Wu Gen pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "No need for the time being. If he really is a talented genius, he can surely pass the second part of the exam as well. In the third part, the Ancestor will notice him anyway."
In the third part of the exam, which was also the last part, the Ancestor would personally assess these disciples.
"Senior brother Wu Gen, why do you think the Ancestor suddenly wants to receive ten in-name disciples?" One of the disciples asked, feeling curious.
Wu Chen's voice sounded solemn, "Maybe it has something to do with Huang Xiaolong. As for Master's real intention, it isn't something we can make presumptions about."
The several disciples with him nodded hastily in compliance.
In the meantime, Wu Gen had Huang Xiaolong stand quietly on the side as they waited for other cultivators to come out from the illusion array.
After a little over seven hours of waiting, a person disciple walked out from the cave.
Although the second disciple took more than seven hours to pass the illusion array, the level of his strong will could be considered as startling, unless one compared him to Huang Xiaolong.
Coincidentally, the second disciple who came out was the very same person who struck up a conversation with Huang Xiaolong at the foothills. When he walked out and spotted Huang Xiaolong waiting outside, he couldn't help being surprised.
He reached his side, laughing, "Brother, I really couldn't tell ah! You're actually the first one to come out. How much time did you spend? Six hours? Maybe it was five?"
Huang Xiaolong shook his head, a mysterious smile on his face: "No."
That family disciple's expression turned a little strange, "Then… four hours?"
Huang Xiaolong shook his head again.
Suddenly, that family disciple burst into laughter, looking like he just had an epiphany. "So, you just come out a moment ago." In his opinion, just like himself, Huang Xiaolong must have spent over seven hours inside the illusion array, being just a second or two faster than him.
Wu Gen and the other disciples felt the corners of their mouth twitch by reflex.
The day came to an end, and so did the first part of the exam.
Like Wu Gen estimated earlier, roughly three hundred people passed.
When Wu Gen's group was about to lead the remaining group to the location of the second part, the group became noisy all of a sudden. From afar, a small group of Fortune Gate female disciples was flying towards them, and the person right in front was clad entirely in white, including the veil covering her face.
In that moment, all the present disciples' eyes were on that female disciple's slender figure.
'Li Lu!'
A trace of complexity flitted across Huang Xiaolong's eyes.
Seeing this, Wu Gen and the several in-name disciples took a few steps forward.
"Seventh Junior sister is here." Wu Gen greeted Li Lu.
Despite being the last of the Fortune Gate Ancestor's disciples, with barely over two hundred years since she had joined the Fortune Gate, her status and identity were much higher than his.
Li Lu nodded, returning his greeting, "Fifth Senior brother."
Wu Gen smiled warmly, "You've come just in time, I was about to bring those who have passed the first part to your place, but you were faster than me. This time, there's actually a disciple that took a shorter time than you to pass the illusion array, slightly over three minutes. I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!" He pointed at Huang Xiaolong.
"What?! Just over three minutes!" The family disciple who came out second couldn't help shrieking out loud. The others' attention fell on Huang Xiaolong.
Li Lu's eyes slightly widened in astonishment, but when her gaze fell on Huang Xiaolong, her slender body trembled, disbelief rose to her face. She was feeling surprise, guilt, and a little happiness.
Li Lu secretly took a deep breath and slowly walked toward Huang Xiaolong. Even though there was a veil over her face, almost everyone could tell that she was excited. This stunned Wu Gen. This black-haired young man might have passed the illusion array in a short three minutes, but Seventh Junior Apprentice sister needn't not feel so excited!
Huang Xiaolong looked at Li Lu where the stood, without blinking.
"You're here." Stopping in front of Huang Xiaolong, her voice bore a hint of melancholy.
Huang Xiaolong nodded, "I'm here, I came to see you."
Came to see you!
Hearing the extremely simple sentence from Huang Xiaolong, yet brimming with affection, Li Lu's beautiful eyes turned red-rimmed but she quickly recovered.
Wu Gen, the group of in-name disciples, and the various cultivators present were all looking blankly at Huang Xiaolong.
Li Lu actually knew this black-haired man? And judging from their interaction, the two of them seemed to be very close.
Huang Xiaolong continued, "I would like to bring you back."
Bring you back!
Listen to him, confessing in public!
A moment of pure bliss shone from Li Lu's eyes. In the next second, however, she shook her head, declining, "I want to accompany Master, staying here at the Sacred Fortune Mountain to cultivate."
She smiled like a blooming flower, changing the subject, "Come, I'll bring you to see Master, he might really accept you as an in-name disciple."
Watching Li Lu's mischievously cute expression, it reminded Huang Xiaolong of her past self. But her latter joking words put a wry smile on his face. This girl knew full well that he didn't come here to take some disciple exam.
Even if he really took the exam, would the Fortune Gate Ancestor dare to take him in as a disciple?
However, since he was already here at the Sacred Fortune Mountain, paying his respects to the elders was courtesy, moreover, he did have a purpose in seeing the Fortune Gate Ancestor.
Just as Li Lu was about to lead Huang Xiaolong to her Master's place Wu Gen who had been standing at the side blocked their way, saying to Li Lu, "Seventh Junior sister, he hasn't passed the second part of the exam, suddenly bringing him to see Master, isn't the sequence wrong? If Master is angered, at that time…!"
Li Lu pointed at Huang Xiaolong, very simply stated: "His name is Huang Xiaolong."
Huang Xiaolong!!
Wu Gen and the disciples around him were stunned at first, then shocked, then filled with dread. Wu Gen retreated several steps back in reflex, as if Huang Xiaolong was a giant desolate beast.
And those cultivators who discussed right in front of him whether he and Li Lu had already 'xxx' felt their legs give out, nearly pissing their pants.
Huang Xiaolong didn't even look at these people, following closely at Li Lu's side as both of them flew toward the Fortune Gate Ancestor's cultivation dwelling in the Sacred Fortune Mountain.
The Fortune Gate Ancestor's cultivation dwelling wasn't located at the peak of the mountain, but halfway up. A dozen minutes later, the two of them arrived.
On the way here, neither of them spoke a word. Huang Xiaolong was enjoying the faint fragrance coming from Li Lu's body.
After waiting momentarily outside the elder's cultivation dwelling, Li Lu, who had gone in, returned in less than a minute following behind a lean, black-haired old man.
The Fortune Gate Ancestor stopped several steps from Huang Xiaolong, greeting, "Union Chief Huang comes from afar, this Xu Yong is late in welcoming, I hope Union Chief Huang forgives."
The Fortune Gate Ancestor introduced himself as Xu Yong in front of Huang Xiaolong, humbling himself.
Huang Xiaolong glanced at Li Lu, seeing that she was looking at him as well, albeit nervously. He understood that she was afraid of any conflict arising between him and her Master. Huang Xiaolong smiled, reassuring her, then nodded and exchanged a few polite words with the Fortune Gate Ancestor.
Li Lu was visibly relieved.
The Fortune Gate Ancestor then invited him inside.
Huang Xiaolong's purpose coming here, other than to see Li Lu, was related to the Vermilion Bird Institute Principal Qiu Baifei, as well as Ancestors and Patriarchs from the four galaxies who had come to submit to the Fortune Gate in the past and were still hiding behind the Fortune Gate's walls.
The other purpose was to tie up this loose end.