Tian Gou Dan's words restored Huang Jian Cheng's confidence. Yes, he had a sixth-grade spirit root! That was two grades higher than the second-place contender.
With this in mind, Huang Jian Cheng still concealed several things during the third inquiry.
After the inquiry concluded, the interrogator said, "Huang Jian Cheng, do you have anything else to say?"
Huang Jian Cheng shook his head. "No. That's all. I have nothing else to say."
The interrogator left.
After a while, someone walked in.
"Huang Jian Cheng, you may leave now."
Upon hearing this, Huang Jian Cheng was startled. "Leave? Why should I leave? Wasn't I supposed to wait for notification?"
"Because you've been eliminated. You failed the third stage of the assessment."
Huang Jian Cheng was shocked to hear this. He had been eliminated just like that?
Disbelieving, Huang Jian Cheng asked, "Why? Don't I have a sixth-grade spirit root? That's the highest grade!"
"Our Xuan Sect values moral character the most. You concealed many things from us. Therefore, we cannot investigate your character. That is why you are eliminated this time."
Huang Jian Cheng's heart was immediately filled with regret. "Then I'll tell you everything now. Can you give me another chance?"
The Xuan Sect disciple did not answer Huang Jian Cheng and left directly.
Huang Jian Cheng remained, unable to believe he had been eliminated.
After a long while, Huang Jian Cheng dejectedly left the place.
As he walked towards the sect's mountain gate, Huang Jian Cheng looked at the text displayed on the screen. The text indicated that he was the only one eliminated in the third assessment.
Huang Jian Cheng looked at this in disbelief. He never expected this outcome. He had been eliminated. Wasn't he the one with the highest spirit root grade? A sixth-grade spirit root was eliminated just like that. But regardless of anything, eliminated was eliminated. Huang Jian Cheng could only leave the Xuan Sect with disappointment.
As he reached the celestial ladder, he coincidentally encountered Tian Gou Dan.
Tian Gou Dan greeted him enthusiastically, "Huang Jian Cheng, where are you going?"
Huang Jian Cheng turned to look at Tian Gou Dan and said, "Gou Dan. I'm going down the mountain for a bit. You stay here and be good!"
Tian Gou Dan didn't quite understand Huang Jian Cheng's words.
Tian Gou Dan called out, "Huang Jian Cheng, how long will you be down the mountain this time?"
Just then, a person next to Tian Gou Dan said, "Gou Dan, can't you tell? This Huang Jian Cheng has been eliminated. Going down the mountain this time is forever! Hahahaha!"
This person was the one with the fourth-grade spirit root. His spirit root grade was only slightly lower than Huang Jian Cheng's. Now that Huang Jian Cheng was eliminated, he was naturally very happy.
Tian Gou Dan exclaimed in disbelief, "Impossible, he can't be eliminated. Huang Jian Cheng's spirit root grade is higher than yours."
"Hahaha, didn't you see what's written on the notice board? It clearly states that Huang Jian Cheng was eliminated in the third assessment. Hahaha. But it's not your fault. After all, Gou Dan, you can't read. But if you can't read, how can you cultivate? I think you'll be eliminated in the fourth assessment too."
Upon hearing this, Tian Gou Dan immediately looked at the screen notice board nearby. Indeed, some text was displayed on the notice board. However, Tian Gou Dan couldn't read, so he naturally couldn't understand what the text meant!
Tian Gou Dan asked, "Huang Jian Cheng, what does it say?"
Huang Jian Cheng said, "Alright. Gou Dan, don't ask me about this. I'm leaving now. You should stay here and behave yourself from now on!"
Then, Huang Jian Cheng began to descend the celestial ladder. He descended the ladder rapidly, much faster than he ascended. Soon, Huang Jian Cheng was dozens of meters down. After rounding a corner, he was no longer visible.
Tian Gou Dan watched as Huang Jian Cheng disappeared, still refusing to believe it.
"Huang Jian Cheng, are you leaving? Are you really leaving?"
Tian Gou Dan shouted several times without a reply. After waiting for a while longer, he left the plaza with a sense of dejection. Tian Gou Dan had come here with Huang Jian Cheng. There were many others, but now only he and Huang Jian Cheng remained. With Huang Jian Cheng gone, only he was left. He felt a pang of loneliness.
Huang Jian Cheng went all the way down the mountain. In less than thirty minutes, he had reached the foot of the mountain.
At this moment, in a room, Ye Fan was still watching Huang Jian Cheng's descent on the monitor.
Beside Ye Fan, Lin Dong said, "Ye Fan. You're still watching that Huang Jian Cheng. Do you feel reluctant to see him eliminated? But it's true. That Huang Jian Cheng was saved by you once. He even considered you a benefactor."
Ye Fan said, "I suppose so. It would have been good for Huang Jian Cheng to join the Xuan Sect. But in this situation, with Huang Jian Cheng eliminated, there's nothing I can do even if I'm reluctant. With the disappearance of a sixth-grade spirit root, our Xuan Sect will still become stronger."
Meanwhile, Huang Jian Cheng had already reached the foot of the mountain.
Huang Jian Cheng mused, "I never expected to be eliminated by the Xuan Sect. But this time I know my spirit root grade is sixth-grade. It should be easier to join other sects next time!"
With this thought, Huang Jian Cheng moved slowly through the forest and soon left the area.
The Xuan Sect sent out many people to investigate the candidates who participated in the disciple recruitment assessment. This was similar to the background checks conducted when recruiting civil servants in Dragon Country.
During this period of investigation, the Xuan Sect began a literacy campaign. Those who were illiterate had to undergo basic education daily.
Tian Gou Dan was one of them. He was surprised that in addition to training, he had to study characters every day.
The Xuan Sect taught the common script used in this cultivation world. People from Dragon Country learned these characters easily. Therefore, it was natural for them to serve as teachers.
After the investigation, only eighty people passed the background check. The rest were eliminated for failing the investigation. Among those eliminated were people who had committed evil deeds, acted as village bullies, and so on. The remaining fifty people included Tian Gou Dan. The person with the fourth-grade spirit root also passed the assessment.
The person with the fourth-grade spirit root was Lao Xing Chao. Although he spoke somewhat arrogantly, he had not committed any serious wrongdoings.
This assessment was the final one. Once the list of qualified disciples was finalized, the initiation ceremony was immediately held.
The first batch of Xuan Sect cultivators sat on chairs in the plaza.
This ceremony was equivalent to a school's opening ceremony.