23: Recruitment Ceremony

He subconsciously looked up.

The massive bronze gatehouse towered into the clouds, and the two ancient seal characters "Qingxuan" on the lintel shimmered with a faint light as if they were alive.

Behind the gatehouse were several majestic peaks piercing the heavens. Amidst the swirling mist, countless halls and pavilions built along the mountains were faintly visible, their upturned eaves and bracket sets reflecting golden-red light under the setting sun's afterglow.

Streaks of light, some strong and some weak, zipped back and forth between the peaks like meteors, so fast it was dizzying.

"My goodness... so many people..."

Beside him, Zhang Shitou's mouth hung wide open, his eyes nearly popping out of his head, and his voice was trembling.

Wang Tiezhu also swallowed nervously, pressing close to Li Qingfeng, and asked in a low voice:

"Brother Feng, where... where should we stand?"

Li Qingfeng's own heart was pounding, but he forced himself to stay calm and looked around.

On the square, many Cultivators wearing the same gray-blue Daoist robes as Senior Brother Liu and Senior Sister Wei were moving about, maintaining order.

Holding jade tablets, their voices were clear and resonant as they guided the streams of new Disciples descending from Flying Shuttles from different directions, dividing them into various areas on the massive square.

Senior Brother Liu and Senior Sister Wei were speaking in low voices with several Cultivators in similar attire, seemingly handing over their charges.

"Follow the people in front!"

Li Qingfeng took a deep breath, pulled Wang Tiezhu, and signaled Zhang Shitou to follow the group from Black Mountain Town.

They were guided into an area toward the back of the square.

This area was crowded and the air was somewhat stuffy, but no one dared to make a loud noise; everyone waited tensely.

"Wait! Everyone isn't here yet!"

A Disciple wearing gray tight-fitting clothes with a small silver sword emblem embroidered on his cuff shouted loudly, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority.

The crowd immediately quieted down significantly.

Time passed. Several more Flying Shuttles of various designs, or flying Magical Artifacts like giant gourds and jade plates, landed across the square with low whistles, bringing batches of new youths.

The number of people on the square grew until it was a dense, black mass that seemed endless. When the last Flying Shuttle came to a halt and its hatch closed, the crowd reached its peak.

Finally, as the last trace of twilight was swallowed by the dark blue night sky, the large pearls embedded in the stone pillars around the square lit up simultaneously, emitting a soft yet bright light that illuminated the entire square as if it were day.

"Silence—!"

A voice as loud as a bell suddenly rang out, sweeping across the entire square like a physical wave, instantly suppressing all other sounds.

In front of the square, beneath that massive bronze gatehouse, a row of people had appeared at some unknown moment.

There weren't many of them, just a dozen or so figures, yet under the bright pearl light, they seemed to occupy the entire world!

The leader wore a purple-gold Daoist robe. His face was plain and his gaze calm, yet it seemed to contain the power of a thousand thunderclaps. Just by standing there, his invisible pressure reduced the thousands of people on the square to a deathly silence.

Li Qingfeng's heart shook violently. This was an existence infinitely more powerful than Senior Brother Liu or Senior Sister Wei! He must be someone of extremely high status within the Sect.

Behind the purple-robed Daoist, six figures with profound auras and distinct demeanors stood on each side.

There was an old man with white hair and beard, holding a fly-whisk, his face ruddy.

There was a bearded man with a curly beard, wearing a Daoist robe with flame patterns, looking majestic without even being angry.

There was a dignified woman with a cold temperament, wearing an elegant green robe.

There was a middle-aged swordsman with an ancient sword on his back, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's.

There was an elegant Cultivator wearing a Daoist robe with complex formation patterns, his eyes deep.

And there was a burly man in tight-fitting clothes, his frame massive, with an air of wild unrestraint between his brows.

The Masters of the Seven Peaks! All were present!

Their gazes were like physical searchlights, slowly scanning the thousands of new Disciples below.

Under the gaze of these seven god-like figures, the thousands of new Disciples didn't even dare to breathe loudly. The immense pressure felt physical, weighing heavily on everyone's hearts.

"Salutations to the Sect Head Immortal Master! Salutations to the Elders and Deacons of each peak!"

A resonant voice rang out as a middle-aged man with a profound aura, wearing a deep blue Deacon's uniform, stepped to the front of the stage. He bowed respectfully to the seven people above and then turned to the dense crowd below, his voice clearly reaching every corner:

"Azure Profound Upper Sect, Bingyin Year Recruitment Ceremony, begin!"

"A total of one thousand and seventy-eight new Disciples have been recruited this time!"

"Bone age and Spiritual Roots have been verified! According to the Sect's regulations, the allocations are as follows!"

His voice lacked any emotional fluctuation, as if he were reading an official document:

"Those with Spiritual Roots less than one inch and of Yellow Grade, Low Grade: seven hundred and thirty-one people. You shall be Utility Disciples! You will be randomly assigned by the Deacons of each peak based on their needs!"

"Candidate Outer Sect Disciples may choose one peak to enter!"

"Candidate Inner Sect Disciples will be selected by the Deacons of each peak or may join voluntarily!"

"Candidate True Disciples will be personally selected by the Peak Elders!"

As his voice fell, the oppressive atmosphere on the square eased slightly, and a low wave of commotion and discussion broke out.

Most of the Utility Disciples' faces showed resignation and apprehension.

The Candidate Outer Sect Disciples whispered excitedly, calculating which peak they should choose.

Meanwhile, the twenty or so Candidate Inner Sect Disciples standing at the very front, including Li Qingfeng and Wang Tiezhu, became the focus of the entire venue!

Gazes of envy, jealousy, and scrutiny converged upon them.

Soon, several Cultivators who appeared to be Deacons, holding registers, walked toward the massive area for Utility Disciples.

There were no redundant procedures; they simply read out names and assigned peaks. The Utility Disciples whose names were called lowered their heads and silently followed the guiding Deacons away from the square, heading in different directions.

It was highly efficient, yet it also exuded a sense of cold reality.

"Zhang Shitou!" a Deacon called out.

"Here!"

Zhang Shitou jumped, squeezing out from beside Li Qingfeng, his face filled with nervousness and a hint of bewilderment.

"Artifact Refining Peak, Utility Quarters! Follow me!"

The Deacon was expressionless.

Zhang Shitou looked back at Li Qingfeng and Wang Tiezhu, his eyes filled with reluctance and well-wishes. Finally, he gritted his teeth, lowered his head, and trotted after the Deacon, merging into the stream of Utility Disciples heading toward the Artifact Refining Peak, quickly disappearing at the edge of the massive square.

Li Qingfeng felt a bit uneasy as he watched Zhang Shitou's slightly hunched back disappear into the crowd.

On the path of the immortal gates, from the very first step into the mountain gate, the difference between the heavens and the mud had already been established.

Soon, the Utility Disciples were all sorted, and a large section of the square suddenly became empty.

"Those of Yellow Grade, Medium Grade and High Grade: three hundred and forty-two people. You are Candidate Outer Sect Disciples!"

The Deacon's voice rang out again.

"You may choose one of the five peaks of your preference! Alchemy, Artifact, Talisman Formation, Technique, or Martial Dao. Each peak's Legacy is different; choose carefully, for it concerns your path to the Dao!"

The remaining hundreds of Candidate Outer Sect Disciples were instantly overcome with excitement and tension.