Outside the Mountain Gate of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect.
Several thousand new disciples were waiting anxiously for the test results. Their future resources and prospects were on the line, so it was impossible not to be nervous.
Hong Yu and Liu Liyun were sitting cross-legged together. Liu Liyun was a chatterbox, his mouth almost never stopping. "Brother Hong, you're just too amazing! A Half-Step Earth Soul Realm, and with Five Talent Markings to boot. With talent like yours, you're guaranteed to enter the Inner Sect and be specially cultivated by the Sect!"
Seven or eight other youths had also gathered around Hong Yu.
These youths had average talent, barely eting the minimum standard for entry. They knew full well that prodigies like Ling Tian and Dongfang Lang wouldn't give them the ti of day, so they tried to get close to Hong Yu in hopes of finding a backer.
One of them, a youth nad Li Que, chuckled. "Brother Liu is right. With Brother Hong's talent, you might even have a shot at becoming a True Disciple in the future!"
"Heh heh, Brother Hong is already at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm at just sixteen. Your future is bound to be glorious. Brother Hong, from now on, we brothers will follow your lead!" Zhao Lin said with a wide grin.
The other youths quickly chid in, each trying to curry favor with Hong Yu.
Hong Yu just smiled faintly and didn't say much.
'Flattery is pleasant to hear, but it can easily make one lose their way. It's best to let it go in one ear and out the other and not take it too seriously!'
"Look, the Outer Sect Steward is here!"
Soone shouted, and everyone scrambled to their feet, looking toward the Mountain Gate.
The one holding the list was the sa Steward who had been in charge of grading. He cleared his throat and said impassively, "The results of the entry test for new disciples are out. Junior Brothers whose nas I call, please step forward..."
"Ling Tian, Dongfang Lang, Duan Hong... The few of you perford exceptionally and have been rated as First Level talent. You will directly enter the Inner Sect," the Steward announced in a loud voice.
As expected, Ling Tian and the other two were the First Level prodigies.
The three of them stepped forward, their expressions impassive.
"Next, I will announce the new disciples of the Second Level!"
The Steward deliberately dragged out his words.
A buzz of discussion imdiately rose from the crowd below...
"Ling Tian and the other two fully deserve to be in the First Level. This Second Level should be for those disciples who have reached Five Talent Markings or whose cultivation is at the Earth Soul Realm or higher!"
"Brother Hong, you have Five Talent Markings! You're definitely going to be in the Second Level. Don't forget to look after your little brother in the future!"
"Isn't that obvious? With Brother Hong's talent, if he weren't so young, he'd definitely be in the First Level!"
Zhao Lin and Li Que said with sycophantic chuckles.
A nervous expression appeared on Liu Liyun's handso face.
Only Hong Yu remained perfectly calm.
"Those entering the Second Level are..."
The Steward impassively announced sixteen nas—precisely the thirteen at the Earth Soul Realm and the three youths with Five Talent Markings. He then closed the list in his hand and said flatly, "These sixteen Junior Brothers will also directly enter the Inner Sect. As for the rest of you, you will be heading to the Outer Sect. However, there's no need to be disheartened. Every year in our Cyan Nether Sword Sect, many Outer Disciples break through in their cultivation and enter the Inner Sect!"
So were happy, so were sad.
The prodigies of the First and Second Levels were all cheering, and even those with the calst and most stable temperants revealed expressions of joy.
The new disciples who had chosen to follow these prodigies bound for the Inner Sect were even more ecstatic, thrilled by their wise decision. With a backer cultivating in the Inner Sect, they wouldn't have to fear being bullied by the older disciples in the Outer Sect!
But around Hong Yu, the atmosphere was grim.
Li Que's face was a mask of disbelief. "How is that possible? Brother Hong didn't get into the Inner Sect?"
"Damn it, I miscalculated."
Zhao Lin was even more direct. He shot an irritated glare at the calm-faced Hong Yu, spat on the ground, and said hatefully, "Shit, I thought I'd latched onto an Inner Sect Disciple, but it turns out he's just an Outer Disciple like us. Dammit, what a waste of my breath..."
"Let's go. We'll see if we can still find ti to get friendly with so of the other Inner Sect Disciples."
At their urging, all the disciples who had just been gathered around Hong Yu left, leaving only Liu Liyun behind.
When a wall is about to collapse, everyone gives it a push; when a tree falls, the monkeys scatter.
This was true even for Noble Families and Kingdom officials, let alone a small alliance like this, which had only ford for personal gain.
Hong Yu sighed inwardly, lanting the fickle and unpredictable nature of people. He looked at Liu Liyun, a little puzzled. "Why aren't you leaving?"
"Leave?"
Liu Liyun grinned, a charming expression on his handso face. "Why would I leave? They only ca over to suck up to you, and I don't need to do that! Besides, I have the Eyes of Golden Fla; I can tell you're going to be incredibly strong in the future. Brother Hong, I can warm your bed, I'll even pick up the soap... Please, take under your wing!"
"Haha, you're a pretty interesting guy!"
Hong Yu burst out laughing.
The sincerity in Liu Liyun's clear eyes ward his heart.
The Steward arranged for people to lead the prodigies of the First and Second Levels to the Inner Sect, while he himself was responsible for the thousands of remaining Third Level Outer Disciples. He said impassively, "From this mont on, you are Outer Disciples of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect. You must keep your Sword Orders safe. Losing them will result in severe punishnt."
After a pause, he continued, "Now, form a line to receive your Outer Disciple Sword Robes and your Sect Manuals!"
The disciples ford an orderly queue.
