Chapter 25: The Three Palaces, Nine Halls, and Seventy-Two Peaks

Chapter 25: The Three Palaces, Nine Halls, and Seventy-Two Peaks

The long blade slashed forward, cleaving through solid obstacles and waves, mustering all its strength to strike fiercely at the drum’s surface.

"Brother Yun, you can do it!" Yang Xuening clenched her fists, brimming with excitement.

Striking the drum five times would earn one the title of Quasi-Sect Heir, a status undoubtedly surpassing that of Core Disciples and even True Disciples. Though she was merely an Outer Sect Disciple, as Ye Yunqi’s woman, she shared in his glory and would reap corresponding benefits.

By then, she would not only gain prestige but also never lack cultivation resources.

Yet when the blade struck the drum’s surface, no sound rang out.

Ye Yunqi was stunned.

"Your fifth strike was delayed by a breath," the Burly Elder immediately declared. "Four strikes—True Disciple. Keep striving, train diligently, and further unlock the potential of your Tidal Bloodline. In time, you may yet earn the title of Quasi-Sect Heir."

Ye Yunqi’s expression darkened, his face twisting with unwillingness.

So close!

Just a fraction of a second more, and he could have struck the drum five times, directly ascending to Quasi-Sect Heir.

Yang Xuening was equally resentful.

But regardless, the outcome was final—Ye Yunqi couldn’t try again.

The assessment continued. Among the hundreds of Dao Academies, Ye Yunqi remained the only prodigy to strike the drum four times, drawing countless gazes.

One after another, Li Xinyue stepped forward.

She advanced swiftly, leaping into the air as her sword left its sheath in an instant, transforming into streaks of sword shadows that pierced through the air.

With a resounding boom, Li Xinyue was repelled by the drum’s rebound force, crashing to the ground—only to surge back up, her sword shadows striking again.

This time, nine sword shadows linked in succession.

Dong!

Two strikes—Inner Sect Disciple.

Chen Feng couldn’t help but smile, genuinely happy for Li Xinyue.

Li Xinyue wasn’t born with an Innate Divine Peculiarity, so achieving two strikes was indeed commendable.

Finally, it was Chen Feng’s turn.

Countless eyes immediately locked onto him.

Many recognized him as the one who had once stood against Ye Yunqi with blade and sword. Now that Ye Yunqi had struck the drum four times and become a True Disciple, what of Chen Feng?

"Chen Feng, you’ll surely rise to a higher disciple rank," Li Xinyue silently cheered.

Gazing at the massive Huntian Drum, Chen Feng took deep, measured breaths as his refined and potent energy surged through him. His steps grew faster and faster.

Illusory shadows emerged—nine of them, linked in succession.

Chen Feng appeared directly before the Huntian Drum, his sword flashing out of its sheath in a sweeping arc aimed straight at the drum’s surface.

Dong!

A deafening roar pierced through eardrums and assaulted minds. At the same time, an overwhelming rebound force crashed into Chen Feng, shaking his energy to the brink of collapse.

Yet through relentless training, his energy had grown purer and more condensed, allowing him to withstand the Huntian Drum’s rebound.

Using the force to pivot, Chen Feng unleashed a second sword strike.

Dong!

Two strikes.

Yang Xuening’s face instantly twisted in fury.

She had scorned Chen Feng as trash, believing him incapable of providing her with resources, and had cast him aside to cling to Ye Yunqi’s lofty status—all to become a disciple of the Huntian Sect.

But her own talent was mediocre, her foundation weak. She had only managed one strike, barely qualifying as an Outer Sect Disciple.

Now, the "trash" she had dismissed had struck the drum twice. It was unbearable.

"The rebound force was at least thirty percent stronger."

Chen Feng's expression shifted slightly as the Rebound Force, stronger than before, sent violent tremors through his body, dispersing half his strength. He swiftly retreated three meters, landing firmly before gathering his energy once more and surging forward again.

Nine Sword Shadows tore through the air in a horizontal slash.

Boom!

"Excellent!" Li Xinyue clenched her fists in excitement.

Yang Xuening's face turned ashen, while a flicker of astonishment flashed in Ye Yunqi's eyes.

Once again, Chen Feng had defied expectations.

The third wave of Rebound Force crashed toward him, and Chen Feng's expression darkened. "The Rebound Force has increased by at least fifty percent!"

Without hesitation, Chen Feng unleashed his full power. The ten sword shadows instantly merged into a single, dazzling blade of light, striking forward with overwhelming force. It pierced through the formidable Rebound Force and slammed directly into the drum's surface.

Boom!

The fourth drumbeat resounded, leaving tens of thousands of Dao Academy disciples utterly stunned.

Yang Xuening looked as if she had suffered a devastating loss.

Ye Yunqi's expression twisted in shock, his mind filled with bewilderment.

Jin Hongdang's beady eyes widened to their limits.

"The Rebound Force has doubled again!"

Chen Feng's face paled as the terrifying, flood-like force struck him, scattering the last remnants of his strength. He struggled to regroup immediately.

