duàn shí shàng de huà miàn dǒu rán chén jì le xià qù 。
断石上的画面陡然沉寂了下去。
The scene on the stone suddenly fell silent.
lǐ fán yě bù cuī cù ， nài xīn děng dài 。
李凡也不催促，耐心等待。
Li Fan did not urge, but waited patiently.
guò le xǔ jiǔ ， rén liǎn yǒu le dá fù ：“ zhǎo dào le ! yǒu gè dōng xī ， què shì jí shì tái nǐ !”
过了许久，人脸有了答复：“找到了!有个东西，却是极适台你!”
After a long while, the face replied: "We found it! There's something that will suit you very well!"
“ ó ? shì shén me ?” lǐ fán biǎo xiàn de yǒu xiē xīng fèn 。
“哦?是什么?”李凡表现的有些兴奋。
"Oh? What is it?" Li Fan showed some excitement.
【 tūn tiān shí dì dà fǎ 】!” rén liǎn pǒ wèi dé yì yáng yáng de shuō dào 。
【吞天食地大法】!”人脸颇为得意洋洋的说道。
"吞天食地大法!" The face said with evident pride.
“ wú tiān shí dì ?” lǐ fán shuāng yǎn wēi mī ， xiǎng le yī quān ， méi néng cóng jì yì zhōng zhǎo dào yǒu guān de xìn xī 。
“吾天食地?”李凡双眼微咪，想了一圈，没能从记忆中找到有关的信息。
"Your Heaven Eats Earth?" Li Fan narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment, but couldn't find any relevant information in his memory.
hǎo zài rén liǎn yě méi yǒu yào kǎo jiào lǐ fán de yì si ， zhí jiē jiě shì dào ：“ nǎi shì shàng gǔ yī wèi chòu míng zhù xiū shì liú xià de fǎ mén 。”
好在人脸也没有要考教李凡的意思，直接解释道：“乃是上古一位臭名著修士留下的法门。”
Fortunately, the face didn’t intend to test him. It explained directly: "It's a technique left by an infamous ancient cultivator."
“ cǐ rén dú pì xī jìng ， bù cóng tiān dì jiān xī qǔ líng qì ， gǎi wéi zhí jiē tūn shì líng mài 、 dì mài jìn xíng xiū liàn 。”
“此人独辟蹊径，不从天地间吸取灵气，改为直接吞噬灵脉、地脉进行修炼。”
"This person took a unique path, not absorbing spirit energy from the heavens and earth, but instead directly swallowing spiritual veins and underground veins for cultivation."
“ suī rán jìn dù jí kuài ， dàn tā bù zhī shōu liǎn 、 sì yì ér wèi ， duǎn shí jiān zào chéng le shù zhōu zhī lì líng qì kū jié 、 shān chuān yì xíng 。”
“虽然进度极快，但他不知收敛、肆意而为，短时间造成了数州之力灵气枯竭、山川易形。”
"Although progress is extremely fast, he lacked restraint, acting recklessly in a short time. This caused several regions to experience a depletion of spirit energy and changes in geography."
“ zuì zhōng bèi rén fā xiàn ， luò de gè bèi bō pí chōu gǔ 、 hún fēi pò sàn de xià chǎng 。
“最终被人发现，落得个被拨皮抽骨、魂飞魄散的下场。
"In the end, he was discovered and met with a gruesome fate—his skin and bones were stripped away, and his soul scattered."
“ bù guò tā de zhè mén mì fǎ ， què shì bèi kǎo wèn hòu bǎo liú le xià lái 。”
“不过他的这门秘法，却是被拷问后保留了下来。”
"But this secret technique was preserved after being interrogated."
lǐ fán xiǎng le xiǎng ， ruò yǒu suǒ sī dào ：“ tóu nǐ de yì si shì ， ràng wǒ kào zhe 【 tūn tiān shí dì dà fǎ 】, àn zhōng xī qǔ wàn xiān méng de líng mài 、 dì mài ?”
李凡想了想，若有所思道：“头你的意思是，让我靠着【吞天食地大法】,暗中吸取万仙盟的灵脉、地脉?”
