Modern World's Martial Dao Human Immortal

Ten breaths flashed by in an instant.

This Ninth Rank Great Demon originally had a combat power of around 600,000, but after being captured, it seemed to have endured some torture; its condition had deteriorated, dropping below 500,000.

For Alkaid, killing it would not be difficult.

The challenge lay in the limit of just ten breaths.

To slay such a Great Demon within ten breaths, he had to go all out, playing every card in his hand.

One Supreme Divine Power could be attributed to a fortuitous encounter, but five Supreme Divine Powers would be inexplicable.

Moreover, both the You Long Sword and the Two Realms Ruler were exceptional among top Spiritual Treasures, and it was not advisable to reveal them before obtaining the status of a True Disciple.

Nevertheless, with the Supreme Divine Skill, Rip the Sky with One Strike, Alkaid still dominated the Great Demon during those ten breaths.

As soon as the ten breaths were up, Xiang Yunlong immediately greeted him with a smile, "Brother Alkaid, it's enough. Congratulations, you have passed the assessment and from now on, you will be a member of the Heavenly Dao Sect."

Seeing this, Alkaid disappeared in a flash, leaving the assessment formation under the envious gazes of the other candidates.

"Who would have thought that the examination I presided over could recruit such talented individuals for our Sect. Brother, we must become better acquainted in the future."

Xiang Yunlong approached him at the first opportunity.

The level of enthusiasm he displayed was a vast difference compared to that for others.

Before Alkaid could reply, the Hollow Void Realm Elder overseeing the examination already burst into laughter, "Good, good, good!"

He descended from the sky, grounding himself as if to blend in, and approached Alkaid, "Your name is Alkaid, right? You've cultivated for fifty-seven years? To achieve such cultivation in less than sixty years is truly a sign of a promising seed!"

"The Elder flatters me."

Alkaid responded politely.

"Haha, I'm merely stating the truth. Your talent is so outstanding that none from the past several selections could match you," the Hollow Void said and bluntly added, "I am the Heavenly Vein Elder, Jin Yuliu, and since we've met in this selection, it seems we are fated. Your extraordinary talent, exceptional among peers, has inspired my desire to cherish and cultivate it. Therefore, I would like to take you as a Direct Disciple. What are your thoughts?"

Jin Yuliu's words left Xiang Yunlong slightly stunned.

He then silently sneered to himself.

"To take me as a disciple?"

Alkaid, however, frowned slightly.

Whether it was the Heavenly Dao Sect or even the other Sects among the Ten Great Immortal Paths, the bond of mentor and disciple was a crucial link.

The importance of the mentor-disciple relationship was, in no way inferior to the so-called father-son bond.

Once one took the other as a disciple, they are obliged to impart teachings, educate, and resolve doubts; likewise, when the disciple achieves success in the future, they must repay their master.

They even have the duty to provide for the master.

If it were just an ordinary Sunburst Golden Core, having a Hollow Void Elder willing to take him as a Direct Disciple would naturally be ecstatic.

But Alkaid had already displayed strength not inferior to a Deep Blue Golden Core level, possessing the potential to compete for True Transmission. At this moment, for a Hollow Void Elder to seek him as a disciple...

This was not a sign of seeing potential in the disciple; it was clearly a desire to take advantage.

It could even facilitate future exploitation.

A disciple has not only the duty to provide for the master, but often, the master has a certain level of control over the disciple's resources, life choices, and position assignments.

Once the mentor-disciple relationship is established...

Should the disciple dare to defy the master in the future, and the master slays the disciple, it would be seen as just and righteous; no one could dispute it.

Jin Yuliu, a Hollow Void, desired to take an Inner Sect Disciple with the strength of a Deep Blue Golden Core and potential for True Transmission as a Direct Disciple, which was certainly deceitful and ill-intentioned.

Facing the Hollow Void directly, Alkaid could not outright reject the proposal and instead said, "I appreciate the kindness of Elder Jin Yuliu, but in the past, I have been granted a boon by a senior of the Heavenly Dao Sect, and he even taught me a Divine Secret Skill. Having attained some success in my cultivation, my intention is to find that senior and become his disciple, please understand, Elder Jin."

"You were favored by a senior of the Heavenly Dao Sect in the past..."

Jin Yuliu's expression changed, "Do you know which Elder it was? I might know him, and could take you to see him right away."

"I do not know specifically who he was; that senior did not reveal his identity to me. I can only recognize him by seeing his face and sensing his aura," said Alkaid, adding earnestly, "Additionally, it might not be an Elder but perhaps a Vein Master or a Peak Master."

Jin Yuliu frowned slightly.

He was ninety percent certain that Alkaid was talking nonsense.

But...

The remaining ten percent chance was not entirely non-existent.

Moreover, even if Alkaid was deliberately using this excuse to fend him off, it was not appropriate for him to press the issue further at this moment, so he could only observe in silence for the time being.

If Alkaid indeed had a connection with a particular Peak Master or Vein Master, then so be it; if he was lying...

Heh, Jin Yuliu would show him what means a Hollow Void Elder in the Heavenly Dao Sect possessed.

"In that case, it's a pity," Jin Yuliu said indifferently. "However, not every Peak Master or Vein Master is adept at mentoring disciples. If you have a change of heart later on, you are still welcome to seek me out. The doors of my Jin Yuliu lineage will always be open to you."

"Thank you for your generous offer, Elder Jin."

Alkaid bowed politely.

The assessment continued.

Xiang Yunlong, who initially was eager to communicate with Alkaid amidst the presence of Jin Yuliu the Hollow Void Elder, dared not get too close to him and managed the subsequent assessments in an official manner.

