Hao Gongming stepped into the building, her eyes scanning the simple yet tidy room.

A reception table stood to the side, and a few people occupied the seats scattered about. This room served as the entry point to the inner areas of the place.

After a quick glance, she made her way towards the reception table.

A middle-aged woman sat behind the table with her eyes closed, seemingly unaware of Hao Gongming's presence.

Hao Gongming greeted her, saying, "Hello, I'm here to join the Cloudy Sky Sect."

The woman behind the table opened her eyes.

She gave Hao Gongming a strange look before responding coldly, "How old are you?"

Hao Gongming, unaware of her body's age in this world, randomly replied, "I'm 15 years old."

The woman behind the table pondered momentarily and said, "The entrance exam for this year has already passed. You'll have to wait 7 months for the next one."

Not willing to wait for such a long time, Hao Gongming pleaded, "But I don't want to wait that long! There must be another way, please."

The woman behind the table smiled and said, "Indeed, there are other ways. Do you have a recommendation letter from a senior at the Foundation Establishment level?"

Hao Gongming shook her head and asked, "What other options are available?"

The woman explained, "Another option is to take a private test, which requires 30 spirit stones. Do you have them?"

Hao Gongming pondered and proposed an idea, "I have a suggestion! You can administer the test to me first, and once I successfully enter the sect, I'll reimburse you the spirit stones."

The woman behind the desk laughed and replied, "Are you joking? Out of every 100 people, 99 would fail the test. If you fail, who will repay me the 30 spirit stones?"

Hao Gongming spoke confidently, "I'm an excellent hunter! Take a look at this."

She took out a circular object and handed it to the woman.

The woman's eyes widened in shock as she exclaimed, "A core from a first-grade monster? How did you acquire this?"

Hao Gongming proudly declared, "I'm skilled at hunting! Didn't I mention it? This is not the only monster core I've collected on my journey here."

She had read numerous novels in her previous life. She knew monsters possessed cores, so she had specifically sought them out.

This monster core was just one of many she had collected.

Impressed, the woman behind the desk agreed, "This monster core is valued at 20 spirit stones. I agree with your request. Now, let's proceed. I will take you to meet the master."

Hao Gongmin asked, "May I know your name? I'm Hao Gongming."

"I'm Zhu Yawen. If accepted into the sect, you can call me Senior Sister Zhu," Zhu Yawen replied.

Zhu Yawen and Hao Gongming ventured deeper into the building. Along the way, Hao Gongming inquired, "Can just anyone come here for the test?"

Zhu Yawen answered, "Certainly, as long as they pay for it themselves. However, the farmers around here have already been tested by the sect and failed the test. We welcome anyone who possesses the talent to cultivate immortality."

As they talked, they passed through room after room.

While most rooms were empty, in some rooms, individuals sat with their eyes closed, engrossed in cultivation.

The building's design was peculiar, lacking a central hall, with interconnected rooms instead.

Finally, after a few minutes, they reached the most luxurious room.

Zhu Yawen respectfully knocked on the door, and after waiting for over half an hour, a voice from inside responded, "Enter."

They both stepped into the room.

Hao Gongming looked around and realized the room lacked furniture, not even a chair.

In the center sat an elderly man with a long white beard.

Zhu Yawen respectfully bowed and said, "Master, this girl named Hao Gongming has paid for a spiritual body test."

The old man, Bai Ling by name, a member of the prestigious Bai family, looked at Hao Gongmin and instructed, "Come, sit in front of me."

Hao Gongming complied with his request.

The old man placed his hand on her shoulder and infused a small amount of spiritual power into Hao Gongming's body.

After a while, his eyes, barely visible between his thick white eyebrows, suddenly widened.

He tried again, placing both hands on HaoGongming's shoulders and infusing more spiritual energy.

After a moment, the old man burst into hearty laughter and said: "Young lady, you possess remarkable talent. You have passed the test. I will arrange for you to be directly admitted to the inner sect. Now, wait outside."

