Chapter 31 Selection of Candidates for the Twelve Peaks (Part 1)
The assessment had ended, but this year's affair was overshadowed by the detestable act of "selling assessment orders," which incited the ire of the higher-ups in the Azure Cloud Sect.
However, the people of the Azure Cloud Sect were unable to identify the audacious rascal who had done it.
A total of eight hundred twenty-one people received the assessment orders and passed the assessment.
Out of tens of thousands, in the end, only a little over eight hundred remained, a testament to the extreme brutality of the process.
Of course, those who stayed weren't necessarily the most talented; some might just have been lucky enough to find an assessment order.
Those who left weren't necessarily lacking in talent either; some may have been unlucky, missing the assessment order by a whisker, but for whatever reason, the assessment was over.
Those who left could only pin their hopes on the next assessment.
...
Lin Feng thought it was quite normal for Tian Zhongdao to pass the assessment, but he didn't expect that the old fellow would pass too.
"Haha, looks like us brothers are in luck, we've all got the assessment orders," said Old Tippler with a laugh.
Ever since that day the old fellow got Lin Feng and Tian Zhongdao drunk to the point of unconsciousness, Lin Feng and Tian Zhongdao referred to the old fellow by his nickname, Old Tippler.
Surely they weren't expected to actually call him "Zhou Xiaoshuai"?
That would just gross someone out to death.
"Yes, yes, it's really, truly, it's just so, so great, we, we're going to, going to become, disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect."
Tian Zhongdao said excitedly.
Lin Feng was also very happy, first because he was going to become a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect, and second because he had earned 462,000 high-grade spiritual stones by selling the assessment orders.
This was an immense fortune indeed, more than enough for Lin Feng to sustain his cultivation for a very long time.
...
Before long, Niee Yidao and others arrived at the plaza where the eight hundred twenty-one who had passed were gathered. Niee Yidao's expression was dark as water; this assessment had caused big problems, and he had been severely reprimanded by the higher-ups of the Azure Cloud Sect.
"Word is that someone sold over two hundred assessment orders, and this has caused a thunderous fury among the higher-ups of the Azure Cloud Sect. Just look at Niee Yidao's face, it's as black as the bottom of a pot," said Old Tippler with schadenfreude.
"That, that's indeed, wealth, striking it rich."
Tian Zhongdao's eyes shone, almost wishing he had been the one selling the assessment orders.
Niee Yidao glowered at the eight hundred twenty-one cultivators before him; seeing Lin Feng and other cultivators in the Martial General Realm made his expression even uglier. There were at least twenty cultivators at the Martial General Realm level, and in Niee Yidao's view, these were mostly those who had bought their way through the assessment with a hefty sum, weren't they?
But what's done was done.
With a solemn face, he said, "Gentlemen, we shall now take you to the Outer Disciple Mountain. Elders from the Twelve Peaks have been waiting for you for some time."
"Yes." The crowd nodded and followed Niee Yidao and others, flying towards the depths of the mountain range.
Everyone knew the moment that would determine their fate had arrived.
The Azure Cloud Twelve Peaks were varied in strength, but Heavenly Repair Peak was said to be on the verge of being expelled, and now many were praying they wouldn't join Heavenly Repair Peak.
Joining Heavenly Repair Peak would be worse than leaving outright.
It wasn't long before they arrived at the Outer Disciple Mountain.
They landed on a platform in the Outer Disciple Mountain and saw that there were already several cultivators standing there, each exuding a powerful aura; they were all strong practitioners at the Yin Yang Realm. Presumably, these were the elders from the Azure Cloud Twelve Peaks.
One of the elders said, "The Azure Cloud Sect is divided into Outer Disciples, Inner Sect Disciples, and Core Disciples. Those who are below the Seventh Level of Martial King Realm are all Outer Disciples. Those who reach the Eighth Layer Heaven to the Ten Heavenly Realms of the Martial King Realm can be promoted to Inner Sect Disciples. If one can cultivate to the Yin Yang Realm, they can further be promoted to Core Disciples."
This elder named Zhaang Quan was the Great Elder of the Outer Disciple Mountain. He simply introduced the distinctions between Outer Disciples, Inner Sect Disciples, and Core Disciples, but obviously, the treatments among Outer Disciples, Inner Sect Disciples, and Core Disciples were vastly different.
Since the Outer Disciple Mountain was mentioned, it's necessary to talk about the relationships between the various peaks of the Azure Cloud Sect.
The Azure Cloud Sect had Twelve Main Peaks, and these were referred to as "Main Peaks."
There were also other ordinary mountains, such as those for the Outer Disciples and Inner Sect Disciples, etc. These mountains all served the Twelve Main Peaks.
For example, the Outer Disciple Mountain would issue tasks that Outer Disciples could undertake, and it was also the place where Outer Disciples received the sect's benefits and other duties. In short, besides the Twelve Main Peaks being able to select disciples, the other mountains did not have the rights to choose or train disciples. Everything was in service to the Twelve Main Peaks.
Grand Elder Zhaang Quan turned his head to look at the other mountain elders beside him and asked, "Shall we begin selecting disciples now?"
The elders of the Twelve Peaks all nodded their heads.
"Is there a Spirit Array Master?" Zhaang Quan asked.
"I am."
At that moment, a woman stepped forward.
"Shui Lanxuan." Lin Feng was surprised. He had seen this woman before, and he had not expected Shui Lanxuan to be a Spirit Array Master too.
"Good, you join my Spirit Array Peak," said Zhong Limei, the elder of Spirit Array Peak.
...
Zhaang Quan asked again, "Are there any Alchemists?"
At this moment, three people walked forward, two men, and one woman.
"You three join my Refining Peak," said Guan Chaoyang, the elder of Refining Peak.
...
Spirit Array Peak and Refining Peak were special; they only trained Spirit Array Masters and Alchemists, and did not choose any other powers.
Lin Feng was both a Spirit Array Master and an Alchemist, but he did not step forward because his levels in both spirit array and alchemy were too high. It would be a big problem if his skills were exposed at this moment when the sect was testing them.
After Spirit Array Peak and Refining Peak had chosen, it was time for the remaining Ten Peaks to make their selections.
The remaining Ten Peaks naturally also did not choose disciples at random; there was a strict order. The strongest peak would choose first, followed by the second-ranked peak, and so on down the line.
The strongest of the Azure Cloud Twelve Peaks was none other than Asking Immortal Peak, and the current Sect Master was the Peak Master of Asking Immortal Peak.
"Everyone release your Martial Soul, and also your Cultivation," said Grand Elder Zhaang Quan.
Then everyone released their Martial Souls and the aura of their Cultivation level.
All sorts of Martial Souls appeared, including Beast Martial Souls, Artifact Martial Souls, assistant weapons, and more.
"Oh, 'The Moon Rising Above the Sea,' such a Martial Soul is extremely rare. Martial King Realm Third Level, your cultivation is quite good. What is your name?"
Ning Shengtian, the elder of Asking Immortal Peak, looked at a young girl.
The girl looked around seventeen or eighteen years old, with a pure and attractive appearance.
She said, "Disciple's name is Li Mengjie."
"Would you like to join my Asking Immortal Peak?" Ning Shengtian looked at the girl.
"Disciple is willing," Li Mengjie quickly responded.