Three li east of the Divine Mansion Sect’s Sect Master Peak was a waterfall, and beneath it lay a stone stage known as the Dragon Gate Platform.

Legend had it that the Founding Ancestor of the Divine Mansion Sect was originally a woodcutter on this very mountain. He later attained enlightenment upon this stage, ultimately becoming one of the most powerful figures of his generation.

Of course, a trope like a woodcutter becoming a peerless master overnight was the kind of thing you only found in stories.

According to Old Dong, the Founding Ancestor had actually been hunted by his enemies, forcing him to hide in the mountains disguised as a woodcutter.

Later, when his martial arts reached a state of mastery, he emerged from the mountains, wiped out his enemies completely, and established the Divine Mansion Sect.

His enlightenment on the Dragon Gate Platform was real, of course, but it had been embellished by successive generations of disciples until it became increasingly fantastical.

The old woodcutter carved onto the jade tokens that served as the disciples’ proof of identity was, in fact, the Founding Ancestor.

Originally, this place wasn’t actually called the Dragon Gate Platform.

It was only when a later Sect Leader chose this spot for the disciples’ promotion tournament that it came to be called the Dragon Gate Platform, a name inspired by the idiom of a carp leaping the dragon’s gate.

In the past, the Dragon Gate Platform was always closed off, with no one permitted to enter except the Sect Leader.

Today, however, it was far more bustling.

Many Divine Mansion Sect disciples who had heard the news rushed to the Dragon Gate Platform to watch the spectacle.

By now, it was a veritable sea of people.

Besides Sect Leader Murong Tian, Dong Wanjun, and Shi Bai Mountain, three other Peak Masters had come to observe the ceremony—though, of course, their main purpose was to cause trouble for Dong Wanjun.

The rules for promotion among Divine Mansion Sect disciples were simple: the position belonged to the strongest.

This was how it had always been for Outer Disciples seeking promotion to the Inner Sect. Every year, the Divine Mansion Sect would open twenty spots for Inner Sect Disciples.

All Outer Disciples could register to compete on the Dragon Gate Platform, and the last twenty left standing would naturally become Inner Sect Disciples.

Consequently, the competition for each promotion was extremely fierce.

Even You Shengnan and Xiongshan had to fight tooth and nail back in the day to become Inner Sect Disciples.

"So this is Peak Master Dong’s disciple?"

A hawk-nosed old man’s wrinkled lips twisted into a sneer.

This was the Peak Master of Luotian Peak, Ouyang Hua.

Like Shi Bai Mountain, he was very much at odds with Dong Wanjun.

Shi Bai Mountain nodded, a cold sneer fixed on his face.

’It won’t be so easy for the kid on the Dragon Gate Platform to get promoted to the Inner Sect. It’s his own bad luck for becoming Dong Wanjun’s disciple.’

"The position of Inner Sect Disciple goes to the most capable. Why don’t we let all these young ones have a go? Whoever can last until the end gets the spot."

The intention behind these words was utterly vicious.

Only Bai Yuan stood on the stage. According to the rules, once someone stepped onto the Dragon Gate Platform, they could not leave it. You either won or lost; there was no third option.

In other words, unless Bai Yuan could single-handedly defeat every Outer Disciple present, he would forfeit his chance to become an Inner Sect Disciple.

’Take on the entire Outer Sect alone... Does he really think he’s the reincarnation of the Grand Ancestor Emperor?’

Dong Wanjun remained expressionless, saying nothing.

Since Murong Tian was present, the decision was naturally his to make.

The other three Peak Masters turned to look at Murong Tian, awaiting the Sect Leader’s verdict.

After a long moment, Murong Tian finally spoke. "That is how it should be."

As the Sect Leader, he could neither show favoritism to Dong Wanjun nor side with Shi Bai Mountain.

Although Shi Bai Mountain’s proposal was extremely disadvantageous for the young man on the Dragon Gate Platform, this was an exception to the rules. It was only natural that an exceptional individual be chosen.

If Bai Yuan couldn’t pass this trial today, it would simply mean he wasn’t strong enough.

To lose the spot of an Inner Sect Disciple would be his own fault. The struggles between Martial Artists were never fair to begin with.

