Cultivation: I have an omnipotent land

Chapter 46 Core Formation Elder

As dusk approached and the sun began to set in the west, the sky darkened.

The number of people in the venue dwindled, and apart from those who had already been shortlisted, there were even fewer who hadn't yet gone on stage.

Just then, the examiner looked up at the sky, then rode his flying sword into the air, his voice, imbued with magical power, echoing throughout the venue.

"The selection competition for ascending to the steps has now ended. Everyone else, except for those who have made it to the finals, may return home."

These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd below who had not yet participated in the competition.

"What? It's over already? Shouldn't we wait until everyone's finished? I haven't even had my turn yet."

"Examiner, since we didn't finish today, shall we continue tomorrow?"

This group also had a considerable number of people, including several cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refining.

The examiner snorted coldly as he looked at the group of people who had raised the questions.

"Heaven and earth are like a furnace, where only a single thread can be forged. You cowards, dawdling all day without daring to step onto the field, do you even deserve to join my Gu Spirit Sect?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present fell silent.

Zong Zhengguang ignored them and simply made a gesture to the people on the fairy boat. Everyone then saw the side of the fairy boat suddenly open, and a white jade staircase extended continuously until it touched the ground.

"Shortlisted candidates, hop on the Glowing Sky Flying Boat at once!"

Following these cultivators from the upper sects, the finalists were all filled with excitement as they climbed the white jade steps one by one, feeling as if they were stepping on a ladder to heaven, about to ascend straight into the clouds.

As the last finalist boarded the celestial vessel, it rose into the clouds amidst the complex gazes of those below, filled with a mixture of envy and jealousy.

Xiao Ming stood in the crowd, registered his information with the examiner, and then found a corner to sit cross-legged on the ground.

Just then, a girl in green walked over.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, from now on we are fellow disciples, so I should call you Senior Brother Xiao." Yan Yuxue smiled and bowed.

"Junior Sister Yan." Xiao Ming quickly returned the greeting.

In the world of cultivation, those who have attained enlightenment are considered teachers. Since the two of them entered the sect at the same time, Xiao Ming, whose cultivation level is higher, naturally deserves to be called senior brother.

"This is the promised reward. This pill is called Qingming Pill, an excellent medicine for improving cultivation in the Qi Refining stage. Please accept it, Senior Brother." Yan Yuxue took out a jade bottle and handed it to Xiao Ming.

"Thank you." Xiao Ming took the jade bottle and put it into his storage bag.

"Junior Sister Yan, are we heading to the Upper Immortal Sect?"

"That should be the case. The Gu Spirit Sect is one of the three major sects in the Song Kingdom, located in the Nanling Mountains in the southern part of the Song Kingdom. At the speed of the immortal ship, it should take a day to arrive. After completing the formalities of joining the sect, we should be considered outer disciples."

"Since there is an outer sect, there must also be an inner sect. So how many categories are there among the disciples of the Gu Ling Sect?" Xiao Ming asked curiously.

"There are four categories: miscellaneous disciples, outer disciples, inner disciples, and true disciples. Miscellaneous disciples, as the name suggests, are recruited to do dirty and tiring work. They are usually recruited through back channels or are descendants of less talented senior families within the sect. Therefore, they are rarely recruited openly."

"Both inner and outer disciples are basically recruited. The difference is that inner disciples are often found to have excellent spiritual roots and aptitudes in their childhood and are directly brought back to the sect for intensive training. We outer disciples, on the other hand, have to prove our strength through trials and selections before we can have the opportunity to enter the immortal sect."

Inner disciples receive better treatment, but outer disciples can also be promoted to inner disciples by accumulating contribution points.

"As for true disciples, they are the true elites of the sect. They must be valued by a Golden Core elder in the sect and be accepted as a disciple in order to be promoted."

"I see." Xiao Ming nodded. It seems that entering the sect is not the end of the story; there is still a long way to go.

"Junior Sister Yan, you mentioned earlier that the Song Kingdom has three major sects. So, besides the Gu Spirit Sect, what are the other two major sects?"

As a countryman from a remote and desolate region, Xiao Ming knew very little about the upper sects and immortal clans.

"The other two major sects are the Corpse Soul Sect in Xixiang and the Beast Spirit Sect in Dongyue, hence they are also known as the Two Sects and One School."

"Beast Spirit Sect." Upon hearing this name, Xiao Ming couldn't help but think of the mysterious Foundation Establishment remains in the cave, which possessed a token symbolizing the Beast Spirit Sect's identity.

The two talked for a while longer before stopping. Since they still had a long time to go before reaching their destination, they each sat down to meditate.

After an unknown amount of time, a loud shout came from the distant sky.

"Stop!"

The voice carried no murderous intent, yet it sent a chill down Xiao Ming's spine. He immediately stood up and looked in that direction, where he saw a figure flying rapidly through the air.

This was an elderly man with white hair, dressed in black robes with flowers and birds adorning his cuffs, and adorned with jewelry such as animal teeth and jade bones hanging from his waist. He stood atop the celestial boat, looking down at the crowd below, his sharp gaze causing those below to dare not look him in the eye.

"Standing on air, this is a Golden Core senior!" Exclamations came from below.

"Greetings, Uncle-Master Duanmu."

At this moment, the door inside the immortal ship opened, and a group of examiners, led by Zong Zhengguang, bowed in unison to the old man before them.

"These are the newly recruited outer disciples this year."

"Yes, once you enter the sect and report to the sect leader, and then have Junior Brother Qi register your identity information, you will officially become an outer disciple of my Gu Ling Sect," Zong Zhengguang replied.

"I have no interest in those complicated procedures, nor do I have time to wait for them. In short, since these juniors have already qualified for the selection process, and I am in a hurry to use people, then they are now considered outer disciples of my Gu Ling Sect."

"Uncle-Master, this isn't quite in accordance with the rules, is it?" Zong Zhengguang was somewhat embarrassed, as this had never happened before.

"Hmph, are you saying my words don't count as rules?" The old man in black snorted coldly, and a terrifying spiritual pressure emanated from his body. The Qi Refining cultivators on the immortal boat could barely stand, and even Zong Zhengguang broke out in a cold sweat.

"Uncle-Master, please forgive me. This matter is entirely up to you to decide. I will simply do as you say."

"Hmm, that's more like it." After the old man in black finished speaking, he turned his gaze to the people on the ship. An invisible divine sense swept over everyone present, and he had a preliminary understanding of everyone's cultivation level.

"There are a few promising talents who are still worth using." The old man in black nodded, looked at the people below, and coughed lightly.

A voice, imbued with divine thought, resounded in everyone's minds like thunder.

"Youngsters, I am Duanmu Yan, an elder of the Gu Ling Sect. Today, I will bestow upon you a great fortune."

Upon hearing this, everyone on the ship was completely bewildered. Suddenly, a powerful senior appeared and offered up his fortune. Who wouldn't be terrified?

"Zongzheng Guang, I will now take over the Xia Guang Flying Boat and head towards Yingjian Gorge."

"Disciple obeys!" Zong Zhengguang bowed and led his men back into the spirit boat, where he began to maneuver the boat around.