Chapter 14: The Test for Accepting Disciples

“Have you heard? Senior Brother Jing was gravely injured by a mysterious assailant, almost losing his foundation. Now the entire sect is searching for that person.”

“Ah! Who could dare harm Senior Brother Jing? He’s the top genius of our Xuanyuan Sect, the direct disciple of the sect leader, and in just a few short years has reached the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment.”

“I heard he was seriously wounded while guarding the forbidden area, and even his life sword was shattered.”

“The forbidden area? Didn’t it already collapse? How could it still attract villains?”

“No one knows. They say the attacker was an evil cultivator with unfathomable strength. Even the Immortal Alliance has taken notice and plans to send people to investigate soon. The sect gates have been sealed tight.”

“What does the Immortal Alliance have to do with this?”

“Apparently, the forbidden area was originally sealed by the Immortal Alliance. Now that it’s been destroyed, they naturally want answers. It’s a pity for Senior Brother Jing…”

“Damn that evil cultivator! Such an outrage.”

“No kidding!”

The evil cultivator Chu Qiuci remained silent… It turned out that her casual strike that day had injured a heavyweight. She had been careless, thinking her cultivation alone could carry her through, never expecting to be discovered by a Foundation Establishment disciple. In a way, the other’s senses were truly extraordinary.

To avoid stirring up more trouble, Qiuci spent the following days locked in her room, studying the scale fragment. Unfortunately, she found no clues. The system’s scan only yielded one result: suspected experimental material. But what exactly it was and where it came from, the database held no information.

Just as she was about to delve deeper, a disciple came to summon them to the main peak plaza for the sect’s test.

Qiuci carefully checked the date and realized it had been three months since she entered the Xuanyuan Sect—time for the trial to see if the novice disciples had successfully absorbed spiritual energy.

Feng Ting and Zhen Yi hadn’t left their rooms recently; their progress was unknown. However, she had already provided them with a refined basic training manual based on the system, so passing the test and becoming full disciples should be no problem.

Before she could meet them, all novice disciples were summoned to the plaza where they had first been tested.

Compared to last time when only two disciples guarded the test gate, this time many sect elders had come. Qiuci glanced over and was surprised to see five Golden Core cultivators present, with the rest at least at Foundation Establishment, totaling more than a dozen.

They were evidently elders from various peaks here to recruit disciples.

As everyone gathered, a Foundation Establishment elder stepped forward, scanning the crowd solemnly. “The first thirty disciples, calm your minds and enter the formation. Those who cause the formation to react have successfully drawn spiritual energy into their bodies. Those who fail may leave the sect or head to the Miscellaneous Affairs Peak.”

At his command, the thirty novices, including Feng Ting and Zhen Yi, walked toward the formation. Once all entered, the elder formed a hand seal and activated the array.

Qiuci’s mind automatically recalled the formation’s purpose: to test the spiritual energy within the body. Those who had drawn it in would have a spiritual aura surrounding them, triggering the formation.

Sure enough, white beams of light began to glow within the array—manifestations of spiritual energy. The stronger the energy, the brighter the light. Soon several disciples were enveloped in a white aura, with the most brilliant radiance around Zhen Yi and Feng Ting.

Zhen Yi was completely wrapped in white light, but Feng Ting’s aura shot skyward like a pillar of flame, enveloping not only herself but four or five nearby individuals.

“What is this!” The elders, who had been leisurely seated, suddenly rose in unison.

Such brilliance had not been seen in years.

“This… is at least fifth level Qi Refining!” To have someone reach Qi Refining stage five in only three months was an extraordinary talent, rivaling even the sect leader’s direct disciple Jing Hong.

An elder from the Azurefall Peak, who had come merely to fill numbers, asked excitedly, “Who is this person?” According to previous records, none of these novices had remarkable bloodlines. Could one have been overlooked?

“Fellow cultivators, do you recognize this… huh? Where did they go?” The Azurefall elder began to inquire, only to find a few elders sitting nearby had vanished. They had all rushed toward the brilliant girl. “These old coots!”

A circle of elders surrounded Feng Ting, each smiling kindly like blooming chrysanthemums.

“Little lady, would you like to join my Qianren Peak? With your talent, I guarantee you’ll become a Golden Core powerhouse.”

“Go away! A girl like you belongs in our Bailian Peak. I can tell you’re a natural at talisman crafting.”

“Talisman crafting? Formation mastery is superior. Follow me, young one, and I’ll personally take you as my disciple.”

“You old fools! She clearly has an Earth Spiritual Root, perfectly suited to our Pill Refining. Don’t you see?”

“You’re talking nonsense!”

“You’re the one talking nonsense!”

The elders immediately began bickering over who would take Feng Ting as a disciple.

Feng Ting herself, surrounded and overwhelmed, frantically searched for Qiuci. Upon finding her absent, her face grew pale as if she wished to sink into the earth. Normally timid, she had been braver with Qiuci around, but now, surrounded by strangers, she was terrified. Not breaking down and crying outright was already remarkable.

The elders, mistaking her silence for hesitation, redoubled their efforts.

“Enough, stop arguing,” the Azurefall elder finally said sternly. “With a talent like hers, the decision of which peak she joins ultimately belongs to the sect leader.”

The elders fell silent. Indeed, such a prodigy was beyond their authority; the sect leader would surely intervene. It seemed she would become the disciple of one of the peak leaders.

Seeing their tacit acceptance, the Azurefall elder stroked his beard and continued, “No time to waste. Let’s take her to Qianren Peak now to meet the sect leader. I won’t come along—I need to take my new disciple to familiarize themselves with the peak.”

The others paused, instinctively asking, “New disciple? Who?”

Before they could finish, they noticed a cat-eared youth following behind—the very Zhen Yi!

Suddenly, they all remembered: besides the towering pillar of light around the girl, there was another strong aura—at least second level Qi Refining—also a prodigy.

Instant regret washed over them for missing out at the start.

Old fools! Shameless! Scoundrels! Traitors!

The elders cursed one another, but the Azurefall elder just laughed brightly. Curse all you want—I’ve got my disciples. So what if I’m lucky? Heh heh heh!

With that, they quarrelled all the way as they flew off with Feng Ting.