After respectfully listening to the elder's admonitions, Ye Tian and the others followed him to a densely populated residential area at the foot of the mountain.
The houses here were all traditional courtyard-style, arranged in a peculiar formation.
According to the elder, this formation was a Spirit Gathering Array, designed to concentrate the natural spiritual energy of heaven and earth, resulting in a level of spiritual energy within this residential area that far surpassed the outside.
However, Ye Tian did not perceive any noticeable change.
"Go ahead and select a corresponding courtyard based on your contribution point rankings. As for what you will do afterward, you will understand once you enter your own residence," the elder stated before stepping into the air and departing.
The five thousand warriors exchanged glances, and eventually, some began to enter the residential area.
"Ah..." Suddenly, a gasp echoed through the air. Ye Tian looked up to see a young man who had just stepped into the residential area, his face alight with surprise and awe.
Soon, Ye Tian noticed that others entering the area displayed similar expressions of excitement.
Feeling a bit puzzled, Ye Tian and Lin Fei proceeded into the residential area together.
Boom!
The moment they stepped into this realm, Ye Tian was immediately enveloped by a rich, almost liquid spiritual energy that surged toward him, causing his body to tremble and nearly stumble backward.
"What a potent essence of heaven and earth!"
Ye Tian was profoundly astonished, his face reflecting his emotional turmoil. Lin Fei, standing beside him, wore an equally incredulous expression, visibly shaken.
While there had been no discernible difference outside, entering this residential area revealed the terrifying concentration of spiritual energy within.
Truly, the Divine Star Sect was remarkable, capable of arranging such an extraordinary formation that harnessed the essence of heaven and earth—nothing short of miraculous.
"One day of cultivation here is equivalent to four or five days outside. No wonder so many people are eager to join the Divine Star Sect!" Lin Fei exclaimed, his eyes brimming with excitement.
Ye Tian felt the same; with such dense spiritual energy, he believed it wouldn't be long before he could cultivate the Condensation Technique to perfection.
At that point, he might even seize the opportunity to break through to the Martial Spirit realm.
"Let's go; based on our rankings, we're likely to share a courtyard!" Ye Tian remarked with a smile.
"I just wonder who the other two individuals will be," Lin Fei mused curiously.
The Divine Star Sect had yet to disclose their rankings, leaving only the warriors themselves aware of their standings.
In a courtyard that could accommodate four individuals, Ye Tian, ranked sixth, and Lin Fei, ranked eighth, would indeed be sharing a residence.
Before long, they found a particularly vast courtyard situated in the central area of the formation, where the spiritual energy was most concentrated.
"Look! It's the Seventh Prince and his entourage!" Lin Fei suddenly pointed to a large courtyard nearby and whispered.
Ye Tian turned to look and indeed spotted Wu Ding, Bai Yunfei, the Seventh Prince, and a veiled woman in white entering that very courtyard.
"Hmph!"
Wu Ding cast a glance in Ye Tian's direction, snorting coldly.
The Seventh Prince's gaze remained as domineering as ever, piercing like an arrow aimed directly at them.
Bai Yunfei wore a chilling smile, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.
The veiled woman's expression was inscrutable, but her beautiful eyes sparkled with curiosity as they glanced at Ye Tian.
"Let's go!"
Ye Tian shot them a cold glance before stepping into the courtyard alongside Lin Fei.
Inside the courtyard, two individuals had already arrived. One was the Thirteenth Prince, whom Ye Tian and Lin Fei knew well, while the other was a stunning beauty clad in a green gown.
"Brother Ye, Brother Lin, what a delightful coincidence! Hahaha!" Upon seeing Ye Tian and Lin Fei enter, the Thirteenth Prince, who had been about to enter the house, halted and greeted them with a hearty laugh, his face beaming with joy.
Observing the Thirteenth Prince's cheerful demeanor, Ye Tian couldn't help but feel a sense of fondness for him, regardless of whether it was feigned; at the very least, he was far more likable than the Seventh Prince.
Lin Fei's expression also brightened a bit; compared to the Seventh Prince, the Thirteenth Prince was undoubtedly more agreeable.
The Thirteenth Prince, perceptive as always, noticed the changes in Ye Tian and Lin Fei and felt a surge of delight. He smiled and said, "Brother Ye, allow me to introduce this is Miss Yun Shuiyao, the eldest daughter of the Yun family, a renowned genius from Nanlin County. As for Brother Lin, you already know each other, so no introduction is necessary."
He then turned to the beauty in the green gown and added, "Miss Yun, this is Brother Ye, known as the Blood Blade Ye Tian. You should have heard of him!"
"You are the Blood Blade?" Yun Shuiyao exclaimed, her beautiful eyes widening in surprise. "I didn't expect you to be so young; you must be much younger than I am. Truly impressive!"
"Miss Yun, you flatter me!" Ye Tian replied nonchalantly. In truth, he recognized her without needing the Thirteenth Prince's introduction; he had encountered the four prodigies of the great families previously in the Black Blood Mountains.
"Just call me Yun Shuiyao. Of course, you may also refer to me as Senior Sister Yun, since we will soon be brothers in arms, hehe!" Yun Shuiyao said with an endearing smile.
Ye Tian was momentarily taken aback, then rubbed his nose and chuckled, "Very well, since you are 'older,' I shall be your junior disciple!" He said this with a hint of helplessness.
