Chapter 157 – The Examination Ends
Translator: Mr Voltaire
Editor: Master Shadow
Bringing in excellent disciples would result in rewards for the Managers, so the geniuses did not have to worry about being overlooked. A sect could only become powerful if their geniuses were properly nurtured, which was why Xiao Yun was filled with hope towards the Heaven Origin Sect.
On the platform, the various Managers continuously picked disciples. After spending much effort, they had recruited quite a few talented youths into their own Peaks. However, very few people were willing to join the Water Essence Peak for fear of being treated unfairly. This caused Qiu Xuan Rong to feel quite depressed, and in the end, he only obtained some of the Zhou family’s geniuses and some youths who had nearly been eliminated. This sort of scene was rare in the Heaven Origin Sect’s examinations, and caused the other Managers to secret laugh.
There were 80 people who had been eliminated, and 90 people were taken into the sect to become Outer Court disciples, while the rest were split among the various Peaks. After these disciples’ examinations concluded, everyone began to await the results for the outer hunting ground’s results.
While this happened, Xiao Yun and the others retreated to one side. The youths who had successfully entered the Heaven Origin Sect went to find their family members.
“Haha, Cheng’Er, you’ve made us proud.”
“Young master Tian, our family will have to rely on you in future!”
“Now that you’ve entered the Heaven Origin Sect, you need to make full use of this opportunity and become a powerful expert.”
The elders of the various families smiled at their youths in delight. Some said congratulatory words while others spoke words of encouragement and advice. The entire military drill grounds was filled with joy.
Of course, there were those who stood in silence and sorrow. These were the people who had been eliminated, and were from various families. Right now, they could only sigh and look at others in admiration. Victors were kings and losers were bandits; this was something that had been established since ancient times. If one wasn’t strong enough, it would be impossible for others to look up to them or act pa.s.sionately towards them.
“Haha, congratulations young sir Xiao for successfully pa.s.sing the examination and entering the Heaven Origin Sect!” Before Xiao Yun had walked out of the crowd, Yuan Lin and Yuan Tian Ju walked up, congratulating him before even speaking to their own family’s youths. To them, having a good relationship with this youth was far more important than encouraging their own family’s youths.
“Thank you for your consideration and help,” Xiao Yun said with a smile as he cupped his fists towards Yuan Lin and the others.
“I can’t help but feel ashamed. In the Heaven Origin Hunting Grounds, my family’s people were unable to help you, and you had to experience such dangers due to our oversight,” Yuan Lin frowned as he apologised to Xiao Yun. He never thought that the Qiu family would be so cruel and go so far.
“Everything’s in the past now, so why dwell on it?” Xiao Yun said as he gave an easy-going smile. Only by going through trials would he be able to grow. What he had experienced was a rare opportunity, and he had even gained the Heaven-Corroding Orchid out of it.
“Haha, young sir Xiao is quite broad-minded and magnanimous, and will definitely become someone great one day,” Yuan Tian Ju laughed.
“It’s just that I’ll have to break my promise,” Xiao Yun said somewhat awkwardly.
“You mean not joining the Medicine Peak?” Yuan Lin asked with a smile. “You don’t need to feel bad about this. Previously, we didn’t know that you had such talent in the martial way, which was why we wanted you to join the Medicine Peak. Now, joining the Medicine Peak would limit you – with your abilities, you’re destined to soar in the Nine Heavens and walk out of Nanjiang. Don’t worry about these small matters.”
Yuan Lin and the others had wanted Xiao Yun to joint he Medicine Peak so that they would make a meritorious contribution. In the future, their juniors might be taken care of by their ancestor and Xiao Yun.
However, things were different now – Xiao Yun had killed 5 True Essence realm cultivators with his own strength. Who could compare to him? If he continued to grow like this, his future would be unfathomable.
A Pill Refiner indeed had an exceptional status, but they were limited to pill refining. Now that Xiao Yun had an opportunity to make great accomplishments both in pill refining and the martial way, there were even more opportunities waiting for him.
Once this youth stepped into the Heavenly Capital Domain, he would be like a fish that leapt through the dragon’s gate. To be able to befriend such a person would bring incredible benefits in the future.
Realizing that Yuan Lin and the others were not short-sighted people, Xiao Yun inwardly let out a breath of relief. Following this, the Yan family’s elders also walked over to chat with Xiao Yun. They brought Yan Shi Fei and Yan Shi Yan with them, as if they were trying to bring themselves closer to Xiao Yun.
Xiao Yun felt some goodwill towards the Yan family, especially towards Yan Zhen and Yan Mo – they were both true men.
After chatting with the Yan family’s people for a while, a light flashed as a young woman wearing a five-coloured phoenix robe descended and elegantly walked over to Xiao Yun. The young woman’s skin was glossy and shiny, and she had incredibly beautiful eyes. The Fifth Prince brought the Seventh Princess down, but did not go over himself.
“Seventh Princess” Seeing this young woman walk over, everyone burst into chatter.
