The group continued toward the northern gardens of the sect where the atmosphere shifted once more.

The pressure of the training grounds faded behind them, replaced instead by calm spiritual fragrance drifting gently through the air.

Rows of spiritual herbs stretched across the mountain terraces in organized layers glowing faintly beneath sunlight. Some plants emitted thin streams of mist while others pulsed softly with spiritual essence strong enough to affect the surrounding qi itself.

The Herbal Garden.

Peaceful.

Quiet.

Alive.

Several disciples moved carefully between the herb fields carrying jade containers filled with spiritual water while others recorded growth conditions beneath Elder Hua's supervision.

Near the center garden—

Two familiar figures worked beside her.

Muo Qian carefully adjusted the roots of a Crimson Spirit Flower while Su Quan stood nearby holding a jade scroll, calmly reading cultivation notes regarding medicinal balance.

"…Too much spiritual water weakens the flame essence," Su Quan said softly.

Muo Qian frowned slightly.

"…Then why didn't you say that earlier?"

"You looked confident."

"That sounds like sabotage."

"It was educational."

King Tian Long chuckled quietly hearing them.

Elder Hua noticed the approaching group first and immediately cupped her fists respectfully.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. Sect Master."

Muo Qian and Su Quan turned shortly afterward.

The moment they noticed the administrators—

Both girls straightened immediately.

Xu Wen's gaze paused briefly on them.

Even without releasing aura fully, their spiritual fluctuations remained incredibly refined.

Stable.

Dense.

Far beyond ordinary disciples.

And more importantly— 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Disciplined.

Not a single disciple they had seen so far possessed unstable foundations.

Not one.

That realization disturbed the administrators more than overwhelming strength itself.

Because talent could appear through luck.

But a sect capable of consistently producing elite foundations—

That was terrifying.

By the time the group arrived at the central training grounds, the atmosphere of the sect had changed completely.

The mountain no longer carried the calm rhythm of daily activity.

Now—

It carried presence.

Hundreds of disciples stood gathered across the enormous stone grounds beneath the fluttering orange banner of the Sanatan Flame Sect. Rows upon rows of orange and red robes stretched across the courtyard with perfect spacing between them, every disciple standing upright without disorder or unnecessary movement.

Above them, the morning wind swept across the mountain peak, causing sleeves and banners to shift softly beneath the sunlight.

The administrators slowed unconsciously.

Because the sight before them felt less like a sect gathering—

And more like an army preparing for war.

At the front stood the elders.

Elder Wu.

Elder Jian Fan.

Elder Wan.

Elder Yaochen.

Elder Hua.

Elder Liya.

Elder Feng Yu.

Elder An Ning.

Lin Shu.

And…

Elder Meow Mao.

Compared to the calm composure of the others, Meow Mao stood near the far edge of the formation with both hands folded neatly behind his back, maintaining what he believed to be the dignified bearing of a respected sect elder.

Externally—

He looked completely calm.

Internally—

He was in absolute panic.

Why the hell am I standing here…?

His smile twitched slightly.

I'm not even a real combat elder…

I just manage the Mission Hall…

Nearby disciples had already noticed him.

Which was the beginning of his suffering.

One outer disciple whispered loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear:

"…Wait."

"Is that Elder Meow Mao?"

Another gasped dramatically.

"The legendary sleeping elder actually woke up?"

Meow Mao's eyelid twitched.

A third disciple immediately raised his hand respectfully.

"Elder Meow Mao, when will you teach us your secret cultivation technique?"

Another followed instantly:

"Yes, Elder! The one where you cultivate while sleeping!"

Several disciples began nodding seriously.

"That technique is terrifying."

"I heard Elder Meow Mao once slept through three disciplinary alarms."

"A true expert."

Meow Mao slowly closed his eyes.

I should have stayed inside the Mission Hall…

Then came the final attack.

Xiao Rui cupped his hands respectfully from the disciple rows.

"Elder Meow Mao!"

Meow Mao immediately felt danger.

"…What."

Xiao Rui's expression became extremely sincere.

"Congratulations on waking up before noon today."

The surrounding disciples instantly exploded into laughter.

Even Wang Tian looked away to hide his grin while Luo Chen lowered his head slightly, shoulders moving once.

Meow Mao pointed directly at Xiao Rui in betrayal.

