The newcomer was the master of the Enforcement Hall, reputedly a Grandmaster Alchemist.
He could have become a peak master, but he had refused. No one knew the exact reason.
The old man appeared with his hands clasped behind his back and swept his gaze over the crowd.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My surname is Zheng. You may call me Hall Master Zheng."
"One hundred people are taking this examination for promotion from the outer sect to the inner sect, more than in the previous examinations. It seems many of you are confident about this examination, which pleases me greatly."
"However, this examination differs from previous ones. There will be two rounds. The first will assess your stone tablet rankings, and the second will assess the number of pills you refine."
"The first round begins now. Outer Disciples taking the examination will pass through the gates of Qu Shui Orchid Pavilion in order. The screen above the gates will display the number of times you have attempted the Pill Pavilion's stone tablet trials, as well as your rankings."
"If you rank in the top ten on a stone tablet, the Pill Bell floating overhead will ring. A top-ten ranking on one tablet earns one chime, two tablets earn two chimes, and so on."
"In the first round, higher stone tablet rankings will earn more points. These will be combined with your second-round results. Only those with a total score of sixty or higher may become Inner Disciples."
As his words fell, everyone around him stared in astonishment.
Clearly, none of them had expected such rules for this examination for promotion to the inner sect.
Some lower-ranked Outer Disciples looked miserable, silently cursing themselves for not attempting the stone tablet trials more often to improve their rankings.
Some higher-ranked Outer