Two weeks later, at Yunkui Summit.
After resisting indulging in Ju Fufu's gentle company, Arden woke very early. After breakfast, he began organizing the items he needed.
"Charm pouch… longsword… and… the top-grade Bird Feed Pill."
Ju Fufu was doing the same, checking Hu Wei and her metal claws.
"Fufu, are you ready?"
"Ready!"
"Then let's go!"
"Rawr~!"
After triple-checking that nothing was missing, the two headed together toward the training arena.
Today was the day of the core disciple assessment.
More precisely, it was the day Yixuan would accept her personal disciples.
Leaving their small courtyard, Arden and Ju Fufu arrived at the training arena. By now, more than thirty outer disciples had already gathered.
"Look, it's Arden Xu."
"And Ju Fufu!"
"They'll definitely pass, right?"
"If those two can't pass, then no one can."
"…"
Everyone had seen Arden Xu and Ju Fufu's usual performance. The two were the hot favorites for this round of personal disciple assessment.
Of course, there were also a few who felt unconvinced.
"Hmph! Always glued together like that, they must be totally… drained… Eighty percent chance they'll mess up today."
"I heard that Arden often talks back to Sect Master Yixuan. He's in for some suffering this time!"
"Shh~~ be careful, if the tigress hears you, she'll tear you apart!"
"…"
Arden didn't care about these comments, but Ju Fufu was not about to pretend she didn't hear them. She made a fierce pouncing-tiger gesture at the disciples gossiping.
"Rawr~!"
"!!"
Terrified, the disciples who had been cursing them immediately backed far away, not daring to show their faces.
Though Ju Fufu looked small and cute, the reputation of the tabby cat—… the tigress—was thunderously famous across Yunkui Summit.
"Fufu, don't bother with them. Let's just focus on doing our best."
Arden smiled and rubbed Ju Fufu's head and tiger ears.
"Mm-hmm."
Ju Fufu instantly changed from a fierce tigress to a gentle little tabby cat.
…
"Disciples…"
Seeing that nearly everyone had arrived—and unwilling to accept someone who couldn't even show up on time—Yixuan stepped into the center of the training arena and began explaining the rules of the assessment.
Of course, the rules had already been announced earlier, but a reminder on site was still necessary.
To advance from outer disciple to core disciple of Yunkui Summit, there were only two paths: becoming Yixuan's disciple, or choosing Yi Jing instead.
Arden believed any normal person would choose Sect Master Yixuan—unless they had no confidence in their own ability.
Moreover, the two personal-disciple assessments took place at different times. Even if one failed Yixuan's assessment, they could still attempt Yi Jing's afterward.
As for the assessment content—it was quite subjective.
Riiiiing~!
Yixuan took out a small bell and hung it at her waist.
"Anyone who can take this bell from me passes."
"…"
A familiar feeling rose from the pit of Arden's stomach, and at the same time, his rear tightened.
No way she's going to suddenly try a… Thousand-Year Kill, right?
Arden shook his head, tossing away the chaotic images in his mind.
A cool and aloof beauty like Sect Master Yixuan—how could she possibly do something like that!?
"Fufu, do your best. You can do it."
Arden encouraged Ju Fufu, the first to take the field.
There was an advantage to Yixuan's assessment method: she could control it entirely on her own. Those she wanted to pass would face a slightly relaxed challenge. Those she did not want to pass would face her full power.
Based on Arden's observations over this period—especially after all the events at Suibian Temple—Yixuan and Ju Fufu had grown closer. If not sisters, they were certainly no less than master and disciple.
So even if Ju Fufu slipped up, Sect Master Yixuan would likely let her pass.
…
"Fufu's Fury! Send 'em all flying!"
Ju Fufu immediately opened with furious swipes, maintaining her usual aggression—relentless pursuit and nonstop assault.
Yixuan's movements matched Arden's expectations. She exchanged blows with Ju Fufu for a while, testing her various skills. When the moment was right, she purposely revealed an opening and allowed the tiger claw to snatch the bell away.
"Nicely done, Daoist Fufu!"
Arden congratulated Ju Fufu on passing the assessment. Becoming a core disciple of Yunkui Summit granted the title of cultivator—or Daoist.
"Brother Arden, you got this too!"
"Yeah."
After Ju Fufu, it was Arden's turn.
"…"
Arden squinted at Yixuan, who stood unmoving like a mountain.
He was certain that unlike Ju Fufu, Yixuan would not let him pass easily. He would need to be extremely careful.
Thus, Arden and Yixuan faced each other for five full minutes. Neither moved.
"…"
Perhaps finding it unnecessary to wait any longer—or not wanting to waste time with so many disciples queued—Yixuan opened her palm and beckoned to him.
"When you first joined, didn't you say you wanted to marry me? What's wrong? All talk, no courage? Chickening out?"
Blatant provocation.
"…"
Arden's brows furrowed into a tight 川 shape.
He understood she was goading him—but she wasn't wrong either. If he still wanted to marry Yixuan and become a boldly rebellious disciple-husband, then he couldn't back down!
With Yixuan's pride and status, she would never marry a man weaker than herself.
Whoosh~!
Arden pulled out a golden talisman from his charm pouch and threw it forward, testing with an initial attack.
"Pierce through gold—obey!"
Under Arden's command, the talisman burst into golden light, flying forward like a golden blade toward the motionless Yixuan.
Yes—this was the same Gold Blade Talisman he had previously sold to Sweety. In his hands, activated through mana and a decreeing incantation, it required no blood to trigger and was even more powerful.
Yixuan's eyes sharpened as she faced the incoming golden light.
An upper-grade talisman attack like the Gold Blade Talisman was something even she had to handle with care.
"Hmph! How troublesome!"
Facing the incoming golden blade at high speed, Yixuan finally moved.
Fwoosh…
The Qingming Bird on her shoulder transformed into ink-black wings, merging onto her back as though she had grown a half-wing of darkness.
Then, at the final moment before the golden blade struck, Yixuan spun sharply. The ink-black wing lashed out to meet the golden light.
Clang!
Ink wing met golden blade with a crisp ring.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, the golden blade was reflected back.
"!!"
Having his own talisman attack rebound toward him was… a terrible feeling.
However, as the saying went: know yourself and know your enemy, and you'll never lose. Though Arden had never personally played as Yixuan before he transmigrated—2.0 wasn't out yet—he had watched her moves secretly many times while she trained. He understood her techniques well, and had naturally prepared for this.
Calmly, Arden flipped away to evade.
He dodged the returning blade smoothly—only to find, once his vision returned to Yixuan, that she had already leapt high into the air. Talisman papers swirled around her as the Qingming Bird propelled her downward like a falling star.
"Swift and still—clear yet murky!"
"What the—!"
Arden didn't expect that right from the start, Yixuan would immediately unleash a full-power ultimate.
Don't tell me she's the kind of master who opens with her ultimate at the start of the fight…?