48: Opening a new sect and accepting apprentices!

"In one month, the Wending Sect will open its gates to recruit Disciples!"

As soon as this news broke, it spread rapidly across all territories.

Furthermore, the Wending Sect made a bold declaration, aiming to point its sword at the world and Ascend to the Summit of the Cangxuan Realm!

Such arrogant words immediately drew the disdain, abuse, and ridicule of countless major Sects!

But... many people who had not yet joined a Sect, including some Loose Cultivators who had been wandering for years, were absolutely thrilled!

That was the Wending Sect, after all—a place with a Peak Great Emperor presiding over it, a force that kept the entire Eastern Domain pinned down!

Moreover... the current Wending Sect only had about twenty people, and only three of them were Disciples!

As long as one joined the Wending Sect, they would be among the highest-ranking Disciples. In the future, provided they weren't expelled, they could easily secure a middle-management position based on seniority alone. Life would be incredibly comfortable!

In other major Sects, the ranks of Disciples were already overcrowded!

Not only was the entry threshold extremely high, but once inside, the competition was fierce. Unless one's talent was among the absolute top tier, life in a major Sect was worse than that of a dog!

"Whoever wants to go can go!"

"Anyway, I'm not going!"

"This is a rare opportunity; I have to hurry to the Wending Sect to claim a spot!"

"I am the Child of Destiny; I just lack an opportunity!"

"Whether I can turn my life around depends on this one chance!"

"Mother, I will definitely be chosen!"

"..."

Countless young people, harboring similar thoughts, flocked toward the Wending Sect.

There were even many elderly men, leaning on canes and walking tremulously, hoping to gamble on a Heaven-Defying chance to change their fate before they died.

What if?

Some even went so far as to spend their entire family savings to buy tickets on territorial warships, traveling from other domains from afar.

They were all heading toward a grand assembly.

A month passed in a flash.

A sea of people gathered before the Wending Sect's mountain gate, numbering in the hundreds of thousands—even more bustling than the previous Eastern Domain Disciple Recruitment Assembly.

"So many people have come!"

Su Muhuang's eyes widened in disbelief.

When Lin Chen wanted to accept her as a Personal Disciple before, she had been hesitant. Seeing this scene now, she realized she had gotten an incredible bargain.

"Junior Sister, come and help."

Shi Tian and Xiao Bufan were both incredibly busy.

Because there were simply too many people participating in the tests, Fang Hong had to borrow manpower from the Ancient Moon Tower to barely manage.

Dong, dong, dong—

The melodious sound of a bell echoed out from the Sect Protecting Grand Array in the rear mountain.

After three rings, Fang Hong stood on a high platform, his voice booming like a great bell: "I am Fang Hong, the Chief Outer Sect Elder of the Wending Sect! I declare that the Wending Sect Disciple Recruitment Assembly has officially begun!"

As his voice fell, the crowd began to line up for the assessments.

Although the System required the recruitment of at least three thousand Disciples, Lin Chen had spoken: the standards must not be lowered in the slightest.

There were ten rounds of assessments in total.

They included talent, Comprehension Ability, intelligence, Heart-Nature, Dao Heart, character... "This is too difficult!"

"It's even harder than the Heavenly Sword Sect!"

As soon as the rules were announced, complaints immediately arose.

"If you don't want to participate in the assessment, you can leave right now!"

A Peak Tribulation Crossing Realm Outer Sect Elder of the Wending Sect shouted sternly.

He didn't indulge them at all!

"...I, I'll participate."

That person's face instantly flushed red as he muttered his response.

The others who were about to complain immediately shut their mouths upon seeing this.

The assessments proceeded in full swing... Due to the sheer number of people, the process lasted for over three months.

The difficulty of each individual round wasn't excessively high, but after being filtered round by round, by the final stage, not even one in a hundred remained.

Those who successfully passed the assessment were so moved that their faces were covered in tears.

Some who were eliminated only in the final round felt as if they had been struck by lightning, sitting blankly on the ground without moving for a long time.

Many who were eliminated in the earlier rounds knelt and cried, begging the Wending Sect to take them in!

They claimed they would have no complaints even if they were just Utility Disciples!

But... rules were rules, and they would never be broken just because someone was pitiful... "Reporting to the Sect Master!"

