Rarely visited and deserted for decades, Tai Xuan Sect's Clumsy Peak was now bustling with noise.
Ji Ziyue stood here with a raised small face, unsure of her expression. She couldn't believe that this old man, who had always seemed amiable, had suddenly become the most powerful person in the entire Sect, someone even her family felt they had to pay respects to.
She couldn't help but think of that youth she had met before. That youth had forcefully wanted to join this mountain peak, and had stayed here ever since, disappearing without a trace.
She had originally thought he was merely obsessed with this mountain peak's true Inheritance, never imagining that something even bigger than this Inheritance would be revealed – the Elder becoming a Sage! As a result, everyone who joined this Sect had to call that youth, who looked no more than twelve or thirteen years old, Eldest Martial Brother.
(Fang Bie was actually the first to join this Sect, but he was the type who joined mid-way to learn without formally becoming a disciple, so he wasn't ranked).
"Clumsy Peak's method of selecting an Inheritance is very simple. See this ladder in front of you? Walk up it. Step on more than five Steps and you will be accepted as a disciple. Otherwise, you fail."
Hua Yunfei, still as elegant and jade-like as ever, simply explained the Rules and then stepped aside, clearing the Road for these individuals, each considered a top Heaven's Chosen by others, to step onto the Steps one by one.
At this time, Ji Ziyue was quietly telling her older brother and the others from her Family about the Principles and requirements of these Steps, also explaining her own Insights and Techniques.
Although she had only been in this Sect for two months, her clever and mischievous nature and lovable appearance allowed her to easily gather all this Information.
"These Steps mainly test your Willpower, Natural Talent, Ability, and the degree of control you have over the Energy within your bodies. They are essentially tailored for Geniuses. You need to do your best to maintain control of yourselves to ascend more quickly."
Although her Method couldn't improve their Ability by even ten percent, it could at least help them, at a critical juncture, successfully step onto the next Step.
One by one, the Heaven's Chosen stepped onto the Steps. They had already thoroughly inquired about the Efficacy of the Steps themselves.
Although Clumsy Peak only had Elder Li Ruoyu, there were many Elders on the surrounding Mountain Peaks. Having lived through that glorious and prosperous Era, they had naturally heard of the Nine-Layered Heavenly Ladder's renowned name.
Therefore, almost everyone knew the strength of these Steps and didn't consider resorting to cheating Means. Instead, they desperately focused on improving their Minds and Souls, squeezing out their remaining Potential.
In this Era, the strongest Experts within a Sect were at most Monarch Level at their Peak, and even they were generally old and decrepit, nearing the end of their Lifespan.
Being able to receive guidance from a Sage, or even obtain their Inheritance, held immense Meaning for their Futures and the improvement of their Status within their Families. That was why they were so earnest.
After a few cannon fodder were kicked out for only stepping onto two or three Steps at the beginning, the next Heaven's Chosen, elegant and handsome, finally stepped onto the Steps step by step.
Jiang Yifei, the strongest of the younger generation in the Jiang Family besides those with the Divine King Physique, was also one of the few people Ye Fan had encountered in this Event who hadn't given him a bad first impression.
He possessed a Qi Aura that Hua Yunfei was very familiar with, but lacked the shackles that seemed to weigh Hua Yunfei down. That Aura, both divine and demonic, spiritual and immortal, was precisely what practitioners of the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art cultivated.
Hua Yunfei sighed softly. He still needed to rely on the help of outsiders to completely eliminate these Invaders with Martial Uncle Li's assistance, while this disciple from a major Family had likely already taken action against these Fellows the moment he obtained the Secret Manual.
But his Encounter was different from before. There was little envy or jealousy in his Expression. Instead, he watched the person in front of him calmly, watching him step onto the Steps step by step, until he reached the seventh Step!
"Boom!" His Body, attempting to ascend further, was enveloped in green Radiance and instantly blasted away.
Fortunately, his Cultivation Realm was high. He quickly stabilized his Figure in Mid-Air, not appearing too disheveled, and calmly inquired of Hua Yunfei.
"Having reached the seventh Step, have I passed?"
Hua Yunfei nodded and made way, allowing him to slowly ascend the Mountain. Elder Li Ruoyu was waiting for them on the Mountain Top. Clumsy Peak was about to welcome a batch of stunningly talented Disciples, each with their own agendas.
Batch after batch of people ascended the Steps. Those who reached the fifth Step were less than one-tenth of everyone. This was, after all, a Selection Project for true Geniuses from back then, not a simple entrance examination.
This further highlighted the extraordinary Natural Talent of the three Youths who had simultaneously joined Clumsy Peak that day. It also demonstrated just how tenacious their Minds and Willpower truly were.
Almost all core Disciples from major Families and Holy Lands smoothly passed the assessment. After all, to stand out from hundreds or thousands in a Sect's Selection and become the current Eldest Disciple or Martial Sister, one must possess a level of quality far exceeding others.
Smiles appeared on Li Ruoyu's aged Face. Even though his Lifespan was already 6,000 years, and he had only lived through one-tenth of his life, he still presented himself with an old face.
"Enter my Clumsy Peak, and you shall be Disciples of Clumsy Peak." Although Li Ruoyu still looked like a kindly old Elder from next door, even his simple movements carried an imposing yet unrestrained air in the eyes of everyone present.
"Clumsy Peak has no elaborate Rules, no repetitive Lessons. All there is, is this Old Man and an Inheritance passed down from the Primordial Era." The Elder's Words were spoken softly and calmly, yet everyone respectfully absorbed them.
"This Inheritance should not be passed on to you by me. The one who will impart it to you has not yet arrived, but I expect they will be here soon." He continued, "This old man doesn't have many Rules, but listen more and do more, watch less and speak less. You must not betray your Sect, and you must never abandon the Human Race. These are things you should all know!"
"Later, you will see many Things that you do not know, and should not know. But these Things…" A faint Smile appeared on his Face. "Ultimately, the Future will be better than things are now for you!"
"This World is vast, yet also small!" Hua Yunfei said. Although he was still the same age as these people, his Combat Power was already comparable to their Elders, so he spoke with a natural and inherent air of authority.
"Now that everyone has joined my Tai Xuan Sect, you are all my Junior Brothers. Yun Fei can guarantee to everyone here that this place will definitely not disappoint you. But in the same vein, I also hope you will not disappoint us."
"Yun Fei, now that they are all here, make a Bed for each of them!" Li Ruoyu said. "Tai Xuan Sect's Laws… whether you wish to rest or Cultivate is up to you. You aren't actually here for that anyway."
"As for the Inheritance… that depends on your Ability to accept it!"
As soon as his Words fell, the Back Mountain, which had only been incorporated into the Tai Xuan Sect main Sect a few months prior and was personally overseen by him, suddenly erupted with Thunder.
A pair of cold and emotionless Eyes appeared in the Sky. Simultaneously revealed was a World-Suppressing Pressure akin to Heavenly Might!
P.S.: Overtime haze. Slept 11 hours in two days. Gonna sleep.
End of Chapter