"It’s been many years since we last met. How have you all been, Fellow Daoists?"

"Thanks to your blessings, we are doing well. But you, Brother Dao, are truly impressive nowadays!"

Mansion Master Bai showed not the slightest arrogance, transitioning with utmost naturalness as he rose to return the courtesy.

Chen Sheng exchanged a few pleasantries with them, but was soon surrounded by other guests. He could only apologize and turn to entertain others.

Mansion Master Bai watched his departing figure, feeling a bit wistful.

Back at the Dao Assembly, Chen Sheng was merely an emerging prodigy. Now, he is a top-tier Great Power, surpassing him by far—such a drastic change indeed.

On the other side, witnessing Chen Sheng encircled by admirers, Venerable Wuyue felt even more complicated.

During the Mansion Competition years ago, he swept the venue as a peerless genius while Chen Sheng was defeated by him, yet after thousands of years, he has only reached the Three Tribulations of Refining Void, while Chen Sheng has become someone he can only look up to.

Chen Xihua patted his shoulder. His face calm as ever:

"Don’t overthink it. Life-Annihilating’s talent is inherently beyond ours."

Thousands of years have passed, and Chen Xihua cultivated at the Daoist Academy, barely reaching Two Tribulations strength in Refining Void. Compared to Bai Chu back then, he falls a bit short.

There was no choice—although Bai and Chu merely comprehended Middle Grade Dao Domain, they were old Void Refiners with over 20,000 years of cultivation. The disparity in Enlightenment level was completely offset by cultivation.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Xihua chuckled and said:

"I had a son a thousand years ago who is attending this banquet too. Let’s see how he performs later."

Mansion Master Bai leaned in with a smile: "He naturally will succeed in apprenticing."

Saying this, he glanced around at the gathering, almost all familiar faces, Great Powers of Five Tribulations or more.

Among those of the Seven Tribulations like him, there were quite a few, and over a dozen top-tier Void Refiners who seldom appear were all enthusiastically toasting towards the central figure.

He glanced at Venerable Wuyue, the disciple of an old friend of his. He patted his shoulder and offered some advice:

"Look around, barely anyone here is below Five Tribulations. You only sit here because of past ties—what more can you want?"

Venerable Wuyue was startled, slowly put down his wine cup, and looked at the white-robed figure in the center handling guests with ease, sighing.

Indeed, some people’s radiance simply can’t be compared to. He lifted his wine cup, offering a distant toast to Chen Sheng.

At this moment, Taiyuan Daoist stepped onto the stage, tapping on the jade chime, its crisp sound instantly silencing the hall.

He proclaimed loudly:

"Fellow Daoists, today is the day my junior brother accepts disciples; thank you all for gracing us... Next, the disciples participating in the assessment will take the stage one by one!"

...

Time passed slowly as young cultivators showcased their divine techniques on stage.

One Sword Cultivator summoned a three-foot blue blade, his Sword Momentum like a dragon, faintly forming a top-tier Dao Principle.

A young girl’s delicate hand gently waved, cultivating High Tier Spirit Plants, her Green Wood Dao Principle operating seamlessly.

Even more impressive was one who could call upon Star Power, simulating a simple star formation.

Everyone present was a leader among Yun State’s young generation, each performance eliciting waves of admiration from the audience.

Midway through the assessment, Chen Sheng suddenly sensed several subtle Yang Spirit consciousnesses reaching out.

He looked up to see Red Sun Celestial Master, Mysterious Void Daoist, and others nodding slightly, their consciousnesses inquiring:

"Fellow Daoist Chen, does the pure-hearted young Sword Cultivator catch your eye?"

"That girl adept with wood has excellent innate traits. If you’re not interested, I shall make an offer."

Such covert exchanges flowed quietly between them. Chen Sheng responded back with Yang Spirit consciousness, his expression calm:

"Fellow Daoist Red Sun, the young man’s path does not align with mine."

"Fellow Daoist Mysterious Void, the girl’s wood-based talent suits your ’True Canon of the Green Emperor.’"

His evaluations were concise yet precise, conveying his intentions. The great powers nodded in understanding, refraining from further inquiries.

Everyone present was well aware that this banquet was less a disciple assessment and more a "showcase" of top-tier prodigies. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Even if they couldn’t apprentice under Chen Sheng, catching the eye of someone like Red Sun Celestial Master would pave a smooth path for future cultivation.

This was why every cultivator on stage spared no effort!

As the sun set, the evening glow silhouetted half the sky outside the Gathering Immortal Pavilion, marking the nearing end of the assessment.

Chen Sheng raised his hand, and four crystalline jade tokens flew from his sleeve, suspended in midair.

Two were entirely white, inscribed with "End Inner Sect," exuding thick Dao Rhyme. The other two were light cyan, etched with the Daoist Palace emblem, signifying named disciple tokens.

"Qi Yuan, Gu Ye, come forward to receive your tokens."

Chen Sheng’s voice was not loud, yet it reached everyone’s ears clearly.

Two figures swiftly stepped out—the two who performed most brilliantly in the prior assessments.

Qi Yuan induced a resonance in Chen Sheng’s Dao Rhyme with his ’Life-Annihilating Sword Dao,’ while Gu Ye pinpointed three subtle nodes of the Circulation Stars during her star formation simulation.

As they received the white jade tokens and bowed, their voices quivered with excitement.

"Chen Qingyun, Zhang Hongdao, receive your tokens."

With Chen Sheng’s words, the remaining two cyan jade tokens floated toward the crowd.

At this, the pavilion fell silent for a moment. Many great powers paused mid-toast, their eyes filled with confusion.

Chen Qingyun stood among the crowd, appearing somewhat frail. He had a slight lapse in his Dao Principle simulation earlier, positioning him at a middling level among the prodigies.

Zhang Hongdao, though steady, was merely mediocre and hardly exceptional.

"Qi Yuan and Gu Ye are well-deserved, but these two..."

An Elder from Aurora Daoist Palace whispered to a companion beside him, only to be met with a cautious glare that halted his speech.

Suddenly realizing, he quickly drank his wine, swallowing the rest of his words—how could anyone question the judgment of the Life-Annihilating Daoist?

Even if puzzled, they could only suppress it inside—questioning was utterly forbidden.

In the corner, Mansion Master Bai and others observed this, winking at Chen Sheng knowingly, smiles full of understanding.

Chen Xihua felt somewhat embarrassed—Chen Qingyun was his youngest son!

Instinctively, he glanced at Zhang Hongdao, seeing the young man dazedly gripping the cyan jade token, his eyes filled with disbelief, and a thought struck him.

Could this child have some background too?

His guess was correct—Zhang Hongdao was indeed a descendant from the Zhang Clan of five tigers, left secretly during Chen Sheng’s early Ascension.

Chen Sheng had left many bloodlines across the Spirit Realm, with some under Daoist Palace care, but less so for the Zhang Clan’s secret lineage.

However, Zhang Clan was flourishing these days; three of the five tigers had fallen, but the remaining two unitedly achieved Calamity Transformation, establishing a kingdom.

Seeing a descendant from his secret bloodline pass through rigorous selection, though seemingly average, demonstrated a stable character, so he took him as a disciple naturally.

Capturing everyone’s reactions, he didn’t explain.

He waved his hand, illuminating the four jade tokens, binding these new disciples’ auras to the Daoist Palace, then said:

"Qi Yuan, Gu Ye, enter my Calm Heart Hall in three days to inherit Daoist Techniques. Qingyun, Hongdao, follow the Inner Sect Steward to learn the Daoist Palace rules before receiving Daoist Techniques."

As his words concluded, the pavilion echoed with collective congratulations.