Immortal Arts Hall

Bluestone paths crisscrossed the grounds, carving the entire courtyard into orderly clusters of residences.

A stream flowed beside the paths, crossed by three stone bridges—arched bridges with vermilion-painted railings.

Deep within the courtyard stood the towering main hall, the "Immortal Arts Hall," its dark tiles crowning the roof and its upturned eaves soaring skyward.

More than ten side halls, pavilions, and waterside terraces stood in rows on either side of the main hall.

At the courtyard's northwest corner stood a tower several dozen stories high—the "Star-Seizing Tower."

Covered corridors linked the buildings throughout the grounds, making travel between them quite convenient.

Following the guidance of his jade token, Dong Lin arrived at the site of the academic assessment.

His timing was rather fortunate; only two disciples remained ahead of him for evaluation.

In less than half an hour, it was Dong Lin's turn.

The examiners were a middle-aged man in green robes and a plainly dressed middle-aged female cultivator.

When Dong Lin presented his identity jade token, the male examiner stared at him closely twice, a faint trace of surprise in his eyes.

"You're an outer sect disciple who only began cultivation at the start of this year?!"

"Reporting to the two examiners, this disciple indeed entered the sect and began cultivating at the beginning of this year."

"It has been less than five months, yet you have already reached Perfected Early Qi Refining? Even among disciples from previous years, that would place you among the best of the best."

"Such cultivation speed is truly astonishing. What a pity you began cultivating too late. Had it been two years earlier, you surely would have been granted special approval to be accepted by an elder as a personal inner disciple."

The female cultivator beside him nodded regretfully as well.

"Outer Sect Division Two's Steward Xuan has truly struck gold this time!"

"Let us still follow the procedure. Circulate the Spirit Infusion Art of the Breath-and-Spirit Absorption Art once."

Dong Lin immediately walked to the meditation cushion in the center of the grounds and sat down. Settling his mind, he began circulating the Breath-and-Spirit Absorption Art.

Once the Breath-and-Spirit Absorption Art was mastered at the introductory level, it came with a minor technique that could circulate spiritual qi through the meridians and cover the entire body, serving as protection.

This technique was precisely the focus of this assessment.

By observing the speed, power, and completeness of the technique's coverage, one could determine whether a disciple's cultivation was stable and how well they had mastered their cultivation art.

In just five breaths, Dong Lin successfully guided the spiritual qi in his dantian through every meridian according to the cultivation art, activating a thin, transparent shield of spiritual qi.

Seeing this, the two examiners nodded in satisfaction.

"Mm, that will do. At your level, you can absolutely be promoted exceptionally to an inner disciple."

"Let this assessment be rated Grade A directly. This bottle of high-grade Yellow Tier Qi-Gathering Pills is the reward for a Grade A completion evaluation. Take it."

The female examiner took out a bottle of pills, wrapped it in spiritual power, and slowly floated it toward Dong Lin.

Dong Lin reached out and tucked it into his robes.

"I will explain matters to Steward Xuan. You may return first."

"Many thanks to the two examiners." Maintaining the circulation of his spiritual qi, Dong Lin rose to his feet and clasped his hands in thanks to them both.

Upon returning to his residence, Dong Lin received an invitation from Steward Xuan.

Normally, Dong Lin lived within the inner sect and had made no friends.

Thus, although Dong Lin was a newly admitted disciple of Outer Sect Division Two, he had never participated in any of its assignments and was unfamiliar with the division. Apart from Steward Xuan, he barely knew anyone.

Nor had Outer Sect Division Two assigned Dong Lin any routine duties.

Ordinarily, after outer sect disciples of a sect broke through to Qi Refining, they would be required to handle certain daily affairs for the sect.

Yet perhaps because of Steward Xuan's care, Dong Lin had not been assigned any tasks.

The sect was currently sealed off, and there were considerably fewer matters to handle within its gates than before. Naturally, nothing would trouble Dong Lin.

When he arrived once more before the hall of Outer Sect Division Two, Steward Xuan was already waiting at the entrance with a beaming smile.

"As expected of Deacon Dong's son. I've been driven nearly frantic by all the matters arising after the mountain closure lately, yet Little Lin, you have brought me such a tremendous surprise!"

