"System!"
"Attributes!"
As the sword energy in the sky gradually dispersed, Chu Xun finally took the time to check his attribute panel, something he rarely did.
[Name: Chu Xun]
[Sect: Donglin Holy Land]
[Cultivation: Peak of the Eighth Realm of the Human Emperor]
[Divine Ability: Golden Light Shield (defensive secret art)]
[Techniques: Eight Desolations Palm, Great River Sword Intent…]
[Reading Progress: 1200 Volumes]
"…Huh."
When he saw the last line, Chu Xun pressed his lips together. After completing the thousand-volume reading reward, the system had assigned him a new task, three thousand volumes. The road ahead looked long, but he wasn't bothered. His cultivation breakthrough had come at the perfect time, giving him plenty of leeway.
So he continued as before.
Reading scriptures.
Copying texts.
Drinking tea.
Cultivating both mind and temperament.
Time passed quietly.
Three months slipped by in the blink of an eye.
That day,
Inside the Sutra Pavilion.
Chu Xun sat cross-legged on the eighth floor, reading as usual. Every scripture he read differed from the last, yet they corroborated and complemented one another. He genuinely enjoyed the process.
Today, however, the atmosphere outside felt different.
A festive buzz drifted in.
If one listened closely, the voices became clear—
"Donglin Holy Land!"
"Recruitment Day!"
"The annual apprenticeship ceremony!"
This year's ceremony was far livelier than in years past.
Months ago, the great battle within Donglin Sect had shaken the entire Eastern Region. Stories spread from mouth to mouth, and many cultivators regretted not rushing over in time to witness it firsthand.
Some spoke of Chu Xun's appearance.
Others recalled the awe-inspiring gathering of Human Emperors.
And the final breath of the Saint had confirmed long-standing rumors, Donglin Sect truly possessed a Saint.
As a result, this year's apprenticeship ceremony drew unprecedented attention.
Worldly prodigies.
Eastern Region geniuses.
Even famous figures who had already made names for themselves.
All had come.
"Hm."
"I might as well take a look."
Chu Xun set down the scripture, donned his simple green robe, and walked down from the Sutra Pavilion.
The moment he appeared, the entire pavilion fell silent.
Disciples froze.
Even the elders on the other floors stared in disbelief at his departing figure.
"Was that… Elder Chu just now?"
"Seems like it!"
"Is he really going to watch the ceremony?"
"Probably…"
Shock rippled through the pavilion.
No one had expected Elder Chu, known for his calm, reclusive temperament, to attend the recruitment ceremony in person.
Some even whispered with envy, "These new disciples are unbelievably lucky. To encounter Elder Chu just by attending the ceremony, this kind of opportunity might only come once in a lifetime. If any of them catch his eye, they'll soar straight to the heavens!"
As Chu Xun walked on, astonishment followed him every step.
Soon, the news spread through Donglin Sect like a storm,
Elder Chu of the Sutra Pavilion has left seclusion and gone to the apprenticeship ceremony!
Disciples who had joined three to five years ago rushed over without hesitation.
---
At the ceremony grounds.
The one overseeing the event was Elder Sun, the same man Chu Xun had once entrusted with auctioning artifacts.
When Elder Sun saw Chu Xun, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"Elder Chu? Why are you here?!"
Although Donglin Sect's annual apprenticeship ceremony was grand, it usually only attracted elders of the Venerable Realm. Elders like Wang He and Jiang only appeared on the final day.
And today,
It was only the third day.
Yet Chu Xun had already arrived, the first Human Emperor Realm expert to do so.
"Mm."
Chu Xun nodded lightly, a faint smile at the corner of his lips. His gaze swept over the vast crowd below.
Some geniuses were displaying their talents, charging through trial after trial, hoping to draw the attention of the great figures above.
Others had been eliminated, gathered with accompanying elders, their expressions dejected. Some young women sobbed softly, lamenting their failure to enter Donglin Sect.
"So many," Chu Xun sighed quietly.
Even among those who had passed the trials, there were already thousands, and the number continued to rise.
"Let's see if there are any good seeds," he murmured.
His gaze sharpened.
[Name: Luo Fan]
[Age: 23]
[Cultivation: First Layer of the Dharma Realm]
[Luck: White]
[Life Evaluation: Joins Donglin Sect in a few days as an ordinary disciple. At thirty-five, gives up on breaking through to the Princely Realm and returns home to teach younger generations.]
He looked away.
[Name: Chao Yong]
[Age: 22]
[Cultivation: Fourth Heaven of the Dharma Realm]
[Luck: Gray]
[Life Evaluation: Joins Donglin Sect. Breaks into the Princely Realm at thirty. Stalls at the Venerable Realm by forty. Returns home and establishes Qingzhou Academy, from which an astonishing figure later emerges.]
He continued scanning.
[Name: Fang Jie]
[Age: 24]
[Cultivation: Fourth Layer of the Dharma Realm]
[Luck: Black (Destiny Supporting Role)]
[Life Evaluation: Enters the sect with brilliance, becomes an elder's disciple, and rises rapidly. Provokes the Destiny Protagonist and dies at twenty-nine.]
Chu Xun shook his head slightly.
Most people's fates were already set. Very few possessed black luck. Fang Jie had some potential, but still fell short of what Chu Xun was looking for.
"Hard to find," he sighed.
He had hoped to encounter another Destiny Villain worth investing in, but their luck was simply too weak. Then again, how could such figures all gather in a single sect?
Just as he thought this trip might be fruitless,
Elder Sun gestured toward the group of eliminated disciples.
"There might be good seedlings among them as well. Elder Chu could take a look."
This wasn't empty talk. The sect's rules were rigid, and it wasn't uncommon for talented individuals to be eliminated before fully displaying their abilities, or to be sabotaged by others.
Still, such cases were rare.
Most eliminated disciples truly lacked the necessary talent.
"Mm."
Chu Xun nodded, though he held little expectation.
His eyes glowed faintly as the Heavenly Insight activated.
He swept his gaze over the rejected crowd,
Then suddenly,
He froze.
"Huh?"
Among them stood a cold-looking young man in black robes.
Around him, others were being comforted by elders or chatting in groups.
But he stood alone.
No one spoke to him.
No one cared.
"It's just a failure. You did well. Try again next year and you'll pass for sure."
"You broke through four trials on your first attempt! My daughter is truly gifted!"
"Don't be sad. Your brother has already been accepted in advance by an elder. You should be happy for him!"
Voices of comfort echoed everywhere.
Yet the black-robed youth remained silent, his expression heavy with disappointment.
Am I really… talentless?
Despair welled up inside him.
He was once the pride of his family, born into the Liu family of Tianyun Country, hailed as a prodigy from childhood. The clan elders regarded him as their future hope.
Later, he entered Tianyun Academy, the top academy of the kingdom.
In just three years, he crushed his peers. Even the emperor personally acknowledged him as the number one genius of Tianyun Country.
Then he set out on his journey.
When he first left, he was brimming with ambition, vowing to stand above all others.
But with each step into the wider world, that confidence was worn down.
Only upon entering the vast stage of the Eastern Region did he truly understand how small and powerless he was.
Rejected by the four great holy lands.
Rejected by lesser sects.
Rejected again and again.
The former genius was slowly ground down, his sharp edges dulled by disappointment and bitterness.
My classmates at Tianyun Academy probably think they're thriving in the Eastern Region now…
They'd never imagine that I can't even cross the threshold of a sect.
Rejected… and left to lick my wounds alone in a corner.
...
I might realise another chapter later today.