Li Fan thought for a moment and said thoughtfully: "So your meaning is that I should use the吞天食地大法 to secretly absorb the spirit veins and underground veins of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance?"
rén liǎn diǎn diǎn tóu ， yī fù rú zǐ kě jiào de yàng zi ：“ wàn xiān méng de zhèn shǒu jù diǎn ， dà duō dōu shì jiàn lì zài dì mài zhī shàng 。
人脸点点头，一副孺子可教的样子：“万仙盟的镇守据点，大多都是建立在地脉之上。
The face nodded, looking like a teachable pupil: "Most of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's defense points are built on underground veins.
“ nǐ shēn wèi tài ān dǎo zhèn shǒu ， zhǐ yào xiǎo xīn yì diǎn ， měi cì xī qǔ shǎo xǔ ， dìng rán bú huì bèi rén fā xiàn 。”
“你身为泰安岛镇守，只要小心一点，每次吸取少许，定然不会被人发现。”
"As the defender of Taiyin Island, as long as you're careful, taking in a little each time, it won't be noticed."
“ ér zhè dì mài de shǎo xǔ ， duì yú nǐ yí gè zhù jī xiū shì ér yán ， yě yǐ jīng shì dà bǔ le 。 rú cǐ ， xiǎng bì nǐ jiù néng hěn kuài tí shēng dào jīn dān jìng jiè 。
“而这地脉的少许，对于你一个筑基修士而言，也已经是大补了。如此，想必你就能很快提升到金丹境界。
"And for a Foundation Establishment cultivator like you, even this small amount is already a great benefit. This way, you should be able to quickly advance to the Golden Core realm."
lǐ fán dà xǐ dào ：“ tóu ， nǐ zhēn de shì tài yīng míng shén wǔ le !”
李凡大喜道：“头，你真的是太英明神武了!”
Li Fan was overjoyed: "Head, you are truly wise and mighty!"
rén liǎn què bù chī lǐ fán zhè tào ， lěng hēng yī shēng dào ：“ nǐ qù gēn nà hé zhèng hào xiān bǎ dì yī tiān de kǎo tí yào dào shǒu 。 děng jié guǒ chū lái ， què rèn wú wù zhī hòu ， dàng tiān wǎn shàng wǒ men jìn xíng jiāo yì 。”
人脸却不吃李凡这套，冷哼一声道：“你去跟那何正浩先把第一天的考题要到手。等结果出来，确认无误之后，当天晚上我们进行交易。”
The face wasn’t impressed by Li Fan’s flattery and coldly said: "First, get the first day's test questions from He Zhenghao. After confirming there are no mistakes, we will conduct the transaction that night."
“ dào shí hòu ， wǒ huì zhuān mén pài rén qián qù 。 nǐ fù zé jiāo jiē jiù xíng 。”
“到时候，我会专门派人前去。你负责交接就行。”
"I'll send someone to handle it. You just need to take care of the handover."
“ wǒ yě huì ràng tā shùn biàn bǎ 【 tūn tiān shí dì dà fǎ 】 dài gěi nǐ 。” duì yú rén liǎn de jué dìng ， lǐ fán yě bù yì wài 。
“我也会让他顺便把【吞天食地大法】带给你。”对于人脸的决定，李凡也不意外。
"I’ll also have him bring you the吞天食地大法." Li Fan wasn’t surprised by this decision. After all, 500,000 contribution points weren't a small sum; he couldn’t entrust such an important task to a Foundation Establishment cultivator like himself.
bì jìng wǔ bǎi wàn de gòng xiàn dù ， bú shì yī bǐ xiǎo shù mù 。 bù kě néng jiāo gěi tā zhè yī míng miàn shàng de zhù jī xiū shì jìn xíng zhǔ dǎo 。
毕竟五百万的贡献度，不是一笔小数目。不可能交给他这一明面上的筑基修士进行主导。
So he nodded in agreement.
yú shì lián lián diǎn tóu chēng shì 。
于是连连点头称是。
"You go now," the face said.
