Chapter 29: Elder's Praise, Xuan Zhen!

Within the threshold of the Step‑Immortal Courtyard, numerous youths from across the lands, not yet having truly stepped into the immortal gate, were taught a lesson by two Feather Ascension Sect Daoists.

Chen Zheng, who hadn't even participated in the assessment, was summoned by the two Daoists as a junior brother.

That was what you'd call a warm welcome.

They even wanted to let Chen Zheng jump the queue and be the first to be assessed.

Feather Ascension Sect—so realistic.

"Ah, why isn't the one who recommended me for the outer gate assessment Senior Sister Fang Qingxue?"

"This person can even fight beyond his rank, slaying a heavenly demon equivalent to the Physical Body Ninth Layer; ruthless enough, no wonder he has won the favor of the Feather Ascension Sect's celestial maiden. I must never offend him in the future…"

The crowd felt mixed emotions, sighing one after another, their gazes toward Chen Zheng filled with envy, wishing they could swap bodies with him.

"Thanks to both senior brothers."

Chen Zheng ignored the various looks from the crowd, tucked away the snow token Fang Qingxue had given him, and gave a faint smile to the two Daoists in front of him who were trying hard to please him.

He was not surprised at all.

Whether in the secular world or in the cultivation realm, elevating the high and stepping on the low, looking down on others, are commonplace.

Only in the secular world might it be expressed more politely, while in the cultivation world, where power belongs to oneself, it is far more direct.

Moreover, these two Daoists appear arrogant, merely relying on the Feather Ascension Sect's name; in reality they are outwardly strong but hollow inside, their cultivation only at the Mortal Secret Realm.

Fang Qingxue, however, is at the Shen Tong Mi Jing, a true‑disciple, whose status is far higher than these two, able to stand on equal footing with the Elder.

In a strict sense, true disciples of the Feather Ascension Sect are even more revered than the Elder.

Because there are only a little over a hundred true disciples, while there are four to five thousand Elders.

There is also a privilege that no Elder can match—the future qualification to vie for the sect's supreme seat.

"They're all our own senior brothers and sisters; it's only natural."

"Junior brother Chen, follow us; I'll go explain the situation to the chief examiner so you can enter the gate more quickly."

The two Daoists smiled like two chrysanthemums, warmly leading Chen Zheng toward the interior of the Step‑Immortal Courtyard.

As for the others, they couldn't be bothered to even glance.

"No legs?"

"Won't they follow?"

Seeing this, the crowd felt another surge of resentment, lowered their heads and followed.

Soon, Chen Zheng and the others followed the two Daoists through a winding corridor, passing artificial hills, lakes, gardens, and arrived at a vast hall.

The hall was extremely spacious, spanning three thousand steps in length and width, capable of holding ten thousand people.

Standing inside, one feels a sense of one's own insignificance.

At the very center of the hall stood an elder with slightly drooping eyelids, white hair and beard, appearing ethereal and dignified.

"Junior brother Chen, that is our Feather Ascension Sect's outer gate chief examiner, Elder Ma."

The two Daoists said something to Chen Zheng, then hurried to the elder's side, bowed respectfully, and whispered something.

"Oh, someone from Fang Qingxue's side?"

Hearing this, the elder opened his eyes, looked toward Chen Zheng, and showed a solemn expression.

"I've seen Elder Ma."

Chen Zheng returned with a clasped‑fist salute, his gaze not lingering on Elder Ma, and instead turned to a pitch‑black portal at the far end of the hall.

Swish!

From the two openings on the door, a pair of crimson eyes stared at him, exuding cruelty, as if ready to devour him in one bite.

Chen Zheng knew that the owner of those eyes was a divine‑force puppet, whose original form was an Underground Demon.

It should be noted that in the Xuanhuang Great World, there are three common types of demon heads: heavenly, earthly, and human.

He had seen the heavenly demon on the Forty‑nine Islands.

The earthly demon, however, is a demon that lives within the underground world.

Demon people's intelligence is comparable to that of humans, yet they are extremely blood‑thirsty and brutal, often bursting from abyssal fissures that connect the surface to the depths, wreaking fire, slaughter, and plunder, becoming a major scourge of many dynasties.

Of course, sects like the Feather Ascension Sect also frequently assign their disciples missions to slay demons across the various kingdoms under their command.

The divine‑force puppet inside the hall was captured by Feather Ascension Sect disciples, brought back to the sect, and had its consciousness erased by an Elder, leaving only its killing instinct.

It is also the opponent for everyone's assessment.

Sure enough.

Elder Ma raised his hand, pointing at the portal deep within the hall, and declared loudly: "I suppose you've all heard of the Feather Ascension Sect's assessment. Indeed, it's a divine‑force puppet forged from an Underground Demon; defeat it, and you become outer gate disciples!"

The words caused the entire hall to erupt in astonishment.

"The Feather Ascension Sect's outer gate assessment is truly about defeating a divine‑force puppet forged from an Underground Demon?"

"Underground Demons are impervious to blades and spears, exceedingly ferocious; no wonder those who failed the assessment returned missing an arm or a leg, all trembling in fear, keeping silent about it."

"This assessment is too hard; it might even cost lives…"

The expressions of the crowd turned pale, visibly wan, and some even felt the urge to retreat.

