Although the city gates weren't that far from the inn he was staying, it still took Shun Long 20 minutes to arrive there.
On the way, he saw many disciples heading towards the same direction, all of them seeming perplexed on why the sect had summoned them.
By the time he arrived, there was already a huge crowd waiting in front of the gates.
After 40 minutes the crowd gathered had definitely numbered more than 50.000 disciples when 3 sect Elders in black robes appeared in front of everyone.
The Elder in the lead was white-haired, with a white beard and as the buzzing crowd quietened as they saw him, he started speaking
''My name is Lan Hong, and I am the Grand Elder of our 'floating cloud sect'. I am sure that many of you are curious as to why the sect suddenly summoned you all. I will explain everything only once, so pay close attention.
Every 3 years, our floating cloud sect tempers our newly accepted disciples in the Demonic Mountain Region to the west of our 'floating cloud city'. In the Demonic Mountain Region, you disciples will have to compete not just between yourselves, but you will also have to fight against the magical beasts that live there if you want to stay alive.
In your sect identifying jades, each of you will be given a special point, which is completely different from your sect points. You can directly rob this special point from others if you acquire their 'sect identifying jade'. Your aim in the Demonic Mountain Region will be to survive while gathering the special survival points that the other disciples here have.
The Demonic Mountain Region is a place where you can become stronger and find fortuitous opportunities, but you can also die there.
You can call the sect unfair or cruel if you want but nothing will change. You are all cultivators, and your aim should be to become stronger instead of staying locked up inside the sect. The sect too has no need for a bunch of weaklings in the qi condensation realm who are content with their lives inside the city.'' As the Grand Elder finished this sentence his voice had turned stern as he then continued
''However, this year's 'outer sect examination' will be different compared to the previous years. This time you will also have to compete against disciples from other sects inside the Demonic Mountain Region. Namely, it will be 3 sects at the same size as our 'floating cloud sect', the 'Flying Sword sect', the 'Roaring Wind Pavilion' as well as the 'Iron-hardened school'. Their disciples will also try to take your special survival points and you should also do the same.
Remember that you may die at any moment inside the Demonic Mountain Region be it from another cultivator or from a magic beast, so if you want to stay alive you have to be ruthless. Death lurks everywhere in the Demonic Mountain Region and you only have 2 options. Become ruthless or... die. Elder Zhu will give each of you your survival points.''
As the Grand Elder, Lan Hong finished speaking, he pointed towards the bald Elder Zhu on the side.
After every disciple had a special survival point added to their 'sect identifying jade', Lan Hong took the lead as he headed outside of the city towards the west before shouting in a loud voice
''All disciples are to follow after me.''
Most of the disciples were feeling downcasted as they followed behind Lan Hong.
''Why do we have to risk our lives all of a sudden for no reason?''
''I agree. Nobody informed us about this beforehand or I may not have joined the 'floating cloud sect'.''
''The sect is so cruel. They didn't even ask for our permission before ordering us to participate.''
Shun Long heard all the hushed whispers of the terrified disciples around him and he just chuckled. After his conversation with the voice in the darkness inside the 'Stone of Time', his mental state had already changed drastically from before. He was now going to grasp every single opportunity he could to become stronger. These 3 months inside the sect where he did nothing other than cultivating had already felt so stifling to him, so this chance to leave the sect was a good opportunity, albeit a dangerous one.
''This will be a great opportunity to test my 'Monarch's Eternal body'' he thought as he kept following the group headed towards the Demonic Mountain Region.
Lan Hong knew what the disciples were feeling, yet he didn't pay much attention to them as he said
''Elder Lu will explain the rewards that the sect will give you, depending on your results.''
This was the same Elder Lu that had brought Shun Long from the 'Sky Fortune Kingdom' to the 'floating cloud sect', Elder Lu Cheng.
Following behind the Grand Elder, Lu Cheng didn't even turn around as he started speaking with his back facing the disciples.
''You will all be able to obtain different rewards from the sect depending on your results. Those of you that manage to keep just one survival point by the end of the exam, will be able to obtain 10 sect points, while those of you that collect 10 survival points will get 100 sect points.
The person ranked in the 100th position will get 1000 sect points, while for every position above that you will get an extra 100 sect points. Aside from that, there will be special rewards for the top10 and the top3 respectively.
The top 10 will all obtain weapons crafted by silver grade formation masters, while the top 3 will each obtain a spatial ring.''
As Elder Lu finished speaking, all the disciples were shocked. The rewards this year were definitely much better than the previous years.
''Elder, what about the first place then?''