Elder Zhang looked at the radiance of the Talent Stone and said, "This radiance signifies a third-grade Earth Spirit Root. I never expected it to be a third-grade Earth Spirit Root. A third-grade Earth Spirit Root allows one to enter the outer sect and, after a year of cultivation, directly ascend to the inner sect."
Ge Ju was somewhat surprised. He hadn't anticipated that with just a third-grade Earth Spirit Root, he would be able to ascend to the inner sect. Although it would still require a year of cultivation before entering the inner sect.
Ge Ju thought back to the talent test just now. When Elder Zhang reported the spirit root grade, he had seemed to be at most a second-grade spirit root. It appeared that he, Ge Ju, was the first with a third-grade Earth Spirit Root.
Ge Ju's face immediately broke into a smile, and he happily walked to the side.
Ge Ju's smile was genuine. After all, joining this Lie Feng Sect meant he would definitely obtain a large amount of intelligence about the cultivation world. Furthermore, he could utilize the resources of the Lie Feng Sect for his cultivation. This was naturally something that made Ge Ju very happy.
The Lie Feng Sect disciples who had previously shown little interest in Ge Ju now approached him with smiles, offering congratulations.
"Congratulations, junior disciple. You'll be able to enter the inner sect in a year."
"Congratulations, congratulations."
"..."
These Lie Feng Sect disciples were all outer sect disciples. Over ninety percent of the disciples in the Lie Feng Sect were outer sect disciples, with only ten percent being inner sect disciples. Only those with high spirit root grades or strong cultivation could enter the inner sect.
Ge Ju stood there, continuing to watch the talent test.
After Ge Ju, two more individuals achieved first-grade spirit roots. Finally, it was time for the last candidate.
The last candidate was a female examinee. Ge Ju knew her name; it was Lin Shiqing. In the previous few tests, Lin Shiqing had consistently placed first. Ge Ju, on the other hand, had managed to maintain a mid-level position among those who passed by employing various forms of cheating.
Lin Shiqing placed her hand on the Talent Stone.
The Talent Stone immediately lit up. The radiance was even brighter than when Ge Ju had touched it.
Elder Zhang's eyes lit up with excitement at the brightness. "It's a fourth-grade spirit root! It's actually a fourth-grade spirit root! A fourth-grade spirit root allows direct entry into the inner sect!"
Lin Shiqing's face also revealed a joyful smile. Ge Ju, observing Lin Shiqing's smile, felt that it seemed somewhat feigned.
Ge Ju mused inwardly, "It seems Lin Shiqing has her own agenda for participating in this sect admission assessment."
The sect admission assessment thus concluded.
Those who failed the assessment left dejectedly. Only twenty individuals who passed the sect admission assessment remained.
Elder Zhang, looking at the twenty successful candidates, remarked, "I didn't expect this year's candidates to be so poor. Only twenty people have passed the sect admission assessment. In previous years, around thirty people would pass."
After saying this, Elder Zhang's spirits lifted again. Although the number was small, the presence of a fourth-grade spirit root was sufficient.
Ge Ju, standing nearby, curiously asked a Lie Feng Sect disciple next to him.
"Esteemed senior brothers, what is the difference between these spirit root grades?"
The Lie Feng Sect disciple began to explain to Ge Ju.
It turned out that the grade of a spirit root represented the speed of cultivation. The higher the spirit root grade, the faster one cultivates. Without a spirit root, one could not cultivate at all. Those with unclassified spirit roots would take a hundred years to reach the Qi Refining stage. However, a hundred years was longer than the lifespan of an ordinary person, so unclassified spirit roots were not worth recruiting into a sect.
A first-grade spirit root allowed one to reach the Qi Refining stage in ten years of cultivation.
A second-grade spirit root allowed one to reach the Qi Refining stage in three years.
A third-grade spirit root allowed one to reach the Qi Refining stage in six months.
A fourth-grade spirit root allowed one to reach the Qi Refining stage in two months.
Of course, these were merely averages in this cultivation world. Some individuals with high spirit root grades might cultivate more slowly.
Elder Zhang transmitted the results of this assessment to other elders in the sect using a spell.
Soon, an elder responsible for managing the sect arrived, flying on a magical artifact.
Before Ge Ju could wonder who this person was, the Lie Feng Sect disciples began to whisper among themselves.
"It's Elder Shi. Elder Shi manages the inner sect."
"Elder Shi is here to take Lin Shiqing to the inner sect."
"The inner sect. I wonder when we'll be able to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage and join the inner sect."
After Elder Shi took Lin Shiqing away, another elder managing the outer sect soon arrived to escort the remaining nineteen disciples.
Ge Ju was first taken to a dormitory room. Even someone like Ge Ju, who would join the inner sect next year, had to reside in ordinary dormitories. These ordinary dormitories were communal sleeping quarters.
Among the nineteen disciples, there were a total of twelve male disciples. All twelve resided in the same communal sleeping area. As their cultivation levels differed in the future, each person would be assigned a different dormitory based on their cultivation.
After joining the Lie Feng Sect, Ge Ju began his cultivation as an outer sect disciple.
...
The intelligence Ge Ju obtained while undercover was continuously transmitted to the Xuanmen headquarters via satellite phone.
During this period, Su Han had been cultivating at the Xuanmen.
The building with the most concentrated spiritual energy, located at the highest peak, was Su Han's cultivation place. The others cultivated in the open air on the plaza outside that building.
Sometimes, Su Han would also cultivate on the plaza.
Upon receiving intelligence from Ge Ju, Su Han began to instruct people to search for large spiritual stones and arrays for talent testing within this world.
Those array diagrams were single-use. Once imprinted onto a large spiritual stone, they became useless. The array would then be on the large spiritual stone.
Talent stones seemed to be relatively common. Large talent stones and cultivation talent testing arrays were purchased separately from the cultivators' street and an array sect, respectively.
Now, Long Country was selling hovercars everywhere, acquiring a considerable amount of spiritual stones. They also learned the names of many sects.
At this moment, in front of the mountain gate of a demonic sect, two hovercars drove past. The broadcast on the hovercars loudly announced, "Selling mechanical vehicles! Only ten thousand spiritual stones, only ten thousand spiritual stones!"
The voice from the broadcast continued incessantly.
The demonic sect within also heard the broadcast from outside.
This demonic sect was called the Bloodthirsty Sect, a thoroughly demonic sect. Of course, Long Country was unaware of the true nature of the Bloodthirsty Sect.
The Bloodthirsty Sect was located on the cliff of a blood mountain. Surrounded by a blood forest, the righteous path had not come to eliminate the demons here.
The sect leader of the Bloodthirsty Sect also heard the sound. He flew into the sky and looked down at the two hovercars below the mountain gate.
"What's going on with those two mechanical vehicles? They're even doing business and have come all the way to our Bloodthirsty Sect."
An elder beside him quickly replied, "Sect Master, the mechanical vehicles below are those that sell goods everywhere in the cultivation world. I didn't expect them to come to our Bloodthirsty Sect this time."