Hongtian Territory.
Taixu Sect.
As the morning bells rang out, rays of dawn spilled into the Taixu Sect.
Disciples of the Taixu Sect began their bustling morning exercises.
Vibrant and full of vigor!
Meanwhile, in an inconspicuous outer sect disciple's room, Meng Bai was still fast asleep.
"Meng Bai, wake up! Wake up!"
A young woman abruptly kicked open Meng Bai's door.
The newcomer was Qin Yu, Meng Bai's childhood friend who had grown up alongside him.
Meng Bai slowly sat up, glanced outside, and said lazily, "Xiao Yu, it's still early, let me sleep a little longer!"
With that, Meng Bai looked as though he was about to lie right back down.
Qin Yu grabbed Meng Bai and pulled him toward the door, saying, "Today is the day for the errand disciples to be promoted to outer sect disciples, Meng Bai! How can you still have the heart to sleep?!"
For the errand disciples of the Taixu Sect, the annual promotion examination was a precious, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Both Meng Bai and Qin Yu had entered the Taixu Sect a year ago. Because Meng Bai was not exceptionally gifted, he had no choice but to start as an errand disciple and work his way up step by step. Qin Yu, on the other hand, possessed stellar cultivation aptitude and had long since become an outer sect disciple. There were even rumors that an elder had taken a fancy to her and was simply waiting for her to reach the Spirit Nourishing realm before taking her in as a personal disciple.
Tiantai Peak.
At this moment, many errand disciples had gathered here, creating a bustling and lively scene.
Qin Yu and Meng Bai also arrived leisurely.
For an errand disciple, this annual outer sect examination was no less than a carp leaping through the dragon gate; every single errand disciple hoped to leap straight into becoming an outer sect disciple!
"Silence!" A deep voice rang out, and in an instant, the surrounding disciples quieted down.
The speaker was Xiao An, an outer sect elder of the Taixu Sect.
Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Elder Xiao An said, "My Taixu Sect is one of the seven great sects of the Hongtian Territory. It is your good fortune to have the opportunity to enter the Taixu Sect. Today is the outer sect promotion examination; those who pass may all become outer sect disciples, and those who do not pass need not be discouraged—you may come again next year!"
At these words, all the errand disciples were filled with fighting spirit!
Although it was merely an outer sect disciple, this was an outer sect disciple of the Taixu Sect. As a top-tier sect in a vast cultivation domain, the status of an outer sect disciple here was even more prestigious than that of a personal disciple in a minor sect.
The outer sect promotion examination was divided into three stages: cultivation, perseverance, and combat strength.
The first test was cultivation, with a minimum requirement of Level 7 Qi Condensation.
As someone at Level 9 Qi Condensation, Meng Bai naturally had no problem with this at all.
However, when Meng Bai revealed his Level 9 Qi Condensation cultivation, quite a few disciples who knew him wore looks of astonishment.
"Meng Bai, that guy who sleeps all day long, has actually reached Level 9 Qi Condensation too? When I think about how I work my fingers to the bone every day and am only at Level 8 Qi Condensation, how unfair is the heavens!"
"That's because you don't have Meng Bai's good fortune of having an outer sect disciple as a childhood friend. I heard that Junior Sister Qin Yu frequently gives Meng Bai special treatment, handing him Qi Condensation Pills every single day to pamper that pretty boy."
"If you ask me, if those Qi Condensation Pills had been given to me, I might have already reached Foundation Establishment. This Meng Bai is truly good for nothing!" a disciple said with sour envy.
As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Qin Yu naturally heard the discussion among these errand disciples, and a frosty gaze swept over the ones who had spoken.
Those errand disciples instantly shut their mouths, not daring to draw a full breath for fear that Qin Yu would come to make things difficult for them.
Meng Bai gave an indolent smile. "Alright, mouths belong to others; let them say whatever they like. Don't be angry."
Qin Yu retorted, "Meng Bai, it's precisely because your personality is too good that they think you're easy to bully. Otherwise, where would all these gossip and rumors come from?!"
The second test—the perseverance trial—began.
