The gray-robed old man raised his hand, his expression solemn.
"The first participant to directly obtain a recruitment spot... Chen Ziming."
A low murmur rippled through the plaza. No one was surprised.
Chen Ziming stood proudly, his back straight, thunderous spiritual energy faintly lingering around him.
"The second... Lu Haoran."
More nods followed.
Lu Haoran stepped forward calmly, his demeanor composed, as if this result had been expected all along.
"The third... Zhao Wenjie."
This time, the reaction was louder.
Zhao Wenjie's overwhelming physique and brutal combat style had left a deep impression on everyone present.
After announcing the three names, the gray-robed old man paused briefly before continuing.
"The fourth participant to obtain a direct spot... Meng Yaoyao."
A wave of surprise spread through the crowd, followed quickly by hushed discussions.
Chen Ziming's expression darkened slightly.
The Meng Family and the Chen Family had long been at odds. Seeing Meng Yaoyao stand alongside him was far from pleasant.
Yet, he said nothing.
No matter how unwilling he was to admit it, Meng Yaoyao's strength, especially her terrifying illusion techniques, was undeniable. Even he had to acknowledge that her qualification was well deserved.
The gray-robed old man swept his gaze across the remaining youths.
"The fifth participant to obtain a direct spot..."
The atmosphere in the plaza instantly tightened.
Every remaining participant subconsciously straightened their backs.
"The fifth participant to directly obtain a recruitment spot…"
The gray-robed old man paused.
The plaza fell into dead silence.
Every remaining youth subconsciously straightened their backs, their breathing growing heavier.
Then—
"Han Qixing."
For a brief moment, it was as if time itself froze.
"What?"
"Han Qixing?"
"That brat?"
Murmurs erupted instantly, disbelief spreading like wildfire through the crowd.
Han Xuan's eyes widened.
For the first time since arriving at the plaza, his composure cracked.
As a father, he had prepared himself for many outcomes, but this was not one of them.
Even Han Qixing himself was stunned.
He stood there blankly, instinctively glancing toward his father, as if wondering whether he had heard the name correctly.
He is the youngest participant and has the lowest cultivation base.
Yet… his name had been called.
"I don't agree!"
A sharp voice broke the silence.
A youth stepped forward from the crowd. Judging from the thunder-patterned trim on his robe, he was clearly a member of the Chen Family.
"Senior," He said with restrained indignation, "How can someone with the lowest cultivation base here deserve a direct spot?"
A faint hush fell over the plaza.
The gray-robed old man turned his gaze toward the speaker. His expression remained calm, but an invisible pressure spread subtly. He said evenly, "This decision was made after a comprehensive evaluation of performance, not merely cultivation base."
He lifted a finger.
"First, Han Qixing defeated an opponent with a higher cultivation base in less than five minutes."
A second finger rose.
"Second, his victory was achieved through precise control of spiritual energy, excellent combat awareness, and decisive execution. There was no hesitation, no panic."
A third finger.
"Third, unlike most of you, he did not rely on high-grade spiritual weapons, excessive talismans, or family resources to overwhelm his opponent."
His gaze swept across the remaining youths.
"You possess higher cultivation bases, yet many of you fought like merchants displaying goods, throwing talismans, activating treasures, and exhausting resources until victory was forced."
The plaza grew uncomfortably quiet.
"In contrast," The gray-robed old man continued, "Han Qixing relied primarily on his own judgment, technique, and timing. That is true combat potential."
He concluded calmly, "If such a performance does not merit a direct spot, then this recruitment would be meaningless."
The Chen Family youth's face flushed red. He clenched his fists, then lowered his head, "…This junior understands."
Though dissatisfaction still lingered in his heart, he no longer dared to argue.
The gray-robed old man turned back toward the crowd. He said, "Those who were selected earned their positions fairly. If anyone still disagrees—prove it in the next stage."
No one spoke again.
The decision stood firm.
"Now," The gray-robed old man announced, his voice echoing across the plaza, "Let us begin the last round."
On the sidelines, Wang Dazhu turned to Han Xuan, his expression a mix of envy and sincerity. He said, "Congratulations, Brother Han, your son is truly a genius. He'll definitely enter a sect this time."
Han Xuan smiled wryly and shook his head, "Brother Wang, as you said earlier, it's still too early to congratulate. This isn't the main event of the Hundred Sects Recruitment yet. Let's talk again after he passes the main selection."