“ nǐ qiě qù ba 。” rén liǎn shí dào 。
“你且去吧。”人脸时道。
"Since we meet frequently lately, be careful on your way. Don’t reveal anything crucial."
“ zuì jìn jiàn miàn de cì shù bǐ jiào pín fán ， lù shàng xiǎo xīn diǎn 。 guān jiàn shí kè ， qiān wàn bié lù chū shén me mǎ jiǎo 。”
“最近见面的次数比较频繁，路上小心点。关键时刻，千万别露出什么马脚。”
"Don't worry, Head," Li Fan assured with a pat on his chest.
“ tóu ， nǐ jiù fàng xīn ba 。” lǐ fán pāi zhe xiōng pú bǎo zhèng dào 。
“头，你就放心吧。”李凡拍着胸脯保证道。
After agreeing on their next meeting location, the stone gradually lost its luster and turned to dust.
yuē dìng hǎo xià yī cì de lián xì dì diǎn hòu ， duàn shí zhú jiàn shī qù le guāng zé ， huà zuò jī fěn 。
约定好下一次的联系地点后，断石逐渐失去了光泽，化作齑粉。
"Cultivating by absorbing underground veins…" Li Fan suddenly remembered something.
“ tūn shì dì mài zhī lì xiū xíng ………” lǐ fán què shì tū rán xiǎng qǐ le yī shì 。
“吞噬地脉之力修行………”李凡却是突然想起了一事。
"If this can be utilized, my cultivation speed in this life might be even faster than expected.
“ rú guǒ kě yǐ lì yòng ， nà me zhè yī shì de xiū xíng sù dù ， kǒng pà yào bǐ yù xiǎng zhōng de hái yào kuài 。
“如果可以利用，那么这一世的修行速度，恐怕要比预想中的还要快。
With Zhou Qingang’s appearance, Li Fan quietly flew back to Taiyin Island.
dǐng zhe zhōu qīng áng de yàng mào ， lǐ fán qiǎo rán fēi huí le tài ān dǎo zhōng ，
顶着周青昂的样貌，李凡悄然飞回了泰安岛中，
---
fēn shēn shēn cáng zài tài ān dǎo fáng hù dà zhèn zhōng ， yě bù bì pà bié rén fā xiàn 。
分身深藏在泰安岛防护大阵中，也不必怕别人发现。
His clone was hidden deep within the protective array of Taiyin Island and didn’t need to worry about being discovered.
bù guò wèi le bǎo xiǎn qǐ jiàn ， lǐ fán hái shì zài bì guān mì shì zhōng yòu bù xià le yī céng fǎ zhèn 。
不过为了保险起见，李凡还是在闭关密室中又布下了一层法阵。
However, for safety, he set up another layer of阵法 in his seclusion chamber and performed the secret technique 只手遮天 as a further cover.
yòu shī zhǎn qǐ le mì shù 【 zhǐ shǒu zhē tiān 】, zài zuò zhē yǎn 。
又施展起了秘术【只手遮天】,再做遮掩。
After completing all this, he took out an empty jade slip from his storage ring.
zuò wán zhè yī qiè ， cái cóng chǔ wù jiè zhōng ， qǔ chū yī méi kòng bái yù jiǎn 。
做完这一切，才从储物戒中，取出一枚空白玉简。
The blue light in Li Fan’s mind recorded the questions from his previous life into the jade slip. The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's entry exam included subjects like 政 (Politics), 法 (Law), 经 (Economics), 武 (Martial Arts), 器 (Tools), 阵 (Arrays), 丹 (Potions), and 符 (Amulets).
lǐ fán nǎo hǎi zhōng huà dào shí lán sè guāng huá liú zhuǎn ， shàng yī shì jì xià de shì tí ， xī shù bèi tā kè lù jìn yù jiǎn zhōng 。 wàn xiān méng de rù zhí dà kǎo ， fēn wéi 【 zhèng 】、【 fǎ 】、【 jīng 】、【 wǔ 】、【 qì 】、【 zhèn 】
李凡脑海中化道石蓝色光华流转，上一世记下的试题，悉数被他刻录进玉简中。万仙盟的入职大考，分为【政】、【法】、【经】、【武】、【器】、【阵】
These were hosted by the local Administrative Hall, with assistance from the Martial Arts Hall.
