3: Sect Assessment

"Dong'er, come here."

Qin Su beckoned, and the youth behind him stepped forward.

"Come and meet your Sister Mu."

Qin Dong stepped forward and immediately bowed respectfully.

"Junior Qin Dong greets Sister Mu."

From their conversation just now, Qin Dong understood quite a few things. It turned out his cheap old man had used his past connections to get her to come here, all to allow him to join a sect and develop.

Mu Qingyue looked at Qin Dong. Seeing this slightly shy youth, she liked him more and more. Unconsciously, she let out an auntie-like smile, and her fingers couldn't help but pinch his cheek.

Qin Dong could only endure this helplessly.

"As expected of Brother Qin's son, to have such a temperament at such a young age."

"In time, who knows how many little fairies he will attract."

To the side, Hong Momo also stepped forward. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Qin Dong, constantly chasing after him to ask this and that.

But when Mu Qingyue straightened her expression to carefully examine his cultivation, she was slightly stunned. He actually had no cultivation?

She looked back at the other geniuses of Desolate Profound City nearby; they all had cultivation, all at the second or third level of the Qi Refining Realm.

Although it wasn't very high, it was still genuine cultivation.

"This is?"

"Dong'er's talent is poor; he has yet to step onto the path of cultivation."

At that moment, Qin Su's voice transmission quietly entered her ear, and Mu Qingyue showed a look of realization.

"Are you willing to join my Cloud Heaven Sect and become a disciple of our sect?"

However, before Qin Dong could answer, an untimely voice rang out from the side.

"Senior Sister, doing this isn't quite right. It doesn't seem to follow the sect's rules."

"Even if Senior Sister has a history with this person, he should still pass the assessment."

Chen Yuan's voice sounded, his tone flat yet carrying a hint of questioning.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward, and people from other families showed expressions of watching a show.

"Father, what's wrong?"

Seeing Qin Su constantly blinking his eyes at him, Qin Dong asked curiously.

"What are you waiting for? Take them out quickly."

"Spirit stones, where are those spirit stones your mother gave you three days ago?"

Qin Su leaned in and spoke somewhat anxiously. He didn't want Qin Dong to miss this golden opportunity.

Even though he had done her a favor in his early years, who knew how much of that gratitude remained after so many years?

There was too much deception in the cultivation world; interests were the most practical. Those were things he had prepared for a long time—weren't they meant to be used today?

"I've already spent them."

Qin Dong shook his head and spoke slowly.

"What?"

Qin Su felt as if he had been struck by a bolt from the blue. An unfilial son, simply an unfilial son!

Those one hundred and fifty spirit stones were the Qin Family's savings for twenty years. How could this kid squander them all in three days?

How did you spend those spirit stones? Did you spend them at a brothel? Even if you called for a hundred girls a night for three nights straight, you wouldn't be able to spend them all!

Seeing that the two Qin men hadn't made a move for a long time, Chen Yuan's face darkened.

With his cultivation, he could see through Qin Dong at a glance—he had no cultivation at all. Such a person, at such an age, didn't even have the qualifications to be a Utility Disciple.

Let alone becoming a formal disciple.

"Junior Brother Chen, what exactly do you want to do?"

Mu Qingyue turned to look at Chen Yuan, her eyes filled with coldness.

"Senior Brother Chen, can't you make an exception? He's the son of Senior Sister Mu's benefactor."

Hong Momo also spoke up to plead for Qin Dong, her eyes full of supplication.

"Senior Sister, Junior Sister, you know that the sect doesn't accept trash, let alone trash without any cultivation."

"Am I right?"

After Chen Yuan finished speaking, he looked at the group of youths from Desolate Profound City.

"Right, he's just a piece of trash."

"Exactly, someone like him isn't even fit to be a Utility Disciple."

Hearing the crowd's mocking words, the faces of Qin Su and the others became unsightly.

Chen Yuan didn't seem to want to offend Mu Qingyue completely, so he took a step back.

"However, as long as he can pass the test later and the dao inquiry stone lights up, I, Chen Yuan, will no longer oppose Senior Sister's intention."