"Even so," Wang Dazhu insisted, "I still congratulate you in advance. With your son's talent, even if he fails to enter a first-rate sect, joining a second- or third-rate sect will be no problem."
Han Xuan raised an eyebrow, "You seem quite knowledgeable about sect classifications, Brother Wang."
Wang Dazhu chuckled softly, then sighed, "Brother Han may not know this, but in the past, I was rather obsessed with joining a sect myself. Unfortunately, I never even made it into the main event of the Hundred Sects Recruitment."
He paused, his gaze drifting before he continued, "Still, I researched quite a bit."
"Sects are generally divided into three categories. Third-rate sects are the weakest, usually supported by fewer than three Core Formation cultivators. Second-rate sects are mid-tier, led by more than three Core Formation cultivators. As for first-rate sects…" Wang Dazhu's voice lowered slightly, "They are overseen by at least one Nascent Soul cultivator."
"I see," Han Xuan said thoughtfully, cupping his hands, "I didn't know that. Thank you for informing me, Brother Wang."
Wang Dazhu waved his hand, "It's not exactly a secret. Anyone willing to dig a little can learn this."
After a brief hesitation, Han Xuan asked, "Then… do you know which category the Clearsky Sect belongs to?"
"As far as I know," Wang Dazhu replied, "Clearsky Sect is a second-rate sect. Don't be fooled by that label, though. Even as a second-rate sect, it's one of the dominant powers in Azurewood Province. Brother Han, you mustn't look down on it."
Han Xuan smiled faintly, "What qualifications do I have to look down on a behemoth like the Clearsky Sect? In fact, I sincerely hope my son can join it. Among us casual cultivators, the Clearsky Sect has a good reputation. If Xing'er joins, I believe he won't be treated unfairly."
Of course, he kept his true thoughts to himself.
The Clearsky Sect was the ruler of Blueleaf County.
If he and his family wished to live safely in the future, backing from the Clearsky Sect was not optional—it was essential.
"Brother Han speaks wisely," Wang Dazhu said with a nod, "I also hope my son can join the Clearsky Sect. It's close to Blueleaf Town. At least, I could visit him once in a while."
He sighed again, worry filling his eyes, "But let's talk about that after Xiaohu survives this round."
On the plaza, the remaining ten participants stepped forward and drew lots once more.
With that, the second round of the third test officially began.
Wang Xiaohu's luck seemed to finally turn in his favor.
In this round, his opponent was the last remaining Fifth Stage Qi Refining cultivator aside from himself—a young female cultivator from the Lu Family.
Wang Xiaohu recognized her.
In the previous round, she had relied heavily on talismans to overwhelm her opponent.
Her actual combat ability had been serviceable, but far from outstanding.
This time, however, the situation was different.
Whether she had already exhausted most of her talismans, or whether she was constrained by the gray-robed old man's earlier reminder about overreliance on external objects, her performance was clearly weaker.
From the moment the match began, Wang Xiaohu seized the initiative.
Once his body refinement technique was activated, his aura surged, his physique swelling with beastly power. Each step he took cracked the stone beneath his feet, forcing his opponent to retreat again and again.
She attempted to create distance, hastily forming hand seals and activating a low-level defensive talisman, but it shattered under a single heavy blow.
Panic flashed across her face.
Without powerful talismans to rely on, she was no match for Wang Xiaohu's relentless, close-range assault.
The battle ended decisively.
With one final charge, Wang Xiaohu knocked her off balance and slammed her to the ground, forcing her to concede under the pressure.
"The winner... Wang Xiaohu," The gray-robed old man announced calmly.
A quiet stir spread through the crowd.
With that victory, the results were settled.
Wang Xiaohu had become one of the five remaining participants who would head to Starfall City and enter the main event of the Hundred Sects Recruitment.
When Wang Xiaohu returned from the arena, his face was flushed and his breathing unsteady, but the excitement in his eyes could not be concealed.
Han Qixing merely glanced at him.
He did not smile broadly, nor did he show any obvious reaction. However, deep down, he felt a quiet sense of relief.
Wang Xiaohu had obtained a spot.
That was good.
Although they had only known each other for a few days, Wang Xiaohu was the son of his father's friend. More importantly, this meant that when they entered Starfall City, he would not be completely alone.
Han Qixing didn't know what kind of situation he would face in Starfall City later. However, having someone familiar, someone who at least did not harbor hostility, was already a form of advantage.
'If circumstances allow, we can watch each other's backs,' Han Qixing thought calmly.
Then, he shifted his gaze back to the arena.