Chapter 6

"Indeed, I didn't expect someone to have already completed the assessment!" After checking for a while, Shi Hufa said with a rather surprised expression.

At this moment, Shi Hufa and the others saw that a red-faced young man had just completed the assessment, holding the plaque representing the completion of the assessment, and running towards the square.

The others were also drawn to the red-faced young man by Shi Hufa's words.

The content of this assessment was originally quite difficult. In less than one and a half hours, someone had already completed it, which made Shi Hufa and the others, who were responsible for the assessment, feel astonished.

Of course, there were also those who had noticed this red-faced young man early on and did not show much surprise.

This young man, breathing heavily, had a simple and honest face with a joyful expression, and handed the plaque to Shi Hufa. Then, as if finally putting down a heavy burden, he sat on the ground, his face showing relief and fatigue.

Although this young man was born with extraordinary strength and talent, he was already extremely tired after completing the assessment so quickly.

Shi Hufa, who clearly valued this young man who could complete the assessment so quickly, showed a rare pleasant expression on his black face, praised the young man a few times, and called someone to arrange for the young man to rest in a shady spot on the square.

Ding Qi, on the mountain path, saw the red-faced young man complete the assessment from a distance, and his heart became even more anxious.

However, he quickly turned his head and focused his attention on the steps under his feet. Ding Qi knew that if he didn't do this, he might easily step into the void and fall on the mountain path, spilling the water he had worked hard to carry. By now, Ding Qi was completely out of strength, and his feet had lost all sensation, moving mechanically up the steps.

At the beginning, Ding Qi still had the energy to estimate the time, but now he could only focus all his energy on his legs, with no spare time. He didn't know how much time was left.

However, seeing that someone had already completed the assessment, Ding Qi knew that time was running out. But he was still far from filling the large water tank, which made him even more anxious.

Thinking about it, Ding Qi couldn't help but be distracted. By accident, he stepped into the void and was about to fall. Fortunately, Ding Qi quickly thought of a solution, crouched down, and lowered his center of gravity, barely managing to stabilize himself.

He took a long breath, calmed down, and knew that now was not the time to worry aimlessly. Carrying the water up was the main task. He gritted his teeth and carried the water, step by step, up the stairs.

After an unknown amount of time, Ding Qi was pouring the bucket of water he had carried into the large water tank when a bell sounded from the square, announcing that the two-hour assessment time had passed.

Ding Qi, who already understood the meaning of the bell, sat on the ground, only able to smile bitterly. Although he had done his best, he still hadn't filled the large water tank before the time was up.

Ding Qi, who had been focusing all his energy on carrying water, now had time to check the surroundings.

When the bell sounded, there were over twenty young men near the halfway point where the water tank was placed. Now these young men were sitting on the ground, looking dejected, with their faces full of disappointment, and many of them had large tears streaming down their faces. Seven or eight of the younger boys were even sitting on the ground, crying loudly.

Ding Qi was also dejected, but his maturity far exceeded that of his peers, so he didn't cry. After sitting on the ground for a while, he managed to adjust his emotions.

Of course, there was also a bit of bravado in this. Because in the martial arts stories he had heard, the martial heroes always faced any difficult situation or setback calmly, without losing heart.

Ding Qi felt that he should at least be like them.

Ding Qi also knew that young men like him, who possessed true qi, still had one more chance. Shi Hufa and the others, who were responsible for the assessment, would check their meridians to determine their cultivation potential.

However, Ding Qi didn't have any hope for this. He knew clearly that his cultivation potential was very ordinary and he wouldn't be selected.

While the young men were sitting dejectedly on the ground, dozens of Qingyun Sect disciples rushed to the mountain waist and led the exhausted young men to the square.

At the square, in addition to Shi Hufa and the others, there were also the children who had completed the assessment. Among them, two young men were lying on the ground, apparently unconscious. It seemed that after filling the water tank, they relaxed and fainted from exhaustion.

Including the two unconscious young men, a total of eight children had completed the assessment. These young men were all naturally strong and different from ordinary people, making them excellent martial arts talents.

Looking at these eight children, Ding Qi naturally envied them.

Next, as Ding Qi knew, the children with true qi in their bodies were called out separately for a cultivation potential test.

There were a total of over twenty such children. They stood on the square, and Shi Hufa checked each one in detail.

To Ding Qi's surprise, the extremely arrogant Wei Zhuo had also not passed the water-carrying assessment to fill the large water tank. However, unlike the other over twenty young men who were nervous and waiting for Shi Hufa's inspection, Wei Zhuo had no nervous expression on his face and looked completely unconcerned.

Seeing this, Ding Qi looked at the smiling Wei Tangzhu, as if he understood something. He knew that with the support of the important figure Wei Tangzhu of the Qingyun Sect, no matter what Wei Zhuo's true potential was, he was already pre-selected to become an inner disciple.

