The Martial Hall remained silent after Elder Zhou finished explaining the foundations of the cultivation world.
His gaze swept across the thousand new disciples.
"You now understand where you stand."
"You know the realms."
"You know the grades of spirit roots."
"And you know how insignificant you truly are."
Many disciples lowered their heads.
The vastness of the cultivation world had humbled them.
Elder Zhou nodded in satisfaction.
"Good."
"Now, let us discuss your lives as Outer Disciples."
He waved his sleeve, and several jade boards appeared behind him.
"The Azure Cloud Sect holds an Outer Sect Assessment every six months."
"Every Outer Disciple may participate."
"The assessment determines your ranking within the Outer Sect."
"It also determines who is qualified to challenge the Inner Sect Promotion Examination."
A disciple quickly stood.
"Elder, what are the requirements?"
"The minimum cultivation is the Ninth Stage of Qi Gathering."
The hall erupted.
"Nine stages in six months?"
"That's impossible!"
"Only monsters can do that!"
Elder Zhou remained calm.
"The examination was never meant for ordinary disciples."
"The Inner Sect only accepts geniuses."
Silence returned.
"Naturally..."
"The sect rewards talent."
Another jade board appeared.
Rewards for Passing the Inner Sect Examination
• Promotion to Inner Disciple.
• A private cultivation courtyard.
• Triple the monthly spirit stone allowance.
• Access to the Inner Sect Cultivation Grounds.
• Permission to enter the Earth Rank Library and choose one Earth Rank cultivation method or one Earth Rank martial technique.
• The right to accept higher-paying sect missions.
• Eligibility to be accepted as the personal disciple of an Elder.
The eyes of every disciple widened.
Even Di Tian became slightly interested.
"An Earth Rank technique..."
That alone was worth the effort.
"The sect will not raise useless disciples."
"Every month, each Outer Disciple receives."
• Ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
• One Qi Replenishing Pill.
• One Body Tempering Pill.
• One Contribution Mission.
"If you complete your mission..."
"You receive contribution points."
"Contribution points may be exchanged for pills, weapons, manuals and cultivation resources."
"If you refuse to complete missions..."
"You receive nothing."
Several attendants carried wooden boxes into the hall.
Elder Zhou pointed toward them.
"When you entered the sect yesterday, each of you received three jade slips."
"The first..."
Basic Qi Gathering Art.
"This is your cultivation method."
"It is a Low Mortal Rank cultivation method."
"It is slow."
"It is simple."
"But it creates an excellent foundation."
"No disciple may replace it until reaching the Inner Sect."
The disciples nodded.
"The second..."
He picked up another jade slip.
Mountain Splitting Palm.
"This is a Low Mortal Rank Martial Technique."
"It contains three forms."
First Palm - Breaking Force.
Concentrate qi into the palm to increase striking power.
Second Palm - Shattering Wave.
Release a burst of qi on impact to damage the opponent internally.
Third Palm - Mountain Split.
Gather all available qi into a single decisive palm strike.
"It is simple..."
"But against another Qi Gathering cultivator..."
"It is more than sufficient."
Many disciples looked excited.
Finally...
Elder Zhou lifted the third jade slip.
Cloud Step.
"A Low Mortal Rank Movement Technique."
"It focuses on agility rather than speed."
"When mastered..."
"Your footsteps become light."
"You consume less qi while moving."
"You become more difficult to predict in battle."
"It will not allow you to fly."
The disciples laughed.
"But it will help you survive."
"The cultivation world has countless weapons."
"Swords."
"Sabers."
"Spears."
"Hammers."
"Axes."
"Bows."
"Whips."
"Even bare fists."
"The sect will not choose your path."
"You will."
"The Basic Qi Gathering Art..."
"Mountain Splitting Palm..."
"And Cloud Step..."
"They are merely stepping stones."
Elder Zhou clasped his hands behind his back.
"From today onward..."
"No elder will remind you to cultivate."
"No one will force you to become stronger."
"If you remain weak..."
"You will simply be left behind."
"If you become strong..."
"The sect will naturally invest more resources in you."
"The cultivation world has always been fair."
"The strong receive everything."
"The weak receive only enough to survive."
He looked over the crowd one last time.
"Class dismissed."
The disciples immediately began discussing everything they had learned.
"So that's Mountain Splitting Palm."
"I heard someone mastered it in only two months."
"I'm going back to cultivate immediately."
"I have to become an Inner Disciple!"
Everyone hurried away.
Only one disciple leisurely walked out of the Martial Hall with his hands behind his head.
Di Tian looked toward the clear blue sky.
"An Earth Rank technique..."
"That sounds useful."
More importantly...
He finally had techniques worth learning.
As soon as he returned to his room...
He intended to let the system begin cultivating Mountain Splitting Palm and Cloud Step.
His five system technique slots still had four empty spaces waiting to be filled.
And today...
Two of them would finally be occupied.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
The six-month assessment had just become his first real goal.