The Bronze Mirror’s Judgment

It was already the twelfth month of the year. The first through the third of the twelfth month was the period when the numerous branch recruitment sites of the various sects within Anchan City would recruit disciples en masse.

“Whoa.”

Meng Xin, Meng Jun, and Meng Yan walked out of the alley and onto the main street.

“There are so many people today,” Meng Xin exclaimed.

Meng Jun looked elated. “That goes without saying. Today is the first day of the twelfth month, the first day for sect enrollment. I have no idea how many people throughout Anchan City are trying to join sects. There are mortals, Xiantian lifeforms, and even Zifu Disciples like us! Some of the top sects generally only recruit early-stage Zifu Disciples. Since we’re all at the early Zifu stage, joining a sect should be fairly easy.”

Meng Xin quietly glanced at Meng Yan, who was beside her. When they had encountered the Snowdragon Mountain disciple who tried to kill them, Meng Yan had used a forbidden technique to save her, damaging his own foundations. It would be much harder for him to join a sect.

“Little Xin, let’s go,” Meng Jun called out. He suddenly glanced at Meng Yan, a smile spreading across his face. “Stone, even though your foundations are damaged, you’re still an early-stage Zifu Disciple. With a bit of luck, or if the sect doesn’t inspect too carefully, maybe you’ll still be able to join one.”

Meng Yan couldn’t hide the flash of anger on his face.

What did he mean, ‘if the sect doesn’t inspect too carefully’? Disciples are the future of a sect. Which sect would be careless?

“Oh, getting angry now?” Meng Jun snorted dismissively, then turned and left.

“Brother Stone,” Meng Xin couldn’t help calling out.

“You two go ahead. I’ll try the sects on my own,” Meng Yan said in a low voice.

Meng Xin hesitated, then said, “Brother Stone, I’ll go with you. We’ll try to join the sects together.”

Meng Yan was stunned, then overjoyed.

“Little Xin!” Meng Jun, who had already walked some distance away, called back impatiently.

“I’m going with Brother Stone,” Meng Xin said, standing beside Meng Yan. This made a look of excitement appear on Meng Yan’s face.

Meng Jun’s eyes widened. “You’re going with him? What sect could he possibly join?”

“Brother Stone used a forbidden technique to save your life as well, and this is how you treat him? I’m not going with you,” Meng Xin said.

Because she had been beautiful since childhood and possessed some talent, Meng Xin was used to being doted on, and she had her own pride. Although she looked down on both Meng Yan and Meng Jun to some extent, she was still very grateful to Meng Yan for saving her life during their journey. As for Meng Jun… he treated his own savior like this. Meng Xin felt nothing but contempt for him deep in her heart.

“You…” Meng Jun glared at her.

“Hmph.” Meng Xin gave a cold snort.

“Just you wait. Let’s see what sect you two manage to join,” Meng Jun said, then turned and left.

Meng Xin looked at Meng Yan beside her. “Brother Stone, let’s go.” Meng Yan’s heart was burning with warmth. He followed Meng Xin as they began their attempts to join a sect.

…

Black Tiger Estate, North Mountain, West City, Anchan City.

“Brother Baiwei, there’s no need to see me out,” Ji Ning said with a smile.

“Then I shall await good news from you, Ji Ning,” Beishan Baiwei said with a smile.

Ji Ning clasped his hands.

He then turned and, leading the Whitewater Hound, headed directly towards the Black-White College.

These past days spent living at the Black Tiger Estate had been quite peaceful. Through Beishan Baiwei, Ji Ning had learned… that the strength he had displayed in the Wuyou Caverns had indeed caused quite a few sects to send people to the Black Tiger Estate, hoping to recruit him. The conditions they offered were all excellent.

Becoming a disciple of an Immortal.

A gift of a thousand jin of Primordial Liquid.

Preparing a Heaven-ranked magic treasure…

And many other conditions, all enough to make a Primal Daoist’s mouth water. In terms of value, they were not inferior to the vein of primordial stones within the Ji Clan’s territory. Unfortunately, none of these were the Locksky Sword Sect, and certainly not the Black-White College.

