"Do you think you're not idiots? Even Alliance Leader Gong hasn't said anything, yet you two so-called College Deputy Deans are overstepping your bounds. Are you from the Academy Alliance's Law Enforcement Hall? What's more, in the Demon King Forest, were the only ones who died from your Tianba College or Changfeng Academy? Or do you think your students are nobler than students from other Colleges? Alliance Leader Gong, do you agree?" Zhang Hao looked at Gong Jiu.
Gong Jiu hadn't expected Zhang Hao to shift the focus onto him. He also knew that as the Alliance Leader of the Academy Alliance, if he didn't step forward at this moment, his prestige would be damaged. Therefore, he stepped forward and cleared his throat a few times.
"Alright, Xue Ping, Gu Kaiyuan, if you continue to cause trouble, please leave!" Gong Jiu glared at Xue Ping and Gu Kaiyuan impolitely.
Xue Ping and Gu Kaiyuan immediately lowered their heads and said, "We wouldn't dare!"
"Alright, the third stage will begin now."
Gong Jiu's gaze fell on Zhang Hao's body, and he smiled slightly, saying, "Since ancient times, heroes emerge from the young! This time, only this little friend is participating in the third stage assessment."
Zhang Hao nodded and said, "I know."
Gong Jiu looked at Zhang Hao's calm demeanor, neither flattered nor discouraged, and secretly praised him. Stroking his beard, he smiled and said, "However, how the third stage will be assessed this time still needs to be determined by the examiners from the Ten Great Sects."
"Kid, I know you use a saber. Work hard, I'm interested in you," Elder Dai of the Divine Blade Sect said.
The Elder of the West Mountain Sect also followed, saying, "Kid, our West Mountain Sect is also interested in you. Perform well in the third stage."
Several other Sects successively expressed interest in Zhang Hao, all saying that as long as he didn't perform too poorly in the third stage, they would accept him as an Outer Sect Disciple of their Sect.
Lan Haiping of Tianwu Academy was also very happy. Tianwu Academy hadn't produced an Outer Sect Disciple from a Sect for a long time. Although there were many Registered Disciples, a Registered Disciple was just a Registered Disciple; their status was vastly different from an Outer Sect Disciple.
Suddenly, a figure flew from the area of the Elders of the Ten Great Sects and appeared above Zhang Hao's head, looking down at him.
This person was Xiao Long.
"Zhang Hao, I never thought you, an ant, could reach this stage. You truly make me look at you in a new light," Xiao Long said in a cold voice.
Xiao Long's appearance made everyone present focus their attention on this area.
At this moment, everyone saw it. There was a rift between Xiao Long and Zhang Hao.
"So what? As an examiner, do you want to publicly announce that I won't pass?" Zhang Hao looked at Xiao Long with a hint of mockery.
"Do you think, even if you pass, anyone will accept you into a Sect?" Xiao Long looked at Zhang Hao with a mocking expression.
Indeed, as soon as Xiao Long stated his position, the Elders of the West Mountain Sect, Divine Blade Sect, and several other Sects immediately laughed awkwardly and retreated. Clearly, none of these Elders were willing to offend Xiao Long, the number one Genius of the Northern Region, for the sake of one Zhang Hao.
Xiao Long's expression became increasingly smug. A vast pressure enveloped Zhang Hao's body.
"Zhang Hao, take a palm strike from me! As long as you can withstand my palm strike, you will pass the third stage assessment," Xiao Long said to Zhang Hao with a half-smile.
"Wait!" Just at this moment, a voice rang out.
A figure swept down from the high platform and appeared in front of Zhang Hao.
It turned out to be Elder Tu of Hao Xian Sect who had arrived.
"Elder Tu, are you trying to stop me?" Xiao Long's expression turned slightly gloomy.
Elder Tu said indifferently, "Stop you? I'm not interested, but we, Hao Xian Sect, have taken a liking to him!"
