Among the Outer Sect, the gifted disciples hurried forward to ask:
"Junior Sister Yunxi, is this matter truly beyond doubt?"
Wang Yunxi smiled faintly and replied, "Naturally, it is true."
Then, as everyone continued discussing it without end, someone softly asked in confusion:
"But Junior Sister, since there is such earth-shaking news, why did you still choose to join the Jade Purity Peak Lineage? I do not know the reason behind it..."
Though the words were left unfinished, everyone understood what was meant.
Since there was a chance to enter Supreme Purity Peak and directly become a true disciple above even the Inner Sect, who could resist such temptation?
Why had Wang Yunxi chosen the Jade Purity Lineage in advance?
Wang Yunxi remained composed as she said:
"I understand everyone's doubts, but my Lineage has certain particular considerations, which leave me no choice but to join the Jade Purity Lineage."
"Yunxi, if there were a choice, the Supreme Purity Lineage would certainly be the first choice. After all, Supreme Purity Peak's foremost disciple has a True Person like Fairy Yunxiao to rely on. Who would not want that?"
"However, since Fairy Yunxiao is choosing disciples, the difficulty goes without saying. It is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Yunxi knows her own limits as well."
Some in the crowd nodded, while others were skeptical.
Others flattered her, saying that Junior Sister Yunxi was being too modest.
There were all sorts of reactions.
What Wang Yunxi said was indeed candid. Fairy Yunxiao's selection of disciples was bound to be exceedingly strict.
Most of those present were children of prominent Lineages. Most had already reached perfection in the Second Heavenly Ladder realm, while some had even achieved Foundation Establishment.
There was not much difference in their cultivation, but their actual strength varied from person to person.
Everyone's gaze flickered with unreadable thoughts, each harboring their own calculations.
One had to know!
Supreme Purity Peak had been sealed off for many years, with only Fairy Yunxiao remaining there.
So long as one entered it, one would become a true disciple. It was truly a heaven-sent opportunity to rise in a single step.
Seeing this, Wang Yunxi said no more and continued:
"There is also bad news, so everyone may as well hear it. The basic assessment held once every four years in the Outer Sect, three months from now, will be exceptionally strict. Disciples who fail to meet the standard will be demoted to Servant Disciples, and may even be expelled from the Divine Firmament Sect."
Upon hearing this news, everyone frowned, but most did not take it too seriously.
They had joined the Divine Firmament Sect nearly four years ago. For these children of prominent Lineages, who had cultivated to the Second Heavenly Ladder realm, such an assessment was a trifling matter.
They were confident they could handle it.
However, a small portion of the crowd wore bitter expressions, Yu Ke among them.
His face was calm, but inwardly he was groaning without end.
Having only just transmigrated into this world, before he had even had time to adapt to everything here, he had run into an assessment.
Failure in Foundation Establishment and the ruin of all one's cultivation was undoubtedly a fatal blow to a cultivator.
There were only three months left!
The deadline was already pressing close, and the pressure weighed down like a mountain.
Becoming a Servant Disciple basically meant being cut off from cultivation, condemned to toil like an ox or horse for life.
Worse still, if he were expelled from the sect, once such a humiliating matter reached his Lineage, no matter how much his parents doted on him, the elders of the clan would never tolerate such disgrace.
They would likely cast him out of the Lineage without mercy. Without his Lineage, he would find it difficult to gain a foothold in this world.
Yu Ke could not help cursing his own bad luck. He had only just transmigrated, yet he had already encountered such a thorny predicament.
As for Fairy Yunxiao choosing disciples at the Outer Sect Tournament two years later—
That was still too far away for him, and he did not need to concern himself with it.
He should first get through the immediate hurdle.
Since things had come to this, he might as well eat first.
Yu Ke picked up a spirit fruit and bit into it fiercely, while also sampling the various delicious pastries on the table.
He was not the only one here to eat and drink for free.
After all, even among the prominent Lineages of Great Zhou, there were those who had fallen on hard times, much less disciples born into poor families.
In the Divine Firmament Sect, Outer Disciples cultivated full-time and had no additional income. They relied entirely on support from home.
Though the Divine Firmament Sect was a sect, it was not a charity. Everything required Spirit Stones.