After Xiao Yun had helped her extract some of her Essence-Corroding Heavenly Poison, she had become even more beautiful. Not only did she regain her aura from before, but her figure was enough to make others go mad. She looked incredibly enchanting, and was someone all young men wished to have. Feng Yu Yao was currently walking towards Xiao Yun with a warm smile on her face like a descended G.o.ddess. Every time she blinked, the youths nearby felt incredibly intoxicated.
Seeing Feng Yu Yao walk over, the Yan family and the Cloudsea Merchant Alliance’s people made way for her.
Feng Yu Yao walked over to Xiao Yun’s side and smiled as she spoke in a soft voice, seeming as if she was talking to her lover. Even though her voice was incredibly soft, all of the cultivators nearby could hear her words, making them feel admiration towards Xiao Yun. It seemed that even Princess Yu Yao greatly liked Xiao Yun! Otherwise, why would she speak in such an intimate tone?
“Congratulations. I knew you could do it.”
“Why couldn’t that be me?” someone muttered.
“You? Take a look at yourself,” another person next to them said condescendingly.
“Ai, only a genius like Xiao Yun would be fitting for a beauty like Princess Yu Yao.”
Liu Wu Long and the others couldn’t help but sigh. As members of large families, they all thought that they had a chance with Feng Yu Yao. After all, they were the only ones within the Moonwind Kingdom who had the right to chase this young woman.
However, now that they knew the gap between Xiao Yun and themselves, they could only sigh and give up on that idea.
“Thank you for your worries,” Xiao Yun replied as he smiled back at Feng Yu Yao.
He knew that the Heavenly Capital Domain Emissary definitely had something to do with the Imperial Clan – otherwise, why would he have come from the same pavilion?
“Haha, we’ll leave you to chat,” some of the elders said sensibly and smiled before taking their juniors with them.
After everyone left, only Xiao Yun and Feng Yu Yao remained. Xiao Yun felt slightly awkward while Feng Yu Yao spoke in a slightly worried tone.
“Young sir Xiao will be joining the Heaven Origin Sect soon. I wonder when we will be able to meet again?”
For some reason, she had been falling for him more and more, and over the past few days, she had continuously worried for him. Unknowingly, Xiao Yun had left a permanent mark on Feng Yu Yao’s heart. Who wouldn’t fall for such an excellent youth?
Even though Feng Yu Yao was quite extraordinary, she was a young woman who was awakening to love and couldn’t help but develop feelings for the other gender. She had just never encountered such an outstanding person before.
“We’ll meet again if fate wills it,” Xiao Yun said, then paused, seeing Feng Yu Yao’s reluctant frown. His heart was slightly touched as he smiled and continued, “However, before I leave, I’ll help you completely eliminate your Essence-Corroding Heavenly Poison.”
“Really?” Feng Yu Yao’s eyes lit up, feeling a trace of hope in her heart.
This matter was not as simple as just getting rid of her poison – once she was cured, she could also enter the Heavenly Capital Domain, and perhaps they would meet again.
This caused Feng Yu Yao to feel a strange sense of excitement, and the worry on her face instantly disappeared.
“I’ve become stronger, and possess complete certainty now,” Xiao Yun explained. Now that he had fused with the Heaven-Corroding Orchid, he had absolute confidence in getting rid of the Essence-Corroding Heavenly Poison.
“Thank you so much, young sir Xiao,” Feng Yu Yao said as she blinked her beautiful eyes.
“It’s nothing,” Xiao Yun replied as he smiled.
Seeing how calm and confident Xiao Yun seemed, Feng Yu Yao pursed her lips, wanting to say something. However, in the end, she held herself back, and they chatted about other things, such as the Heavenly Capital Domain. That was a martial world in which experts were as common as clouds, which made them feel a great sense of longing.
As the two of them talked, the platform trembled with ripples as the cultivators from the outer hunting ground started to come out of a vortex.
The highest cultivation that these people had was the late stage of the Innate realm. They were all geniuses, but had just been born into smaller families.
In this world, even though cultivators with Martial Spirits and spirit bodies had an overwhelming advantage, cultivators with great comprehension and decent cultivation speed could still catch up to them. Once they encountered a fortuitous opportunity, they would shoot to the skies. As such, these geniuses were not to be looked down on either.
These people’s examinations had gone quite smoothly, and they did not have much conflict. Out of the few hundred people, some did die, but the vast majority came out alive.
Following this, the Heaven Origin Sect’s Managers started to choose disciples. Ninety people were eliminated and 100 or so became Outer Court disciples, while the rest were taken to the various Peaks. As long as they performed well, they would be able to enter the sect.
“Those who have been accepted into the Heaven Origin Sect can rest in the Imperial City for three days. After that, we’ll head to the Heaven Origin Sect together,” Manager Qin announced, then looked around as he said in a low voice, “You can also take this opportunity to take care of your own worldly affairs.”
Manager Qin and the others then brought everyone else back to the Imperial City. During this period of time, everyone said goodbye to their families and tied up any loose ends. Even though they were all geniuses and had great ambitions, they did not know when they could see their families again, so all of them were slightly reluctant to leave.
Most people greatly valued this time and did not meet up with anyone else, staying with their family members until it was time to leave.