The sun had barely dipped below the Qingyun Mountains when the registration for the entrance selection officially closed. Thousands of young geniuses from a hundred cities had gathered at the mountain gate, their faces filled with excitement and nervousness, all dreaming of earning a place in the legendary Qingyun Sect.
Lin Chen had completed his registration with ease, thanks to Elder Li's recommendation. But the moment he stepped out of the registration hall, he was met with cold stares and mocking sneers. Zhao Lei, the humiliated genius from Black Rock City, stood beside Steward Zhang and the two remaining top geniuses from Black Water City, their eyes blazing with hatred and disdain.
"Well, well. Look who it is. The lucky trash from Green Sun City," Steward Zhang sneered, his voice loud enough for the surrounding disciples to hear. "You may have cheated your way to a high cultivation level with some random adventure, but you'll soon learn the truth. The Qingyun Sect doesn't care about cheap tricks. The first round of the selection is spirit root and foundation testing. Without a high-grade spirit root, even if you're at the 9th level of Qi Refining, you'll be thrown out on the street."
The two Black Water City geniuses laughed mockingly. "That's right! Our brother you crippled had a top-grade upper spirit root, and we both have the same. Zhao Lei here has a peak-grade spirit root, the rarest in the entire region. What do you have, trash? A low-grade trash spirit root that kept you stuck at the 1st level for ten years?"
Zhao Lei sneered, crossing his arms. "Tomorrow, on the testing ground, everyone will see the truth. You're just a fraud with a little lucky cultivation. You'll be eliminated in the first round, and I'll laugh as you're dragged out of the sect's mountain gate."
The surrounding disciples whispered among themselves. Most of them agreed with Steward Zhang. In the cultivation world, spirit root was the foundation of everything. A high-grade spirit root determined how far a cultivator could go, and even the most talented genius with a low-grade spirit root would never amount to anything. No one believed that Lin Chen, the former trash who couldn't cultivate for ten years, could have anything better than a mediocre spirit root.
But Lin Chen didn't even spare them a glance. He walked past them calmly, his expression completely indifferent. Their mockery meant nothing to him. They had no idea what kind of physique and spirit root he possessed. The Primordial Chaos Divine Body came with the rarest, most powerful spirit root in the entire world—the Chaos Divine Spirit Root, a root so powerful it was beyond the grading system of the mortal world.
He returned to the temporary cave residence assigned to him by Elder Li, closed the stone door, and sat cross-legged on the stone bed. Just as he settled his mind, the familiar cold mechanical voice rang in his mind.
[Ding! Daily sign-in refresh completed! Do you want to sign in now?]
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Lin Chen's mouth. This sign-in would be his final preparation for the selection tomorrow.
"Sign in."
[Ding! Sign-in successful! Congratulations to host for obtaining:
1. Cultivation Base Upgrade: Half-Step Foundation Establishment!
2. Full Awakening of the Chaos Divine Spirit Root!
3. High-Grade Heaven-Rank Skill: Treasure Seeking Divine Sense!
4. Special Item: Foundation Establishment Barrier Breaking Pill x1!
5. Spirit Stones: 150,000!]
Boom!
A boundless surge of pure spiritual energy exploded inside Lin Chen's body, rushing through his meridians like a raging river. His cultivation, which had been at the peak of the 9th level of Qi Refining, broke through the final barrier and stepped smoothly into the Half-Step Foundation Establishment realm. In an instant, his aura skyrocketed, his spiritual power becoming ten times denser and more powerful than before. He was now only one step away from the Foundation Establishment realm, a realm that most elders of small clans could only dream of reaching.
At the same time, a warm, golden light flooded his dantian, awakening the Chaos Divine Spirit Root that had been dormant within him. He could feel the spiritual energy around him becoming a hundred times easier to absorb, his perception of the world deepening to a level he had never experienced before. With this spirit root, his cultivation speed would be a hundred times faster than ordinary geniuses with peak-grade spirit roots.
The Treasure Seeking Divine Sense skill was the perfect preparation for the second round of the selection, the secret realm survival trial. It would allow him to sense hidden treasures and spiritual herbs within a ten-kilometer radius, giving him an overwhelming advantage over the other competitors.
Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing through them before fading away. Now, with his Half-Step Foundation Establishment cultivation and fully awakened Chaos Divine Spirit Root, he was already the strongest competitor in the entire selection, bar none.
The next morning, the deafening sound of a giant bell rang out across the Qingyun Mountains, echoing through the valleys. Thousands of young geniuses gathered in the huge testing square at the mountain gate, their hearts racing with excitement and nervousness. At the front of the square stood the high platform, where all the Qingyun Sect's elders and examiners sat, including Elder Li, Steward Zhang, and even the Sect's Grand Elder, who had come to oversee the selection personally.
The Grand Elder, a white-haired old man with a dignified aura, stood up and raised his hand. The entire square fell dead silent in an instant.
"Welcome to the Qingyun Sect entrance selection," his deep voice boomed across the square, filled with the power of a Core Formation realm expert. "The first round of the selection is spirit root and foundation testing. The rules are simple: place your hand on the spirit testing stele, and your spirit root grade will be displayed. Low-grade spirit roots: eliminated. Mid-grade spirit roots: pass to the second round. High-grade spirit roots: guaranteed outer sect disciple status, advance directly to the second round. Peak-grade spirit roots: enter the inner sect directly, no need to participate in the remaining trials!"
The crowd erupted into gasps and excited whispers. Entering the inner sect directly was the dream of every genius here. Only the absolute best of the best could achieve that.
The Grand Elder waved his hand, and the testing began.
One by one, the young disciples stepped forward and placed their hands on the giant black spirit testing stele. Most of them only triggered a faint white or green light, marking them as low or mid-grade spirit roots. The low-grade disciples hung their heads in shame as they were escorted out of the square, while the mid-grade ones breathed a sigh of relief and moved to the side.
Occasionally, a disciple would trigger a bright blue light, marking a high-grade spirit root, and the crowd would erupt into cheers. The two geniuses from Black Water City both triggered bright blue lights, and they walked back to the crowd with arrogant smirks on their faces, staring at Lin Chen with disdain.
Then, Zhao Lei stepped forward. He shot a mocking glance at Lin Chen, then placed his hand on the stele with a confident smirk.
Boom!
A bright purple light exploded from the stele, shooting ten meters into the air. The entire square erupted into deafening cheers.
"Peak-grade spirit root! It's a peak-grade spirit root!"
"Wow! There are only a handful of peak-grade spirit roots in the entire region!"
"He's definitely going to the inner sect directly!"
Steward Zhang's face was red with pride, and he shot a triumphant look at Elder Li. The Grand Elder nodded slightly, a faint smile on his face. A peak-grade spirit root was a rare talent, even for the Qingyun Sect.
Zhao Lei walked back to the crowd, his head held high, and sneered at Lin Chen. "Well, trash? You see that? That's what a real genius looks like. Now it's your turn. Let's see what kind of garbage spirit root you have."
The entire crowd turned to look at Lin Chen, their eyes filled with curiosity and mockery. Everyone wanted to see if the so-called genius from Green Sun City was really just a fraud.
Elder Li looked at Lin Chen, his eyes filled with a hint of worry. He knew Lin Chen's cultivation was extraordinary, but spirit root was a different matter entirely. If Lin Chen really had a low-grade spirit root, even he wouldn't be able to help him stay.
But Lin Chen remained completely calm. He walked forward slowly, ignoring the whispers and mockery from the crowd, and stopped in front of the giant spirit testing stele.
He took a deep breath, and placed his right hand on the cold surface of the stele.
For a split second, nothing happened.
The crowd burst into mocking laughter.
"Hahaha! Nothing! He has no spirit root at all!"
"I told you he was a fraud! He's just a lucky trash with no real talent!"
"Eliminate him! Throw him out of the sect!"
Zhao Lei and Steward Zhang laughed loudly, their faces twisted with triumph. Elder Li's face fell, his heart sinking.
But just as the guards were about to step forward to escort Lin Chen away, a earth-shaking boom erupted from the stele.
A blinding, seven-colored light exploded from the stone, shooting straight into the sky, piercing through the clouds, and illuminating the entire Qingyun Mountains. The stele trembled violently, cracks spreading across its surface, as if it was about to shatter under the power of the spirit root it was detecting.
