166: Chapter 166 All Eliminated?

The middle-aged man hosting the assessment for the Lingfeng Alliance continued speaking, explaining the specific details of this year's assessment.

The assessment area was located in the dense forest adjacent to the Lingfeng Alliance headquarters.

This dense forest was the usual training ground for Lingfeng Alliance Disciples and was quite expansive.

It had been cleared out today specifically for the entry assessment.

There were forty-six teams in total, and the Lingfeng Alliance would also dispatch forty Outer Sect Disciples into the forest.

The Outer Sect Disciples entering would carry tokens on their persons.

By defeating these Outer Sect Disciples, one could obtain the tokens they carried.

Acquiring two tokens would mean passing the assessment directly and entering the Lingfeng Alliance.

Failure to obtain even a single token would result in immediate elimination.

For teams that only managed to seize one token, their fate would be decided after a consultation among the participating Outer Sect Disciples.

According to the plan, fifteen teams would ultimately be recruited.

In an ideal scenario, twenty teams would obtain two tokens, and those twenty teams would pass the entry assessment.

However, in all these years, such an ideal scenario had never occurred even once.

Under these rules, if two or three teams could manage to secure two tokens, that would already be quite impressive.

The Outer Sect Disciples of the Lingfeng Alliance were almost all Martial Artists in the Shenzhen Realm.

The young Martial Artists coming to participate in the assessment were generally only at the eighth rank of the Shenzhe Realm, and even those at the ninth rank were rare.

The powerful martial experts of the Shun Kingdom were strong enough to enter the Lingfeng Alliance as external Disciples.

Of course, people like Yan Louchuan did not meet the age requirements of the Lingfeng Alliance.

For this entry assessment, one's age must not exceed thirty years.

The Lingfeng Alliance did not want to recruit a bunch of middle-aged Loose Cultivator Martial Artists.

The more life experience one had, the lower their level of identification with the Sect tended to be.

Although the Lingfeng Alliance was loose in its management of external Disciples, it still hoped to find some good prospects among them.

No matter the Sect, all required the nourishment of fresh blood.

After the teams were divided, everyone began to get to know one another.

Li Yuan also familiarized himself with his other nineteen teammates.

A man named Yan Bin volunteered to serve as the team captain.

Since someone was willing to step forward and lead, the others naturally did not object.

Having a clear captain for a team—someone to give orders and take responsibility—was indeed more efficient.

After fifteen minutes of introductions, the middle-aged man from the Lingfeng Alliance led everyone to meet their opponents.

These were the forty Outer Sect Disciples of the Lingfeng Alliance.

In a moment, they would have to seize tokens from their hands to fight for the chance to enter the Sect.

Going over now was to get a good look at their opponents.

The forty Outer Sect Disciples varied in strength.

One could take this opportunity to remember those with weaker strength.

If encountered in the dense forest, one must not let them go.

Li Yuan heard several people around him saying the same thing, wanting to memorize the faces of the 'soft persimmons.'

Hearing this idle chatter, the group of Outer Sect Disciples all showed faint smiles.

“It seems they don't hold us in any regard at all, treating us like dishes in a restaurant to be ordered one by one, eh?”

“They think they can just win easily and snatch the tokens away.”

“They don't even consider if they possess the necessary movement techniques.”

With just a few words, the Outer Sect Disciples caused the expressions of the participating Disciples to turn solemn.

There were twenty of them; although their individual strength wasn't great, they could use numbers to overcome the few.

But on second thought, why would the others face them head-on?

They weren't rooted to the spot; they could completely look for opportunities to pick them off one by one.

Why were top-tier Martial Artists so powerful? Clearly, the Magical Artifacts of top craftsmen were also a significant threat.

A powerful Martial Artist was essentially a powerful Magical Artifact that could move rapidly!

Meanwhile, the captain Yan Bin whispered a reminder to Li Yuan and the others.

“There's no need to worry too much. When the time comes, we'll pool some cultivation resources together, and these Senior Brothers won't be too excessive.”

“However, the Elders will be watching during the match.”

“The Senior Brothers will have to make a serious effort, but they won't use their movement techniques to just flee directly.”

When Yan Bin mentioned this, several people nearby couldn't help but frown.

They likely hadn't expected that even an entry assessment would involve such shady dealings.

As they spoke, a young female Disciple walked toward Li Yuan's group.

Based on her status, they should address her as Senior Sister.

“Senior Sister Zhao Jin, an Inner Sect Disciple...”

Yan Bin seemed to know these Disciples of the Lingfeng Alliance very well.

Not only could he state her name, but he also knew she was an Inner Sect Disciple.

As Zhao Jin walked over, she didn't seem to see the group of candidates at all.

“The craftsmanship of this sword is actually quite good; it looks rather exquisite.”

Zhao Jin stood on a high point, looking down at Li Yuan from above.

To be precise, she was looking at the sword Li Yuan was carrying.

“The craftsmanship is indeed good. One can see the craftsman who forged it put some thought into it.”

“If Senior Sister Zhao held this sword, it would surely add a bit more heroic spirit to her appearance.”

The Martial Artist speaking was one of the forty Outer Sect Disciples.

But when the other Outer Sect Disciples looked at him, their faces clearly showed a bit more respect.

Hearing this, Zhao Jin smiled slightly. “This sword is not yet worthy of being worn at my side; I am merely collecting decent swords.”

Li Yuan glanced at the sword at her side; its quality was a far cry from his own longsword.

Li Yuan had extensive experience as a craftsman; he could see the merits and flaws of weapons much more clearly than she could.

This Zhao Jin was simply someone with little knowledge pretending to be an expert.

Beside him, Yan Bin quickly moved to Li Yuan's side and whispered in his ear.

“This is Senior Brother Kang Shi, the top individual among the Outer Sect Disciples.”

“His strength was enough to be promoted to the Inner Sect long ago, but he chose to stay in the Outer Sect to act as an examiner for the Inner Sect.”

“We'd better not offend him. Brother Li, can you bear to part with this sword...?”

Yan Bin spoke very directly; he wanted Li Yuan to cede the sword to Senior Sister Zhao Jin for the purpose of currying favor with Kang Shi.

The fact that Kang Shi had feelings for Zhao Jin was an open secret.

“Of course I can't bear to part with it. I won't lose my personal weapon just for the status of an Outer Sect Disciple.”

Li Yuan's response was not quiet.

Even the others nearby could hear it clearly.

Obviously, this was an overt refusal to curry favor with Kang Shi.

The Outer Sect Disciples present, upon hearing this, instinctively kept their distance from Li Yuan's team.

Having offended Kang Shi like this, even if they were given benefits later, they wouldn't dare to accept them.

Kang Shi would not allow this team to obtain the qualification of Outer Sect Disciples.

“Don't misunderstand. I just thought the craftsmanship of your sword was decent; I had no intention of demanding it.”

Upon hearing his words, Zhao Jin responded coldly.

From her expression, it was clear she was already somewhat angry.

Kang Shi watched Zhao Jin as she turned and left, then after a moment, he turned around and glared coldly at Li Yuan.

Many people knew that Outer Sect Disciples accepted bribes during the Lingfeng Alliance entry assessment.

But on the surface, it would never be spoken of openly.

The Lingfeng Alliance was no small Sect; it had a reputation to uphold.

If word got out that entry required a bribe, it would truly be laughable.

Kang Shi's expression sent a message: for them, this entry assessment was over.

It wasn't just over for Li Yuan; it was over for this entire twenty-person team.