Elder Xiao An suddenly unleashed a wave of pressure!
"Those who can endure under my pressure for thirty breaths will pass!"
Although Xiao An was only an outer sect elder, his cultivation was still far beyond what a group of errand disciples could withstand. When the pressure descended upon the ordinary disciples, they felt as though a thousand-jin stone slab was pressing down upon them, making it exceptionally arduous.
For Meng Bai, however, this pressure felt like a gentle breeze brushing across his face, posing no threat whatsoever!
Thirty breaths had passed, and many errand disciples had already lost consciousness.
Loss of consciousness naturally meant elimination.
Elder Xiao An swept his gaze across the crowd and noticed that Meng Bai was completely at ease, without the slightest bit of pressure. A faint smile touched his lips. "Interesting."
The third test was the sparring matches among the errand disciples.
This stage tested both combat strength and luck. Those who had passed the first two stages were paired up randomly to fight, with the winner entering the outer sect and the loser being eliminated!
The person matched against Meng Bai was an errand disciple at Level 8 Qi Condensation.
On the stage.
"Meng Bai, I know you're at Level 9 Qi Condensation, but a Level 9 Qi Condensation cultivator who was fed by pills like you is no match for me!" He Huashi said, gripping an iron saber in his hand.
This He Huashi happened to be one of the disciples who had been gossiping about Meng Bai just moments before.
Meng Bai said lazily, "How could Level 9 Qi Condensation lose to Level 8? Is Junior Brother out of his mind?"
He Huashi sneered coldly, "That's for a normal Level 9 Qi Condensation. How could someone like you who relies on pills ever be my match? Take this!"
He Huashi lashed out with a single strike, the saber wind fierce and his movements crisp and decisive!
The power of this single move was already enough to threaten an ordinary Level 9 Qi Condensation cultivator.
Seeing this, Meng Bai let out a yawn and threw a lazy punch!
Boom!
He Huashi was blasted off the sparring stage by the single punch, his life or death unknown!
"It seems I used too much strength. Sigh, I already said—how could Level 8 Qi Condensation ever be a match for Level 9?"
Just like that, Meng Bai officially became an outer sect disciple of the Taixu Sect.
When Meng Bai received his identity token, he remarked, "It's finally over. I'm so tired, it's about time I got a good sleep!"
"You only ever think about sleeping! If I hadn't come to fetch you, you would have missed the promotion examination today!" Qin Yu said, putting her hands on her hips.
"Aren't you here to save the day, Xiao Yu? Tomorrow, I'll treat you to the Eight-Virtue Roast Duck at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!"
At the mention of food, Qin Yu's eyes lit up. "You said it yourself, don't forget tomorrow!"
Meng Bai smiled faintly. "Rest assured, I won't forget."
Night fell.
Meng Bai returned to his own room.
Because he had been promoted to an outer sect disciple, his room had been reassigned, upgrading from the original tiny three-square-meter hut to a spacious twenty-square-meter room—quite a pleasant improvement!
Lying on the bed, Meng Bai prepared to sleep.
That's right, simply to sleep. At this hour, ordinary disciples generally replaced sleep with seated meditation cultivation, but Meng Bai was no ordinary disciple.
Meng Bai was a transmigrator, having crossed over from Blue Star in the 21st century.
He had been in this cultivation world for a little over a year, ever since he first entered the Taixu Sect.
At the same time, right before his transmigration, a manual called the *Great Dream Scripture* had appeared in his mind.
Ever since Meng Bai adapted to this world, he began practicing the *Great Dream Scripture*. The cultivation speed of the *Great Dream Scripture* was no different from mainstream cultivation techniques, and it was even a notch inferior to the Taixu Sect's errand disciple technique, the *Guiyuan Qi Condensation Method*. However, the *Great Dream Scripture* possessed a unique trait.
It allowed him to cultivate within his dreams. As long as he willed it, his cultivation gains upon waking from a dream could be integrated into reality.
He could even evolve various combat techniques and spells within his dreams, which was remarkably marvelous.
This was the exact reason why Meng Bai had persisted in practicing it all this time!