【 dān 】、【 fú 】 děng zhòng duō kē mù 。
【丹】、【符】等众多科目。
All candidates had to participate in all subjects. After a comprehensive evaluation, the best would be selected for deployment at the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters or other critical areas.
yóu gè dì de bù zhèng táng zhǔ bàn ， yǎn wǔ táng jìn xíng xié zhù 。
由各地的布政堂主办，演武堂进行协助。
Then, based on their overall cultivation and personal preferences, positions would be assigned.
fán bào kǎo zhī rén ， suǒ yǒu kē mù dì kǎo shì dōu bì xū cān jiā 。
凡报考之人，所有科目的考试都必须参加。
The exam wasn’t limited to simple question-and-answer sessions like with spirit recognition balls. For example, in the 政 (Politics) subject, candidates would experience a realistic illusion of a historical era, facing various events to test their enlightenment and loyalty.
jīng guò quán fāng wèi de cè píng zhī hòu ， huì zuì yōu zé qǔ yī pī ， chōu diào zhì wàn xiān méng zǒng bù yì huò zhě qí tā zhòng yào jī mì qū yù 。
经过全方位的测评之后，会最优择取一批，抽调至万仙盟总部亦或者其他重要机密区域。
Similarly, for subjects like 器 (Tools), 阵 (Arrays), 丹 (Potions), and 符 (Amulets), theoretical tests were followed by practical demonstrations.
suí hòu cái shì zōng hé xiū shì chéng jì yǐ jí gè rén rù zhí yì yuàn ， jìn xíng zhí wèi de fēn pèi 。
随后才是综合修士成绩以及个人入职意愿，进行职位的分配。
Despite the large number of participants, most were just there as spectators. But going through this process was time-consuming and labor-intensive.
kǎo hé de xíng shì yě bìng bù jǐn xiàn yú lèi sì yú líng shí qiú nà yàng de wèn dá 。
考核的形式也并不仅限于类似于灵识球那样的问答。
However, cultivators were enthusiastic about it; each application saw an increase in applicants.
bǐ rú zài 【 zhèng 】 de kǎo hé zhōng ， kǎo shēng huì xiàn rù lèi sì yú 【 shí dài 】 nà yàng de zhēn shí huàn jìng zhī zhōng 。
比如在【政】的考核中，考生会陷入类似于【时代】那样的真实幻境之中。
Overall, for those interested, a ten-year cycle of entry exams could be considered a grand event.
jīng lì zhǒng zhǒng biàn gù ， yóu cǐ lái kǎo yàn jué wù yǐ jí zhōng chéng dù 。
经历种种变故，由此来考验觉悟以及忠诚度。
Li Fan recorded the first day’s questions and the remaining ones on two jade slips. He sighed with relief.
yòu bǐ rú qì 、 zhèn 、 dān 、 fú děng jì yì ， chú le lǐ lùn de cè yàn zhī wài ， hái yào kǎo shēng jìn xíng xiàn chǎng shí jì cāo zuò 。
又比如器、阵、丹、符等技艺，除了理论的测验之外，还要考生进行现场实际操作。
He had no intention of taking the exam himself. After all, he could easily enter the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance through many more convenient means. And his primary task in this life was to advance from the Five Elements Cavern Heaven to the Yuan婴 realm.
měi cì cān jiā rù zhí dà kǎo de xiū shì shù liàng zhòng duō ， suī rán jué dà duō shì dōu shì péi pǎo de 。
每次参加入职大考的修士数量众多，虽然绝大多是都是陪跑的。
Entering the alliance would add a layer of constraint that might hinder his actions.
kě zhè yí gè liú chéng zǒu xià lái ， yě shì fèi shí fèi lì 。
可这一个流程走下来，也是费时费力。
With about two weeks left, he could wait patiently.
