4: A down-and-out genius

"Li Xingyan, Fire and Wood Dual Spiritual Root, Qi Condensation Third Stage."

Purple Cloud City is located in the southeast of the Great Zhou Dynasty, next to Purple Cloud Lake.

It is subordinate to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

Within Purple Cloud City, there are four great Foundation Establishment Families: Wang, Qian, Zhao, and Li.

Among them, the Li Family arrived in Purple Cloud City over three hundred years ago and has since multiplied for nearly ten generations, with a population of several thousand.

Today was the day of the Li Family's test.

The purpose was to test the cultivation of the Family's disciples using the Spiritual Testing Stone and allocate resources.

The young man stared blankly at the somewhat dazzling words on the Spiritual Testing Stone, his face pale and a bitter smile on his lips.

Although he had expected it, the mocking voices around him still made him feel a piercing pain.

"Haha, Qi Condensation Third Stage, even a ten-year-old child is stronger than him, right?"

"He's really a good-for-nothing, bringing shame to our Li Family."

"Hmph, if his grandfather wasn't the Clan Chief, he would have been kicked out to manage the shops long ago. He's just taking up space."

"Don't say that, he's still our Li Family's Genius, after all."

"Haha~ Genius, perhaps once, but now? He's nothing!"

The mocking voices from all around were like sharp blades constantly piercing the young man's heart, making his breathing slightly rapid.

He clenched his fists tightly, but a sharp pain suddenly jolted him awake. The young man sighed, walked dejectedly to the back of the crowd, and waited silently.

"Next, Li Xingyun."

Above, the judge's voice rang out, and the crowd parted. A dignified figure, escorted by his lackeys, walked onto the high platform.

Unlike Li Xingyan, this "Genius," Li Xingyun was the true Genius of the Li Family. His Wind-attribute Variant Spiritual Root allowed him to enjoy the admiration of others since childhood.

The Grand Elder above nodded with satisfaction; this was his grandson.

Seemingly noticing the Clan Chief's displeased expression, the Grand Elder feigned a comforting tone, "Clan Chief, rest assured, with my grandson, the Li Family will have a successor."

"Hmph!" The Clan Chief's face grew even uglier. How could he not hear the intention to seize power in those words?

But what could he do when his own grandson was so disappointing?

"Alas~"

After a sigh, the Clan Chief began to recall the young man's past glory.

The young man began to Cultivate at six, reached Qi Condensation Middle Stage at ten, and Qi Condensation Late Stage at thirteen, almost one Realm per year, as if he had no Bottleneck.

He instantly became the youngest Qi Condensation Late Stage expert in the Li Family, and even in the entire Purple Cloud City, for a hundred years.

That year, the young man was peerlessly brilliant, with unparalleled potential, the future of the Li Family, and his pride.

However, just as natural events are unpredictable, human fortunes can change overnight.

Three years ago, the highly-regarded young man suffered the cruelest blow of his life.

Overnight, his cultivation plummeted.

From Genius to good-for-nothing, it only took one night. This blow left the young man dispirited, and the admiration and praise of his clansmen were gradually replaced by indifference and mockery.

He saw it and worried about it, but he was helpless.

He had also sought medical help several times, but it was all in vain.

While the Clan Chief was deep in thought, the results of the test below were announced.

The judge loudly declared, "Li Xingyun, Wind-attribute Variant Spiritual Root, Qi Condensation Seventh Stage."

"Terrifying, truly terrifying."

"He's only seventeen and already at Qi Condensation Seventh Stage. He'll probably be able to Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment in just a few years, right?"

"This talent, even compared to the rumored Old Ancestor Li Xiangyun, is not inferior, is it?"

Li Xingyun walked off the stage with his hands behind his back, full of arrogance, enjoying the flattery around him.

Although he had heard these words countless times, hearing them again still brought him joy.

At the same time, the judge's voice rang out again.

"Next, Li Xiner."

In an instant, everyone's gaze fixed on a young woman.

The young woman wore a pure white long dress, her beautiful face adorned with a mischievous smile, moving like an elf, and radiating a sacred glow.

Everyone was instantly captivated, including Li Xingyun, whose eyes were filled with fervent desire as he looked at the young woman.

"Such a beautiful woman should become my Dao Companion. As for him..." Li Xingyun looked through the crowd at the young man, "He's just a good-for-nothing!"

Hearing the judge's voice, the young woman calmly walked out of the crowd and onto the high platform. She gently raised her fair wrist and placed her snow-white hand on the crystal clear Spiritual Testing Stone.

In that instant, a dazzling light erupted.

Immediately, the judge loudly announced, "Li Xiner, Water and Fire Dual Spiritual Root, Qi Condensation Ninth Stage!"

"How is that possible?"

The crowd below burst into an uproar, appearing incredulous.

"Unbelievable, truly unbelievable."

"You know Li Xingyun has a Variant Spiritual Root, right? How could Young Miss Xin'er, with just a Dual Spiritual Root, be stronger than him?"

Ignoring the discussions of the crowd, the young woman walked off the high platform with a calm expression.

Li Xingyun's eyes lit up. After gently tidying his sleeves, he quickly went to meet her, "Young Miss Xin'er, are you free to have dinner together?"

The expected smile did not appear. The young woman merely gave Li Xingyun a cold glance before quickly leaving.

Curious, everyone followed the young woman's direction until she reached Li Xingyan, where she finally smiled and said, "Brother Xingyan, let's go home for dinner!"

With that, without waiting for the young man's reaction, she already held his hand and pulled him away from the square.

"Crack!"

At this moment, everyone seemed to hear such a sound; it was the sound of a broken heart.

Looking at Li Xingyun, his face was now beet red. He clenched his fists tightly, even as his sharp fingernails dug into his flesh, as if he didn't feel it.

If it were just a rejection, it wouldn't have affected Li Xingyun this much.

But the young woman's coldness towards him and her enthusiasm for that good-for-nothing made Li Xingyun's heart twist in pain.

"She wouldn't even deign to speak a word to me?"

Li Xingyun felt immense humiliation. Even though the surrounding crowd did not mock him due to his strength.

But those strange gazes were like sharp blades piercing his chest, making his breathing somewhat rapid.

At this moment, Li Xingyun finally understood the pain Li Xingyan felt when he was mocked.

Watching the retreating figures of Li Xingyan and Li Xiner, an emotion called resentment and jealousy wildly grew in Li Xingyun's heart.

"Tsk tsk~ Is there anything more painful in the world than unrequited love?"

On the high platform, the Clan Chief, showing his age, casually commented. This made the Grand Elder's face darken.

If it weren't for the numerous clansmen present, the Grand Elder would have taught him a harsh lesson.

To behave like this over a woman was truly a disgrace to him.

Li Xingyun, immersed in his own world, naturally did not notice the Grand Elder's death glare. He was already lost in endless resentment, unable to extricate himself.

The test continued. For everyone present, what had just happened was at most a seasoning in the monotonous wait, forgotten in a blink of an eye.

Only Li Xingyun suddenly left the high platform with a calm expression, no longer displaying his previous arrogance.