Everyone was filled with disbelief. That made Long Chen realize something.

The Elder Hall had definitely hidden everything about him. He had thought that some information about him would already be circulating amongst a portion of these people, but now it seemed the Elder Hall Master was also someone with profound scheming.

He intentionally didn’t release information about Long Chen to give him more opportunities to slap people’s faces. Long Chen looked at him, and he saw the Elder Hall Master looking back at him, a slight smile on his face.

As expected, he was an old fox. Perhaps all his reactions were within his expectations. Old ginger truly was hotter than young ginger.

Compared to how crafty the Elder Hall Master was, the Law Enforcement Hall Master’s little tricks should be nothing. According to reason, the Elder Hall should be toying with the Law Enforcement Hall. But how was it that the Law Enforcement Hall was still so overbearing?

Long Chen couldn’t help being shocked. He felt like he was still too inexperienced. The Elder Hall was already using him.

Although he had known that beheading Lu Minghan would make him enemies with the Law Enforcement Hall, he had never regretted it. Back then, Lu Minghan had gone too far.

However, he didn’t like this kind of obscure feeling of being used. He didn’t mind being a weapon for the Elder Hall, but he hoped they would be tougher rather than being so veiled. This made him feel uncertain.

“Long Chen is telling the truth. The Elder Hall has investigated his past and we’re sure that what he is saying is the truth.” The Elder Hall Master seemed to see through Long Chen’s thoughts and opened his mouth for the first time.

Long Chen was a bit surprised, but he quickly realized that the Elder Hall Master was expressing his position for him so that he could be at ease.

Originally, his greatest worry was that he would be tossed aside once he was finished being used. That would infuriate him.

From the Phoenix Cry Empire, the 108th monastery, the thirty-sixth supermonastery, and then the Eastern Wasteland’s branch sect, he had already seen through these kinds of unspoken rules. He was aware that before he stabilized his own footing, the most important thing was to find a reliable backer. The Elder Hall was his best option now.

He needed the Elder Hall, and the Elder Hall needed him. Working together would only bring benefits to both of them.

The Law Enforcement Hall Master’s expression became ugly once the Elder Hall Master spoke. He knew he had fallen for a trap.

Just now, he had said that these rank three Celestials wouldn’t be able to reach the King realm in their lifetimes. But his words had been too overconfident.

Long Chen had only been at Qi Condensation when he was fifteen years old. According to the theory he had just stated, such a person shouldn’t even be called a cultivator. They were just a cripple.

But now, Long Chen had reached the Central Plains and was contending against the heavenly geniuses. His words were now a slap in the face, and a very resounding one at that.

“There are always some people who run into a lucky chance. But can you say that every person will have your kind of luck as well?” retorted the Law Enforcement Hall Master.

“When we first followed boss, we weren’t even Celestials,” said Guo Ran.

“He is right. None of the Dragonblood Legion’s people were innate Celestials. We’ve investigated it, and we can confirm it,” said the Elder Hall Master.

Now the Law Enforcement Hall Master was even more infuriated, as he was slapped in the face once more. There was no way to retort, and all his paths had been blocked by Long Chen. Long Chen was using himself to tell everyone that sometimes, hard work was even more important than talent. There were no absolutes in this world, and people shouldn’t be looked down upon just because they were less talented.

“Luo Fan, do you have anything else to add?” Finally, the Xuan Master opened his mouth.

“Reporting to Xuan Master, disciple simply feels-”

The Xuan Master waved his hand to cut him off. “Don’t answer beside the point. If you have nothing else to add, begin the badge awarding ceremony.”

“Yes.” The Law Enforcement Hall Master had no choice but to helplessly retreat. The Xuan Master’s meaning was clear: he had no ground to stand on, so don’t say any more.

In other words, he had to accept that these people would be inner sect disciples. Although he was unwilling, he was unable to find any reason to go against this.

“All disciples who passed the inner sect trial, step forward. Take your inner sect robes and badges. Starting today, you are the glorious inner sect disciples!” Li Changfeng walked forward and announced.

Cheering erupted, the loudest cheering coming from the people following Long Chen. They had succeeded.

The Elder Hall’s Elders distributed the disciple robes as well as individual status badges. With these badges, they could withdraw a certain amount of resources each month and enter the cultivation grounds.

Once everything was distributed, Li Changfeng continued, “Now we will distribute the core disciple badges…”

Que Xinyan sneered while looking toward Long Chen. Only Hua Shiyu looked toward him with some sympathy. She felt some pity for him as he had the power to be a core disciple.

The disciples behind Long Chen became dim. They were the ones who had held him back.

“Hua Shiyu, Hu Guishan, Fan Song, Wang Zhen, Que Xinyan… and Long Chen, come forth and receive your new robes and badges.” Li Changfeng paused for a moment before saying Long Chen’s name. Long Chen couldn’t believe his ears.

