"He's an elder of the Profound Sword Sect… a Nascent Soul Realm expert."
Gui Yiyi's lips parted slightly, her breath caught in her throat. She stared in awe at the young man beside Jian Nantian.
Xuan Yi.
He couldn't be more than a few years older than her—yet he had already reached the Nascent Soul Realm.
"Twenty years old? Nascent Soul Realm?!"
She couldn't wrap her mind around it. Compared to such a monster of talent, she felt like a drop in the ocean.
Before she could gather her thoughts, Jian Nantian's voice echoed across the square with majestic authority.
"Everyone, since you've come all this way, I won't waste time. I now officially announce the beginning of the Profound Sword Sect's disciple recruitment ceremony!"
The atmosphere instantly shifted.
Thousands of young cultivators tensed up, straightening their backs, eyes filled with anticipation and nervous energy.
The recruitment was divided into two stages.
The first stage tested bone age and cultivation.
Those under the age of twenty with cultivation at or above the third level of Qi Condensation would pass and move on to the second stage. For most gathered here, that bar had already been met—they had trained for this moment for years.
But the second stage—the real test—was where the elimination would occur.
A field trial in the Demon Beast Forest just outside the Profound Sword Sect.
The rules were simple but brutal.
Participants would be escorted into the forest and left to fight demon beasts. These beasts weren't particularly powerful—most were between the second and ninth level of Qi Condensation—but the number of kills, the strength of the beasts, and the way one fought were all considered.
It wasn't just about power. It was about combat ability.
Someone with low cultivation but sharp instincts and good tactics could outperform a brute with no control.
At the end of the trial, the top 1,000 performers would be chosen as Outer Disciples of the Profound Sword Sect. And among those, those who truly stood out might catch the eye of an elder—earning the rare chance to become a Personal Disciple.
A dream every young cultivator longed for.
But the odds were harsh.
Of the ten thousand gathered in the square, only a thousand would make the cut.
Nine out of every ten would be eliminated.
To begin the first round, the sect had prepared ten Violet Spirit Crystals, lined up in front of the crowd. These crystals could detect both bone age and cultivation, as well as the strength and purity of spiritual power.
Although they weren't considered rare, they were known for their accuracy.
Jian Nantian's announcement was still ringing in the ears of the crowd as lines began forming before the crystals.
"Yingli, bone age 17, Qi Condensation fourth level—qualified!"
"Li Tao, bone age 19, Qi Condensation third level—qualified!"
"Yuan Zhihong, bone age 19, Qi Condensation second level—unqualified."
"Fang Man, bone age 16, Qi Condensation fourth level—qualified!"
The results rolled on, one after another.
Most had come prepared, aware of the Profound Sword Sect's requirements. Still, some were inevitably eliminated—faces falling, dreams crumbling.
High on the ceremonial platform, Elder Xuan Yi watched it all calmly.
His eyes swept across the square, gaze sharp as blades, but his thoughts were troubled.
"Natural talent 31… no."
"Grade 39… too low."
"Talent 71—passable, but still not good enough."
A disappointed sigh escaped his lips.
"I've taken it for granted. Even Bai Zisong, the so-called number one genius of the sect, only has a talent level of 92…"
His hopes for completing the branch mission—finding a disciple with over 100 aptitude—were beginning to fade.
That's when he saw her.
At first, he only noticed her in passing—a young woman, calm and composed in line. Her features were delicate, almost ethereal. She radiated a quiet elegance that made her stand out without trying.
But that wasn't what caught Xuan Yi's attention.
Above her head, a glowing number hovered in golden light.
Natural Talent… 197!
Xuan Yi blinked.
Then he looked again.
"Am I hallucinating?"
197. Not just breaking the 100-point barrier—but more than double the highest aptitude in the sect.
His pulse quickened.
"This is… unprecedented. With 197 talent, she's not just a genius—she's a once-in-a-thousand-year prodigy!"
But something confused him.
"Wait… with that kind of aptitude, why is she only at the fourth level of Qi Condensation?"
At her age—seventeen or eighteen—she should've soared far beyond that realm already.
Suddenly, a faint shimmer of text appeared in his vision. Additional data from the system.
Cold Ice Spirit Body [Inactive]Activation Method: Ice Spirit Grass
Xuan Yi's eyes narrowed.
"So that's why…"
The girl possessed a special spirit body—the Cold Ice Spirit Body—a rare and powerful physique capable of monstrous cultivation speed and combat power.
But it was sealed. Dormant. Without the Ice Spirit Grass, it couldn't be awakened.
And Ice Spirit Grass—while not a high-tier herb—was incredibly rare and difficult to find.
Still, to Xuan Yi, none of that mattered.
This was the one he had been looking for.
"I want this person."
There was no way he'd let her slip away.
At first, Xuan Yi considered stepping down immediately to take her in as a disciple. But after a moment's thought, he restrained himself.
"No… better to observe her a little longer. I want to see her conduct, her decision-making… her will."
If she truly lived up to her potential, he would not only accept her—he would personally nurture her to become a pillar of the Profound Sword Sect.
Down in the square, Gui Yiyi placed her hand on the crystal, unaware that she had just become the center of one of the most powerful cultivators' attention.
As the crystal glowed softly, and her qualifications were announced, she stepped away quietly, her face calm.
To others, she was just another qualified participant.
But for Xuan Yi…
She was the key to completing his quest—and perhaps something far greater.