New Disciple Trial

When Xu Zimo and Lin Ruhu arrived before the sect gates, the trial for recruiting new disciples had already begun.

The one hundred and eighty-eight steps were now packed densely with disciples.

At the very top of the steps, two Outer Sect Elders and one Inner Sect Elder were overseeing the assessment.

That Inner Sect Elder belonged to the First Elder's faction. Seeing Xu Zimo arrive, he merely gave a faint snort and paid him no heed.

One of the Outer Sect Elders, however, belonged to Xu Qingshan's branch and was exceptionally welcoming.

"Nephew Zimo, you're here," the elder said with a smile.

"Greetings, Elder Jin." Xu Zimo smiled. "How is this year's new disciple trial? Are there any promising seedlings?"

The Inner Sect Elder was indifferent toward Xu Zimo, and Xu Zimo could not be bothered with him either, instead chatting directly with Elder Jin.

"There are a few decent ones," Elder Jin replied. "Look at the disciples on those eight steps ahead. They're considered rather outstanding."

Of the one hundred and eighty-eight steps before the True Martial Sacred Sect, the final hundred carried twice the gravity, the middle eighty carried five times the gravity, and the foremost eight carried ten times the gravity.

Xu Zimo glanced over and noticed Baili Xiao among them. He asked, "Wasn't that girl brought back by the Sixth Elder? Why does she need to take the trial too?"

"She requested it herself. We couldn't exactly refuse her," Elder Jin said with a smile.

Xu Zimo smiled but said nothing. This girl was far more mature than he had imagined.

Her identity had suddenly undergone a dramatic change, from that of an ordinary girl in a small mountain village to that of the niece of the True Martial Sacred Sect's Sixth Elder.

Yet she had not lost herself in it. Instead, she had still managed to remain true to herself.

A smile curled at Xu Zimo's lips as he murmured, "As expected of the successor chosen by the Empress!"

"If Nephew Zimo wishes to gather followers, you might as well give those few a try."

Afterward, Elder Jin began introducing the talented disciples participating in the trial to Xu Zimo.

The disciple standing at the very front of the eight steps was a Young Man in flowing white robes, a longsword strapped to his back.

The Young Man possessed a sharp, exposed edge. Though the gravity on the steps was astonishing and even taking another step was somewhat difficult, his expression remained calm, without the slightest intention of retreating.

"He is a descendant of the Huang Family in Northwest City," Elder Jin said. "His name is Xue Buhui, and he is considered the most talented of this batch."

"Why would a descendant of the Huang Family come to our True Martial Sacred Sect?" Lin Ruhu asked curiously from beside him.

Though the Huang Family could not be mentioned in the same breath as the True Martial Sacred Sect, they were still a great family of Northwest City.

The Huang Family's founder had been the Sword God, an expert from the same era as Emperor Yin Tian.

Legend had it that he had once contended with Emperor Yin Tian for the Heavenly Mandate, though he ultimately failed.

But anyone qualified to contend with a Great Emperor for the Heavenly Mandate could hardly be an ordinary person.

The Huang Family's descendants would receive no special privileges upon entering the True Martial Sacred Sect. They were no different from ordinary disciples.

If they wanted good cultivation resources, they had to fight for them themselves. In that case, they might as well have stayed with the Huang Family.

"He is the Huang Family's illegitimate son. His mother was merely a lowly maid, and his birth itself was only an accident," Elder Jin explained. "He could not obtain good resources in the Huang Family and was instead targeted at every turn.

His name is Yan Buhui. He took his mother's surname."

"He's quite good," Xu Zimo said with a smile, recalling memories of his Previous Life. "One day, he will bear the glory of his ancestors and inherit the Sword God's honor from those days."

"Nephew Zimo thinks so highly of him?" the Inner Sect Elder beside them said disdainfully.

Xu Zimo glanced at the Inner Sect Elder and replied flatly, "None of your business."

The Inner Sect Elder's expression turned ugly. He gave a cold snort and said nothing more.

"I needn't say much about that girl named Baili Xiao. I heard the Sixth Elder dotes on her greatly, so her aptitude probably cannot be too poor," Elder Jin continued.

"Further down, those two girls are twins. One is called Xue Qianxue, and the other is called Xue Mengmeng.

They are locals from Little Willow Town beneath our Sacred Sect. The previous head of their Xue Family was also an Inner Sect Elder of our Sacred Sect.

Before they came this time, the Xue Family head specifically sought me out and asked me to take greater care of them.

They are twins, and I heard they cultivate a joint attack technique. When the two of them use it together, they can double the technique's power.

With their strength, it would originally have been difficult for them to enter the first eight steps. But with the support of their joint attack technique, their aptitude can barely be considered passable."

Xu Zimo smiled. He still remembered these twin sisters.

If he remembered correctly, the two later became Baili Xiao's maidservants and enjoyed boundless splendor.

"Further down, that big fellow is called Gao Xiong," Elder Jin continued. "He comes from an ordinary mountain village within the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

His realm is the lowest among these people, only the ninth level of the Mortal Realm. He has not even entered the Spirit Vein Realm.

But his physical body is the most promising one I have seen in all these years. He entered these first eight steps purely through the power of his flesh."

After hearing Elder Jin's introduction, Xu Zimo said to Lin Ruhu, "Ruhu, let's take the trial too, lest people gossip."

"Sure." Lin Ruhu nodded indifferently.

The two walked to the foot of the mountain and began ascending step by step from the first stair.

There were not many strict requirements for climbing these steps. Defensive spirit artifacts were forbidden, and one had to climb one step at a time.

Even if one could ascend several steps at once, it was not allowed.

The moment Xu Zimo stepped onto the stairs, he felt gravity pressing in from all directions. His somewhat unstable realm after advancing to the ninth level of Condensed Veins was gradually consolidating, while the spiritual energy within him became increasingly solid.

"Ruhu, don't resist this gravity. Try to become one with it," Xu Zimo cautioned. "That way, not only can you lessen its weight, but you can temper yourself more effectively."

Lin Ruhu nodded. His aptitude was no worse than Xu Zimo's, especially after cultivating the Strength Art. The muscles on his body had become increasingly pronounced.

They were already showing signs of bulging. He would probably become a muscular brute in the future.

With a contented expression, Xu Zimo climbed the steps one by one, tempering himself while merging himself into the gravity.

He walked for more than ten minutes, neither hurried nor slow, passing the final hundred steps of twice gravity.

Then came the eighty steps of fivefold gravity. Xu Zimo stood there and adjusted slightly to the gravity before continuing upward as calmly as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze.

Lin Ruhu refused to be outdone. Though he was always somewhat strained, he could still closely follow Xu Zimo's pace.

At last, the two finished the eighty steps and arrived upon the final eight.

According to the True Martial Sacred Sect's rules, as long as one could reach the steps with tenfold gravity, one had essentially passed.