Chapter 5

After another while, Han Li felt a tightness around his waist and his body felt light, as if he were suddenly rising automatically.

Han Li turned his head to look and saw that it was the senior brother who had been following closely behind him, holding him with one hand while climbing upward nimbly with his other hand and legs. Han Li also noticed that the sun was hanging high in the middle of the sky.

So, he had finally failed to complete this stretch of the journey after all. Han Li felt a little sad. He had tried so hard, why was he still not as good as others?

In the blink of an eye, they reached the top of the cliff. Before his eyes, there were only six children sitting cross-legged to rest, while Wu Yan was talking to a fifty-something, wealthy-looking old man wearing a dark blue robe and carrying his hands behind his back. Hall Master Yue and Dharma Protector Wang were both standing beside him, and several other people were standing next to them, all waiting for those young senior brothers to send the other, slower children up the mountain one by one.

After waiting for a while, all the children were sent up. At this time, Hall Master Yue stepped forward and faced the children solemnly.

"There are seven qualified candidates this time, six of whom will enter the Hundred-Forging Hall of this sect and officially become inner disciples." He said slowly.

"The other person, Wu Yan, arrived at the cliff first and performed outstandingly. He will be directly recommended to the Seven-Absolutes Hall to learn the sect's unique skills." Hall Master Yue looked back at the old man in the wealthy robe. The old man stroked his beard and nodded at him with satisfaction.

"As for the others..." Hall Master Yue sized up the remaining children a few times, touched his chin lightly with his right hand, pondered for a moment, and then said:

"Zhang Tie and Han Li, although you two did not arrive at the top of the cliff on time, your performance was outstanding. It seems you can endure the hardships of martial arts practice. You two will first build a foundation with several instructors in the sect. After half a year, we will evaluate you again. If you pass, you will officially become inner disciples; if you don't pass, you will be sent to the outer sect to be treated as outer disciples."

Han Li glanced at the other child who had stood out at the same time, named Zhang Tie. He was the one who had been following closely behind him, also hanging on the rope, and had almost climbed to the top of the cliff.

"Dharma Protector Wang, give the remaining people some silver and send them all back home." Hall Master Yue looked coldly at the children who remained at the end.

"As you command!"

Dharma Protector Wang stepped out, bowed to accept the order, and led the children who hadn't passed down the cliff.

"Zhang Jun, Wu Mingrui, you two take these people who passed to the hall and hand them over to Deputy Hall Master Gu and Instructor Li respectively."

Two more young men accepted the order and walked out, dividing Han Li and the others into two groups and walking toward the foot of the cliff. One of them was that cold senior brother. Before leaving the cliff, Han Li couldn't help but glance at Wu Yan, discovering that he was still talking to the old man in the blue robe, showing no intention of leaving.

"He is different from you. He is a core disciple sent to the Seven-Absolutes Hall. Once he completes his studies, he will at least have the status of a Dharma Protector." The other thin, long-faced senior brother seemed to see the doubt in Han Li's heart and took the initiative to clear up his confusion. However, in his words, there seemed to be a hint of indescribable envy and jealousy.

"Isn't it just relying on having a brother-in-law who is a Deputy Sect Master? If it weren't for the fact that he has a cousin who married Deputy Sect Master Ma as his second wife, otherwise, based on him! His age has already exceeded the entrance requirements, yet he can still enter the Seven-Absolutes Hall?" The cold senior brother's words made one feel a cold chill rising from behind.

"Zhang Jun, do you not want your life? The Deputy Sect Master is also someone we can discuss recklessly? If other fellow disciples hear this, neither of us will escape the punishment of facing the wall in repentance!" The thin, long-faced senior brother was startled by the cold senior brother's words and hurriedly looked around. Seeing that there were no other outsiders besides these few children, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The cold senior brother snorted coldly, seemingly having some misgivings in his heart, and stopped speaking. Han Li only then knew that this cold senior brother was named Zhang Jun. Han Li only half-understood what they were saying, but vaguely knew that Wu Yan hadn't entered that Seven-Absolutes Hall based on true talent and learning, but because he had a relative who was a Deputy Sect Master as his backing, which allowed him to enter without any effort.

Walking on the mountain road, these two senior brothers both thought of some depressing things within the sect and were no longer in the mood to speak, just silently leading them forward. Han Li and the others dared not speak privately, perhaps they had already vaguely realized that there were some differences between the Profound Heaven Sect and their homes.

When passing through a dense forest, an old man walked out slowly from the forest. This person was over sixty years old, tall and thin, with a sallow complexion, but he had a head of white hair that reached his shoulders. This old man kept bowing and coughing as he walked. Seeing how arduously he coughed, it seemed he could fall at any moment, which was very worrying.

When Zhang Jun and the other saw this person, they didn't look worried at all. Instead, they hurriedly walked up and bowed deeply to the old man respectfully.

"Doctor Mo, how are you, elder? Is there anything you need to instruct the disciples to do?" Zhang Jun changed his usual cold demeanor, his face full of respect. To him, this old man was more worthy of respect than the Hall Master or even the Deputy Sect Master.

"Oh, are these the new disciples who just arrived on the mountain?" The old man finally stopped coughing and asked slowly in a hoarse voice.

"Yes. Among these people, there are six official disciples and two named disciples." Zhang Jun answered carefully.

"I don't have enough manpower right now and am missing a medicine-refining boy and a medicine-gathering disciple. These two come with me." This Doctor Mo pointed casually, pointing exactly at Han Li and the other named disciple, his words filled with an unquestionable tone.

"As you command. These two are named disciples. Being favored by you, Doctor Mo, is their good fortune. Why don't you come over and pay your respects to Elder Mo? If you can learn a move or two of his medical skills, it will be the fortune of your two lifetimes!" The two senior brothers had no intention of objecting at all, and the thin, long-faced Wu Mingrui even began to flatter the old man heavily.

Seeing that the two senior brothers had no objections, Han Li and Zhang Tie naturally had no right to object and followed the old man into the forest.

The old man led the two, walking slowly along the small path in the forest. After turning left and right, his eyes suddenly brightened, and a lush, vibrant, emerald-green small valley appeared before them.

On the left side of the valley was a large patch of fields emitting a rich medicinal fragrance, where many medicinal herbs whose names Han Li didn't know were planted. On the right side, there were over a dozen houses of various sizes connected together. Looking around, apart from the entrance they came in through, it seemed there were no other exits leading to the outside.

"This is Divine Hand Valley. Apart from the disciples in the valley, outsiders generally won't come here unless they are sick or injured. You two will live here from now on. Go and rest for a while first, and come see me in the main hall tonight. I have words for you." The old man stood in front of several connected houses and pointed to one of the smaller rooms.

"You can call me Elder Mo from now on." The old man paused after speaking and added:

"Calling me Doctor Mo is also fine."

After speaking, Doctor Mo ignored the two and walked step by step, coughing, into another more majestic main house.

Han Li was already exhausted and didn't care about the other child named Zhang Tie. He threw himself onto a wooden bed in the room and fell into a deep sleep. To him, no matter what, he could already be considered half a Profound Heaven Sect disciple.

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