Time flowed like water, slipping through the fingers before one even realized it. In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed, and the Four Sects’ grand selection had finally arrived.
Drums and music echoed throughout the Imperial City. The streets and alleys were festooned with red banners and decorations, creating an exceptionally bustling scene.
In the open-air square at the very center of the city, a surging sea of people created an uproar that shook the clouds.
A hundred-foot-tall arena stood tall in the middle of the square. Painted upon it were the Four Symbols—the Cyan Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—with their fangs and claws bared, exuding fierce and overbearing auras.
War drums flanked the arena, their thunderous booming echoing endlessly for ten miles. Behind them stood four massive banners fluttering wildly in the wind. The patterns woven with golden threads on the banners gleamed under the morning sun, igniting the excitement of the tens of thousands in the square. These four flags represented the Four Great Sects—existences that stood above dynasties and controlled the rise and fall of the East Spirit Land.
The Celestial Thunder Sect!
Fengyu Tower!
Qianying Valley!
Piaoxue Palace!
Entering any of these sects would be like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate and soaring straight into the clouds—a monumental stroke of fortune.
On the platform, the elders of the Four Sects gazed down at the dense crowd. Satisfied smiles appeared on their faces, deeply proud of their status as sect members.
"The Four Great Sects truly possess extraordinary grandeur. How wonderful it would be to join them!"
"It’s not that easy. Look at those four sect elders. They are all close to the Martial Marquis Realm. They can turn their hands into clouds and flip them into rain. With such immense power, their disciples naturally can’t be ordinary."
"Choosing only the top ten out of thirty thousand? I’m afraid only geniuses like Crown Prince Lingyun, Ming Ao, and Lu Wuji would dare thump their chests and guarantee their entry."
"Sigh... If only we could receive a sect’s favor."
Discussions buzzed throughout the square. As the crowd stared at the towering arena, deep longing filled their eyes. Entering the Four Great Sects would be an unparalleled honor.
Lin Huang narrowed his eyes, feeling deeply moved as well. Although he had reached the Martial Saint Realm in his past life, he had never cultivated in a sect. It would be a lie to say he had no desire for it.
He had encountered countless disciples from major sects before. They were always high-spirited and radiant, like peerless prodigies of their generation.
He had also witnessed a sect mobilize its entire force just to avenge a single disciple. Thirteen thousand cultivators carrying iron swords had descended the mountain like a world-ending flood, slaughtering everything across three thousand miles of territory. It was a tragically heroic and impassioned sight.
However, Lin Huang didn’t want to enter Piaoxue Palace for the sake of having a powerful backer.
He was doing it for Lin Cangxue!
And for Jun Qingcheng. She had once mentioned stopping at Piaoxue Palace while passing through the East Spirit Realm. Although he didn’t know exactly when she had stayed there, he wouldn’t give up even if there was only a one percent chance.
"Trying my luck wouldn’t hurt!" Lin Huang murmured to himself, his eyes burning with fighting spirit as he looked at the high arena.
Soon after, the first round of the Four Sects’ selection officially began.
Hann Shan, the elder of the Celestial Thunder Sect, waved his arm. A hundred Testing Stones instantly levitated above the arena. Inner light swirled within them, circulating like brilliant fireworks and gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight.
Testing Stones were primarily used to measure a Martial Artist’s age, realm, the purity of their Primordial Qi, and the power of their Martial Soul, thereby determining the level of their talent. When a Martial Artist touched a Testing Stone, the multicolored flowing light inside would turn into a rising golden beam. The taller the golden light, the higher their talent.
Under the arrangement of the Imperial City Guards, the Martial Artists qualified to participate in the selection stepped onto the tall arena one by one and reached out to touch the floating Testing Stones.
Soon, dazzling golden beams of light erupted from the stones and shot straight up, illuminating the arena with magnificent brilliance. At the front of the arena, a conjured screen of light flickered as names emerged upon it:
"Lu Xiaofan from Moyun Village. Sixteen years old. Human Element Seventh Heaven. Golden light: six feet!"
"Ming Ao from Baiyun City. Sixteen years old. Human Element Ninth Heaven. Golden light: thirteen feet!"
As the names appeared on the light screen, the crowd in the square instantly erupted.
"A thirteen-foot golden light! To think a youth with a thirteen-foot light would appear in the very first round. This is unbelievable!"
"Ming Ao... it’s Ming Ao, the son of the Baiyun City Lord! He was only at the Human Element Eighth Heaven just a month ago."
"With such talent, he’s comparable to Crown Prince Lingyun!"
A commotion swept through the crowd. They stared at the dazzling, large characters on the screen, their eyes filled with anticipation. A sixteen-year-old at the Human Element Ninth Heaven—his future was absolutely boundless!
