Their movements were perfectly synchronized and orderly, a silent testament to the profound heritage and imposing presence of a Major Sect.

"Silence!"

The White Hair Elder’s voice wasn’t loud, yet it reached every person’s ears with perfect clarity.

"All participants of this entrance examination, along with your respective sponsors, will follow me into the mountain to the Martial Arts Plaza for identity verification and registration. All unauthorized personnel are forbidden from entering and must wait here!"

Once the command was given, no one dared to object.

Over a thousand young men and women, accompanied by their masters or family elders, silently and orderly followed the Qingxuan Sect disciples, stepping into the Qingxuan Sect’s grounds.

Fang Han and Fang Lingyuan moved forward with the crowd.

"A sponsoring faction is required?"

Fang Han asked, puzzled.

Fang Lingyuan lowered his voice and explained to Fang Han, "When the Qingxuan Sect recruits disciples, its top priorities are a clean background and loyalty. They only select outstanding disciples from the various factions subordinate to them. This ensures the disciples feel a sense of belonging to the Sect and also allows the Sect to use this bond to maintain firm control over its vassal forces."

"The sponsoring faction must vouch for the disciple. If the disciple passes the examination, the sponsoring faction’s annual resource tribute to the Sect will be reduced accordingly. This is both a great honor and a tangible benefit. However, on the other hand..."

He paused, his voice dropping to a more somber tone.

"If a recommended disciple betrays the Sect in the future, or is revealed to be a spy for another power, the sponsoring faction will face severe joint punishment. A light sentence would be a resource penalty, but a heavy one... means direct annihilation. Therefore, every family is as cautious as if walking on thin ice when recommending a disciple."

Fang Han understood. ’This is an incredibly clever method of incentive and control.’

Through this system, the Sect and its subordinate factions formed a tight bond where they would prosper or perish together.

「About fifteen minutes later,」 the view suddenly opened up, revealing a massive plaza paved with White Jade Stone.

At the far end of the plaza stood a towering and magnificent hall. Above the entrance hung a giant plaque inscribed with two large, ancient words: "Martial Arts." The calligraphy was powerful and elegant, brimming with a profound, martial charm.

Dozens of long registration tables were already set up in neat rows across the plaza. A Qingxuan Sect Steward sat behind each table, with disciples beside them maintaining order and directing the crowd.

The White Hair Elder stood at the front of the plaza and announced, "Sponsors and their recommended disciples, proceed to the tables in an orderly fashion to register. You must truthfully report the connection between the disciple and the sponsoring faction and present the Identity Token for verification. There must be no mistakes!"

The process began. The crowd split into dozens of lines, which slowly began to move forward.

Fang Han saw that at a table up ahead, an old man was respectfully handing a Red Copper Token to a Steward. The Token was engraved with a complex flame crest and a family emblem.

The Steward took the Token, examined it carefully, then pulled out a thick register to cross-reference. Afterward, he asked the nervous youth beside the old man a few questions—name, age, relationship to the sponsoring family, and so on—recording each answer.

The old man added in a low voice, smiling obsequiously,

"Lord Steward, for your clarification, this is the direct grandson of the third house of my Huo Family’s branch lineage. He was raised in the clan from a young age and has a clean background..."

The Steward finished recording with an expressionless face, then waved a hand to signal for the next group.

The line moved forward slowly. As the young men and women completed their registration, some looked pleased, while others grew even more nervous under the Steward’s strict questioning.

Fang Han’s gaze swept across the plaza, and he spotted several figures in the crowd whose auras were particularly outstanding.

There was a youth in black with a cold expression, cradling a long saber. A sharp aura faintly radiated from him. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

There was a pretty girl in a daffodil-yellow dress with lively eyes. Her every glance revealed an extraordinary air about her.

Farther away, he caught sight of the purple-veiled young woman he had briefly encountered at the tavern’s martial arts arena a few days ago. She stood quietly beside an old woman, her temperament cold and aloof.

...

Finally, it was Fang Han’s turn.

Fang Lingyuan stepped forward and took a deep cyan token from his robes. Engraved on the token was the Fang Family emblem: a towering mountain peak encircled by a sharp sword.

He respectfully presented the token. "Fang Lingyuan of the Liangshui City Fang Family, recommending clan disciple Fang Han for this examination."

The Steward behind the table took the Token, carefully inspecting its material and engravings before comparing it for a moment with the Fang Family’s record in the register.

He nodded, then his gaze shifted to Fang Han, who stood behind Fang Lingyuan. He began to speak in a routine manner, his voice flat yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"Name."

"Fang Han."

"Age."

"Eighteen."

"Relationship with the sponsoring faction."

"Disciple of a branch of the Fang Family."

...

The Steward’s brush flew across the page, quickly recording the information.

After he finished writing, he looked at Fang Lingyuan and asked in a solemn tone, "Patriarch Fang, are you certain you wish to sponsor Fang Han? And accept the corresponding consequences?"

