You don't want your secret to be revealed by others, right?

During the last Inner Hall assessment, only Baili Fengzhi reached this level.

And now, incredibly, seven people have passed the fifth round of the life-and-death battle?

For cultivators under thirty years of age, achieving such a level is still very difficult.

Lin Yue knew that such an achievement wasn't solely determined by talent and insight, but crucially involved the guidance of a Demon God; naturally, he had no reaction.

But the others present didn't know this, and the sounds of amazement from below had long been irrepressible, as countless individuals couldn't help but gasp.

In the sixth round of the life-and-death battle, two people passed.

That already equaled Baili Fengzhi's performance in the past year.

The seventh round...

"Boom!"

A palm technique that could be described as earth-shattering descended from the sky, instantly smashing the Great Elder's near-collapse avatar into dust.

Amidst the dispersing glow of the avatar, a young man in blue robes lightly landed on the ground with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, as if victory had been expected all along.

The crowd watching was left speechless by this spectacle.

This was the seventh round of the life-and-death battle, with difficulty equivalent to the Fourth Layer of the Tianxia Building, restricted to those under thirty years of age—it was utterly preposterous.

Yet among this group of visiting martial cultivator prodigies, this one named 'Yan Fang' had actually passed as well?

At twenty-eight years old, not yet thirty, he matched the Cultivation of the Four Symbols Heaven Barrier equivalent to the Fourth Layer of the Tianxia Building?

Looking back through the history of Ancestor Hall, only someone from over a thousand years ago came to mind.

Even considering the entire history of the Human Clan, there were actually very few people like this.

Where did such a prodigy come from?

"Oh?"

Lin Yue couldn't help but take a few more glances at Yan Fang, somewhat surprised.

Of course, he was merely surprised by the Body Refining Cultivation Method the other was practicing, if he wasn't mistaken... it seemed to be Three Thousand Hell Body?

However, it was normal for Xiahou Shou to pass the Three Thousand Hell Body on to the Demon Clan.

As for the other party's strength, he didn't take it to heart.

"You've passed the seventh round, not bad."

Lin Yue, leaning against the railing, looked down at the young man in blue robes and said, "Yan Fang, do you wish to continue with the life-and-death battle?"

"No need," Yan Fang shook his head and said, "Equaling Ancestor Hall's highest record is sufficient."

The crowd, upon hearing this, couldn't help but inwardly sigh.

Quite arrogant.

His words sounded as though he was somewhat unsatisfied.

But considering such a shocking performance, he indeed had the right to be arrogant, so they couldn't really say anything.

Lin Yue didn't care and simply said calmly:

"According to the rules, the Hall Masters can now choose their disciples. Ordinarily, they would take the top three performers as apprentices, but this year's assessment standard is indeed higher than before, so... anyone who has passed the third round of the life-and-death battle, all fifty-five of you, have the chance to be apprenticed to the Hall Masters."

His gaze swept over them and he continued, "But the origins of these fifty-four are unclear, so for the time being, they cannot enter the core of Ancestor Hall..."

As soon as these words were spoken, the others didn't react, but the visiting martial cultivator prodigies were taken aback.

Yan Fang was startled and couldn't help but speak up, "Seventeenth Prince, Ancestor Hall is the Human Clan's first Holy Land, inclusive of all rivers, the most tolerant. Even the Spirit Venerable has confirmed we are of the Human Clan, so why still treat us this way?"

Lin Yue simply glanced at him calmly, without speaking.

"Presumptuous!"

An icy rebuke suddenly sounded, and Baili Fengzhi arrived flying over with a group of Ancestor Hall Elders, landing on the open space of the square.

"You've got quite the nerve," Baili Fengzhi said coldly to Yan Fang, "The prince is speaking, and you, a mere Four Symbols Practitioner, dare to interrupt?"

Yan Fang was taken aback.

Back in his homeland, he had been one of the most outstanding talents in his clan, where even the Saint-level Elders would take his opinions seriously, and many Great Cultivators had less status than him.

Before coming to Great Yong, he had already heard about the assessment of Ancestor Hall's Inner Hall and didn't take it seriously.

He believed that he could easily crush these talents of Great Yong, and indeed he had.

But...

He had merely interjected a remark, and now he faced such a scolding?

Bear in mind, he was considered the strongest talent in the history of Ancestor Hall, performing even better than the Seventeenth Prince had during the Inner Hall assessment.

So, he thought his weight within Ancestor Hall must be substantial, believing that Ancestor Hall would surely treat him with courtesy, and perhaps even the Main Hall Master would proactively take him as a disciple, so how could this be?

Yan Fang couldn't help but feel aggrieved.

But remembering the instructions of his elders, he could only take a deep breath and bow to the figure who looked down upon him from above and said, "I was a bit improper just now, please forgive me, Your Highness."

Middling temperament... Lin Yue assessed internally, then finally spoke, "Only this once."

Yan Fang bowed slightly, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Without saying much more, Lin Yue simply swept his gaze over everyone and said, "These are the rules. The origins of these fifty-four are not clear, even if the Hall Masters wish to take them under their wings, they can only be taken as nominal disciples. Is that understood?"

The visiting genius martial cultivators heard this and were shocked and dismayed.

Only to be taken as nominal disciples?

The most talented individual from previous Inner Hall assessments may not necessarily be able to pass the third round of the life-and-death battle.

Yet in this session, there were so many talents among them who had passed the third round, and even an unprecedented genius who equaled the highest historical record, and they could only be nominal disciples?

This was far too unfair.

Even Ancestor Hall's current talents might not be able to surpass them!

Hence, when they realized the talents of Ancestor Hall were just so-so, they felt a sense of superiority, thinking that the geniuses of the Great Yong Human Clan were nothing much after all.