"Did he reach the top too?"
"If I weren't barely able to stand right now, I'd suspect there was something wrong with the Heaven-Climbing Stone Steps!"
"But he reached the top, so why wasn't there any special commotion?"
"Who cares? He climbed up so easily, his talent must be more than just Gamma Grade."
The crowd was already buzzing with discussions.
Earlier, Ying Bing had attracted a grand spectacle of birds, creating quite a scene.
When Li Mo ascended, there was none of that unusual commotion.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible! He must have cheated!"
Wang Hu, who had tumbled down dozens of steps, was already dizzy and disoriented.
Seeing the shameless person who ambushed him reach the top made him so angry his vision went black.
At this moment, he was grinding his back teeth, wishing he could rush up and drag Li Mo down.
Unfortunately, he couldn't even stand up now.
"Cousin! This kid is sinister and ruthless, unworthy of being a disciple of the Qingyuan Sect!"
"Shut up, the elders will make their own judgment!"
Wang Hao also felt embarrassed but quickly interrupted his cousin's reckless words.
How the boy was judged was a matter for the higher-ups.
It wasn't their place to question the fairness of the Initiation Ceremony.
Of course, Wang Hao also thought that Li Mo must have used some other means.
The sect had records.
The fifth-generation Sect Master of Qingyuan Sect had the image of a galaxy cascading down three thousand feet, and the sixteenth-generation Sect Master could bring all trees to spring.
Even the current Sect Master, Shangguan Wencang, had countless swords bowing in reverence.
Everyone who reached the top had an extraordinary presence.
***
Unlike those climbing the stone steps, the high-ranking officials on the observation platform had fallen silent.
They were all at least in the Spirit Observation Realm, able to see things invisible to the naked eye.
Therefore, in their eyes.
The boy with the crow above his head had an extraordinary vision.
Behind him was a silhouette, back facing the world.
That silhouette seemed ordinary yet incredibly profound.
A fisherman on the riverbank... a scholar reading by lamplight... a general stepping into the palace...
In the blink of an eye, the silhouette changed.
When they looked again, it returned to its original form, still that elegantly dressed young man.
Li Mo's silhouette?
Did he reflect his true self on the Heaven-Climbing Stone Steps?
This was unbelievable!
The elders exchanged glances, seeing absurdity and bewilderment in each other's eyes.
They never imagined such a thing would happen.
But one thing was beyond doubt.
This boy was extraordinary.
"Since he has climbed a hundred steps, he can be a true disciple. What do you all think?" Xue Jing nonchalantly let go of the beard he accidentally pulled off.
"Agreed."
"Yes, I also think he should be observed."
"But both of them have climbed a hundred steps."
Elder Han He set down his teacup, hesitating a bit:
"The ancestral teachings say that those who reach the top are candidates for Sect Master, to be nurtured as future successors of Qingyuan Mountain."
"How can a sect have two successors?"
Such a situation, where two people reached the top simultaneously within a century, had never occurred before.
For a moment, the elders all looked at the Sect Master.
Shangguan Wencang pondered for a moment:
"Ying Bing will be the Sect Master's true disciple, and Li Mo will be a true disciple."
To this.
The elders were not surprised.
The other reflected a noble and mysterious phoenix-like bird.
The latter clearly had more potential.
***
Clang—
A long bell rang through the mountains.
The incense in the giant copper furnace burned out, marking the end of an hour.
As time ran out, the young people climbing the platform relaxed, some overjoyed, some calm, and others full of reluctance.
But now, everything was settled.
In the second round, only about seven or eight hundred people truly entered the Qingyuan Sect.
The elders of each peak of the Qingyuan Sect descended from the high platform.
With a step, Shangguan Wencang silenced the bustling crowd.
"Those entering the Outer Sect, go to the Outer Court Affairs Hall to receive your waist token and miscellaneous items.Those entering the Inner Sect can choose a peak to join. Each peak has different functions and specialties, and the martial arts they excel in vary. You have three days to understand.
Whether you join the Inner or Outer Sect, do not slack off. You are all still young, and your futures are undecided."
The Sect Master's voice carried an inherent authority.
Li Mo glanced at the elders, slightly stunned.
Xue Jing winked at him.
Well...
Li Mo had been curious about how a Barefoot Doctor from a Medical Hall could produce something like a Pure Yang Pill.
"Ying Bing will be my disciple."
Shangguan Wencang spoke again.
Those who hadn't left yet had expected this, but still couldn't hide their excitement.
To be taken as a disciple by the Sect Master of Qingyuan Sect, Shangguan Wencang!
Climbing the Heaven-Climbing Stone Steps, reaching the sky in one step.