"Who's older?" Yun Shuiyao retorted, her tone rising like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her pretty face turning frosty as she glared at Ye Tian. Only when she noticed the amusement in Ye Tian's eyes did she huff softly and roll her eyes, saying, "Since you are my junior disciple this time, I shall let you off the hook."
"Brother Ye is absolutely right; since we are all brothers now, let us address one another as such!" The Thirteenth Prince said, a glimmer of joy in his eyes. He continued, "I am twenty-five this year, so I shall take the liberty of being your senior brother! Hehe!" His face was full of pride.
"Yes, elder... uncle!" Yun Shuiyao retorted, deliberately elongating the word "uncle."
The Thirteenth Prince's expression immediately darkened.
"Hahaha..."
Ye Tian and Lin Fei burst into hearty laughter.
In the end, they all revealed their ages; indeed, Ye Tian was the youngest, while the Thirteenth Prince was the eldest. Lin Fei ranked second, and Yun Shuiyao was merely two years older than Ye Tian.
After exchanging introductions, the group each chose a room to enter. Since all the rooms in the courtyard were of identical size, there was little distinction among them.
The interior was spacious, and as Ye Tian stepped inside, he discovered a hidden marvel: there were three rooms—a resting area, a grand hall, and a training space.
At that moment, Ye Tian settled into a chair in the hall, gazing at several items laid out on the table before him.
One of these was a white robe, the standard attire for outer disciples of the Divine Star Sect. Following protocol, Ye Tian promptly donned the robe, instantly transforming into an elegant young man clad in white.
After a brief glance in the mirror, he felt a surge of satisfaction with his appearance; the robe fit him perfectly, though its plain color lacked the vibrancy of his blood-red attire.
Subsequently, Ye Tian noticed a few books on the table, including a low-level inner cultivation technique, a low-level martial skill called "Stellar Hand," and a thick tome titled "Chronicles of the Northern Sea."
"What a pity that these two manuals are of no use to me..." Ye Tian lamented, shaking his head in disappointment as he set aside the inner cultivation technique and martial skill, opting instead to peruse the hefty book.
Having already mastered the Earth-level inner cultivation technique "Blood Demon Transformation," he naturally had no interest in the Divine Star Sect's version, and as for "Stellar Hand," he had learned it long ago, rendering it unnecessary to review.
However, the thick tome piqued Ye Tian's interest.
"Chronicles of the Northern Sea... It appears this book documents the various sects of the eighteen nations of the Northern Sea, along with numerous accounts of remarkable individuals and extraordinary events... This could certainly broaden my horizons," Ye Tian mused with a hint of delight. He carefully set the book aside, intending to delve into it further when time permitted, recognizing its potential value for his journeys across the continent.
"Stellar Handbook!"
Ye Tian then picked up the last book on the table, his eyes instantly lighting up.
This volume provided a comprehensive introduction to all matters concerning the Divine Star Sect, allowing Ye Tian to gain a swift understanding of its workings and what was expected of him moving forward.
"Outer disciples, aside from focusing on cultivation, are required to complete certain sect tasks. This is both an obligation and an opportunity to earn contribution points."
However, upon seeing the contribution point rewards for these sect tasks, Ye Tian couldn't help but feel a sense of relief; he was fortunate to have seized many contribution points during the assessments, for relying solely on these tasks would yield less than ten thousand points in a year.
It was worth noting that during the past two months of evaluations, Ye Tian had amassed an impressive fifty thousand contribution points, a sum equivalent to several years' earnings for an outer disciple.
"With such a wealth of contribution points, combined with Liu Yunfei's substantial sum of over a hundred thousand points, I should be able to exchange for numerous treasures to enhance my abilities," Ye Tian thought, brimming with excitement.
Before long, he, Lin Fei, the Thirteenth Prince, and Yun Shuiyao gathered in the hall.
"Junior Brother Ye, the arena competition is in three days. How do you plan to prepare during this time?" Lin Fei asked with a smile as Ye Tian emerged.
"Naturally, I intend to exchange my contribution points for some items!" Ye Tian replied without hesitation.
The Thirteenth Prince chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Junior Brother Ye, as you are new to the Divine Star Sect, there may be many aspects you are unaware of. I suggest you first use ten thousand contribution points to secure an opportunity for the Spirit Pool baptism. This is a unique chance afforded only to us outer disciples; missing it would lead to lifelong regret."
"The Spirit Pool?" Ye Tian's curiosity was piqued. He understood that the Thirteenth Prince and his companions possessed greater knowledge of the Divine Star Sect, so he humbly sought their guidance.
"The Spirit Pool is a treasure of the Divine Star Sect, containing liquefied spiritual energy. If one can undergo a baptism within it, a transformative metamorphosis can occur, particularly for individuals like us who are on the cusp of becoming Martial Spirits; it could very well lead to an immediate advancement in our cultivation," Lin Fei interjected, his excitement palpable.
Upon hearing this, Ye Tian's eyes sparkled with understanding; he immediately grasped the significance of the Spirit Pool.
"Moreover, this opportunity is exclusive to us outer disciples; even if inner disciples possess a hundred thousand contribution points, they cannot enter. If you were to miss this chance, just imagine how regrettable that would be!" the Thirteenth Prince added with a smile.