When Talent Is No Longer Everything, Sincerity Opens the Sect's Gates

"Heavenly Dao Sect has no distinction between menial disciples and outer disciples for those who pass the assessment. All are formal disciples."

"Among them, formal disciples are divided from the First-Generation Disciple to the Fifth-Generation Disciple. Of course, whether one is a First-Generation Disciple or a Fifth-Generation Disciple, upon entering the sect, they may go to the Immortal Arts Pavilion and exchange for one Immortal Art free of charge, enjoying the same treatment," Su Bai said.

Hearing this, Zhuge Feng could not help asking, "Master, Heavenly Dao Sect's Immortal Arts are so heaven-defying. If they spread on a large scale, could other forces steal them?"

Zhuge Feng's concern was not without reason. With so many people, there would be all sorts of characters among them. The appearance of a few spies would be nothing strange.

Su Bai merely smiled faintly. Naturally, he had considered this long ago.

"I have already erected a plaque outside the Immortal Arts Pavilion. Immortal Arts may only be cultivated by oneself and are strictly forbidden from being passed on. Any violator will have their cultivation and memories of the Immortal Arts abolished, then be expelled from the sect."

Su Bai spoke slowly, having already thought everything through.

After all, he had heard the saying about teaching one's disciple only to starve one's master more times than he could count.

"Master, then how do we determine whether anyone has violated this?" Zhuge Feng asked again.

Su Bai smiled lightly. "There is no need for you to worry about that. I have my own methods."

The Guardian Spirit arranged by the system did far more than select more suitable Immortal Arts for disciples. It had an even more important function.

That was detecting whether any disciple had spread the Immortal Art incantations!

Regardless of distance or time, once discovered, all memories concerning the Immortal Arts would be erased in an instant!

Exploiting system loopholes was simply impossible!

"My energy is limited. When the time comes, the sect will issue new tasks. Teaching new disciples to cultivate can earn points, and all of you may accept them," Su Bai added.

"Yes!"

Zhuge Feng nodded. Just as he was about to withdraw, he thought of something else.

"May I ask, Master, how are the five generations of disciples distinguished?" Zhuge Feng asked in confusion.

Su Bai smiled slightly and flicked a finger. At the sect gate, a staircase of pristine white jade appeared.

"This is the Heaven-Ascending Ladder. The entrance assessment is to climb it. Anyone who passes the sixtieth step may enter the sect as a Fifth-Generation Disciple."

"Those who pass the seventieth step will be Fourth-Generation Disciples."

"Those who pass the eightieth step will be Third-Generation Disciples."

"Those who pass the ninetieth step will be Second-Generation Disciples."

"Those who reach the summit will be First-Generation Disciples."

Zhuge Feng looked toward the Heaven-Ascending Ladder. It had a total of one hundred steps.

This was the first time he had ever seen such an open method of assessment.

In other words, to enter Heavenly Dao Sect, even those with power and influence could not falsify the assessment!

Compared to the assessment methods of other sects, this was far more fair and just!

"May I ask, Master, does this Heaven-Ascending Ladder assess Spirit Roots or talent?" he could not help asking.

"Neither." Su Bai shook his head and smiled. "My Heavenly Dao Sect permits anyone and any living being to participate in the assessment. There is no distinction between rich and poor, noble and lowly, nor between age and gender."

"Perhaps your talent is unrivaled, and you are an unmatched genius, yet perhaps you cannot even set foot on the First Layer."

"Perhaps your aptitude is poor, your household impoverished, and you even survive by begging, yet perhaps you can reach the summit of the Heavenly Ladder."

"For disciples of Heavenly Dao Sect, talent need not be exceptional. With sincerity, one may enter the sect!"

Zhuge Feng was immediately stunned.

He had never even heard of such an assessment method!

It did not assess Spirit Roots, aptitude, or family background. It assessed sincerity!

If so, how many impoverished people would be able to see hope for cultivating immortality?

If so, how many people without backing would be able to hold hope of entering an Immortal Gate?

Only after a long while did he take a deep breath and solemnly bow to Su Bai.

"This disciple will go arrange the assessment at once."

"Go!"

Su Bai waved lightly and watched Zhuge Feng leave.

The hundred steps of the Heavenly Ladder corresponded to sect loyalty!