Soon, it was Hong Yu's turn. The Steward glanced at him with a hint of regret in his eyes. His voice was flat as he said, "Hong Yu, right? Here are your Sword Robe and Sect Manual..." He hesitated, then lowered his voice. "Junior Brother Hong Yu, you should have been placed in the Second Level and entered the Inner Sect this ti. But soone is targeting you. Be careful."
Hong Yu was taken aback. He gave the Steward a grateful look. "Thank you for the warning, Senior Brother!"
'I know who's plotting against from behind the scenes,' Hong Yu thought. 'It can only be the Four Kings!'
He had long expected the Four Kings to make a move against him, he just hadn't thought it would be this soon.
After receiving his items, Hong Yu didn't leave right away. Instead, he stood to the side, waiting for Liu Liyun.
As he was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a piercing aura lock onto him. An intense sense of danger surged through him, and Hong Yu's feet slid as he sidestepped away. The sharp gust from a fist whipped past his ear. The missed attack seed to annoy the newcor, whose rough voice held a faint trace of regret. "What a pity. To think you actually dodged that."
"Who are you?"
Hong Yu frowned at the man.
He was an extrely tall and burly young man, likely in his early twenties, but over two ters tall. His bulging muscles strained against his clean Sword Robe, making him look like a giant sword and giving off an intensely oppressive feeling.
Hong Long grinned. "So you're Hong Yu?"
"You're... Hong Long?" Hong Yu froze, saying the other's na.
"Hahaha, I can't believe soone still rembers what I look like after I've been away from the family for a few years!" Hong Long's voice was like thunder, deafeningly loud. He looked at Hong Yu with a mocking expression. "Feeling disappointed that you couldn't get into the Inner Sect?"
Hong Yu frowned. "Was this your doing?"
Hong Long snorted, his smile gradually fading. "No, no, no. You think too highly of yourself. I don't need to play any tricks to deal with you. A single, casual word was enough to decide your fate. Sigh, it's all big brother's fault. He said we can't let you die too easily. We have to 'raise' you slowly, constantly torturing and breaking you down until you completely collapse, and only then kill you to avenge Hong Luàn and Hong Hu. Otherwise, I'd only need three moves to take your life!"
"But, torturing you slowly like this is also pretty fun, don't you think?" Hong Long's eyes narrowed, his sharp aura pressing down on Hong Yu.
Hong Yu felt a tightness in his chest. He frowned and said in a low voice, "Aren't you afraid of retribution for doing this?"
"Retribution?"
Hong Long paused for a mont, then burst into wild laughter.
Every peal of his laughter contained imnse power, the rolling sound waves echoing above the vast Mountain Gate. He crossed his arms, looking down from his great height like an Ancient Fierce Beast staring at a tiny ant. He spoke with indifference, "You dare talk to about retribution? It seems you still don't understand the gap between us. In that case, I'll let you see just the tip of the iceberg of my power!"
Hong Long glanced around, and his eyes suddenly locked onto Liu Liyun, who was walking over after receiving his Sword Robe.
With a single movent of his feet, he was instantly more than ten ters away. He tapped the ground with his toe, flicking a twig into the air.
Holding the ter-long twig, Hong Long turned back and grinned at Hong Yu.
Hong Yu's nerves instantly tensed. 'What is he going to do?'
"Open your eyes wide and watch. This is my power!"
Hong Long smiled and raised the twig in his hand.
The twig had broken off a dead tree on the rock face and had long since dried out. It was brittle enough to snap with the slightest bend. But with a slight flick of his right hand, the twig in Hong Long's hand suddenly shot forward, creating a pale cyan ripple in the air. The cyan ripple was only as thick as a finger, but it pulsed with a heart-stopping power as it shot straight toward the dazed Liu Liyun.
Liu Liyun, at the Ninth Layer of the Essence Realm, was completely bewildered, his eyes glazed over as he stared at the approaching attack.
"Stop!"
Hong Yu only had ti to roar, simultaneously circulating his Profound Skill. A searing power instantly filled his fists as he struck out at the cyan ripple, trying to block the attack.
The cyan ripple only trembled slightly, its light dimming a little, but its forward montum didn't decrease in the slightest.
The cyan ripple slamd into Liu Liyun. He spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward, unconscious.
"Bastard, why did you attack him?"
Hong Yu had also been jolted by the cyan ripple, his body numb and the vital energy and blood in his chest churning. He glared at Hong Long with furious eyes.
"Oh? You were actually able to weaken my attack by seventy percent. It seems you do have so skill!" Hong Long's eyes lit up, and he chuckled. "But what a pity, you're still too weak. There's no fun in tornting you. As for why I attacked him? Who told him to keep following you around and be your friend?"
"You bastard, you'll die a dog's death..."
Hong Yu clenched his jaw, wishing he could summon Xingtian and fight Hong Long to the death.
But his reason told him he had to endure.
With his current strength, even with Xingtian's help, he was still no match for his opponent. Moreover, if he were to reveal Xingtian, it would inevitably expose the secret of the Profound Celestial Tower. The Profound Celestial Tower was a peerless Divine Artifact; revealing it would surely bring about a fatal disaster.
Hong Yu's eyes blazed with volcanic fury. He now had a better understanding of Hong Long's strength. Even though they were both at the Mid-stage Earth Soul Realm, Hong Long's power was on a completely different level from Hong Tiande's. This was the vast gap between an ordinary expert and a Sect prodigy!
"Do you understand now? Why I said there would be no retribution no matter what I do. Because..."
A sneer played on Hong Long's lips as he spoke, enunciating every word.
"I... am... stronger... than... you!"
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