Li Mu, wearing the uniform attire of a servant disciple from the Qing Xuan Sect, successfully passed the inquiry of the inner city guards and entered Gangyang City's inner city, where purer spiritual energy swept over him.

Everywhere he looked, the majority were outer disciples dressed in the Qing Xuan Sect's outer sect attire.

"Kid, here to participate in the outer disciple examination? Don't wander around, go queue over there!" Li Mu was stopped by an outer disciple, who pointed to a line of servant disciples queuing at a side door.

"Thank you, senior brother, for the guidance!" Li Mu gratefully cupped his hands in thanks and walked to the end of the servant disciple queue, waiting to enter.

"Why are there so many people taking the examination!"

"Wonder how many will pass today, I'm so nervous!"

"What? Wasn't it usually handled by the hunting prep team disciples? Why is it official disciples now?"

"Seems like it's because the prep team disciples suffered heavy losses during their first official hunt, lacking manpower."

"It's over! Official hunting team disciples are in charge of the martial arts test, this exam is impossible to pass!"

...

At the back of the queue, listening to the endless chatter of the nervous servant disciples, Li Mu couldn't help but reminisce about when he used to take driving tests for the second and third phases.

"Line up properly, don't mess around, enter one by one; if you're not ready, leave on your own, don't make it worse for yourself!" The entrance to the examination venue opened, and an elder with the spiritual pressure of a Foundation Establishment appeared at the door, accompanied by two outer disciples maintaining order.

Soon, the line of over a hundred servant disciples began to move forward.

Li Mu entered the examination venue.

A clearing unfolded before his eyes with five martial arts stages, each awaited by an outer disciple at the peak of the Ninth Level of Qi Refining.

"The 123rd round of the outer disciple examination officially begins this year. Let me first explain the examination rules: to advance to an outer disciple, you must pass three tests. The first test: martial arts examination, engage in combat with the defending disciple on the stage, last for thirty breaths to be rated as 'pass'; last for a hundred breaths to be rated as 'average'; last for three hundred breaths to be rated as 'excellent.'" The Foundation Establishment steward surveyed the servant disciples present and explained.

"What if we defeat the stage master?" At this, a voice from the crowd below voiced the common question.

"It's not unheard of; if you manage to defeat the stage master, you're rated as 'outstanding' and automatically pass all three tests, recorded into the disciple token, with a reward of 100 points for sect contribution." The Foundation Establishment steward elder explained with a smile.

After a pause, the Foundation Establishment steward continued the introduction: "The second test, skill test: assesses mastery of the Hundred Cultivation Arts, Talisman Maker: assess talisman making skill, Alchemist: assess alchemy skill, ..., the sect does not sustain the useless. Even if you're on the path of a Hunter Cultivator, you must be tested in skills such as skinning, bone extraction, trap setting, and Demon Beast tracking."

"The third test, Heart Inquiry test, requires you to enter an illusion array to undergo the Heart Inquiry of the Dao."

"Outer disciples have one examination opportunity every three years. If you feel you are not ready, I advise you to leave and return when prepared. If determined to take the exam, proceed to register now." The Foundation Establishment steward elder finished explaining the examination content and gestured towards the registration area beside him.

As the Foundation Establishment steward elder finished speaking, the attending servant disciples hesitated, their eyes on the peak Qi Refining Ninth Layer stage masters; many withdrew.

"I register, servant disciple - Tang Youfu, age: 32, Qi Refining Seventh Layer, ..."

"The stage masters are indeed from the official hunting team; that's Senior Brother Pei Yong, I recognize him; there's no way to pass this!"

"Forget it! I'm not ready either; let's try again next year!"

...

Among those registering and those withdrawing, the servant disciples made their choices. Before long, a third of them had left.

Soon, it was Li Mu's turn; he approached the examination disciple responsible for registration: "Servant disciple - Zhao Huai Ren, age 18, cultivation: Early Stage of Qi Refining Seventh Layer, Five Elements Lower-Grade Spirit Root."

As Li Mu reported his age and cultivation, he caught the attention of the Foundation Establishment steward elder, who, upon hearing that his spirit root was a Five Elements Lower-Grade Spirit Root, swiftly diverted his gaze elsewhere.

At 18 years old with cultivation at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, it's quite commendable, standing out among the servant disciples. However, with a Five Elements Lower-Grade Spirit Root, there wasn't much to catch attention with!

"Guan Shiyuan, Platform Number 1, quickly come on stage!"

"Qi Zhongliang, Platform Number 2, quickly come on stage!"

...

An examination disciple read names urgingly, and the called servant disciples quickly took to the stage to confront the stage masters.

After reporting his name, Li Mu received a bronze token with the number 35 inscribed on it, waiting by the stage to be called, while watching the martial exams of other servant disciples.

The servant disciples participating in the outer disciple examination were mostly at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer or Qi Refining Seventh Layer, with rare appearances of Qi Refining Eighth Layer. Against the peak Qi Refining Ninth Layer stage masters, they were almost entirely overpowered.

On the stages, the combatants either engaged in sword control duels or spellcasting clashes, their movements shifting and leaping, "clang-clang...", an intense spectacle.

However, in Li Mu's view, they were just like novice fowl pecking at each other, not nearly as intense as facing a combat puppet.

Li Mu frowned, pondering how to suppress his combat capability and not perform too impressively.

Among the five stage masters on the martial arts stages, none were a match for him in a single exchange; Li Mu only sought the 'skin' of an outer disciple to settle into the sect peacefully for farming, not wanting to stand out and attract other troubles.

"Qin Chengpeng, lasted thirty-five breaths, passed!"

"Bao Jinggui, twenty-seven breaths, eliminated!"

...

Below the stage, a law enforcement disciple continuously reported the examination results.

"Sigh! Missed passing by just two breaths!"

"Haha! That was close, almost didn't pass, ..."

"Stage master number 5 is ferocious, hope I don't draw number 5!"

...

The martial exam was progressing vigorously, with some passing the exams, some failing, others awaiting, ..., the atmosphere at the venue tense and intense.

"Zhao Huai Ren, Platform Number 5, Zhao Huai Ren, quickly come on stage!" The examination disciple with the list called out, searching for him among the servant disciples.

"Coming! Coming!" It took Li Mu a moment to react that he was being called, and he hurried towards Platform Number 5.

"Haha! That kid is really flustered, huh!"

"I bet he won't last three moves before being knocked off the stage!"

"Still getting distracted at this time, impressive!"

...

Seeing this scene, the surrounding servant disciples laughed gloatingly.

"What's so funny? He's only eighteen and already at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer." At this moment, the only female servant disciple present stood up for him.

With her words, the mocking expressions on the surrounding servant disciples vanished.

The words struck a chord!

Many of the Qi Refining Sixth Layer servant disciples were in their thirties, yet none had a cultivation as high as this eighteen-year-old; it truly was comparing people that exasperated them!

Platform Number 5

"Senior brother, hello, please instruct me!" Li Mu took out a Tier One Profound Iron Sword from his storage bag, saluted, and indicated.

"Hmm! You attack first!" The defending disciple held his sword and gestured.

Li Mu nodded, holding the sword in his right hand, while his left hand formed a gesture, with two fingers together, he ran them along the Profound Iron Sword and pointed forward.

With a "whoosh", the Profound Iron Sword shot out and flew towards the stage master, Fan Shaoyang, two yards away.

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