Chapter 1102: Chapter 1102: Recruiting Fifth Generation Disciples

New Year’s Eve.

Misty Sect is already adorned with lanterns and streamers.

Disciples are returning from various places, some wrapping festive candies, some preparing ingredients, some decorating the Sect Main Plaza, and others getting their new clothes ready for the New Year.

Within the Sect, the atmosphere is brand new.

Ye Feng stands at the peak, looking down at the bustling disciples within the Sect and nods with satisfaction.

“Aiyah!”

“I almost forgot!”

“Mo Ying and the others are still in the Void Realm.”

Ye Feng slaps his forehead and disappears from where he stands.

Void Realm.

Tomb of Jiannan Yi.

“My disciple, your half-year of arduous cultivation has brought rapid progress, and although you haven’t fully inherited my mantle, you’re not far off. Your combat power should be able to reach the Eight-star Pinnacle.”

“Once you’ve fully inherited my mantle, your combat power can step into the extremely high domain of the Nine-star Pinnacle. But whether you can be invincible at the same rank is up to your own destiny.”

“Being invincible at the same rank is something you can meet but not seek!”

Jiannan Yi, sitting on the grave, spoke thus.

Even if Jiannan Yi was invincible at his rank, it was not only because of his Ultimate Fast Sword.

After learning the Ultimate Fast Sword, Mo Ying’s combat power could reach Nine-star, but she couldn’t be invincible at the same rank.

To surpass the Nine-star Pinnacle, one must rely on relentless personal efforts and the right opportunities.

“Disciple understands!”

Mo Ying performs the sword salute.

Whoosh!

A figure appears out of nowhere, Ye Feng arriving from Misty Sect with Wang Ping’an, Huo Yunjie, and other Misty Sect disciples following him.

“New Year’s Eve, it’s time to go back for the festivities.”

Ye Feng says.

Mo Ying is startled: “So soon?”

“Of course, today, unless one is in life-and-death seclusion, everyone should go back for the New Year! Such days will become less and less in the future,” Ye Feng said.

This was not nonsense.

As cultivators reach the middle and later stages with high levels of cultivation, it’s easy to go into seclusion for hundreds or thousands of years.

At that time, it’s hard to gather everyone for the New Year.

Therefore, Ye Feng decided that in the early years of the Sect’s development, he would strive to have everyone return to the Sect for the New Year, establishing a habit and tradition to be passed down from generation to generation.

“Ye Feng my friend, long time no see! Did you bring me any liquor this time?” Seeing Ye Feng, Jiannan Yi’s face is filled with a smile, eager to drink the Dragonfolk Clan medicinal liquor.

“Yes,” Ye Feng replies.

With a wave of his hand, a large jar of liquor is placed in front of the grave.

“Great liquor!” Jiannan Yi is overjoyed.

“This liquor, I offer to you!” Ye Feng pours the entire jar in front of the grave, turning it into a mist that can be absorbed by the Heroic Spirits as a form of tribute.

Jiannan Yi starts drinking directly, his face full of satisfaction.

Not long after.

Ye Feng bids farewell to Jiannan Yi, leading all disciples back to Misty Sect, ready to joyfully celebrate the New Year.

Under the night sky.

Sect Main Plaza.

Nearly thirty thousand people, including Elders, Spiritual Beasts, Stewards, and Disciples, are all seated in an orderly fashion.

Even the Empress Que Yue and Goddess of War Que Qiong from Divine Spirit Ancient Country have arrived, sitting next to Ye Feng in the VIP area.

“The Dragonfolk Clan medicinal liquor is really good!” The Goddess of War consumed a large jar, her face flushed.

Mad Drunkard sees this and is taken aback, gives a thumbs up, and says, “The Goddess of War is truly a valiant drinker among drinkers!”

“Cheers!”

Everyone is raising their glasses and toasting, eat if it’s time to eat, drink if it’s time to drink, the joyous atmosphere of the New Year’s Eve dinner is perfectly enhanced.

At the seats.

Ye Feng looks up at the sky and sees that midnight has passed, officially entering the new year, and he can’t help but look forward to it.

[Ding! The new year has arrived, congratulations to the Sect Leader for unlocking the privilege to recruit Fifth Generation Disciples, wishing you a Happy New Year!]

[Ding! New Year’s blessings, awarding a New Year’s gift to all Sect members.]