Lin Huang followed everyone’s gaze and saw a young man in blue standing on the arena. The youth, usually bearing a cold expression, now wore a rather smug smile. People crowded around him, casting looks of either envy or jealousy. He stood out like a crane among a flock of chickens.
This was Ming Ao, the son of the Baiyun City Lord, a cultivator at the Human Element Ninth Heaven.
"Imperial Brother, what do you think of this Ming Ao?" Crown Prince Lingyun asked with a smile, standing by the window of a restaurant outside the square and watching the scene on the arena.
"His talent is passable, but his Primordial Qi is unstable. He must have taken an elixir to forcefully step into the Human Element Ninth Heaven just for the Four Sects’ selection," Ling Huangyi replied, shaking his head.
Crown Prince Lingyun chuckled. "Even if his Primordial Qi is unstable, he is still at the Human Element Ninth Heaven. That’s more than enough to deal with Lin Huang. I was the one who gave him that elixir."
Ling Huangyi smiled. "Since this person is useful to you, Imperial Brother, I can reluctantly take him in as a subordinate to do my bidding once he enters the Celestial Thunder Sect."
As more and more Martial Artists stepped onto the arena, the light screen was gradually covered with names, while many lower-ranked ones were pushed off. Many new names also climbed from behind to take higher spots.
Standing in the crowd, Lin Huang looked at the names on the screen and clenched his fists, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. He realized that a sixteen-year-old at the Human Element Seventh Heaven truly didn’t amount to much in the Great Xia Dynasty. After all, he had been bedridden for two years, wasting precious time.
Ming Ao of Baiyun City.
Lu Wuji of Beicang County.
Zhao Panshi of Xiaoshi Town.
Chen Erzhu of Black Wind Mountain.
On the light screen, name after name flickered, brazenly declaring their strength and talent. As time passed, the thirty thousand participating Martial Artists flowed onto the arena like a steady stream. With every batch that went up, the light screen flashed and updated.
Eventually, the rankings on the screen stabilized. Among the top ten, three were from the Imperial City, six from surrounding cities, and one from a remote town.
The strongest and most highly favored candidates were undoubtedly Ming Ao and Lu Wuji.
Ming Ao: Sixteen years old, Human Element Ninth Heaven, thirteen-foot golden light.
Lu Wuji: Seventeen years old, Human Element Ninth Heaven, twelve-foot golden light.
"Hey, Mr. Lin, why are you here? Look at the time! War between Great Xia and Great Chu could break out at any moment, and everyone is blaming it on you. I can’t believe you dared to leave the house!"
Fatty Bai’s voice suddenly rang in Lin Huang’s ear. Immediately after, Lin Huang felt a massive, imposing wall of flesh appear beside him.
"I am the Young Master of the Divine General’s Mansion. Why wouldn’t I dare to leave the house?" Lin Huang smiled nonchalantly and pulled down the hood of his cloak. If people actually recognized him, they could stomp him to death with a single kick each.
"Aren’t you usually sleeping at this hour?" Lin Huang asked.
"My dad threatened me with a sword. How could I not come?" Fatty Bai looked resentful, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Think about it. Who am I? I’m the mighty little overlord who never stands if he can sit. Why would I ever go suffer in some sect? Isn’t that just asking for torture?"
"Well, the Imperial City is comfortable indeed, but there’s no harm in going up to try. If you fail, won’t that finally make your old man give up?" Lin Huang advised with a smile.
He was certain Fatty Bai would make the list. Back when Lin Huang first woke up, Fatty Bai had been at the Human Element Seventh Heaven. Now, this guy was already at the Ninth Heaven.
Ninth Heaven!
What kind of concept was that? If Lin Huang didn’t know Fatty Bai so well, he would have thought the guy was cultivating in secret. Otherwise, how could a fellow who spent all day eating, drinking, and doing nothing improve so quickly?
"That makes sense. I’ll just go up and put on a show!" Fatty Bai gave a sly grin, his face scrunching up so much that his eyes disappeared into his flesh. He had already made up his mind—he would just take a stroll up there and then spend the rest of his life lounging in the Imperial City.
"Lin Huang, doing this is unethical!" Xiao Yishan, standing nearby, shook his head. With his discerning eyes, he could naturally see through Fatty Bai’s true capabilities.
"If he can enter a sect and grow stronger, it will ultimately be a good thing." Lin Huang smiled quietly. He had no intention of interfering with Fatty Bai’s thoughts, as everyone had their own path and choices to make.
However, every time Lin Huang recalled what Fatty Bai had gone through in his past life, a sharp pang of pain would stab at his heart...