27: If you keep bragging about becoming a Holy Son from the inner sect, I'll become an immortal!

From the distant horizon, a paper crane flew over.

Although this paper crane appeared ordinary, seeing how its flight caused spatial distortions and teleported it across large distances, one could tell it was terrifyingly smooth.

When the Elders and the Sect Master heard the voice coming from the paper crane, they all turned solemn and bowed toward the crane in the air with their hands cupped.

"We pay our respects to Master."

The paper crane merely nodded slightly before floating toward Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan was all too familiar with this voice. He had just chatted with the other party for a long time; how could he not recognize it?

That's right, the voice coming from the paper crane was Sha Fulin's.

The paper crane landed, and specks of light drifted from its back, gradually coalescing into a human figure.

"Young man, we meet again."

What else could Zhou Yan say? He could only respond.

"Disciple Zhou Yan pays respects to the Grand Elder."

The phantom wasn't idle either; its personality was the same as the Clone in the Secret Realm.

As Zhou Yan bowed, it circled around him once, stroking its beard and sizing him up thoroughly.

"Not bad, not bad. Seeing you in person is much more handsome than what the Clone reported. You're only a few percent less handsome than I was in my youth."

"You few, have you discussed how to arrange for this Disciple yet?" Although Sha Fulin was asking Sect Master and the Elders, his eyes remained fixed on Zhou Yan.

Sect Master spoke first: "Master, my thought is to teach him personally."

"You know, I have the highest cultivation among us. As the top-ranked Disciple, if I don't teach him, who will? Who else but me?"

Seeing his teacher arrive, Sect Master stopped pretending in front of Zhou Yan. If he continued to put on an act, this old fogey would expose him anyway. As for how the other Disciples below the stage saw him?

Except for the new Disciples who didn't know him, which of the old Disciples didn't know their Sect Master's personality? He was too lazy to keep up the act.

"But this Disciple's Comprehension Ability is astounding. It's so high that my Clone proactively triggered a hidden measure to communicate with me, which is why I was able to come as an Incarnation."

"Two Nascent Soul-level Cultivation Techniques! If I hadn't been at the Soul Transformation Stage back then and already grasped the power of Laws, making it smoother to learn techniques below Soul Transformation, I might not have been able to learn them in a single day."

"This kid took less than half a day, and he's already reached the entry level for both Nascent Soul techniques."

As soon as Sha Fulin said this, the entire audience was shocked.

When they were comprehending the technique of the final trial, even just memorizing all the content was difficult.

But the guy before them had not only learned them all but had already reached the entry level. According to the Grand Elder, it seemed his comprehension speed was similar to the old man's when he was at the Soul Transformation Stage.

Below the stage, everyone except Long Tianxing and Wang Yao was shocked.

But these words took on a different meaning in the ears of Sect Master and the others.

"Oh no, this old fogey isn't right." This was a Sound Transmission from the Fourth Elder.

"Do you even need to say it? His personality is far worse than the Second Elder's. There's no telling what disgusting move he'll pull in a moment." This was a Sound Transmission from the Third Elder.

"Hey, hey, hey, when you're badmouthing me, please block my Divine Sense. You're not even trying to hide it anymore, are you!"

"It's too much trouble to pull you back in later. Don't let Master find out."

"Don't hide anything anymore. Say whatever can be said later. You wouldn't want to suddenly have another Junior Brother, would you?" This was a Sound Transmission from the Sixth Elder.

"Agreed." This was a Sound Transmission from the Grand Elder.

Sure enough, Sha Fulin still uttered those words that lacked the dignity of an Elder: "What do you say if I take him as my Disciple? Any objections?"

Sixth Elder: "But Master, aren't you going into secluded meditation? How are you going to teach him?"

"Don't I have you Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters? Usually, you guys will teach him. When I have some free time from my cultivation, he can come to the front of my Immortal Cave, and I can teach him too."

