Time reached noon, and the interviews ended.
Yunkui Summit had prepared lunch for the examinees, and the interview results would be announced in the afternoon.
Those who passed the exam would participate in the practical assessment later that day, while those who failed could head down the mountain after lunch.
…..
Yunkui Summit, Disciples' Grand Canteen.
"Braised pork, white-cut chicken, and even fruit pastries… now this is a powerful sect!"
Holding a tray while lining up for food, Ju Fufu was just about to reach the front. Staring at the dishes prepared for the examinees, she was practically drooling.
"With that expensive registration fee, shouldn't the meals at least be decent?"
Arden, complaining as usual, stood behind Ju Fufu while observing the surroundings.
To him, the place felt like a university cafeteria—crowds of "students," neat tables and chairs, serving windows, and aunties ladling out dishes.
Except… Arden couldn't help feeling that one of those aunties looked familiar.
Uh… Little Lan's mom?
Little Lan was the little girl they'd rescued from a Hollow not long ago.
Then it was Ju Fufu's turn for food, and Little Lan's mom also recognized her—and Arden standing behind her.
"So, it's you two… you're here for the Yunkui Summit entrance assessment as well?"
"Ah! It's Ethereal Big Brother and Orange Tabby Big Sister!"
Little Lan was there too—her cute little head popping out from behind the window.
"I'm not Ethereal Big Brother!"
"I'm a tiger, not an orange tabby!"
Arden and Ju Fufu shouted back at the same time.
"Give her more meat so she has the strength for this afternoon's assessment."
Little Lan's mom scooped Ju Fufu a huge spoonful of braised pork. "When I finish working, I'll thank you two properly."
"No need, Auntie. It's what we should've done."
This wasn't the place for chatting, and a whole line of people was waiting behind them. Arden and Ju Fufu left with their trays and found an empty table to begin eating lunch.
"Big Brother, Big Sister… do you know about Yunkui Summit's Seven Unbelievable Legends?"
Little Lan followed with her own lunch.
"Oh? Let's hear it?"
Just like that, Arden and the two little girls chatted while eating.
"By the way, did you hear about it?"
In the middle of their conversation, Little Lan suddenly showed an expression far too gossipy for her age. "During the interview, there was this idiot examinee who overestimated himself and said he wanted to marry Master Yixuan. Hmph! Truly a toad trying to eat—"
"Cough cough~!"
Before Little Lan could finish the phrase "toad wanting to eat swan meat," Arden—the idiot examinee in question—began coughing violently.
"Hm? A toad wanting to eat…?"
Ju Fufu squinted her eyes into crescents, her expression full of teasing.
"Cough. Cough!"
Arden coughed again, harder.
"Uh… don't tell me…?"
Little Lan glanced at Ju Fufu, then at Arden. Clever since childhood, she quickly put the pieces together. "That toad—no no no! I mean that idiot examinee—could it be you, Big Brother!?"
"Pff~~ hahaha!"
Ju Fufu finally burst into laughter. One hand held her stomach while the other slapped the table. "That's right, he is that idiot examinee! I can't—hahaha!"
She couldn't stop laughing.
"….."
Arden shot Ju Fufu a sharp glare. "If I'm an idiot, doesn't that make you an idiot woman?"
"….."
Ju Fufu instantly stopped laughing—because technically, he wasn't wrong.
"Pff~!"
Ju Fufu's laughter abruptly cut off, but then another laugh sounded beside them.
"Who!?"
Arden and Ju Fufu turned in unison toward the source of the laughter.
If they laughed at each other, that was fine—internal business. But who dared laugh at them?
"Uh…"
But when Arden and Ju Fufu saw who it was, the words they'd prepared died immediately in their throats, and their attitudes straightened into respectful formality.
"Master Yixuan, you also came to the canteen to eat!"
"Hello, Master!"
"Master, are the meals to your taste?"
Just then, Little Lan's mom finished her work and came over with her own meal.
"Mm, not bad."
Yixuan nodded in response first, then let her gaze sweep over the four of them.
"So, you all know each other?"
"Master, didn't I tell you before? Little Lan accidentally entered a Hollow…"
Little Lan's mom briefly recounted how Arden and Ju Fufu rescued Little Lan from the Hollow.
"I see. As the master of this sect, I express my thanks to you both."
Saying this, Yixuan took another moment to assess Arden.
"It's nothing. It's what every good citizen should do."
Arden was uncharacteristically humble. Now he finally understood where the "increased pass rate" mentioned in the system's task reward had come from.
…..
After lunch, afternoon arrived.
With help from many directions, Arden and Ju Fufu successfully passed the interviews and advanced into the practical assessment.
The judges watched from above, while the examinees in the martial arena displayed their abilities. They would then be scored, and in the end, recruitment representatives from each sect would accept disciples based on their sect's passing threshold.
Ju Fufu was near the front, and soon it was her turn.
"Don't be nervous. Just perform normally and you'll definitely pass."
With Arden's encouragement, Ju Fufu walked into the martial arena.
"Tiger Seven Forms: Flaming Claw!"
She began by shredding a wooden training dummy.
The dummy couldn't withstand her tiger claws at all and was quickly destroyed.
"Mm!"
Yixuan nodded in satisfaction. "That's enough. Next."
Yunkui Summit wasn't exactly wealthy. Although they'd earned quite a bit from this round of registration fees, thriftiness still mattered—after all, training dummies weren't cheap, and they couldn't withstand Ju Fufu's destruction for long.
Next, Ju Fufu swung Hu Wei around and even popped a pot of popcorn on the spot.
A huge hit with the crowd!
At last came Ju Fufu's strongest category—strength demonstration!
"Good!"
"She's crazy strong!"
"How does someone that tiny have so much strength!?"
"That's a Tiger Thiren for you!"
"I thought she was an orange Cat Thiren…"
"….."
A massive bronze cauldron weighing several hundred pounds felt like a toy in Ju Fufu's hands.
This sight amazed not only the examinees but even the judges — all of whom wore stunned expressions.
Naturally, Ju Fufu received extremely high marks for her practical assessment. It seemed her entry into Yunkui Summit was already, like her chest, a sure thing. This is an inaccurate analogy.
After Ju Fufu, it was Arden's turn.
Arden performed a full routine of the [Torrent Swordsmanship], increasing the humidity of the martial arena in the process.
Next was the [Celestial Talisman Arts]!
Arden reached into the talisman pouch at his waist, skillfully pulled out a talisman, and tossed it into the air.
At the same time, he formed a hand seal with one hand.
"Celestial Talisman Arts: Burst!"
Boom!
With Arden's incantation, the talisman exploded, its power rivaling a hand grenade.
After the explosive talisman came the lightning talisman.
Same motion, but the talisman's color changed from apricot yellow to blue-white.
"Celestial Talisman Arts: Lightning!"
Zzlaa~! Boom!
A blue-white bolt of lightning struck from the sky.
After demonstrating the [Celestial Talisman Arts], it was time for the "talent showcase."
Arden requested ink, brush, inkstone, and prepared talisman paper, then began drawing talismans.
He drew quickly and beautifully. After all, aside from nightly cultivation, he'd spent nearly all his daytime hours before the exam practicing talisman drawing.
In truth, compared to using talismans, the ability to draw talismans was far more valued by the sects. Finished talismans could be sold for Dennies, while using talismans only cost money—unless one reached Master Yixuan's level and could draw talismans in the void without physical paper.
The practical assessment ended, and like Ju Fufu, Arden shocked the entire arena and passed smoothly.