Half an hour passed, and Shi Hufa had already checked over ten children, and it was soon Ding Qi's turn.

Among these over ten children, three had passed the inspection and became inner disciples.

Seeing the three children with ecstatic expressions, Ding Qi couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope, hoping that a miracle would happen to him.

Soon, Shi Hufa began to check Ding Qi's condition, but to his disappointment, no miracle happened, and he was placed in the rejected group.

When it was Wei Zhuo's turn, Shi Hufa almost went through the motions, quickly declaring him qualified. This made Ding Qi, who had already guessed some of the inside story, sigh deeply.

Just as Ding Qi was no longer paying attention to the surroundings and was waiting to be sent down the mountain, a sudden commotion arose around the square.

The cause of the commotion was a group led by a man in a black robe.

This black-robed man looked to be only in his thirties, but his features revealed a sense of沧桑 (沧桑 means "沧桑" in Chinese, which can be translated as "weathered" or "aged"). If one had deep martial arts experience, they could see at a glance that the black-robed man was not as young as he looked, but was a top expert with deep cultivation who could delay the aging of his body.

Ding Qi wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but he noticed that the smile on Shi Hufa's face suddenly stiffened when he saw the black-robed man, but quickly returned to normal.

"Deputy Sect Leader Sha, why have you come?" Shi Hufa greeted the black-robed man, bowing respectfully.

The black-robed man laughed and said, "What, you don't welcome me, old man?"

At the same time, the black-robed man looked at the group originally responsible for the assessment. Many of them looked uncomfortable when the black-robed man's gaze swept over them, while others nodded slightly to the old man.

Ding Qi, noticing the unusual situation in the square, couldn't help but look curiously at the black-robed man.

It's no wonder Ding Qi was confused. Only those inside the Qingyun Sect could understand the situation.

This black-robed man, known as Deputy Sect Leader Sha, was one of the current contenders for the position of Qingyun Sect leader. He was the rival of the other deputy sect leader supported by Shi Hufa and Wei Tangzhu.

Those who looked uncomfortable when the black-robed man's gaze swept over them were people like Shi Hufa, who supported the other deputy sect leader. Those who nodded to the black-robed man were his supporters.

"Where, how could I dare," Shi Hufa quickly denied, smiling apologetically.

The black-robed man ignored Shi Hufa's apologetic smile and looked at the eight children who had passed the assessment, saying, "Are these eight the new disciples of our Qingyun Sect this year?"

"Deputy Sect Leader Sha, that's correct," Shi Hufa replied respectfully.

Then, Shi Hufa added, "These eight have passed the first round of the assessment. There are still some disciples with true qi in their bodies who haven't been tested yet."

Hearing this, the black-robed man looked at Ding Qi and the others with interest. This Deputy Sect Leader Sha was a seasoned warrior, and his every move unconsciously carried a fierce and terrifying aura that even ordinary adults couldn't bear, let alone ordinary children. The young men were all trembling with fear from the无形 (无形 means "无形" in Chinese, which can be translated as "intangible" or "invisible") aura emanating from the black-robed man.

Ding Qi, who had experienced a similar aura multiple times from Old Zhang, was already accustomed to it and was not greatly affected.

Deputy Sect Leader Sha was also aware of his situation and was not surprised by the young men's reactions. However, when he saw Ding Qi's reaction, the old man's gaze paused on him for a moment before quickly moving away.

After scanning Ding Qi and the others, the black-robed man laughed and said, "Well, since these children haven't been checked yet, I'll lend a hand and see the level of our sect's inner disciples this year."

Saying this, the black-robed man walked towards Ding Qi and the others.

Seeing the black-robed man's actions, Shi Hufa's face turned grim, and he hurriedly tried to stop him, "Assessing inner disciples is my duty. How can I dare to trouble Deputy Sect Leader Sha?"

Just as Shi Hufa was about to stop the black-robed man, the Deputy Sect Leader turned around and glared fiercely at Shi Hufa, leaving him neither able to advance nor retreat, and he was momentarily stuck in place.

Next, the black-robed man, clearly not trusting Shi Hufa's assessment results, began to recheck the over twenty children one by one.

Wei Tangzhu, with a sullen face, watched the black-robed man checking, looking angry but not daring to speak. Then, he looked at Shi Hufa and kept giving him meaningful glances. However, at this moment, Shi Hufa could only give Wei Tangzhu an awkward smile and helplessly shake his head.

The results of the black-robed man's inspection were the same as Shi Hufa's. The same three young men were selected as inner disciples. Soon, it was Ding Qi's turn.

Unlike his casual attitude when checking the other children, the black-robed man showed a clear interest in Ding Qi and carefully examined him.

"Is there something on my face?" Ding Qi felt the change in the black-robed man and secretly glanced at him, worried.

He didn't know that his ability to easily withstand the black-robed man's aura had already piqued the man's interest.

