Just as Elder Yan Xi was considering whether to proceed to the next stage of the assessment, someone made the decision for him.
"She will be handed over to me. Continue with the assessment."
A white-haired elder appeared beside Little Yu without anyone noticing.
Upon seeing him, Elder Yan Xi immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Yes, Sect Master."
The examinees exclaimed in shock.
"He's the Sect Master!"
"To see the Sect Master of the Seven Stars Sword Sect in person—this trip was worth it."
"Wuwuwu, why isn't that person me? The Sect Master has personally shown up. She's definitely getting into the Seven Stars Sword Sect. I'm so envious."
The Sect Master of the Seven Stars Sword Sect would not normally appear, but after waiting for a long time and noticing that the examinees had not yet entered the final assessment, he thought it shouldn't take this long and decided to come out and see. Unexpectedly, he encountered an examinee with extraordinary comprehension.
Indeed, the Seven Stars Sword Sect was in need of such geniuses.
While the Sect Master maintained a stern and dignified exterior, he was inwardly overjoyed, almost wanting to burst into song.
However, in front of the examinees, he had to maintain his image.
Elder Yan Xi tapped his cane and said, "Quiet. Proceed to the final assessment."
Under his lead, they returned to the central square of Seven Star Town where they had started.
But something was different this time. A few rocks had been added, and these rocks would serve as targets for their upcoming talent demonstrations.
Of course, these rocks were special—they were difficult to damage for those at the Qi Refining stage.
"For the final stage, each of you will take turns to showcase your most impressive skill. If I deem that you have passed, then congratulations, you will be admitted into the Seven Stars Sword Sect."
As a Nascent Soul powerhouse, Elder Yan Xi had the discerning eye to judge.
From the skills displayed by the examinees, he could see how much effort they had put in and what unique insights they had gained.
Elder Yan Xi wouldn't be overly strict and wouldn't eliminate too many people. As long as they were somewhat competent, they would pass. After all, if they were already highly skilled, what would they need to learn at the Seven Stars Sword Sect?
Moreover, those who had made it to this stage had some potential for the future.
Of course, they couldn't be too outrageous either. A careless display would not only disrespect themselves but also Elder Yan Xi, who would not hesitate to eliminate them.
And so, the examinees began their demonstrations one by one.
Some examinees displayed impressive martial arts skills, others showcased exceptional swordsmanship, and a few even demonstrated minor spells.
Without exception, all of them only managed to inflict superficial damage on the rocks.
Though their skills were still immature, one could see the effort they had put into their training.
This scene of everyone performing at a similar level was completely shattered when Li Siyi took the stage.
As soon as Li Siyi stepped forward, she unleashed a single move from the Air Flow Sword Technique—Wind Chaos Breath—enhancing her sword energy and releasing it.
Just one move, just one sword energy.
Yet, it cleanly split a rock in half, leaving the other examinees stunned.
"Earlier, we were struggling to even scratch the rocks, and you just split one in half?!"
"We know you're strong, but this is just ridiculous."
In an instant, the examinees had their perceptions reset—realizing that someone their age could achieve such a level.
Next up was Lin Xuan.
Lin Xuan was not at all affected by Li Siyi's performance. He had confidence in himself. With a bit more time, surpassing Li Siyi wouldn't be a problem. This was the confidence Elder Yan had instilled in him.
He began with a single punch—Eight Extremes Collapse!
With just one strike, he left a fist imprint on the rock.
Lin Xuan turned and walked away, but it wasn't over yet. A strange sound came from behind the rock, and a few pieces of rubble fell off.
The crowd gasped. Not only had he damaged the rock, but the force of his punch had even penetrated to the other side.
Truly terrifying!
Though Lin Xuan's performance wasn't as shocking as Li Siyi's, none of the examinees present would dare to take that punch.
The assessment continued, but no other examinees stood out as much as Li Siyi and Lin Xuan.
Finally, it was Su Luo's turn.
Su Luo stepped forward calmly, wielding a golden, shimmering sword that radiated an aura of wealth.
The other examinees watched expectantly, curious to see what impressive feat Su Luo would perform.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Su Luo simply thrust the sword forward once and then sheathed it.
Elder Yan Xi nodded and said, "Passed."
The examinees were baffled.
"Am I blind? Was there something special about that thrust?"
"Yeah, I didn't see anything impressive about it. It was just a regular thrust."
"Exactly. Why does he get to pass? I could do that thrust when I was five."
"Are you doubting Elder Yan Xi?"
"I didn't say that."
They didn't say it outright, but the examinees were clearly skeptical, especially those who had been eliminated. They found it hard to accept.
Elder Yan Xi had to explain, "If you couldn't see what was special about it, it's because you're still young and your cultivation isn't advanced enough. That simple thrust contained extremely complex variations. The profundity within it is more than enough to earn him a place in the Seven Stars Sword Sect."
This explanation felt forced and didn't convince the crowd, but the next sentence did.
"If anyone disagrees, feel free to challenge me once you can defeat me. Then you can say my judgment is flawed."
With those words, the examinees dared not question further.
A Nascent Soul powerhouse? That was a realm they might never reach in their lifetimes, let alone defeat Elder Yan Xi.
Seeing the examinees quiet down, Elder Yan Xi nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright, the entrance assessment is over. There will be further arrangements later. For those who were eliminated, don't lose heart. The path ahead is long, and your future achievements are still unknown."
"Remember your purpose in cultivating immortality and continue striving for it. Not being able to join the Seven Stars Sword Sect doesn't mean you can't cultivate. Even outside the sect, there are places where you can shine."
Though Elder Yan Xi's words were true—that one could still cultivate without joining the Seven Stars Sword Sect—this was a place they had dreamed of since childhood.
"It's over. My youth is over."
"I didn't get into the Seven Stars Sword Sect. How am I going to explain this to my family?"
"Darn it, the Seven Stars Sword Sect's assessments are getting harder and harder."
Hearing this, Su Luo couldn't resist triggering a combo.
"The assessment is getting harder? How is it hard? The difficulty has been the same for years. Stop spreading nonsense. The Seven Stars Sword Sect is not an easy place to get into."
"Oh, and the Seven Stars Sword Sect isn't a place where just anyone can enter. I've been watching the assessments for years, and the difficulty has always been the same. Where's the difficulty?"
"Sometimes, you should reflect on yourself. Over the years, has your cultivation improved? Have you been putting in the effort?"
"You're saying it's hard? It's because you haven't been working hard, and now you want to blame the Seven Stars Sword Sect. I'm about to lose my mind."
Su Luo shook his head and sighed, wearing an expression of pity and frustration, but occasionally revealing a victorious smile.
The sarcasm was off the charts.
The eliminated examinees were furious. How could he say they hadn't worked hard? They had given their all for this assessment.
But in the end, they said nothing, fearing to offend the Seven Stars Sword Sect. Moreover, Su Luo was now a member of the sect, and they were afraid he might seek revenge in the future.
"Hmph, easy for you to say. But when someone cheats their way in and says things like that, they have no shame."