Chapter 2

"Bone age matches. Go over there."

"Next."

The young man stepped forward, calmly reporting his name: "Tan Weiran."

The examiner in charge of the first round of the assessment indicated for the assistant beside him to write down the name. Finding the name somewhat familiar, he fetched a thin book, which contained names given by the various peaks, and quickly found an identical name.

This young man was actually favored by the Jiansheng Peak; it was uncertain whether this was fortunate or not.

The examiner and the assistant looked at the young man with peculiar expressions. Therefore, his tone softened: "Don't be afraid, relax. We just need to confirm your age."

The first round of the entrance assessment not only checked bone age to confirm the true age but also secretly examined whether the candidates had a certain level of cultivation, to prevent infiltration.

"Bone age matches. Yes, go over for the written test. It's not a big deal if you don't pass it." The examiner's attitude was amiable, and he gave an additional hint.

Tan Weiran nodded in gratitude.

The written test was to assess and confirm the candidates' literacy. The sect did not require the level of a great scholar; being able to read and write was sufficient. As the examiner said, it was not a big deal if you didn't pass the written test.

Looking back, Lin Lao and Lü'er waved from a distance. Tan Weiran looked around and couldn't help but chuckle to himself: "In my previous life, I was naive and didn't pay attention. It turns out this scene is like a market fair."

The grand recruitment, held every three years, was indeed bustling and crowded.

Even with the assistance of the government and the Xing Tian Sect, it was difficult to maintain order among the countless family members, servants, and onlookers, inevitably leading to a market-like atmosphere.

For example, Tan Weiran brought along Lin Bo and Lü'er. Besides the poor young men, the sons of noble families and wealthy families also brought some people with them.

Despite the awe-inspiring presence of the Xing Tian Sect, few dared to shout loudly, but the whispers formed a buzzing sound, like a swarm of bees hovering overhead, making people feel restless.

From a certain perspective, the assessment for a few people like Tan Weiran had already begun in this environment.

"In my previous life, was it a senior sister or a senior brother who was secretly observing me?" The time was too distant, and Tan Weiran didn't quite remember. After searching the crowd for a while, he suddenly turned his head and made a face, pulling his eyes and sticking out his tongue.

"Ah!" Tang Xinyun, mixed in the crowd, was startled, her mind full of confusion. Was the future junior brother aware of her, or was it just a coincidence?

He completed the written test with ease and joined a large group of young men heading up the mountain to prepare for the next round. On the way, there was much discussion.

"The written test was really difficult for me. I only managed to write a little bit before getting stuck."

"Yeah, when it comes to using a sickle, I'm skilled, but using a pen is a first for me."

"If we don't pass the written test, will we not be able to join the Xing Tian Sect?"

It was unclear who said this, but the children from poor families all showed disappointment and confusion, and some even cried: "I, I can only write my own name. What should I do?"

A few sons of noble families and wealthy families showed a gleeful expression: "These peasants want to join us? They deserve to be eliminated."

One of them walked beside Tan Weiran, noticing his attire, and nudged him: "Do you think this is the case? I don't want to be with these peasants anyway."

Tan Weiran said calmly: "Don't worry too much. The written test isn't that important." The many poor young men felt reassured and looked at him with gratitude.

The person beside him was taken aback and furious: "Kid, are you deliberately undermining me?"

Tan Weiran ignored him, not wanting to get angry over a half-grown boy, even though his current body was also that of a half-grown boy.

The young man, ignored, glared in anger. Soon, someone else spoke up.

"Wait, will the next assessment be complicated? I've always wanted to become a martial artist."

"It will definitely be difficult, maybe even dangerous. For example, they might make us fight each other."

Facing the unknown assessment that would determine their fate, all sorts of wild ideas emerged.

Tan Weiran chuckled. The Xing Tian Sect was a powerful sect. Before joining, many people assumed it would be difficult and full of challenges. In reality, it wasn't.

Tan Weiran was unclear about the details of the entrance assessments of other sects. Generally speaking, the entrance assessments of major sects were not particularly difficult or dangerous, but they were indeed complex.

"Really amusing."

Tang Xinyun, who had followed from a distance, heard these wild ideas and laughed heartily: "I didn't expect the junior brother to be so calm, not scaring himself."

Groups of young men, in batches, formed teams and moved up the mountain. The mountain range where the sect was located was indeed high and long, making it even more impressive.

As they walked, those with some cultivation gradually became tired, and the teams became disorganized.

Few knew that the journey up the mountain was also a hidden assessment. Those who were prepared naturally performed the best.