Of the eight major powers within the Anchan Commandery, the three greatest sects were the Hundred Flowers Fairyland (which only accepted female disciples), the Locksky Sword Sect (which had its own pride and would not court disciples), and the Black-White College (which was even less likely to actively recruit).

“These sects are far weaker than the three great sects. Their Ki Refining techniques, divine abilities, secret arts, and the like are all on a lower level.” Ji Ning shook his head. A lower level meant the difference between heaven and earth. The more supreme the Ki Refining technique, the higher the chance of becoming an Immortal.

A moment later.

“We’re here.” Ji Ning looked up at the distant Black-White College. The Whitewater Hound was also looking at it.

“There really are a lot of people here today,” Ji Ning marveled.

“The Black-White College is extremely strict in accepting disciples, Ning. Don’t be careless and get eliminated,” the Whitewater Hound sent mentally.

“Don’t worry, Uncle White.” Ji Ning nodded.

…

Today, the gates of the Black-White College were wide open, allowing outsiders to enter. Ji Ning led the Whitewater Hound inside.

The surging crowds were filled with cultivators from all quarters who wished to join the Black-White College.

“Father, I will definitely work hard and join the Black-White College!”

“I’m set on the Black-White College! Once I’m in, Ru’er will agree to be my wife.”

“I must become a disciple of the Black-White College!”

Cultivators were gnashing their teeth in determination, and beside them were numerous spirit beasts, servants, family members, and friends.

“There must be tens of thousands of people here,” Ji Ning clicked his tongue in astonishment.

From up ahead came an angry roar: “You, a mid-stage Ki Refining Zifu Disciple, what business do you have at my Black-White College? Get down immediately! Listen up, all you behind me who wish to join the Black-White College: you must be at the early Zifu stage for Ki Refining. My Black-White College only recruits early-stage Zifu Disciples! If you are not an early-stage Zifu Disciple, you’d best leave now to spare yourself my scolding.”

“Next.”

“Mm, your meridian resilience is insufficient. Get down.”

“Next.”

“You’ve used a forbidden technique, and you still dare come to my Black-White College? Scram!”

“Next.”

“Meridians not wide enough. Get down.”

“Next.”

“Mm… barely acceptable. Go and wait over there.”

Ji Ning’s ears clearly discerned the voice. Hearing the sounds coming from afar, he was shocked. Simply by assessing one’s physical aptitude, the majority were eliminated. This showed just how strict the requirements were.

After a moment.

Ji Ning reached the front and saw the scene in the distance. There was a lake, and on the lake was a single boat. A black-haired, middle-aged man was sitting in the boat’s prow, holding a wine flask with an air of leisurely idleness. High in the air, a gigantic bronze mirror was suspended, shining its light down on the cultivators who flew over one by one.

“Greetings, Senior.” A young man came flying over, landing and standing on the surface of the water without sinking.

Wuuum.

The bronze mirror shone directly on him.

“Mm… barely acceptable. Go and wait over there,” the black-haired middle-aged man said casually.

“Thank you, Senior.” The young man immediately walked on the water, quickly crossing the lake to the other side. On the opposite shore, several dozen young men and women had already gathered, some of whom were merely teenagers.

Some cultivators were eliminated and had to return to the shore and leave. Others passed and flew to the shore on the other side of the lake.

Another handsome, elegant young man alighted gracefully onto the lake. He clasped his hands and bowed. “Meng Tang pays his respects to Senior.”

The huge bronze mirror high in the air shone upon him.

“Go in.” The black-haired middle-aged man even showed a hint of satisfaction, a rare sight.

Meng Tang bowed humbly, then also flew to the shore on the other side of the lake.

“Uncle White, wait for me here.” Ji Ning looked at the Whitewater Hound beside him, sending a mental message.

The Whitewater Hound nodded.

Swoosh!

