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Chapter 16: The Protagonist Speaks Gravely, "Do Not Underestimate a Young Man’s Resolve!":
“Since I was expelled from the inner sect, two years have passed!!”
“Two years!! Do you know what I’ve been through these past two years??”
“Today, I will reclaim everything I’ve lost. Those who once mocked me, I will trample them all underfoot!!”
The true protagonist, Lu Ming, stood amidst the crowd, brimming with confidence. To him, this day had been awaited for too long!! There had been too much build-up for this day!!
Since being kicked out of the inner sect, he had become the laughingstock of the entire sect!!
Countless people mocked him!!
Countless people ridiculed him!!
Former friends treated him with cold indifference, and former masters ignored him!!
After being expelled to the outer sect, only Lu Ming himself knew what he had endured for these two years!!
With the help of his golden-fingered Big Sister, he had been developing in secret!!
Training desperately!!
Without anyone noticing, his real strength had reached the pinnacle of the outer sect!!
Lu Ming had been biding his time, hiding his true abilities from everyone!
All of this was to amaze everyone today, to leave them all in awe!!
Though a month ago, his opportunity was stolen by someone else, relying on the elixirs made by his golden-fingered Big Sister, his cultivation had now reached the 3rd stage Spirit Condensing Realm!!
Currently, the number one in the outer sect, Chu Hui, was only at the 2nd stage Spirit Condensing Realm!
“Now, I am truly the number one in the outer sect!!”
“The position of personal disciple, I am determined to get it!!”
Lu Ming’s face was filled with pride. Moreover... he still had the trump card of the beautiful master in his necklace.
This sect assessment would be the beginning of his rise to power!!
“Huh?”
Meanwhile, Lu Ming looked around, searching for someone’s figure.
Lin Ang!!
However, after searching for a long time, he did not seem to find Lin Ang.
This made Lu Ming shake his head in disappointment.
He wondered if Lin Ang was not participating in this sect assessment??
If so, Lu Ming would be very disappointed.
Soon, he would be the most dazzling new star in this plaza.
Originally, Lu Ming had planned to trample Lin Ang in front of Qiu Ruohan.
To show Qiu Ruohan who the real protagonist was!!
At this moment, in the distance, on a stone platform in the plaza, an inner sect elder waved his sleeve, and his voice echoed over a hundred miles: “Since all the outer sect disciples are here, the sect assessment officially begins!!”
As soon as he spoke, the atmosphere in the plaza instantly became extremely heated.
The assessment had begun!!
The sect assessment consisted of three parts.
Cultivation test, talent test, and finally the strength test.
Reaching the 5th stage Qi Refinement Realm only meant meeting the initial requirement to enter the inner sect. If the talent level was lower than intermediate, they would still not qualify!!
The talent test was the most valued by the inner sect elders. If someone’s talent reached the advanced level, they would be directly accepted as a core disciple of the inner sect!
The last step was the strength test.
In the plaza, a row of giant stone tablets stood.
As long as one touched the stone tablet, their talent and cultivation would be displayed on the tablet.
Now, an inner sect elder announced loudly: “The inner sect assessment begins, please come up and test!”
With those words, a man in black clothes was the first to step onto the platform.
The man was an ordinary outer sect disciple who, after several years of hard work, had barely reached the 5th stage Qi Refinement Realm.
At this moment, the black-clad man nervously walked onto the platform and touched the stone tablet.
Buzz!!
The stone tablet glowed with a faint yellow light and a line of text appeared.
[5th stage Qi Refinement Realm]
The inner sect elder glanced at the nervous black-clad man and said indifferently, “5th stage Qi Refinement Realm, yellow talent. Promoted to ordinary inner sect disciple!!”
As soon as he spoke, the black-clad man’s face was filled with joy!!
He couldn't help but cheer!!
Entering the inner sect!!
From this moment, his life would change!!
Below the platform, many envious gazes were cast toward him.
In the following time, countless outer sect disciples stepped up to test!
Very soon...
A young man’s appearance drew countless eyes.
The young man wore a long white robe, held a long spear, and had an extraordinary aura.
He was no older than seventeen or eighteen, extremely handsome.
“It’s Chu Hui, the top-ranked outer sect disciple!!”
“He is also the last disciple of a certain outer sect elder, who has been training hard for three years. His cultivation is probably already at the Spirit Condensing Realm...!!”
“This is a real big shot... Look over there, several inner sect elders are already eager to take him as their disciple!!”
Seeing the young man in white robes, the whole scene erupted in discussions.