“What?! Didn’t he fail?!” Han Yunshan was the first to cry out.

“What’s going on? He clearly failed, so why does he get a core disciple spot? Liu Cang, what do you think you’re doing?!” roared the Law Enforcement Hall Master. The Liu Cang he spoke of was the Elder Hall Master.

“I’m not doing anything. Long Chen has met the criteria to be a core disciple,” said Liu Cang lightly.

The Law Enforcement Hall Master, Luo Fan, was infuriated. He bowed toward the Xuan Master and said, “Xuan Master, Liu Cang’s conduct is an abuse of his position.”

“Liu Cang, give me your reason,” said the Xuan Master.

Liu Cang also bowed and said, “Reporting to Xuan Master, the trial is just a kind of formality. We can’t lose a genius because we are stuck adhering to the convention. The main goal of the trial is not to test the core disciples’ power or potential, but their leadership capabilities. The reason the Dao Sect spends so much to raise its core disciples is because it wishes to raise a genius commander to lead the junior generation.

“Long Chen led the weakest faction with the lowest talent, but all the way to the end, his faction’s mortality rate was the lowest. He has a sharp vision, powerful charisma, and great wisdom. Furthermore, even while he was in the core disciple trial, when his faction met with danger, he didn’t hesitate to give up the enticement of a core disciple spot to help his faction. This all embodies the elements of a commander.”

“What nonsense! Commanders should view accomplishing their missions as their goals. If they failed their mission because of softheartedness, what kind of commander would they be? That would just be a trash commander!” sneered Luo Fan.

Liu Cang looked at Luo Fan and shook his head. “If you use any means necessary to accomplish the mission, then it can’t count as success in the end. A commander who fails the mission because he protected his people is trash, but a commander who sacrifices his companions’ lives to accomplish the mission is worse than trash.”

Long Chen hadn’t expected that the refined and wily Elder Hall Master would be able to say such bold words. He couldn’t help but feel some praise. His last words were said with emotion, or else there was no way it would strike people so deeply in the heart. He was definitely speaking his true feelings.

“You… you’re just forcibly twisting logic!” raged Luo Fan.

“Logic is constant and cannot be twisted. It is the right of the Elder Hall to award Long Chen with a core disciple spot. If the Law Enforcement Hall is dissatisfied, you can file a complaint, but you have no right to interfere. Hall Master, you go beyond your authority.” Liu Cang shook his head.

His words didn’t contain any anger, but they were so persuasive that it totally convinced people.

One was refined and graceful, while the other was flustered. When placed side by side, the difference was stark.

Long Chen shook his head. This Law Enforcement Hall Master was an idiot. Just how had he cultivated to reach his current level? Were the heavens that blind?

If Long Chen were the Xuan Master, he’d have long since slapped this idiot to death. He couldn’t understand what this impenetrable Xuan Master was thinking.

“Long Chen has met the requirements for a core disciple. There’s no need to fight over this matter,” said the Xuan Master in a tone which said his words were final.

The Law Enforcement Hall Master’s expression immediately became exceedingly ugly, but he didn’t dare to say anything. He knew that while the Xuan Master didn’t normally interfere, no one could change the decisions he made. If he dared to retort, he would definitely have to endure his thunderous fury.

Hua Shiyu, Hu Guishan, Fan Song, Wang Zhen, Que Xinyan, and Long Chen walked up to the platform and received a beautiful case. Inside were their core disciple badges and robes.

“Long Chen, just wait. I won’t let you off,” whispered Que Xinyan as he glanced sideways at Long Chen.

Long Chen looked at him and coldly said, “Idiot, did you think I would let you off?”

But the two of them were only able to exchange a few words before they had to return to their factions.

“The welcoming ceremony starts now. Activate the Xuantian Blessing.”

The Xuantian Tower suddenly lit up, countless runes revolving around it. Immortal spiritual qi began to descend upon the disciples.

Everyone immediately felt their bodies lighten and all their pores open, greedily absorbing that hallowed aura.

“My Spirit Root is upgrading, and my Spirit Blood is being purified! Heavens, what kind of energy is this!?”

The disciples went wild with excitement. Baptized under that aura, they felt their bodies undergoing some kind of metamorphosis. The men grew more handsome, and the women grew even more beautiful.

“This is the blessing of the Xuantian Tower, and it will be extremely beneficial to your future cultivation. You’ll understand in the future. That’s all, the welcoming ceremony is over,” announced Li Changfeng.

Tsk. Suddenly, a blood-red saber appeared and lightly cut across a hand. Fresh blood flowed onto a badge. Seeing Long Chen’s actions, everyone’s expressions changed.