"Extend your hand," the black-robed man said calmly.

Since Shi Hufa had already checked him once, Ding Qi was already familiar with the process.

The black-robed man squinted his eyes and carefully examined Ding Qi's potential. After a moment, a disappointed look appeared on his face, and he secretly shook his head.

"Pity, the potential is really too poor!" the black-robed man said in a barely audible voice.

Then, the black-robed man moved to the next young man and continued the inspection.

Hearing the black-robed man's evaluation, Ding Qi sighed inwardly. Fortunately, he already knew his situation and didn't pay much attention. He just waited idly for the black-robed man to finish the inspection and send them back.

However, during this waiting time, something unexpected happened.

Wei Zhuo, who had already been selected as an inner disciple by Shi Hufa, was declared unqualified by the black-robed man. During this period, neither Shi Hufa nor Wei Tangzhu dared to voice any objections.

Wei Zhuo, who had been pre-selected as an inner disciple, had not anticipated this and was momentarily at a loss, standing there in a daze. Finally, he looked at Wei Tangzhu for help, but received only a helpless and bitter smile.

Seeing this, Wei Zhuo seemed to understand something and finally sat on the ground, crying loudly, completely losing his previous composed and confident demeanor.

Compared to Ding Qi, who was prepared for rejection, Wei Zhuo was now in a much more pitiful state.

After that, two more people were selected as inner disciples after the black-robed man's inspection.

However, this had nothing to do with Ding Qi anymore.

After the assessment was completed, Ding Qi and the other children who were not selected were re-arranged to stay in the small houses at the foot of the mountain, to be sent back to their respective places the next morning.

After all the children and Shi Hufa and the others had left the square, the black-robed man stood on a steep cliff, hands behind his back, gazing into the distance. A few people accompanied him.

"Deputy Sect Leader Sha, this time we have embarrassed Shi Hufa and Wei Tangzhu. Will this be detrimental to our actions in half a month?" a middle-aged man beside the black-robed man said worriedly.

The black-robed man turned his head and laughed lightly, "Old Guan, you are good at everything, but you are too cautious and overly concerned. These two are loyal supporters of Zuo Yang, and there is no possibility of them joining our side. Since that's the case, using today's incident to give them a warning and make them know their place is not a bad thing."

Then, the black-robed man sighed and continued, "Moreover, Wei Tangzhu used his position to influence Shi Hufa and get his nephew selected as an inner disciple, which violates the sect's rules. I am in charge of the sect's discipline and cannot allow such violations. I checked the boy, and his potential is really ordinary, not meeting the qualifications for an inner disciple. If I were to pursue it, it wouldn't be considered suppressing them. I didn't make them face the wall for three days on the Reflection Cliff, which is already giving them enough face. How can they have any objections?"

"Deputy Sect Leader Sha is right," the man called Old Guan nodded.

Thinking of something, the black-robed man continued, "Old Guan, have you found out about the child named Ding Qi that I asked you to investigate?"

"Deputy Sect Leader Sha, the results are in. The child was recommended by Outer Sect member Ding Shan and has no background. Is there something unusual about this child?" Old Guan frowned, looking puzzled.

The black-robed man shook his head, "There's nothing unusual, but I think this boy has a good character."

Old Guan nodded in understanding and said, "Since Deputy Sect Leader Sha thinks this boy can be useful, why not have someone include him in the inner disciple quota?"

The black-robed man shook his head again, "No need. This person's potential is too poor, and he won't achieve much in the future, so there's no value in cultivating him. Besides, I am in charge of the sect's discipline and need to set an example. I can't violate the sect's assessment rules and give others a handle. Now is a critical time in my struggle with Zuo Yang, and I can't afford any mistakes. Let this person return to where he came from."

"By the way, Ding Shan should be one of the people promoted by the sect a year ago. Although he is a minor figure, I think he is capable. You have a trip to Liangcheng tomorrow, so you can go with Li Zhi and try to win him over. Such minor figures might unexpectedly play a role at a critical moment," the black-robed man instructed.

Old Guan naturally nodded in agreement and noted everything down.

After the black-robed man and his group discussed other matters on the mountain, their figures soon disappeared.

Ding Qi did not know that his fate would inadvertently be linked to the struggle for the position of Qingyun Sect leader, and after being passed around by these important figures of the Qingyun Sect, he would eventually return to his original path.

The next day, he finally boarded the carriage back to Liangcheng.

Looking at the Qingyun Mountain, which was getting farther and farther away, Ding Qi felt that the martial arts world he had once dreamed of, with its flashing swords and flying swords, was also getting farther and farther away, making him look sad.

Ding Qi also did not know that his failure to be selected as an inner disciple this time would unexpectedly lead him to a path of cultivation that was hundreds of times more exciting than the martial arts world, transcending the secular world. No one could have predicted that his connection with the Qingyun Sect would not end, and in a few years, it would completely change the fate of both sides.