Chapter 10: Testing Aptitude? It’s Right in My Field!

Li Wudao curled his lip, not bothering to acknowledge him.

As fellow direct disciples, why should he be afraid of anyone? Besides, he possessed a system; a mere prince of a dynasty was nothing to him.

Just as the two were at daggers drawn, Elder Wu Ming’s voice echoed from the high platform: "Everyone, please be quiet."

"The first round of the assessment has concluded. 3,145 outer disciples, 485 inner disciples, and three direct disciples have qualified."

This year, the number of outer disciples who qualified was hundreds fewer than in previous years, to the point where even a revival round was unnecessary.

"Congratulations to all you newcomers for joining the Xuantian Sect." Elder Wu Ming looked down at the crowd and smiled faintly. "Now, I shall explain the rules for the second round of the assessment."

"Outer disciples are not required to participate; inner disciples may choose to do so. There are no rewards for not participating. Those who pass the second round will each be rewarded with a Green Scale Pill and the opportunity to be taken on as an apprentice by an inner sect elder."

As soon as he finished speaking, the inner disciples who had qualified became interested.

"May I ask, Elder, what grade of pill is this Green Scale Pill, and what are its effects?" a confused disciple asked.

"It is a third-grade spiritual pill, refined from the essence blood and inner core of a second-tier demonic beast, the Green-Scaled Ring Snake. It contains rich blood energy and can significantly strengthen the flesh and bones, laying a solid foundation," Wu Ming explained patiently.

"It’s actually a spiritual pill! I heard one is worth at least ten thousand taels of silver. The sect treats us newcomers so well!"

"With this pill, breaking through to the Blood-Moving Realm is just around the corner."

The newly promoted inner disciples’ eyes lit up, and they began to look forward to the second round.

"Don't be in such a hurry; I haven't mentioned the big rewards yet," Elder Wu Ming chuckled.

"Those who pass the second round and rank in the top ten will be promoted to direct disciples. The reward is a full bottle of Green Scale Pills and a low-grade Profound-tier spiritual weapon." He paused for emphasis, his tone growing solemn, "And... the chance to become an apprentice to a Peak Master!"

"Wow—"

The announcement hit like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, stirring up waves. The rewards for the top ten were simply too generous.

"Holy cow, the top ten can also become direct disciples?"

"A single pill is worth ten thousand taels, so a whole bottle? How much is that worth? I've never seen anything so valuable in my life."

"Look at your lack of ambition. While the Green Scale Pill is precious, how can it compare to a Profound-tier spiritual weapon? That is the true priceless treasure."

"To me, the most important thing is becoming a disciple of a Peak Master. That way, there will be no shortage of status or resources."

The inner disciples were beyond excited, their eyes brimming with fighting spirit; they were as exhilarated as if they had been injected with adrenaline. The outer disciples who had been stopped in the previous round could only watch from the sidelines, their faces filled with envy.

***

"If any disciples do not wish to participate, you may step forward now. We will not force anyone." Seeing that no one stepped forward after a long wait, Elder Wu nodded with satisfaction. If the disciples of his sect lacked drive and spirit, the sect would not be far from decline.

"Do you dare to compete with me to see who gets a higher ranking later?" Qi Xingyu looked at Li Wudao with a hint of provocation.

The latter acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, continuing to chat with Jiang Churan. Although the young girl didn't pay much attention to Li Wudao either, she would occasionally reply, which was still far better than how she treated him. Seeing this, others looked at Qi Xingyu as if he were a court jester, their gazes filled with amusement.

"Li Wudao, I think you're just afraid to compete with me, you coward!" Qi Xingyu sneered, attempting to goad him.

Li Wudao was speechless. Where the hell did this clown come from? How could he be so oblivious as to not notice that nobody wanted him around?

"Little Churan, your charm is quite something," Li Wudao teased the girl. "This kid seems to have taken a liking to you, and I’m catching the splash damage."

He thought to himself: *This is it, this is the feeling.* It was a classic cliché: the arrogant young master from a wealthy background couldn't take his eyes off a beauty, triggering an automatic "IQ-reduction" halo, turning into a simpering sycophant, trying to suppress every male around him to display his own "kingly aura."

