Crowning the Five-Palace Hall were emblems representing Mount Hua, Kunlun, Wudang, Qingcheng, and the South Sea.

And now, a total of forty-five revered Lords, all under a thousand years old, had gathered here.

This assembly essentially swept up every single Dao Realm master in Jin State below the age of a millennium.

Beyond them were several leading figures, individuals whose power was even more profound.

This was no ordinary battle, nor a simple affair; this was an event that would shake the entirety of Jin State.

Should any among them successfully enter the Central Tian-Da Dynasty, upon their return, they could fundamentally alter the political landscape of Jin State. After all, it was within the Central Tian-Da Dynasty that one stood a genuine chance of achieving the Profound Cave Realm. In a place like Jin State, achieving the Profound Cave Realm without journeying to the central Dynasty was practically impossible.

Such a momentous occasion had drawn every single figure of the Dao Realm.

To the left stood a Revered Lord, and to the right stood yet another Revered Lord.

Lu Yuan felt his vision swim from the sheer spectacle—truly terrifying! He finally understood why Martial Uncle-Ancestor Qu Qingchen had warned him to be cautious. Among these forty-five Dao Realm figures, every one was long-established, many of them already at the second, third, or even fourth layer of the Dao Realm. With so many powerful entities gathered, to be winnowed down from twenty-one spots to just twenty qualifying for the Hundred Gardens Assessment—this difficulty was immense for his current self.

Essentially, Qu Qingchen believed this was an opportunity for Lu Yuan to gain experience. If he intended to live and cultivate on this land, eventually he would have to face the Central Tian-Da Dynasty’s assessment anyway.

These Revered Lords gradually formed their own distinct clusters.

After all, they were figures who had made names for themselves countless years ago; how could they not know one another? They chatted and laughed amongst themselves.

"I will certainly rely on your guidance this time."

"Nonsense. I hear you've cultivated quite a formidable spell. Don't hold back too much when the time comes, or you might just beat me to a pulp."

"Just try not to make things too dire for me, show me some respect." These people exchanged pleasantries.

Lu Yuan, being so young, barely knew any of these Revered Lords and certainly couldn't integrate into their circles. Normally, he could find solace within the circle of his own Immortal Sect, but with the six members from Mount Hua Immortal Sect—three from the Sword Faction, two from the Qi Faction, and one from the Sword-Qi Faction—even Lu Yuan joining them would likely be a fruitless endeavor.

Thus, Lu Yuan stood aside, lost in thought.

While drifting off, Lu Yuan noticed one other person standing alone, much like himself: the Ancestor of the Blood Sword. There should have been another from the Demonic Sect standing isolated, but the Sect Master of the Seven Kills Constellation Sea, Old Immortal Constellation, was already surrounded by a boisterous throng of disciples and followers.

The Ancestor of the Blood Sword, being a figure of the wicked path, had naturally brought no retinue, leaving him as solitary as Lu Yuan.

As Lu Yuan gazed at the Ancestor of the Blood Sword, the latter met his eyes. "It's you. You seem to have benefited quite a bit from my Blood Treasury, haven't you? What a pity that Blood Transformation Sword Immortal, that useless fool. Had he informed this Ancestor of your whereabouts back then, you wouldn't be alive today." He was referencing the time Blood Transformation Sword Immortal captured Lu Yuan.

"Oh, and I hear those two wretches, Xuan Huazi and Ming Jianzi, both fell to you. I hope you don't suffer the same fate at my hands." He threatened with a sinister tone.

"As you wish, provided you possess the strength," Lu Yuan replied lazily, unconcerned, picking up his wine gourd and taking a long drink.

A moment later, Lu Yuan suddenly felt something was amiss.

He couldn't help but look up, and as he did, he saw a Daoist priest clad in purple robes descending from the heavens. This man wore deep violet robes, and an aura of purple energy seemed to emanate from him, so potent it almost blotted out the sky. The purple-robed figure possessed features that were ancient, strange, yet remarkably refined, complemented by a short beard.

Dignified, radiating an imposing majesty that seemed to eclipse the firmament.

This...

A Grandmaster level cultivator. Lu Yuan instinctively felt this individual must have already cultivated the Azure Cloud above his head, reaching the Grandmaster Realm.

There were only a handful of Grandmasters in Jin State. Since Lu Yuan didn't recognize this figure, he must be an emissary dispatched from the Central Tian-Da Dynasty. A mere person sent from the Central Tian-Da Dynasty would possess Grandmaster cultivation. Truly, it was preposterous how commonplace such experts were in that realm.

Listening to the hushed discussions nearby, Lu Yuan confirmed his guess: this was indeed an angel—reportedly named Grandmaster of Purple Qi, Ye Zixu.

This Grandmaster of Purple Qi gently stroked his beard before finally speaking, his voice carrying immense weight: "By the mandate of Heaven, acting on Heaven’s decree, the Central Tian-Da Dynasty, transmitted by the Great, Compassionate, and Merciful Jade Emperor of the Supreme Heaven, the Venerable Lord of Profound Vault Above, issues this grand decree." That string of impossibly long titles originally belonged to the Heavenly Emperor. However, since the separation of Heaven and Earth, the Central Tian-Da Dynasty had established an earthly Celestial Court, and its sovereign had already been named the Earthly Jade Emperor. Thus, these extensive titles. The regulations of the Central Tian-Da Dynasty were numerous and vast, utterly unlike those of a remote state like Jin.

