"What kind of attitude is that!" Daoist Lord Hanhai stepped in to block him. Seeing that the ancestral founder's kind greeting had been met with nothing more than a contemptuous snort, he instantly flared up in anger.
The man narrowed his eyes, closely scrutinizing Daoist Lord Hanhai. Aside from Emperor Yu and the founding Imperial Preceptor, he had never seen anyone dare speak to him like this. In his eyes, Daoist Lord Hanhai was already a dead man.
If not for the fact that the present setting made it improper, he could have crushed this mortal a thousand times over with a single thought.
Seeing the two of them looking primed for a fight, Daoist Xiantian hurriedly stepped between them. "Fang Ya, that's enough, that's enough. This was my fault. I shouldn't have greeted him so abruptly. He's just shy around strangers—be a little understanding."
If this were the Great Yu era, Daoist Xiantian would have thought the other person simply didn't care to acknowledge him. Daoist Xiantian knew this intimately: cultivators of the Great Yu era wouldn't utter a word for half a day, doing nothing but snorting coldly or gesturing with their eyes, as if practically everyone were deaf and mute.
But this was the Great Xia era. According to his observations over the past half year or so, people in Great Xia were generally cheerful and outgoing, and wouldn't snort so rudely. Therefore, the fellow was most likely just timid and afraid of strangers.
Gu Junye let out a soft sigh and remained silent.
Just as the man was about to speak, a commotion rippled through the crowd, cutting him off.
A plume of water mist rose up and condensed into an auspicious cloud, lifting Dai Bufan into the air.
With his hands behind his back and a solemn expression, Dai Bufan projected his voice clearly over the dense black mass of people who had come to take the trial:
"I am the chief person in charge of this trial, Dai Bufan.
"This trial consists of three rounds in total. Those who pass all three rounds may become disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect.
"Now begins the first round: the root bone test.
"Line up in order of arrival, and I will test your root bones one by one.
"The rules of the first round are simple: anyone under sixteen years of age who has an aptitude of three spiritual roots or better, or who possesses a special physique, will pass the first round."
The accompanying family and guardians consciously moved away from the Dao Seeking Sect's mountain gate to await the final results, hoping their younger generation would be fortunate enough to join the Dao Seeking Sect.
Dai Bufan sat upright behind a table, facing a line that stretched like a long dragon. Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou stood beside him with their hands behind their backs, looking like two Dharma protectors.
The pair's eyes darted around restlessly as they searched for Gu Junye, but after looking for quite a while, they failed to spot him—there were simply too many people.
The first person sat down and held out an arm. Dai Bufan took his pulse like a physician, lightly resting two fingers upon his wrist before circulating his cultivation technique to thoroughly examine the first person's condition.
"Age is suitable. Dual spiritual roots of Metal and Water. Not bad. What is your name?"
Asked for his name, the first person was flattered by the attention: "This humble one is Pang Yu!"
"All right, you've passed. Move along."
With the very first applicant having dual spiritual roots, Dai Bufan felt that today's luck was pretty good. It looked like this session would recruit plenty of disciples with fine aptitudes.
He tested thirty people in a row, all of whom had dual spiritual roots or three spiritual roots.
The mortals who came to take the Dao Seeking Sect's trial could be divided into two groups: one group had heard about the Dao Seeking Sect's recruitment and came at their own expense to try their luck; the other group consisted of candidates scouted by Dai Bufan who were suspected of having aptitudes that met the Dao Seeking Sect's standards.
The reason Dai Bufan sought out qualified mortals in advance was out of concern that they would run off to the Five Elements Sect or the Prison Suppressing Sect.
Before holding recruitment, the Five Elements Sect, the Prison Suppressing Sect, and the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace would all conduct secret evaluations in advance. Once a candidate passed the evaluation, sect members would reveal themselves and inform them that they could join their sect.
With all the immortal sects doing this, if the Dao Seeking Sect didn't do so as well, the Dao Seeking Sect would be the one at a disadvantage.
In fact, quite a few disciples had mentioned in their mission reports that while out on missions, they had encountered disciples from other immortal sects, and at times a single mortal had been simultaneously observed by multiple immortal sects.
When multiple immortal sects informed an applicant that they could take part in their entrance trials, under normal circumstances, they would choose the Dao Seeking Sect.
Chapter 742