"Next!"
A rat cultivator behind him, wreathed in a faint aura of blood and resentment, squeezed forward first. With a fawning smile, he offered a piece of innate spirit copper that shimmered with Spirit Light and whispered, "You've worked hard, senior brothers. Sorry for the trouble, but could you make things a little easier for me?"
The Interception Sect disciple weighed the spirit copper in his hand, and his expression brightened at once. "Not bad. You know how things work."
He tossed the rat cultivator a Jade Talisman. With it, the assessment would be reduced to its lowest difficulty, making it easy to pass. The rat cultivator accepted the talisman with delight and thanked him repeatedly. Then he glanced smugly at the beings behind him and strode into the assessment with his head held high.
The youth in green entered the formation too, but the light gradually faded from his bright eyes.
Yellow Dragon saw it all. A slow-burning anger rose in his heart as he followed the line to the front.
He fixed his gaze on the Interception Sect disciples blocking the way. His voice was calm, but carried a chill. "The Sage opened his mountain to accept disciples so he could spread his teachings throughout the Primordial World, guide all living beings, and lead them toward the Dao."
"When was it decided that offerings to gatekeepers like you would make the assessment easy to pass? You were entrusted with overseeing this assessment as disciples of a Sage, yet you neglect your duty and dare to demand payment from those seeking entry. You abuse the Sage's name. Aren't you afraid he'll learn of this and punish you, ending your lives and destroying your cultivation?"
The leading disciple had been squinting at a ten-thousand-year-old spirit herb he had just received.