"Striking the drum four times qualifies you as a True Disciple," the Burly Elder declared, his tiger-like eyes gleaming as if trying to see through Chen Feng. "Though you lack Innate Divine Peculiarity, your swordsmanship is exceptional—likely due to remarkable comprehension."

"Chen Feng, congratulations!" Li Xinyue said joyfully, her excitement for his achievement even greater than her own upon becoming an Inner Sect Disciple.

"Same to you, Sister Yue," Chen Feng replied with a smile.

Yang Xuening nearly ground her teeth to dust.

Hatred!

The better Chen Feng performed, the more it gnawed at her.

"You truly continue to surprise me," Ye Yunqi said, staring at Chen Feng from a few meters away, his tone now laced with gravity. "But do you really think becoming a True Disciple means you can rest easy? How naive. I'll make sure you understand—even among True Disciples, there are still hierarchies."

"I told you before—the humiliation you dealt me that day will be repaid tenfold. Just wait and see," Chen Feng responded coolly, his gaze razor-sharp.

Ye Yunqi answered with a disdainful sneer.

After a long period, the assessment for tens of thousands of disciples from hundreds of Dao Academies finally concluded.

As expected, Jin Hongdang—revealed to possess Innate Divine Peculiarity—struck the drum three times, earning the title of Core Disciple.

"Out of 48,000 participants, 43,000 failed to strike the drum even once," the Burly Elder announced, his voice firm as his gaze swept across the crowd. "You may choose to enter Huntian City or serve as laborers in the Huntian Sect for three years. After that period, you may either leave or attempt the assessment again."

Chen Feng and the others were stunned.

Only 5,000 out of 48,000 had passed—such a low ratio.

But recalling the Combat Hall Elder's earlier words—one in ten, or even one in twenty—it seemed some Dao Academies had higher pass rates. Otherwise, at a ratio of one in twenty, even fewer would have succeeded.

"4,000 struck the drum once and are now Outer Sect Disciples. Outer Sect stewards, step forward and guide them to their quarters."

"Yes!" Immediately, gray-robed figures rushed forward to lead the way.

"930 struck the drum twice and are now Inner Sect Disciples. Inner Sect stewards, escort them to the inner sect."

"Yes!" Black-robed figures swiftly arrived to take charge.

"Sixty-eight individuals struck the drum three times, earning the title of Core Disciples, while two struck it four times, becoming True Disciples," the Burly Elder announced with a faint smile.

Outer Sect Disciples merely filled the ranks, with very few ever rising to prominence.

Inner Sect Disciples had a better chance of advancement, but even that was only relatively better.

Only Core Disciples and True Disciples, provided they did not meet an untimely end, stood a great chance of becoming the mainstays or even pillars of the sect.

"The Three Palaces, Nine Halls, and Seventy-Two Peaks should already be aware of the assessment results. Each may now select their disciples."

As the Burly Elder's voice faded, divine radiance surged from all directions, illuminating the heavens and filling the void. A majestic and vast aura spread across the world as figures descended, their overwhelming pressure sweeping through the surroundings.

Seventy-one figures appeared in total.

"Will the Three Palaces and Nine Halls not send anyone? Only seventy-one of the Seventy-Two Peaks have arrived," the Burly Elder remarked, scanning the crowd. "In that case, the seventy-one peaks may now choose their preferred disciples. Those selected have the right to refuse. Since the number of disciples is fewer than seventy-two, each peak may select at most one."

Though the exact implications were unclear, the gathered Core Disciples and True Disciples vaguely understood that this was a rare opportunity for them.

"True Disciple Ye Yunqi, you possess the Tidal Bloodline and should join our Hanhai Peak. Hanhai Peak is one of the Twelve Upper Peaks. Come to us, and we will grant you 10,000 Contribution Points, along with a Transcendent Realm elder to take you as a disciple. Your bloodline will have the chance to further evolve into a Saint-Level Bloodline," declared a figure wreathed in divine light that surged like tidal waves, his voice rising and falling like the tides, carrying unfathomable authority.

"Hmph, is my Tianlan Peak not one of the Twelve Upper Peaks? Can we not facilitate the evolution of the Tidal Bloodline?" a second figure sneered. "And what use is 10,000 Contribution Points? Come to Tianlan Peak, and we will also assign you a Transcendent Realm elder as your mentor. As for the resources needed for your bloodline's evolution, our peak can provide half."

One after another, representatives from various peaks voiced their offers, competing fiercely for Ye Yunqi and laying out their conditions, leaving the Core Disciples watching in envy.

"Ye Yunqi, I am your great-uncle, representing Tiancang Peak of the Twelve Upper Peaks," another figure spoke.

Chen Feng noticed that twelve peaks were vying for Ye Yunqi, while the remaining peaks seemed unmoved.

"The Twelve Upper Peaks?" Chen Feng pondered. "Are the other sixty peaks inferior?"

"I choose Tiancang Peak," Ye Yunqi declared after sweeping his gaze across the crowd, finally settling on the figure who had called himself his great-uncle.

"I wonder which peak will choose me?" Chen Feng thought, a mix of nervousness and anticipation rising within him.