Chapter 7: March Examination: A Chance Encounter with a Creditor

Among the outer disciples, the most gifted hurried forward to ask urgently:

“Sister Yunxi, is this news truly certain?”

Wang Yunxi smiled faintly and replied: “Naturally true.”

Just as everyone was buzzing with discussion, someone murmured in doubt:

“But sister, if this news is so shocking, why did you still choose to join the Jade Pure Peak? What is the reason…?”

Before the words were finished, all understood his meaning.

To be admitted directly into the True Disciple rank above the inner sect—such an opportunity, who could resist?

Why had Wang Yunxi chosen the Jade Pure line in advance?

Wang Yunxi spoke calmly:

“I understand your doubts, but family considerations compel me to join the Jade Pure line.”

“Yunxi, if you had a choice, the Upper Pure line would surely be your first pick. After all, the First Disciple of Upper Pure Peak, with the True Person Yunxiao Immortal as your patron—who wouldn’t want that?”

“But since Yunxiao Immortal herself is selecting disciples, the difficulty is obvious—beyond ordinary reach. Yunxi knows her own limits.”

Some in the crowd nodded; others remained skeptical.

Some flattered her, saying Sister Yunxi was being too modest.

Various reactions followed.

Wang Yunxi’s words were candid enough—Yunxiao Immortal’s disciple selection must be extremely harsh.

Most present were scion families, nearly all having reached the peak of the Second Ladder, some even Foundation Establishment.

Their cultivation bases were close, yet their actual strengths varied.

Each person’s gaze held unspoken calculations.

Remember this!

Upper Pure Peak has been sealed for years, with only Yunxiao Immortal alone.

Simply being admitted means becoming a True Disciple—a chance to ascend to heaven in one step.

Seeing their reactions, Wang Yunxi said no more and continued:

“There is another piece of bad news—listen carefully. This year’s triennial outer sect examination will be exceptionally strict; those who fail will be demoted to laborer disciples and expelled from Shenxiao Sect.”

Upon hearing this, everyone frowned, yet most paid little heed.

Having been in Shenxiao Sect nearly four years, these scion disciples had all reached the peak of the Second Ladder—such an exam was child’s play.

They were confident they could handle it.

Yet a small portion of the crowd wore grim expressions, including Yu Ke.

His face was calm, but inwardly he groaned in despair.

He had just transmigrated into this world and had not yet adapted to anything when the examination arrived.

Failed Foundation Establishment, cultivation utterly ruined—this was a fatal blow to any cultivator.

Only three months left!

Time was running out; pressure weighed like mountains.

Becoming a laborer disciple meant being cut off from cultivation, doomed to a lifetime of servitude.

Worse still, if expelled from the sect, such humiliation, once known to his family, would not be tolerated—even if his parents doted on him, the elders would never forgive such disgrace.

They would likely cast him out without mercy; without family backing, he could not survive in this world.

Yu Ke silently cursed his luck—just transmigrated, and already trapped in such a dire situation.

As for the outer sect grand competition two years from now, when Yunxiao Immortal selects disciples—

To him, it was too distant, irrelevant.

First, survive the immediate crisis.

Nothing left to do—eat first.

Yu Ke picked up a spirit fruit and bit down hard, sampling the various delicacies on the table.

He was not the only one here to mooch meals.

After all, even among the great families of Da Zhou, some had fallen on hard times, let alone those from humble origins.

In Shenxiao Sect, outer disciples trained full-time with no other income, entirely dependent on family support.

Shenxiao Sect was a sect, not a charity—everything required spirit stones.

Aside from the few basic techniques taught by designated instructors, if disciples encountered problems in cultivation and wished to consult their elders, they had to pay extra spirit stones.

“What a scam!”

Laborer disciples received a small monthly stipend of spirit stones, but outer disciples bore all expenses themselves.

Therefore!

Most outer disciples lived in dire straits, each spirit stone meticulously budgeted.

Taking this chance to mooch a meal was a small blessing.

As Yu Ke bent over his meal, a voice called out to him:

“Brother Yu, weren’t you preparing for an upper-grade Foundation Establishment to compete in the outer sect grand competition? How’s it going?”

The voice came from a boy at the same table.

The boy was Zhao Li, a scion of Da Zhou, now fallen from grace, though his ancestors had once been wealthy.

Yu Ke had eaten silently, so Zhao Li had not noticed him earlier; now he spoke with familiarity—they had joined Shenxiao Sect the same year.

The cultivation methods for Foundation Establishment varied endlessly; Shenxiao Sect recorded over three thousand.

Foundation Establishment was the dividing line between genius and ordinary.

It was divided into nine grades: upper, middle, and lower three each, each grade representing different potential.

Above first grade lay the legendary Heaven-ordained Foundation Establishment—only the chosen few possessed it; for outer disciples, it was utterly unreachable.

Among Shenxiao Sect’s three basic techniques, mastering any one to perfection granted an upper-three-grade Foundation Establishment.

Yet!

Few in the outer sect achieved perfection—proof of its extreme difficulty.

Yu Ke gave a moment’s thought and recognized the boy.

“Ah, it’s Brother Zhao. Long time no see.”

He shook his head lightly and said calmly: “Foundation Establishment is not yet complete—I still need time to prepare.”

He knew exposing his failure and fallen cultivation would bring no sympathy, only scorn.

Creditors would not grant leniency during hardship—they would strike hardest when you were weakest, demanding more.

Yu Ke added apologetically:

“The spirit stones I owe you, Brother Zhao—I’ll need a few more days to repay.”

His former self had failed Foundation Establishment; the cost of the Foundation Establishment artifacts alone was staggering. His own funds were insufficient, so he borrowed from fellow disciples.

Some debts had written IOUs; others were verbal.

“No problem!”

Zhao Li smiled:

“Brother, don’t worry—these spirit stones, I can wait. When you succeed in Foundation Establishment, don’t forget to share your insights.”

Zhao Li spoke with generosity.

He had no fear Yu Ke wouldn’t repay—he was from the Luoshui Yu family.

If anyone harassed the Yu family over debt, it would only damage their reputation.

According to Zhao Li, Yu Ke was among the most ambitious in their group of Da Zhou scions, spending lavishly—clearly reliable.

The amount borrowed was small, and Zhao Li had no shortage of spirit stones, so he gave it no further thought.

Yu Ke thanked him, exhaling inwardly in relief.

At least for now, his fellow disciples wouldn’t come demanding repayment.

Zhao Li gazed at the most prominent figures in the hall, his eyes filled with envy.

“A true man should be like that—but entering the inner sect is so difficult.”

“Joining Upper Pure Peak? Probably as hard as climbing to heaven.”

Yu Ke heard this and knew it was true.

Inner sect admissions were strictly limited—competition fierce.

The banquet was now in full swing.

Guests mingled, laughed, or sought to flatter the center of attention.

Two minor incidents occurred.

One: a follower under Inner Sect disciple Xie Xuan made a half-hearted remark provoking Wang Yunxi.

Xie Xuan was from the Xie family of Da Zhou.

PS: Already contracted, stable updates—feel free to invest.

(End of chapter)