"I am certain. If Fang Han should go astray in the future, the Fang Family is willing to bear all associated consequences."

Fang Lingyuan’s expression grew serious as he spoke in a deep voice.

"Mm."

The Steward Disciple then finally stamped the document with a seal and handed a Jade Token engraved with a number to Fang Han.

"This is your Exam Token. Keep it safe. Next!"

Fang Han took the Jade Token, which was cool to the touch. He saw the number "421" engraved on it.

He tightened his grip on the Jade Token and exchanged a look with Fang Lingyuan. The two of them silently fell back into the crowd of those who had already registered, waiting for further instructions.

With dozens of stations registering people simultaneously, all several thousand young men and women were registered within two hours.

The originally somewhat noisy Martial Arts Plaza fell into an oppressive silence.

All the young participants and the representatives from the various factions who had accompanied them fixed their gazes on the White Hair Elder and the dozens of Qingxuan Sect Stewards at the front of the plaza, awaiting the start of the examination.

"The Qingxuan Sect entrance examination now begins!"

"The examination has three parts: bone age verification, cultivation assessment, and martial technique observation. When your Exam Token number is called, step forward for the assessment without delay!"

The lead White Hair Elder, his expression stern and his gaze like lightning, slowly swept his eyes over the entire assembly as his voice clearly reached every corner.

As his voice faded, the dozens of Stewards and numerous disciples behind him moved swiftly, dividing the plaza into dozens of assessment areas.

Each area was presided over by a Steward, assisted by several disciples, and the assessments were conducted simultaneously.

"Area 1, Exam Tokens 1 through 100, step forward!"

"Area 2, Exam Tokens 101 through 200..."

As disciples began calling out the numbers in loud, clear voices, the young men and women whose numbers were called stepped out from the crowd—some nervous, some confident, some apprehensive—and walked toward their designated assessment areas.

The atmosphere in the plaza instantly grew taut to the extreme.

Fang Han clutched the Jade Token in his hand. His number was 421, placing him relatively early in the queue for Area 4.

He walked over to Area 5 to observe the assessment process of the people at the front of the line.

The first part: bone age verification.

The assisting disciples were skilled, carefully pinching and pressing several key joints on the participant to determine their true age.

The younger the age, the more bonus points one could earn, but anyone over eighteen years old was eliminated on the spot.

Occasionally, one or two who were over eighteen tried their luck, only to be found out on the spot. Their faces would turn deathly pale as they were "escorted" from the plaza under the livid glares of their sponsors.

The second part: cultivation assessment.

For this, the presiding Steward would personally act, sending a wisp of his Inner Qi into the participant’s body. It would circulate and probe their internal state, allowing him to precisely determine their Cultivation Realm.

This inspection was extremely strict. Any attempt to hide or fake one’s Realm was useless; it would be completely exposed by the Steward’s profound Inner Qi.

The first two assessments were quite fast, but the third, martial technique observation, was comparatively time-consuming.

The Steward would require the participant to demonstrate the Martial Technique they had mastered to the highest degree, using it to judge their aptitude and practical combat potential.

For a time, fierce winds howled across the plaza, filled with the glint of Sword Qi and saber light. Battle cries echoed ceaselessly.

During the assessment, a few figures attracted everyone’s attention, becoming the center of focus.

"Bone age eighteen. Cultivation at the Early Stage of Eighth Grade. Low Grade Saber Technique at the Perfection realm."

That was Li Feng, the cold and detached youth in black cradling a long saber. Like Fang Han, he was also eighteen years old.

But his Cultivation had already reached the Early Stage of Eighth Grade, and he had even cultivated a Low Grade Saber Technique to the Perfection realm.

"Bone age seventeen. Cultivation at the Late Stage of Ninth Grade. Low Grade Step Technique at the Great Success realm!"

This was Huang Ling’er, the pretty girl in the daffodil-yellow dress. At seventeen, she was a full year younger than the age limit of eighteen.

Yet her Cultivation had already reached the Late Stage of Ninth Grade, and she had even cultivated a Low Grade Step Technique to the Great Success realm.

"Bone age eighteen. Cultivation at the Early Stage of Eighth Grade. Middle Grade Sword Technique at the Mastery realm."

This was Yun Qianyue, the purple-veiled young woman from the same tavern as Fang Han. Not only had her Cultivation reached the Early Stage of Eighth Grade, but she had even cultivated a Middle Grade Sword Technique to the Mastery realm.

In terms of sheer formidability, she even surpassed the black-clad youth, Li Feng. This was because a Middle Grade Sword Technique at the Mastery realm was more powerful than a Low Grade Saber Technique at the Perfection realm.

Her results drew a collective gasp of shock from the crowd.

Besides them, there were quite a few other young men and women who demonstrated Cultivation at the Middle Stage or even Late Stage of Ninth Grade.

Although they weren’t as conspicuous as the first three, their strength clearly surpassed Fang Han’s current level, causing the pressure on him to mount sharply.