Chapter 1088: Chapter 1088

Ding Fan returned to his room and continued to cultivate.

He knew in his heart that the second assessment would not begin until the day after tomorrow, so he had to prepare well regardless.

During this period, Ding Fan planned to use his nights for cultivation, as the streets were relatively quieter, and during the day, he would go out to gather information about the whereabouts of Zhou Ruoran, Gusu Qingwen, and Ye Ningbing.

The recruitment assessment of the Dayang Sect's disciples was undoubtedly the hottest topic in Xueling City and the surrounding areas.

The most famous person among them was Ding Fan. Although not many people knew what Ding Fan looked like, he was clearly the focus of this Dayang Sect assessment.

"That Ding Fan is really handsome! I heard he's exceptionally good-looking and his cultivation level is very high too..."

"Hehe, if I could just catch a glimpse of him, I'd be willing to give up a year's worth of romantic luck!"

"...Don't think too much about it, girl. He's definitely going to join the Dayang Sect in the future!"

A group of young women stood in a corner of the street, talking about Ding Fan, all looking smitten.

Just at this time, Ding Fan happened to walk onto the street and unintentionally saw this scene, feeling somewhat helpless. He originally intended to be low-key, but he didn't expect that in the end, even if he wanted to keep a low profile, he couldn't.

However, Ding Fan didn't take it to heart, and since no one recognized him, it didn't have any impact on him.

The next day, the enthusiasm for the recruitment assessment of the Dayang Sect's disciples had not diminished in the slightest. With only one day left until the second assessment, everyone began discussing the content of the second assessment, and most people were eagerly anticipating Ding Fan's legendary performance.

"I heard the second assessment is to incite, which is definitely an assessment project that tests one's cultivation strength."

"Yes, I heard there was no True Qi fluctuation from Ding Fan. His outstanding performance in the first assessment might just have been luck. Let's see what he'll do in the second assessment!"

"That's just blatant jealousy, isn't it? I heard Ding Fan was just hiding his cultivation level; it's said to be exceptionally powerful!"

"Who do you think will be better in the second assessment, Ding Fan or Young Master Ling Fen?"

"I'm backing Ling Fen; he's at the Early Nascent Soul Stage, which is quite a remarkable existence."

"I'm supporting Ding Fan. After all, he was the first in the first assessment..."

For a while, the discussion on the streets was incessant regarding the second assessment happening tomorrow, and Ding Fan was almost pushed to the forefront.

Ding Fan cultivated throughout the night as usual, without stopping until it was almost midnight. Through the large floor-to-ceiling window, he could still see many idle people on the street, indicating that tomorrow would be a big day for many cultivators.

Ding Fan retracted his gaze, continued to sit cross-legged, and wasn't disturbed by the lively scene outside.

Although his unexpected rise to fame had been significant, Ding Fan didn't think this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, with his increased notoriety, even if he didn't find Zhou Ruoran, Gusu Qingwen, and Ye Ningbing, they might come looking for him.

His faint smile quickly faded, and Ding Fan closed his eyes, sitting cross-legged to cultivate.

For cultivators, cultivation was the best form of rest.

Unknowingly, it was dawn the next day.

Ding Fan and Ye Ming, Lianzi, and others gathered together, then directly headed towards the location of the second assessment—the Snow Spirit Altar.

The content of the second assessment had been revealed not long ago. It was generally the same as in the past, but some aspects had been modified, making the assessment projects considerably more difficult.

This development was quite troublesome for many cultivators.

After the first assessment, fewer than a hundred people had advanced. Clearly, these individuals were outstanding among the disciples who came to take the assessment.

However, the number of people heading towards the Snow Spirit Altar on the street was by no means fewer than those for the first assessment. In fact, if observed closely, there were quite a few more.

Obviously, a large portion of them were there to watch the excitement, as such a grand event was said to be a once-in-a-century occurrence. It's known that the recruitment of disciples by the Dayang Sect isn't an annual event. Of course, some were there to forge connections with some heroic figures, given that anyone participating in the second assessment was definitely an outstanding young cultivator.

"I heard that there were many changes made to the assessment this time, making it significantly more difficult than before. I wonder which young heroes will catch the eye of the Dayang Sect this time..."

"The difficulty increase just shows that the standards for recruiting disciples by the Dayang Sect have been elevated. Surely, the Dayang Sect will grow even stronger in the future!"

"I'm really looking forward to Ding Fan's performance; it's bound to be spectacular!"

