... ...

The Zhan Xin Hall was already filled with figures, only a section spanning about ten meters in the north remained empty. Patriarch Zhan Yunlan, the Supreme Elder, and the other Elders were seated, waiting quietly.

Beside them stood fifteen men and women of varying ages, each composed—eyes observing the nose, nose observing the heart—all disciples of the Zhan lineage vying for the Elder positions this time. However, while they maintained their composure, the surrounding Zhan Clan disciples who had gathered to watch the competition were growing restless, their chatter occasionally rising.

"..." "Shouldn't everyone be here by now? Why hasn't it started?" "I heard one person hasn't arrived yet, and the Patriarch and the others are waiting specifically for that fellow." "Who could it be?

To be late for such an important matter is incredibly rude. If I were the Patriarch, I’d revoke his qualification to contend for the Elder position immediately." "Heh, say that when you actually become the Patriarch!" "..." Listening to the murmurs around him, Zhan Yunlan’s expression remained unmoved, yet he felt a distinct sense of helplessness internally.

That young man, Nie Kong, was cultivating deep within the Ming Yuan. Even if the Supreme Elder went personally to summon him, Nie Kong would have to emerge on his own accord.

This was because, beyond the Ninth Tier region, only Nie Kong could currently enter the depths of the Ming Yuan. Calling out from the outside was useless; the immense, oppressive pressure there would instantly force any sound back, meaning Nie Kong simply couldn't hear it.

If he couldn't hear or see, they could only wait outside. Since Zhan Tianlun, who had gone to fetch him, had not returned, they had no choice but to wait as well.

Of course, this waiting was not without limit. The triennial selection of new Elders was highly significant for the Zhan Clan; they couldn't delay the entire proceedings because of one person's tardiness.

Once the sunlight crossed the threshold of the Zhan Xin Hall, the selection of new Elders had to commence. Approximately another fifteen minutes passed...

Zhan Yunlan glanced towards the hall entrance, could only shake his head, and murmured quietly to Zhan Baisong beside him, "Time is up; let's begin." After all, Nie Kong was still young. If he missed this opportunity, he could still compete three years later when another Elder position became vacant.

By then, he would still be young. The real concern was if Nie Kong’s cultivation progressed too quickly; three years from now, he might already be an Eighth Tier Black Spirit Master.

If so, the Elder position would be beyond his reach. It was known that Elders of the Zhan Clan could only be Seventh Tier Black Spirit Masters.

Zhan Baisong nodded and stood up. Noticing his movement, the restless Zhan Clan disciples waiting nearby suddenly perked up.

The clamor abruptly ceased, and even the dozen or so Seventh Tier Black Spirit Masters about to engage in combat emerged from their meditative state, slightly opening their eyes. "He’s here!

He’s here..." Suddenly, a loud shout erupted, and a tall figure swept into the hall like the wind—it was Zhan Tianlun. He glanced down; the sunlight was just catching the very edge of the threshold.

Zhan Tianlun laughed heartily in relief, "Just in time, just in time, we didn't arrive too late. Nie Kong, hurry in; the competition is about to start." Zhan Tianlun beckoned behind him, and immediately, another figure followed close behind.

"Nie Kong?" Upon seeing the person trailing him, murmurs of surprise rippled through the Zhan Xin Hall. Nie Kong, this disciple not of the main Zhan lineage, had made his presence known to almost every member of the Zhan Clan through his performance since entering the War God Mountain.

"The last one, it's actually Nie Kong?" "I heard he broke through to the Seventh Tier after returning from the Ming Hai; it seems true now. A Seventh Tier Black Spirit Master in his twenties—that's probably a first in our Zhan Clan's history!" "Do you think he can become an Elder this time?" "Hmm, I doubt it’s likely.

He’s only been Seventh Tier for too short a time, and several of his opponents are peak Seventh Tier experts." "..." Nie Kong’s appearance almost stole the spotlight from all the young Zhan lineage disciples, causing the Zhan Clan members to feel complicated emotions when discussing him: if this fellow maintained his current momentum, he might one day become a powerhouse comparable to the Ancestor Zhan Xinzi. The pity was, he wasn't surnamed Zhan!

As the crowd mumbled, Nie Kong and Zhan Tianlun quickly walked towards the northern part of the Zhan Xin Hall. "Very good, Nie Kong, stand over there," Zhan Yunlan gestured towards the fifteen individuals beside him, nodding towards Nie Kong, a hint of approval in his eyes.

It had only been a little over a month since he last saw Nie Kong deep in the Ming Yuan, yet he could clearly sense Nie Kong’s cultivation had improved dramatically. With his current strength, if he performed excellently, he still had a chance to win an Elder position, and at that point, he would become the youngest Seventh Tier Elder in the Zhan Clan’s thousands of years.

Zhan Baisong wasted no further time, raising his voice with a smile, "Everyone, all are present. The Elder selection will begin immediately.

As per the old rules, the sixteen individuals will be divided into eight pairs for sparring matches. The eight winners will proceed to further contests, and the final three will become the new Elders of our Zhan Clan." Considering Nie Kong had not been with the Zhan Clan long, Zhan Baisong explained the rules in more detail: "This grouping requires no drawing lots to determine the order.