dàn xiū shì men yě shì lè cǐ bù pí ， měi cì bào míng cān kǎo de rén shù dōu bù jiǎn fǎn zēng 。
但修士们也是乐此不疲，每次报名参考的人数都不减反增。
While cultivating, Li Fan carefully considered potential future changes.
zǒng de lái shuō ， duì yú guān zhù de rén ér yán ， shí nián yī cì de rù zhí kǎo kě yǐ shuō de shàng shì yī jiàn shèng shì le 。
总的来说，对于关注的人而言，十年一次的入职考可以说的上是一件盛事了。
Time passed slowly.
jiāng dì yī tiān de shì tí hé shèng xià de fēn bié kè lù zài liǎng gè yù jiǎn zhōng ， lǐ fán qīng hū yì kǒu qì 。
将第一天的试题和剩下的分别刻录在两个玉简中，李凡轻呼一口气。
During this period, to avoid revealing any clues, Ji Fan invited He Zhenghao several times to Taiyin Island for long talks. They discussed the array techniques in depth throughout the night.
lǐ fán běn rén zì shì méi yǒu cān jiā kǎo shì de dǎ suàn de 。
李凡本人自是没有参加考试的打算的。
Knowing He Zhenghao’s personality well, Ji Fan chatted with him happily.
bì jìng duì tā ér yán ， wán quán kě yǐ tōng guò xǔ duō gèng jiā biàn lì de shǒu duàn ， jìn rù dào wàn xiān méng tǐ zhì nèi 。 ér qiě cǐ shì zì qián de zuì zhǔ yào rèn wù ， shì yǐ wǔ xíng dòng tiān pǔ shēng dào yuán yīng jìng 。
毕竟对他而言，完全可以通过许多更加便利的手段，进入到万仙盟体制内。而且此世自前的最主要任务，是以五行洞天普升到元婴境。
Over time, he began to regard "Zhou Qingang" as a close friend.
rù zhí wàn xiān méng hòu ， fǎn ér duō le yī céng shuān jú ， bù lì yú xíng dòng 。
入职万仙盟后，反而多了一层栓桔，不利于行动。
And during their casual conversations, He Zhenghao repeatedly boasted about receiving guidance from an ancient 天机宗 cultivator, which led to his current success and imminent Golden Core realm.
hái yǒu yí gè bàn yuè shí jiān ， xī xīn děng dài jí kě 。”
还有一个半月时间，悉心等待即可。”
Li Fan feigned great admiration for He Zhenghao. He praised him repeatedly and begged him to include himself in any future opportunities for wealth.
lǐ fán yī biān xiū xíng ， yī biān zǐ xì sī liáng zhe wèi lái kě néng chū xiàn de biàn shù 。
李凡一边修行，一边仔细思量着未来可能出现的变数。
Unable to resist Li Fan’s persistent requests, He Zhenghao agreed readily. Li Fan smiled contentedly.
shí jiān huǎn huǎn liú shì 。
时间缓缓流逝。
Apart from this, Congyunhai remained calm with no other incidents.
zhè qī jiān ， wèi le bù lòu pò zhàn ， jì fán hái shù cì yāo qǐng le hé zhèng hào lái tài ān dǎo zuò kè 。
这期间，为了不漏破绽，季凡还数次邀请了何正浩来泰安岛做客。
Soon, there were only three days left before the official start of the entry exam.
jiāng zhèn fǎ fēng bì ， chè yè cháng tán 。
将阵法封闭，彻夜长谈。
He arranged another long talk with He Zhenghao and waited for him to leave.
shēn zhī hé zhèng hào pí xìng de jì fán ， zì rán hé tā xiāng liáo shèn huān 。
深知何正浩脾性的季凡，自然和他相聊甚欢。
Li Fan stood up: "It's time."
jǐ cì guò hòu ， yuè fā bǎ “ zhōu qīng áng ” dàng zuò zhī jǐ le 。
几次过后，越发把“周青昂”当做知己了。
He quietly flew towards the agreed location with the face on the stone.