Just moments ago, everyone was participating in the Initiation Ceremony together, and in the blink of an eye, their paths diverged dramatically. Life's unpredictability was unmatched.
"Li Mo, Lin Jiang, Murong Xiao, also have the potential to be true disciples.
Is there any elder willing to take them as disciples?"
True disciples are also limited in number.
Each elder can take up to five true disciples.
"Unfortunately, my quota is full."
"Lin Jiang, you have Mantis Leg, Magpie-Painted Shoulder, Blue Snake Spine. I am skilled with long weapons. Would you like to follow me?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, this Murong Xiao kid is not bad, possessing the bloodline of an Auspicious Beast. He's a good seed!"
Lin Jiang was quickly accepted by an elder.
Murong Xiao even attracted three elders competing for him, ultimately joining Elder Han He's sect.
"These two."
Li Mo was also observing.
[Name: Lin Jiang]
[Age: 16]
[Talent: Mantis Leg, Blue Snake Spine, Magpie-Painted Shoulder]
[Realm: Vital Energy Realm, Four Meridians]
[Destiny: Blue]
[Evaluation: This person has decent talent but is overly ambitious and prone to breaking. If he realizes this in time, he may still advance.]
[Recent Encounter: Just became a true disciple of Qingyuan Sect, desires a weapon of Sharp Weapon grade or higher.]
[Name: Murong Xiao]
[Age: 16]
[Talent: Screeching Flood Dragon Physique]
[Realm: Vital Energy Realm, Five Meridians]
[Destiny: Blue]
[Evaluation: His father is human, his mother is a transformed flood dragon. He is kind-hearted but greatly influenced by his bloodline. If he can combine the strengths of both, his future is limitless; if not, he could become a menace.]
[Recent Encounter: Long suppressed his instincts, hopes to quell the bloodthirsty nature in his bones.]
"Hiss..."
Li Mo took a sharp breath. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Doesn't he have the bloodline of an Auspicious Beast?
Father is human, mother is a flood dragon?
He silently noted their affiliations.
"What about me?"
Li Mo snapped back to reality, noticing the elders' gazes were somewhat troubled.
"This child's talent is excellent, but how should we teach him?"
This was what the elders were all pondering.
For a moment, the scene fell silent.
Suddenly, a lazy voice broke the silence:
"Kid, hic... would you like to be my disciple?"
Li Mo looked over.
He saw a woman in palace attire standing with her hands on her hips, trying hard to appear serious and solemn.
Her features were elegant and dignified, her loose palace attire unable to hide her stunning figure.
Standing there, she was like a peony in full bloom.
"Of course."
Li Mo didn't hesitate long and bowed.
"This... Nephew Shang Wu..."
Xue Jing was about to speak.
But Shang Wu shot him a threatening glance, clenching her long, slender fingers into a fist.
"Uh, being under her tutelage is excellent. You'll be the sole disciple of the Ninth Peak."
Xue Jing smoothly changed his tune, his expression shifting rapidly.
"Greetings, Master."
Li Mo stepped forward to pay his respects, feeling puzzled.
Why did the elders look at him with sympathy?
He couldn't help but use the Divine Fate Eye.
[Name: Shang Wu]
[Age: 27]
[Talent: Southern Fire Lotus Body]
[Realm: Inner View Seventh Heaven]
[Destiny: Violet]
[Evaluation: The youngest elder of Qingyuan Sect. You may doubt her character, but never her strength. She has an extraordinary background.]
[Recent Encounter: Out of money for wine, contemplating how to extort some silver from other peak elders, very interested in Sect Master's true disciple Ying Bing.]
Li Mo: "?"
No wonder the high-ranking officials looked at him strangely.
How could Shang Wu not be a good master?
And... was he taken in not because of his unique talent, but because she was interested in Ying Bing?
Those evaluations...
Made Li Mo question the value of a Violet Destiny.
"At least it's the first time encountering Violet. Even if I don't learn much, there's always a return on investment."
Li Mo thought, feeling more at ease.
"Hmph, from now on, you're under my protection. Use my name outside."
Shang Wu slapped his shoulder, seemingly trying to read his bones again.
Li Mo inhaled sharply; she had quite the grip.
Not far away.
Ying Bing, who had already apprenticed, looked at the woman in palace attire and the boy with a helpless expression.
"Joined Shang Wu's sect, huh..."
Ying Bing nodded imperceptibly.
If Li Mo could learn some real skills from Shang Wu, he might secure a place among his peers in Ziyang Prefecture.
Of course, in the Eastern Wasteland Region, he wouldn't be considered a prodigy, unlikely to make it onto the system's rankings.
"Four true disciples in one session, our Qingyuan Sect is destined to thrive. Let's go, follow me to complete the entry procedures."
The Short Fat Elder smiled warmly at the group.
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