Sixty steps meant sixty points of loyalty, enough to meet the standard for entering the sect.

Using loyalty to the sect to distinguish the generations of disciples was undoubtedly the most suitable method for Heavenly Dao Sect!

[Disciple Loyalty]

Zhuge Feng: 97

Xiao Lingxi: 97

Xiao Yan: 97

Ye Qingyao: 97

Once loyalty reached ninety, it was basically very difficult to improve further. Therefore, even Zhuge Feng and the others were currently only Second-Generation Disciples.

However, Su Bai believed that before long, all of them could break through one hundred and become First-Generation Disciples.

He wondered what treasure the special reward for a disciple's loyalty reaching one hundred would be.

An hour later, Su Bai appeared atop the mountain, his gaze fixed on the Heaven-Ascending Ladder outside the sect gate.

The Heaven-Ascending Ladder was enormous and could accommodate more than a thousand people climbing at the same time.

Yet even so, it was far from enough. The queue of people had even stretched all the way to Cloudwater City!

Of course, although there were many people, the overwhelming majority could not even ascend the First Layer!

After all, most had come upon hearing that Heavenly Dao Sect had produced a Nascent Soul expert. Their loyalty to Heavenly Dao Sect could be said to be zero.

Even if some admired Heavenly Dao Sect, their loyalty was no more than single digits.

Fewer than one percent could climb ten steps!

Less than ten people made it to twenty steps!

Above thirty steps, there was not a single person!

"Damn it, I have a High-Grade Spirit Root. What sect could I not enter? Why can't I even climb one step of this lousy Heavenly Ladder?"

"What bullshit Heavenly Dao Sect? Even if no sect accepts me in the future, I will never join your Heavenly Dao Sect!"

"There's something fishy here, absolutely something fishy! What kind of public assessment is this supposed to be?"

More and more people began to complain bitterly.

Not even being able to ascend one step made many feel unable to save face.

Then, at that very moment, a petite figure instantly ascended to the sixtieth step!

Moreover, she was incredibly fast, with no sign of slowing down.

Seventy steps... eighty steps... ninety steps!

At that moment, everyone who had just been cursing fell silent and stared at the figure on the ninetieth step.

"She... she is that Rootless girl from the Hundred Sects Assembly who knelt for five days and was declared by an immortal master to have no fate with the immortal path!"

Someone recognized the girl and cried out, his eyes filled with shock.

Rootless! She was absolutely trash among trash, yet such trash had actually climbed to the ninetieth step!

Ninety steps meant a Second-Generation Disciple of Heavenly Dao Sect!

If judged according to the usual classifications of menial, outer, and inner disciples in other sects, a Second-Generation Disciple would at the very least be a Core Disciple!

This was a core disciple of a Nascent Soul-level force!

Even a Rootless piece of trash could reach such a position?

Unheard of, unseen before!

"Master said that the Heavenly Ladder's assessment looks only at sincerity. As long as your heart is sincere, even if you are Rootless like me, you can still pass!"

"Ask yourselves—are your hearts truly sincere?"

Ye Qingyao looked at everyone below, her expression firm.

As soon as those words fell, the previously noisy scene instantly quieted down.

Those words struck straight into the hearts of many who could not even climb the First Layer, filling them with shame.

Of course, some remained unconvinced. The High-Grade Spirit Root genius who had shouted the loudest earlier gave a cold snort.

"What bullshit sincerity? I have a High-Grade Spirit Root. Even entering Lingxiao Sect would be effortless for me. If your Heavenly Dao Sect doesn't want me, I don't give a damn!"

"You pieces of trash without even Spirit Roots, so what if you enter Heavenly Dao Sect?"

"You Mortal Bodies will always be trash. It is the same wherever you go!"

He looked at everyone with a face full of contempt, carrying himself with his nose in the air.

His High-Grade Spirit Root was the foundation of his pride!

The people around him immediately fell silent. He was not wrong.

It was the same in any sect. If one's Spirit Root was too weak, one would ultimately be trash and looked down upon. Even pouring in vast resources would not change that.

Yet Ye Qingyao could not help laughing.

In her mind, she recalled what her master had told her before.

She raised a hand, and a massive fireball appeared in her palm. At the same time, her clear voice rang throughout the entire area.

"Who says Mortal Bodies cannot cultivate immortality?"