"Even if he doesn't pass, Senior Sister can grant him a position as a Utility Disciple."

Chen Yuan gave a dark smile.

When Mu Qingyue was about to continue fighting for an opportunity for Qin Dong, Qin Dong interrupted her.

"Thank you for your kindness, Sister Mu. Let me try."

"Xiao Dong... you..."

Mu Qingyue met Qin Dong's gaze.

His eyes were so firm, as if everything was under control.

Mu Qingyue stood before the geniuses. With a flip of her wrist, a piece of white crystal landed in her hand.

"This is the dao inquiry stone. It can display your cultivation and talent. Just place your palm on it and inject True Qi to perform the test."

(Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi -> Energy within the world)

(True Qi -> Refined energy obtained, power within the body that can be freely controlled)

"Even those without cultivation, as long as you make the dao inquiry stone glow, you can still enter the sect."

After a brief introduction, the dao inquiry stone test officially began.

The youths of Desolate Profound City spontaneously formed a line and went up one by one to be tested.

"What's going on? Why didn't it glow?"

"Impossible, impossible! How could my talent not reach the standard? I clearly..."

"Next."

Mu Qingyue's voice was cold and carried an unquestionable tone.

When the next person stepped forward and injected True Qi, this time the crystal emitted a faint glow.

"Pass. Next."

The previous youth who had been tested was stunned on the spot when he saw this.

"I'm a genius at the third level of the Qi Refining Realm. It's impossible for me not to meet the standard."

As the youth spoke, his anger attacked his heart, and he fainted on the spot. He was soon carried away by his family members.

Mu Qingyue only shook her head at the sight. In fact, the dao inquiry stone didn't just test talent, but also one's temperament.

To be so devastated by a small setback—with such a temperament, how could one step into the cultivation world?

On the other hand, he, despite having no cultivation, still had such a calm and indifferent appearance. He truly is Brother Qin's son.

Don't worry, even if you don't pass the dao inquiry stone test, I have a way to at least make you an Outer Sect Disciple.

Mu Qingyue pretended to casually glance toward the back of the crowd. Seeing the composed Qin Dong, she showed that auntie-like smile again.

It made Qin Dong feel a bit of a chill.

The testing was very fast; some were happy while others were worried.

Desolate Profound City was, after all, a remote small city. Among the younger generation, only ten people could make the dao inquiry stone emit light. Those who passed were naturally overjoyed, while those who failed hung their heads in dejection.

However, there were also a few who refused to give in. Even though they failed the test, they did not lose heart.

"Mm, not bad. Although you few didn't pass the test, you have the temperament of the strong. Your future achievements are yet to be known."

To this, Mu Qingyue was not stingy with her praise.

Soon, it was the last person's turn to be tested.

Qin Dong's figure approached. He bowed respectfully to Mu Qingyue and then placed his palm on the dao inquiry stone.

"It shouldn't be a problem if I inject just a little bit of True Qi, right? I just need to make it light up."

Beside them, Chen Yuan gave a disdainful smile.

Qin Su and the other members of the Qin Family held their breath. The focus of the entire field was concentrated, staring intently at Qin Dong's test results.

Qin Dong mobilized a wisp of True Qi within his dantian and slowly injected it into the dao inquiry stone.

In front of him, Mu Qingyue felt a trace of True Qi. Her heart was instantly filled with pleasant surprise. Regardless of anything else, the presence of True Qi in his body meant he could cultivate.

As long as he could cultivate, no matter how poor his talent was, she could guarantee his entry into the outer sect.

That way, she could repay Brother Qin.

At this moment, she hoped Qin Dong's talent was strong enough, preferably enough to make her eyes brighten.

What Qin Dong didn't notice, however, was that a sliver of Heavenly Dao Qi was also mobilized.

Inside the dao inquiry stone, a sudden vibration occurred.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the dao inquiry stone's light intensified greatly. A terrifying white light blinded everyone present in an instant.

The flash of light plunged everyone into a state of blindness.

"Ahhh, what happened?"

"It hurts! My eyes!"

"Something flashed by, I can't see!"

"Who touched my butt? I'm a man!"

"You're still touching?"

