Enters the Inner Sect!

"Fellow brothers, this is everyone who managed to obtain a recommendation quota this year!"

In a rather shabby hall, a dozen youths stood in a neat row as five middle-aged men of great renown began to inspect them.

Ling Feng was among those being examined. Wang Danfeng wished he could have stayed behind to accompany him. But as an outer sect elder, he wasn't allowed to remain in the inner sect for very long. As he waved goodbye to the youth, a long-bearded man standing in the middle of the hall raised his eyes and swept his gaze over the new inner disciples.

After a moment, the long-bearded man pointed to a youth standing in the first position to the right.

"Step forward," he commanded.

The youth cast a nervous glance about the room before gingerly striding out of line.

"Disciple Meng Chen pays homage to the fellow peak lords," the youth said, bowing low.

"Well, it seems your eyes are as keen as ever, brother. This youth's aptitude is very good. He may become a great disciple one day, worthy of your lineage should you choose him."

A middle-aged man in a black robe looked at Meng Chen's eyes once then sent a respectful smile to the long-bearded man.

The black-robed man, named Li Liang, was the elder responsible for the distribution and recruitment of disciples. The long-bearded man was Yang Wei.

Yang Wei and Li Liang were of the same generation, both one of the nine peak lords. But as Yang Wei's status was higher, Li Liang often tried to curry favor with him. Delivering him a few gifted disciples every now and again was just a small gift.

Seeming to agree with Li Liang's assessment of the youth, Yang Wei slightly nodded at Meng Chen and said, "Young one, my fellow brother is correct. Your aptitude is indeed very good. You may enter my Meteor Peak."

Face filled with joy, Meng Chen bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, master!"

Yang Wei stroked his long beard and laughed, clearly satisfied by the youth's response.

"Come and stand behind me," he said, smiling with appreciation.

"Yes!" Beaming with excitement, Meng Chen respectfully arrived behind Yang Wei.

After the youth was settled, the smile faded from Yang Wei's face and he ordered everyone to continue.

A few hours passed by with each youth gradually leaving the line to stand behind their respective peak lords. Yet, there were still some who hadn't been selected. These were the youths who possessed the lowest aptitudes out of the entire bunch. Yang Wei had left these runts behind specially for his fellow brothers to fight over after wresting away all of the potentially good disciples.

The other peak lords hated him for this shameful act, but Yang Wei knew none of them would challenge him over it. His status was too great, and his strength was second only to the sect master and the supreme hidden world elders. That was to say that if any of them had been present, he wouldn't have had the courage to treat them with such open disregard.

But without the strength to dare voice their discontent, the other peak lords stewed in silence as Li Liang called for the next disciple to approach.

It was at this moment that Ling Feng sucked in a deep breath and took a step forward.

"Disciple Ling Feng pays homage to the fellow peak lords," he said, bowing low and deep.

Li Liang carefully sized Ling Feng up. Then he grabbed the youth's wrist with a furrowed brow, a move that made Ling Feng nervous.

This method of inner body observation usually took longer than purely trying to measure a martial artist's potential with one's gaze alone. However, Li Liang had no choice. Ling Feng aptitude seemed hidden from his eyes. Only a method as comprehensive as this would allow him to understand Ling Feng's shrouded potential.

But when he finally loosened Ling Feng's hand, he shook his head and said, "By the growth of his bones, he is eighteen years old, and he has a cultivation base of the Coagulating Qi 1st stage. His aptitude is mediocre. Fellow peak lords, he barely passes the inspection."

For a moment, Li Liang had expected a different result. But Ling Feng's level of talent was only good regarding the average person. This was not so true, however, for the disciples of the Questioning Immortal Sect. In this kind of martial arts sect, the youth's result could be considered devastating.

Among the countless martial arts sects, fourteen-year-old Coagulating Qi experts could be found everywhere. An eighteen-year-old Coagulating Qi Boundary was nothing special and would be forever confined to the lower and middle reaches of the outer sect.