Hao Gongming, to be honest, had expected to have good talent for cultivation, so she wasn't overly surprised.

She nodded, bowed respectfully, and left the room.

After she departed, the old man spoke, "Yawen, she possesses exceptional talent. Investigate her background and bring her into our faction. Ensure her talent remains a secret until she firmly aligns with our faction. Only when she agrees to swear loyalty to our cause should she be granted access to the inner sect. Do you understand?"

Zhu Yawen looked puzzled and asked, "Master, how rare is her talent?"

The old man explained, "The spiritual body test assesses the body's ability to contain spiritual energy. When I infuse spiritual energy into ordinary individuals, Most of it will dissipate, with only a small portion returning to my hand. The lost spiritual energy isn't absorbed; it simply leaks out of the body. This indicates a flawed body incapable of retaining spiritual energy. If the body can hold more than 99 percent of the spiritual energy, we can say that person has talent."

The old man continued, "Very few individuals possess flawless bodies that don't leak spiritual energy at all. She happens to be one of those rare individuals."

Zhu Yawen was in awe and asked, "Is it possible for such a talented person to appear here randomly?"

The old man cautioned, "Let's not get carried away. When individuals reach the Foundation Establishment stage, their bodies will naturally undergo repair. At that point, everyone attains a perfect body. However, only a few in Qi cultivation have flawless bodies, and those with it are on a near-guaranteed path to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. Therefore, while her perfect body is noteworthy, it's not revolutionary. What truly matters is her spiritual root. If she possesses a pure one-element spiritual root, that would be truly groundbreaking. Arrange a secret spiritual root test once she agrees to join our faction. I'm genuinely curious to unveil the nature of her spiritual root."

Zhu Yawen nodded and left the room.

Then, the old man closed his eyes and resumed his cultivation.

...

Hao Gongming, who was waiting outside, glanced at the system interface:

"Physical power: 8.9, magical power: 6.4, soul power: 8.5, free stat points: 10, Your level: 3 (290/2000), talent: low-level dragon blood,"

"It seems my assumption was correct. Each level grants one stat point. I wonder what other functions this system holds?"

She had been exploring the system during her free time but had not discovered any new features.

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Regarding her talent displayed on the system, Hao Gongming focused on the system's explanation.

"You are a descendant of dragons, granting you a superior physique and enhanced magical abilities. Additionally, casting fire element spells comes naturally to you, and any creature with diluted dragon blood would instinctively fear you. Furthermore, dragon blood grants the ability to comprehend all languages spoken."

Her extraordinary physical attributes resulted from the dragon blood in her body.

She thought, "I must find out what magical and soul power do as soon as possible."

While Hao Gongming was contemplating her plans, the door opened, and Zhu Yawen appeared.

Zhu Yawen turned to her and said, "Let's find an appropriate attire for you, and then I will introduce you to everything about the sect."

Hao Gongming acknowledged that her current clothes, obtained from that boy, Gao Feng, did not fit her properly, so she nodded and followed Zhu Yawen.

…

After a while, Zhu Yawen gave her a standard set of clothes.

Meanwhile, she said, "Every new disciple receives a formal cultivation manual, and the sect provides all the necessary items. Additionally, most inner disciples join a faction. Would you like to join our faction?"

Curiosity piqued, Hao Gongming asked, "What exactly are factions?"

Zhu Yawen explained, "Within the Cloudy Sky Sect, numerous elders exist. Each is responsible for specific duties, and each leads a faction. Factions provide disciples with the protection and support of an elder."

Hao Gongming processed this information and deduced that the Cloudy Sky Sect lacked internal unity.

However, recognizing her need for cultivation resources, she inquired, "What are the conditions for joining a faction?"

Zhu Yawen responded, "It's straightforward. You just need to swear an oath of loyalty to the Bai faction."