Xuan Qing patted Dong Lin's shoulder, carefully looked him over from head to toe, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad, not bad. A tiger father begets no dog son. Back when your father, Xiao Tian, entered the sect, his cultivation rose straight upward all the way as well. What a pity..."

As Xuan Qing spoke, he stroked his white beard and began to sigh.

"Only by becoming an inner disciple of our sect can one truly be considered a member of the Heaven Sect.

The outer sect is merely a testing ground for the sect to select qualified disciples, while the inner disciples are the very core of our Heaven Sect!

The inner sect resources I specially approved for you earlier did not include the inner disciples' exclusive Dao Xuan Heart Sutra.

This Dao Xuan Heart Sutra is standard for every inner disciple.

Only after mastering this Dao Xuan Heart Sutra at the introductory level can one officially be re-evaluated as an inner disciple."

With a turn of Xuan Qing's hand, an ancient booklet appeared in his palm.

"Officially re-evaluated? Does that mean I am not yet a true inner disciple?"

Dong Lin asked somewhat doubtfully.

"Correct. All disciples entering the inner sect are initially assessed as Apprentice Inner Disciples, receiving the lowest tier of resources and treatment.

Only after mastering this Dao Xuan Heart Sutra at the introductory level can you successfully prove your talent to the sect and become a Yellow-Rank Inner Disciple.

Our sect's inner disciples are divided into five official ranks. Beginning with apprentice, they are, in order: Yellow Tier, Black Tier, Earth Grade, Heaven Grade, and Divine Grade.

Each rank corresponds to a different standing within the sect and different resource treatment.

An old man like me has spent several decades tempering my qualifications in the outer sect, yet I have only barely risen to Earth Grade.

This Dao Xuan Heart Sutra is not easy to master at the introductory level. You must devote some time to it. Remember well: this art must not be passed on to outsiders. It is our sect's exclusive secret technique."

"This disciple understands." Dong Lin accepted the Dao Xuan Heart Sutra and nodded to Steward Xuan.

"If you successfully achieve Foundation Establishment before the age of eighteen, you can be directly promoted to a Black-Rank Inner Disciple of the Heaven Sect.

Work hard, Little Lin. Your aptitude is decent, but you began cultivating rather late. You have only a little over three years left. For cultivators like us, what we fight for is this sliver of opportunity.

The treatment for every rank within the sect is as different as heaven and earth.

Your father and I worked together in the sect for more than fifty years. We had such deep friendship, yet I did not even know he and Lan Zhi had had a child.

He hid it from me for over a decade. Had something not happened to him, I would never have known he was raising a child outside the sect.

He truly treated me like an outsider."

Steward Xuan spoke with some indignation.

"All right, Little Lin. If you encounter any problems in cultivation, come find me whenever you wish.

There are many suspicious aspects to what happened to your father. I will investigate it thoroughly."

"Thank you for your concern, Steward Xuan."

"Go report to the Merit Affairs Hall shortly. I have already handled all the procedures for you.

The sect's requirements for inner disciples are not low. Look around and see whether there are any long-term assignments suitable for you.

If you can take up long-term work that offsets the sect's mandatory task points, such as artifact refining or pill refining, you can avoid being assigned certain compulsory tasks.

The mountain has only just been sealed, so the distribution of sect resources may become tighter. Only by showing the sect your talent will resources be inclined toward you."

"I understand. Thank you for your consideration, Steward Lian. This disciple will go report now."

"Go on."

Dong Lin left the outer sect and headed for the Merit Affairs Hall to report.

Although he was a disciple of Outer Sect Division Two, he had not contributed anything to the division during these past few months.

Nor had he ever interacted with Steward Lian.

Who would have thought that the previous owner's father had such deep ties with Steward Lian.

Ever since I entered the sect, he has taken great care of me. Perhaps, to Steward Lian, this is merely a little care and investment for the orphaned son of a close friend. Yet I truly owe Steward Lian a tremendous debt of gratitude.

Dong Lin shook his head and stopped thinking further. Since he was here, he would make the best of it.

Since he had come to this place, he would cultivate diligently.

The path of immortal cultivation was truly so captivating.