Only three seconds? He's already the Lord of All Realms, so it doesn't matter.

Outside the gate of the Holy Sect, the flowing light faded away.

Ye Xuan landed, suppressing his aura to the level of someone who had just broken through to the Golden Core stage, and strode towards the mountain gate.

"Greetings, senior brother!"

There were still two outer sect disciples patrolling and guarding the mountain gate. They both felt that the person in front of them was unfamiliar, and after noticing his Golden Core Realm cultivation, they naturally assumed that he was an inner sect senior brother who had come to the outer sect, and their tone and attitude became much more respectful.

"Zhao Wu?"

The two looked up simultaneously. In their minds, Zhao Wu should be a registered disciple, and they had just received a report yesterday that this disciple had gone missing and needed to be kept in close watch.

"it's me."

Ye Xuan calmly glanced at the two disciples on duty and nodded in response.

The disciple on the left paused for a moment, exchanged a glance with his companion, and hesitated before saying:

"Junior Brother Zhao... Zhaixing Hall informed us yesterday that you were missing and your fate was unknown. Is that true?"

"An accident occurred during the mission, causing a one-day delay. Senior Brother Tang Zhao should have returned before me."

He took out Tang Zhao's mission token from his storage bag and handed it over; the number "Bing" was clearly engraved on it.

The two disciples on duty took the token and examined it. The bronze mirror swept over it, revealing a faint spiritual light. It was indeed a genuine item from the Star-Picking Hall, and they roughly understood what had happened.

"Junior brother, please join the sect. You will need to report your return to the Star-Picking Hall yourself."

Ye Xuan nodded, his aura slightly emanating outwards, the oppressive aura of a Golden Core cultivator faintly visible, causing the two disciples on duty to feel a chill in their hearts.

The person in front of him clearly had reached the Golden Core stage, which was completely different from the record of "Zhao Wu, Foundation Establishment Level 5" on the roster.

However, the Holy Sect has strict rules. As long as the identity token is correct and the mission completion certificate is complete, the disciple on duty has no right to obstruct.

Moreover, the other party is already a Golden Core cultivator, and will inevitably advance to the inner sect in the future. No matter what methods they used to break through, they are no longer someone they can question at will.

After watching Ye Xuan enter the sect, the sky was bright, and he first went to the Star-Picking Hall.

Walking to the counter, he placed the wooden plaque with the number 34 (丙字三十四) on the counter. The steward looked up and his pupils contracted slightly the moment he saw Ye Xuan.

"Zhao Wu?"

"It is indeed your disciple. The thirty-fourth character of the character '丙' has been completed, and I have come to deliver the token."

The deacon stared at his energetic face for three breaths before reaching for the wooden plaque. "Strange."

"Didn't Tang Zhao say he met with some misfortune? How come...?"

The deacon muttered to himself, and after injecting spiritual energy to verify, he said:

"Tang Zhao, who is traveling with you, has already received the reward for this mission."

Also, Tang Zhao reported your death yesterday, and according to the rules, your debts have been transferred to him.

He has already advanced 100 merit points. If he doesn't appear by this evening, you will be responsible for paying the remaining amount. Any questions?

Ye Xuan shook his head and said nothing more.

He still has over two hundred merit points, which shouldn't be a problem for him to pay off the remaining debts. As for Tang Zhao, it's impossible for him to come back.

What Ye Xuan needs to do now is to understand the specific path for inner disciples to advance.

So he went straight to the third floor of the Star-Picking Hall, where the monthly mini-exams for outer disciples and the tasks for outer disciples to be promoted to formal disciples were posted.

This space is smaller than the lower level and feels more deserted.

There were no counters in the hall, only three jade walls standing there, with flowing light constantly appearing on them, displaying various tasks and assessment information.

At this moment, several formal outer sect disciples stood in front of the jade wall, intently examining it, occasionally exchanging hushed conversations, creating a solemn atmosphere.

Ye Xuan stepped into the hall, his gaze sweeping over the three jade walls.

The jade disc on the left records the monthly quizzes for the registered disciples.

[Minor Examination in April of the Year of Bing Shen:]

The details are as follows... Anyone at Foundation Establishment Level 7 or above can apply. The top ten will be listed for one month, and each will receive merit points.

The jade disc in the center lists the requirements for a registered disciple to become a formal disciple. Only two of the four requirements need to be met, but a certain level of cultivation is a mandatory requirement.

[I. Cultivation reaches the peak of Foundation Establishment]

II. Passing the external assessment

[III. Accumulate 1,000 merit points]

[IV. Must be recommended by an outer sect deacon or elder]

The jade disc on the right shows the requirements for an outer sect disciple to be promoted to an inner sect disciple. The handwriting is more archaic, and the cultivation level requirement is also a basic necessity.