Any of the sixteen of you may step forward now to challenge another. Remember, this is merely an internal sparring session; harming an opponent's life is forbidden.

Anyone who violates this rule, regardless of who they are, will be disqualified and severely punished without leniency!" "Yes." The dozen or so voices responded in unison. That final stipulation from Zhan Baisong was already an ironclad law within the Zhan Clan.

The clan encouraged sparring and fighting but strictly forbade the killing of fellow clansmen under any circumstance. Even if the perpetrator was the Supreme Elder, they would be confined until death, with no exceptions.

"Begin!" Zhan Baisong gave a slight nod and shouted loudly. As the sound faded, the Zhan Xin Hall instantly fell silent.

All gazes focused on Nie Kong and the other fifteen. However, these ten-odd people were currently scrutinizing each other.

They were all Seventh Tier Black Spirit Masters; their strengths varied, but overall, the difference was not immense. In such a sparring match, victory was hard to predict, so naturally, no one was willing to rush out recklessly to be the first bird.

If no one stepped forward after five or six minutes, the Patriarch would randomly select participants to fight. This was generally how past Elder selections unfolded, unless one Seventh Tier Black Spirit Master possessed enough power to sweep aside all opponents and had the confidence to meet any challenge.

The surrounding crowd was accustomed to this and waited quietly. In this stillness, time quietly slipped away.

One minute, two minutes... Three minutes...

Four minutes... ...

"Ahem!" Suddenly, a slight cough from Nie Kong shattered the silence of the Zhan Xin Hall. In an instant, all eyes swiveled towards him.

Zhan Tianlun and Zhan Feihong watching nearby kept making gestures to Nie Kong, urging him not to be rash. Nie Kong appreciated the good intentions of Zhan Feihong and the others, but he truly had no interest in standing there foolishly wasting time.

More importantly, Nie Kong did not value the Elder position as much as the other competing Seventh Tier Black Spirit Masters; whether he became an Elder was utterly insignificant to him. Thus, Nie Kong pretended not to notice the looks from Zhan Feihong and the others.

As soon as his cough subsided, he strode quickly to the center of the open space, turned back to scan the fifteen opponents, and smiled, "Since no one is stepping up, I will start this Elder selection!" Pausing briefly, Nie Kong’s expression hardened, and he roared: "Who is willing to fight me?" His voice suddenly soared, exploding within the Zhan Xin Hall like thunder and lightning, its echoes reverberating, causing the expressions of the weaker Zhan Clan disciples nearby to shift slightly, their hearts trembling. A flicker of stunned surprise involuntarily appeared on the faces of the fifteen Seventh Tier Black Spirit Masters.

When they heard the cough, they had some premonition, but they never expected Nie Kong to actually dare to rashly step out first to accept everyone's challenge. "Nie Kong has stepped forward.

Which of you is willing to spar with him?" At this moment, Zhan Baisong looked at the fifteen Seventh Tier Black Spirit Masters and smiled. "..." These fifteen snapped back to attention, their eyes quickly revealing eagerness.

In their view, among the sixteen Seventh Tier Black Spirit Masters, Nie Kong was naturally the weakest. After all, the youngest among them was well over thirty, possessing extremely rich combat experience, something a young fellow like Nie Kong, who had only recently broken through to the Seventh Tier, could not compare to.

If they stepped forward now, victory would be certain. "I will!" A stout man, around forty years old, moved first, his imposing figure shooting towards Nie Kong in a flash.

Seeing this, the remaining dozen or so people secretly felt regret, especially several Seventh Tier Black Spirit Masters who had just moved their feet, now forced to retreat helplessly to their original spots. The stout man grinned, "Nie Kong, I am Zhan Tianshan.

I broke through to the Seventh Tier eight years ago, and I’m exactly forty this year. By that count, my daughter is about your age, but I won't go easy on you just because you’re young..." "Whoosh!" Before he could finish speaking, a massive fist wreathed in black energy lunged before him.

Zhan Tianshan forcibly swallowed the last four words, "go easy on you," and roared angrily, "You little brat, daring to sneak attack!" As he spoke, his fan-like giant palm swept out. "Boom!" Death Qi exploded, and both their bodies were forced back several steps simultaneously.

This single blow was perfectly matched. Nie Kong stabilized his footing, smiling faintly, "Brother Tianshan, why give such a detailed introduction?

I am sparring with you, not setting you up on a blind date with your daughter!" "Whoosh!" A burst of suppressed laughter erupted around them. "You..." Zhan Tianshan’s face also flushed slightly, and he glared fiercely at Nie Kong.

Ignoring Zhan Tianshan's annoyance, Nie Kong continued the topic they had started: "Moreover, the moment you walked here, our spar began. How can that be called a sneak attack?

If that wasn't sparring just now, but a real life-and-death battle, in the time it took you to say those words, I would have killed you a dozen times already. So, we absolutely cannot let down our guard or become complacent just because this is a sparring match." "What arrogance!" Under the scrutiny of everyone, being lectured by this young brat when he himself was forty years old, Zhan Tianshan felt his pride severely wounded.

Enraged and humiliated, he let out a furious roar and swung his fists, shooting towards Nie Kong. Wherever his fists passed, Death Qi vibrated, the void warped, and his imposing aura pressed forward.

... ...