Chapter 40

At the foot of the Azure Cloud Sect.

Fifteen minutes before the news spread, Lin Zhan hurriedly ran back home.

Then he announced a piece of news that excited all the younger generation of the Lin family.

The main sect will open its doors to accept disciples in three days!

Great!

Now they finally have a chance to join the main sect like Elder Brother Lin Bai!

They could hardly wait, standing guard every day at the main sect's mountain gate.

With eager eyes they gazed at the main sect, imagining that one day they would enter it through their own efforts.

The opportunity now lay before them; whether they could seize it depended entirely on themselves.

Without saying more, the Lin family already had the advantage of being close to the water; it wasn't that Lin Bai, as an inner disciple, could give them a backdoor.

Rather, the Lin family had earned merit and received immortal arts bestowed by the Sect Master.

Although they had trained only briefly, they must absolutely not be underestimated!

You must know that these are immortal arts; over this period of training, each person's strength has greatly increased.

Moreover, the family head Lin Zhan also attended the Azure Cloud Sect meeting, so they learned the news immediately and could prepare early.

……

Three days passed amidst the anxious waiting of the people of Lingzhou.

At this moment, at the foot of the Azure Cloud Sect's mountain gate, even "a sea of people" could not describe the crowd.

A rough estimate puts the number at least in the hundreds of millions, nearly filling the entire Azure Cloud mountain range, with more people still streaming in.

However, there's no need to rush; this time the Azure Cloud Sect's recruitment lasts ten days, plenty of time.

Although the scene was noisy, it was well ordered.

Five guards emanated the aura of peak True Person realm, shocking the whole crowd; no one dared to cause trouble.

"The aura of these five seniors is too strong! Are they the elders of the Azure Cloud Sect?"

"Yes, I didn't expect the upper sect to value this recruitment so highly, sending out five elders even before it started."

"That's for sure; with such a powerful upper sect, even a slight move leaves us only able to look up."

"But let me tell you, the strongest in the upper sect is the mysterious Sect Master, said to be an immensely powerful Great Emperor!"

"I usually don't spread this secret news, but today I tell you—you must absolutely not gossip about it!"

One man's astonishing words left the surrounding crowd, who didn't understand, stunned and speechless!

The Sect Master is a Great Emperor!

Real or fake?! A Great Emperor! An existence standing at the pinnacle of the continent, shaking eternity!

If this news is true! Then… then…!

Feng Qingyang: When did I become a Great Emperor? This kid really isn't a shill I hired!

When the time came, the Azure Cloud Sect's mountain gate opened wide.

Shi Hao and Elder Night White, along with Mu Feng and Mu Tian, four figures walked out from within.

The Azure Cloud Sect first sent out five guards to maintain order.

Then it sent out the inner-disciple Shi Hao and three outer-sect elders to personally preside.

At this moment, the atmosphere of the crowd below also reached its peak!

"Look quickly, look quickly!"

"They are the seniors of the Azure Cloud Sect!"

"The Azure Cloud Sect's recruitment examination is about to begin!"

Everyone at the mountain gate strained their necks to look upward.

Only four figures in sect attire were seen standing on the summit.

From this angle, their height was level with the clouds, making them appear as if they had walked down from the clouds like immortals.

"Inner-disciple Shi, please speak first."

At the summit, the elder politely said to Shi Hao ahead.

No matter where, without rules nothing can be proper; as the Azure Cloud Sect becomes more formal, everyone must observe the rules.

They are merely outer-sect elders, while Shi Hao is the Sect Master's inner disciple, so they cannot break the rules.

The Azure Cloud Sect's regulations are also being personally drafted by the elder of the Law Enforcement Hall.

After being reviewed by the Sect Master with no issues, it will be issued; we believe it will be completed before the recruitment ends.

"Elder, you're too polite."

Shi Hao, having finished speaking, stepped forward to the front and spoke loudly.

"First, welcome everyone who has traveled from afar, day and night, to participate in our Azure Cloud Sect's recruitment gathering."

"May you all succeed in the examination and enter our Azure Cloud Sect."

"I am Shi Hao, the Sect Master's inner disciple; I look forward to meeting you within the sect."

"Alright, I've finished; next, the inner-sect elder will explain in detail the specific process of the first trial."

After saying a few polite words, Shi Hao turned and stepped back.

"Wuwuwu, the upper sect's disciples are so handsome! They totally understand our hearts!"

"Yeah, to rush to the Azure Cloud Sect, I've been running nonstop for three days!"

"Having heard those words from the upper sect's inner disciple, my day-and-night rush was not in vain! Wuwuwu!"

Some people were moved on the spot; those who could make it here truly have endured a journey of a thousand miles, day and night—who can speak of their bitterness?

The upper sect's inner disciple personally spoke to wish them success in the trial—how could one not be moved?

Shi Hao finished speaking, the three elders immediately stepped forward.

Ye Bai stood between the remaining two elders, looking down and speaking loudly: "We are the outer sect elders of the Qingyun Sect."

"Now I will explain the examination process for the first stage, the Illusory Heavenly Ladder!"

After Ye Bai finished speaking, he circulated his spiritual energy and waved his hand.

A splendid green light flashed briefly.

A heavenly ladder a hundred li long stretched from the sect gate to the foot of the mountain gate, leading straight to the heavens; the scenery on the ladder shifted and changed, endlessly wondrous.

This shocking scene left everyone dumbfounded.

"This is the Illusory Heavenly Ladder; as long as one steps onto it from the foot of the mountain gate, they pass the first stage examination."

"This ladder is endlessly changeable; a thousand people see a thousand different images, and every ten steps another illusion appears; only those with extremely high disposition and great perseverance can complete it."

"Moreover, this ladder creates corresponding illusions and pressure according to each person's cultivation realm, so the first stage is absolutely fair."

"Passing this ladder, even if one fails the second stage examination, they will become a menial disciple of our Qingyun Sect."

When the elder said this, the crowd below the mountain gate became excited, each eager to try.

The first stage is a purely fair and just examination! It does not look at cultivation realm, only at disposition and perseverance.

Furthermore, even if they fail to pass the second stage, they can become the menial disciple that most of them dream of.

Conscience!

Very very conscientious!

In their view, this ladder is very simple; the elders of the upper sect all say it's simple, so it definitely isn't difficult!

If one does not consider talent, they consider their own disposition and perseverance to still be very high!

Becoming a menial disciple is absolutely a piece of cake!

"Alright, this elder announces that the examination of the first stage, the Illusory Heavenly Ladder, officially begins!"