Become a Core Disciple Directly?
"Shi Fan, nineteen years old! Does not meet the entry requirements!"
"Lin Feng, twenty years old! Does not meet the entry requirements!"
"Wang Tianci... thirty years old?!"
Elder Han stood before a massive stone tablet. It was a Spiritual Artifact capable of determining both the age and cultivation realm of every candidate.
Ten testing lanes had been arranged before the giant stone tablet, with ten smaller stone tablets in each lane. As a result, even with over a hundred thousand applicants, the first round of screening proceeded quickly.
"I'll say this one last time!"
"Anyone who doesn't meet the requirements should withdraw voluntarily. Don't even think about sneaking through! Stop wasting everyone's time!"
Elder Han's stern voice echoed across the plaza, his expression dark with displeasure.
Every year, some candidates attempted to deceive the sect, but it was rare to encounter someone as shameless as this year's Wang Tianci.
The man was already around thirty years old. His child could probably participate in the entrance examination, yet he still had the audacity to pretend he was young enough to qualify.
Simply outrageous.
As Elder Han's angry warning spread through the crowd, many embarrassed candidates quietly stepped out of the lines.
Even so, several people continued trying to slip through during the following tests.
Furious, Elder Han immediately declared that any family whose members attempted to cheat would be barred from participating in Qingyun Mountain's entrance examination for the next three years.
That announcement caused another large group of candidates to withdraw.
Soon, it was Zhang Lingxiao's turn.
He was assigned to the tenth testing lane.
The examiner there happened to be the only female Core Disciple present. She possessed delicate, elegant features, a graceful figure, and a gentle, pleasant voice.
"Name."
"Zhang Lingxiao."
"Place your palm on the stone tablet."
Zhang Lingxiao nodded and did as instructed.
"Age: Eighteen. Cultivation: Spiritual Martial Realm, Fifth Heaven..."
While recording the results, the female Core Disciple suddenly froze.
"Spiritual Martial Realm, Fifth Heaven?"
She frowned slightly.
"That can't be right. I only became a Core Disciple after reaching the Spiritual Martial Realm Fourth Heaven at the age of twenty-two. How can an eighteen-year-old Loose Cultivator already surpass me?"
Looking back at Zhang Lingxiao, she said, "Please test again. Place your hand on the stone tablet one more time."
Amused by her reaction, Zhang Lingxiao smiled and rubbed his nose before complying.
Buzz...
The stone tablet lit up once more.
The result remained exactly the same.
Han Ling'er stared at the glowing words before taking a deep breath.
"Wait here. I'll report this to Elder Han. Your case is extremely unusual. You may qualify to become an Inner Sect Disciple... or perhaps even a Core Disciple directly."
Zhang Lingxiao smiled.
"Then I'll thank Senior Sister in advance."
Han Ling'er returned the smile before hurrying toward Elder Han.
A short while later, Elder Han personally walked over. After carefully examining Zhang Lingxiao from head to toe, he turned to Han Ling'er.
"Ling'er, continue overseeing the examination. I'll take him up the mountain myself."
"Yes, Elder Han."
"Come with me."
With a wave of his hand, Elder Han summoned a mystic leaf-shaped flying artifact from his Storage Ring before stepping onto it.
Zhang Lingxiao followed with a light leap.
Once they were airborne, Zhang Lingxiao glanced down and noticed Zhan Wuji waiting in line behind him.
"Elder Han, a friend of mine is also taking the examination. He's eighteen years old and has reached the Spiritual Martial Realm Second Heaven. Doesn't he qualify to become an Inner Sect Disciple as well?"
Elder Han shook his head.
"An eighteen-year-old at the Spiritual Martial Realm Second Heaven is talented, but not exceptional enough to bypass the entrance process. He should follow the normal path—enter as an Outer Sect Disciple and earn promotion through future assessments."
He then looked at Zhang Lingxiao.
"You're different. At only eighteen, you've already reached the Spiritual Martial Realm Fifth Heaven. That alone qualifies you for direct admission as a Core Disciple. There's no need for any further testing."
Zhang Lingxiao nodded.
The sect naturally had its own rules.
Under countless astonished gazes, Elder Han and Zhang Lingxiao flew toward the summit of Qingyun Mountain.
Their departure immediately sparked heated discussions among the crowd.
Everyone wondered which powerful family had secretly nurtured such a monstrous genius.
Watching Zhang Lingxiao disappear into the distance, Zhan Wuji smiled.
"Brother Zhang really is loyal. He even recommended me to Elder Han."
He scratched his head helplessly.
"Unfortunately... this Fatty isn't quite qualified."
Although Elder Han had rejected the recommendation, Zhang Lingxiao's gesture still moved him.
Then a strange thought crossed his mind.
Did I suppress my cultivation a little too much?
Grinning mischievously, Zhan Wuji walked over to Han Ling'er and placed his chubby palm on the stone tablet.
Buzz...
"Name: Zhan Wuji."
"Age: Eighteen."
"Cultivation: Spiritual Martial Realm... Fifth Heaven!"
"What?! Another eighteen-year-old at the Spiritual Martial Realm Fifth Heaven?"
Han Ling'er's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.
Without hesitation, she took out a Sound Transmission Talisman from her Storage Pouch.
"Grandpa! There's another eighteen-year-old at the Spiritual Martial Realm Fifth Heaven! Come back quickly!"
In her excitement, she forgot to address Elder Han formally.
"Hahaha! Alright, Ling'er! Grandpa's coming back immediately!"
Elder Han's delighted laughter echoed from the talisman.
Meanwhile, Zhang Lingxiao, who was already riding the flying artifact, raised an eyebrow.
Another eighteen-year-old at the Spiritual Martial Realm Fifth Heaven? Exactly the same cultivation as me?
Curious, he returned with Elder Han.
When he saw the grinning Little Fatty waving at him, everything became clear.
The fellow had been hiding his true cultivation all along.
Just then, Gu Yue Ningbing's calm, indifferent voice sounded in his mind.
"Spiritual Martial Realm Fifth Heaven is only his disguise. His true cultivation is actually at the peak of the Spiritual Martial Realm."
Zhang Lingxiao's eyes widened.
"The peak of the Spiritual Martial Realm? Did this Fatty grow up swallowing medicinal pills?"
He fully understood what reaching the peak of the Spiritual Martial Realm at the age of eighteen represented.
Such talent was hardly inferior to Su Qing's.
Given enough time, breaking through to the Heavenly Martial Realm would be almost inevitable.
"He might have."
Gu Yue Ningbing replied calmly.
"The spiritual qi on the Barren Continent is far too thin. Under normal circumstances, an eighteen-year-old reaching the peak of the Spiritual Martial Realm should be impossible."
"There are only two likely explanations. Either he was born into an extremely wealthy family and has consumed countless high-grade medicinal pills since childhood, or he encountered an extraordinary heaven-defying opportunity."
"Otherwise, his cultivation could never have advanced so quickly."
After hearing her explanation, Zhang Lingxiao became even more interested in the mysterious Little Fatty.
An eighteen-year-old at the peak of the Spiritual Martial Realm...
Someone who repeatedly concealed his true cultivation...
There was undoubtedly a huge secret hidden behind him.