Chapter 3781: The Assessment Grounds
Chapter 3781: The Assessment Grounds
Zhou Ren burst out laughing and Elder He Jian chuckled as well. The old man had traveled with Little Bull for almost a year by now. He knew exactly what answer to expect. However the two Administrative Division disciples were less amused.
Their opinion of the recruit dropped even further.
An assessment in the Heavenly Stream Guardian Sect was one of the most important moments in a recruit’s life. Yet this man seemed more concerned about his next meal. Neither disciple found that particularly impressive.
’Does he think the assessment is a joke?’ one thought.
The other simply shook his head internally. To them, Little Bull looked increasingly hopeless.
Elder He Jian, however, seemed entirely unconcerned. "Food can be arranged."
Little Bull immediately nodded. "Good."
The simplicity of the response nearly made Zhou Ren laugh again.
The old man looked toward the Administrative Division disciples. "Then take us there."
Both disciples cupped their fists. "As you wish, Elder."
They changed direction immediately. The path now led deeper into the Central Division. As they walked, the surroundings gradually became busier. More disciples appeared and more elders could be seen moving through the streets.
Flying beasts crossed overhead, formation platforms continuously activated in the distance and the atmosphere became increasingly lively. After nearly twenty minutes of walking, Little Bull suddenly noticed something unusual.
Ahead of them stood an enormous structure.
It resembled a stadium, or rather, it was larger than most stadiums he had ever seen. Massive tiers rose toward the sky, formation barriers shimmered around the entire structure and thousands upon thousands of people could be seen entering and leaving.
Cheering could occasionally be heard from within.
Little Bull pointed. "What is that?"
The first disciple answered. "The Outer Court Recruitment Assessment Grounds."
Even from outside, Lin Mu could already sense the scale. The assessment was clearly not some simple examination conducted in a small hall.
This was an event, a major one. And the closer they got, the more people appeared. Recruits, elders, disciples, observers and of course administrative personnel. Everyone was moving toward the same destination.
Elder He Jian smiled slightly. "Looks like we arrived at the perfect time."
Little Bull stared at the massive structure. "That’s where I get tested?"
"Yes." The Elder nodded.
The young man scratched his head again.
Then he asked the question that nearly made Zhou Ren choke. "Do they give food inside too?"
Elder He Jian laughed openly and for the first time since meeting him, one of the Administrative Division disciples looked at Little Bull with something other than disdain. The absurd honesty was so unexpected that he could not help finding it a little amusing.
Though neither of them realized one thing.
The simple villager they were silently judging would soon become the center of attention for every elder present inside.
The group soon entered the Assessment Grounds.
From the outside, the structure had looked like a massive arena where recruits would simply gather and compete before spectators. That assumption quickly proved wrong the moment Lin Mu stepped through the main entrance.
The interior was far more complex.
Rather than one giant open stadium, the Assessment Grounds consisted of dozens of separate sections divided by enormous walls and barriers. Each section seemed dedicated to a different part of the recruitment process.
Some were completely enclosed, while others were open to the sky. Formation barriers separated every area and ensured that activities occurring in one section did not interfere with another.
The entire structure had clearly been designed after countless generations of refinement.
As they walked through the entrance corridor, Lin Mu subtly observed everything around him. Above the various testing grounds were elevated viewing galleries that rose layer after layer.
Thousands of disciples occupied the lower galleries. Many were chatting while watching the assessments below. Others were discussing recruits they found promising. Some were placing wagers among themselves regarding which recruits would receive the highest rankings.
The atmosphere was lively.
Higher up sat more important figures. Inner Court disciples occupied separate sections. Some Core Court disciples could be seen as well. And above all of them, occupying private observation platforms, were elders.
Dozens upon dozens of elders. Some sat alone while others discussed things with their peers. Several were clearly observing specific assessments with great interest. Lin Mu quickly realized that recruitment season was treated as a major event within the sect.
That made perfect sense as fresh blood represented the future.
Every talented recruit who entered the sect could eventually become a valuable pillar. Finding even one exceptional disciple was enough to make many elders pay close attention.
Little Bull looked around with open amazement. "So many people."
Zhou Ren laughed. "This is actually a relatively small assessment."
Little Bull blinked. "Small?"
The young man looked at the thousands of spectators. To him it clearly seemed anything but small. Lin Mu’s performance was convincing enough that even the Administrative Division disciples accompanying them found his reaction genuine.
One of them secretly rolled his eyes while the other merely shook his head. The image of a country bumpkin seeing the world for the first time had become firmly established in their minds.
The group eventually left the main corridor and entered a large enclosed administrative hall. Compared to the noisy assessment grounds outside, the atmosphere here was much calmer.
Rows of desks filled the hall as disciples moved back and forth carrying jade slips. Formation screens floated above several workstations. Records were constantly being updated. Assessment results were being recorded and rankings were being compiled.
Recommendations were also being sent to various divisions.
The entire hall functioned like the command center for the ongoing recruitment. The moment Elder He Jian entered, several people immediately recognized him. One elder in particular stood up.
He appeared relatively young by immortal standards. His face looked no older than thirty and his robes were slightly different from the ordinary elders Lin Mu had seen. A silver cloud insignia decorated one sleeve.
’Junior Elder.’ Lin Mu had already learned the elder hierarchy from the old man during the journey.
Junior Elders were among the lowest ranked elders within the sect, though they still held considerable authority compared to ordinary disciples. The young looking elder approached quickly.