As the assessment drew near, the atmosphere among the Servant Disciples grew increasingly tense.
Crowds at the North Cliff market swelled dramatically. Even the expensive Merit Hall now had throngs of visitors at its doors.
Prices for pills and talismans soared, carrying even low-grade dharmic instruments upward with the rising tide. Everyone was striving, exhausting every possible means to bolster their strength.
In the sect's eyes, a disciple's talent and cultivation were strength, but passing the assessment through external aids such as dharmic instruments and talismans was also a kind of strength.
As a result, lending businesses experienced explosive growth. Organizations like the Upper Mound Commerce Association launched "Assessment Loans"...
Almost every Servant Disciple shouldered crushing debts, pledging hundreds of years of their freedom as collateral.
If they perished during the assessment and their souls were drawn into the Darkworld Grotto-Scenery Banner, they would almost never see the day of their release-disciples within the banner still had a slender chance at reincarnation, but one of its most basic prerequisites was freedom from debt.
[Character information] Player: Chu Mo Yin-Yang Jade: 3 Inventory: Scarlet Sun Needle, Corpse Puppet x1, Fire Crow Talisman x6, Flowing Flame Arrow Talisman x3, Blazing Sun Protection x2...
Seeing that his Yin-Yang Jade had automatically recovered, Chu Mo felt considerably more confident.
This effectively gave him three additional chances to make mistakes, undoubtedly an enormous advantage in an assessment fraught with danger.
Of course, he had not grown arrogant enough to dismiss the assessment. His Yin-Yang Jade was not limitless; each point spent left him with one less, and recovering a single point took a full seventy-two hours.
If he died four times in succession, the consequences would be unthinkable. He did not dare gamble on that unknown risk.
The Savage Realm! Chu Mo repeated inwardly, feeling anticipation and excitement.
At the Dharma Transmission Plaza, the atmosphere was so heavy one could almost wring water from it.
A dense sea of people had gathered there. At a rough glance, they numbered in the thousands, all Servant Disciples who had reached the qi refining third layer.
No one raised their voice. There was only the occasional faint sound of someone swallowing nervously. Anxiety and grim resolve mingled in the air.
Chu Mo stood among the crowd, calmly observing his surroundings. Most people's gazes flickered, their faces taut as they unconsciously stroked their Storage Bags or the talismans and dharmic instruments concealed against their bodies.
"Brother Chu!" A familiar voice rang out beside him, filled with delighted surprise.
Chu Mo turned. A youth in blue waved at him and squeezed toward him with a smile, followed by a man and a woman.
Chu Mo nodded, recognizing him. Ying Le had joined the sect at the same time as him and had been the first "bold soul" to dare sign a loan contract before Jiang Yunya.
After several months apart, Ying Le's aura had grown considerably stronger; he had already broken through to the qi refining third layer. The two cultivators behind him were unfamiliar, perhaps companions he had met afterward.
Ying Le was easygoing as ever. He squeezed in beside Chu Mo, patted his shoulder, and said with a low chuckle, "Brother Chu, it's been a while. I didn't expect you to have broken through too!"
The ease on his face was utterly at odds with the surrounding tension, as though he were about to embark on an ordinary outing rather than face a trial of life and death.
Chu Mo noticed that Ying Le now had a seemingly well-made Storage Bag at his waist, along with a ring that gave off a faint spiritual glow.
Something stirred in his mind, but his expression remained unchanged. "You seem quite confident, Brother Ying."
Ying Le chuckled without answering. Turning sideways, he introduced his companions. "These are two friends I've made recently. This is Senior Sister Su Yao, and this is Senior Brother Zhang Meng."
The female cultivator named Su Yao nodded at Chu Mo. Above her head was [Level 3 · Duo'e Sect reserve grunt (yellow name)].
Zhang Meng merely gave a gruff "Mm," his wary gaze sweeping over Chu Mo. His name was likewise yellow.
Ying Le leaned closer to Chu Mo and lowered his voice further. "Brother Chu, we're fairly well acquainted. Since we don't yet know what the Savage Realm is like, why don't the four of us team up temporarily? We could look out for one another."
He sighed, then continued, "From what I've heard, you and I are the only two left among those who joined the sect with us. The other seven... have all ended up on a soul banner."
"Oh?!" Chu Mo was rather surprised. They had joined the sect less than half a year ago, and the others were already dead to the last?
"Is that really true?"
"Absolutely!" Ying Le lowered his voice a little more. "Some went wrong during cultivation, some fell short in fights, and others simply vanished without explanation."
As he spoke, his gaze swept casually over Chu Mo, as though hoping to glean something from his expression.
Chu Mo merely listened calmly, his eyes deep and unreadable, betraying little emotion.
"So if things are already like this within the sect, how much worse must another realm be?" Ying Le stressed again. "The dangers of this assessment are unknown. Another person means another measure of strength."
Su Yao, standing behind him, also cast an expectant look at Chu Mo, while Zhang Meng remained guarded.
Chu Mo did not answer immediately.
Forming a team might offer greater security, but it also meant sharing risks and having his movements constrained. He was more accustomed to acting alone, especially since he carried quite a few secrets. Things like the Scarlet Sun Needle could never see the light of day.
Just as he was considering how to decline politely, several powerful auras abruptly descended upon the raised platform at the front of the plaza!
The faint murmuring vanished instantly. Everyone looked up to see eight streaks of light land on the platform at the front of the plaza.
[Level 25 · High Person Xuanji] [Level 21 · High Person Miaoxin] [Level 15 · High Person Yuanbai] [Level 11 · High Person Qingsong]
Chu Mo's pupils contracted sharply. Foundation establishment placed one among the high, a golden core earned the title of Perfected, and a nascent soul the title of Lord.
The eight foundation establishment High Persons seemed to merge with the surrounding spiritual energy simply by standing there, radiating an awe-inspiring might that made hearts tremble.
Their leader wore a black Daoist robe. His calm gaze swept over the dense crowd below. Though he made no deliberate effort to exert pressure, he naturally became the focus of everyone present.
"Silence."
A calm, clear voice sounded, carrying unquestionable authority into everyone's ears.
The last faint sounds in the plaza vanished completely. A falling pin could have been heard.
High Person Xuanji spoke slowly. His voice was not loud, yet it struck everyone's mind like evening drums and morning bells. "The location of this Outer Disciple assessment is the Savage Realm."
Brief and to the point, he went straight to the heart of the matter:
"The savage remnants do not cultivate the Great Dao and profane heaven and earth. They reject enlightenment and resist immortal rule. You must penetrate the designated regions and eradicate these remnants."
"The natives of the Savage Realm are ranked according to the power of their totems. 'Totem warriors' correspond to qi refining, and 'priests' to foundation establishment...
Your results will be determined by the number and quality of the 'spines' you take. A low-ranked warrior's spine earns one contribution point; a mid-ranked warrior's, five; a high-ranked warrior's, twenty.
Those who accumulate thirty contribution points may advance to Outer Disciple. Rewards for outstanding results are unrestricted: cave abodes, dharmic instruments, and Foundation Establishment Pills are all possible."
"The assessment will last thirty days. After thirty days, wherever you may be, the retrieval formation will forcibly draw you back.
There are no restrictions on your methods during the assessment. You may work independently or cooperate in teams. However, the final allocation of contribution points must be settled through your own negotiations, or... decided by strength.
As for anything else you gain in the Savage Realm... it will all be yours."