"Hehe... Young friend Ling, this is the Flying Immortal Tea, a specialty of my Ziyang Sect. It is one of the top ten famous teas in the Golden Cloud Continent. Please have a taste."
Lin Zhennan poured Ling Yun a cup of spiritual tea with a smile.
Taking a small sip, Ling Yun nodded approvingly. He also enjoyed drinking tea in his spare time at the Misty Immortal Sect, but most of the teas he drank contained powerful spiritual energy, and the taste was just so-so.
The Flying Immortal Tea, however, caught Ling Yun's eye.
Seeing that Ling Yun liked this tea, Lin Zhennan thoughtfully took out a spatial ring and handed it to Ling Yun.
"This is newly harvested tea this year. Five hundred catties should be enough for your young friend, right?"
"Thank you, Elder Lin!"
Ling Yun gladly accepted the spatial ring, then drank tea while looking at the stairs.
With a wave of his hand, the outer sect elder caused the width of the steps to increase to ten thousand feet.
Thirty thousand warriors lined up in a row and began their ascent.
Then, A Bao, Yan Ruyu, Shangguan Hong, and Xiao Yanran took the lead, moving swiftly and rapidly.
It felt like stepping on ordinary stairs; I didn't feel any pressure at all.
"Holy crap, these four are absolute geniuses, climbing the Heavenly Ranks like ordinary steps."
"Comparison is the thief of joy. Holy crap, look at them, even a three-year-old girl and a little white fox are crawling incredibly fast. I'm not even as good as a little kid."
"I've only climbed a hundred steps, and they're almost at the top."
"..."
In less than a quarter of an hour, A Bao and his three companions, along with Ling Yao and the little white fox, successfully reached the summit without even breaking a sweat.
"It's not difficult at all, I feel no pressure at all!"
"Yes, at first I was very nervous, worried that I would embarrass my older brother!"
"Hehe, the little white fox jumped the fastest; she even waited for us for a while on the last step!"
"..."
Ah Bao and his companions breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that the outer sect elder beside them was staring wide-eyed in shock.
"Our Ziyang Sect has actually received an unparalleled genius!"
The outer sect elders looked at A Bao and his companions with burning eyes, as if they were rare treasures.
He watched the whole thing and was absolutely certain that A Bao and his friends hadn't cheated.
“Four young friends, you have broken the record since the founding of the Ziyang Sect.”
"What's the record?" Abao asked curiously.
"One day!" The outer sect elder calmed himself down and said, "Making a record takes a whole day, but you've shortened it to half a quarter of an hour. I estimate that no one will be able to break your record for the next ten thousand years."
After a pause, the outer sect elder said solemnly:
"Congratulations to the six of you for passing the assessment and becoming disciples of the Ziyang Sect. You six can directly become the Sect Master's personal disciples!"
Abao and the others were stunned for a moment, then awkwardly pointed to Ling Yun and Lin Zhennan in the distance.
"We're sorry, Elder, we're not here to take the entrance exam. We just want to test our talents. We've been training with our elder brother."
Seeing Lin Zhennan and Ling Yun, the outer sect elder shook his head and smiled bitterly, feeling very sorry that such a good genius was not from the Ziyang Sect.
"Hehe... It's nothing!"
Ling Yun wasn't surprised at all that A Bao and his friends broke the record, as he had trained them himself.
Ling Yao is the Sword Emperor Lin Muyao, whose talent is unparalleled throughout history. The little white fox is the Nine Heavens Fox, whose talent and strength are so great that they can be considered top geniuses not only in the Golden Cloud Continent, but even in the highest-level worlds.
Lin Zhennan had expected that A Bao and the others would pass the test smoothly, after all, they were following Ling Yun.
Breaking the record truly shocked him. Half an hour was not their limit. They even joked around for a while while climbing the steps.
At this moment, Ling Yun was attracted by a figure.
There, a young man named Lu Chen was struggling to climb the steps.
His dark complexion suggested an ordinary background, but his handsome features and resolute eyes were captivating.
At this moment, he could no longer support himself after climbing only three hundred steps. He continued climbing with his body bent over. When he reached three hundred and fifty steps, the immense pressure forced him to lie on the steps and crawl with difficulty.
Many martial artists around them could no longer withstand the pressure and turned back.
The pressure from the Heavenly Rank is immense; if one is crushed to death by this pressure, the Ziyang Sect will not come to their rescue.
At this moment, Lu Chen's body was completely pressed against the steps, his hands were covered in blood, but his head was still held high, his eyes filled with determination as he looked up at the top.
Compared to other sects, the Ziyang Sect truly does not question one's origins. Lu Chen knew this was his last chance at the age of twenty.
This is a chance to defy fate. As long as I become a disciple of the Ziyang Sect, I can bring my family to prominence.
However, Lu Chen, whose talent and strength were only average, was already unable to withstand the pressure. If he went any further, he would be crushed into mincemeat by the pressure.
Lu Chen knew that every step forward would lead to an abyss, but his conviction compelled him to keep going; he only had one chance.
If he fails to join the Ziyang Sect this time, he, who is only at the third level of Martial Soul at the age of twenty, can only be a wild cultivator.
The outer sect elder, unable to bear seeing Lu Chen perish, kindly reminded him:
"Young friend Lu, give up~"
All that answered him was a resolute gaze.
The next moment!
With a crack, Lu Chen's bones shattered, his life force rapidly drained away, but his stubborn eyes still gazed towards the summit of the Heavenly Ranks.
Seeing Ling Yun staring intently at Lu Chen, Lin Zhennan tentatively asked:
"Young friend Ling, are you interested in this Lu Chen?"
Ling Yun withdrew his gaze and said:
"This child has exceptional willpower and amazing resilience, which are exactly the qualities that cultivators need most. What he lacks is not talent, but opportunity."
Lin Zhennan said without hesitation:
"Alright, from today onwards, Lu Chen will be my personal disciple!"
As he spoke, he released a burst of energy to heal Lu Chen's injuries, and then with a wave of his hand, he teleported Lu Chen to his own dojo.
Ling Yun remained silent. For most martial artists, sometimes a single opportunity can change their fate, but such an opportunity might not come for several lifetimes.
Thinking about what my life would be like now if my master hadn't discovered me and brought me back to the Misty Immortal Sect, I wonder.
This is why Ling Yun noticed Lu Chen.
A Bao and the others fell silent. If they hadn't met Ling Yun, what would their lives have been like? They might have been stuck in the Golden Cloud Continent for the rest of their lives.
"Hehe... It's almost time. Since the sect leader has some free time now, let's go see him. Only the sect leader's personal chef can make the Twelve Wonders of Ziyang."
Lin Zhennan smiled and led everyone to fly towards the highest peak of Ziyang Mountain.
Upon entering the main hall, Zhao Tianhe, the sect leader of the Ziyang Sect, sat majestically in the main seat. Beside him stood a young man, who was Zhao Tianhe's personal disciple.
Lin Zhennan quickly explained:
"Sect Master, this is our young friend Ling Yun. He has graced us with his presence today."
Ling Yun and his group nodded slightly to Zhao Tianhe.
"Condescend?" Zhao Tianhe frowned slightly, his face showing displeasure. A weakling at the third level of Martial Soul had actually condescended to come to the Ziyang Sect!
The boy standing nearby immediately pointed at Ling Yun and scolded him:
"Why don't you bow to the sect leader!"
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