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Perhaps sensing the change in Li Tan's expression, Bai Youqianshan calmly spoke, 'I know what you're thinking, kid.'

Li Tan, whose thoughts had been exposed, smiled awkwardly and blinked his large eyes, anticipating an answer.

'You naturally don't care for Spirit Stones, but authority is the most important thing!'

'And the higher the status, the more importance the Elders place on you!'

Bai Youqianshan's words were clear: one's status would determine the level of importance the Elders placed on them, and authority undoubtedly referred to information and Cultivation Techniques.

...

Just as Bai Youqianshan said, the flying ship soon stopped.

Everyone landed on a massive Yanwu Arena, as large flying ships docked one after another.

Looking around, there were actually ten flying ships! They lined up side by side in tacit understanding!

Young men and women slowly stepped onto the Yanwu Arena, most of them radiant and exceptionally good-looking.

Prodigies gathered together; for a moment, it was hard to tell who the true Prodigies were...

Perhaps 'Prodigy' was merely a threshold, a title set for them to compete on a larger stage.

Li Tan surveyed his surroundings, carefully observing the crowd, and his expression grew increasingly solemn.

Sharp gazes, awe-inspiring Auras, extraordinary appearances, incredible cultivation...

The more he looked, the more he was startled, and the more he felt intimidated.

'That young man in the crowd, merely standing casually, possessed the bearing of an emperor.'

'Around him was like an isolation layer; within a hundred feet, no one dared to approach!'

A strange sensation on his shoulder startled Li Tan!

He instinctively turned around, his fist halted mid-air, just an inch away from smashing the person's head!

'A beggar?'

His disheveled appearance was quite off-putting; his ragged clothes faintly emitted a strange odor, and his shoes had large holes, making him look utterly destitute.

'Everyone who can come here is a Prodigy from a Family; how could a beggar have snuck in?'

Holding onto his confusion, he decided to test the person's background.

'"Eye of Truth"!'

The next moment, as the Martial Skill activated, Li Tan stood frozen in place, as if he were completely stunned.

'Hey, big brother, got any wine?'

The little beggar asked, but only silence and an awkward atmosphere returned.

Refusing to give up, he waved his hand in front of Li Tan's eyes, seemingly wanting to awaken his slumbering mind.

But Li Tan remained like a piece of rotten wood, not making a sound for a long time.

The little beggar muttered 'boring' and leisurely walked away to beg for wine from others.

'Qi Condensation Twelfth Layer!'

...

The noisy Yanwu Arena did not last long.

A steady young man broke the stalemate here; he wore a green robe, his long hair flowed to his waist, and a sword was strapped to his back.

He was incredibly dashing, his eyes filled with sharp decisiveness!

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

'All Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, allow me to introduce myself. I am Feng Jiu from the inner Sect.'

'Next, I will be presiding over your Sect entry trials. You must persevere, as this will affect your scores!'

Such miraculous methods surely belonged to a Building Foundation Cultivator!

If he wasn't mistaken, then the upcoming trials would determine their status for the next three years.

Everyone present considered themselves extraordinary; how could they willingly become stepping stones for others, even if the gap was blatantly obvious?

But competitiveness was ingrained in the bones of Prodigies; to admit defeat without fighting, how could they feel at ease?

On this larger stage, everyone was a tiny firefly, striving to emit a more dazzling light.

They would contend with heroes, discuss the Dao with Dragon and Phoenix children, and pursue the elusive path to eternal life!

'All Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, you are all Prodigies from various places, and I, Feng Jiu, naturally understand that you possess a sense of arrogance in your hearts.'

'However, within the Heaven Sword Immortal Sect, there is never a lack of Prodigies! The 'Prodigy' you speak of is merely an unrefined piece of scrap iron!'

'Three trials, a total of three hundred points. Prepare to receive the grand ceremony for your transcendence!'

As soon as Feng Jiu finished speaking, the scene before them rapidly blurred and distorted, as if the space itself was being interfered with.

Dizziness filled their minds, causing uncontrollable nausea and discomfort.

When they opened their eyes again, the scene before them was no longer the vast Yanwu Arena, but a majestic, ancient mountain!

In the middle of the mountain stood a flight of stairs! Surrounding it were ancient trees, roughly estimated to be a thousand years old! Their height reached over nine hundred feet.

The stairs stretched endlessly, out of sight, and the peak of the mountain was completely covered by immense clouds, making it appear very mysterious and unfathomable.

Li Tan frowned; he clearly felt his body growing heavier! Or rather, the pressure in the air had increased!

He wondered if it was an illusion, a hallucination, or a physical restraint imposed by this place.

A sudden voice came again, and his doubts dissipated.

'There are ten thousand people here, but only one in ten will advance. What you must do is compete; the Heaven Sword Immortal Sect does not need ordinary mediocrities.'

'First trial of transcendence, Gravity Cliff!'

'Time limit: eight hours. Climb, young men and women!'

........................................................

Feng Jiu's figure transformed into smoke, soaring freely in the sky.

When he was seen again, he was already at the mountain peak.

The Spiritual Qi at the peak was dense, the air was exceptionally fresh and comfortable, and the scenery was vast, magnificent, and spectacular.

'Revered Master, your disciple has made all the arrangements!'

A white-haired old man was leisurely drinking tea and enjoying himself, without a trace of Aura around him, just like a Mortal.

'That is excellent. Jiu'er, there's no need to be formal; just chat with me about daily life.'

The previously arrogant Feng Jiu also shed his carefree attitude, his words and actions becoming very proper.

'The quality of this year's juniors is quite good; there are many promising talents.'

'Imperial might, enlightened heart, Innate Physique, accompanying strange beasts, spiritual fire, Vicious Beast phantom.'

At this point, the old man let out a surprised sound, a playful smile on his lips.

Feng Jiu, seeing his Revered Master in such high spirits, was quite puzzled: 'Could it be that another top Prodigy has appeared!'

Before he could think more, he saw the old man calmly speak: 'Even a Corpse Fiend has emerged.'

'This batch of juniors is truly interesting; the days ahead will be lively.'

Feng Jiu was greatly alarmed, his face filled with confusion as he anxiously asked, 'Revered Master, this Demonic Path remnant! Are we just going to let him infiltrate the Sect?'

'Since he has revealed his tail now, why don't we close the door and catch the dog! Extinguish this rekindled spark!'

Feng Jiu's killing intent surged, his eyes filled with righteous determination, and his fists unconsciously tightened.

He never expected the white-haired old man to simply wave his hand leisurely: 'Jiu'er, I know you feel wronged and hate those Demonic Path scoundrels.'

'But you must understand that there are tens of thousands of different schools in this world; if they can be passed down, then they are meant for people to cultivate.'

'The people you hate, when will you ever finish killing them all? And you yourself will fall into a place of eternal damnation.'

'A negligible spark, when drawn by the wind, can also cause a terrifying fire.'

....

'You kill him to punish evil and eliminate wickedness; killing a hundred people can be called eliminating evil and promoting good, but what about killing ten thousand... a million... wouldn't that be slaughtering all living beings....'