"I've taught six Void Refining experts like you, and my own cultivation has already reached Undergoing Tribulation. Before long, I might even reach Mahayana."

"With such a good Disciple, if I don't teach him, who will? Who else but me?"

Hearing this, the Fourth Elder stopped hiding. As the one who knew the most, he had to stand up now. Otherwise, forget being qualified to take a Disciple, he might not even get the chance to teach on behalf of their Master.

"Reporting to Master, you really cannot take this Disciple."

Hearing that it was the Fourth Elder speaking, Sha Fulin, who had been looking at Zhou Yan with a pleasant expression, instantly vanished. When he reappeared, his forehead was pressed against the Fourth Elder's.

"I haven't settled the score with you for that damn chair yet. If the Old Ancestor hadn't said I shouldn't hit children, you would've been folded at least eight times back then."

Because he was so close, Sha Fulin was full of overwhelming pressure.

The Fourth Elder swallowed hard and then said in a gentle voice: "No, Master, listen to my explanation first."

Hearing this, Sha Fulin stepped back a few paces and crossed his arms, wearing an expression that said 'you'd better actually have something useful to say'.

"He has a Single Spiritual Root."

The expressions of the other Elders changed, thinking that the Fourth Elder actually had an ace up his sleeve.

Sha Fulin's expression improved significantly. High comprehension and high cultivation talent—this was a good thing; it was only right that he gain another excellent Disciple.

"He also has a special Physique; his eyes can see through all illusions."

"He could even see through the Secret Realm I casually set up and used a loophole to shatter the Secret Realm's space," the Third Elder interjected at the right moment.

Hearing this, Sha Fulin's face stiffened, and he had a bad premonition.

"He carries his own Immortal Qi and is suspected to be an Immortal's Reincarnation."

"His Physical Body strength can rival the Primordial True Form constitution, and he can even use Spells containing Immortal Qi," the Grand Elder and Sixth Elder added from the side.

Sha Fulin was no longer calm, nor was Sect Master. But the one who was the least calm was Zhou Yan, who stood by listening to their descriptions.

Are they talking about me? Probably not, right?

What the heck is this! This isn't me at all!

Zhou Yan was getting more and more alarmed as he listened. If he let them keep bragging, he'd probably undergo Ascension tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the crowd below the stage, hearing so much explosive news, began sharing it with their absent friends. They said an Immortal's Reincarnation had arrived in this batch, and the Elders and Sect Master were all fighting to take him as a Disciple—even the Grand Elder was trying to get involved.

Zhou Yan watched the Reputation points in his panel accumulate continuously. His status had already changed from 'Unknown' to 'Slightly Famous,' completing one of the mission requirements.

The progress of the mission didn't make Zhou Yan happy. He was now sitting on pins and needles, watching the Elders talk incessantly about how Heaven-Defying his talent was and how powerful his Physique was.

He just wanted to say: "Please stop bragging, I'm scared."

Clearly, everyone was discussing Zhou Yan, but their gazes were focused on the people discussing him.

Initially, Sha Fulin was somewhat delighted to hear that Zhou Yan's talent was so good. After all, the higher a Disciple's talent, the less he'd have to worry, and the more extraordinary his future achievements would be. But now, only calmness remained.

Calculating the time, it seemed it was about that time.

Sha Fulin interrupted everyone and asked if many Prodigies had been appearing in the major top-tier Sects and other parts of the cultivation world recently.

The few of them were a bit dazed. Why bring this up all of a sudden? But they answered truthfully nonetheless.

Hearing that there were indeed many more Prodigies than in previous eras, Sha Fulin frowned and nodded.

"It seems it's that time again, much earlier than usual."

Sect Master: "Master, what is it time for?"

Sha Fulin ignored him and instead turned his Divine Sense transmission to the maximum, broadcasting it directly with his true body.

"Today, Qingxu Grotto-Heaven appoints Zhou Yan as a Saint Candidate. The Saint Trials shall begin as of today!"