Out of the more than four hundred and sixty candidates, only forty-two successfully passed the examination.

The pass rate was less than ten percent.

Of course, this was because the difficulty of this particular assessment was extremely high.

In the past, on average, two to three out of ten would pass the Inner Sect examination, and the casualty rate was only about ten percent.

As soon as the assessment ended, Jin Yuliu left immediately.

Xiang Yunlong then led a group of disciples to go deep into the Sect to register and create records.

During this time, several people gathered around Alkaid, their attitudes very enthusiastic.

Clearly, they all understood that, given Alkaid's performance...

He had a significant chance of competing for True Transmission and becoming one of the eighty-eight True Disciples of the Heavenly Dao Sect.

A disciple with such a boundless future was not on the same level as those who only wished to mix in and secure an Inner Sect slot.

Xiang Yunlong also accompanied Alkaid throughout the entire process, assisting him with his identity registration as a senior brother.

He played a dual role before and behind the scenes to perfection.

Once Alkaid had completed the registration, Xiang Yunlong introduced with a smile, "The assessment fee of over ten thousand Pure Yang Great Pills for Inner Sect Disciples, with a pass rate of less than twenty percent and even a death rate of one and a half percent, can still attract Golden Core cultivators to continue to take the assessment, which itself is a proof of the status and benefits possessed by an Inner Sect Disciple."

He pointed to a Storage Bracelet presented during registration and said, "The moment you become an Inner Sect Disciple, the Sect will issue you a set of treasured garments and a Treasured Sword. Moreover, your identity token also possesses many functions, allowing you to pass through many formations and even communicate directly with the Sect's main Formation Spirit to receive support..."

Alkaid's Divine Sense had already swept through the Storage Bracelet.

The space inside wasn't large, but it contained no small number of items.

And the value of these items was considerable; taken together, they were worth thousands of Pure Yang Great Pills.

"Unlike having to pay to rent a dwelling, every Inner Sect Disciple is assigned a cave dwelling..."

As Xiang Yunlong spoke, he paused and added, "Of course, if Brother you one day become a True Disciple, you will be assigned a mountain peak... In terms of living conditions and personal space, it's comparable to the treatment of the thirteen great Peak Masters."

Whether they are Outer Sect or Inner Sect Disciples, to a Sect, they are all expendable, the laboring class.

The Sect wouldn't be distressed by their complete demise.

Only when one reaches the True Transmission stage do they truly become central to the Sect.

Thus, whether for the Taiyi Immortal Sect or the Heavenly Dao Sect, the number of True Disciples is fixed; they can only be fewer, not more.

The birth of each True Disciple represents a transformation of status, stepping into the rentier class, with the Sect fully cultivating them as future Refining Void or even Shattered Void Realm powerhouses.

They are not only granted considerable authority, but they are also immediately allocated substantial Sect assets to cover daily expenses.

Ownership of a mountain peak, which only a Refining Void Peak Master is qualified for, is the best proof of this.

In many Sects, in terms of status alone, a True Disciple ranks higher than a Hollow Void Elder.

The reason they seem half a step behind Hollow Void Elders is simply because the world ultimately speaks through strength.

A True Disciple with high status but facing a Hollow Void Elder who can easily annihilate him has to remain polite and respectful.

Even if their future achievements may surpass those of an Elder, they must still uphold appearances until they possess sufficient strength.

"True Disciples."

Alkaid asked plainly, "What are the regulations for an Inner Sect Disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect to become a True Disciple?"

Xiang Yunlong was momentarily startled, then quickly explained, "To become a True Disciple, the most important thing is to overpower the Inner Sect. Every five years, the Inner Sect holds a competition, and the first-place winner can be promoted to True Transmission... If the quota for True Disciples is full, one must challenge an existing True Disciple. Success in the challenge allows one to take their place and become the new True Disciple, and the Sect assets formerly under the ownership of that True Disciple will also fall into the hands of the challenger."

After saying this, he added, "Generally, the True Disciple challenge takes place half a year before the disciple examination."

"Half a year earlier?"

Alkaid furrowed his brows, "So you're saying I'll have to wait another four and a half years to challenge for True Disciple status?"

"Yes, it is said that this rule exists to observe a disciple's conduct and character over four and a half years..."

Xiang Yunlong whispered.

Four and a half years.

For Golden Core cultivators with lifespans exceeding a thousand years, it wasn't long.

But...

It unnecessarily delayed Alkaid's time to become a True Disciple.

It's worth noting that a True Disciple, just by virtue of the assets given by the Sect, could earn an annual income of at least 100,000 Pure Yang Great Pills.

In reality, even the less prominent True Disciples earn several hundred thousand a year.

Those ranked at the top can even surpass the earnings of Hollow Void Elders.

Four and a half years, rounded up, equates to a loss of several million.

"Isn't there another way to become a True Disciple ahead of schedule?"

Alkaid asked.

"No, this is one of the rules written into the 'Great Dao Golden Book'; not even additional money can solve this."

Having heard this, Alkaid had no choice but to let it go.

At that moment, he seemed to perceive something and glanced in a particular direction.
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Almost the instant he looked that way, he saw an Inner Sect Disciple with a Sunburst Golden Core turn his head.

It appeared his gaze had inadvertently swept over him.

Seeing this, Alkaid didn't think much of it and went to the dwelling the Sect had arranged for him.

Without the identity of a True Disciple, he needed to plan carefully how to successfully collect the tens of thousands of bounties from the Black Dragon Thieves of Dashang.