Chapter 6: The Assessment Part 2

Luo Ling's best attire consisted of a pair of brown pants and a sky-blue shirt with frilled cuffs. He wished he had something finer, but these were his only decent clothes. His strict training routine consumed most of his day, and the little money he earned from selling hunting byproducts went toward herbs and meat. There was no room for luxury. He never thought he would need anything more, but now he regretted it.

Mother Yi’s office was only a few rooms away from Luo Ling’s, positioned near the main entrance of the orphanage. A short walk brought him to his destination. The tall mahogany doors of the office loomed before him, evoking a sense of oppression he hadn’t felt in a long time. This moment would determine his future: whether he could embark on the miraculous path of cultivation or be forced to continue with his martial arts.

Taking a deep breath, Luo Ling composed himself and raised his hand to knock on the door.

-~X~-

“Is he the brat you were talking about, Yi?”

A rude voice broke the silence in the room, gaining Luo Ling’s attention. He eyed the two middle-aged men sitting on chairs before Mother Yi. One of them threw a judgmental glare at him as he spoke.

Luo Ling’s eyes narrowed subtly. He felt no threatening aura from them. The cultivator from the previous day had exuded the presence of an apex predator. Despite losing all his prowess as a martial transcendent, Luo Ling’s senses, honed from countless life-and-death struggles, remained sharp. That day, even from a distance, the man’s aura had given him goosebumps and palpitations, making Luo Ling certain he could have been killed easily.

These two men, however, didn’t exert the same pressure. This could only mean one thing: they posed no threat to him. He might even be able to take them on and emerge victorious in a life-and-death battle. Once he gauged their strength, Luo Ling’s confidence grew. He straightened his back and stood upright, facing the two cultivators.

“He is the one, Mr. Yang,” Mother Yi replied, nodding toward Luo Ling. It was evident from her encouraging look that she might have tried putting a good few words in his favor to the recruiters.

Meanwhile, the two men threw overt glances at Luo Ling.

As their gazes clashed in the small room, the white-robed man, who had remained silent since Luo Ling entered, spoke up.

“Yang GuFeng, bring out the Spirit Testing Orb. Let’s hurry up and finish our job here.”

His sudden interruption dragged Luo Ling’s attention onto him. He had been busy observing the rude man and forgot about the other cultivator in the room.

“All right.”

The man, now identified as Yang GuFeng, reached into his sleeve and produced a pitch-black spherical object. Luo Ling’s gaze shifted to the contraption in the man’s hand, curiosity burning in his eyes. The sphere, made of an unknown substance(to him), had a glossy black surface that reflected his face.

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“Put your hand on it and relax your nerves.” Yang GuFeng advised, holding out the sphere.

Luo Ling kept staring at his face, waiting for an explanation on the sphere. He wanted to know how it would help detect his meridian coil. But, the rude man kept his mouth shut.

Seeing him dilly-dallying, impatience flashed through Yang GuFeng’s expression. “Hey, come on. Hurry up. We don’t have all day.”

“Ling. Don’t worry. Just do as he says.” Mother Yi also encouraged, thinking Luo Ling was nervous.

“Okay.” He sighed and did what he was told. With some hesitation, Luo Ling’s palm touched the smooth surface of the sphere.

Suddenly, the object lit up in a resplendent blue, bathing the room in its glow. Luo Ling squinted his eyes; he noticed four cursive lines stretching along the bottom of the sphere responsible for the luminescence. What do they mean?

“Such dense soul power!” A surprised gasp tore Luo Ling's attention away from those lines. He noticed two pairs of eyes fixed intently on the glowing ball. Even the man, who had maintained his composure since the beginning, now wore a gaping expression. It was he who had made the comment.

“GuFeng, check his meridian coil. Quick,” he nearly shouted at his partner. His cool and aloof persona could no longer be maintained. Amidst his confusion over the happenings to the ball, Luo Ling couldn’t help but let the corners of his lips tremble. He found it funny.

Without a word, GuFeng made a hand sign with his free hand, and a pale silver glow enveloped the sphere. Instantly, Luo Ling felt a chilling sensation spread out from his palm. As a martial artist, Luo Ling’s training revolved around strengthening his body, and his heightened sensitivity made him acutely aware of any changes. When the sphere glowed silver, an invasive energy surged into his system, rushing through every nook and cranny. It left no place untouched, making him feel disgusted and exposed—a sensation he could never grow accustomed to.

Gritting his teeth, Luo Ling endured the discomfort. Gradually, the invasive energy receded, and the silver glow of the sphere faded to a pale yellow.

“Low-grade mortal? Tch! Such a shame,” GuFeng voiced his disappointment, shaking his head as he put the sphere away. Even Mother Yi’s expression turned downcast, as though she had lost a treasure. Only the other man, who had not revealed his name, remained impassive, his face a mask of indifference.

Luo Ling was no fool. He needed no further confirmation to understand the results. It was clear: he was incompatible with the path of cultivation.

“Ling, go out and call Ru’er in.” Mother Yi’s voice held a trace of coldness in it. Luo Ling nodded and walked out of the room without making noise.

It’d be a lie to say he wasn't disappointed.

Luo Ling had longed to tread the same path as the powerhouses of this world. Ever since he witnessed the so-called cultivators flying, a fire had ignited in his heart, sparking a deep longing for freedom. He had planned to seek out clues and secrets of cultivation once he grew up or reached the transcendent realm. He would be more confident in venturing out then.

Mother Yi’s sudden visit the previous night had brought him an opportunity. Unfortunately, it was not his to enjoy. He couldn’t change what he was born with. Yesterday, she had made it clear that the grade of one's meridian coil would determine their potential as a cultivator. Mortal was the lowest grade, and he had the weakest of the lowest-grade meridian coils.

Though he didn't fully understand how the grades of meridian coils were related to cultivation potential, he had not completely given up hope. However, this particular opportunity had nothing to do with him anymore.

-~X~-

Luo Ling didn’t brood over the matter any longer. He was mentally prepared for disappointment. Besides, he was a man in the body of a child. A man who had once stood at the peak of his world. How could he let himself be defeated by something like this?

After leaving the room, he found Xiao Ru in one of the playrooms where the toddlers were gathered. Delivering the message to her, he quickly exited the orphanage.

Yesterday, the [Archery] skill appeared in the Records of Toil. Due to a lack of time, he hadn’t been able to test what changes raising its level would bring. Now, it was time to work on it. Would his arrows hit targets miles away? Would his eyes become as sharp as an eagle’s? Would his arrows curve to strike impossible targets? He couldn’t wait to find out.

In his excitement, Luo Ling completely forgot about the disappointment he felt over his inability to cultivate.