Upon hearing Junior Brother Lin’s words, the surrounding new disciples were stunned.

What? What is this guy saying? He’s equivalent to a Three-Star Grandmaster! What a joke. You’re just a mere Five-Star Grandmaster, how could you possibly have the combat prowess of a Three-Star Grandmaster? Don’t tell me you can fight across eight levels? Give me a break!

"This kid is all talk."

"Damn, he’s bragging his head off."

"Truly arrogant and ignorant of his own limits."

The new disciples rolled their eyes in unison.

Jin Ze also sneered disdainfully. "And you think you can fight across eight levels? Dream on! Hmph, kid, just wait! During the New Disciple Assembly, I’ll crush you under my foot."

With a cold snort, he turned and left, followed by the other new disciples. None of them believed Lin Xuan’s words.

These new disciples headed toward the plaza. Meanwhile, the surrounding senior disciples also came to watch, and even some elders arrived. They, too, wanted to see if there were any other promising prospects like Jin Ze among the new arrivals. If so, they could seize the opportunity to take them on as disciples. For a time, the entire plaza was bustling with excitement.

The Vice Dean appeared once again. With a wave of his hand, he said, "All new disciples, follow me."

Saying that, he soared into the air and flew off into the distance. The crowd of new disciples quickly followed. We followed along, as did the senior disciples.

Everyone flew until they arrived at the rear mountains of the Sacred Institute, where a range of rolling mountains stood. The Vice Dean landed at the foot of one of the peaks, and the disciples descended one after another. The new disciples, in particular, curiously surveyed the mountain before them.

It was a towering mountain with its peak hidden in the clouds, and a sea of clouds floated around its midpoint. The mountainside was rugged and covered in jagged rocks, and the roars of beasts echoed occasionally. Those were the sounds of Demon Beasts.

What’s going on? Isn’t the New Disciple Assembly supposed to be an arena tournament? Why did we come to this mountain? The new disciples were filled with surprise.

"Silence," the Vice Dean’s voice boomed, spreading in all directions.

The crowd quieted down.

The Vice Dean spoke, "My dear new disciples, the New Disciple Assembly is different from what you imagine. It’s not a series of simple duels, but a comprehensive test of your overall abilities. It will test your combat prowess, speed, reflexes, intellect, luck, and so on."

Everyone listened intently, their curiosity about the assembly’s content growing. So how exactly will we be tested?

The Vice Dean pointed to the towering mountain. "This mountain is the New Disciple Trial Grounds, prepared especially for you. The competition for the New Disciple Assembly will take place within these trial grounds.

"At the very top of this mountain, there is a Crown.

"Whoever is the first to put on the Crown will be the King of Newcomers. They will be number one among the new disciples.

"As for the top ten, that will be the first ten people to reach the summit. The rankings will be based on the order of arrival at the top. If fewer than ten people ultimately reach the summit, those spots will remain empty.

"In other words, to earn points, you must reach the top of the mountain. And you must be among the first ten to do so. To become the King of Newcomers, you must not only reach the summit but also put on the Crown."

Upon hearing this, the new disciples grew incredibly excited. The rules seemed simple enough: just rush to the mountaintop as quickly as possible.

One new disciple declared, "Haha! Then I have a huge advantage. My specialty is speed." This disciple wore a green robe, and an aura of swift wind surrounded him. He was clearly a speed-type Grandmaster.

Another new disciple laughed. "I may not specialize in speed, but my Spiritual Artifact is a speed type. With the two combined, I can also reach the top quickly."

The other new disciples chattered excitedly amongst themselves. Some, however, frowned. They weren’t proficient in speed and felt they would be at a great disadvantage.

However, the senior disciples just laughed. "Youngsters, this mountain isn’t so easy. Getting to the top is not that simple."

Hearing the seniors’ words, the new disciples were taken aback. What was going on? Was there a hidden catch?

The Vice Dean continued, "There is one thing I must remind you of. This mountain is home to quite a few Demon Beasts, all of which are at the Grandmaster level. Most of them are One-Star Grandmasters, a few are Two-Star Grandmasters, and, of course, there are also Three-Star Grandmaster Demon Beasts."

