DDDV Ch 119 Part 2 – The Grand Hall (II)

Before long, all the candidates had finished. From the remaining people, eleven was eliminated. With this, they successfully passed the entrance trial and were about to become members of the Guiyuan Sect.

Lu Junyang looked at the crowd, his smile warm and gentle. “Congratulations! All of you have successfully passed the entrance trial of the 9,986th generation of the Guiyuan Sect.”

Everyone’s eyes shimmered with excitement, their faces flushed with suppressed impulses to cheer loudly.

Lu Junyang then arranged them in the order they had registered. Lu Yaoyao and Chao Muxue had registered not too far apart from each other, and all the people between them were eliminated, so they were lucky enough to end up in the same row. They were positioned in the fifth row, with each row consisting of ten people. With a total of nine rows and the last row being two people short, this meant that only eighty-eight people had successfully passed all the trials.

After passing the trial, the crucial moment arrived when their placement in a sect would be determined. They were about to enter the Grand Hall where the Sect Leader, Peak Masters, and all the elders were awaiting. There, they might be taken as personal disciples if they caught the attention of somebody, allowing them to take a great leap above the others. Those who were not selected might end up as ordinary inner disciples.

Ordinary inner disciples were still under consideration and wouldn’t be taken as personal disciples for the time being. The peak masters and elders of each peak would personally guide their cultivation, but they would remain ordinary disciples. If they displayed outstanding performance or other special circumstances, they would be formally taken as personal disciples.

The remainder would become outer disciples. Outer disciples were the most basic level of disciples, with the largest number and relatively average treatment. They were mostly responsible for tasks such as cultivating spiritual fields and tending upon medicinal herbs. The most common miscellaneous tasks within the sect were usually assigned to outer disciples.

If an outer disciple wanted to become an inner disciple, they could participate in the annual assessment. Of course, inner disciples also underwent assessments every three years. If their cultivation was lax and they failed the assessment, they would be expelled from the inner sect. The competition was fierce.

…

Inside the Grand Hall, the peak masters and elders closely observed the state of the candidates. Once they passed the second stage, their positions had basically been decided. Of course, for some outstanding talents, a fierce competition would naturally ensue, with lively arguments and discussions. But Yao Jiuxiao remained aloof, his invisible spiritual sense enveloping the examination area, always lingering around his daughter. He didn’t expect that Lu Qingyu would allow her to leave the Devil Realm so quickly, let alone that she would find her way here and cleverly infiltrate the trials.

Yao Jiuxiao didn’t believe that Lu Qingyu would reveal his identity to her. Therefore, everything was deduced by his daughter based on subtle clues. Thinking of this, Yao Jiuxiao’s icy gaze melted slightly, revealing a trace of tenderness. However, his expression suddenly darkened as he overheard his daughter’s words. Lu Qingyu had spoiled her too much! Just thinking about the kind of life his daughter had in the Devil Realm, Yao Jiuxiao silently resolved to properly temper her spoiled nature.

“…”

Something seemed to have crossed his mind, and Yao Jiuxiao’s expression slightly changed. After a moment of contemplation, he stood up and turned to leave.

The people in the Grand Hall noticed his departure. “It seems that the East Ninth Peak won’t be accepting anyone this year,” an elder sighed.

“Is His Venerable getting a Dao companion?” If the house wasn’t meant for taking disciples, then was it for a Dao companion?

They looked towards Lu Chongyun—

“Sect Leader, it’s not right to keep such a big matter from us!”

“You should know who His Venerable’s Dao companion is, Sect Leader.”

“Sect Leader, you are the person closest to His Venerable. He wouldn’t hide it from you…”

“Sect Leader…”

While still staring blankly at Yao Jiuxiao’s departure, Lu Chongyun was bombarded with questions.

Lu Chongyun: “…” He didn’t know more than they did, so what could he say?

“The new disciples are about to enter the hall, and you have time to gossip?” He frowned.

“…” It depends on whose gossip it is — the crowd whispered in their hearts.

However, they eventually shifted their attention back to today’s main event.

In the projection, all the candidates had crossed the lake, and Lu Chongyun waved his sleeve, causing the projection to disappear.

“I wonder if the child who caused the vision eighteen years ago is among this batch of new disciples,” Peak Master Miao suddenly spoke. There were several special candidates among this batch of new disciples. There was one with mutated wooden spirit root who was born on the same day as the vision appeared, one who passed the assessment without possessing spiritual roots, and one with a bone age of only four or five but claimed to be eighteen years old, yet the result of her trial surpassed that of His Venerable despite possessing only five spiritual roots.

There had never been such a situation before. There were even some years where no single-attribute candidate appeared. In contrast, there were many special children this time, and plenty of other outstanding talents.

Lu Chongyun replied solemnly, “Proceed with caution.”

The entire Cultivation Realm had been searching for the child who caused the vision for so many years, but even the best divinators failed to pinpoint their whereabouts. What more could they do? They had done everything they could. If the child was truly recruited into the sect, they would know sooner or later.

While they were chatting, Lu Junyang had arrived at the entrance of the Grand Hall to report that he was bringing the new disciples inside.

Lu Chongyun stroked his beard, looked at his elegant and refined disciple, and nodded in satisfaction. “Come in.”

Row after row of new disciples entered the Grand Hall in an orderly manner, standing in a square formation and greeting in unison. In the front row, You Huahai stood tall and proud, full of confidence. He was the only one with a mutated single spirit root and had such a legendary birth. He was undoubtedly the hot commodity that all the elders were competing for! He waited to be the first one called on stage.

“Lu Yaoyao.”

A deep voice rang out, and You Huahai, brimming with self-assurance, was about to step forward.

His right foot hadn’t touched the ground yet when suddenly his expression froze. He seemed to have misheard.

Who? Lu Yaoyao? Who was that?

He, the one whose birth caused such a sensational vision, the one with the highest aptitude as a mutated wooden spirit root — how could he not be the first one to be called on stage?!

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Author’s note:

Yao Jiuxiao: If the Cultivation Realm finds out that she’s his daughter, won’t she become more arrogant? Unacceptable!

Lu Yaoyao: I miss Father…

Yao Jiuxiao: Father’s here-

Author: In fact, he is the one who spoils her the most haha.

Translator’s Note: