"I am Elder Yun, from the Alchemy Department within the Inner Court." The Elder who wore the robes imprinted with the furnace insignia stood up and loudly announced.
Radiating from him was a faint pill scent that had failed to diffuse, along with an innate pride that most Alchemists had ingrained within their bones.
The next Elder, whose robes were imprinted with the hammer insignia, went forward and spoke out in a low voice, "I am Elder Qin, from the Blacksmith Department within the Inner Court."
His hair was slightly ruffled, with his attire adorned with burnt marks.
He was definitely a blacksmith!
A blacksmith was another profitable profession. Blacksmiths were the people who create items such as swords, knifes, spears, and furnaces. Akin to pills, items also had grades to them, from Grade 1 to Grade 9, along with the standard Trash, Low-Tier, Mid-Tier, High-Tier and Peak-Tier classification for each grade.
However, comparing the authority and reverence Alchemists and Blacksmiths have, Alchemists were one tier higher than Blacksmiths. Of course, Blacksmiths were also a very revered profession within the cultivation world, just that Alchemist slightly triumph over them in terms of power and influence.
If you were to say that Alchemists were the number one profession, then Blacksmiths would be second on the list.
The last Elder slowly walked forwards, as he spoke in a clear and crisp voice that was brimming with strength and authority, "I am Elder Wang! I am from the Combat Department within the Inner Court!"
As the three elders stepped forward and introduced themselves, the disciples all stared up at them in reverence and awe.
"As you might guess, the Inner Court is much different from the Outer Court. The Inner Court is divided into three departments, the Blacksmith Department, the Alchemy Department, and the Combat Department. The disciples are separated into each department according to their talent and potential in each of these departments." Elder Wang explained.
"The promotion test from an Outer Court Disciple to an Inner Court Disciple is held every year. In actuality, the new disciples are not supposed to be joining the promotion test. But because of some anomalies, the Sect has decided to allow the new disciples to also participate in the promotion test." Elder Wang swept his eyes across the crowd.
"Hehe, Brother Long Chen. Did you hear that? We are anomalies!" Xiao Wan Wan, who was listening to Elder Wang's speech, chuckled delightfully as she pointed her finger towards both of them, her expression brimming with pride.
"Next, we shall get onto how the promotion test will work." Elder Wang stepped aside to reveal three doors, "These three doors correspond to the tests of the three different departments. The one in the middle is the Combat Department, the one on the left is the Alchemy Department, while the one on the left is the Blacksmith's Department."
"You, as Outer Court disciples, can choose which test you would like to take, and if you pass the test, you will be able to join the corresponding department."
"Everyone will only be allowed one chance for the Combat Department's test, and if you fail, you can have an additional chance for either the Blacksmith of Alchemy Department, or both" Elder Wang pointed towards the door and announced.
The reason for this arrangement was because all disciples are exposed to combat, but not everyone is exposed to either alchemy or blacksmithing.
Therefore, it is hard for them to gauge how strong their talent was in the two other respective fields, so most disciples will choose the Combat Department's test.
But in the event that among those disciples who had chosen to go for the Combat Department's test, and a few among of them had passable or exceptional talent within either alchemy or blacksmithing that they had not realized, yet these group of people actually failed in the Combat Department's test and was not allowed to promote, this would be a complete waste of their talent!
How could a Sect allow their talents to go to waste?
Therefore, such an arrangement was made to allow those who truly had talent in the other departments to be sifted out.
After his words had landed into everyone's ear, a commotion began to arise.
Most placed their passionate gazes towards the middle door, while only a select few looked towards the two other doors.
Long Chen, after knowing how the promotion test works, unhesitatingly chose the Combat Department.
He had no need to go to the Alchemy Department and seek tutelage, as he was confident that the Great Way of Alchemy would be able to assist him much better than those old alchemy fogies.
Combat was always his main path.
You don't rule the world by refining pills.
You do that by fighting and establishing your authority and strength.
With the Godly Talent System stuck within his mind, it was inevitable for Long Chen to develop some ambition.
Elder Wang waited for the commotion to die down, before he instructed, "All of you, gather in lines behind the door that you would like to take the test in!"
Most disciples all chose the Combat Department, without surprise. Comparing the lines in the middle, the two other lines looks absolutely pathetic.
However, Elder Yun and Elder Qin simply looked on with calm eyes. What their departments were counting on was not quantity, but quality.
Although the Alchemy and Blacksmith Department were all lacking in numbers as compared to the Combat Department, they were not very far off in terms of influence and authority, because of the rarity and value of alchemists and blacksmiths.
Long Chen directly walked over to the middle line, while Xiao Wan Wan and Murong Xuan also unhesitatingly followed behind.
After everyone had lined up, the respective Elders all led the disciples through the door.
As Long Chen walked in, a flash covered his eyes, and in the blink of an eye, he was now standing at an unfamiliar environment.
The disciples behind him were all looking around in confusion and bewilderment.
Elder Wang spoke up at this moment, "This is a different space from before, so there is no need to panic."
"In front of us, is an array formation meant to test your combat strength! When you enter the array, you will have to face up against 3 other enemies with the same cultivation as you. As long as you manage to defeat the 3 enemies within a time span of 10 minutes, you instantly pass the test and get promoted to an Inner Court Disciple. As for the rest, you fail." Elder Wang pointed towards a mythical array formation that stood firmly in the middle of the entire space.
This array formation seemed to possess a mysterious energy, which Long Chen was unable to fathom. It was familiar to him, yet unfamiliar at the same time.
Following Elder Wang's words, he touched a stone and injected his energy, and the array formation started to light up and shine with a dazzling gleam.
"All of you will go up one by one!" Elder Wang ordered.
Long Chen did not take the initiative to move, since he first wanted to see how this array formation worked from a third-person perspective.
Obviously, the rest of the disciples also thought the same way, as they looked towards each other in uncertainty while waiting for the first person to take the lead.
A melodious voice sounded from beside him, "I'll try it first!" It was Xiao Wan Wan.
Then, Xiao Wan Wan turned her head and said, "Brother Long Chen, Sister Murong, watch me!"
On her face was not the slightest hint of panic nor nervousness, but joy and anticipation. As she walked amidst everyone's stares towards the entrance of the formation, Elder Wang lowered his head to look at her, "Ah! So this is the Xiao's Family's genius! I have heard a lot of stories about you from the Xiao's Family's disciples in the Inner Court."
Elder Wang recognised her, and on his normally stern face sprouted a warm smile.
"Hehe, old man, thanks for knowing me. Can I go in now?" Xiao Wan Wan tilted her head and asked.
Elder Wang's smile stiffened, before he quickly waved his hands to gesture her to go in.
The moment Xiao Wan Wan landed inside the array formation, a flash of light descended and enveloped onto her, before this light drifted away from her to reveal 3 different metallic creatures.
These creatures were called puppets. They had no intelligence whatsoever, and their only instinct is to fight.
They were covered in shining metal all over, seemingly powerful and destructive, and their aura's all radiated a 6th Qi Refining Realm cultivator, which was similar to Xiao Wan Wan's cultivation.
Some of the disciples all opened their eyes and looked on with wonderment, since they had never seen such a thing before.