However, these outer branch elders were not destined to remain as they were for the rest of their lives.
They still had a chance to enter the Northern Mystery Hall.
To leave the outer branch and enter the Northern Mystery Hall, there were two methods.
The first was to reach a sufficient level of cultivation and earn the recognition of the Northern Mystery Hall, thereby gaining entry.
Besides that, there was another method that could be considered a shortcut.
That was to find talented disciples. As long as the disciple they brought in could pass the talent test and was willing to take them as a master, that elder would be qualified to enter the Northern Mystery Hall.
However, because these outer branch elders had previously been at the very bottom of the Azure Dragon Sect in terms of status and strength, even if a disciple who passed the test was willing to take them as a master, they could only enter the Northern Mystery Hall—there was no possibility of entering any of the other branches.
But disciples who passed the talent test had the opportunity to earn the favor of elders from other branches.
Normally, disciples who released a white glow on the test platform could only enter the Northern Mystery Hall.
But disciples who released a grey glow could potentially be selected by the White Tiger Hall and the Vermilion Bird Hall.
As for someone like Hua Xu, who was able to release a blue glow—let alone the White Tiger Hall and the Vermilion Bird Hall, even the strongest branch, the Azure Dragon Hall, would be willing to accept him as a disciple.
If Hua Xu took Elder Qian as his master, under Elder Qian's influence, Hua Xu would have no choice but to enter the weakest branch—the Northern Mystery Hall—along with Elder Qian.
But if he didn't take Elder Qian as his master, he would earn the favor of the White Tiger Hall, the Vermilion Bird Hall, and possibly even the Azure Dragon Hall's elders.
He would have the chance to become a disciple of an Azure Dragon Hall elder.
Hua Xu naturally had no intention of taking Elder Qian—a mere outer branch elder—as his master.
"So that's how it is."
"This Elder Qian certainly had quite the scheme figured out, but unfortunately… Hua Xu already knew about the Azure Dragon Sect beforehand. He really brought it upon himself."
Chu Feng silently mocked Elder Qian in his heart.
Although Hua Xu's behavior was indeed not very honorable, Elder Qian was no saint either.
He had assumed that Hua Xu didn't understand the Azure Dragon Sect's situation and had planned to trick him into becoming his disciple first.
That way, while cheating Hua Xu, he himself could enter the Northern Mystery Hall and reap the benefits of Hua Xu's growth.
But unfortunately, Hua Xu had long since learned about the Azure Dragon Sect's situation and hadn't fallen for it.
"Actually, even if Hua Xu hadn't known about the four branches, the Northern Mystery Hall elders would have informed him."
"Whether or not he was willing to take an outer branch elder as his master was entirely up to him."
"Hua Xu specifically mentioned that he had known about the four branches all along."
"He just wanted people to know that his clan had a senior in the Azure Dragon Sect—that he had someone backing him."
Elder Duan explained to Chu Feng.
"So that's what was going on."
Only now did Chu Feng understand why the other outer branch elders hadn't believed Elder Qian when he said Hua Xu wanted to take him as a master.
It turned out that even if Hua Xu himself didn't know the Azure Dragon Sect's specifics, the Northern Mystery Hall elders would have told him.
In short, any disciple who entered here couldn't be deceived—unless… they genuinely wanted to take an outer branch elder as their master.
Otherwise, for an outer branch elder to take in a disciple who had passed the test would be harder than ascending to heaven.
"Elder Duan, if my cultivation improves, will I have a chance to enter one of the other branches in the future?"
Chu Feng asked curiously.
He felt that a disciple of Zi Ling's caliber certainly wouldn't be in the Northern Mystery Hall.
But given his own performance today, he would probably only be able to enter the Northern Mystery Hall.
But if there was an opportunity to choose again in the future, Chu Feng naturally wanted to be in the same branch as Zi Ling.
"Once elders or disciples enter one of the four branches, it cannot be changed."
"When the founding ancestor established the four branches, it was so that disciples and elders, in a state of competition, could have their will to cultivate ignited, spurring their cultivation progress…