Aside from the few basic cultivation methods provided by the sect, which had dedicated instructors, if disciples encountered any problems in cultivation and wished to seek guidance from their teachers, they had to pay additional Spirit Stones.
What a scam!
Servant Disciples could still receive some Spirit Stones every month as compensation, but Outer Disciples had to bear all their own expenses.
Therefore!
Most Outer Disciples lived in considerable straits, carefully calculating every Spirit Stone.
Being able to take advantage of this opportunity to mooch a little food and drink was quite a fine thing.
Yu Ke, who was burying his head in his meal, was called out by a voice.
"Senior Brother Yu, weren't you preparing for Upper-grade Foundation Establishment in order to compete in the Outer Sect Tournament? How is it going?"
The voice came from a youth seated at the same table.
The youth was named Zhao Li. He was a child of a prominent Great Zhou Lineage that had now declined, though his ancestors had once been wealthy and powerful.
Since Yu Ke had merely been eating and drinking without speaking, Zhao Li had not noticed him at first. Only now did he realize who it was. His tone carried a touch of familiarity; the two knew each other fairly well, having entered the Divine Firmament Sect in the same year.
The cultivation world recorded countless methods of Foundation Establishment, and the Divine Firmament Sect alone recorded more than three thousand.
Foundation Establishment was the dividing line between geniuses and ordinary people.
Foundation Establishment was divided into nine grades: the Upper Three Grades, Middle Three Grades, and Lower Three Grades. Each grade represented different potential.
Above the first grade was the legendary Fated Foundation Establishment, which only heaven-blessed prodigies could possess. To those in the Outer Sect, it was simply beyond reach.
Once any of the Divine Firmament Sect's three basic cultivation methods was cultivated to perfection, one could achieve Upper Three Grades Foundation Establishment.
However!
Those who could reach perfection in the Outer Sect were few and far between, showing just how difficult it was.
After thinking for a moment, Yu Ke recognized the youth before him.
"So it is Junior Brother Zhao. I hope you have been well."
He shook his head lightly and said calmly, "The matter of Foundation Establishment has not yet reached completion. I still need time to prepare."
He knew well that revealing his predicament of failed Foundation Establishment and declining cultivation would not earn him sympathy. It would only invite scornful looks.
Those creditors would not grant him leniency because of his temporary difficulties. Instead, when he was at his weakest, they would kick him when he was down and force him to hand over even more.
Yu Ke said somewhat apologetically:
"As for the Spirit Stones I owed Junior Brother Zhao last time, I will likely need a few more days of grace."
After the former owner of his body failed in Foundation Establishment, the price of the Foundation Establishment treasures he had purchased was staggering. His own money was certainly insufficient, so he had no choice but to borrow a portion from his fellow disciples.
Some had written IOUs, while others had only verbal agreements.
"No matter!"
Zhao Li said with a smile:
"Senior Brother need not take it to heart. This little amount of Spirit Stones can wait. After Senior Brother succeeds in Foundation Establishment, do not forget to share some of your insights with me."
Zhao Li spoke generously.
He was not worried that Yu Ke would fail to repay him. After all, Yu Ke had the Luoshui Yu Clan behind him.
If someone caused trouble at the Yu Family over a debt, only the Yu Family's reputation would be harmed.
As Zhao Li knew it, Yu Ke was highly driven among their fellow disciples from the prominent Lineages of Great Zhou. His usual spending was not shabby either, which showed that his character was reliable.
The amount borrowed was not much, and Zhao Li was not short of Spirit Stones at the moment, so he did not take the matter to heart.
Yu Ke thanked him and secretly let out a breath of relief.
At least for the time being, these fellow disciples would not come knocking to collect their debts.
Zhao Li looked at the most eye-catching figures in the hall, envy in his eyes.
"A true man ought to be like them, but entering the Inner Sect is so difficult."
"Entering Supreme Purity Peak is likely as hard as climbing to heaven."
Yu Ke heard this and knew it was indeed true.
The Inner Sect had a fixed quota for each intake, and the competition was fierce.
The banquet gradually reached its height.
The guests either made friends, chatted and laughed merrily, or fawned over the focal figures in the hall.
Two minor incidents occurred during this time.
First, one of the lackeys under Inner Disciple Xie Xuan spoke in a neither salty nor bland manner, provoking Wang Yunxi a few times.
Xie Xuan came from the Xie Clan of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
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