The long-awaited day had finally arrived. The entrance test for the Misty Sky Sect officially began. Hundreds of children aged between ten to twelve came from various villages, cities, and other places. They arrived with hopes and grand dreams—to become disciples of one of the great sects in the cultivation world, the Misty Sky Sect.
Each year, thousands of children registered, but only a handful were accepted. The Misty Sky Sect never chose disciples carelessly. Talent, diligence, and potential were absolute requirements. Those who failed would return home with broken hearts and a burden of shame.
Lin Xian stood among the crowd. He was now fourteen years old—two years older than the maximum age limit. He shouldn't even be here.
"Three years ago, I failed… And now, I return, even though it's already too late," Lin Xian murmured.
He still clearly remembered the scornful looks and mockery from the other kids back then. Failing the entrance exam at eleven had struck his pride hard. He even considered ending everything. But he endured. His mother always assured him that it wasn't too late to change.
However, not long after that, his mother died while on a mission for the sect. Her body was never even found. Since then, Lin Xian's father often went on missions outside the sect. He never said he was looking for his wife or Lin Xian's mother, but everyone knew that's what he was doing.
"If not for Father… I wouldn't have been allowed to be here," Lin Xian said casually. There was no guilt at all.
His father was an elder in the sect. Through influence and a personal plea to the Patriarch, Lin Xian was given one final chance.
The open examination field stretched wide before the Misty Sky Sect's prospective disciples. The white stone floor was lined with protective magical formations. Surrounding it stood crystal pillars that emitted pure spiritual energy. In the distance, the exam supervisors wore gray robes with the misty cloud emblem on their chests.
Soon, the atmosphere suddenly fell silent. A middle-aged man appeared atop the main stone stage. His face was calm but sharp, his silver hair neatly tied. He radiated an aura so pressuring that many children instinctively bowed their heads.
"He's… the Exam Chief this year…" one of the participants whispered.
The man looked sharply at the thousands of candidates before finally speaking.
"Welcome to the Misty Sky Sect Entrance Exam," he said, his voice echoing. "I, Elder Feng Luchan, will lead your examination this year. Listen closely."
All the children held their breath. They looked so tense, except for one person—Lin Xian. His eyes stared sharply at Feng Luchan. He vividly remembered the face of that cunning old man. He was one of the people who betrayed him and stabbed a spear into his chest before he was finally pierced by Mu Yueran's sword.
He was Lin Xian's next target, but not now because Feng Luchan was far too powerful for him to fight yet. He needed to become stronger first.
"This year, the exam will consist of three main parts. First, the Talent Test. We will measure the depth of your spiritual roots and innate element. This will determine whether you're worthy to become an outer disciple, inner disciple, or even a core disciple. Second, the Basic Knowledge Test. As sect disciples, you must not only be strong, but also intelligent. Formations, sect history, and cultivation basics will be tested. And lastly, the most important—Survival Test. You will be sent into a dangerous simulation field for a full week. There, we will observe you all, your survival abilities, and your strength in real situations. All scores will be combined. The final result will determine your fate," Feng Luchan explained.
All the disciples nodded. They already knew the exam would be divided into three parts. The only difference was the location of the survival test, which remained unknown except to the exam committee. The mood immediately turned intense. Some participants looked nervous, while others became even more confident.
Lin Xian stared straight ahead, his eyes fixed on Feng Luchan. "I will kill you in the worst way. I swear."
Suddenly, Lin Xian's eyes met Feng Luchan's. They locked gazes. Neither looked away. It lasted long enough—around five minutes—until Feng Luchan finally turned away, but his fists clenched. He felt insulted by Lin Xian's gaze.
Lin Xian looked away too. "Isn't this insane? There are some interesting kids."
Lin Xian just needed to look. He could sense the potential of some of the candidates there. He smiled, feeling that they would be useful to him. He would use them as needed. He needed something to serve as a shield so he wouldn't draw too much attention.
"Alright, we will call your names. Whoever is called, step forward!" said Feng Luchan.
The examiners began to open scrolls of the prepared names. Another examiner stood at the side of the stage, holding a jade slip that glowed faintly. From there, he began reading aloud and clearly. The children began to tense as their names would soon be called.
"Liang Fei, step forward!"
A boy in a sky-blue outfit stepped forward calmly. His hair was neatly tied, and his face showed no sign of nervousness. His movements were light and confident. All the other children's gazes immediately turned to him.
"That's him… Liang Fei from the Southern Thunder Clan!"
"His father is the deputy chief of the Southern Thunder Clan, he must be strong!"
Some kids whispered among themselves, and even a few examiners watching from afar showed interest. Feng Luchan also smiled at Liang Fei as he walked up the podium to have his talent examined.
Without hesitation, he touched the crystal orb in front of him. The crystal orb began to glow. A brilliant light shone. Blue and purple lights forced people to turn their faces away. The wind swirled, and the surrounding spiritual energy trembled violently. At that same moment, lightning struck from the sky.
"Incredible…" one examiner muttered.
"Pure Lightning Body! Heavenly Root spiritual level! Dual affinity—Lightning and Wind!" exclaimed Elder Feng Luchan.
A murmur arose from the participants. Liang Fei bowed politely, yet remained composed. He stepped down from the altar as if nothing had happened. He already knew he would receive praise. He knew he was talented.
"Talent like that… he could become a core disciple right away!"
"I haven't even stepped up yet, and he's already made us look like insects," a participant complained.
After that, one by one names were called. But all of them were disappointing. None of them really caught attention again. Even out of sixty kids who came forward, only two were considered to have passed, and their talents were rather ordinary.
"Lin Xian, step forward!" Feng Luchan called.
All eyes immediately turned to Lin Xian. Not in admiration, but in surprise, disdain, mockery, and all other negative expressions. However, Lin Xian didn't care. He kept walking up the podium. He was immune to such scorn by now.
"You'll all go silent once you see me pass," Lin Xian thought.