The overwhelming radiance towered upward like a celestial pillar, vast and boundless, as though it pierced through the heavens themselves. Wind howled faintly around the testing platform, stirred not by nature but by the sheer pressure of spiritual power erupting from the stone. For a brief moment, earth and sky seemed connected, bathed in blinding brilliance.
Then, slowly, the light began to recede.
Like a tide withdrawing from the shore, the radiance condensed and faded, leaving behind a lingering golden glow. As the last traces of light vanished, ancient characters surfaced above the stone tablet, each stroke sharp and radiant, humming softly with spiritual resonance.
High Quality Spiritual Root
Wind Element
The words shone brilliantly, unmistakable, undeniable.
Silence descended.
Not the ordinary silence of restraint or discipline—but a suffocating stillness, as if the entire platform had been frozen in time. No one breathed. No one moved.
And then—
Shock detonated.
The disciples who had already passed the test stared at the floating golden characters as if they had been struck by lightning. Pupils shrank. Mouths fell open. Their hearts thudded violently in their chests, breaths coming out ragged and uneven.
"High Quality Spiritual Root…" someone whispered hoarsely, as though afraid the words might shatter if spoken too loudly.
"Wind Element… that's insane."
"He's really fucking talented."
A chill ran through the crowd.
"Damn… what if he heard what we said earlier?"
"Fuck… why don't I have that kind of Spiritual Root?"
Envy, disbelief, fear—every emotion tangled together, fermenting into something bitter and uncontrollable. Earlier mockery now felt like a blade hanging over their own necks.
The senior disciples were no better.
The disciple with the mole stared at the glowing words, his eyes wide as excitement surged through him uncontrollably. His fingers trembled slightly, as though he were witnessing the birth of something extraordinary. Beside him, the scarred disciple—who had maintained an air of detached calm since the beginning—finally cracked. The composure on his face shattered, replaced by a burning intensity as his gaze locked onto the young man before the stone.
A genius.
On the platform, Zhuo Huan calmly withdrew his hand from the stone. The fading glow reflected briefly in his eyes, but his expression remained unchanged. No pride. No shock. Not even satisfaction.
It was as if the heavens had merely confirmed something he already knew.
He stood there quietly, robes fluttering faintly in the residual wind, while behind him the platform buzzed with suppressed chaos.
Just then, the scarred disciple stepped forward. His gaze swept from Zhuo Huan to the other disciples who had passed, his expression returning to its usual calm authority.
"Now, everyone, arrange yourselves into five rows," he said loudly. "We are about to invite the Sect Elders and the Sect Leader. They will personally observe you. Each Peak Master will then select disciples for their respective peaks."
He paused briefly, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"If a Peak Master invites you and you agree, you will directly join that peak as their disciple. However," his tone sharpened, "if you refuse an invitation, you may choose to attempt the third test. If you pass, you can join the peak of your choice."
A murmur spread among the disciples.
The scarred disciple continued coldly, "But you should all understand this clearly. The third test has only passed once in the entire history of this sect, about a thousand years ago. It is your decision. If you fail the third test, you will become a servant of the sect until the recruitment test is held again."
The atmosphere instantly turned heavy.
Before anyone could fully digest his words—
Boom.
Eight figures descended from the sky and landed behind him.
The impact sent dust and gravel scattering across the platform, waves of pressure rolling outward. Many disciples staggered back, faces pale, hearts pounding violently.
The scarred disciple stopped mid-sentence. The moment he sensed the terrifying auras behind him, he immediately stepped aside and lowered his head respectfully.
One of the figures stepped forward.
He casually swung his hand from left to right.
The dust vanished instantly, as if it had never existed.
The man stood tall, dressed in robes embroidered with golden patterns that radiated dignity and dominance. His eyes were deep and calm, carrying an authority that made breathing feel difficult.
He was the Sect Leader of the Celestial Dignity Sect.
Luo Hanshen.
Behind him stood seven others.
Five old men wearing identical elder robes, their auras vast and unfathomable, and two young girls dressed in core disciple robes, standing quietly at the rear.
The pressure alone made several new disciples unconsciously hold their breath.
One of the five old men stepped forward.
He had a long beard reaching his chest, yet his head was completely bald. His eyes were sharp and calculating, filled with a merchant-like gleam. He smiled faintly as he spoke.
"We came earlier than last time," he said calmly.
He was the First Elder of the Celestial Dignity Sect, Luo Feng.
The younger brother of Luo Hanshen.
And also the First Peak Master—Alchemy Peak.
Another old man laughed softly and stepped forward. A sword hung at his waist, its aura restrained but terrifying, as if it could be drawn at any moment to split the heavens.
"Old First, you're right," he said with a smile. "But we all know why we're really here."
He was the Second Elder of the Celestial Dignity Sect, Xiao Yan.
The Second Peak Master—Sword Peak.
A third old man walked forward next. He had no beard, but his long hair flowed freely down his back. His eyes were calm yet strange, like deep pools hiding countless secrets. He casually placed a hand on Xiao Yan's shoulder and leaned closer, speaking near his ear.
"I don't care what you're here for," he said indifferently. "I just need what I want."
He was the Third Elder of the Celestial Dignity Sect, Zi Wuzi.
The Third Peak Master—Formation Peak.
The fourth old man didn't speak at all.
His gaze had already locked onto the disciples, sweeping through them one by one like a predator searching for prey. He didn't give a fuck about pleasantries. He only wanted to know which disciple had caused that terrifying light earlier.
He was the Fourth Elder of the Celestial Dignity Sect, Ein Pan.
The Fourth Peak Master—Combat Peak.
The fifth old man was no different.
His eyes burned with excitement as well, already calculating in his heart how to snatch that talented disciple into his own peak. His thoughts were exactly the same as the fourth elder's.
He was the Fifth Elder of the Celestial Dignity Sect, Pin Ten.
The Fifth Peak Master—Forging Peak.
The two young girls standing behind the elders drew quiet attention as well.
They were disciples of the Venerable Peak, also known throughout the sect as the Fairy Peak.
The girl with long black hair and beautiful black eyes, deep and quiet like a dark night sky, stood calmly with her hands folded. Her expression was composed, almost cold. She was the second disciple of the Fairy Peak Master.
Beside her stood a much shorter girl with soft pink hair. Her pink eyes carried a warm, gentle glow, and a faint comforting aura naturally spread around her, making those nearby feel strangely at ease. She was the third disciple of the Fairy Peak Master.
Both of them were present as representatives of the Fairy Peak.
Their master was not currently within the sect to attend the recruitment, and their senior sister was in deep seclusion. As a result, the responsibility of observing this generation of disciples had fallen onto them.
The moment Pin Ten's gaze swept across the platform and landed on the two Fairy Peak disciples, his expression darkened immediately.
His face twisted slightly, irritation flashing in his eyes.
"Those bitches really have the guts to come here," he thought coldly.
Before anyone could speak further, Luo Hanshen stepped forward. His voice spread across the entire platform like a heavy bell, instantly suppressing all noise.
"Silence," he said calmly. "As the disciples have already explained, we will now begin selecting disciples for our respective peaks."
The murmuring disciples immediately shut their mouths, straightening their backs as they focused on the Sect Leader.
At that moment, the scarred disciple walked toward Luo Hanshen and the gathered elders. He lowered his head respectfully and began explaining everything that had happened during the tests, his words concise but thorough.