"Heh heh, Hao Xian Sect has taken a liking to him? It seems he hasn't passed the third stage assessment yet, has he?" Xiao Long looked at Elder Tu and sneered.
"The third stage assessment was decided by all the major Sects together, Xiao Long. Although you are the new Elder of Ziyang Sect, it seems this third stage assessment is not something you alone can decide, Ge Xia?" Elder Tu said in a deep voice.
Xiao Long suddenly burst into laughter. Looking at Elder Tu, he said, "Heh heh, Elder Tu, Ge Xia, you are mistaken this time. Our Ziyang Sect is the host of this assessment. Do you think I have the right to set the content of the assessment?"
Upon hearing this, Elder Tu inwardly cursed and realized he had forgotten about this. Among the Ten Great Sects, one Sect is responsible for hosting the assessment each year. And this time, it just happened to be Ziyang Sect's turn.
"Heh heh, even if your Ziyang Sect is responsible for hosting the assessment this year, the content of the assessment still requires the unanimous agreement of our Ten Great Sects," Elder Tu sneered.
Xiao Long smiled calmly, turned around, and asked the Elders of the major Sects, "This time, I will personally conduct the assessment. What do you think?"
"Young Master Xiao, a peerless Genius. For Young Master Xiao to personally conduct the assessment, our Sect absolutely supports it with both hands," the Elder of the West Mountain Sect was the first to express his stance.
"Our Divine Blade Sect also agrees!"
"Heaven Sword Sect seconds the motion!"
...
The Elders of several Sects expressed their opinions.
Just at this moment, a white figure swept down; it was Murong Ziqian.
"Zi Qian!"
Zhang Hao also hadn't seen Murong Ziqian for over a year. Seeing Murong Ziqian again at this moment, he suddenly felt as if he were in a dream. This was the girl who had occupied his thoughts and dreams.
"Zhang Hao!" Murong Ziqian also stepped forward quickly and excitedly took Zhang Hao's hand.
"Xiao Long, what exactly do you want?" Murong Ziqian glared at Xiao Long angrily.
"Zi Qian, as the chief examiner for this assessment, what do you think I can do? For the third stage assessment, I only require him to take one palm strike from me. Is that not going too far?" Xiao Long said with a faint smile.
"Not going too far? You, a Martial Grandmaster intermediate stage Martial Warrior, actually want a Martial King to take a palm strike from you. Do you think this isn't going too far? What is going too far then?" Murong Ziqian said angrily.
The Martial Warriors present were all greatly shocked to hear that Xiao Long was at the Martial Grandmaster intermediate stage, because they knew that Xiao Long seemed to have only recently broken through to Martial Grandmaster. They hadn't expected him to break through to Martial Grandmaster intermediate stage so quickly. As expected of a Genius with nine Spiritual Roots!
Even Lan Haiping's expression changed drastically as he looked at Xiao Long.
"Heh heh, precisely because I am a Martial Grandmaster, This Young Master only requires him to take one palm strike from me. Otherwise, it wouldn't be one palm strike, but ten or a hundred," Xiao Long said as if it were a matter of course.
Elder Tu, standing nearby, looked at Zhang Hao seriously and said, "Zhang Hao, you can refuse. But don't worry, even if you don't pass the third stage, our Hao Xian Sect will still accept you as an Outer Sect Disciple. The promise remains unchanged."
"That's right! Zhang Hao, refuse it. Anyway, you can join Hao Xian Sect," Murong Ziqian looked at Zhang Hao happily and said.
Xiao Long looked at Zhang Hao with an unchanged expression and said indifferently, "Zhang Hao, are you sure you want to shrink back in front of Zi Qian? Hahaha..."
"Alright, Xiao Fan, I'll take your palm strike," Zhang Hao suddenly said.
"Zhang Hao!"
Murong Ziqian's face turned pale when she heard Zhang Hao agree.