【I. Golden Core Realm Cultivation】

II. Pass the internal examination

[III. Accumulate 2,000 merit points]

[IV. An inner sect elder accepted him as a disciple.]

Ye Xuan's gaze lingered on the jade wall on the right for a moment.

He was satisfied with his Golden Core cultivation level. Although he was still far from having enough merit points, it wouldn't be difficult for him to take on high-difficulty missions with his strength. As for the trials, they seemed to be random, and who he was assigned to depended entirely on luck.

"Zhao Wu?"

A slightly familiar voice came from behind him. Ye Xuan turned around and saw the old deacon who had been on duty at the Star-Picking Hall standing at the top of the stairs.

"This disciple greets the steward."

Ye Xuan bowed respectfully. He had a good impression of the old man and concealed his aura perfectly.

The old deacon slowly approached, looked him up and down, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his cloudy eyes.

"Yesterday, Tang Zhao came to report that you were killed by bandits in Qingxia Town, and your body was never found."

Today you have risen to a higher level with astonishing speed, returning with your Golden Core... This reminds me of someone.

Ye Xuan was somewhat surprised that the old man in front of him could see through his cultivation level. It was a pity that he dared not use his perception power recklessly in the Star Picking Hall, otherwise he would definitely have tested the man's strength.

"Oh? May I ask who you are thinking of, Steward?"

"Fang Zhen Ge".

The old deacon's voice was very low, only the two of them could hear it.

"He once went out on a mission, and the disciple who accompanied him died, but he returned with a great increase in cultivation."

It's just not that exaggerated. It seems you've had a great stroke of luck.

He paused, his gaze piercing Ye Xuan like a knife. "Have you heard anything about this?"

"I didn't know; I only found out today when the steward mentioned it."

"I don't know?"

The old deacon chuckled softly, no longer pressing the matter, and instead pointed to the jade disc on the right.

"Now that you have formed your core, you can apply for the inner sect trial according to the rules, but the inner sect trial is extremely difficult, and the chances of life or death are almost always slim. It is very dangerous."

"Yes, please enlighten me, Steward."

For Ye Xuan, the safest thing to do right now is to take on a few A-level missions. Usually, one mission can earn him more than 100 points, which is enough to quickly accumulate merit.

However, he was not opposed to other methods. After all, his two senior brothers, with whom he had any dealings, were now dead. In this vast Holy Sect, it would be difficult to find any more help.

"Very well, seeing how talented you are, then I will tell you a thing or two."

The two stopped standing at the top of the stairs and moved to a secluded corner on the third floor.

"The inner gate assessment is divided into two types."

First, there will be a special place to test one's own cultivation path, to see the disciple's foundation, and also to see the potential of their method and path.

Secondly, there are tasks of extraordinary difficulty, far exceeding those of the "A" grade. If one is unlucky enough to be assigned to this trial, it's a matter of life and death.

The deacon paused slightly. "The promotion requirement is only four points and two points. Neither of these two options is easy for you, is it? So you need to choose carefully."

Having said that, he said no more, took the roster, and turned to go downstairs.

Ye Xuan watched the old deacon's retreating figure, a flash of blue and white light passing through his eyes.

The steward clearly sensed something, but did not delve into it, only issuing a silent warning.

It seems that within the Holy Sect, most sects turn a blind eye to fights and even life-or-death struggles among disciples, as long as the sect's bottom line is not violated.

"I never imagined there was more to it than that..."

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the jade disc again. There was no time limit for this advancement; as long as the requirements were met, one could enter the inner sect at any time.

Without considering it for the time being, Ye Xuan walked out of the Star-Picking Hall when the sun was already high in the sky.

He walked straight in one direction, and the outer disciples he encountered along the way were as usual, no one spoke to him, only hurried about their own business...

When passing through the residential area of ​​the registered disciples, Ye Xuan paused for a moment.

After Tang Zhao left with Zhang Bazi and the others yesterday, the area became even more deserted. Several stone houses had their doors wide open, and no one was inside. Only scattered debris indicated that someone had lived there.

"Unfortunately, they don't have any useful information in their memories."

Ye Xuan withdrew his gaze and wandered around the outer gate of the Holy Sect for half an hour before returning to his cave.

He stopped cultivating, since the effects of the Immortal Seed Method were real and tangible, and there was no question of an unstable foundation or forcing growth.

Arriving at the table, Ye Xuan picked up the notebook, and began to write—

"On the 13th day of the fourth month of the year Bing Shen, at noon, he returned to his ancestral home."

Tang Zhao was forever lost in the desolate ancient mansion. The false immortal statue in Qingxia Town was indeed a legacy of Yu Chenzi. After this incident, his cultivation level reached the fourth level of the Golden Core stage.

Now that I have achieved the Dao Integration stage, it's time to consider advancing to the Inner Sect...