The Examination Plaza

The four stood at the mountain gate, at a loss about what to do, when a group of blue-robed Daoists emerged from behind the massive gateway.

There were eight of them in all. Each had a powerful aura and an air of arrogance, their chins raised as they looked down at Li Yunjing and the others.

They were all Outer Disciples of the Divine Firmament Dao Sect, and their cultivation was at the sixth level of the Qi Refining Realm.

The young blue-robed Daoist at the head swept his gaze over them, then asked in a grave voice, "Where have you come from, and what business do you have at the Divine Firmament Dao Sect?"

"Fellow Daoist, we're from the Yu Family of Yueming City."

Steward Li stepped forward and said with a genial smile, "This is the eldest young lady of our family, Yu Yunyi. This is her friend, Li Yunjing. The two of them have come to join the sect."

"This is our young lady's maid. She came along with them."

Steward Li was used to such matters. As he explained their purpose, he introduced Yu Yunyi, Li Yunjing, and Ling'er to the blue-robed Daoists.

"Hmm? The Yu Family?"

The young Daoist at the head paused, then looked Yu Yunyi and Li Yunjing over carefully. His gaze lingered especially on Yu Yunyi.

The Yu Family of Yueming was a formidable presence, even within the Divine Firmament Dao Sect.

The Yu Family had many powerful figures in the Divine Firmament Dao Sect. There were even rumors that one of the sect elders came from the Yu Family of Yueming City.

A powerful cultivation family like the Yu Family was not someone an Outer Disciple like him could afford to offend.

At this thought, the young Daoist's expression softened, and his arrogant air faded. He smiled amiably and said, "I am Ma Ye, an Outer Disciple of the Divine Firmament Dao Sect. Since you've come to take the examination, follow me."

"Many thanks, Senior Brother!"

"Many thanks, Immortal Master!"

Yu Yunyi and Li Yunjing thanked him in turn.

Yu Yunyi turned to her family's old steward and smiled. "Uncle Li, you can head back now. There are elders from our family in the Divine Firmament Dao Sect, so I'll be fine here."

"Very well! Young Lady, just focus on cultivating here. This old servant will take his leave!"

Steward Li nodded and turned to go back down the mountain.

From beginning to end, neither Yu Yunyi nor Steward Li had considered what they would do if she failed the examination.

Clearly, by her family's own assessment, Yu Yunyi was certain to enter the Divine Firmament Dao Sect.

Watching this, Ma Ye's pupils contracted. Looks like someone important has arrived! That woman is beautiful, but unfortunately, she's beyond my reach.

"Who is that kid? His cultivation isn't high—only at the first level of the Qi Refining Realm?"

Ma Ye glanced at Li Yunjing again, doing his best not to show it. Since Li Yunjing was with someone from the Yu Family, he assumed the young man had an impressive background as well.

Ma Ye had no way of knowing that Li Yunjing was a mere Rogue Cultivator, a nobody who had only just entered the scene. It was only by a fortunate coincidence that he had come to the mountain gate with the Yu Family.

"You don't need to call me Immortal Master. I entered the sect a little earlier than you, so just call me Senior Brother Ma."

Ma Ye spoke with a warm, genial smile.

The members of his squad were slightly taken aback. Senior Brother Ma wasn't usually so easy to talk to...

"All right! The rest of you, keep to your posts here. I'll personally escort the two of them to the examination!"

Ma Ye waved his hand and instructed the others.

"Yes, Senior Brother Ma!"

The other seven straightened and answered in unison.

"This man must be someone important."

Li Yunjing watched everything without letting it show. Too many words could lead to trouble, so he would just play Yu Yunyi's little tagalong until he joined the Divine Firmament Dao Sect. He could think about the rest afterward.

Ma Ye carried himself with great authority. After speaking, he paid the others no more attention and gestured for Yu Yunyi and Li Yunjing to follow him through the stone gate.

The three of them stepped through the gate. The scene blurred before their eyes, and Li Yunjing felt the world spin. In the next instant, they appeared in a plaza.

"Th-this is the legendary teleportation array?"

Li Yunjing was secretly astonished, but his face betrayed nothing. He acted as if he had seen it all before.

Yu Yunyi, standing beside him, seemed no more surprised.

"They really are people raised by a great family."

Seeing how the two reacted, Ma Ye nodded to himself.

It seemed his guess had been right. These two really did come from impressive backgrounds and had seen plenty.

They were nothing like some of the new disciples who had come to seek instruction over the past few days. Many were like country bumpkins, gaping and shouting at everything they saw.

At that moment, Ma Ye had long forgotten that when he first joined the sect, he had probably been no different from the country bumpkins he had just described...

As soon as Li Yunjing appeared in the plaza, a powerful aura came bearing down on him from every direction.

It nearly left him unable to breathe. He looked toward the circular plaza, thirty zhang away, and saw several hundred people already waiting there.

Some were chatting with one another; some sat with their eyes closed, deep in thought; others were like curious children, looking around in wonder at everything they saw.

They were all under thirty. The oldest looked to be in their twenties, while the youngest included a little child of perhaps seven or eight...

Their clothes came in every color and kind of fabric: silk, cotton, hemp, and all sorts of others.

From their clothing, Li Yunjing could tell that they, like him, had come to take the examination.

Eight or nine out of every ten people here were cultivators. Apart from a few children, it seemed that nearly everyone had arrived at the Divine Firmament Dao Sect with some cultivation under their belt.

Was he, with his newly attained first level of the Qi Refining Realm, the very bottom of the pack?

The thought left Li Yunjing feeling dejected again. But when he remembered that he had a chance to join the sect, and that he might catch up with them in the future, his spirits lifted.

He was an optimist, after all!

"Yu Yunyi, Li Yunjing, go join the line. Today is examination day, and it'll begin in an hour."

To curry favor with the Yu Family, Ma Ye went out of his way to explain things to them.

"Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother Ma!"

Yu Yunyi remained calm and composed. Being here seemed to have no effect on her at all.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Ma!"

Li Yunjing echoed her.

"Hmm! Once you join the sect, come find me if you need anything. I live on Red Glow Peak, and I'm a disciple of the Fighting Department's Yu Battalion."

Ma Ye nodded and told them where he came from.

"Good. We should get together sometime when we're free."

Yu Yunyi gave a slight nod, showing no surprise at the mention of the Fighting Department.

"Until we meet again! I hope you both make it into the sect!"

As he watched Ma Ye stride away, Li Yunjing finally let his envy show.

"Li Yunjing, stop staring. Once you pass the examination, you can become a disciple of the Divine Firmament Dao Sect too."

Yu Yunyi smiled at him, her eyes sparkling like autumn waters, a trace of warmth glimmering in them.