"What are the events in the election?" Chen Xuan asked.

"There are three stages in the election. The first two stages you've already passed. The first stage requires participants to be under eighteen years old and have a minimum true strength of at least Seventh Rank. You meet these conditions. The second stage is a trial where everyone battles puppets of their own level. Only by defeating the opponent can you pass the second stage. You should have no problem with this."

"The so-called puppets are wooden figures made by the sect itself, with strengths mostly between Seventh and Ninth Rank. If you reach the Spirit Martial Realm, you can directly skip the first two stages and enter the third stage. The difficulty of the third stage is higher, challenging opponents one level higher than oneself. Many are screened out each year on this basis. As long as the player can last ten moves, they can pass. But each rank difference is like heaven and earth, so only the best are qualified to join Danxuan Sect."

Pei Wenliang roughly explained the precautions for participating in the sect's election to Chen Xuan. Chen Xuan now had a general understanding of the election. It's essentially about survival of the fittest, eliminating those without potential and retaining the elites. Only now did Chen Xuan understand why the four major sects of the Four Great Kingdoms were the most powerful. It's because they were selective, keeping only the best to maintain their strength.

"Let me introduce our situation. We four come from the Lianshan Peak, all of us are inner disciples. Only by reaching the Spirit Martial Realm can one be automatically promoted to an inner disciple. The treatment and practice locations are different from outer disciples. You will understand everything once you join the sect."

After finishing their meal, each of them returned to their rooms. Chen Xuan took a hot bath and felt refreshed. With the upcoming time, Chen Xuan planned to focus on cultivation. He had been traveling for almost a month without time to practice. Chen Xuan felt that his true strength could convert into spiritual power at any time.

The night passed in boring cultivation.

The next day, as the sun rose, they hurriedly set off again, but not as urgently as before. They chatted and laughed along the way.

"There's a fight ahead."

They suddenly stopped.

"Let's go and take a look. We've reached the territory of Danxuan Sect. Who dares to fight here?"

They approached.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Chen Xuan saw two groups fighting, one in black and the other a group of young people, the oldest around seventeen or eighteen.

"Do you really want to kill us all?" a young man asked.

"As long as you give up joining Danxuan Sect, we won't trouble you. If you persist, we'll kill you all," the leader in black threatened.

"Why do you want to stop us from joining Danxuan Sect? If Danxuan Sect finds out, will they spare you?" the young man asked nervously.

"Kid, stop the nonsense. You have two choices: either leave or die," the black-clad man threatened.

"We'll leave."

Several younger ones chose to leave and started to walk away.

"Wait a minute."

Shi Yuanshang yelled, stepping out from a hidden thicket.

"Who are you people, and why are you trying to stop Danxuan Sect from recruiting disciples?" Pei Wenliang said angrily.

"Retreat."

The leader of the black-clad men shouted, and the dozen or so black-clad men quickly fled in all directions.

"Not so fast."

The four rushed towards one direction where the black-clad men were fleeing.

Chen Xuan glanced at the highest level among the black-clad men, only at Seventh Rank at best. The four effortlessly killed seven or eight of them, each capturing one alive.

"Speak. Who sent you to intercept disciples joining Danxuan Sect?"

The faces of these people were unfamiliar, and this should be an action targeting Danxuan Sect.

"Hurry up, who sent you?"

The remaining four looked at each other, their eyes firm, and then they collapsed, black blood flowing from the corners of their mouths.

"They committed suicide."

"I didn't expect their organization to be so tight, not even revealing anything in death. Let's hurry up and report this to the sect."

"What about these people?" Wang Yuqing looked at the group of young people.

"Let's do this. I'll go back to report to the sect first. You guys lead these young people and follow later, to prevent another ambush," Pei Wenliang said.

"That's settled. You hurry back to report to the sect, strengthen the patrol range within a thousand miles to prevent another ambush. We'll follow later."

"Then I'll leave first."

After saying that, Pei Wenliang used his light skills and disappeared. Among these people, Pei Wenliang had the best light skills, so they all agreed to let him go back and report first.

It was only then that the others turned to look at the dozen or so young people.

"Where are you from and how did you encounter the black-clad men?"

"We came from Lincheng. We don't know how we got targeted by them." One of the young men said, glancing at the black-clad men.

"Are you all here to participate in Danxuan Sect's annual disciple selection conference?"

"Yes, we know that Danxuan Sect is about to hold its selection conference, so we rushed over, hoping to try our luck. We also met each other halfway."

"Since you are here to participate in the sect's selection conference, then come with us. We are inner disciples of Danxuan Sect, and we can ensure your safety along the way."

The dozen or so young people cheered. Just now, they were planning for life and death, but now they unexpectedly encountered disciples of Danxuan Sect. How could they not be happy?

"Don't be too happy. Whether you can join the sect depends on yourselves. We can only protect you until the task is completed. Everything else depends on you."

After briefly tidying up the situation, the group set off again.

"Are you also here for the conference?" a slightly older young man asked Chen Xuan.

"Yes," Chen Xuan responded.

"I'm Xiyun Sheng, just turned eighteen this year. What about you?"

"Chen Xuan, fourteen years old."

Chen Xuan glanced at the young man he was talking to, thick eyebrows and big eyes. He looked like he was about twenty years old.

"Where are you from? I'm from Lincheng. From now on, we are brothers. We should take care of each other in the future."

"Likewise. I'm from Hongling Town, a small place."

Everyone chatted and laughed along the way, and their relationships with each other grew closer.

The group quickly rushed towards the direction of Danxuan Sect.