Unfamiliar with the concept of an oath of loyalty in this world and its consequences, Hao Gongming decided against hastily pledging allegiance.

She firmly stated, "For now, I prefer not to join any faction."

Zhu Yawen gazed at her with a plea in her eyes, "Joining a faction brings numerous benefits, especially since the Bai faction holds considerable clout within the sect. Please reconsider."

Hao Gongming declined the offer once again.

Resigned, Zhu Yawen sighed and said, "Very well, then I'll accompany you to the outer sect."

Hao Gongming understood that immediate entry into the inner sect would require swearing allegiance.

Hence, she remained silent and obediently followed Zhu Yawen to the outer sect.

The outer sect comprised numerous houses, modest in appearance yet surpassing the average dwelling in quality.

After a while, they arrived at a house near the outskirts of the outer sect. Zhu Yawen handed Hao Gongming a formation key and spoke, "Everything you need is inside the house. There's also a simple meditation technique provided. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

Before departing, Hao Gongming asked, "Where is the sect's headquarters located?"

Zhu Yawen replied, "The Cloudy Sky Sect is decentralized, with various gathering places serving as residences for outer and inner sect disciples. Only core disciples and inner elders can permanently stay at the sect headquarters in our Yin province. As inner and outer disciples, we do not have that privilege."

With Zhu Yawen's departure, Hao Gongming made a small cut on her finger a let one drop of her blood fall on the formation seal, as it was instructed by Zhu Yawen.

The door opened, and she went in.

Inside, the house exuded extravagance, featuring a kitchen, two bedrooms, a study room, a sound-isolated meditation room, and a small garden outside.

The place was equipped with a variety of clothes and everyday essentials.

In the study room, Hao Gongming's eyes fell upon a book titled "The Path of Clarity: A Guide to Cultivation."

She picked it up with anticipation, eager to delve into its contents.

The book provided a comprehensive explanation of entering the cultivation world, outlining the necessary steps for progress.

According to it, the initial stage involved sensing spiritual energy in the surrounding environment.

The next step is directing it into one's body and ultimately mastering the art of retaining it within.

By accumulating sufficient spiritual energy, practitioners could reach the first level of qi cultivation.

The book mentioned that the process typically spanned one month for sensing, three months for direction, and six months for retention.

However, it noted that those with exceptional talents often progressed much faster.

Hao Gongming assumed a cross-legged position in the meditation room, ready to embark on her cultivation journey.

Three hours passed, but she couldn't feel any discernible changes or progress.

Doubts began to creep into her mind, questioning her talent.

"maybe I'm not as talented as I thought." she thought.

Hao Gongming then directed her attention toward the system.

She thought, "It's time to test the effects of the stat points."

With that intention, she allocated a point to her magic power, hoping to perceive a noticeable difference.

A surge of energy coursed through her, yet its impact wasn't immediately apparent.

The change was subtle, requiring a more focused exploration to fully comprehend.

She decided to continue her meditation, determined to discover what changes increased magic power had brought.

Two hours had passed, and she felt no change from before. This left her feeling immensely disappointed.

There was no tangible difference at all.

It appeared that allocating additional points to her magic power yielded no immediate benefits regarding her cultivation speed.

Nevertheless, despite this setback, Hao Gongming refused to give up.

This time, she decided to allocate a point to her soul power.

Instantly after her soul power increased, her surroundings became vivid and vibrant, as if the world around her had become clearer and more detailed.

She marveled at the heightened perception, akin to viewing the world through high-quality lenses. With expectation, she resumed her meditation.

The effects of increasing her soul power were profound this time. Almost immediately, she could feel the subtle presence of spiritual energy as she started her meditation.

However, she faltered in fully capturing and retaining the spiritual energy in the crucial moment.

Frustration etched across her face, but she refused to yield.

Gritting her teeth, she allocated another point to her spiritual power!

With her spiritual power reaching a milestone of 10.5, Hao Gongming felt a surge of energy.

