Chapter 305

Those who can become inner sect disciples are the true foundation of Shushan in their eyes.

As the Heart-Questioning Array continues into its later stages, the gap between them grows ever wider.

Someone like Furina, for instance, sometimes steps into the next layer of the Heart-Questioning Array and immediately finds clarity within herself, walking right back out.

At this moment, she has already left everyone far behind, reaching the sixth layer of the Heart-Questioning.

Seeing this, Ningguang and the others grow increasingly solemn.

Shushan has welcomed yet another peerless genius today.

Following closely behind are Tartaglia, Hu Tao, Beidou, Yelan, and Alhaitham.

By now, they have all stepped into the fourth layer of the Heart-Questioning.

The remaining ones, Collei, Xingqiu, Chongyun, Clorinde, and others, have also reached the end of the third layer.

It is expected that they will all steadily join the inner sect.

The gaze Zhongli and the others cast upon them carries a hint of warmth.

Those who have persisted until now have almost all reached their limits.

Every second, someone is unceremoniously pushed out of the Heart-Questioning Array.

Yet, compared to the deep disappointment and sorrow seen on others, their expressions hold only regret mixed with a touch of excitement.

After all, they have already passed the first layer of the Heart-Questioning.

Whether they become inner sect disciples or not, at the very least, they are now certain they can remain at Shushan.

As for those who passed the second layer but fell at the third, they merely sigh, somewhat resigned to their fate.

Although it was only a single step away, within the Heart-Questioning Array, one step is a lifetime.

Who can truly be certain they can hold onto themselves after experiencing three lifetimes?

This, too, is fate.

Regardless, it is already destined that they will enter the outer sect.

This month of arduous waiting has, in the end, not been in vain.

However, those who barely passed the first layer and didn't even attempt the second are feeling quite anxious now.

Shushan is recruiting one thousand people; if there are more, they are turned away, and if there are fewer, they do not fill the spots.

Among these thirteen hundred-plus people, over three hundred must still be eliminated.

Although they can still remain at Shushan as chore disciples,

can chore disciples really compare to outer sect disciples?

For a time, these people are all filled with worry.

Yet, they are ultimately of exceptional ability; the vast majority of people did not pass the assessment at all.

There were over a million people eliminated.

But Ningguang and the others do not care about such matters; for those million-plus people, their affinity has ended, and they can only wait for the next attempt.

But now that the news of Shushan's immortal cultivation has spread throughout Teyvat, the competition next time will likely be even more intense.

Missing this chance makes the next one even harder.

As for the outer sect disciples and chore disciples, that is managed by the Outer Sect Elder Society and has nothing to do with them.

It sounds cruel, but having read many biographies of the immortal cultivation world during this time, they understand.

Within an immortal cultivation sect, inner sect disciples are the only true disciples.

Inner sect disciples only care about fellow inner sect disciples.

Before outer sect disciples promote, inner sect disciples will not even look their way.

This is the iron law of the sect, a class division built over countless years.

But this is not a rigid class.

In the world of immortal cultivation, strength is respected; as long as you have strength, you will be respected wherever you go.

If you have no strength, being bullied is your own fault.

Having accepted the beauty of immortal cultivation, one must also accept its cruelty.

No one can break such rules.

182. Moving Fontaine's Furina, she won't turn back until the ninth layer.

The assessment is basically coming to an end; those remaining on the field have all stepped past the third layer of the Heart-Questioning and are still persisting.

The situation outside the field is also clearly divided.

Those who passed the second layer gather together, centering around those who attempted to break through the third but failed, excitedly discussing everything that happened in the Heart-Questioning Array.

They are definitely joining the outer sect, with no risks involved.

In total, there are about three hundred people.

Among them, the Millelith alone account for over one hundred and eighty, and the rest include over forty well-known figures from Liyue.

This confirms that the training of the Millelith is indeed effective, and that the people of Liyue understand immortal cultivation better, naturally possessing an advantage.

Those who passed the assessment have even begun to plan on bringing their entire families to Liyue, starting to immerse them in the atmosphere of immortal cultivation from now on.

Waiting for the next time the mountain gates open, who knows what might be left behind—perhaps the fame of three generations of a family, nine people cultivating immortality.

They might even become an immortal cultivation family.

By then, in the turbulent future of Teyvat, they would be considered to have some status.

This is an opportunity to reshuffle the entire situation in Teyvat, and the opportunity itself lies in whether one can grasp the chance to cultivate immortality.

The others are more numerous; over five hundred people are gathered together, all of whom passed the first layer of the Heart-Questioning but failed after attempting the second.

Their risk is low, and they are still mostly people from Liyue, accounting for more than half.

And of these Liyue people, eighty percent are Millelith.

Regarding this, Ningguang and the others are quite satisfied.

The envisioned immortal cultivation army might actually be realized.

As for the last remaining people, they are those who were powerless after passing the first layer.

Compared to the first two waves, they are somewhat worried.

However, the most miserable are those who were directly eliminated.

They can now only compete for the status of practicing martial arts at Shushan or becoming chore disciples.

It remains a rather arduous selection.

From time to time, they look toward the crowd gathered in front, feeling a sense of loss.

From now on, others will be cultivating immortality, which can be considered a separation between the immortal and the mortal.

At this moment, there is no one left in the third layer of the Heart-Questioning.

Those remaining are all candidates absolutely destined to enter the inner sect.

Compared to the others, the number of inner sect disciple candidates is pitifully small.

Ningguang's three secretaries and the Qixing are all present.

The rest are all powerful Vision holders.

Hu Tao, Beidou, Yelan, Xingqiu, Chongyun—Liyue still has the most.

Next is Kaedehara Kazuha, barely representing Inazuma.

Tighnari, Collei, Alhaitham, Dehya, Tartaglia, Clorinde.

And Furina, who has already walked to the seventh layer.

Counting them all up, there are twenty-one people.

This time, the Shushan inner sect has expanded quite a bit all at once.

Zhongli nods slightly; the situation is ultimately better than he imagined.

Knowing well the difficulty of the Heart-Questioning Array, he initially thought only a single-digit number of people would join the inner sect.

And now...

Not only are there twenty-one people, but several have excellent talent.

Furina has reached the seventh layer, and although she is trembling all over and mentally exhausted,

relying on the resilience within her, Zhongli feels she will have no problem walking through all nine layers.

Following her are Hu Tao, Yelan, and Tartaglia.

These three are only one step behind Furina, having reached the sixth layer of the Heart-Questioning.

But they are already pale-faced, looking as if they have almost reached their limit. ===== CHAPTER 306 =====