This black stone tablet was also black, but not as large as the previous one. It was about the size of a small stone table, something a normal person could encircle with their outstretched arms.
The examiner channeled his true qi into the tablet, and it began to glow.
Suddenly, an inscription lit up. Su Fan immediately reached out to press it. As soon as his hand touched it, the light vanished.
After a moment, the light reappeared, this time two inscriptions lit up simultaneously. Su Fan handled it with ease.
Another pause, and then four inscriptions lit up. Su Fan continued.
After each sequence, there was a brief pause before the next set of lights appeared, doubling in number from the previous time.
Su Fan found the first few rounds relatively easy. By the seventh round, with sixty-four inscriptions, he almost couldn't keep up.
The eighth round was even more perilous. Su Fan's hands were almost breaking as he tried to keep up with one hundred and twenty-eight inscriptions!
During the ninth round, Su Fan finally couldn't hold on any longer. He made a mistake halfway through.
"Su Fan, Speed Assessment, Pass."
Despite the near failure, Su Fan's score was still a passing grade.
After Su Fan stepped off the stage, he glanced at the physical assessment area. The examiner was using a ruler to strike the candidates. Su Fan shook his head.
"Forget it, forget it. I've already passed anyway," Su Fan decisively abandoned the idea of taking the physical assessment.
"Brother Su, don't be discouraged. Look, I failed last year too. Failure is the mother of success. Once you're ready, you can try again next year," Xiao Yan found Su Fan and walked over to console him.
He had a thought he didn't voice: without talent, preparation would be futile.
"Did you pass your assessment?" Su Fan asked curiously.
Xiao Yan had been eliminated during the assessment last year.
"Of course. Both speed and strength were rated 'Good'," Xiao Yan said, shaking the wooden token in his hand.
"Oh, congratulations then."
"Huh? Didn't the examiner take your wooden token?" Xiao Yan suddenly noticed the wooden token still hanging from Su Fan's waist and said in surprise.
"Oh, I found this," Su Fan said with a smile.
He didn't want anyone to know he had gotten in through the back door.
"Alright then, I need to go in. Brother Su, take care, and may we meet again!" Xiao Yan bid farewell to Su Fan, as he needed to enter the manor and await his assignment.
Seeing that it was about time, Su Fan joined the main group and entered the manor.
Baiyue Manor Central Plaza.
The plaza was filled with newly passed recruits, numbering at least several hundred.
Dozens of elders stood in mid-air above the plaza, and Long Die, as the Saintess, was among them.
"Next, we will announce the apprentice allocation list."
"Ma Jialiang, Outer Court, Fourth Room."
"Zheng Hanyan, Inner Court, Second Room."
"Zi Shuang, Inner Court, Fourth Room."
...
As each name was called, the individuals reacted with either excitement or disappointment. Those assigned to the Inner Court were ecstatic, while those sent to the Outer Court were dejected.
"Xiao Yan, Inner Court, Fourth Room."
Upon hearing his assignment to the Inner Court, Xiao Yan was overjoyed. He hadn't expected to get into the Inner Court with just two 'Good' ratings.
"Su Fan, Inner Court, Third Room."
Xiao Yan froze, almost thinking he had misheard.
Su Fan? Hadn't he been eliminated? Could it be a case of same name?
Xiao Yan was puzzled.
Although Su Fan didn't know the difference between the Inner and Outer Courts, he could tell from others' reactions that the Inner Court was definitely better than the Outer Court.
When Long Die heard Su Fan was assigned to the Inner Court, a smile appeared on her face.
"Wow! The Saintess is smiling!" Someone noticed Long Die's unusual expression and exclaimed.
As the saying goes, a spring smile brings a hundred charms. As the game's heroine, Long Die's beauty was undeniable. Her smile immediately drew gasps from the male disciples.
"I'm dying, my heart belongs to Die Die."
A male disciple dramatically clutched his chest, feigning heartache.
"Ugh, how disgusting!"
The female disciple next to him felt like vomiting and quickly moved away from him.
"Silence!" The Manor Lord on the stage lightly chided, and the scene immediately fell silent.
"For the list above, proceed to your respective room masters to claim your living supplies," the Manor Lord said before waving his hand and departing. Only a few room masters remained, each with a sign indicating which room they were in charge of.
Su Fan was assigned to Inner Court, Third Room, which was adjacent to the Fourth Room.
While collecting his supplies, Xiao Yan quickly spotted Su Fan.
"Su Fan! Why are you still here!"
Xiao Yan stared at Su Fan, utterly bewildered.
"Shh!"
Su Fan motioned for Xiao Yan to lower his voice, lest he reveal his back-door entry.
"We'll talk later, let's get the supplies first."
Su Fan asked Xiao Yan to wait.
After collecting his supplies, Su Fan was assigned a dormitory in Room 8, Courtyard 3.
The conditions in the Inner Court were excellent. Each disciple had their own private room. Although they were in the same courtyard, they had personal space, unlike the Outer Court where they slept in communal dormitories.
This also conveniently suited Su Fan, as it prevented anyone from discovering the anomaly of him falling asleep in reality.
"Brother Su? How did you get in? And into the Inner Court?"
Xiao Yan, unable to contain his curiosity, came looking for him.
"It's a long story. If I said the examiner's clock was broken, would you believe me?" Su Fan tentatively asked.
Xiao Yan gave him a look that clearly said, "Do you think I'd believe that?"
"Alright, I used the back door. I have an acquaintance at Baiyue Manor, but I did pass the assessment legitimately," Su Fan quickly explained.
Xiao Yan paid no attention to Su Fan's latter statement.
"You know someone at Baiyue Manor? Who is it? Are they powerful? Can they cover for me?" Xiao Yan's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Probably not. I don't know her very well either," Su Fan immediately refused. He and Long Die had only shared one meal; there was no way he could ask her to cover for Xiao Yan.
"Well, brother doesn't eat for free. Here, a token of respect for the senior," Xiao Yan secretly slipped something into Su Fan's hand.
Su Fan took it out and was astonished.
"Wu Yun Stone!"
Wu Yun Stone, also known as Skill Stone, could be used by players to strengthen a skill. Wu Yun Stones were extremely difficult to obtain, only dropping with a chance from special quests or major bosses.
In reality, a single Wu Yun Stone could fetch an exorbitant price, with the highest recorded transaction being 1.8 million, a case of having money but no item to buy.
"You're trying to bribe someone with this thing?" Su Fan looked at Xiao Yan in disbelief.
"I don't have much on me, so I thought this might suffice. The senior should like it," Xiao Yan said with difficulty.
What did he mean by "should like it"? They would definitely like it!
What did Xiao Yan do for a living to casually produce a Wu Yun Stone?
However, Su Fan wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away. A Skill Stone in hand, could he let Xiao Yan just leave?
"Alright, I'll try giving it to him. If he doesn't like it, don't blame me."
Su Fan agreed, primarily for the Wu Yun Stone, which was a rare commodity that couldn't be bought even with money.
As for covering for Xiao Yan? Su Fan could do that too. It was just a matter of covering for someone at Baiyue Manor, something he could manage, as long as Xiao Yan didn't provoke any senior disciples.
"Speaking of which, there's something I need the senior's help with. I hope Brother Su can convey my request," Xiao Yan said with a troubled expression.
"What is it?"
"Well, before I came, I accidentally beat up the Third Elder's grandson. Could you ask the senior to help mediate the situation?" Xiao Yan asked cautiously.