The first twenty minutes were filled with murmurs and exclamations, but once half an hour passed, silence spread like a heavy mist.
Even the outer disciples of the Jade Peak, who had been watching from afar with an air of superiority, exchanged incredulous glances.
"How can he still be holding on?"
"Impossible… for someone who hasn't even started cultivating, thirty minutes is already the limit—even with extraordinary talent."
"Even a cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Gathering could barely endure an hour. The pressure on the meridians becomes unbearable with each passing minute."
Yan Mei, standing at the side, frowned slightly. The medicinal liquid had been designed for a two-hour soak—intended for cultivators of the seventh level.
It might seem wasteful, but the leftover mixture was later used to enrich spiritual soil.
She shook her head softly. The initial shock had passed; only intrigue remained.
What exactly is happening with that boy?
Just then, a faint tremor rippled across the surface of the tub.
Inside, Jin was still submerged in his own world, unaware of the whispers outside.
His body was undergoing a silent transformation: his meridians, once dim and sluggish, now shimmered with a purer, sturdier light.
A golden current coiled within him—cleansing, refining, reconstructing.
"...I don't know how different mine are compared to everyone else's," Jin thought, his mind barely conscious.
Then, suddenly, everything stopped.
The golden energy receded into his dantian, and the crimson liquid lost its glow, turning into a thick, dark sludge.
Taking that as a sign that it was over, Jin realized he could move again.
The pain was still there, but now it was only a faint reminder that he was alive.
With effort, he sat up and rose from the water.
His long hair, still damp, slid over his shoulders like a black waterfall.
"Mmm… I'll tie this into a ponytail when I can," he thought irritably, flicking it aside.
But when he lifted his gaze, his expression froze.
In front of him, a crowd stared in absolute silence—their faces tense, disbelieving.
Jin's smile twitched awkwardly. He glanced left, then right, and unable to bear the weight of so many stares, forced a crooked grin.
"What? Hahaha… I know I'm handsome, but staring this much is just rude, you know?"
His voice echoed awkwardly through the silence. No one replied.
Only the ripples of the dark liquid broke the stillness.
Coughing in embarrassment, Jin stepped out of the tub completely.
Just as one of the disciples seemed ready to speak, a deep and cheerful voice thundered through the air, drawing everyone's attention.
"Well, well, children, hahaha…"
Master Mo appeared, laughing heartily, his voice like gentle thunder.
"All of you who lasted more than five minutes—congratulations! You are now disciples of the Jade Peak."
His tone was casual, but his eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"As for those who gave up before then… don't lose heart. You can try again next year."
Saying that, he turned toward Yan Mei.
"Mei, take care of these fifteen kids."
And with that, he vanished as if he had never been there.
The silence shattered instantly.
Emotions surged—some smiled with relief, others bowed their heads in frustration.
Yan Mei, regaining her composure, raised her voice:
"Alright! You heard the Master. Those who didn't pass, return to the trial disciples' area!"
Then she looked at the fifteen who remained—three girls and twelve boys—and frowned.
"But before anything else… you all stink."
Pinching her nose in mock disgust, she waved her hand.
With delicate control of her Qi, a wooden token floated before each new disciple.
Jin caught his, inspecting it curiously.
He had only been in this world for a few weeks, and now… he was part of a sect.
Frowning, he sniffed the air.
"What's that smell?" he muttered, finally realizing the stench clinging to him.
Judging by the grimaces around him, he wasn't the only one suffering.
Thankfully, several senior disciples arrived, pushing large tubs filled with fragrant water.
Time passed.
The chaos of the selection faded away, and Jin found himself standing before a cluster of small cottages separated by stone paths.
They were simple but neat, each one marked with a number carved above the doorway.
Comparing it to his token, he walked toward his assigned dwelling, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.
The house wasn't made of wood as it first appeared.
When he touched the doorframe, he realized it was smooth, polished stone—warm to the touch.
A small, well-kept garden decorated the entrance.
"What a cozy place…" Jin murmured as he stepped inside. "Guess this'll be my headquarters for a while."
Inside, the dwelling was modest: a bed, a small table with a stone lamp, and a secluded corner where a thin stream of clear water flowed from the ground.
The place was softly lit by pebbles that glowed with faint blue light.
On the bed lay three black robes, a small book, and a piece of jade.
Jin raised an eyebrow.
"First things first…" he muttered, sniffing himself. "I need to wash this smell off before it sticks to my soul."
He looked around for something to bathe with until he noticed the small spring in the corner.
"A water source in every room? That's pretty luxurious for newcomers…" he murmured, admiring the steady flow.
Without thinking much, he stripped off his clothes and washed himself with the cold underground water.
"Ahhh… it's freezing…"
A shiver ran down his spine, but the sensation felt oddly purifying.
Minutes later, he stepped out, wrapped in a dry cloth.
His skin faintly glimmered under the blue light.
"Weird… I didn't even use soap, but the smell's completely gone," he muttered while getting dressed.
The black robes fit him perfectly, as if they had been tailored just for him.
"How the hell do they know my size? Even the boots fit like a glove…" he grumbled, unsettled by the precision.
Pushing the thought aside, he sat by the table and opened the small book.
"According to the blue-haired girl, this should contain everything we need to know…"
He read quietly for a while. When he finished, he sighed.
"I thought it'd be something grand… but it's just rules and warnings."
The booklet listed punishments for fighting outside the dueling platforms, movement restrictions, and other regulations he barely understood.
But the most important part was the jade fragment—it had to be presented at the Hall of Martial Scriptures to receive the basic cultivation method.
"Alright, sounds simple enough…" He frowned. "But… where the hell is that hall?"
He looked around for any signs or directions, but there were none.
He had only found the dorms because someone had pointed the way earlier.
"Ahhh… I guess they want us to learn to rely on ourselves," he murmured with a tired smile.
Outside the window, the sun still hung high, bathing the stone paths in golden light.
"I suppose it's time to explore this place," he said, tying his long hair into a ponytail.
He stepped out of his quarters with steady steps.
The fresh air filled his lungs, and in the distance, he saw a series of ancient pavilions with stairways spiraling up toward elevated platforms.
A faint smile curved his lips.
For the first time since his arrival, Jin Yuchen truly felt part of this world.
And with his heart beating between curiosity and excitement, he began walking toward his new destiny.