"You little bastard—"

"Language," Elder Jian Fan said coldly from nearby.

Meow Mao immediately straightened.

"…You little respectful disciple."

That only made the disciples laugh harder.

Beside him, Elder Wan nearly lost control of his expression while Elder Liya openly sighed and rubbed her forehead.

Lin Shu quietly covered her mouth to hide her smile.

Even Xu Wen and the administrators looked momentarily stunned by the bizarre atmosphere unfolding before them.

Because despite the laughter—

Despite the chaos—

There was no disrespect here.

Only familiarity.

Comfort.

The kind that could only exist inside a sect where people genuinely belonged.

And somehow…

That realization disturbed them even more than the sect's strength.

King Tian Long folded his arms calmly beside him.

"This sect has never lacked spirit."

At the center of the grounds stood a massive black stone monument nearly three meters tall. Ancient silver markings covered its surface while faint spiritual fluctuations pulsed quietly beneath the dark stone like a sleeping beast.

The Heaven Measuring Monument.

Several administrators stepped forward immediately upon seeing it, carefully placing formation cores around the surrounding area before activating multiple recording arrays.

Xu Wen turned toward the gathered disciples.

"The evaluation will begin now."

His voice spread clearly across the grounds without needing force.

"This assessment will determine the official sect classification of the Sanatan Flame Sect under the Administrative Division of the Azure Moon Dynasty."

A faint ripple moved through the younger disciples.

Excitement.

Curiosity.

Nervousness.

Shaurya, meanwhile, stood completely relaxed near the front with both hands resting inside his pockets like this was some kind of entertainment event instead of an official evaluation.

Xu Wen continued calmly.

"All disciples will first undergo cultivation verification."

Near the center rows, Wang Tian stood lazily with his arms folded while Luo Chen remained beside him silently.

Not far away, Xiao Rui whispered toward Sheng Lu:

"…Why does this feel more stressful than fighting demons?"

"Because paperwork is stronger than demons," Sheng Lu answered immediately.

Lee Bie nodded seriously beside them.

"…Reasonable."

Nearby, Muo Qian adjusted her sleeve calmly before glancing toward Su Quan.

"You nervous?"

Su Quan answered without looking at her.

"No."

A pause.

"…Slightly."

Muo Qian smirked faintly.

At the front, Xu Wen finally raised one hand.

"The cultivation assessment is complete."

Xu Wen raised one hand calmly toward the Heaven Measuring Monument as the spiritual fluctuations surrounding the training grounds gradually intensified. Silver light spread outward from the ancient stone once more, washing across the gathered disciples like a silent tide.

The monument's silver glow deepened, and the spiritual pressure pressing across the courtyard sharpened instantly.

The monument was no longer measuring general cultivation.

It was pulling directly at the core of each cultivator's spiritual foundation.

One by one, disciples released their aura fully.

Blue spirit rings began appearing behind rows of outer disciples, translucent halos rotating slowly behind their heads as spiritual energy circulated through their meridians.

Four blue rings.

Five blue rings.

Six blue rings.

Foundation Builder Realm.

Stable.

Refined.

Without instability.

The administrators recorded rapidly, but their expressions had already begun changing.

Because this was only the lowest level present within the sect.

One administrator lowered his scroll slightly in disbelief.

"…The weakest disciple is Foundation Builder Fourth Level?"

Another immediately checked the evaluation records again.

"…That's impossible for a sect at this level."

The pressure across the training grounds gradually rose further as Core Formation disciples released their cultivation next. Bright yellow rings shimmered beneath the sunlight behind dozens of disciples, their spiritual fluctuations steady and dense enough to distort the surrounding air faintly.

Then—

Golden rings appeared.

One after another.

Radiant halos formed behind elite disciples standing deeper within the formation, each golden ring glowing with concentrated spiritual pressure.

Golden Vein Realm.

The atmosphere across the mountain shifted instantly.

Even the wind itself seemed slower beneath the collective release of spiritual energy.

Administrator Xu Wen no longer looked calm.

Not after witnessing this many Golden Vein cultivators gathered within a single sect generation.

Then—

The pressure changed again.

Completely.

A heavy spiritual force descended across the training grounds without warning.

Deep.

Oppressive.

Ancient.

Purple rings manifested behind Wang Tian.