"I don't think so necessarily. It's said that during the first trial, Ding Fan didn't show any True Qi fluctuation. Who knows if he really has strong capabilities."

"I hope it isn't just a flash in the pan..."

For a moment, the walking crowd was abuzz with discussions, with key words like difficulty, Ding Fan, second trial, Ling Fen, winner, Dayang Sect...

At this moment, as Ding Fan, Lianzi, Ye Ming, and others walked down the street, they occasionally heard people discussing, with "Ding Fan" frequently on their lips. For a moment, Lianzi, Ye Ming, and others would glance at Ding Fan from time to time, feeling somewhat embarrassed yet secretly pleased. After all, walking alongside such a prominent figure, it's hard not to feel a bit proud inside. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍

Ye Ming, although eliminated, came today to cheer everyone on. Hearing the discussions around him, Ye Ming quietly asked Ding Fan:

"Brother Fan, the difficulty of the next trial has increased. What do you think?"

Having spent a lot of time together, Ye Ming no longer addresses him as a senior.

"Just go with the flow,"

Ding Fan replied immediately.

Upon nervously overhearing Ding Fan and Ye Ming's conversation, Lianzi and the woman in the purple dress couldn't help but look more serious. They had long wanted to ask Ding Fan such a question, considering both had passed the first trial, albeit not as brilliantly as Ding Fan. Regardless, passing was a cause for celebration.

Ever since learning that the difficulty of the second trial had increased compared to usual, their faces had remained tense. They wanted to seek Ding Fan's opinion, as having a formidable teammate is invaluable. However, Ding Fan's response seemed to leave them unsatisfied.

Ding Fan naturally noticed the change in their expressions and continued:

"Don't worry too much. Do your best, even if it's a bit more difficult, passing the trial won't be a problem, given your excellent talents."

Ding Fan's words had obvious encouragement, but he wasn't speaking offhandedly. He had long observed these two women; although their cultivation wasn't particularly outstanding, their talents were noteworthy. If the Dayang Sect wasn't blind, they should recruit cultivators with such potential and talent.

Hearing Ding Fan's words, Lianzi and the woman in the purple dress couldn't help but brighten up. They could tell the other party was not ordinary, as evidenced by the events along this journey. His near-affirmative response instantly boosted their confidence.

It was clear that Ding Fan's words brought them boundless encouragement.

Ding Fan smiled faintly, saying nothing more.

Along the way, after walking for some time and traversing a forest, they finally reached the Snow Spirit Altar.

The Snow Spirit Altar was located within a forest, surrounded by mountains. The altar looked like a mountain cut in half, with the cross-section artistically carved and embellished, turning it into the Snow Spirit Altar.

This was considered one of the more famous spots locally.

At this time, there was only an oddly shaped Stone Drum placed in the vast square atop the Snow Spirit Altar. The peculiar Stone Drum stood over two meters tall and looked very solid, with a broad base and a surface entirely made of stone. One could hardly imagine that such a Stone Drum could produce sound.

The Stone Drum sat in the center of the Snow Spirit Altar, surrounded by variously shaped small stone piers. Each small stone pier was unique, numbering in the dozens and forming a circle around the Stone Drum.

Besides the Stone Drum, there was roughly a few dozen square meters of space in the center.

Ding Fan observed intently and discerned some mystery. He realized that the Stone Drum couldn't be sounded through ordinary means and required special methods, and the stone piers around it clearly formed a somewhat intricate control formation.

Ding Fan had some knowledge of formations, capable of arranging simple ones, but such a complex formation was still somewhat challenging for him. Nonetheless, he could discern its specific function.

This seemed to be a formation controlling cultivators' True Qi, not a simple affair.

Most people might not even recognize it as a formation.

At this moment, a large cleared area below the Snow Spirit Altar was crowded with cultivators, and the buzz of their discussions echoed.

Standing on the Snow Spirit Altar were many Dayang Sect disciples in white, appearing very solemn, guarding the place. Around the clearing below, many more white-clad disciples stood, each one serious and meticulous.

In no time, three elders made their way to the top of the Snow Spirit Altar, escorted by a group of people. These elders were the same ones who presided over the first trial.

Seeing the three elders step forward at the Snow Spirit Altar, the crowd's buzzing discussions quieted considerably.

Ding Fan noticed the chubby elder and felt a growing sense of goodwill toward him. After the incident at the mountain's base, Ding Fan regarded him as a fair person.

Just then, the chubby elder seemed to be looking for someone, his eyes scanning over the crowd, and soon noticed Ding Fan, who was also watching him.

The two exchanged a smile.