System prompts ring out one after another.

The next moment.

Countless flower-shaped gift packages descend from the sky, landing in front of every person and Spiritual Beast, including the guests from the Divine Spirit Ancient Country like the Empress and the Goddess of War.

“This is a little token of appreciation from me, the Sect Leader.”

“Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!”

Ye Feng announced with a booming laugh.

The attendees opened their gifts to find a wide variety of items inside.

Some received candies, others found origami cranes filled with well wishes, and some received mystical elixirs; in short, they were all gifts that the disciples commonly yearned for.

“Thank you, Sect Leader!”

Everyone immediately stood up and thanked him with a bow.

…

The New Year’s banquet continued until the late night when everyone started leaving one after another, contemplating their plans for the new year and setting new goals.

“This year’s goal is to accomplish last year’s goals!” Some disciples declared.

“My goal this year is to get married!” stated some of the older disciples.

“Marry? I’m going to marry ten!”

“Ten? You’re really something!”

The disciples teased each other, gradually dispersing back to their rooms for a good night’s sleep.

On the third day of the New Year.

A piece of explosive news spread.

Misty Sect planned to recruit 5,000 disciples on the seventh day of the New Year.

In no time, the entire Shenzhou was abuzz with excitement.

Countless talented youths, invigorated by the news, rushed towards Misty Sect from their families, imperial cities, and ancestral lands as fast as they could.

On the seventh day of the New Year.

In front of Misty Sect’s Main Plaza, 3.6 million cultivators, aged between fifteen and twenty and who had at least reached the Element Gathering Realm, had already gathered.

The weakest among them was at the third level of the Element Gathering Realm.

The strongest had reached the eighth level of the Spirit Sea Realm!

“My goodness!”

“Isn’t the total number of candidates for this assessment a bit too large?”

“I heard that Misty Sect is aiming to become a Five-Star Force, so they’re recruiting 5,000 Fifth Generation Disciples this time, with the minimum requirement being the Element Gathering Realm.”

“No wonder they usually only recruit a thousand, but this time they’re recruiting so many – it turns out they’re aiming for Five-Star Forces.”

The cultivators present were all abuzz with discussion.

In addition to the 3.6 million talented young individuals selected by the Fate Purple Gold Bell, there were also tens of millions of older cultivators; some were relatives of these young prodigies, others were merely onlookers.

The crowd was filled with murmurs of discussion.

“Silence!”

Three figures descended from the summit of Misty Peak and stood in front of the Main Plaza, revealing their forms.

Leading them, naturally, was Gong Qingqiu.

As she appeared, the aura of a Quasi-Saint spread out, instantly enveloping the entire area.

“Elder Gong has ascended to the Quasi-Saint level!”

“I heard that years ago, she was just an Element Gathering cultivator. It was after joining Misty Sect and becoming an elder that her status rose swiftly to the Quasi-Saint level she’s at today.”

“How envious!”

Gong Qingqiu’s appearance immediately caused a stir.

Besides her stood Shi Lei and Ji Ziling.

“Elder Gong, we are ready,” Shi Lei said respectfully with a bow.

“Mhm,” Gong Qingqiu nodded and addressed the millions of prodigies, announcing:

“We’ll now read out the rules.”

“The entrance examination for the Fifth Generation Disciples is different from the recruiting of Fourth Generation Disciples.”

“See that stone staircase over there?”

Gong Qingqiu pointed towards the stone steps winding up the mountain next to the Sect Main Plaza, leading up into the clouds and ultimately to a grassy field atop Misty Peak, abundant with Spirit Grass.

“This staircase contains various assessment challenges. The first 5,000 to reach the summit will earn a spot in our Misty Sect, successfully becoming Fifth Generation Disciples.”

“The first one to reach will be acknowledged as the First Senior Brother or Senior Sister of the Fifth Generation.”

“Have you all understood?”

Gong Qingqiu asked the millions of prodigies present.

“We understand!”

Someone immediately shouted in response.

“This doesn’t seem right! Doesn’t this clearly favor highly cultivated prodigies?” A Void Break Realm ancestor voiced his confusion, eyes full of puzzlement.

His descendant was also taking part in the assessment, but at a young age was only at the seventh level of the Element Gathering Realm – how could they contend with those at the Spirit Sea Realm?

Such a test was clearly unfair.