That afternoon, under a bright, sunny sky.
A dense crowd of Outer Gate disciples had gathered at the training grounds.
Upon the high platform, five chief examiners—Elder Rende, Inner Gate Elder Feixue, Outer Gate Elder Li Ziheng, and others—were reviewing the participating disciples. In addition, a group of deacons from the Outer Gate Trial Hall served as deputy examiners, led by none other than the plump and rotund Grand Steward Fei Kui.
Outer Gate disciples were only eligible to participate in the assessment if their cultivation level reached the fifth level of the Innate realm, they had mastered at least one immortal art to the minor accomplishment level, and they had passed the review by the Trial Hall.
This time, not many disciples were participating—only twenty or thirty. The assessment was already nearing its end, yet not a single disciple had been promoted. Many had failed right at the first stage, the cultivation level evaluation.
Although all disciples who came to take the assessment were at the fifth level of the Innate realm, in today's world, where elixirs were prevalent, reaching this level with elixir assistance wasn't difficult—it could even be considered easy. Especially for disciples from better backgrounds: popping pills, dreaming sweet dreams, and flirting with girls could casually get them to the fifth level of the Innate realm.
However, cultivation levels achieved through pill-popping were very 'hollow.' They also contaminated the painstakingly cultivated pure spiritual power, making it extremely chaotic. In such a state, even if one cultivated to the ninth level of the Innate realm, attempting Foundation Establishment would inevitably end in failure.
The purpose of the first stage's cultivation level review was to examine whether the spiritual power within the disciples' bodies was pure. It didn't demand absolute purity, but at least a passable degree of purity. Unfortunately, out of the twenty disciples who came for the assessment, eighteen failed to meet the standard.
Perhaps this result disappointed Elder Rende, the chief examiner, too much. Stroking his white beard, he shook his head and sighed, "In the Ancient Times, spiritual energy was sparse. Our predecessors knew how difficult cultivation was. After the Cataclysm, the modern era began, with all things reviving and the world's spiritual energy so abundant. Yet you don't know how to cherish it, instead relying solely on elixirs. While elixirs can quickly boost your cultivation level, they also make your spiritual power turbid. What use is such cultivation level? What use is such spiritual power?" With another sorrowful sigh, Elder Rende said, "Truly, each generation is worse than the last. Young people are too impetuous, too impetuous..."
Another disciple failed the assessment.
Elder Rende shook his head repeatedly in disappointment, his patience nearly exhausted. He asked, "Steward Fei, how many disciples are left?"
"Three more."
Fei Kui stood up and replied with a grin. As the Grand Steward of Yunxia Sect, he was in charge of the Trial Hall. In other words, any disciple wishing to participate in the assessment needed his approval.
"Enough, enough. Continue. Have the next disciple come up to the platform."
From the crowd, a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties walked up to the high platform. Dressed in pristine white robes, he looked clean and fair. His reasonably handsome face wore a casual, spring-breeze-like smile—carefree, leisurely, and somewhat playful.
When he stepped onto the high platform, many disciples around looked puzzled, as if they were unfamiliar with him. Then, someone in the crowd shouted.
"It's him! He's the Crimson Flame Young Master, Gu Qingfeng!"
"Gu Qingfeng? The Crimson Flame Young Master who made Senior Sister Ouyang fall in love at first sight?"
"Yes! That's him! He injured Young Master Li last time in Redleaf Valley."
"He doesn't seem to be a disciple of our Yunxia Sect, does he? Why is he participating in the Inner Gate assessment?"
When someone recognized Gu Qingfeng, the disciples were all astonished. After all, when Ouyang Ye first brought Gu Qingfeng to Yunxia Sect, it had caused quite a stir. Later, Gu Qingfeng beat Li Sen and several other Inner Gate disciples in Redleaf Valley, making the matter widely known.
The disciples were surprised to see Gu Qingfeng, but Li Ziheng, sitting on the high platform, was even more shocked.
His grandson still hadn't fully recovered from the beating Gu Qingfeng gave him last time. Li Ziheng had yet to swallow this grievance. If not for Elder Huode's protection, he would have long since torn Gu Qingfeng to pieces to avenge his grandson.
