More than half a day later, Ye Chen followed the map and arrived at a grand and imposing hall. The plaque at the center of the main door had the words "True Martial" carved in an iron hook and silver stroke style.

On either side of the door stood two rows of people, each with their heads held high and full of vitality, exuding a sense of grandeur. Most importantly, the gatekeepers, as Ye Chen sensed, were all Mortal Transformation Realm!

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Mortal Transformation Realm, though not the pinnacle, was considered high-ranking. At the Martial Arts Academy, they would be at least senior instructors, and in sects, they would be elders.

Yet, in the True Martial Hall, the Mortal Transformation Realm could only serve as gatekeepers...

"Who goes there!"

A man from the gatekeeping guards saw Ye Chen approaching and immediately stepped forward, blocking Ye Chen with a loud and powerful voice!

"I am Ye Chen, here to take the True Martial Hall assessment!" Ye Chen stated his purpose.

"Do you have a sponsor?"

Ye Chen replied, "Yes, please take a look."

Saying this, he took out Inspector Tian's recommendation letter and handed it over.

The man took the recommendation letter, which bore Inspector Tian's seal. The seal had a unique aura and couldn't be forged. Then, he returned the recommendation letter to Ye Chen, saying, "So you are the one recommended by Inspector Tian. You're in luck—the assessment is about to begin. You'd have to wait another six months if you were half an hour late. Come, I'll lead you to the assessment area."

"Thank you." Ye Chen clasped his hands in gratitude.

As Ye Chen followed one of the gatekeepers through the main gate of the True Martial Hall, several people at the door exchanged glances, and finally, someone couldn't hold back any longer and said, "Recommended by Inspector Tian... looks like another unlucky one."

"Those recommended by Inspector Tian always have bad luck. I remember he recommended eight people over the years, and all eight died..."

"Actually, you can't blame Inspector Tian... he's only responsible for recommending them..."

"Inspector Tian always recommends those who dare to fight and kill, so every mission, the ones he recommends rush to the front, which is why it ends up like this."

"This kid named Ye Chen looks pretty good. Hopefully, his luck will be better."

On the other side.

Ye Chen followed the gatekeeper to a vast Martial Arts Arena.

In the arena stood a plump woman.

"Inspector Su, this is Ye Chen, recommended by Inspector Tian," the True Martial Hall guard who brought Ye Chen announced loudly.

The woman in the arena referred to as Inspector Su glanced at Ye Chen but said nothing.

The man who led Ye Chen also didn't say another word to him, turned around, and returned to his gatekeeping duty.

Ye Chen surveyed the scene.

Inspector Su in the arena, though plump, had a unique beauty without being cumbersome. Her skin was smooth, and Ye Chen thought if he pinched her, it might be soft.

Below the arena stood more than thirty young people, a few in the Primordial Embryo Realm, most in the Mortal Transformation Realm, and even a man and a woman in the Unity Realm!

Suddenly, a young man in the Unity Realm in the arena stared at Ye Chen and said, "You are that Ye Chen who got on the Celestial Soldier Pavilion cloud ship from Fenghua City and killed many disciples of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect on the ship?"

As soon as this was said.

Everyone in the arena showed surprised expressions.

The Ten Thousand Beasts Sect is not a small sect; this Ye Chen dared to kill their people. He seems quite audacious!

Ye Chen smiled faintly and said, "Yes, so what?"

The speaker smirked and said, "Half a day ago, I met Inspector Tianlong of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect. He mentioned you, thinking you'd died in the cloud ship catastrophe, but it turns out your life is quite tenacious; you're still alive."

Since Ye Chen and the Black Widow were intoxicated at the time, by the time they woke up, most of the survivors on the cloud ship had been taken away by the Celestial Soldier Pavilion for half a day.

Thus, those who were sent away earlier arrived at Celestial Cyan City earlier than Ye Chen, so it's natural that a small number of people already knew about events on the cloud ship.

"Whether my life is tenacious has nothing to do with you." Ye Chen showed no courtesy.

This guy seemed to have a good relationship with Xu Tianlong, and his words were laced with irony and obvious hostility. There was no need to be polite.

After Ye Chen's retort, the man's face instantly changed.

Other people in the arena all had flashing eyes.

A sharp character!

Inspector Su, the plump woman in the arena, snorted coldly, and an invisible pressure instantly permeated the area, intimidating everyone below the arena.

"Anyone who makes more noise won't be allowed to participate in the True Martial Hall assessment!"

After saying this, Inspector Su looked at Ye Chen again, a trace of helplessness in her expression... As expected, someone recommended by that jerk Tian Bugui, every person he recommends has this kind of personality!

Ye Chen noticed Inspector Su looking at him and gave a bright smile.

Inspector Su completely ignored him.

What are you smiling at!

Just because you were recommended by Tian Bugui, even if you smile like a flower, you're still a chrysanthemum.

"Time's up!"

Inspector Su glanced at the sundial beside her and said, "As everyone knows, the True Martial Hall recruits people once every six months, never asking about a person's background, but they do question the heart.