A prompt from the system resonated in her mind, congratulating Hao Gongming on her progress and bestowing rewards:

Skill: Low-level Spiritual Sense - The host can sense most things within a 10-meter radius.

Skill: Low-level Sixth Sense - Enhances host's perception to sense potential dangers, as long as they do not exceed the level of Nascent Soul Realm.

Skill: Low-level Soul Out of the Body - Grants the host the ability to voluntarily separate the soul from the body and to move with the soul for a short while.

Astounded by these skills' usefulness and life-saving potential, Hao Gongming was excited about other skills she might get in the future.

After briefly contemplating, she settled down again, resuming her meditation practice.

This time, the presence of spiritual energy effortlessly permeated her senses.

Without exerting conscious effort, she could feel the abundant spiritual energy surrounding her.

Filled with excitement, she progressed to the next step—directing the spiritual energy into her body.

While this process typically took months for ordinary individuals, Hao Gongming achieved success within only three hours.

Although she faced a few initial setbacks, she persevered and collected a small amount of spiritual energy within her meridians.

As time passed, an increasing flow of spiritual power coursed through her meridians.

Suddenly, her stomach let out a loud growl, startling her from her cultivation trance.

It dawned on her that morning had arrived, and unintentionally, she had cultivated for over 12 hours.

Although physically fine, her body now craved sustenance.

Hao Gongming sighed and went to the kitchen, finding a delightful meal in the freezer.

After satiating her hunger, a thought crossed her: "Soul power is incredibly beneficial for cultivation. I should test its effectiveness against physical strength to determine which aspect to prioritize."

Leaving the house, she headed towards the bustling center of the outer sect, where shops and stalls flourished.

Looking to find a suitable place for sparring and combat training, she entered a shop.

She approached the counter and asked the man behind it: "Is there a designated area for sparring matches and real combat training?"

The shopkeeper nodded and replied, "Certainly! Are you new here? People gather at the training grounds daily for fights, and the sect rewards the winners with qi gathering pills."

With the location of the training grounds in mind, Hao Gongming hastened her steps.

She was excited to participate in the matches.

Soon she reached the destination and saw unoccupied seating areas surrounding a spacious circular arena.

The man from the shop had mentioned that the grounds would grow busier as the night approached.

She decided to wait, found a comfortable spot, and resumed cultivation.

Participants gradually filled the training grounds after more than ten hours.

Hao Gongming looked around, found the registration area, and moved toward it.

She registered for a match and then went out, waiting her turn.

The training grounds buzzed with activity, bustling with over 300 participants.

Hao Gongming couldn't help but marvel at the number of individuals here, realizing that these contests attracted many participants daily.

Soon, an elderly man stepped forward, serving as the match announcer.

With a loud voice, he called out the first pair of combatants, "Wu Jia and Teng Fang."

Both young men confidently advanced and entered the arena.

The watchful eyes of the old man focused on the unfolding match and, with a command of "Go!"

The fight began immediately after the old man announced.

Wu Jia launched a swift attack, aiming to strike Teng Fang's face, but Teng skillfully evaded the blow, retreating just in the nick of time.

Teng held a small fireball and hurled it toward Wu Jia.

Wu Jia managed to narrowly dodge the fireball.

The fireball moved fast toward the audience, but Before it could hit them, it dissipated upon hitting the invisible barrier encircling the arena.

Without wasting a moment, Teng summoned another fireball and shot it at Wu Jia.

Unable to avoid the incoming projectile, Wu Jia was struck in the chest.

The small fireball threw him more than 10 meters away before finally landing outside the arena.

The old man shouted, "Teng Fang emerges as the victor!"

Concerned individuals rushed to attend to the injured Wu Jia, who was spitting blood.

Meanwhile, the old man proclaimed, "Next up, Hao Gongming and Jia Qiu."

Hao Gongming smiled confidently as she calmly walked towards the arena.