In the bright morning sunlight, many young people, both male and female, were already waiting in front of the Azurecloud Sect's mountain gate. These youths had traveled from various places, eager to participate in the Azurecloud Sect's assessment, hoping to be accepted into the sect.

"Clang—"

The crisp sound of a bell echoed throughout Azurecloud, invigorating those waiting to join the sect. Instinctively, they straightened their postures, their eyes filled with longing as they looked towards Azurecloud Peak.

A figure in white gracefully descended from the peak, appearing before them in an instant. It was a man of striking appearance.

The crowd knew that this must be the person presiding over the Azurecloud Sect's assessment this time.

Everyone craned their necks, waiting for the announcement of the assessment's commencement.

It was said that the Azurecloud Sect was extremely strict in accepting disciples, with rigorous assessments. In the past hundred years, they had only opened their doors five times, and only three people had been accepted into the sect.

Who would be the lucky ones this time?

"You have all passed the assessment. Once you join the sect, you will become members of the Azurecloud Sect," the man in white said with a warm smile. "I am your senior brother, you can call me Zhang Yang!"

"What!?"

Everyone waiting for the assessment was stunned.

They couldn't believe it, even doubting whether this person was truly from the Azurecloud Sect.

The assessment hadn't even started, and they had all passed?

Many people's first reaction was to wonder if there was something wrong.

Since when was the Azurecloud Sect's assessment so easy?

Zhang Yang smiled and asked, "Don't you want to join the Azurecloud Sect?"

"I do!" a little fatty immediately raised his hand.

Who cares if it's true or not, better to agree first, especially since there was no other option.

With one person agreeing, the others quickly followed suit, all expressing their willingness to join the Azurecloud Sect.

The reason everyone came for the assessment was to join the Azurecloud Sect. Now that the sect offered the opportunity, they all thought it best to agree first.

The Azurecloud Sect was a prestigious and righteous sect, even if there were issues, they shouldn't be too serious.

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

"I'm very happy you've all agreed to join the Azurecloud Sect!" Zhang Yang nodded with a smile and took out a shining jade disc. "This is our sect's roster record. Each of you come up and drip your blood on it, and you'll be registered as disciples of the Azurecloud Sect."

The little fatty rushed up without hesitation, bit his finger, and pressed his bleeding finger onto the jade disc. A light flashed, and the little fatty's image appeared on the disc, successfully registered.

Seeing that he had indeed joined the Azurecloud Sect, the little fatty felt a weight lift off his heart and couldn't help but smile happily.

Seeing that it was indeed the Azurecloud Sect's roster record, others quickly stepped forward, dripping their blood onto the jade disc.

As more and more images appeared on the roster record, it directly alerted the sect leader, Qingyunzi, who was in seclusion.

"Zhang Yang!"

A vast and ethereal voice surged from Azurecloud Peak like a tide, echoing like thunder in everyone's ears.

"Master!"

Zhang Yang's smile froze on his face.

"Get up here now!" Even from the voice, one could hear Qingyunzi gritting his teeth.

Zhang Yang quickly said, "Master, don't be anxious, there are still a few people who haven't finished registering. Once they're done, I'll come immediately. Hurry, hurry, who hasn't registered on the roster yet? Don't blame me if you miss this chance."

Although others sensed something was amiss, from the situation just now, it was indeed an opportunity to join the Azurecloud Sect.

Those who hadn't registered on the roster rushed forward, quickly completing their registration on the Azurecloud Sect's roster.

Zhang Yang collected the roster and said to everyone, "You are now disciples of the Azurecloud Sect. Your first task is to follow this mountain path upwards. I'll be waiting for you in the sect's main hall."

After speaking, he leaped towards the peak.

The others exchanged glances and then rushed up the mountain path in a swarm.

Zhang Yang flew back to the sect's main hall, where seven people were already seated, both men and women. In the center sat Qingyunzi.

At this moment, Qingyunzi was glaring angrily at a man with messy hair on his left, scolding, "Third Brother, I entrusted you with hosting this sect inauguration ceremony. How could you let Zhang Yang, that brat, handle such an important matter?"

Third Brother looked aggrieved. "I was busy refining a batch of alchemical pills and was at a critical stage, so I asked Zhang Yang to go for me. I reminded him before he left that we weren't to accept any disciples this time. I want to ask, Senior Brother Sect Leader, what happened that you called us all here?"

When the entire Azurecloud Sect gathers, it must be something significant.

Could someone have attacked the Azurecloud Sect, threatening its survival?

"What happened?" Qingyunzi saw Zhang Yang fly in and, trembling, pointed at him. "Ask him, ask him what he did. Brat, take out the roster record and show it to them."

"I just accepted a few disciples!" Zhang Yang muttered, taking out the roster record and activating it.

When the images appeared one by one from the roster record, everyone present was shocked, turning to Third Brother and angrily scolding, "You're truly hopeless! What's so important about your alchemical pills that you couldn't personally handle the sect inauguration and had to let Zhang Yang do it?"

Third Brother clutched his chest, unable to say a word.

Qingyunzi sighed deeply, "In nearly three hundred years, our Azurecloud Sect has only accepted seven or eight disciples. This time, we accepted over eighty at once... Heaven is dooming our Azurecloud Sect!"

"Master, uncles, it's not that serious!" Zhang Yang quickly said.

"Brat, you don't understand. Accepting disciples means providing them with cultivation resources!" Qingyunzi said with a worried expression. "Our Azurecloud Sect is poor! With the current resources, we barely have enough for ourselves... If it weren't for the fear that no one would continue the sect, we wouldn't have accepted you as a disciple ten years ago.

Now you've brought so many people up the mountain, how will we provide resources for their cultivation?

Accepting disciples isn't just about accepting them; it's about being responsible for them."

The seven thought about how just cultivating Zhang Yang was already a headache, and now suddenly there were seventy or eighty more... Everyone felt a darkness before their eyes.

"Elders, hear me out!" Zhang Yang raised his voice. "Precisely because our Azurecloud Sect is poor, we must reform. If we don't, we'll go bankrupt sooner or later! And the beginning of this reform starts with this sect inauguration!"

"Reform?"

The group exchanged glances, somewhat bewildered.

Since they took Zhang Yang up the mountain, they've often heard new terms.

But these new terms weren't hard to understand, and they grasped their meanings.

"Master, I've read the Azurecloud Chronicles and learned about the Azurecloud Sect's history. A thousand years ago, the Azurecloud Sect was a grand sect. At its peak, it had over a thousand disciples and vast territories. Now, including you elders and myself, there are only eight of us.

If the ancestors knew the Azurecloud Sect had declined so much, they'd probably jump out of their coffins in anger.

Why has our grand Azurecloud fallen to this state?

The first reason is the lack of people!

With people, things can be done.

So, the first step in reform is to accept disciples."

Zhang Yang spoke passionately, spittle flying: "I've wanted to do this for a long time, but you elders never agreed. This time, I finally got the chance to implement the first step of reform. By accepting dozens of disciples, the Azurecloud Sect will flourish!"

The Seven Sons of Azurecloud looked at each other, thinking, Flourish?

More like complete destruction!

----------------------------------------

Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan