Krune and Iem didn't show too much of their real power. Still, they moved around like fish in the water. At the same level, there weren't many that could force them to show what they could really do. Of course, there were always exceptions.
Three other cultivators were obviously not having much trouble during the battles. At some pointe, Krune, Iem, and those three noticed each other's presence. However, they taciturnly ignored each others' existence and went after weaker participants. There was no point in making things bigger than necessary since they only want to join the sect.
Outside, the elders were looking into each of the fields. The one looking at the Divine View Realm area showed a surprised expression.
"Oh! Take a look here. There are five good seeds this time. Do you think all of them have backgrounds already?"
Another elder shifted his attention over and took a look at Krune and the others.
"Hum... Hard to say. At least three or four of them should have one and only came for the Mountain Range with the Top Quality Godly Energy Veins. But if at least one is free, then that will be good. Oh, I remember the mark on the robes of three of them. They are from the Rermil Clan. We have been getting quite a few of their offsprings ever since the Godly Energy Veins were found, and the war started."
The other elder nodded.
"No wonder they are so much stronger than the others. Well, as long as they fight in the war, then we won't mind they joining our forces. Too bad that they will probably leave once the war is concluded. Even if they stay, their loyalty will still be within their Clan."
"There is nothing we can do about that. Those big clans have survived for so long because they didn't let their own talents run astray. From what I heard, they even add soul seals to prevent any offspring from betraying the Clan. Well, that's not our problem, though."
"What about the other two?"
The two elders looked at Krune and Iem, trying to figure out their identities.
"I can't recognize them. What about you?"
"Nothing here, either."
They passed Krune and Iem's images to the other elders, but none of them could tell who they were. Their techniques didn't have any particular trait of the powers who live close to the Sky Shifting Sect, either.
The elder in charge, Galut Sivo, showed surprise in his eyes.
"Keep a close look at those two. It will be a good thing if they aren't part of any other power."
Although the elders were surprised with Iem and Krune's strength. It wasn't like it was a rare thing. They had seen several youths who were also just as strong, or at least that were also hiding their real power. But the majority already had a background or were even spies of the other two sects. Unaffiliated talents were hard to find. That's why Galut asked to keep an eye on them. Of course, Krune and Iem weren't the only ones that caught the elders' eyes. There were a few more in the other cultivation realms as well that the elders marked down.
After just 15 minutes, Krune, Iem, and those three cultivators were already out of the battlefield. As expected, they took their ten collars without any mishaps.
While the fights continued, one of the cultivators came forward to greet them.
"Hey there, My name is Sudilo Rermil. I don't remember to have seen your faces before."
Krune smiled before saying.
"We are just vagrant cultivators. It's our first time trying to join an organization around this area. It's no surprise that you can't recognize us. My name is Krune."
Iem also introduced himself.
"You can call me Iem. I'm this guy's friend."
Sudilo nodded with a smile and introduced his other two clan members. First, she pointed at the woman on his left side.
"And this is a clan member of another branch, Iarlen Rermil."
Krune and Iem nodded before complimenting them.
"Is that okay for your Clan to let you join another power? Won't the Sky Shifting Sect deny you entry if they find out too?"
Sudilo laughed after hearing that question.
"There is no problem. At the moment, the Sky Shifting Sect doesn't have any other choice other than accepting any help they can. It's a win-win situation. We help them defend and conquer the mountain range area while our cultivation speeds up. After everything is over, we can just leave, or perhaps they will send us away by themselves. Regardless, it will take several years before that happens. That's more than enough time to enjoy that place. As for our Clan, it was our elders who asked us to come. After all, it's an excellent opportunity to both cultivate and gain combat experience."
Krune and Iem nodded. It seemed like neither side cared too much about it at the moment. The five of them conversed for a while as more and more participants teleported close to them. Obviously, those were the ones who passed the test. At some point, Tulike also appeared there.
"Oh, there you are."
Krune and Iem smiled at him.
Finally, one hour went by, and everyone who was still inside the battlefields was sent back to Capivari City straight away. Not long after, Galut appeared in front of everyone once more. He then pointed at a particular building in the distance and started to talk.
"It seems like you were the good ones this time around. I'll give you two choices now. If you come just for the Top Quality Godly Energy Veins and Godly Stones, there will be no need to continue this test. You can simply register as a combatant and teleport there straight away. Just go to the registration office there. Once the war is over, you are free to leave if you want. Obviously, those won't have many duties but won't receive any help from the sect either. Well, it shouldn't be a problem for most of you since you definitely believe your own strength."
Right after elder Galut said those words, around 90% of the cultivators and demon beasts went straight to the place he mentioned before. Sure enough, most of them already have backgrounds and only came here for the chance to cultivate in the mountain range. The Rermil Clan's group also did the same.
Sudilo noticed that Krune and Iem weren't moving and couldn't help but ask.
"Aren't you going to the registration office?"
"No. We want to hear what the second option is. We will decide what to do after that."
Sudilo nodded and then went away with his group.
Elder Galut wasn't the least bit impressed by those cultivators and demon beasts who left. If anything, he was quite surprised that around 10% of them remained behind. It was more than he expected.
"Very well. The second option is to join the Sky Shifting Sect as a real member. You will be able to use our name to acquire resources as long as you have the merit points for it. You will also be allowed to use our formations and get other advantages. As long as you perform well, your position in the sect will grow too."
"However, although there are several advantages, there will also be several duties you must take. Since we are in a time of war, most of the missions will be related to it. Of course, your rewards will be much bigger than those who left earlier. You will receive a token that will be bound to your Divine Sense. You can use it to accumulate the merit points necessary for your needs."
"Also, different from the others earlier, you won't be able to refuse the sect's missions. They will be a lot more dangerous too. Of course, the sect won't simply send you to die. The missions during this wartime will be based on your cultivation level and strength."
"Is there any question?"
Krune raised his hand.
"I don't have a background as the majority. But I do have my own restaurant since I'm a Spiritual Chef. Will I be allowed to use my free time outside to carry it on, or must I stay in the sect all times? If yes, what is the length of free time between each mission?"
Galut was surprised to hear that. Spiritual Chefs usually don't like combat. However, he saw that Krune far surpassed those at the same level. That was quite a rare combination. But he was more interested in the prospect that Krune might really not have a background.
"Don't worry. The way you use your free time is up to you. As for the intervals between missions, you will have one year after you finish one. You can leave the sect during that time or cultivate here, we don't care. As long as you don't betray the sect, the sect won't hold you down either. Of course, you can take another mission any time after you finish the previous one if you want. That way, you can accumulate merit points faster."
Krune nodded and didn't talk anymore. That's all he needed to know.
Other cultivators and demon beasts also made a few questions of their own. Galut and the other elders answered each one calmly, not hiding the pros and cons of anything. History showed that, generally, deceiving new members never led to good outcomes in the end. Hence, they made sure everyone understood what they were applying for.
Some cultivators and demon beasts also decided to leave after their doubts were clear, but that had nothing to do with Krune and Iem. By the end of the conversation, they decided to join the Sky Shifting Sect. Of course, they still had to go through a few more tests after that. But with their levels, those tests were easy to pass.