The scene instantly fell into chaos, as if Desolate Profound City had become a paradise for the blind at this moment.

Chen Yuan was also covering his eyes. He wanted to howl in pain, but his dignity as a cultivator prevented him from doing so. He could only endure it and not make a sound.

"Senior Sister Mu, you've gone too far!"

"Waaa, bad Senior Sister! Momo's eyes were also flashed!"

"Ah? It wasn't me! I don't know what happened either!"

Mu Qingyue also sat cross-legged on the ground with her eyes tightly shut. Even as a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, she had been momentarily blinded by that terrifying white light.

And as the perpetrator, Qin Dong was also dumbfounded.

"This?"

However, seeing everyone else covering their eyes and howling in pain, he quickly followed suit, covering his eyes and rolling on the ground while shouting.

After sitting for ten breaths of time.

Mu Qingyue's eyes gradually regained clarity. The scene before her was a complete mess.

Mu Qingyue formed a seal with her slender hands, and a gentle aura spread out in all directions.

Everyone present regained their sight.

After looking at Qin Dong with some concern, a look of joy flowed from Mu Qingyue's eyes.

"How did your cultivation reach the first level of the Qi Refining Realm?"

"Ah, I don't know what happened either. I just felt an extra power in my body for some reason."

Qin Dong shrugged and then threw a punch at her request.

On his youthful fist, wisps of True Qi were entwined.

He broke through just like that?

The expressions of the crowd were very interesting. A mortal suddenly having cultivation in broad daylight—was this reasonable?

"Alright, since you have cultivation, I'll count it as you passing this time."

Mu Qingyue looked at Qin Dong and said.

"Senior Sister Mu, isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to do this?"

Chen Yuan frowned. In his view, that scene just now must have been Mu Qingyue's doing.

Could an existence that made the dao inquiry stone emit that kind of light still be human? Even if you wanted to go easy on him, don't go that far!

"Otherwise, what do you want?"

Mu Qingyue's expression was calm as she quietly looked at Chen Yuan.

"Test him again. This time, I'll hold the dao inquiry stone."

"As you wish."

Mu Qingyue flicked her hand, and the dao inquiry stone landed in Chen Yuan's hand.

"You, come and test again."

Chen Yuan pointed at Qin Dong and spoke with an unfriendly tone.

"Yes."

Qin Dong still bowed respectfully and then placed his palm on the dao inquiry stone.

Seeing this, Chen Yuan couldn't help but sneer in his heart. He also secretly mobilized his True Qi to seal the dao inquiry stone.

Hmph, a piece of trash from a mere small city. At most, you can only be a Utility Disciple.

You want to enter the outer sect? I won't let you have your way.

Qin Dong repeated the process, but this time he encountered a bit of difficulty when injecting True Qi.

Is the amount too small?

Qin Dong didn't dare to be careless, because the treatment of an Outer Sect Disciple and a Utility Disciple was worlds apart.

He had to become an Outer Sect Disciple to obtain enough resources to unlock the system.

At the thought of this, Qin Dong resolutely mobilized more True Qi from his dantian.

Add more, add more! Fill it up for me!

"Go!"

Several more wisps of True Qi were injected, but this time they were mixed with even more Heavenly Dao Qi.

"Look, why hasn't there been any movement for so long?"

"Could it be that the fairy really did something?"

"Right, it should be so. Otherwise, how could it have emitted such a dazzling light?"

Soon, everyone who had looked away turned their gazes back again.

Mu Qingyue was also watching. However, because she was on guard this time, she kept observing the changes in the situation.

At a certain moment, Mu Qingyue suddenly gave a delicate shout.

"Close your eyes!"

"Wha... ahhh!"

The terrifying white light visited everyone's eyes once again. Aside from a few cultivators with high cultivation who reacted in time, most people fell into a state of blindness once more.

"Ah, what's going on!"

Chen Yuan, who was at the very front of the white light, was not only blinded but also felt a trace of danger.

A terrifying thought suddenly emerged in his mind.

The dao inquiry stone is going to explode!

With a boom, the dao inquiry stone exploded.

The instant the explosion occurred, Qin Dong was swept up by a force and pulled back to a safe area.