Morgan Sterling said that someone would soon come to distribute some things to Leaf Gray and the others, asking them to make some choices. As a cultivator of The Righteous Path Gate, he undoubtedly knew the subsequent procedures.

Sure enough, not long after he left, all those who had passed the test and possessed a jade tablet were gathered in one place.

There had been over a thousand rescued slaves, but now only a little over a hundred remained standing here – a ratio as low as ten percent.

Everyone stood quietly as a cultivator came over and handed a piece of paper to each person. Leaf Gray took it and looked down, seeing the names of ten sects written on the paper from top to bottom.

The Righteous Path Gate was at the top, followed by The Azure Heaven Sect in second place. There were also some other sects that Leaf Gray hadn't heard of, but he saw The Blazefire Canyon and The Thousand Crypticress Vale that Morgan Sterling had mentioned earlier.

These should be the sects that came to attack The Lunar Blight this time.

Each sect's name was followed by its grade.

Unsurprisingly, both The Righteous Path Gate and The Azure Heaven Sect were first-grade. The grades of the remaining sects varied quite a bit, mostly ranging from fourth to seventh grade.

Behind the grade, there was another line noting the schools covered by that sect, all information Morgan Sterling had mentioned before.

Leaf Gray felt somewhat grateful to Morgan Sterling at this moment; otherwise, he probably wouldn't understand the content on this paper now.

Just as he was carefully examining it, a cultivator at the front of the crowd spoke: "Which sect you wish to join, step forward and use the brush to circle that sect's name. You can choose up to three. However, which sect you ultimately join depends on your luck and the decisions of the various sect managers. With good luck, you might even join one of the two top first-grade sects."

After he finished speaking, the area was quiet for a moment before someone quickly asked: "Senior, do you mean that while we are choosing sects, the sects are also choosing us?"

"That is the principle!" the cultivator replied plainly. "So don't think you can reach the sky in a single step. If your innate talent and aptitude are insufficient, even choosing a first-grade sect will be useless."

Another person asked: "What if none of the three sects I choose select me?"

"Then you will have no affinity with cultivation. You will subsequently be settled along with those who have no cultivation aptitude!"

Upon hearing this, many who harbored wishful thoughts secretly became alert.

Many had just been thinking of selecting both top first-grade sects, but doing so would definitely not lead to a good outcome. Because neither The Righteous Path Gate nor The Azure Heaven Sect have low requirements for admitting disciples. Once rejected by these two major sects, only one last chance remains. If that last chance is also missed, then this opportunity would be lost.

For Leaf Gray and this group, being able to join a sect and cultivate is undoubtedly the best path forward. No one wants to miss it.

At this, everyone's expressions became cautious.

Leaf Gray, however, held the paper in his hand, listened to the cultivator's words, and his expression became extremely peculiar.

Why does this feel exactly like filling out college application preferences?

When his aptitude was tested, the Third Shixiong from The Azure Heaven Sect recited the enrollment introduction to him. The jade tablet obtained after the test could be considered the exam results. Each sect is like a university, the schools are the majors, and now everyone is here to fill out their preferences.

There's even the first choice, second choice, third choice...

Looking again at the various sects on the paper, the top two are undoubtedly the top prestigious institutions. Those fourth or fifth-grade below could be considered standard first-tier? Further down, the sixth and seventh-grade are second-tier or third-tier?

Leaf Gray's gaze moved down to the end, and he was startled.

Why is there even a diploma mill here!

The Vermilion Guild, ranked last, was clearly a ninth-grade sect. He hadn't noticed it earlier.

The current situation is clear: the hundred-plus people who passed the test need to choose three from these sects. Although the task isn't difficult, there is actually hidden competition.

If too many people choose the same sect, a batch will definitely be eliminated.

Leaf Gray pinched his jade tablet and sighed inwardly. With his one-leaf aptitude, he had no competitive edge in this matter.

But he still had to try.

Considering his primary Fire and secondary Metal attributes, Leaf Gray gradually formed a plan in his mind.

A table was set in front of the speaking cultivator, with a few brushes and an inkstone on it.

People came forward one after another, picked up a brush, marked their papers, and handed them to the cultivator along with their jade tablets.

Soon, only about half of the hundred-plus people remained.

Dawn Fielding walked over: "Brother Gray, have you decided?"

"Hmm... yes."

Dawn Fielding said: "Shall we go together then?"

"You go first. I need to think a bit more." Leaf Gray had originally made a decision, but thinking of his one-leaf aptitude, he still felt uncertain.

Ten sects, over a hundred people. On average, each sect could take over ten people, but this was only the most ideal distribution. Leaf Gray dared to bet that The Righteous Path Gate and The Azure Heaven Sect would at most take two or three people as a gesture, definitely no more.

Thus, the other sects would need to take more people.

Leaf Gray didn't expect to join the two top first-grade sects, but if the competition was too fierce, even choosing those sixth or seventh-grade sects could lead to his elimination.

He had been in The Novem Lands for over a year, serving as a mining slave in The Lunar Blight for a year. Although he had now successfully opened his first aperture, how could he cultivate if he couldn't even find the second aperture?

If he could join a sect, it would be different. He could then ask the experts in the sect for guidance. So no matter what, he didn't want to miss this opportunity, even if the starting point was low.

Thinking this, he stepped forward, approached the table, took a brush, and first circled The Vermilion Guild. The Vermilion Guild was the lowest-grade sect. Leaf Gray estimated that no one else would choose it besides himself, so this was insurance to ensure he could join a sect.

After choosing The Vermilion Guild, he raised his brush to mark The Blazefire Canyon.

As the brush tip was about to touch the paper, he suddenly remembered Morgan Sterling's final words to him.

He told him to lower his expectations to the minimum and not be half-hearted, so that he might achieve his wish.

At the time, Leaf Gray didn't fully understand, thinking it was just advice. But now it seemed clearly pointed.

Moreover, Morgan Sterling wasn't optimistic about him. When Leaf Gray asked him which sect to choose, he bluntly said none would work.

He was a cultivator of The Righteous Path Gate. Although a bit greedy, he had no reason to mess with him for no reason. That meant, even if he chose other sects, it probably wouldn't work out.

Leaf Gray closed his eyes. Every choice at life's crossroads is immensely important, especially the one before him now.

He suddenly looked up at the cultivator in front of him and asked: "May I ask, Shixiong, what would happen if I only choose this one sect?"

That cultivator was looking at him with interest. Because before Leaf Gray, no one had chosen The Vermilion Guild, and it was foreseeable that after him, no one would, because The Vermilion Guild's grade was too low.

But what surprised the cultivator was that not only did Leaf Gray choose The Vermilion Guild, but he also asked him such a question.

The cultivator stroked the mustache at the corner of his mouth, grinned, and said: "You'll know once you choose it."