ér hé zhèng hào zài xián liáo zhōng ， yě duō cì dé yì yáng yáng de tí dào zì jǐ céng dé dào “ shàng gǔ tiān jī zōng xiū shì ” de zhǐ diǎn 。
而何正浩在闲聊中，也多次得意洋洋的提到自己曾得到“上古天机宗修士”的指点。
Following the previous steps, he found the meeting point. After verification, the face suddenly appeared.
yī bō tóu rù ， chè dǐ fān shēn ， cóng cǐ gǎi biàn zì shēn mìng yùn 。
一波投入，彻底翻身，从此改变自身命运。
"How did it go? Did you get the questions?" The face’s voice was unusually tense and hopeful. Li Fan was equally excited.
xiū xíng yuán yīng gōng fǎ hòu ， rú jīn hěn kuài jiù yào jīn dān zài wàng le 。
修行元婴功法后，如今很快就要金丹在望了。
He nodded and placed the jade slip containing the first day's questions on the stone. A yellow light enveloped the slip, making the face’s image blurry.
lǐ fán biǎo miàn shàng yī fù xiàn mù zhì jí de yàng zi 。
李凡表面上一副羡慕至极的样子。
After a moment.
lián lián chuī pěng hé zhèng hào ， zài sān yuàn qiú ， ràng tā xià cì yǒu fā cái de jī huì ， yí dìng yào xiǎng ruò zì jǐ 。
连连吹捧何正浩，再三愿求，让他下次有发财的机会，一定要想若自己。
"Very good! Just wait here. In three days, we’ll know."
hé zhèn hào jià bú zhù lǐ fán ruǎn mó yìng pào ， mǎn kǒu dā yìng xià lái 。
何振浩架不住李凡软磨硬泡，满口答应下来。
Before Ji Fan could respond, the face disappeared eagerly.
lǐ fán yú shì lù chū xīn wèi de xiào róng 。
李凡于是露出欣慰的笑容。
The yellow light dimmed but didn’t shatter the stone.
chú cǐ zhī wài ， cóng yún hǎi fēng píng làng jìng ， zài wú qí tā yì shì fā shēng 。
除此之外，丛云海风平浪静，再无其他异事发生。
Li Fan looked at the stone with deep meaning in his eyes.
The scene on the stone suddenly fell silent.
Li Fan did not urge, but waited patiently.
After a long while, the face replied: "We found it! There's something that will suit you very well!"
"Oh? What is it?" Li Fan showed some excitement.
"吞天食地大法!" The face said with evident pride.
"Your Heaven Eats Earth?" Li Fan narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment, but couldn't find any relevant information in his memory.
Fortunately, the face didn’t intend to test him. It explained directly: "It's a technique left by an infamous ancient cultivator."
"This person took a unique path, not absorbing spirit energy from the heavens and earth, but instead directly swallowing spiritual veins and underground veins for cultivation."
"Although progress is extremely fast, he lacked restraint, acting recklessly in a short time. This caused several regions to experience a depletion of spirit energy and changes in geography."
"In the end, he was discovered and met with a gruesome fate—his skin and bones were stripped away, and his soul scattered."
"But this secret technique was preserved after being interrogated."
Li Fan thought for a moment and said thoughtfully: "So your meaning is that I should use the吞天食地大法 to secretly absorb the spirit veins and underground veins of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance?"
The face nodded, looking like a teachable pupil: "Most of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's defense points are built on underground veins.
"As the defender of Taiyin Island, as long as you're careful, taking in a little each time, it won't be noticed."
"And for a Foundation Establishment cultivator like you, even this small amount is already a great benefit. This way, you should be able to quickly advance to the Golden Core realm."
Li Fan was overjoyed: "Head, you are truly wise and mighty!"
The face wasn’t impressed by Li Fan’s flattery and coldly said: "First, get the first day's test questions from He Zhenghao. After confirming there are no mistakes, we will conduct the transaction that night."
"I'll send someone to handle it. You just need to take care of the handover."
"I’ll also have him bring you the吞天食地大法." Li Fan wasn’t surprised by this decision. After all, 500,000 contribution points weren't a small sum; he couldn’t entrust such an important task to a Foundation Establishment cultivator like himself.