At the halfway point, the third round, the cave exploration, had already begun.

...

Cave exploration was one of the essential assessment items of the Xing Tian Sect.

Many people were surprised as they entered the cave, with some complaints: "What kind of assessment is this? I came to learn and seek the Dao, not to play cave explorer."

Without martial arts or related tests, it seemed a bit odd.

Tan Weiran smiled. Many people had wild ideas about the entrance assessment, but these ideas were wrong.

The sect was a place to teach and impart knowledge. Once you joined, they would teach you what you needed to know. Whether you knew a lot or a little at this point didn't matter to the sect.

For example, the second round, the written test, aimed to assess basic literacy, not to eliminate people but to distinguish them. If you couldn't read, you would be taught once you joined.

The cave was long and winding, with a bit of light at the entrance, but it became darker as they went deeper, eventually becoming pitch black.

The oldest was eighteen, and the youngest was eight. As they walked in the dark, a sense of fear and unease grew.

Tan Weiran looked relaxed, thinking: "It's about time for the screaming to start."

Before long, a sudden scream echoed through the tunnel, like rolling thunder, causing more and more people to scream, overwhelmed by fear.

The darkness amplified their senses and emotions. The oppressive atmosphere of the long tunnel, the screams, and the feeling of being in complete darkness quickly turned into hysterical fear, making the place seem like a ghostly realm.

Tan Weiran was calm, not afraid. Even if he hadn't experienced it in his previous life, his current mental fortitude would prevent him from being scared.

He thought with a smile: "If there's no accident, the senior sisters and brothers are probably waiting to see me make a fool of myself." During this assessment, the disciples of the Xing Tian Sect were always more cheerful than usual.

He took out the props he had prepared, thinking: "Senior sisters and brothers, you mocked me for a long time in my previous life. This time, let's see who scares whom." Even though he was usually brave, he had been terrified in his previous life.

Tang Xinyun pointed at someone in the tunnel, dissatisfied: "Look, another one. Definitely a noble family's son."

The person was using earplugs to block out the screams. Many were affected by their companions' hysterical cries.

"This is inevitable," the senior brother Sun Chengxian consoled: "Even the third senior brother is from a noble family."

Tan Weiran looked calm, as if taking a leisurely walk after a meal, showing that he wasn't scared at all.

"He's so relaxed," the third senior brother Liu Chengfeng's cold face showed a hint of envy, likely stemming from his own miserable experience during the entrance assessment.

"Junior brother, you must pass," the fourth senior brother Zhou Dapeng called out directly, his wish simple: "This way, I can be a senior brother and no longer the youngest."

The four followed a turn, and Tang Xinyun said: "I feel the new junior brother is a bit... composed."

Too composed.

The other four peaks might leak assessment details, but the Jiansheng Peak never did. This young man, though young, was too composed.

At the turn, a figure in a pale white outfit appeared, with red tears streaming down its eyes and a dark red tongue hanging down to its chest.

The ghostly figure suddenly appeared at the corner, extremely terrifying.

"Ah!" Instantly, the four were struck as if by lightning, jumping high, with Tang Xinyun leading the way with a blood-curdling scream, causing the others to shudder.

When the four regained their composure and looked around, the culprit was already gone.

Having successfully executed his surprise attack, Tan Weiran chuckled, thinking this scene would be a source of amusement for a long time. He also thought: "There are many people secretly observing in the tunnel. My actions earlier have probably caught their attention."

"No problem, I'm favored by the Jiansheng Peak. Unless the sect leader intervenes, there shouldn't be any changes. Still, I should be more cautious from now on."

This thought was not wrong.

The mistake was that Tan Weiran's words came true, and one of those observing was indeed the sect leader, Song Shenxing.

"Interesting," Song Shenxing smiled, asking casually: "Which family's young man is this?"

He thought it was a leak from one of the peaks. However, when his companion spoke, he knew it wasn't: "This young man is favored by Senior Uncle Xu from the Jiansheng Peak."

The Jiansheng Peak was different from the other four peaks and never leaked assessment details. To perform so impressively in the tunnel without any leaks indicated strong mental fortitude.

Song Shenxing observed for a moment, his interest piqued: "Name? How did he perform earlier?"

Tan Weiran's intention was to avoid any changes and smoothly return to the Jiansheng Peak, so he aimed to perform averagely, neither outstandingly nor poorly.

He had no idea that his mischief had already caught the attention of the sect leader, causing the only variable.

{Piaotian Literature}