136: The popular Yun Qingyao

What the hell?

How can you say Revered Master is a ghost?

Jiang Ning coughed twice, “Little White, don’t talk nonsense. How can Cultivators be afraid of ghosts? Besides, you are a Rank 2 Foundation Establishment Stage Spirit Beast, are you afraid of ghost Cultivators?

Don't speak further.”

“There really is one!”

Little White said, feeling wronged.

Shen Jinhuan patted Little White’s head.

Little White’s eyes lit up.

“Huanhuan, you believe me? I knew it! Huanhuan, you’re the best to me!”

Shen Jinhuan: “I’m checking if you hit your head. You’re already talking nonsense in broad daylight.”

Little White: …Hateful Revered Master and Huanhuan!

There really is one!

She huffed and didn’t want to talk to Jiang Ning or Shen Jinhuan anymore.

She wanted to run away from home, but was afraid that “ghost” would come to touch her tail again, so she simply stayed on Shen Jinhuan’s shoulder, closing her eyes to sulk.

In the blink of an eye.

The Ascension Steps had ended.

No matter how they got up or what they experienced, by now, the three hundred Disciples who qualified all looked joyful.

At this moment, the representatives of the Three Great Factions stood up.

With a wave of their wide sleeves, they led their Disciples behind them and landed on the Immortal Mountain.

The irrelevant personnel from Xuanhuang City could no longer see the next three checkpoints.

Jiang Ning and the others stood to the side.

Listening to Daoist Lingbao lecture the Disciples participating in the assessment.

“If this were another Sect, they might test Aptitude first, and then proceed to the Ascension Steps stage.”

“But the Ascension Assembly places it at the very beginning to tell you that regardless of Aptitude or strength, on the path of Cultivation, choice is especially important.”

“Among the Cultivators who did not ascend the Immortal Mountain, there must be some with good talent, but because of their choices, they missed out on the Ascension Assembly.”

“The same goes for you. It is only because you made the right choices, and Luck happened to be on your side, that you can continue.”

“May all of you remember, on the path of Cultivation, a single thought can decide life or death.”

Speaking of this, Daoist Lingbao pointed to an open space in front of the Boundless Immortal Mountain’s gate.

“Choice and Luck are sufficient, but you must also face the Innate differences. Everyone, please proceed.”

After Daoist Lingbao finished speaking, he sat back down.

The Disciples who were previously responsible for guiding the way began to perform their duties.

Some maintained order, while others began to lead these three hundred Disciples to the place where Aptitude would be tested.

Jiang Ning had seen those instruments.

They were the size of a volleyball, shaped like transparent crystal balls.

One would place their hand on it, calm their mind, and the crystal ball would sense and test the Cultivator’s Physique and Aptitude.

“Aptitude is divided into four major Ranks: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow, and within these four major Ranks, there are three minor Ranks: High, Middle, and Low.”

Jiang Ning looked at Shen Jinhuan.

Although he and Chen Hai had a division, in Chen Hai’s memory, Shen Jinhuan’s Aptitude when she was tested was Earth Rank Low.

Yun Qingyao, on the other hand, was Earth Rank High, infinitely close to Heaven Rank.

This was also why Yun Qingyao was so popular.

A Disciple with Aptitude infinitely close to Heaven Rank would form her Nascent Soul in a very short time and lead the Bixiao Sect to become the largest Sect in the Cang Ling Domain.

Such a Disciple carried nine-tenths of the Bixiao Sect’s Luck.

If this opportunity was not seized, there would basically be no other chances in the future.

Of course, these were all Aptitude classifications of the “Lower Realm.”

According to the later development of the novel, in the Immortal Realm, there were also Immortal Grade and Saint Grade Aptitudes… well, it’s a Cultivation novel after all.

Male-oriented novels become a nesting doll in the mid to Late Stages.

Female-oriented novels become about dating in the mid to Late Stages.

There’s nothing else.

The little fox heard Jiang Ning’s explanation.

As expected, she couldn’t hold back and started asking about Shen Jinhuan’s Aptitude.

Shen Jinhuan truthfully said: “My Aptitude is Earth Rank Low.”

“Ah?”

Little White was a bit dejected, “I thought Huanhuan, you, at twelve, almost at Qi Refining Perfection, would have Heaven Rank Aptitude! How terrifying is Heaven Rank Aptitude then!”

Jiang Ning and Shen Jinhuan exchanged glances.

Neither of them spoke.

Originally, Shen Jinhuan did not Cultivate Demonic Technique, but now that Shen Jinhuan Cultivates Demonic Technique, it can be said that her potential has been unleashed, plus she is the big boss.

Saint Grade Aptitude is not impossible.

The Aptitude testing stage was very simple, just pure screening and recording.

The Three Great Factions’ requirement was to reach Profound Rank Aptitude; those below Profound Rank could only return.

Among these three hundred people who made it up, aside from a few, most were genuinely talented.

This round eliminated forty-seven people, leaving two hundred and fifty-three.

After that, it was testing combat potential and combat will.

This tested whether a Cultivator had the courage to “draw their sword” when facing danger.

If one didn’t even have the courage to “draw their sword,” what Immortal Path was there to Cultivate?

The review standard for this round was very flexible.

It was the Tiance Military Prefecture responsible for the testing, while the Yingtong Merchant Guild and Yaoguang Immortal Palace would score outside the arena.

Based on the Cultivator’s performance in combat, they would be rated “Pass,” “Fail,” “A,” or “B.”

Those who failed were directly eliminated.

The remaining three scoring Ranks would follow the Cultivator until the results of the Heart-Questioning stage were out.

The total scores would be combined to decide whether to enter the outer or inner Sect.

And the Three Great Factions would also make a two-way selection with the Cultivators.

Jiang Ning glanced at the little fox; although she had recovered from the fright of the “ghost,” she was still somewhat wary.

He would let her off for now.

Su Rao led the people responsible for the “Heart-Questioning” checkpoint towards the palace at the foot of the mountain.

“Someone will finish the second checkpoint soon, and we need to start keeping an eye on it.”

Jiang Ning felt it was a pity.

He had originally wanted to observe the various arenas in the second round to see if Yun Qingyao would use the Bixiao Sect’s Martial Skills.

Upon arriving at the palace.

Jiang Ning breathed a sigh of relief.

He was afraid that the three palaces, three Heart-Questioning Mirrors, would require going into three different rooms.

In that case, he would have to constantly watch the other two rooms.

Unlike now, the three mirrors were three meters apart, all in one place.

As long as Yun Qingyao came, he would be able to observe her… on the arena.

Yun Qingyao easily dealt with the Tiance Military Prefecture soldier she was fighting against.

Every Ascension Assembly, there would be outstanding Disciples who would defeat the Tiance Military Prefecture testers, but not many.

This was the first one of this session.

The Tiance Military Prefecture soldier who fought Yun Qingyao blushed.

He was actually the first to be defeated, and the opponent did it almost by overwhelming him; it was too embarrassing.

The soldiers on the other arenas looked over, all with amusement.

Damn it!

The soldier cursed inwardly.

He thought, if you think you can do it, then you go up.

But a loss is a loss.

He cupped his fists, allowing Yun Qingyao to step down from the arena.

The Yingtong Merchant Guild Disciple and the Yaoguang Immortal Palace Disciple responsible for recording exchanged glances, their hearts burning.

Before even writing down the “A” rating, they began to transmit messages to their respective Elders.

“Elder Lingbao, the Disciple participating in the selection on Arena Nine defeated the gatekeeper in just a few moves!”

“Elder Baihe, Arena Nine…”