"Welcome to the Heavenly Lightning Sect!" John's voice boomed out as he hovered above the crowd, drawing the attention of all.
Everyone looked up and saw a young boy above them, causing many, especially the older cultivators, to frown at the sight. It was known that the Vice-Sect Leader would welcome the guests to the start of the entrance exam, and many were drawn to the gates each year to get a sight of her.
However, the Heavenly Lightning Sect had instead sent a boy to the gates, which many considered as a sign of the Heavenly Lightning Sect not caring that much about this year's entrance exam.
In fact, many of the older cultivators were about to speak out in a questioning manner against such a thing, but their voices caught in their throats as they inspected John's cultivation. He was clearly only around sixteen years old, but already had a cultivation in the Middle Meridian Forging Realm.
Not only that, but just a single glance from the elders in the group told them that John could easily kill them, despite their higher cultivation. In particular, an early Heaven Tribulation elder from a First Grade Clan was about to speak up and protest such a reception, as a way to draw attention to himself and elevate his position, but his words also caught in his throat.
Although John was not actively emanating his aura or power, this elder could tell that John was not someone he could handle in a fight. In fact, he felt lethal danger from him, which lead him and everyone else to one conclusion.
There was only youth in the entire Heavenly Lightning Sect who could fit this description.
Meanwhile, the youths in the crowd below all became the epitome of frenzied excitement, as they immediately recognized John. While they had never seen him before, they could tell that despite only being a year or two older than them, his power was far above anything they could look up to.
Most of the youths in the crowd were in the Qi Condensation Realm, and so John's Meridian Forging cultivation was far above their scope of power, and was something they thought only elderly cultivators would have.
"It's him! It's actually him!" many disciples cried out excitedly.
John smiled as he saw this frenzied commotion,and waited for a short moment to let them vent their emotions before he waved his hand for silence. The crowd quickly descended into silence, as they all stared up at John floating above them.
"Thank you for coming to my Heavenly Lightning Sect today," John said to the crowd, who listened with great passion. "It was just one year ago that I too was in the crowd before these gates, eagerly trying to join this sect."
John's voice was tinged with nostalgia, and he paused for a moment before continuing his speech.
"After spending a year in this sect, I can say with absolute confidence that this is the greatest sect on this continent, and your decision to enter it was the correct one. By entering this sect, you will have opportunities you could only dream of before."
John's speech sent the disciples into an excited furor again, and he waved his hand for silence once more.
"I will now explain the rules of the entrance exam. The entrance exam will last one week. All those who enter must be below the Core Formation Realm, and sixteen years of age or below.
There are five stages to the exam, and to enter the sect as an Outer Disciple, the third stage must be cleared. Those who pass the fourth stage will become Inner Disciples, and those who pass the fifth will become Core Disciples."
Most in the crowd were familiar with the rules of the entrance exam, as they were explained in detail every year. However, this information was new to some, and so they listened closely.
"The trials will be monitored closely by Elders, and cheating of any kind will be dealt with severely. No treasures or weapons that use outside power will be permitted. Everything must be powered by the cultivators themselves."
Many nodded their heads in agreement at this rule, while some had looks of disappointment on their faces. There were bound to be incredibly powerful treasures in the Holy Lands that the juniors could use, which would provide an unfair advantage.
"Fighting within the exams are permitted only when allowed by the specific trial. Fighting outside the permitted trials will result in disqualification. Lastly, the top cultivators who do the best within the exams will be given special rewards. That is all."
John explained the rules exactly as he had remembered his master had done a year ago, and following her actions after as well, he suddenly disappeared from the crowd's view as he returned to where his master was, far above the crowd.
"Not a bad speech," Lilian teased as John returned next to her. "In fact, I think you explained the rules verbatim as I did. Couldn't you have done it a bit differently?"
"Why bother," John replied as he gazed down on the crowd below.
The gates parted, allowing the disciples to enter the sect. Over one hundred thousand youths flooded into the sect, looking like a surging river as they all moved towards the first testing location.
While John did not participate in any of the trial testing as the other Elders did, he decided to stay around and watch the youths attempt the trials he had done just a year ago. It was a rare relaxing break in his routine, which would soon become chaotic again thanks to his trip to the Divine Martial Continent.
"Come find me after the trials are over," Lilian instructed before she flew away, leaving John behind.
John found a nice spot in a tree not far away from the talent testing area, and sat one one of its branches as he watched the test commence. Those that passed the trial all cheered in excited happiness, while those that failed looked like their dreams had shattered.
John sighed as he saw such sights, as he had a heavy heart for those that failed.
"Strength is the only thing in this world that allows someone to control their own fate, and yet the is the one who world dictates who gets strength and who does not. If one is given terrible talent, then even if their hearts are the firmest in the land, they are still destined to be stepping stones for others. What a cruel, uncaring world."
John's thoughts shifted to the Artifact that his supposed father had made for him, and its effect on his life.
'Although my talent without the Artifact is still world-shaking, as I achieved fifteen dantian compressions on my own, and also have a heavenly bloodline ability, I still would not have nearly come as far as I have without the Artifact bestowed upon me by my father. I wonder...if I become strong enough to stand atop this entire martial world and look down from above, could I rewrite the laws of the martial world? Make it so that those who have an unflinching heart and unbreakable resolve can reach the top, while those undeserving of their talent fall to the depths? Wouldn't that be perfect.'
John continued to think over such things as he watched the trials completed. The first trial ended, with roughly half of all participants eliminated. The second trial started, which for John was the illusion formation trial.
Since the trials changed every year to keep people from cheating, this year's second trial was a willpower test, not of pain, but of resolve. Those that entered had their resolve tested with money, power, lust, and other things the heart would normally desire.
Only those with firm enough resolves to stand against such temptations were allowed forward, and yet again roughly half of the participants were eliminated.
The next trial was a combat trial, with the disciples fighting not against beasts as John had done, but against themselves. With rankings assigned to the talent test scores the disciples had received in the first trial, a single elimination tournament was held until only several thousand remained.
Those within fought with all their might and strength, and some even managed to impress John with their determination. Not only that, but there were many talented youths as well, some showing power that made John raise an eyebrow.
'This class of youths is definitely stronger than the one I was a part of. With such an infusion of talent, it seems like the Heavenly Lightning Sect's future strength is on a sure path rise."
The trial afterwards, the last trial, was the trial of pain, which was the only trial not changed in any way. Even if one knew there was a trial of pain, they still needed the willpower and resolve to push through it.
John sighed as he watched the disciples struggle against the pain, and many give up.
'So close, and yet they let such a thing stand in their way. Oh well, only those who can pass such a trial are worthy of becoming Inner and Core Disciples anyways."
Several youths once again stood out, and surged to the center of the trial, passing it swiftly. Although none had passed the trial as fast as John had done the year prior, there were several youths that once again impressed him.
The trial finally ended as all either passed or gave up, and John quickly stood up and moved to a different location. Just as he arrived, a flash of light appeared before him, as all the disciples that had passed the Outer, Inner, and Core Disciple tests arrived in the Heavenly Lightning Sect courtyard.
A large crowd of all the Heavenly Lightning Sect members gathered around the courtyard, eager to see the new batch of disciples, as well as the one spectacle they came for every year.