Four of them.

Dark violet halos rotating slowly behind his head as overwhelming soul pressure spread outward from his body naturally. The air around him distorted faintly beneath the density of his spiritual energy.

Nascent Soul Fourth Level.

The entire training ground fell silent.

Not because they were unfamiliar with Nascent Soul cultivators.

But because Wang Tian was still a disciple.

Beside him—

Another wave of pressure emerged.

Luo Chen opened his eyes slowly as four deep purple rings formed behind him as well, their glow calmer than Wang Tian's but sharper somehow, carrying a cold sword-like stillness that made even nearby disciples instinctively step back.

Nascent Soul Fourth Level.

Several administrators physically stiffened.

One nearly crushed the recording jade in his hand.

"…Two…"

His voice came out strained.

"…Two Nascent Soul Fourth Level disciples?"

King Tian Long's expression turned serious.

Even though he already understood the strength of the Sanatan Flame Sect—

Seeing it directly was entirely different.

Then more purple rings appeared.

Muo Qian stepped forward calmly, her spiritual energy flowing like a dragon awakening beneath still water as one deep purple ring rotated slowly behind her.

Su Quan released her aura next, her presence quieter but incredibly refined, another purple ring forming behind her head with perfect stability.

Lu Fang followed shortly afterward, elegant spiritual fluctuations spreading outward beneath his own Nascent Soul ring while several female disciples nearby looked visibly impressed despite already being familiar with his strength.

Nascent Soul First Level.

Three more Nascent Soul disciples.

Administrator Xu Wen slowly lowered the scroll in his hand.

The atmosphere around the administrators had completely changed now.

This was no longer surprise.

This was shock.

Real shock.

Because even many Level Eight Sects struggled to nurture Nascent Soul disciples this young.

And yet the Sanatan Flame Sect possessed several.

Then—

Xiao Rui stepped forward.

At first, he still carried his usual relaxed expression while holding the broom he apparently forgot to put down earlier.

"Do I seriously have to release all of it?" he muttered.

Sheng Lu shouted immediately from the back:

"Don't embarrass the sect!"

"YOU were cleaning toilets yesterday," Xiao Rui fired back instantly.

Then—

His aura erupted.

Two deep purple rings appeared behind him in a sudden surge of spiritual pressure that spread heavily across the surrounding area. The force of his released cultivation caused nearby robes to flutter violently as the spiritual density around him compressed sharply enough to make the stone beneath his feet crack faintly.

Nascent Soul Second Level.

A disciple.

A young disciple.

Nascent Soul Second Ring.

Several administrators stared at him speechlessly.

One finally spoke in disbelief.

"…How old are these monsters?"

No one answered him.

Because the answer would only make things worse.

At the center of it all—

Shaurya remained standing quietly with both hands inside his pockets.

Watching.

Not smug.

Not arrogant.

Proud.

His gaze moved slowly across the disciples standing beneath the banner of the Sanatan Flame Sect, toward the spirit rings rotating behind them beneath the sunlight of the mountain peak.

Foundation Builder.

Core Formation.

Golden Vein.

Nascent Soul.

Every single one of them had once been abandoned somewhere by the world.

Broken talents.

Forgotten children.

Humiliated geniuses.

People nobody wanted.

And now—

They stood here together strong enough to shake an entire kingdom.

A faint smile appeared on Shaurya's face.

Small.

Genuine.

There was respect in his eyes.

Not because they were powerful.

But because he knew exactly how hard they had fought to stand where they were now.

The monument's glow slowly faded.

A long silence settled over the training grounds afterward.

The administrators exchanged looks among themselves.

None of them spoke immediately.

Because the numbers they recorded were already ridiculous.

Xu Wen exhaled slowly before speaking again.

"…Next."

His gaze shifted toward the Heaven Measuring Monument behind him.

"The Spiritual Force Evaluation."

At those words, the atmosphere changed again.

This time—

Even the disciples straightened slightly.

Because cultivation level alone did not determine combat capability.

Force value did.

The true measure of destructive output, spiritual density, technique compression, and physical strength combined into a single attack.

Xu Wen extended his sleeve calmly toward the monument.

"Five selected disciples will undergo direct combat evaluation."

His eyes moved toward Shaurya.

"You may choose them."

Shaurya nodded casually.

"Already decided."