So he nodded in agreement.
"You go now," the face said.
"Since we meet frequently lately, be careful on your way. Don’t reveal anything crucial."
"Don't worry, Head," Li Fan assured with a pat on his chest.
After agreeing on their next meeting location, the stone gradually lost its luster and turned to dust.
"Cultivating by absorbing underground veins…" Li Fan suddenly remembered something.
"If this can be utilized, my cultivation speed in this life might be even faster than expected.
With Zhou Qingang’s appearance, Li Fan quietly flew back to Taiyin Island.
---
His clone was hidden deep within the protective array of Taiyin Island and didn’t need to worry about being discovered.
However, for safety, he set up another layer of阵法 in his seclusion chamber and performed the secret technique 只手遮天 as a further cover.
After completing all this, he took out an empty jade slip from his storage ring.
The blue light in Li Fan’s mind recorded the questions from his previous life into the jade slip. The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's entry exam included subjects like 政 (Politics), 法 (Law), 经 (Economics), 武 (Martial Arts), 器 (Tools), 阵 (Arrays), 丹 (Potions), and 符 (Amulets).
These were hosted by the local Administrative Hall, with assistance from the Martial Arts Hall.
All candidates had to participate in all subjects. After a comprehensive evaluation, the best would be selected for deployment at the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters or other critical areas.
Then, based on their overall cultivation and personal preferences, positions would be assigned.
The exam wasn’t limited to simple question-and-answer sessions like with spirit recognition balls. For example, in the 政 (Politics) subject, candidates would experience a realistic illusion of a historical era, facing various events to test their enlightenment and loyalty.
Similarly, for subjects like 器 (Tools), 阵 (Arrays), 丹 (Potions), and 符 (Amulets), theoretical tests were followed by practical demonstrations.
Despite the large number of participants, most were just there as spectators. But going through this process was time-consuming and labor-intensive.
However, cultivators were enthusiastic about it; each application saw an increase in applicants.
Overall, for those interested, a ten-year cycle of entry exams could be considered a grand event.
Li Fan recorded the first day’s questions and the remaining ones on two jade slips. He sighed with relief.
He had no intention of taking the exam himself. After all, he could easily enter the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance through many more convenient means. And his primary task in this life was to advance from the Five Elements Cavern Heaven to the Yuan婴 realm.
Entering the alliance would add a layer of constraint that might hinder his actions.
With about two weeks left, he could wait patiently.
While cultivating, Li Fan carefully considered potential future changes.
Time passed slowly.
During this period, to avoid revealing any clues, Ji Fan invited He Zhenghao several times to Taiyin Island for long talks. They discussed the array techniques in depth throughout the night.
Knowing He Zhenghao’s personality well, Ji Fan chatted with him happily.
Over time, he began to regard "Zhou Qingang" as a close friend.
And during their casual conversations, He Zhenghao repeatedly boasted about receiving guidance from an ancient 天机宗 cultivator, which led to his current success and imminent Golden Core realm.
Li Fan feigned great admiration for He Zhenghao. He praised him repeatedly and begged him to include himself in any future opportunities for wealth.
Unable to resist Li Fan’s persistent requests, He Zhenghao agreed readily. Li Fan smiled contentedly.
Apart from this, Congyunhai remained calm with no other incidents.
Soon, there were only three days left before the official start of the entry exam.
He arranged another long talk with He Zhenghao and waited for him to leave.
Li Fan stood up: "It's time."
He quietly flew towards the agreed location with the face on the stone.
Following the previous steps, he found the meeting point. After verification, the face suddenly appeared.
"How did it go? Did you get the questions?" The face’s voice was unusually tense and hopeful. Li Fan was equally excited.
He nodded and placed the jade slip containing the first day's questions on the stone. A yellow light enveloped the slip, making the face’s image blurry.
After a moment.
"Very good! Just wait here. In three days, we’ll know."
Before Ji Fan could respond, the face disappeared eagerly.
The yellow light dimmed but didn’t shatter the stone.
Li Fan looked at the stone with deep meaning in his eyes.