Chapter 1722: Internal Selection Rules

Before Li Yan stepped into the stone chamber, six people were gathered a few fathoms away from the Ming sisters, communicating via voice transmission while occasionally glancing at specific points.

“…So this time, at least five of us must enter the Core Elite ranks. At most, only one is allowed to fail.”

A voice echoed in the hearts of the five. the speaker was also a youth in white. His long, black hair had a lustrous quality, tied loosely behind his head, allowing the dark locks to spill over his back. His face was like carved jade, his eyes like bright stars, and his expression was gentle. He was a picture-perfect image of a refined, peerless noble. Compared to him, Li Yan looked quite plain. The white robes on the youth’s frame, combined with his fluttering hair, gave him an air of someone about to transcend and ascend with the wind.

This group consisted of five men and one woman, each possessing an extraordinary bearing. The sole woman appeared to be around twenty-one or twenty-two. Her brows were like crescent moons, and her eyes were as clear as lake water. She was tall and slender, moving like a willow in the breeze. Her beauty was in no way inferior to the Ming sisters. Her lake-like eyes frequently fixed on the youth in white, filled with deep affection.

All six were Spirit Transformation cultivators, with the lowest being at the mid-stage.

“That is natural. Junior Brother Yan needn’t worry. Though there are only ten slots, they will only go to others after we have taken our pick.”

“Hmph, that is how it should be!”

“If ten of our people had come, these others would just be here for the ride…”

One transmission after another rang in their minds.

When Li Yan walked in, many eyes turned to the door. Li Yan scanned the room quickly, his expression unchanged. He paused for a heartbeat before walking toward the Ming sisters, as they were smiling and nodding at him.

The cultivators here were male and female, old and young. Some stood alone, speaking to no one. Others sat cross-legged in the corners with their eyes closed, while some whispered in clusters. Li Yan’s arrival earned him only a passing glance from most; he didn’t draw much attention. Even though he walked toward a pair of beautiful sisters, many simply looked once and retracted their gaze. These were not new disciples; knowing other members of the sect was not strange.

Unless one was a lecherous cultivator, seeing a beautiful woman wouldn’t spark wicked thoughts. There were far too many celestial-looking women in the cultivation world. Among the thirty-odd people here, there were seven or eight whose beauty rivaled the Ming sisters, and even the others had their own charms.

“Does anyone recognize this person?” the jade-faced youth’s transmission rang out in the minds of his five companions. They had already communicated secretly about everyone in the room to identify strong competitors who might cause trouble. So far, they had identified three: two Spirit Transformation cultivators and a Nascent Soul elder. They had files on all three, each of whom was a high-level Alchemist with a great chance of becoming an Alchemy Grandmaster.

“An unfamiliar face. I don’t know him,” said a short, middle-aged man who was responsible for gathering preliminary information.

“I know him. His name is Li Yan. He advanced to Yellow-rank Alchemist only six months ago. He joined the sect two years after us!” A voice as melodious as an oriole’s rang out—it was the woman with the lake-like eyes. She was also in charge of gathering intel and knew Li Yan’s background.

“Oh? Advanced only six months ago? That means he’s been in the sect for about eight years. It seems his alchemy talent is quite ordinary.” The handsome youth turned his gaze away from Li Yan completely. Such a person wasn’t worth his focus. If he hadn’t been waiting for this Internal Selection, he would have applied for the rank of Yellow-rank Alchemy Grandmaster years ago.

Since joining the sect, he had used various means to gather many followers. The people before him were those he valued, and their intelligence-gathering was reliable. Thus, he didn’t ask why they hadn’t informed him of Li Yan sooner.

They had their own list of potential candidates for the selection, based on the information they gathered daily. They had correctly predicted about sixty percent of the attendees. The remaining forty percent, like this Li Yan who likely got in through a connection, didn’t worry them. Such a person couldn’t make any waves.

“Greetings, fellow Daoists,” Li Yan said, cupping his fists to the Ming sisters. Since they greeted him, he couldn’t ignore them, but he addressed them formally.

“Greetings, Daoist Li!” the sisters said in unison, returning the salute.

“You two arrived quite early. There are some things I am unclear on and wish to ask. Do you know the rules of this Internal Selection?” After the pleasantries, Li Yan asked directly. Since he was here, the question wasn’t a secret.

“Daoist Li doesn’t know the rules?” Ming Qi looked confused. Everyone coming for the selection had been briefed on the rules and had heard accounts of past selections.

“I have been in seclusion and only just received the news. I didn’t have time to ask for details,” Li Yan said without blinking.

“I see. We know some, but we don’t know the specific assessment for this time…” Ming Qi nodded, not suspecting a thing. She thought to herself, ‘No wonder I couldn’t find any news about you…’

She then relayed some information. The sisters weren’t close to Li Yan, but he had indeed helped them. Although his motive had been self-preservation, they had fought together. Moreover, they wanted to learn something about him as well…

Soon, Li Yan learned the rules of the Internal Selection. First, only the top ten finishers would be permitted to join the Core Elites. Second, to maintain a certain standard, the assessments were not divided by realm; Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation cultivators were tested together. Third, the assessment would begin today at the Hour of the Snake (TN: 9 AM to 11 AM) and would last for three days.

