Under normal circumstances, this ancient manor would be in complete darkness, with no residents at all.
But tonight, it was brightly lit up.
In the grand courtyard at the center of the manor, hundreds of people had already gathered.
These people were all disciples of the Seven Kills Sect.
Recently, upon hearing that the Sect Leader's ring had reappeared in the Jianghu and that a new Sect Leader was to be inaugurated, many Seven Kills Sect disciples scattered across various regions had rushed back.
At this mont, they were in the huge courtyard, gathered in small groups of three or five, discussing fervently.
"Sect Leader, this is the headquarters of the Seven Kills Sect." Yan Ruyu and Mu Weishuang flanked Li Chuan on either side.
Li Chuan looked at the manor before him, feeling as if he were stepping back in ti, estimating that only a great sect with thousands of years of history would still reside in such an ancient manor.
However, the headquarters of the Seven Kills Sect seed lifeless, with a faint aura of death pervading it.
It was clear that the years of division and the Sect Leader's disappearance had made this millennia-old sect feel like it was in decline.
"Let's go."
Li Chuan nodded and stepped toward the manor's gate.
The manor kept up with the tis, featuring iris and fingerprint recognition systems on its gate. Being core disciples of the Seven Kills Sect, Yan Ruyu and Mu Weishuang naturally had access.
Just as they reached the enormous courtyard inside, Wang Yifeng arrived with his disciple Xiaoying and a group, then directly knelt before Li Chuan!
"Greetings, Sect Leader!"
The rules of the Seven Kills Sect dictated that upon seeing the Sect Leader, one must kneel and pay respects.
This was not a feudal relic but a Jianghu custom.
And it was a rule of the Seven Kills Sect.
For Wang Yifeng's lineage, Old Sect Leader Old Li had shown them great kindness, and the successor designated by Old Li was already their Sect Leader.
At the sa ti, Xiang Zhili and Hua Wuci arrived with their respective people. Seeing Wang Yifeng's group already kneeling, they had no choice but to kneel as well.
However, Xiang Zhili's people outnumbered Wang Yifeng's by threefold.
Wang Yifeng had around forty or fifty people, whereas Xiang Zhili had two hundred or so.
"Elder Xiang, pleased to et you. Is this what they call 'eting late'?," Li Chuan said, looking playfully at Xiang Zhili kneeling below.
This old man was of dium build, dressed in a blue Tang suit, with a string of Buddhist Beads around his neck, a grizzled goatee, and a gaunt face with beady eyes.
Upon hearing Li Chuan's words, a chill crept into Xiang Zhili's heart, and he stood up sowhat embarrassed: "Acting Sect Leader, though young, you have garnered the appreciation of the Old Sect Leader, and I indeed regret not eting you sooner."
According to Xiang Zhili's thoughts, had he known sooner that this young man would one day surpass him, he would have killed him at birth.
Even now, Xiang Zhili still wanted to kill Li Chuan.
His recent kowtow to Li Chuan was rely due to circumstances, adhering to protocol.
As for turning against him, he saw no need, for he doubted Li Chuan could pass the Sect Leader's assessnt. It was better to cultivate his persona and rally support.
"Sect Leader, I have sothing to say!"
At that mont, a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties suddenly stepped forward and said loudly.
This middle-aged man was none other than Old Li's adopted son, Li Lei.
"Sect Leader, Elder Xiang Zhili, over the years of your disappearance, has violated the sect's rules, breaking eleven out of the Twelve Commandnts!"
"Furthermore, he relocated the headquarters to Yanjing without authorization!"
"I implore the Sect Leader to te out severe punishnt!"
Before Li Chuan could speak, Xiang Zhili laughed: "Li Lei, why do I say you're ignorant? In this day and age, you're still clinging to those relics, the Twelve Commandnts, truly abiding by them and our disciples would have starved to death long ago!"
"As for relocating to Yanjing, that was to ensure the survival of the Seven Kills Sect!"
"Yanjing is the capital of the Great Xia, rich in imperial aura and fortune, unrivaled by other cities. When our talent pool dwindled back then, had it not been for my insistence on the move, how could the Seven Kills Sect have its current scale?"
With his voice trailing off, Xiang Zhili appeared quite irate: "Li Lei! Search your conscience, am I not speaking the truth? As an Elder, I could enjoy the sect's stipend and do nothing, but what about the other disciples?"
"Don't talk to about core values; when one can't even survive, what core values are there? The core value is money! Money! And more money!"
"In this age, you can't do anything without money!"
"For the Seven Kills Sect to survive and grow, what does breaking the Twelve Commandnts matter?"
With Xiang Zhili's words, the courtyard fell silent.
Because what he said, indeed made sense.
After Old Li went missing, the Seven Kills Sect beca headless, with many experts suffering reprisals from elsewhere, resulting in significant casualties.
Without a leader, everyone was lost, not knowing which direction to take.
Xiang Zhili: "Yes, I violated the sect's rules!"
"But I, Xiang Zhili, have not wronged the ancestors of the Seven Kills Sect!"
"Acting Sect Leader, if you wish to punish for this, I will accept it."
"However, the Sect Leader of the Seven Kills Sect must undergo an assessnt to truly take the mantle."
"So, at present, you are not yet qualified!"
"Once the Acting Sect Leader passes the assessnt, feel free to deal with as you wish!"
Li Chuan remained calm: "Then let's not waste ti, let it begin."
The Old Sect Leader had ntioned this rule to him, so it didn't co as a surprise.
"Everyone, please follow !"
Xiang Zhili took the lead.
The assessnt venue of the Seven Kills Sect was located in the massive mountain behind the manor.
There were two separate tests.
The first test was called the Bone-breaking Anvil Path.
Inside the mountain, there was a special passage about fifty zhang (approximately a hundred and fifty ters) long. The "ground" of the passage was not stone but was ford by countless large, heavy, and irregularly shaped black iron anvil blocks with sharp edges.
The anvil blocks had gaps, forming a rugged and extrely foot-torturing surface. Above was a highly complex gigantic chanical linkage, with countless heavy tal pendulums, solid rollers, or stamping pillars hanging.
During testing, participants must wear thin linen clothes and walk barefoot along this anvil path.
Walking on it, they would continuously face the output from the ground, as well as attacks from the air.
The ground output ant with each step, their feet would be pierced, injured, or even cracked by the hard edges or sharp teeth of the anvils.
The aerial attacks were even harsher, as the Seven Kills Sect originated from the Mohism of the Hundred Schools of Thought during the Warring States Period, which mastered the chanical Technique, activating the chanical device as one walked over these anvils.
Gigantic heavy pendulums, rollers, and pillars would crash down, crush, or strike violently in both pre-determined and random trajectories and frequencies from above!
The tester had to rely on pure reflexes, flexibility, and resilience to dodge or endure in a narrow space.
Each collision was a genuine heavy impact!
Moreover, while passing through, they could not damage the machinations inside, having to endure them physically.
Upon reaching the end, there would be a massive Profound Iron Sect Leader's Command Hamr, and the tester had to stand beneath it, letting it fall from above, and resist it with their shoulder or arms, sustaining a breath's ti to pass!
Xiang Zhili: "Please prepare, Acting Sect Leader, activate the five sets of chanisms!"
Li Lei's expression changed: "Wait a minute!"
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