Next, you will undergo the Heart-Questioning Test. Don't think about lying—one lie, one expulsion!"

Saying this, Inspector Su waved her hand, and a dazzling copper mirror flew out from her sleeve, suspended in the air. A beam of light projected from the mirror's surface.

"Those whose names are called, step into the light!" Inspector Su said.

At this time, a man beside the arena opened a scroll and called a name.

The named person was a young girl.

The girl stepped into the light beam.

Inspector Su: "Why do you want to join the True Martial Hall!"

The girl replied, "To drive away foreign tribes and guard Cangzhou!"

"Boom!"

The beam of light projected onto the young girl burst forth with a powerful force, directly hurling her into the air.

The girl's eyes instantly turned red, tears streaming down as she said, "Inspector Su, I was wrong... Give me another chance... I joined the True Martial Hall to become stronger..."

"If you can't even speak the truth, True Martial Hall will not accept you!" Inspector Su retorted coldly, showing no mercy. "If you don't leave now, someone will make you go!"

The girl's face was filled with despair, but she dared not continue to weep. Her expression turned sad as she turned around and left.

Immediately after, a man's name was called, and he stepped into the beam of light.

Inspector Su asked, "Why do you want to join the True Martial Hall?"

"To become stronger..." The man hesitated briefly, then added, "To make connections with the geniuses of the True Martial Hall, expand my influence, and compete for family property!"

Inspector Su waved his hand, and a powerful force swept out, sending the man flying.

"The True Martial Hall is not a place for you to seek fame and profit. If you come with such intentions, you can leave now. There's no need to take the Heart-Questioning Test and waste time!"

The expressions of many in the audience changed.

In the past, the Heart-Questioning Test... was not this strict...

Ye Chen's mind raced, yet he understood why the Heart-Questioning Test was so stringent.

First, to prevent those with ulterior motives from infiltrating the True Martial Hall.

Second, because the True Martial Hall mainly faced foreign races and required pure warriors.

Moments later.

Ye Chen was the only one left in the crowd.

Out of more than thirty people, nearly twenty had been eliminated by the Heart-Questioning Test.

"Ye Chen!"

The person responsible for calling names announced Ye Chen's name.

Ye Chen calmly stepped forward and stood under the beam of light.

He keenly sensed a special power within the beam, seemingly monitoring the fluctuations of his soul.

It seemed that this Heart-Questioning Test judged lies by detecting soul fluctuations.

Ye Chen's eyes flickered.

It seemed... he could cheat!

Previously, to avoid having his thoughts perceived by those in the Heaven-Reaching Realm, Ye Chen had learned a simple yet remarkably practical secret technique from Luo Qingyi.

Ye Chen attempted to activate the secret technique.

Sure enough, he felt the power that monitored his soul's fluctuations being blocked.

Inspector Su continued with the routine questions.

Ye Chen said, "Joining the True Martial Hall is to hone myself, to become stronger; then, to expel foreign races, to protect Cangzhou, and to safeguard my human race!"

This statement was half true and half false.

The group of people around him all laughed.

Protect Cangzhou, safeguard the human race?

He dared to say such grandiose words?

However, the Heart-Questioning Mirror showed no fluctuations!

Those who had been laughing were instantly dumbfounded.

Could it be that Ye Chen truly harbored such ambition?

Even Inspector Su was taken aback, his eyes then lighting up with strong approval.

No matter the level of his cultivation talent, just having this mindset made him someone worth cultivating!

Inspector Su continued, "Are you afraid of death?"

This was the first time today he had asked someone two questions.

"Every man must die, whether light as a feather or as heavy as a mountain. As long as the death is meaningful, what is there to fear?" Ye Chen's voice was bold and stirring, with righteousness and integrity.

Inspector Su felt increasingly that Ye Chen was a perfect fit for the True Martial Hall and asked, "What kind of death is as light as a feather? What kind of death is as heavy as a mountain?"

"To die while pursuing selfish gains and fame, even if fame spreads throughout the land, is tainted and infamous, making such a death as light as a feather; to die for a greater cause in one's heart, for the people of the world, even if it is a silent death, is as heavy as a mountain!"

In today's world, the social atmosphere is cold and detached.

Some people are alive, but they've already died; some people have died, but they still live on!"

As he spoke.

Ye Chen couldn't help but think of Luo Jiutian, sacrificing himself to create the Sword Tomb to seal the Celestial Demon.

Then, he recalled the scene of Shen Zhan of the Black Armor Army leading the troops against foreign races, unafraid of death.

His emotions showed significant changes.

"Cheating in the True Martial Hall's Heart-Questioning Test, and yet I even moved myself?" Ye Chen thought silently.

The whole audience was silent.

The words Ye Chen had spoken echoed in everyone's ears and hearts.

Every man must die, whether light as a feather or as heavy as a mountain!

Some people are alive, but they've already died; some people have died, but they still live on!

Upon reflection, countless emotions arose spontaneously.

And just at this moment.

In the grandest hall at the center of the True Martial Hall, a statue suddenly opened its eyes. Immediately, dazzling light shot from the statue straight into the sky, converging mid-air into the towering figure of a man!

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