Yang Yan still seemed oblivious to Sun Hai’s insinuations, smiling with clasped hands:

"Thank you, Senior Sun, for bringing me to the grand ceremony."

"Hmph!"

With a cold snort, Sun Hai turned around, flicked his wide sleeves, and spoke icily:

"Keep up with me!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Yan effortlessly got off the bed and silently followed behind Sun Hai.

Yesterday, as instructed, Yang Yan stayed inside the wooden house, quietly cultivating all day.

Today, after leaving with Sun Hai, he finally saw the environment he was in.

This seemed to be the gathering place for Named Disciples.

Wooden houses were everywhere; the best was just stone houses, and none were large.

The gray-clothed Named Disciples passing by in twos and threes quickly saluted after seeing Sun Hai, respectfully calling him Senior Sun.

Then, each of them looked at Yang Yan with curiosity.

But Sun Hai, with his eyes above all, paid no attention to these Named Disciples.

Among them, Yang Yan spotted Gu Sheng.

His slightly plump figure stood out among the standard-bodied ones.

Yang Yan just glanced and saw him.

Yang Yan smiled at him, but at this moment, he didn’t dare to come up and greet Yang Yan.

As they walked, Yang Yan realized the Outer Courtyard alone was unbelievably vast.

There were four mountain peaks just in the Outer Courtyard!

Yang Yan roughly calculated that, given the density, there were probably no fewer than fifty thousand Named Disciples!

Fifty thousand!

With just so many Named Disciples, how powerful is this Ancient Abyss Sect?!

Yang Yan’s interest was piqued.

Leading the way, Sun Hai looked somewhat grim.

With his fourth-tier Qi Cultivation, even when deliberately speeding up using spells, traveling three thousand miles a day was no problem.

However, Yang Yan always followed unhurriedly, no matter how much he tried to shake him off.

Sun Hai was puzzled.

Strange!

This kid doesn’t have a trace of Spiritual Qi on him; he can’t be a cultivator?

Could it be that I’m mistaken...

Sun Hai quietly stopped, turning back around.

Fortunately, Yang Yan maintained a respectable distance.

Otherwise, at this speed, he might bump into him.

Seeing Sun Hai stop, Yang Yan asked in confusion:

"Senior Sun, why have you stopped?"

Unexpectedly, Sun Hai turned back with a bright smile at Yang Yan:

"Ahead is where the sect’s apprentice ceremony is held. Just queue with everyone and participate in the test. I have urgent matters and won’t accompany you."

Yang Yan nodded, gently saying:

"That’s fine."

Sun Hai clasped his hands:

"Then I wish Junior Yang success in entering the Outer Sect."

At this moment, he seemed to transform magnificently into a caring, extraordinarily wise senior.

"Thank you."

After nodding, Yang Yan ignored Sun Hai and moved forward alone.

Yang Yan had encountered countless petty figures like Sun Hai.

In the past, he wouldn’t even have the desire to slap him dead.

Of course, now he didn’t have that desire either.

The key is that he can’t slap anyone to death now.

At most, he would just treat him like a fly and let it be.

Sun Hai wasn’t aware of Yang Yan’s thoughts.

He watched Yang Yan’s departing figure from a distance, grinned slyly, summoned his flying sword, and flew leisurely back.

The Ancient Abyss Sect’s foundation and power amazed Yang Yan at this moment.

After he moved forward alone, he was soon surrounded by a sea of people.

It seemed most Named Disciples had come to watch.

Today was the Ancient Abyss Sect’s apprentice ceremony, and most of them were allowed to observe.

Further ahead, Yang Yan saw a giant gate.

The mountain gate faced outward, below were thousand-foot stairs, seemingly bottomless!

Yang Yan was suddenly shocked.

It turned out he was at the peak of a giant mountain.

And this mountain was countless times taller than the Hidden World’s Xu Mountain!

Even though the thousand-foot stairs seemed bottomless, Yang Yan saw groups of people constantly climbing up.

Among them, most were youths.

Some wore simple cloth garments, dusty.

Others wore lavish attire, looking proud.

They were accompanied by servants, clearly of noble descent.

Some even directly flew with their children to the enormous mountain gate of the Ancient Abyss Sect.

Then, the two elegantly dressed individuals were warmly welcomed inside by the disciples stationed at the mountain gate.

Such instances weren’t rare, but neither were they few.

Within the Ancient Abyss Sect, directly in front of Yang Yan, was a massive training ground.

Dozens of long queues were already lined up.

At the front of each queue was a small platform.

On the platform were disciples and three middle-aged men dressed as stewards.

They each guarded a standing stone monument.

Apparently, each platform could test three people at once.

Moreover, it was quick.

From just observing the apprentice ceremony of the Ancient Abyss Sect, Yang Yan could confirm that the Ancient Abyss Sect was at least a colossal presence in this region.

Otherwise, there’s no way such a grandiose scene with tens of thousands attending could be happening.

"What should I do? Just go over..."

Seeing this, Yang Yan was stunned, muttering absentmindedly.

The shortest queue among the dozens was likely tens of thousands long.

Should I really foolishly queue up?

"Naturally, you should queue. Are you going to participate?"

Although the site was bustling with noise, Yang Yan’s words were heard by a gray-clothed Named Disciple beside him.

Seeing Yang Yan dressed in coarse clothes, he couldn’t help but laugh:

"Mountain village bumpkin, if you’re here for the ceremony, why are you wandering here?"

Being called a bumpkin made Yang Yan blush, but seeing the curious gazes around, he shamelessly came up with an excuse:

"Er... I got lost and accidentally wandered here."

Lost?

Past the mountain gate is the training ground, with so many people lining up, and you got lost?

That takes some doing.

Yang Yan’s words instantly made the Named Disciples around him burst into laughter.

Just as they were about to find some sense of superiority over Yang Yan, they suddenly froze.

They saw Yang Yan, after an embarrassed smile, taking off into the sky towards the training ground right in front of their eyes.

A gray-clothed Named Disciple’s mouth gaped open, incredulously watching, stuttering:

"Flying... flying in the sky."

Flying with a Magical Artifact is something a fourth-tier Qi Cultivation disciple can do.

But to directly fly in the sky without relying on a Magical Treasure requires at least a sixth-tier Qi Cultivation Inner Sect Disciple!

Sixth-tier Qi Cultivation!

Mind you, these Named Disciples, at most, can reach a second-tier Qi Cultivation!

This is the result of some people striving for over ten years.

Yang Yan couldn’t see the shock his flying in the air stirred among the Named Disciples.

But he noticed the gazes from those on the training ground.

There was admiration, curiosity, and respect...

Just none of Sun Hai’s disdain.