It wasn't just Li Ziheng who was surprised. The cold and arrogant Elder Feixue also deeply furrowed her brow upon seeing Gu Qingfeng, her haughty, indifferent face now fixed on him with a cold stare.
"Why are you here?"
The question didn't come from Elder Feixue but from Li Ziheng. The moment he saw Gu Qingfeng, he shot to his feet, angrily demanding.
"Why can't I be here?"
Gu Qingfeng replied with a light chuckle.
At that moment, Fei Kui walked over with a booklet in hand. "Gu Qingfeng passed our Yunxia Sect's assessment several days ago and became an Outer Gate disciple. This is our review record. Please take a look, Elders."
Becoming an Outer Gate disciple was simple: those with spiritual roots relied on their roots; those without took an assessment; if all else failed, paying enough spirit stones could also make one an Outer Gate disciple.
This was something both Elder Feixue and Li Ziheng knew well. Even Elder Rende was aware. He usually turned a blind eye to such matters, as the sect's development relied on spirit stones. Thus, the so-called review record held little significance.
Li Ziheng sneered and questioned, "Fei Kui, are you aware that he has a Foundation Establishment Failure body?"
"Of course."
Fei Kui bowed slightly, maintaining a humble smile on his face.
"Then why did you permit him to participate in the Inner Gate assessment?"
As if he had anticipated Li Ziheng's challenge, Fei Kui responded unhurriedly, "The conditions for participating in the Inner Gate assessment are reaching the fifth level of the Innate realm and achieving minor accomplishment in at least one immortal art. Although Gu Qingfeng failed Foundation Establishment, it was merely a failure. No one can say his cultivation level isn't at the fifth level of the Innate realm. Moreover, our Yunxia Sect has no regulations prohibiting disciples who failed Foundation Establishment from participating in the Inner Gate assessment."
"Although there's no written rule, failing Foundation Establishment means the end of the cultivation path—one can never cultivate again from then on. Don't you understand this principle?"
Fei Kui lowered his head and continued, "Failing Foundation Establishment is just a failure; it doesn't necessarily mean the end of the cultivation path. Nothing in this world is absolute. No one can definitively say that after failing Foundation Establishment, one can never attempt it again."
"Failing Foundation Establishment is final. It's impossible to attempt it again."
Li Ziheng sat back down, glaring at Gu Qingfeng in the arena, and sneered, "This person is not qualified to participate in the Inner Gate assessment."
Gu Qingfeng asked leisurely, "And how do you know it's impossible?"
"I say it's impossible, so it's impossible!"
Li Ziheng stared furiously at Gu Qingfeng, wishing he could rush over and tear him to pieces right then. How could he allow him to participate in the Inner Gate assessment?
"Nothing is impossible."
Gu Qingfeng stood there calmly, a light, carefree smile on his face. He said leisurely, "In the Ancient Times, ten thousand years ago, in our Cangxuan World, the Soaring Sword Immortal who shocked the world with a single sword had once failed Foundation Establishment."
"In the Ancient Times, nine thousand years ago, in our Cangxuan World, the founding patriarch of the Qing Sect, Qing Yunzi, had also once failed Foundation Establishment."
"In the Ancient Times, eight thousand years ago, in our Cangxuan World, the generation's overlord, Jun Changsheng, had also failed Foundation Establishment—three times, in fact."
"In the Ancient Times, five thousand years ago, in our Cangxuan World, the carefree immortal known as the Unfettered Hermit had also failed Foundation Establishment."
In one breath, Gu Qingfeng listed over a dozen renowned experts from the Ancient Times who had shaken the Cangxuan World. They all shared one common trait: they had failed Foundation Establishment, some more than once.
"If failing Foundation Establishment made it impossible to attempt it again, how did they return to the cultivation path? How did they laugh proudly across the world?"
Gu Qingfeng's question left Li Ziheng unable to refute, as anyone familiar with ancient history knew that what he said was true. These once world-shaking figures had indeed failed Foundation Establishment. However, being questioned and left speechless by a young man was something Li Ziheng could not tolerate. He sneered, "These are histories from thousands of years ago. Whether they're true or false, no one can verify them!"
At that moment, Fei Kui, standing nearby, also smiled and said, "If histories from thousands of years ago cannot be verified, then let me mention one person. I wonder if Elder Li is aware?"