Then his gaze swept toward the disciples.

"Lu Fang."

"Xiao Rui."

"Muo Qian."

"Luo Chen."

"And Wang Tian."

The moment the names were called, reactions spread instantly through the gathered disciples.

Some excited.

Some nervous.

Some already pitying the monument.

Wang Tian cracked his neck lazily.

"…Finally."

Luo Chen silently drew a slow breath beside him.

Xiao Rui immediately pointed at himself dramatically.

"Master truly recognizes talent."

Sheng Lu folded his arms.

"Then why he choose you."

Muo Qian sighed softly while stepping forward.

"You idiots are embarrassing."

Lu Fang simply smiled and adjusted the sleeves of his orange disciple robes before stepping forward from the gathered crowd with calm, unhurried movements.

Unlike Wang Tian's overwhelming presence or Luo Chen's sharpness, Lu Fang carried himself with effortless refinement, the kind born from noble upbringing and natural confidence rather than intimidation.

As he passed the front rows—

Jun Hua suddenly called out from behind him.

"Don't embarrass yourself."

Her voice was calm.

But the faint smile resting on her lips ruined any seriousness the words might have carried.

Several nearby disciples immediately turned toward them.

Lu Fang stopped mid-step and glanced back over his shoulder.

Jun Hua folded her arms lightly, then—without the slightest hesitation—lifted her fingers toward her lips before flicking a playful flying kiss toward him.

The entire front row froze.

Even Xu Wen blinked once.

Lu Fang, meanwhile, reacted with complete seriousness.

He raised one hand smoothly into the air as though physically catching the invisible kiss before pressing his fingers dramatically against his lips.

Then he closed his eyes briefly.

"…My power has doubled."

Dead silence.

Xiao Rui immediately pointed toward him in outrage.

"This is favoritism!"

Sheng Lu looked emotionally wounded.

"We came here to cultivate…"

"…not suffer."

Lee Bie sighed deeply beside them.

"…The couples are attacking again."

Even Wang Tian rubbed his forehead while Muo Qian looked away pretending she hadn't laughed.

Jun Hua herself remained perfectly calm despite the faint redness reaching her ears.

"…Just break the monument already."

Lu Fang smiled.

"With your support? Easily."

Administrator Xu Wen stared at the disciples for several long seconds before slowly lowering the evaluation scroll in his hand.

"…Your sect atmosphere…"

He paused.

Clearly reconsidering several life choices.

"…is extremely unusual."

Shaurya folded his arms proudly beside him.

"We focus on emotional stability."

King Tian Long failed to hold back his laugh again.

Xu Wen ignored both of them and looked back toward the five disciples now standing before the Heaven Measuring Monument.

Five young cultivators.

Five completely different presences.

And every instinct developed through decades of evaluation work was warning him that this situation was about to become deeply unreasonable.

His gaze lowered toward the records in his hand once more.

Then slowly lifted toward Shaurya.

"…These five disciples alone," Xu Wen said carefully, "already exceed the average combat standards of several Level Nine sects I evaluated last year."

Shaurya tilted his head slightly.

"Really?"

Xu Wen's eyes narrowed.

"You sound surprised."

"I thought they'd rank higher."

The administrators fell silent again.

Of course he said that.

Of course.

Xu Wen slowly closed the scroll in his hand.

The wind swept across the training grounds, causing the orange sect banner above to ripple sharply against the sky while spiritual pressure gradually began gathering around the Heaven Measuring Monument.

The evaluation—

Was finally about to begin.

Xu Wen stepped back slowly from the Heaven Measuring Monument while several administrators activated the surrounding recording formations one after another.

Silver light spread across the surface of the ancient black stone.

Then—

A new line appeared.

FORCE VALUE LIMIT REMOVED

The wind across the training grounds suddenly weakened.

One administrator looked up sharply.

"…Administrator Xu Wen?"

Xu Wen did not take his eyes off the five disciples standing before the monument.

His voice came out low.

Careful.

"…A monument calibrated for ordinary sects may not survive this evaluation."

Silence spread instantly across the mountain.

Then—

Wang Tian grinned.

Luo Chen slowly rested one hand on the hilt of his sword.

And somewhere behind the disciple rows—

Xiao Rui whispered nervously:

"…Why does that sound illegal?"

To Be Continued…