"If you talk nonsense again, I’ll tear your mouth apart," Jiang Churan glared at him fiercely, though there was a unique charm to it. She then swept a look of disgust toward Qi Xingyu.

When the latter saw the girl looking at him, he immediately flashed a smile he thought was warm and gentle. "Miss Jiang, I truly mean no harm. I just wanted to get to know you. We are all direct disciples; we can exchange cultivation experiences in the future and improve together."

"I have no interest in the weak. Win this round against me first before you speak," Jiang Churan said coldly, turning away to avoid the sight.

"Very well, I will certainly take the top spot. Miss Jiang, just wait and see." Qi Xingyu was incredibly invigorated, staring at the girl’s graceful and elegant silhouette with a glint of lust and greed in his eyes. Jiang Churan’s beauty was far superior to the common, painted faces of the dynasty, and her detached, cold temperament made him unable to extricate himself. Moreover, the girl possessed Heaven-tier aptitude; such a woman was his destined dao companion, and he could not let her slip away.

Thinking of this, Qi Xingyu’s gaze shifted stealthily to Li Wudao, harboring malicious intent.

"I have a feeling that guy is up to no good. Be careful," Li Wudao rubbed his chin.

"I know," Jiang Churan nodded slightly, a flash of cold, murderous intent crossing her eyes. In her past life, this Qi Xingyu was no good man; he wore the mask of a refined gentleman.

***

In secret, he was full of malice, bullying men and oppressing women. After his repeated confessions were rejected, he even attempted to use drugs to defile her. If it weren't for her physique being different from ordinary people, allowing her to struggle and escape, the consequences would have been unimaginable. She didn't want to interact with Qi Xingyu, also for fear that she wouldn't be able to suppress her murderous intent and be discovered by him.

After all, she had too few trump cards at the moment and could not yet contend with the existence behind Qi Xingyu. Whether it was his elder brother Qi Xinghai, the Peak Master Cheng Yuanliang, or the Great Qi Dynasty, they were all powers she could not yet defeat.

"In my past life, I waited six years to kill you; in this life, you won't live that long..." Thinking of the past, the murderous intent in Jiang Churan’s heart surged, and her pretty face turned as cold as an ice cellar.

Standing nearby, Li Wudao shivered instinctively and muttered, "It’s not even autumn yet, why is it suddenly so cold?"

On the high platform, Elder Wu was preparing to introduce the rules for the second round.

"The second round will test your comprehension. In a moment, I will use a secret treasure to send you into an illusory space..." Elder Wu introduced. "A piece of incomplete mental cultivation is placed within the space. The condition for clearing the level is to comprehend the technique within two hours, which will break the illusion and return you to reality."

"The assessment results will be ranked based on how quickly you break through the illusion."

With that, he took a glazed mirror from his storage ring, injected his true essence into it, and began chanting. A moment later, the mirror flashed with flowing light and flew above everyone’s heads. Then, the mirror erupted with dazzling brilliance, enveloping Li Wudao and the others. Everyone felt the world spinning and their vision blurring, and they collapsed to the ground, falling into a temporary stupor.

The square fell silent. Nearly five hundred disciples had all fallen asleep, entering the illusory space.

"Where the hell did this put me? Am I still in the Xuantian Sect?" When Li Wudao opened his eyes, he found himself in a small, enclosed square space. Floating in mid-air above his head was a scroll—the very mental cultivation technique Elder Wu had mentioned.

Even as a mere fragment, it contained over a thousand characters, and it was obscure and difficult to understand; just reading it fluently would take time. If one wanted to memorize it and comprehend its essence within two hours, the difficulty was not trivial. If it were the old him, he would likely struggle just to memorize it.

However, he was no longer who he used to be.

"Even a fragment is more profound than the Li family’s ultimate techniques; it must be at least Profound-tier..." Li Wudao’s mind raced, and the corners of his mouth gradually curled upward.

Wasn't this like someone handing him a pillow just as he was getting sleepy? It was a perfect match for his skills. With his hundred-fold comprehension, wouldn't mastering a technique of this level be as easy as flipping his hand?