Gathering

The middle-aged man and the old man were half-convinced, half-doubtful, but unwilling to ask further. After pointing Chen Fan in the right direction, they took their leave. Chen Fan continued onward, using a little internal strength to bolster his steps and noticeably quickening his pace. Before long, he arrived at the foot of Swordcry Mountain, where the sect was located.

Several hundred people had already gathered there, all with anxiety written across their faces. Beneath Swordcry Mountain's distant gate stood two middle-aged men. Judging from their attire and the swords at their sides, they were likely disciples dispatched by Swordcry Mountain to guard the gate, as well as the examiners for this recruitment of new disciples. Most among the several hundred were young men around twenty, though a few appeared close to Chen Fan's age. When they saw him striding over briskly, their expressions tightened slightly.

One of them walked straight up to Chen Fan and said coldly, "Brother, you're here to take the entrance examination too, aren't you? Do you know that Swordcry Mountain is only accepting one hundred disciples this time, and none may be older than eighteen? Both the quota and age requirement differ from previous years."

Chen Fan immediately understood. "So you've all exceeded the age limit. Then why are you still gathered here instead of leaving?"

The young man continued, "Even so, according to past rules, if the ten-day recruitment period ends and the required number has not been filled, the requirements may be relaxed. Those who remain may be selected for admission based on superior aptitude. It can be considered a chance given to those who persist without wavering and are devoted to Swordcry Mountain."

So that was it. No wonder every one of them showed him faint hostility when they saw him. They feared he would take another entrance slot. Chen Fan nodded slightly. "So you're staying here in the hope that the recruitment quota will not be filled, allowing you to enter as replacements. Are you really that confident?"

The young man revealed a trace of smugness. "Brother, you may not know this. Although the number of recruits has been cut in half this time, and the age limit has been lowered from under twenty to under eighteen, the martial cultivation requirements for examinees have also risen considerably. Thus, even those who meet the age requirement will find it difficult to pass. Today is already the ninth day of recruitment, yet only a little over sixty people have passed the assessment and entered the sect."

No wonder some younger people had been turned away at the gate. Those around twenty must have been quite confident in their martial cultivation, believing they could meet the entrance requirements. After all, several additional years of practice were not for nothing. Yet satisfying both the cultivation and age requirements at once indeed demanded far greater aptitude and talent. Swordcry Mountain had likely reduced the number of slots because it had anticipated that the number of people capable of meeting the standards would plummet, while also fearing that too many replacements would render the selection meaningless. Chen Fan understood at once and asked, "Do you know the specific requirements of this assessment?"

The young man smiled again. "Aside from being under eighteen, one must cultivate at least two of the three types of techniques: Internal Qi, External Force, or Soaring. At least one of them must have reached the second realm. Of course, cultivating all three techniques to the first realm also counts as passing." Clearly, he did not believe Chen Fan met this standard and looked at him with considerable disdain.

Chen Fan was first stunned, then immediately began calculating in his heart. I have no idea what realm my cultivation has reached. I only know that my internal cultivation should have reached the first realm, but whether it has reached the second is hard to say. Ever since losing my memory, I have not tried cultivating the later sections of the Golden Wheel Scripture. As for the External Force technique, the Golden Wheel Staff Technique, I have completely forgotten how to use it. Even if I had not lost my memory, I would not dare use it rashly and expose my identity. Besides, Swordcry Mountain's disciple assessment will certainly involve swordsmanship. Where would I find a staff to use?

In truth, for ordinary martial artists, reaching the first realm of External Force was not difficult. The lowest-grade sword, saber, spear, and staff techniques circulating on the market were numerous. Of course, without the support of internal cultivation, they were at most flower fists and embroidered legs, and could not possibly be cultivated to the second realm. Internal Qi techniques, however, were even more difficult for ordinary young wanderers to obtain. Even if they encountered a lucky opportunity and acquired one, it would usually be only a fragment. Being able to cultivate it to the entry level and draw the essence of heaven and earth into one's body was already rare; reaching the second realm was simply impossible. But Chen Fan, an amnesiac youth, knew nothing of such matters. At this moment, he was troubled over his External Force technique.