After delivering the Central Tian-Da Dynasty's official proclamation, Grandmaster of Purple Qi, Ye Zixu, continued, "This time, under imperial command, acting as Heaven's representative, we have arrived at the Jin Garden to commence Jin State's assessment. According to the regulations of the Central Tian-Da Dynasty, Jin State possesses five thousand Upper-Tier Immortal Sects, thus earning the right for twenty individuals to pass the Jin Garden Assessment and advance to the Hundred Gardens Assessment." See? This is one of the advantages of upgrading your Immortal Sect status. If you possess a major Immortal Sect, you can send more people through the national assessment to the Hundred Gardens Assessment. Otherwise, why would Emperor Chuyan strive so relentlessly to upgrade the Huajiang Immortal Sect to gain popular support?

"The assessment is divided into six categories."

"Offensive Power, Defensive Power, Potential, Endurance, Sword Dao Mastery, and Comprehensiveness—these six aspects."

"The Offensive Power here tests the strength of your attacks."

"Defensive Power tests your ability to defend."

"Potential examines your inherent aptitude."

"Endurance tests your stamina and staying power."

"Sword Dao Mastery, naturally, if one uses spells, then Spell Dao Mastery tests your intrinsic cultivation in that specific area."

"Comprehensiveness tests your overall capability. This category is the most complex and will be explained in detail later."

"Each of these six aspects is scored out of ten points."

"Of the forty-five of you, the top twenty ranked individuals will pass this assessment."

The voice of this angel from the Central Tian-Da Dynasty was ethereal and far-reaching, suffused with the authority of the Celestial Dynasty.

Lu Yuan listened to the assessment requirements. Six categories. He hoped he could pass, though he currently felt uncertain. After all, within the Dao Realm, he was only a novice, his strength still comparatively weak. As soon as the Central Tian-Da Dynasty angel finished speaking, two rows of guests emerged.

These two rows of guests consisted of one group from the Great Qin Nation. The Qin contingent had completed this assessment shortly before. Qin State had four large Immortal Sects, allowing for as many as forty individuals to proceed to the Hundred Gardens Assessment—far more than Jin State. Having just finished their own trials, they came to observe the assessment in their neighboring state of Jin, curious to see how Jin would fare.

The other row of guests hailed from the Great Yuan Nation. Yuan and Jin were ancient hereditary enemies, but when an angel from the Central Tian-Da Dynasty arrived, all feuds had to be set aside. The Yuan people came to observe what the assessment entailed and, more importantly, to gauge the strength of the Jin delegation, given their deep-seated rivalry.

With these two rows of guests present, some individuals from within Jin State began to discuss amongst themselves.

"Who do you think stands the best chance of passing this time?"

"The group at the fourth layer of the Dao Realm, obviously. They have the best shot."

"That’s largely true. It seems Mount Hua and Wudang have more individuals at the fourth layer; the other Immortal Sects have fewer."

"The Lords at the third layer have some hope, but those at the second layer have almost none."

"If the second layer has no hope, those at the first layer certainly don't."

"However, I heard that Lu Yuan from Mount Hua Immortal Sect, this tenth-generation junior, often creates miracles. I wonder if he can pull one off this time."

"That's him. I heard he recently even ascended the Emperor-grade Heavenly Tribulation."

"Yes, that's him. But even if he creates a miracle, it’s impossible this time. His potential must be enormous, but so what? He is still too green. This gathering includes Lords whose mere footsteps shake Jin State—Sect Masters and Peak Masters of high renown. It's hardly his turn to dominate."

"He's probably here to gather experience. In two hundred years, during the next Central Tian-Da Dynasty assessment, he will finally soar like a trapped dragon, and no one will be able to stop him." This was generally the prevailing view of Lu Yuan: potential, but not yet mature enough to contend this time.

Lu Yuan overheard these discussions but felt nothing in particular.

He couldn't help it; he didn't have much confidence himself this time either.

But whether he succeeded or failed, it didn't matter much. It was fortune if he succeeded, fate if he didn't.

The angel from the Central Tian-Da Dynasty, Ye Zixu, called out, "We now begin the first of the six categories: Potential. In the Central Tian-Da Dynasty, there are numerous precious items, one of which is the Potential Stone, an item of immense cost." With a movement of his hand, a sphere about the size of a palm appeared.

This palm-sized sphere was perfectly transparent.

The moment the Potential Stone materialized, it drew the gaze of everyone present.

The assessment of the Central Tian-Da Dynasty was finally about to begin.

Lu Yuan couldn't help but feel a slight tightening in his chest. He glanced at those beside him—the revered Sect Masters and Peak Masters who commanded respect throughout Jin State. Although they maintained outwardly impassive expressions, Lu Yuan could sense that they, too, were distinctly nervous.