Most of them are scions of noble families under the Feather Ascension Sect across various kingdoms, including many princes and princesses; otherwise they wouldn't have managed to secure recommendation slots.

Correspondingly, many, like Xiao Shi, were pampered from childhood, and when facing such a ferocious demon as a divine‑force puppet, they inevitably feel fear.

If they lose their lives fighting the divine‑force puppet, wouldn't that be an unjust death?

Yet their families still have abundant wealth, beautiful wives and concubines waiting for them to enjoy.

"Hmph!" Seeing the crowd cower, Elder Ma coldly said: "Do you think entering the immortal path is that easy?"

"I tell you, the immortal path is fearless of the heart, slaying myriad demons; both inner and outer demons must be cut down! It is a road of braving thorns and hardships to attain the true self!"

Elder Ma's eyes flashed like lightning, sweeping over the crowd before finally landing on Chen Zheng.

He and Yan Yuesè said, "Chen Zheng, you were introduced by Fang Qingxue; now stand in the center for the first assessment and give these people a demonstration."

Fine.

Chen Zheng did not hesitate and, in a few steps, entered the large circle before Elder Ma.

Open the gate.

Elder Ma snapped his finger, and a beam of pure light shot from his fingertip into the distant black portal.

Whoosh!

The fog sealing the black portal instantly dispersed.

This novel you to.

Chen Zheng looked inside and saw a humanoid creature about ten chi tall, its whole body covered with black, shell‑like scales, two fleshy horns protruding high on its head, wide‑gaped fangs, clawed hands like hooks, and blood‑red eyes.

This is the Underground Demons.

Swish!

When the demon saw Chen Zheng, blood‑lust flashed in its eyes, its whole skeleton crackled with popping explosions, its legs sprang, swift as lightning, and it lunged out to attack.

Aooo aooo aooo aooo……

Even while still airborne, the earth demon emitted a series of eerie howls from its mouth, like demonic music piercing the brain, making many people's scalp tingle and heads dizzy.

So noisy.

Chen Zheng frowned, stepped forward, and swung a round palm to strike the surging earth demon.

Bang!

The earth demon exploded on the spot.

Good!

Elder Ma nodded with satisfaction and gave Chen Zheng an approving look: "Clean and decisive, not affected at all by the demonic sound. You're impressive; from now on you are my outer disciple of the Feathered Ascension Gate."

"Senior, you overpraise me," Chen Zheng replied with a smile and returned to his original spot.

The others were not surprised that he could kill a divine‑power puppet with a single strike, after all they knew he had even slain a Nine‑Layer Heaven Demon.

"Next one…"

Under Elder Ma's supervision, the assessment continued.

Another divine‑power puppet leapt out from the gate.

One young person after another took the stage.

Someone was wounded and failed, but Elder Ma rescued them in time, narrowly saving their life.

There were also those whose strength was not weak and who possessed divine weapons, passing the assessment smoothly.

Many others were scared out of their wits, crying to Elder Ma that they wanted to quit and not continue.

"Get out!"

Elder Ma's expression turned sour as he drove those cowards out of the main hall.

"Sigh, if only a few more Heavenly Talents like this boy could appear."

Elder Ma couldn't help but glance at Chen Zheng, who was being led out of the hall by two Daoists, and sighed inwardly.

The number of people passing the assessment directly affected his "performance."

If any of the outer disciples he recruited were to achieve the Shen Tong Mi Jing and become true‑lineage disciples, the senior elder of the Feathered Ascension Palace might reward him with a Yin‑Yang Ten Thousand Longevity Pill!

Unfortunately, since Fang Qingxue appeared, the quality of recent outer disciples has been declining.

He just doesn't know whether the disciple named Chen Zheng can bring him a surprise.

It's uncertain.

In the blink of an eye, an hour passed.

The assessment ended.

Less than ten percent passed.

Meanwhile, Chen Zheng, under the earnest guidance of the two Daoists, had already collected the essentials the sect provides to disciples, left the Step‑Immortal Courtyard, and arrived at the "Lying Immortal Courtyard."

The Lying Immortal Courtyard is enormous, containing thousands upon thousands of independent courtyards.

Moreover, within Feathered Ascension City there are also the Retained Immortal Courtyard, Pure Immortal Courtyard, Tranquil Immortal Courtyard, Hidden Immortal Courtyard, and so on, all residences for outer disciples.

"Junior Brother Chen, this courtyard is the residence we selected for you; endure it for now, and you can change it after becoming an inner disciple."

"Thank you, senior brothers."

"Hehe, you're being modest, Junior Brother Chen. We'll leave now; as long as you follow our advice, your strength will soon make you an inner disciple. Even ranking in the next Mountain‑River Ranking competition and earning sect rewards isn't impossible."

"By the way, Junior Brother Chen, I am Yang Xuan, and he is Yang Zhen; we are blood brothers."

The two Daoists led Chen Zheng to a courtyard, exchanged a few words, left their names, and then politely took their leave.

Chen Zheng, newly arrived, had many things to adapt to and become familiar with; although the two brothers were eager to befriend him, they could not intrude too much.

Otherwise, excess would be as bad as deficiency, causing annoyance.

The recommended PK failed, how tragic.

(End of chapter)