Seeing the difficult look on Chen Fan's face, the young man's smile widened. "Well? Surprised? Didn't expect that, did you? Even if you wait until the ten-day deadline ends tomorrow, your chances of entering as a replacement will be very slim. To be honest, twenty or thirty of us here are disciples of great Aristocratic Clans near the Swordcry Mountains. Our Lineages possess inherited Internal Qi and External Force techniques. If the assessment requirements had not suddenly changed this time, what business would you have here?"

At that moment, more than a dozen youths of similar age gathered around, clearly having overheard Chen Fan's conversation. They too looked over with faint mockery. Seeing how utterly ignorant he had been before and the troubled expression now on his face, they concluded that he was merely a youth born in the wilderness. At most, he knew a few crude External Force moves. The best he could manage was likely the first realm of External Force, and perhaps he did not even know what Internal Qi or Soaring were.

Little did they know that what Chen Fan was struggling with was precisely the issue of his External Force technique. They would never have imagined that the Internal Qi technique he cultivated, as well as the External Force technique he had casually destroyed, could rival the treasures their Lineages had passed down as clan-protecting heirlooms through countless generations.

Chen Fan finally raised his head, ignored their gazes, and walked toward the mountain gate. He still decided to give it a try. He did not know where else to go now. If he could enter the sect and cultivate with focus, improve his cultivation, and increase his lifespan, what was bad about that? Was not the ultimate goal of all cultivators to transcend the ordinary and cast off the mundane, with boundless battle prowess? Looking at the immediate future, increasing his strength would also grant him some ability to protect himself, and he would be safer beneath the sect's protection. After all, who knew whether those men in black would find him someday? More importantly, if he could cultivate within Swordcry Mountain, he could calmly study the Poisoncraft Manual bit by bit. Given enough time, he might achieve something. The thought stirred Chen Fan's excitement, though he still did not know whether he could pass the assessment. He could only take one step at a time.

Before long, he reached the two sword-bearing middle-aged men beneath the mountain gate. Before he could speak, one of them, a tall man with sword-like brows and starry eyes, said coldly, "Do you know the requirements for our sect's entrance assessment this time?"

Chen Fan bowed slightly. "This junior, Chen Fan, greets Senior. I already know the requirements for this assessment." Seeing Chen Fan's humble attitude and hearing that he knew the requirements, the middle-aged man assumed that Chen Fan believed his cultivation had reached the required realm. At such an age, anyone capable of meeting the standards was exceptionally gifted. The sect had raised the assessment requirements for this recruitment in preparation for certain major events in the near future. This year's new disciples would possess immeasurable prospects within the sect, and some would surely attain extraordinary status there in the future.

Therefore, he did not wish to appear too cold and make the youth resentful, much less deliberately make things difficult for him and become enemies. In truth, these youths who met the assessment requirements all possessed immense potential, whereas he and the others had already reached cultivation bottlenecks and were advanced in years. It would be difficult for them to improve further. Thus, there was no harm in using this assessment to befriend a few "potential stocks."

The middle-aged man's expression softened considerably. He nodded and said, "No need for such courtesy. Then tell me, young friend, which types of techniques have you cultivated, and what realm has each reached?"

Chen Fan was immediately at a loss for words, unsure how to answer. Seeing his expression, the middle-aged man could not help growing angry. "What? Young friend, have you not met the assessment requirements? Were you deceiving us earlier?" As soon as those words were spoken, many troublemakers among the several hundred people gathered nearby drifted toward the mountain gate to watch the spectacle, including the young man who had spoken with Chen Fan earlier.

"Ha! He actually dared deceive the examiner. Let's see what he does now!" "They'll definitely throw him down the mountain!" "That youth looks like he has never seen the world. He must have crawled out of some backwater ravine. He does not even know what martial cultivation is, yet he dares come here for the examination. Should we call him ignorant or naive?" "Sigh, this boy is in for bad luck."

Amid the crowd's discussion, Chen Fan finally spoke. "Senior, to be honest, this junior has lived with the elders of my Household since childhood in an extremely isolated mountain. By chance, one of my elders obtained a fragment of an Internal Qi technique. I have cultivated it diligently until now, but I do not know exactly how far my cultivation has progressed."

"Ha! Just as I thought. This is killing me. He came without even knowing his own weight." "That works too? He deceived the examiner and still found such an excuse. Unbelievable!"

Another burst of laughter rose from the onlookers, while some could not help shaking their heads speechlessly.