"The recruitment assembly has concluded. We have recruited a total of two hundred Inner Sect Disciples, eight hundred Outer Sect Disciples, and two thousand three hundred Utility Disciples!"

"Additionally, I took the liberty of recruiting several experts."

"Among them are some in the Mahayana Realm, whom I have appointed as Outer Sect Elders."

"Those at the Tribulation Crossing Realm have been made managers."

Fang Hong handed over a register.

Lin Chen nodded and took a look; two names on the register lit up.

Interesting.

One was named Lu Zhiming, a Reincarnation of a Great Emperor with talent that left everyone in the dust.

The other was named Ye Feng, possessing the Extreme Yang Immortal Body. He had occasionally come across a small bottle containing the remnant soul of a Supreme Realm expert.

Both were in the Golden Core Realm. While their talent couldn't compare to the three Personal Disciples of the Wending Sect, they would certainly be qualified to be the Saint of any top-tier Sect in the outside world.

"Give these two some special care."

Hmm?

These two... didn't seem to have anything particularly special about them!

Their talent was merely slightly better, placing them at a medium level among the Inner Sect Disciples.

Why give them special care?

"Yes!"

Fang Hong didn't ask further questions.

If the Sect Master did this, he naturally had his reasons.

At this moment, the System's voice rang out—

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for completing the mountain-opening recruitment mission!]

[Reward obtained: Wen Ding Immortal Art x1]

[Wen Ding Immortal Art: An exclusive immortal cultivation art for the Wending Sect. Cultivation speed is incredibly fast, and it provides a solid Foundation that crushes peers!]

...[Reward obtained: Wen Ding Sword Technique]

[Wen Ding Sword Technique: An exclusive Divine Ability of the Wending Sect, capable of increasing combat power by up to two times!]

...[Reward obtained: Elementary Immortal Sect Upgrade Card x1]

[Level 1 Immortal Sect Upgrade Card: Can upgrade the Sect to an Elementary Sect. One-click upgrade, safe and painless!]

...[Rewards obtained: Various Spirit Stones, Magic Treasures, Medicinal Pills...]

...Hmm?

The rewards this time are quite good!

With the Wen Ding Immortal Art and the Wen Ding Sword Technique, the cultivation and strength of the Sect's Disciples could be improved in a very short time!

But what interested him more was that Elementary Immortal Sect Upgrade Card!

Could it be that even though the Wending Sect was so prosperous now, it didn't even count as an Elementary Immortal Sect?

[Friendly Reminder: When using the Elementary Immortal Sect Upgrade Card, all members must leave the Sect and move at least a hundred thousand miles away; otherwise, it may cause irreversible damage to them!]

Hmm?

A hundred thousand miles away?

Isn't that a bit too far!

However, since the System said so, it naturally had its reasons.

Lin Chen handed the Wen Ding Immortal Art and the Wen Ding Sword Technique to Fang Hong, telling him to distribute and teach them to the Disciples.

Then he said: "Notify all members to evacuate to a hundred thousand miles away immediately."

"Everyone?"

"Yes, everyone! If they won't walk, carry them out!"

"Yes!"

Fang Hong left.

A moment later, Lin Chen received a transmission from the Old Ancestor: "Sect Master, has something major happened? Do you need this old man to take action?"

"It's nothing. Old Ancestor, please feel free to evacuate. This Sect Master is about to perform a great Divine Ability!"

"If you all stay here, I won't be able to go all out."

Lin Chen replied with a smile.

"Good."

The Old Ancestor didn't say much more.

Once Fang Hong had gathered everyone, the Old Ancestor waved his hand. Everyone in the Wending Sect felt their vision blur.

When they opened their eyes again, they were already a hundred thousand miles away.

Looking back at the Wending Sect, it had become a small black dot.

For low-level Cultivators like those in the Foundation Establishment or Golden Core Realm, a hundred thousand miles was an unreachable distance that would take months to travel.

But for the Old Ancestor, it was just a moment's work.

"What is the Sect Master trying to do?"

"Who knows?"

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask!"

Everyone's hearts were filled with doubt.

Meanwhile, back at the Wending Sect, Lin Chen waited until everyone had evacuated to a safe position, then shouted with an excited heart: "System, use the Elementary Sect Upgrade Card—"