footwork only allowed her to circle around the three puppets for a brief moment.

Afterward, she was still defeated by the three puppets, her longsword even shattered into several pieces.

"Next, Zhou Tao!"

The third Outer Sect disciple rose and entered the Martial Arts Arena.

He was a disciple who used a saber.

His saber technique was exceedingly violent.

It even seemed to be a top-tier saber technique.

Zhou Tao lasted the longest against the three puppets.

He even damaged one puppet.

Unfortunately, he was still defeated in the end and suffered grievous injuries. He lay on the ground, unable to rise for a long while, before the Inner Sect elder took him away from the Inner Sect. No one knew whether he would survive.

Many Outer Sect disciples watching fell silent.

They had come because they were following Zhang Su.

Usually, they did not know much about the Combat Assessment.

But this time, they had personally witnessed three Outer Sect disciples who had cultivated Internal Force fail to pass the Combat Assessment.

That showed just how brutal the Combat Assessment was.

Passing the Combat Assessment was no easy matter.

Zhang Su had watched the entire process of those three Outer Sect disciples' failures.

Now he completely understood just how difficult it was for an "overage disciple" to advance into the Inner Sect.

Those three puppets were stronger than he had imagined.

Defeating those three puppets would be difficult!

"Next, Zhang Su!"

The Inner Sect elder called out the name of the next disciple taking the Combat Assessment.

Immediately, countless gazes fell upon Zhang Su.

The reason so many Outer Sect disciples and some Inner Sect disciples had come here was to observe Zhang Su.

There was one special person among the crowd.

Lu Tianqing!

No one knew when he had arrived.

However, unlike the others, Lu Tianqing was full of confidence in Zhang Su.

After all, Zhang Su had defeated him back when Zhang Su was still in the Blood Qi Realm.

Zhang Su had even achieved the Second Limit Break and condensed a thousand strands of Blood Qi.

If even Zhang Su, who had achieved the Second Limit Break, could not pass the Combat Assessment,

then what other overage disciple could advance into the Inner Sect?

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Zhang Su slowly rose.

He ignored everyone's gazes and directly leaped into the Martial Arts Arena.

"Elder, we may begin."

Zhang Su spoke calmly.

The Inner Sect elder nodded. Then, the elder directly released three completely intact puppets.