Hearing Murong Tian’s decision, Dong Wanjun still showed no sign of wanting to speak.

When Shi Bai Mountain announced the day’s rules for the Dragon Gate Platform to the disciples below, an uproar erupted.

They had come merely to watch the spectacle, never imagining they might have a chance to get in on the action themselves.

Anyone could tell that Bai Yuan, standing on the stage, was being deliberately targeted.

The later one went up, the better their chance of capitalizing on the situation. However, they couldn’t wait forever. The Dragon Gate Platform would only be open for two hours, and whoever was still standing on it at the end would be the winner.

And the first person to go up to challenge him was almost guaranteed to lose!

’Overpower the entire Outer Sect alone?’

’Just because he’s Dong Wanjun’s disciple doesn’t make him Dong Wanjun!’

Most of the spectators below the stage were Outer Disciples. They were all eager to make a move, yet none of them wanted to be the first sucker to go up.

Shi Bai Mountain frowned at the sight.

He looked sorely disappointed, as if frustrated by their lack of promise.

He shot a meaningful glance at a young disciple in the crowd, one of the Outer Disciples from his own Feishi Peak.

The Feishi Peak Outer Disciple understood immediately and leaped onto the stage, becoming the first challenger.

A Strong Internal Martial Artist!

Seeing this, the expressions of the crowd turned strange.

Bai Yuan had only just joined the sect. He was merely an Yijin Martial Master; how could he possibly be a match for a Strong Internal Martial Artist?

But, just as Murong Tian had thought, the strong preying on the weak was all too common among Martial Artists. Besides, most Inner Sect Disciples were Strong Internal Martial Artists to begin with; Yijin Martial Masters were few and far between.

If you couldn’t win, you could only blame your own bad luck.

The disciple from Feishi Peak merely glanced at Bai Yuan. In his eyes, Bai Yuan was already a broken man.

With his strength at the Strong Organ Pass, crushing the boy before him would be as easy as flipping his hand.

He had already received Shi Bai Mountain’s instructions: today, he was to break every single bone in Bai Yuan’s body.

If the rules of the platform didn’t forbid killing, he would have already resolved to end him.

"Blame it on being Dong Wanjun’s disciple."

The Feishi Peak disciple spoke coldly.

Without any more pointless words, he drew the long sword from his waist and lunged at Bai Yuan, showing no intention of holding back.

Offstage, both You Shengnan and Xiongshan frowned.

The man was clearly aiming to cripple their junior brother.

"Senior Brother, if our junior brother is in danger, we have to intervene."

You Shengnan said to Xiongshan, who stood at her side.

Xiongshan nodded, his expression grim, ready to make a move at any moment.

To everyone’s surprise, Bai Yuan didn’t even draw his saber. He relied solely on his Body Technique to evade the thrusts of the Feishi Peak disciple’s long sword.

"Wait, he’s deliberately stalling for time!"

A disciple in the crowd quickly realized something was amiss.

As long as Bai Yuan could stall for two hours, the Inner Sect Disciple spot would be his.

The Outer Disciples who had thought they might get lucky suddenly grew anxious.

’We can’t let this cunning guy on stage get away with this!’ 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

But they were powerless. After all, the Dragon Gate Platform had a rule forbidding group attacks; otherwise, they would have already rushed the stage.

"Brother, he’s moving left!"

A young man shouted, and the others had a sudden realization. They couldn’t get on the stage, but they could still talk!

In an instant, the crowd erupted in a chorus of shouts, all of them cheering on the Feishi Peak disciple.

Perhaps the crowd’s shouts really did have an effect.

Bai Yuan was finally forced into a corner, with nowhere left to retreat.

"Die!"

His last shred of patience gone, the Feishi Peak disciple let out a savage laugh and raised his sword, intending to sever one of Bai Yuan’s arms.

In that split second—

The curved blade at Bai Yuan’s waist was finally drawn.

SHIIING!

The blade hummed.

Blood sprayed through the air!

The Feishi Peak disciple stared at his own right shoulder in disbelief.

His arm was gone. All that remained was blood gushing from the wound!