Prince Dante and the others talked for a few hours before they went to the rooms prepared for them.

Creak. Click.

Zhu Ren gently closed the door of his room and surveyed it with awe. He could not believe that he was inside such a luxurious room. Never in his life did he wish for such extravagance.

In front of him was a huge bed with a soft mattress made from the fur of a Furret Fox, a savage beast known for its fluffy and smooth fur.

He glanced around the room and saw a table and a chair, both items did not look ordinary at all. They were also made from precious trees and other items.

"And this is just the sect's guest room. I wonder what the living quarters of the disciples would look like..." Zhu Ren muttered to himself as he sat on the bed.

He recalled the results showed by the Brilliant Star and pondered deeply with his eyes closed.

"Do I really possess such terrifying talent? Certainly not... During my childhood, I was even ostracized and bullied because of my slow cultivation speed. I worked hard and practiced more than my peers. When they were asleep, I was thrusting my spear without rest... Just how did I manage to get that kind of result from the Brilliant Star?" Zhu Ren rubbed his temples.

At this moment, he knew that there must be something else about the Brilliant Star, but he chose to not disclose it to his friends. He was afraid that the elders of the Heavenly Sword Tower might disqualify him if he spread what he learned.

"For now, I should forget about it. I will use the remaining time to consolidate my cultivation..." Zhu Ren said as he sat cross-legged.

***

"Sect Master, it is time to start the second assessment. Do you want to watch how it goes?" Xia Xinyue asked as she looked at Jiu Shen with an affectionate gaze.

Jiu Shen thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't need to see it. Besides, I already have an idea on how many of them would pass."

Xia Xinyue raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Sect Master, can you tell me more about your guess?" She asked.

The corner of Jiu Shen's lips rose upwards as he replied. "You'll know about it soon. I know that you want to see how those applicants will do on this assessment."

Xia Xinyue sighed in regret with she heard his reply. He was still the same man who wants everything to remain a mystery... She thought to herself.

"By the way, who is the overseer for this assessment?" Jiu Shen asked curiously.

Xia Xinyue stared at him and replied with a smile. "It's Sister Lu Sulan."

Jiu Shen nodded his head when heard the name. "I see. You can leave now. Just tell me the results after the assessment is over."

Xia Xinyue bowed her head respectfully and said. "Yes, Sect Master."

After Xia Xinyue left the scene, Jiu Shen walked towards his room and gently opened the door.

Lying on top of his bed was the sleeping Ice. She was sucking on a bottle of milk with her eyes shut tight. Long Meili was also on his bed. She was closely observing Ice with a warm smile on her face.

When Long Meili sensed the arrival of Jiu Shen, she stared at the entrance of the room and saw his handsome figure smiling at her. She wanted to greet him, but she saw his signal to remain seated.

Jiu Shen sat beside Long Meili and stared carefully at the sleeping little girl. He gently caressed her cheeks and arranged her hair. He then shifted his gaze to Long Meili and asked silently. "The second assessment is about to start, don't you want to see it?"

Long Meili shook her head and responded in a small voice. "Master, I don't have any interest in those young humans. I only want to remain by your side..."

Jiu Shen smiled at her reply, but his eyes suddenly revealed a profound glow as he said. "Really? However, what if I say that one of them has a dragon bloodline? It's rather diluted, but that girl certainly possesses the blood of a dragon in her veins. She must have discovered the remains of a dragon and refined it to increase her cultivation. It is also possible that the dragon gave its blood essence to the girl before it died..."

When Long Meili heard those words, she immediately became agitated. She abruptly stood up and bowed at Jiu Shen as she said solemnly. "Master, thank you for informing me. I want to see if that girl is really worthy of that power."

Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart, but he put on an unperturbed look as he said to her. "Don't hurt her. She might not know that she received that kind of power, and if ever she passes all three assessments, you will be responsible for her training."

Long Meili was surprised, but she nodded her head gently. "Yes, master."

She then left the room with haste after bowing to Jiu Shen.

Jiu Shen closed his eyes and used his spiritual power to stare at the area where the second assessment was being held.

At the center of that place, he could see a tall tree that was about a thousand meters in height. Its huge branches coiled like serpents and its leaves were lush and full of vitality.

This tree is called the Tree of Illusion and it will serve a great purpose in the second assessment.

Jiu Shen then searched for a certain individual and stop his spiritual gaze on a girl with an emaciated appearance.

This girl looked rather pitiful and the clothes she wore was made from the cheap skin of a savage beast. From her appearance alone, anyone could tell that she came from a humble background. The only good thing about her was her pair of emerald-green eyes that shone with a brilliant light.

"From the constitution of her body, it looks like the dragon willingly gave her its blood essence. Without it, this girl would have already died from hunger and lack of nutrition. What a poor soul..." Jiu Shen muttered softly.