The various peak lords shook their heads. They would rather be short of a few geniuses than be flooded with wastes.

Ling Feng clenched his teeth. A strong, impulsive desire to explain his situation rose in his chest, but he didn't know from where to start. How was he to tell them that he had promoted from an average person to a martial artist of the Coagulating Qi Boundary in less than thirty breaths?

This wasn't the kind of information he could share with anyone if he wanted to keep breathing. Therefore, he remained silent. It was all he could do.

"Ahem!" Yang Wei squinted his eyes, clearly disgruntled. "Since he barely passes the inspection, send him to the outer sect!"

"This…"

A trace of awkwardness flashed across Li Liang's face. He took a moment to think before leaning over and whispering in Yang Wei's ear.

"Fellow brother, don't forget that there's a lineage outside of the nine peaks. Remember that old ghost. We have yet to deliver him a disciple this year. Wouldn't you prefer to send this talentless boy to him rather than the outer sect?!"

Li Liang had received a hefty sum from Wang Danfeng. He couldn't just let Yang Wei send Ling Feng down to the outer sect. If he did, Wang Danfeng would surely stop coming to him for these kinds of lucrative favors. As for whose disciple Ling Feng became, he didn't need to care. His sole job was to make sure Ling Feng made it into the inner sect.

"That lineage…"

Thoughts forced inward, Yang Wei's face darkened with hesitation.

Li Liang smiled coldly. "What's there to think about? After spending several days with that old ghost, I doubt the boy will want to stay."

"Em. Follow the old custom then and send him to Old Ghost Duanmu."

Yang Wei snorted as he said this. Each year that old ghost kept the sword scripture hidden from him was another year he would deliver him a talentless disciple and compel them sever their master-and-disciple ties. He didn't believe that old ghost would be resigned to watch that set of sword arts disappear forever. Sooner or later, he would crack.

Ling Feng began to grow surprised. Yang Wei and Li Liang had been in the middle of discussion for quite some time. He didn't know what they were scheming, but whatever it was, it definitely wasn't anything good.

"Ahem!"

Li Liang, coughing lightly, finally stepped forward and said, "Your name is Ling Feng, right?" Later you will do obeisance to Old Ghost Duanmu… Practice diligently under the tutelage of Senior Uncle Duanmu and see yourself reach heights unknown!"

"Senior Uncle Duanmu?"

Ling Feng shook. Had he just been apprenticed to someone a generation above the current peak lords?

Despite his doubts, he bowed and said, "Yes!"

"Good, since you have no objections, I will have Zong Yuan escort you to Small Bamboo Peak."

"Yes!"

A young man, roughly twenty-years-old, immediately left the ranks and bowed toward Li Liang.

"Follow me!" he said, not even bothering to mask the sympathy in his eyes.

Ling Feng was immediately on guard. Zong Yuan's look had made him suspect that maybe this Small Bamboo Peak wasn't somewhere he should be eager to go. But with no choice left to him, he followed the youth despite his growing unease.

Soon, Ling Feng and the youth named Zong Yuan arrived at a small bamboo forest where several bamboo houses enclosed a small courtyard. Although the constructions couldn't compare to the magnificence of the buildings they had passed along the way, the bamboo houses exuded a simple and relaxing beauty. It was the kind of place one could cultivate their body and soul in peace.

"Brother, what kind of person is Senior Uncle Duanmu?" Ling Feng asked, finally breaking the silence as Zong Yuan had yet to speak a single word, as if afraid of being pestered by him.

"I don't know!" Zong Yuan gave a curt reply as they arrived outside the central bamboo house.

"Senior Uncle Duanmu, I have brought you this year's disciple!"

After saying this, Zong Yuan fled, as if running from the god of death, leaving Ling Feng to face whoever was behind the closed doors alone.

Ling Feng stood for a long moment, brows furrowed.

'Is the person inside really so terrifying?'