''Defeat an outer disciple of the Holy sect?''
The old man's words reverberated like a bolt of thunder in everyone's ears, as the disciples inside the arena stared at the yellow-robed disciples of the Holy sect in the sky with shock in their eyes.
Even the weakest among the disciples of the Holy sect was at the early rank 4 of the Nascent Soul, while the strongest of them were actually at the early rank 6!
After all, not only did the disciples of the Holy sect have a much higher cultivation level than the disciples in the arena, but it was certain that most of them were most likely training in Saint grade cultivation techniques and martial skills as well.
No matter what, this test was simply impossible.
Even Shun Long was stunned for a moment when he heard the rules of the fourth test, before he turned to look at the old man with a curious look in his eyes.
''Is the Holy sect planning on eliminating everyone with this fourth test?''
As this thought flashed through Shun Long's mind, he quickly rejected it as it didn't make any sense. There was definitely more to this test than what the old man had explained just now, otherwise, the previous 3 tests would have been pointless.
Indeed, the old man smiled a moment later when he noticed the reaction of the disciples in the arena, before he continued explaining with an unperturbed expression on his face
''Hehe, don't be so afraid. The disciples that you fight will have their cultivation restricted at the peak of rank 3 of the Nascent Soul. Otherwise, I doubt that there would be any of you who would be able to pass this test, hehehe.''
Sighs of relief quickly filled the arena when the disciples heard the old man's explanation, and yet, the condescending looks on the faces of those disciples of the Holy sect in the sky didn't disappear, as mocking smiles slowly appeared on their faces at the same time.
Staring at the Dao Emperor old man in the sky, a young woman that was at the middle of rank 3 in the Nascent Soul and was standing a few meters away from Shun Long took a deep breath, before she took a step forward, attracting everyone's attention, as she asked in a curious voice
''Senior, I-I want to ask... what happens to those who fail this test? Can they still join the sect?
I heard that even if someone fails the third or the fourth test, they can still choose to become followers of an outer disciple. Is that true?''
''Hahahaha!''
The white-robed old man with an unkempt appearance started laughing when he heard the young woman's words, before he nodded his head and said with an amiable smile on his face
''That's right. As long as you pass through the fourth test, you can choose to take in 2 people along with you when you enter the sect. Those people can be your servants and will have to listen to everything you say. Additionally, if you fail the fourth test, if someone else who passes takes an interest in you, you can choose to become their servant and follow them in the sect as well.
Of course, if you fail the fourth test and you don't want to become someone else's servant, you can choose to return back to your own continent instead.''
Most disciples nodded their heads as if they already knew about this matter. At the same time, Shun Long's eyes instantly widened, as he suddenly remembered what the old man from the 'Alchemists' Guild' in the Heaven's Dome city had said a little more than 2 years ago.
Back then, the peak rank 3 gold grade alchemist Zhao Lan, had told Shun Long that as long as he was willing to, the 'Alchemists' Guild' would give him a chance to groom him and allow him to become a 'follower' of one of the geniuses that enter the Holy sect.
This way, he would be able to follow them inside the Holy sect and become their so-called follower.
After all, a talented alchemist would be sought after by both individuals and large powers alike.
However, the Dao Emperor the Holy sect didn't use the word follower just now to describe the people who entered the sect this way, but the word servant instead.
This implied that those 'followers' would only have the same status as a servant inside the sect.
Even if their status slightly higher, it wouldn't be that much different from an actual servant's in the end.
''Thank you senior.''
The young woman who had asked the question just now bowed to the Dao Emperor in the sky with a determined look on her face.
It was obvious that she had made up her mind to pass this fourth test no matter what.
Seeing that no one else took a step forward to ask any more questions, the white-robed old man waved his hand and took out a Holy sect's token from his spatial ring.
This token was practically identical to the one that Shun Long and the rest of the disciples here had all obtained during the third test!
Seeing that everyone below him recognized the token in his hands, the old man's lips seemed to have curved up unnoticeably, as he then continued with that same smile on his face
''Each of you managed to obtain a token during the third test. It doesn't matter if you hunted others and stole it from them, or if you obtained it directly from one of the thousand cities in the test. The token in your hands is what will determine your opponent during this fourth test.''
As soon as the old man finished speaking, the 1000 disciples of the Holy sect behind him all took out a golden-colored token from their robes, that looked identical to the one that Shun Long and the rest of the disciples around him had.
However, their tokens didn't have the words Holy sect on them but they had different numbers instead.
Those numbers ranged from number 1 all the way to 1000.
Taking a look at the token in his hands, Shun Long was stunned for a moment.
The words 'Holy' and 'Sect' that were engraved on the token seemed to have disappeared, as 3 numbers seemed to have taken their place instead
''351''
At the same moment that this number appeared on his Holy sect's token, Shun Long suddenly felt an unstoppable force enveloping his body, as he and the rest of the disciples in the arena were all sent flying towards the audience seats, no longer standing in the middle of the arena.
The unstoppable force slowly disappeared once Shun Long and the rest of the disciples arrived above the audience seats, allowing them to land safely.
Of course, this force had come from the old man in the sky, and it was nothing more than a simple wave of his hand.
Even a thousand Nascent Soul stage cultivators were unable to resist a single gust of air that came from the Dao Emperor as he swept his hand!
Ignoring the shocked expressions on the disciples' faces, the old man with an unkempt appearance turned his head around and stared at the 1000 disciples of the Holy sect behind him, before he asked in a domineering voice
''Who is fighting first?''
The disciples of the Holy sect all turned their eyes towards a tall, robust young man with long black hair.
This was the same young man who had said that he doesn't put Shun Long in his eyes during the third test, a peak rank 5 Nascent Soul stage expert!
The young man looked at the white-robed old man in the sky and bowed deeply, before he said in a tone filled with confidence
''Elder Cao, this junior is first.''
The white-robed Dao Emperor, Elder Cao nodded his head after seeing the golden-colored token in the young man's hands that had the number '1' on it, and allowed him to go and stand at the center of the arena.
The young man smiled as he descended in the middle of the arena like a bolt of lightning coming down from the sky.
At that moment, his cultivation started to 'drop', from the peak of rank 5 in the Nascent Soul, until it finally stopped at the peak of rank 3 a few moments later.
As soon as his cultivation stabilized at the peak of rank 3, the robust young man turned his attention towards the group of disciples in the audience seats in the arena, before he called out in an arrogant tone as if he didn't place any of those disciples in his eyes
''Which one of you has the token with the number 1 on it? Come out!''
At that moment, everyone instantly turned their attention towards a handsome young man in sky-blue robes who shot towards the center of the arena with a serious expression on his face.
This young man stared at the tall and robust outer disciple of the Holy sect in front of him with a solemn look in his eyes, before he took out a golden-colored token from his robes.
This token had the number '1' on it.
At the same time, in the audience seats, Shun Long narrowed his eyes when he saw the blue-robed young man's face. After all, this was a person that Shun Long had already met once back in the 'Night star continent'!