At this moment, the middle-aged man's expression darkened further, and his tone grew increasingly impatient. "What you say is not impossible, but do not think such words can fool us. We have our own means of verifying your cultivation. If we find that you are good for nothing, we will certainly punish you severely for this deception."

Before Chen Fan could explain, the middle-aged man abruptly appeared before him as though he had moved through space. One hand shot out and seized Chen Fan's left wrist. Chen Fan immediately felt a stream of essence enter his body, but aside from nervousness, he felt no discomfort. The man's palm faced inward as he clamped tightly around Chen Fan's wrist, staring at him with a cold expression. Clearly, he was using his own Internal Qi to probe Chen Fan's realm of Internal Qi cultivation.

As the middle-aged man released essence into Chen Fan's body and examined him, the expression between his brows changed twice within several breaths. First came surprise, then shock. His grip on Chen Fan's hand visibly loosened, yet he did not release him. Once again, he guided his own true essence into Chen Fan's body.

The surrounding onlookers were equally puzzled. "Why is he examining this boy over and over? Could it be that there is no essence in his body at all, and he has never cultivated internal arts?" Most people thought so.

Yet a small number of more experienced youths, whose internal cultivation had reached the second realm or above, appeared thoughtful. With the cultivation of that middle-aged examiner, examining a novice like this should have taken only one or two breaths. Yet he had repeatedly checked him several times now. There was something strange about this; the boy must have something unusual about him. Everyone had their own thoughts, but all of them stared curiously at Chen Fan and the middle-aged man.

Suddenly, the middle-aged man released Chen Fan. After giving him another strange look, he turned to the other examiner behind him, a plain-faced, somewhat short and stout man, and said, "Junior Brother Wu, come take a look as well."

"Oh? Could this boy have some abnormality? With Senior Brother Li's cultivation, could you not examine him clearly?" As he spoke, the middle-aged man addressed as Junior Brother Wu strolled over unhurriedly.

"It is not the sort of abnormality you think. Your Internal Qi cultivation is slightly higher than mine. Take a look first, then speak," Senior Brother Li said.

"Very well." After speaking, the middle-aged man surnamed Wu grabbed Chen Fan's left hand and examined him in the same manner. His examination did not last as long. After merely two or three breaths, he too revealed a startled expression and turned to look at the middle-aged man surnamed Li. The latter met his gaze with a profoundly meaningful expression. Then the two actually retreated together to the distance and began speaking in low voices.

"Senior Brother Li, if I did not sense wrongly, this boy should be at the second realm, and he seems on the verge of entering the third realm. That cannot be right, can it? How old is he?" The man surnamed Wu looked utterly incredulous. Back when the two of them were Chen Fan's age, even with the Lineage's focused training, they had only barely reached the peak of the first realm.

Anyone whose Internal Qi cultivation had reached a certain level knew that the gap between cultivating to the peak of the first realm and the peak of the second realm was not something that could be crossed by simply investing twice the time and effort. The difficulty of cultivating the first and second realms could not be mentioned in the same breath. Yet this boy had faintly touched the threshold of the third realm. It was simply too shocking.

"I did not dare believe it at first either, which is why I asked Junior Brother Wu to test him as well. It seems we can now confirm it without doubt. I also specifically examined the origin of his technique. He is merely cultivating some low-grade technique, nothing special. Clearly, he has reached this point only because his talent and comprehension are extremely high."

The middle-aged man surnamed Li clearly had no interest in the origin of Chen Fan's technique. Swordcry Mountain itself contained many low-grade techniques, and even a certain number of mid-grade techniques.

After whispering a few more words, the middle-aged man surnamed Li returned to Chen Fan. His attitude was obviously much more amiable, and a smile appeared on his face. "Young Friend Chen, you have already met the Internal Qi assessment requirement. May I ask whether you have also cultivated an External Force technique?"

He did not mention Soaring, because Chen Fan had clearly come from a remote mountain village. Obtaining even one Internal Qi technique was already a tremendous stroke of fortune, and he must have studied diligently to reach such a realm. Having spare time to cultivate some External Force techniques would already be quite good. How could he have had time to cultivate the art of Soaring? Moreover, low-level cultivators had no Soaring techniques available to learn, and their Internal Qi realm was insufficient to create a Soaring technique of their own. It was also highly impractical, far less easy to learn than External Force techniques.