While everyone was minding their own business, footsteps echoed from the entrance. Two figures appeared. Everyone looked up to see two people walking in side-by-side. They weren’t wearing sect uniforms. On the right was a plump old woman with striking silver hair. Though her face showed the marks of age, her skin was quite ruddy and her eyes were very bright. She wore a loose, comfortable black robe and carried a staff with a slight, textured luster.

To the left was a middle-aged man, standing a full head and a half taller than the old woman. He had a square face and a very serious expression, his lips pressed tight as he walked with a dragon-like stride. Their appearance silenced the room instantly, as everyone sensed the powerful auras and invisible pressure emanating from them.

‘Mid and late-stage Void Refining!’

The three including Li Yan stopped talking immediately. Li Yan judged their cultivation with a glance. The old woman was weaker than the man but still exceptionally powerful. The two walked straight through the crowd, which parted automatically, toward the platform at the back. They sat down and looked at the group below.

Everyone instinctively gathered before the platform, forming an orderly line.

“Mm, everyone is here,” the old woman said, confirming the count with a glance. She nodded slightly. They had arrived right on time, and the group below was punctual and not overly loose, which satisfied them.

“I am Elder Liu of the Purple Qi Hall. This is Deacon Li of the Law Enforcement Hall. I will preside over this assessment, and the results will be determined by both of us. During this process, Deacon Li will strictly monitor the fairness of every stage. Any violation of the rules will be dealt with by him. At the end of the assessment, the final ten selected disciples will be verified by Deacon Li. If he and I disagree, the details will be sent to the Sect Leader for a personal ruling. The entire process will be recorded via audio and video, so you must act according to the rules. Otherwise… the consequence will be more than just a simple punishment!”

Elder Liu’s voice wasn’t loud, but it reached every ear clearly.

‘So the assessment isn’t presided over by the two of them equally; the Law Enforcement Hall is here for monitoring to prevent favoritism. If they disagree, it goes to the Sect Leader. They are incredibly serious about the selection of Core Elite Disciples…’ Li Yan thought. Elder Liu continued.

“The assessment lasts for three days and consists of three stages. each stage lasts one day and one night. Excluding the necessary start and end times, the entire process will conclude on the fourth day. You must manage your own time. This isn’t a rank evaluation where you have ten days to refine a pill. If that is your level, leave now to avoid annoying me. However, since you are here, you should have the qualifications and won’t be that weak…”

Several faces turned pale at her words. She clearly looked down on those who got in through connections. Moreover, a one-day limit for each stage was harsh. This wasn’t a duel; normally, refining a pill could take years or decades.

‘It seems the sect rules have been adjusted again, adding significant pressure…’ many thought. This differed from the intel they had gathered.

“This assessment follows tradition—it is not divided by cultivation realm. The content is the same for all, focusing solely on alchemy. After all three stages, the final ruling will be based on your overall performance. Thus, a mistake in one stage doesn’t mean failure. An alchemist must have a steady heart. To ensure fairness, we will not assign specific rooms. When the first stage begins, you may enter any of the stone doors on either side. Once inside, embed your jade pendant into the matching indentation behind the door. This will activate the room’s formations. Every room is equipped with the same grade of Earth Fire and cauldron: Grade Six Earth Fire and a Void Refining Tripod. There is no difference. Once the pendant is embedded, it cannot be removed. All subsequent stages will be conducted in the room you chose; no changes are permitted…”

Many cultivators, especially the Nascent Soul ones, flushed with excitement. Few had used Grade Five fire, let alone a Void Refining Tripod. Such treasures significantly increased the success rate of refining. Using high-grade fire and cauldrons could provide unique alchemical insights. Even some Spirit Transformation cultivators could afford the tripod but not the rent for Grade Six fire.

The sect’s arrangement was very fair. Not assigning rooms prevented cheating. Simultaneously, it considered the fact that familiarizing oneself with fire and a cauldron took time. By staying in one room, they would only grow more proficient.

“If you possess an Ethereal Flame or your own cauldron, you are not permitted to use them without permission. As I said, everything is being recorded; your every move is being watched…” Elder Liu’s voice was steady. Treasures were part of one’s strength, but Huangqi Valley wanted to see individual ability, not luck.

“The first stage is simple. I will give each of you a pill. It is a fourth-grade pill, matching your rank. That pill is a toxic pill, though not lethal. You must test the poison personally; you may not use demonic beasts or other living creatures. we do not have time to wait for you to observe beast reactions. The task is to neutralize the medicinal properties of this pill! During the process, if you need raw materials for the antidote, you may carve them into a jade slip and place it in the small teleportation array in the room. The sect will provide the materials quickly, but do not expect rare ingredients. This pill doesn’t require them. Therefore, materials will only be provided after our approval. You may request materials multiple times; if an ingredient is not provided, it means your request was rejected. The final test is simple: come to us and feed the toxic pill and your refined antidote—either a pill or a liquid—to a prepared demonic beast. If the poison is neutralized within a hundred breaths, you pass the first stage. Ranking will be determined by the speed of the neutralization.”