Chapter 5: Geniuses Unveiled
---
"Senior Lu, is it true that those geniuses will have a chance to become immortal?" the Huoshen Sect leader asked, bowing her head respectfully.
"Hmm," Lu Zhi replied, setting her tea down. "What do you think?" Her aura began to rise, pressing down on the Huoshen Sect leader with an imposing force.
"Whirr… Hummm…"
"Argh! I'm sorry, Senior Lu! I didn't mean to be rude; please forgive me!" The Huoshen Sect leader gasped, trying to regain her composure as Lu Zhi retracted her overwhelming pressure.
While the leader struggled to breathe, the other sect masters felt a chill run through them. They hadn't expected such courage from her, but despite their fear, curiosity stirred within them about the truth of Lu Zhi's words. Recognizing the pressure that no cultivator in this lower realm could withstand, they chose silence, forcing smiles to mask their apprehension.
"Hmph." Noticing their discomfort, Lu Zhi frowned. "Although I don't understand the purpose of this trial, I am here to inform you, lower realm mongrels, that all those geniuses can indeed become immortal."
With that, Lu Zhi stood up and vanished without another word.
"Haaahh," everyone sighed in relief.
"You old coot, do you want us to get into trouble too?" the sect masters began to grumble among themselves.
Meanwhile, Ye Tian’s master commented, "Sigh, that was close. I hope this turns out to be a good thing."
| 45: Xin Fang, Age: 19 | Background: Fang Family. Potential: 7 Star.
On the other side, Ye Min observed the golden text and remarked, "Oh, finally 7 stars! I didn't expect this selection to be so slow," her tone laced with impatience.
"Hmm, your siblings are here," her father said, barely paying attention.
"Father, I'm back!" Ye Tian declared proudly as he looked at Ye Min.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Ye Min noticed her enthusiasm and mumbled to herself, "What’s going on? I thought this brat would be crying. Am I relying too much on unrealistic scenarios?"
"Sit here and eat," her father said calmly, gesturing for her youngest daughter to join them too.
Ye Lin happily nodded, quickly taking a vacant seat and starting her meal.
As they ate, the world erupted in excitement over the news that the Heavenly Dao was genuinely selecting talented individuals to ascend to the legendary immortal world.
"Is it really true?" "Yes, it’s true! The elder in our sect confirmed that a true immortal appeared at the gathering of the five prominent sects!" "I never thought a true immortal would show up in our lower world!" Conversations buzzed around them.
| 36: Yang Fan, Age: 18 | Background: None. Potential: 7 Star.
The ranking continued, and after one day had passed, it reached the top 14.
| 14: Yu Yen, Age: 18 | Background: Lingyun Sect. Potential: 8 Star.
"Woah! Senior Yu Yen, I love you! You finally made it onto the ranking!" a girl from the Lingyun Sect shouted in excitement.
"Hahaha! My disciple didn’t disappoint me; he made it into the ranking!" the Sect Master of the Lingyun Sect boasted proudly.
Meanwhile, within the Lingyun Sect, Yu Yen heard the commotion and glanced at the ranking. Moments later, he frowned.
"Tch! I thought I could at least outrank some geniuses from the other sects. I didn’t expect not to even enter the top 10!" he muttered angrily.
The ranking continued until it reached the 10th position.
| 10: Sou Yan, Age: 18 | Background: Shuiyuan Sect. Potential: 8 Star.
"Sou Yan!" Ye Tian exclaimed, drawing the attention of her father and siblings.
"Do you know that person, brother?" Ye Lin asked with a curious gaze.
"Hmph! I’ve seen her once; I don’t really know her well," Ye Tian replied, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks.
"Heh! So that person is a girl! Hahaha! Brother is really good at picking potential brides," Ye Lin teased, and they continued their playful banter.
Meanwhile, Ye Min listened to their conversation, frowning. "Tch! This brat is really greedy; he’s already fallen for the heroine after just one meeting. This plot is getting crazy," he said, shaking her head.
On the ranking side.
| 9: Tian Zhi, Age: 18 | Background: Huoshen Sect. Potential: 8 Star.
"Not bad! This lad has great potential. We don’t have to worry about our future anymore," an elder from the Huoshen Sect said, tears of joy welling in his eyes.
"Ahahaha! You're right, Elder Wang. Our sect's future is now limitless, thanks to Tian Zhi. He will be our backer once he has a chance to become immortal," the Huoshen Sect leader said, beaming with excitement.
Moments later, the ranking changed, revealing a new name.
| 8: Ye Tian, Age: 15 | Background: Fenghuo Sect. Potential: 8 Star.
"Woah! That’s the genius who single-handedly defeated opponents two levels higher than her in the competition!" a young cultivator exclaimed, admiration clear in his voice. He had witnessed the battle firsthand.
"Is it true?"
As people heard this, gossip erupted anew.
In the Green Shadow Mountain, Elder Wei turned to Qin Mu. "Wow! Jun's second son is truly exceptional; I didn’t expect her potential to be this high. What do you think, Qin Mu? Should we groom Ye Tian?"
"Grandpa, Ye Tian is still a child. Do you really want me to marry that immature brat who is so loud and irritating?" Qin Mu replied, frustration evident in her voice, showing little interest in those with great potential.
"Haaahh," her grandfather sighed. "Qin Mu, age is not a barrier. I can ask Jun for a favor; I know he will approve." But Qin Mu interrupted.
"Grandpa, I appreciate your wishes for my future, but I really don’t want someone I barely know to suddenly become my fiancé. Yes, Ye Min may have lower potential, but that doesn’t matter. My love for her won’t fade easily. If people call her weak, then I will protect her." She spoke passionately, her cheeks flushed, before walking away, ignoring her grandfather's protests. He shook his head and sighed. "Haaahh, Qin Mu, my beloved granddaughter, just don’t regret your decision in the future."
An hour had passed, and the potential rankings shifted with an unexpected result.
| 7: Qin Mu, Age: 19 | Background: Green Shadow Mountain. Potential: 9 Star.
"What? Who is this monster?" the crowd exclaimed, thrown into an uproar at the revelation of a 9-star potential— the highest ever recorded since ancient times.