What?

The new disciples were in an uproar, and many of their faces turned green.

"Damn it, I knew this New Disciple Assembly wasn’t so simple!"

"So there are that many Demon Beasts on the mountain!"

"It seems being fast won’t guarantee reaching the summit."

"Damn! I can handle a One-Star Demon Beast, but why are there Three-Star Grandmaster-level ones? Probably no one here can handle a Three-Star Grandmaster Demon Beast, right?"

"Yeah, even Jin Ze probably couldn’t stop one. If we run into one, we’re guaranteed to be defeated."

The Vice Dean smiled. "You need not worry. There are only three Three-Star Grandmaster Demon Beasts. It won’t be easy to encounter one."

The new disciples were about to cry. Three of them isn’t a lot? If we run into one, we’re dead for sure!

"As for mortal danger, you need not worry about your lives. We will give each of you a Jade Pendant. If you encounter a life-threatening situation, crush the Jade Pendant, and you will be instantly transported out. There are no other rules. The specifics are up to you. This is a comprehensive test, and luck is a part of your strength. I wish all you youngsters the best of luck."

As his voice fell, the Vice Dean waved his sleeve. Countless Jade Pendants flew through the air, landing before the new disciples. They quickly snatched the pendants and carefully wore them. This was a Life-Saving Talisman!

"Heavens, please don’t let me run into a Three-Star Demon Beast."

"Yeah, I can live with meeting a Two-Star Demon Beast. I could probably escape with my speed. But a Three-Star one means certain defeat."

The disciples began to pray fervently.

Jin Ze also took a deep breath. A Three-Star Demon Beast? Interesting... But so what? He possessed the Thunder Spirit. If he went all out, he was confident he could contend with a Three-Star Demon Beast. As long as he wasn’t besieged by all three at once, he would be in no danger.

On the other side, Lin Xuan appeared calm and composed. His true strength was also at the Three-Star Grandmaster level, so he wasn’t worried at all. In fact, he was even looking forward to a bout with a Three-Star Demon Beast.

"Alright, youngsters, the New Disciple Assembly begins now!"

The Vice Dean waved his hand, and the winds began to swirl. Dozens of mountain paths appeared before them.

"Charge!"

The new disciples rushed forward. A dense crowd charged toward the different paths, beginning their rapid ascent.

The others watched with anticipation. Many of the senior disciples, in particular, were looking on as if they were watching a good show. They had also participated in the assembly in their time, and that event had been breathtaking. They figured this time they would get to see many new disciples being chased all over the mountain by Demon Beasts. The thought alone was exciting.

Someone asked, "I wonder who will become the King of Newcomers."

"Is that even a question? It will definitely be Jin Ze."

"Yeah, as long as his luck isn’t terrible enough to run into a Three-Star Demon Beast, he should be the King of Newcomers."

Many of the senior disciples nodded in agreement.

At that moment, however, someone else spoke up. "That’s not necessarily true. I think Lin Xuan can become the King of Newcomers."

Everyone was stunned by these words.

"Lin Xuan?"

"That Five-Star Grandmaster?"

"He’ll probably be the first one eliminated."

"Exactly. Who would be foolish enough to believe in Lin Xuan?"

They all turned to look and discovered that the speaker was Ning Xue.

Someone laughed. "Ning Xue, have you lost your mind? You actually think Lin Xuan can win?"

Ning Xue rolled her eyes. "What do you know? Junior Brother Lin’s strength is beyond your imagination. He’s strong enough to defeat a Two-Star Grandmaster."

"Hahahaha!"

Her words were met with a wave of boisterous laughter from the other senior disciples. Lin Xuan defeating a Two-Star Grandmaster? What a joke! Had Ning Xue started spouting nonsense too?

Even the elders were shaking their heads and laughing.

Elder Lei said disdainfully, "If Lin Xuan can defeat a Two-Star Grandmaster, I’ll eat this whole mountain."