The plaza gradually quieted as the county officials took their seats.
At the very center stood a tall, translucent stone slab, its surface faintly glowing with flowing runes. The slab was shaped like an upright mirror, smooth and flawless, emanating a steady spiritual pressure that made many of the younger cultivators subconsciously straighten their backs.
"That is Spirit Bone Mirror!" Someone whispered nearby.
Han Xuan raised his eyebrows.
He had heard of this spiritual weapon. It was an auxiliary spiritual weapon for detecting bone age and cultivation stage. Therefore, even if the candidates disguised their appearances to look younger, it would still be able to detect their actual age through their skeletal structure.
This single slab was enough to block countless opportunists.
Around him, many cultivators, especially those with slightly older-looking faces, quietly swallowed, their expressions tightening. Some instinctively adjusted their robes, as if hoping to hide something that could no longer be concealed.
An old official in gray robes stepped forward, his voice amplified by spiritual energy. He announced calmly, "The first stage of the Hundred Sects Recruitment is the Age and Cultivation Test. Those above twenty years of age will be disqualified immediately."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
At the front of the plaza, an elderly official in gray robes stepped forward. His back was straight, his gaze sharp, and the aura of a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator pressed down subtly as he spoke.
"Blueleaf County's selection for the Hundred Sects Recruitment will begin now."
His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly across the entire plaza, supported by spiritual energy.
"Rules are simple," The old man continued, "Any candidate under the age of twenty may participate. Those above the age limit—leave immediately. If you attempt to deceive the Spirit Bone Mirror and are discovered…"
His eyes swept coldly over the crowd.
"…you will be banned from all future recruitment events within Azurewood Province."
A ripple of unease spread through the plaza.
That punishment was no joke.
For many loose cultivators and small-family disciples, the Hundred Sects Recruitment was the only chance in their lifetime to enter a proper sect. Being permanently banned was equivalent to having their cultivation path cut in half.
"Now," The old official said calmly, "Begin."
One by one, youths placed their hands on the mirror. Runes flickered, numbers and symbols briefly appearing before fading away.
"Yun Liang, age seventeen. Fifth Stage of Qi Refining. Pass."
"Wu Ming, age nineteen. Fifth Stage of Qi Refining. Pass."
"..."
Names from the various families appeared one after another, their results steady and impressive. Each announcement drew faint gasps and hushed discussions from the surrounding crowd.
When it came to casual cultivators, the atmosphere shifted.
Some hands trembled as they touched the mirror.
"Li Xian, age twenty-one. Sixth Stage of Qi Refining. Disqualified."
A pale-faced youth was escorted away immediately, his expression collapsing in despair.
"Uwaah… there are always people foolish enough to cheat even when the rules are clear."
"Well, they probably thought this was their last chance."
"What a short-sighted..."
The test was continued...
Soon, the atmosphere changed again.
A youth clad in Chen Family robes stepped forward. The moment his palm touched the mirror, the runes surged brightly.
"Chen Ziming. Age eighteen. Seventh Stage of Qi Refining. Pass."
The plaza erupted into murmurs.
"Seventh Stage of Qi Refining at age eighteen. What a monster!"
"As expected of the Chen Family."
Not long after, similar results followed.
"Lu Haoran. Age nineteen. Seventh Stage of Qi Refining. Pass."
"Zhao Wenjie. Age seventeen. Seventh Stage of Qi Refining. Pass."
The talented youths of the Three Great Families—Chen, Lu, and Zhao—appeared one after another, each result pushing the crowd's expectations higher.
The smaller families and casual cultivators could only watch in silence.
This was the gap between heritage and background.
Han Qixing waited calmly in line, his posture straight and his expression composed.
Nearby, Wang Xiaohu shifted uneasily and whispered, "This feels more stressful than fighting, especially after watching these talented people from the Three Great Families..."
Han Qixing silently glanced toward Chen Ziming, the most outstanding talent of the Chen Family in this competition.
For a fleeting moment, a thought surfaced in his mind, 'If I defeat him… it would be a form of repayment.'
His father had been troubled by the Chen Family more than once. Their pressure, their schemes—Han Qixing remembered them clearly.
But the thought was quickly suppressed.
He was only at the Fourth Stage of Qi Refining.
Chen Ziming stood at the Seventh Stage of Qi Refining.
Crossing such a gap in a direct confrontation was unrealistic. Recklessness would bring nothing but failure.
'There is no need to rush,' Han Qixing thought calmly, 'I still have time.'
The Chen Family would not disappear.
Neither would this debt.
Soon, Wang Xiaohu stepped forward.
The mirror flashed once.
"Wang Xiaohu. Age fourteen. Qi Refining Fifth Stage. Pass."
Watching his son from afar, Wang Dazhu finally let out a long breath, his tense shoulders relaxing.
Then, it was Han Qixing's turn.
His small figure drew a few curious looks as he stepped forward. Compared to the older youths, he appeared noticeably younger and smaller.