Ji Ning’s figure flickered, and he instantly appeared on the lake’s surface. He clasped his hands and bowed. “Greetings, Senior.”

“Wearing animal hide?”

“This young man is wearing animal hide? How rare.”

“I wonder where he crawled out from.”

“But he looks like he’s just a teenager. His aptitude might not be low.” The onlookers in the distance murmured amongst themselves.

…

Ji Ning was very calm. Those people looked down on him for wearing animal hide, but the style of this hide was an exact replica of the one his mother had sewn for him.

Wearing this animal hide… he felt incredibly comfortable, as if his mother were right there beside him. As for the set his mother had personally sewn, he couldn’t bear to wear it and had stored it away.

The black-haired middle-aged man at the boat’s prow glanced at Ji Ning. “Fast, but no need to show off.”

The bronze mirror high in the air shone down on Ji Ning.

“Mm?” Ji Ning felt as if his entire body’s muscles, bones, skin, and flesh were being penetrated.

“Oh? Fiendgod Body Refining?” The black-haired middle-aged man looked at Ji Ning with surprise, then nodded in satisfaction. “Good aptitude. And your Fiendgod Body Refining has also reached the Zifu level, and it seems perfect. What technique are you cultivating?”

“The Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens!” Ji Ning said directly.

As soon as the words left his mouth, a wave of exclamations arose.

“The Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens?”

“That’s the legendary number one Fiendgod Body Refining technique! And someone has actually managed to cultivate it to the Zifu level?”

“He looks like just a teenager… really, the younger they are, the less they should be underestimated. To have cultivated the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens to such a level at such a young age… impressive.”

“There really are a lot of geniuses trying to join the Black-White College. I came here early in the morning, and this is already the second person who has cultivated the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens to the Zifu level.”

…

Ji Ning’s ears twitched. Oh? So someone before him had also cultivated the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens?

“Mm.” The black-haired middle-aged man nodded with a smile. “Go on. Don’t be careless in the slightest… you might just have a chance to enter our college.”

“Thank you, Senior.” Ji Ning bowed respectfully, his heart filled with secret shock.

The Black-White College’s recruitment standards were truly harsh. Even having reached the seventh layer of the Crimsonbright Diagram only gave one a chance to enter. After all, the Black-White College attracted the most extraordinary geniuses from the entire Anchan Commandery, and even some from outside the commandery. Every year, they recruited at most three to five, and sometimes not a single one!

With just the seventh layer of the Crimsonbright Diagram, one could easily enter a sect like the Locksky Sword Sect.

But to enter the Black-White College, which accepted so few disciples, was incredibly difficult.

Swoosh!

The water beneath Ji Ning’s feet felt like an extension of his own body. It was effortless and natural, and with a flicker of his form, he landed on the shore opposite the lake.

“Fifth Brother, another one who cultivates the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens has arrived,” a young man was saying to a black-robed youth beside him.

The black-robed youth cast a glance at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning glanced back at him.

“What layer of the Crimsonbright Diagram are you at?” the black-robed youth asked.

Ji Ning, however, turned his head away, not even looking at him.

The black-robed youth frowned slightly. In his tribe, he was an absolute proud son of heaven, used to being arrogant. He had also cultivated the Crimsonbright Diagram to the seventh layer, reaching the Blood-Drop Rebirth level. He had set his heart on joining the Black-White College. He was accustomed to looking down on his peers, and with his divine ability, he could even fight beyond his cultivation level. Naturally, his arrogance was sky-high.

“Hmph, insufferable.” The black-robed youth glanced at Ji Ning and paid him no further heed.

Ji Ning casually chose a large rock, sat down cross-legged, and couldn’t be bothered with the black-robed youth.

As time passed, the number of young men and women around them grew. There were those from large tribes, some from outside the Anchan Commandery, and even members of the Anchan Northmont clan had arrived. Ji Ning occasionally watched the commotion, but he never joined in any discussions. He knew that, out of all these people present, perhaps only one or two would successfully enter the Black-White College.