C17 Inner Disciple Assessment(2)

After all, he was the most formidable elder within the Divine Plant Pill Sect.

"Senior Sister Lee Qingping, you've made it as well!"

Aboard the Flying Devil Beast, several Elite Disciples gazed at the distant white jade platform.

Among them, Huo Ming and three other Elite Disciples were perched atop a cluster of Devil Beasts.

These four had previously encountered Lei Yan at the Devil Beast Garden.

"Huo Ming, why bother with the entrance examination for Outer Disciples? Remember, we were handpicked by our sect's elders to become Inner Disciples," a woman in a red robe remarked with a hint of pride.

Huo Ming chuckled and replied, "Yuyan, since we're free, let's enjoy the spectacle of their desperate struggle for a bit of amusement."

The woman in red was Yuyan, a recently advanced Elite Disciple of the Divine Plant Pill Sect.

The tall woman clad in a green robe was Ding Liy, who had ascended to the rank of Elite Disciple two years prior.

Another member of their group, a tall and lanky young man named Zhao Yu, had achieved Elite Disciple status six years ago.

All four possessed exceptional Cultivation Talents, hailing from prominent families within the Great Qian Dynasty.

Huo Ming's lineage was particularly notable, an ancient and venerable cultivation family of the Great Qian Dynasty that had produced numerous Great Soul Masters and Origin Soul Masters.

Sadly, most of these illustrious figures had passed away, leaving only six or seven Great Soul Masters, now advanced in age with their lifespans waning.

On the Soul Weeping Continent, even the mightiest Soul Kings were bound by a ten-thousand-year lifespan.

To achieve immortality, one must ascend to the Divine World, and only those who reached the Devil Soul Stage or the Divine Soul Stage could attain eternal life.

The Huo Family had three members chosen for the Divine Plant Pill Sect this generation: the eldest, Huo Dong; the second, Huo Ming; and the youngest, Huo Ting, whose cultivation talent was exceptionally rare.

"Huo Ming, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Rumor has it that among the Outer Disciples this time, six have reached the Peak of the Human Soul, surpassing even our strength when we were initiated as Inner Disciples."

"Hmph! Reaching the Peak of the Human Soul is just commonplace for us cultivators of the Huo Family." Huo Ming allowed himself a slight smile, brimming with pride.

"Step onto these stone steps, and your fate will be sealed by destiny itself!"

The stone step was inscribed with a row of ancient characters that shone brilliantly, forming a formidable barrier that sent shivers down one's soul.

A hundred or so Outer Disciples stood at the base of the steps, silently taking in the sight before them.

"That's Lee Yunlong. Rumor has it he's already at the Peak of the Human Soul, with a mastery of swordsmanship, and he's not even eighteen yet!"

Among these hundred Outer Disciples, over twenty were considered prodigies in cultivation. At twenty-one, some were of average age, while others appeared to be merely sixteen or seventeen.

"The young man over there is Yang Yong. At just sixteen, he's reached Human Soul Level 10 and excels in hand-to-hand combat."

Despite his youth, Yang Yong had a formidable build, and his gaze was as fierce as that of a Devil Beast.

"And the young beauty there is Bing'er, seventeen years old and already at Level 11 of the Human Soul."

Lei Yan listened intently, feeling a stir of amazement within him.

"Yet the most formidable among them is Huo Ting. Only sixteen this year, he has ascended to Beast Soul Level 3. His cultivation talent is truly extraordinary." Lei Yan soon recognized a name that rang familiar.

"That's Huo Ting. The lad's got an odd temper. He turned down the chance to advance directly to Elite Disciple, choosing instead to take part in the Inner Disciple Assessment."

Lei Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he gazed intently at a young man standing tall at 180 centimeters. His frame wasn't particularly robust, but his eyes were profoundly deep.

"Fellow disciples, three more barriers lie ahead. The first is a horde of Devil Beasts. Should you sense imminent peril to your life, you can activate the Teleportation Scroll with your Soul Power and escape. But be warned, doing so means elimination." A voice, authoritative and distant, echoed across the space.

Upon hearing the voice, many faces turned ashen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves quickly. In five minutes, you must all charge into this barrier, or you'll be deemed to have withdrawn," the authoritative voice boomed again.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Five minutes later, the throng of Inner Disciples surged into the stone staircase ahead.

Though the staircase seemed narrow, barely wide enough for three people to walk abreast, as they entered, their surroundings transformed dramatically.

Suddenly, they found themselves in a wild, untamed forest.

Despite their fear of death, they were comforted by the Teleportation Scrolls in their possession. If things turned sour, they knew they could activate the scrolls and flee.

The forest was expansive, filled with towering ancient trees and vines that resembled enormous serpents.

The disciples, in groups of three to five, wore tense expressions as they vigilantly scanned the area.

"Unicorn Devil Python!" someone exclaimed from a distance.

"It looks like there are hundreds of Unicorn Devil Pythons!" another voice called out, shaking with terror.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

A minute later, Lei Yan laid eyes on over a dozen Unicorn Devil Pythons.

These creatures sported green horns sharp as daggers, with heads the size of hills and bodies akin to massive dragons. Their gaping maws emitted frightful, piercing noises and a pungent, bloodied stench.

"Puff!"

Abruptly, one of the Devil Pythons spewed a cloud of poison mist, striking a young man ten meters away.

He screamed in agony before collapsing into a heap of bones.

"Brothers, the saliva of these Unicorn Devil Pythons is deadly poisonous. Be extremely cautious!" Lee Yunlong, wielding a long sword, called out in warning.

"Ah..." His warning was cut short as another disciple fell victim to the toxic mist, dying instantly.

The poisonous mist's swift assault, coupled with its lethal potency, left some Outer Disciples with no time to channel their Soul Power and activate their Teleportation Scrolls for escape.

Even the weakest among them had reached Human Soul Level 10, yet three succumbed to death in a mere seven to eight minutes.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Witnessing this, others were petrified and hastily channeled their Soul Power to activate Teleportation Scrolls, fleeing for their lives. They were forced to abandon the competition to survive.

Though these individuals were formidable, all possessing a Human Soul Level 9 or higher, disparities in mental resilience and real-world combat experience were evident.

Some had retreated, but others pressed on, undeterred!

The sounds of battle echoed from every direction.

Lei Yan, however, could only spot a handful of Outer Disciples locked in combat with several Unicorn Devil Pythons.

"Not good!" Lei Yan's alarm spiked as he noticed a Unicorn Devil Python charging directly at him.

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