He stepped up to the mirror and placed his palm against the smooth surface.
The runes flickered briefly.
"Han Qixing. Age ten. Qi Refining Fourth Stage. Pass."
A low murmur spread through the plaza.
"Ten years old?"
"Fourth Stage of Qi Refining at such a young age. That's quite talented!"
"He's still so young. Even if he fails this year, he'll still have two more chances."
"Surname Han? Not from the Three Great Families? That's quite surprising..."
Among the Chen Family group, Chen Ziming narrowed his eyes. He scoffed quietly, "So this is the brat Third Uncle mentioned? Nothing special. Third Uncle is worrying too much. A mere Fourth Stage at ten years old. How could someone like this take one of the spots?"
Han Qixing withdrew his hand and returned to Han Xuan's side, his expression unchanged, as if the murmurs around him had nothing to do with him at all.
Han Xuan nodded faintly.
The first stage was over.
The officials did not give the crowd much time to digest the results.
Once the last name was recorded, the old man raised his hand slightly. The Spirit Bone Mirror dimmed, its runes fading away as if it had exhausted its purpose.
"Those who passed the first stage remain," The old man said indifferently, "The rest may leave."
A wave of movement spread across the plaza. Some youths left with unwilling expressions, others with relief, knowing they had at least dared to step onto this stage.
Han Xuan glanced around.
Compared to before, the plaza now felt noticeably emptier.
Initially, more than a hundred participants had gathered here. Now, fewer than a hundred remained.
'There really are quite a few people who tried to slip through,' Han Xuan thought, feeling a trace of speechlessness.
The remaining youths stood straighter, their expressions more serious.
At this point, no one was here just to watch the excitement anymore.
Wang Dazhu walked over and patted Wang Xiaohu's shoulder, "You did well. No matter what happens next, you didn't embarrass your father."
Wang Xiaohu grinned, though his eyes betrayed a hint of nervousness, "I'll try my best."
Han Qixing remained quiet, his gaze drifting toward the center of the plaza.
Soon, several county guards stepped forward and began rearranging the formation flags around the plaza. The stone ground rumbled softly as faint lines lit up beneath it, forming complex patterns that extended outward like spreading ripples.
The surrounding noise gradually died down.
The old man spoke again, his voice steady and clear.
"The second stage will test comprehension."
At those words, many of the youths stiffened.
"Cultivation is not only about effort," The old man continued, "It is also about understanding. Those who cannot comprehend will not go far, no matter how much time they are given."
As his voice fell, the formation fully activated.
Above the plaza, faint projections began to appear in the air—fragmented lines of light, arranged in unfamiliar patterns. They shifted slowly, like stars moving across the night sky, giving off an indescribable pressure.
"Comprehension test, huh?" Han Xuan murmured softly.
He glanced at his son.
Han Qixing stood quietly among the other youths, his breathing steady, his expression calm. There was no excitement, no visible tension—only focused attention.
Han Xuan frowned slightly.
Truthfully, he had never been able to accurately judge his son's comprehension talent.
The only cultivation technique Han Qixing had ever practiced was the Seven Star Sword Art. And that technique was tailor-made for the Seven Star Sword Body. As long as one possessed that spiritual body, comprehension came naturally, almost instinctively. Progress that would take others years was achieved by Han Qixing as if he were simply following an old habit.
Because of that, Han Xuan had no point of comparison.
Was his son truly gifted in comprehension, or was he merely benefiting from an overwhelmingly compatible inheritance?
Even Han Xuan himself did not know the answer.
Suddenly, the ground beneath the participants trembled.
Before anyone could react, the stone floor beneath each youth slowly rose upward, lifting them into the air like individual stone pillars. The movement was steady and controlled, stopping only when every participant stood several zhang above the plaza floor.
A faint exclamation spread through the crowd below.
From above, the pattern became clear.
The raised stone pillars were not random. They were arranged in a vast formation, their positions interlocking and winding together.
It is a dragon pattern!
Its head pointed toward the northern end of the plaza, its body coiled and stretching outward, every pillar forming a scale or claw. As the formation stabilized, streams of light traced the outline of the dragon, making it appear as if a colossal spirit dragon was coiling in midair.
An oppressive yet majestic aura descended.
Many youths felt their breathing grow heavier.
The old man stepped forward once more. He said calmly, "This is the Dragon Comprehension Formation. The second stage will be conducted here."
His gaze swept across the raised pillars.
"Within this formation, you will be provided with a single cultivation imprint."
With a casual wave of his sleeve, a beam of light shot upward and split apart, landing before each participant.
A cluster of runes hovered in front of every youth, slowly rotating.
"The spell is called Dragon Soaring Palm," The old man continued, "It is not a high-level spell, but it embodies the essence of momentum and intent."
"Your task is simple. Within three days, you must comprehend this spell. Those who successfully comprehend it will pass. Those who fail…"
His tone remained indifferent, "…will be eliminated."