Chu Hui appeared to enjoy the attention immensely.
He walked up the stone platform in a few steps and bowed slightly to the inner sect elder in charge.
Then, he pointed in mid-air!
Directly touching the stone tablet ahead.
Buzz!!
The stone tablet emitted a deep sonic boom, and then...
The stone tablet’s color changed from yellow to green, and finally...
It settled on blue!!
This meant it was an advanced talent!!
At the same time, Chu Hui’s cultivation displayed on the stone tablet was the second level of the Spirit Condensing Realm!!
“Advanced talent!!”
“Who would have thought there would be advanced talent among the outer sect disciples??”
On the mountainside of the inner sect, some inner sect disciples who had come to watch couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration when they saw Chu Hui’s talent.
“There are less than a hundred people with advanced talent in the entire Qingyun Dao Sect!!”
“This Chu Hui will surely be valued by the inner sect elders and taken as a personal disciple!!”
“Our Azure Cloud Sect inner sect gains another genius!!”
On the stone platform.
“Hmm... Not bad.”
The inner sect elder nodded, looking satisfied, “2nd stage Spirit Condensing Realm, advanced talent.”
“Promoted to personal disciple of the inner sect!!”
With these words, the atmosphere below became extremely noisy!!
A personal disciple...
That was a level above even core disciples.
They could personally follow inner sect elders to train!!
Learning advanced techniques and martial arts!!
Even in the inner sect, a core disciple might train for over a decade and still not become a personal disciple!!
Meanwhile, the inner sect elder in charge spoke again, addressing everyone in the plaza: “All disciples who pass the assessment have one chance to challenge others.”
“If you win the challenge, you can take the other’s disciple seat!”
“You only get one chance.”
As soon as he finished speaking...
The whole scene fell into a dead silence.
While the personal disciple seat was tempting, challenging Chu Hui, the undisputed number one in the outer sect, seemed like asking for death.
However...
Just when everyone thought no one would dare challenge Chu Hui, a calm voice emerged from the crowd: “I want to challenge Chu Hui!!”
As soon as these words were spoken, thousands of eyes focused on the speaker!!
Soon, a young man stepped forward toward the platform!!
“It’s... It’s Lu Ming??!!”
“This trash, he hasn’t left the sect yet??”
“Hahahaha...!!!”
The young man was Lu Ming, who was expelled from the inner sect two years ago!!
Back then, Lu Ming had carried the title of a prodigy, making his expulsion from the inner sect particularly ironic.
Now...
Everyone in the plaza, whether inner or outer sect disciples, or elders, recognized Lu Ming!!
“Lu Ming, this waste, dares to challenge Chu Hui??”
“He hasn’t even passed the test, what right does he have to challenge Chu Hui??”
“Hahaha... This waste still likes to show off. Back then, he even had the delusion of getting close to Daozi Qiu Ruohan, a toad lusting after a swan’s flesh...”
Countless mocking voices came from afar.
Lu Ming’s expression remained indifferent, but inwardly, he was even more satisfied!!
Because he knew, the harsher these people mocked him now, the harder they would be slapped in the face!!
Lu Ming, full of pride, stepped onto the platform.
Looking at those mocking him, he sneered: “Soon, you will regret mocking me!!”
“I am no longer the person I used to be!!”
Under everyone’s gaze,
Lu Ming stepped onto the platform.
Then, he reached out his hand and touched the stone tablet!!
Buzz!!!
The ancient stone tablet trembled!!
Then...
It emitted a red light!!
Simultaneously, a line of text appeared.
[3rd stage Spirit Condensing Realm!!!]
At this moment, the whole crowd fell silent!!
Countless outer and inner sect disciples: “...”
Elders: “....”
Lu Ming looked at the silent crowd, full of pride!!
Especially when he looked at Qiu Ruohan, he was even more pleased!!
He uttered that classic line: “Do not underestimate a young man’s resolve!!”
However, Lu Ming didn't notice that on the peak of the inner sect mountain,
Qiu Ruohan sat quietly, her silky hair flowing.
She looked like an immortal from a painting.
At this moment, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, not paying attention to Lu Ming at all.
Her gaze was searching for someone else.
In the distance, Lin Ang observed all this with a calm expression.
Silent.
He just watched Lu Ming show off quietly.
Then, he would effortlessly trample Lu Ming underfoot.
Making him a stepping stone.
The feeling of seeing someone reach the peak only to be sent to hell again.
That was truly satisfying!!
-To be continued!
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T/N: Thanks for reading!