The entire square fell dead silent. Not a single breath could be heard.
Every single person in the crowd stared at the stele, their eyes wide with shock, their mouths hanging open. The elders on the high platform shot to their feet, their faces filled with disbelief and terror. Even the Grand Elder, the Core Formation realm powerhouse, stood up abruptly, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
The seven-colored light grew brighter and brighter, and a line of golden text appeared on the stele, glowing so brightly it hurt to look at:
**CHAOS DIVINE SPIRIT ROOT – BEYOND GRADE, GOD-TIER**
The entire Qingyun Mountains shook.
In the inner sect, the Sect Master, who had been in seclusion, suddenly opened his eyes, his face filled with shock. He disappeared from his cave in an instant, appearing above the testing square, staring at Lin Chen with eyes filled with uncontrollable excitement.
A god-tier spirit root! A Chaos Divine Spirit Root! This was the kind of spirit root that only appeared in ancient legends, the kind that could make a cultivator ascend to the Immortal Emperor throne!
Lin Chen slowly pulled his hand away from the cracking stele, his expression completely calm, as if he had expected this all along.
[Ding! Host has displayed the Chaos Divine Spirit Root and shocked the entire Qingyun Sect!]
[Reward issued: 200,000 Spirit Stones, Full Access to the Qingyun Sect Core Scripture Pavilion, and a special upgrade to the Primordial Chaos Divine Body!]
A powerful surge of energy flooded Lin Chen's body, strengthening his physique even further. He could feel the eyes of every single person in the square locked onto him, filled with awe, reverence, and disbelief.
Zhao Lei and Steward Zhang stood frozen in place, their faces pale as paper, their smiles gone. They couldn't believe what they had just seen. The trash they had been mocking for days had a god-tier spirit root, something beyond their wildest dreams. They felt like clowns, their faces burning with shame.
The Sect Master landed gently in front of Lin Chen, his eyes filled with excitement and delight. "Young man, what is your name?"
"Lin Chen," he replied calmly, bowing slightly.
"Lin Chen," the Sect Master repeated, a bright smile on his face. "With your talent, you are not just fit to be an inner sect disciple. You are fit to be my personal disciple. Would you accept me as your master?"
The entire square erupted into gasps. The Sect Master, the most powerful person in the entire Qingyun Sect, was offering to take Lin Chen as his personal disciple! This was an honor that no one had ever received in the history of the sect.
But before Lin Chen could reply, the Grand Elder and the other elders rushed over, all shouting over each other.
"No! Sect Master, he should be my disciple! I've been teaching for fifty years, I can give him the best guidance!"
"Nonsense! I have the most experience with spirit root cultivation! He should be my disciple!"
"Lin Chen! Come to my peak! I'll give you all the resources you need, no limits!"
The crowd stared in shock. The most powerful elders of the Qingyun Sect, who were usually cold and dignified, were now fighting over Lin Chen like children. This was a scene no one had ever imagined.
Lin Chen bowed slightly, his voice calm and steady. "Thank you for your kindness, Sect Master, elders. But I wish to complete the selection first. I want to earn my place in the sect with my own strength."
The Sect Master stared at him for a moment, then burst into loud laughter, his eyes filled with even more admiration. "Good! Very good! Humble, determined, and talented! Very well, Lin Chen. We will wait for you at the end of the selection. But know this: no matter what happens, you have a place in this sect, at my side."
The Grand Elder nodded, announcing in a loud voice that echoed across the square. "Lin Chen has passed the first round, with the highest grade spirit root in the history of the Qingyun Sect! He advances directly to the second round!"
The crowd erupted into deafening cheers. This time, it was all for Lin Chen. The geniuses who had mocked him earlier now lowered their heads, not daring to look him in the eye.
Lin Chen walked back to the side of the square, ignoring the stares of awe and admiration from the crowd. He knew that this was just the first step. The second round, the secret realm survival trial, was next. And he knew that his enemies would not give up so easily. They would definitely be waiting for him in the secret realm, ready to kill him at the first opportunity.
But Lin Chen was not afraid.
Every enemy that appeared was just another stepping stone for him to grow stronger, another chance to gain more rewards from the Supreme Sign-In System.
His journey from trash to Immortal Emperor was only just beginning.