Once Yuan entered the portal and disappeared from the spectators' room, Long Yijun and all of the sect elders there sat down in a chair with an exhausted expression on their faces.
"Heavens… That was exhausting…" Elder Xin was the first to speak there, and he continued a moment later, "It's really difficult being around a genius like Yuan. There's simply something about his aura that frightens me."
"You got that feeling too? Although I cannot tell what it is, there's something fearsome hidden within Yuan, and it felt like there were always two pairs of eyes watching me at all times." Long Yijun said with his back soaked in sweat. "Perhaps I'm just imagining things, and it's just his natural aura."
"There will soon be a massive ripple sweeping the entire cultivation world, especially after the Mystic Realm, when Yuan's existence will be known to the rest of the world and to all of the elite sects out there, and we'll need to be prepared before that happens, or our Dragon Essence Temple will be in danger," Elder Xuan said to them with a serious expression on his face.
"Yes, this is a serious risk that our Dragon Essence Temple is taking, but this is what usually happens when an extraordinary genius appears in the cultivation world," Long Yijun said, and he continued, "However, we cannot be afraid to take risks, or our Dragon Essence Temple will never stand at the top again."
"By the way, I just realized this, but we never asked Yuan what kind of cultivation technique he'd received from the Tablet of Comprehension. Since his examination results were on the Founder's level, there's a high chance that he'd learned the same technique our Founder learned— a Divine-rank technique if the rumors are correct." Bai Ling suddenly said to them.
"There's no need to ask him since I witnessed it for myself." Long Yijun said.
"Really? What kind of technique did he learn?" Bai Ling asked with a curious look on his face.
Long Yijun closed his eyes to recall Yuan's golden eyes before speaking a moment later, "The technique our Founder used to dominate the Lower Heavens… It was an otherworldly technique that allowed him to completely freeze his opponents' movements by instilling deep fear into their very soul with a mere gaze, right? According to some of the records that were written by witnesses that have seen our Founder's battles, our Founder's eyes would glow golden whenever he activates this technique."
"And when I met Yuan for the first time after he finished his exam, his eyes were glowing golden, and it was able to make even a peak Spirit Master such as myself experience fear."
The place quickly turned silent after Long Yijun ended his sentence.
"If Yuan really learned the Founder's technique, there's a very high chance that he'll dominate the Lower Heavens like the Founder had— it's only a matter of when he'll achieve it," Elder Shan said with a serious look on her face for once. "Therefore, we should protect him at all cost."
"I agree with Elder Shan. Our Founder was so talented during his time that there hasn't been anyone who managed to reach his heights even 100,000 years later. If Yuan, who has talents that surpass even the Founder, we must make sure he grows up properly." Bai Ling said.
"If we can protect Yuan until he can dominate the Lower Heavens, our Dragon Essence Temple will once again rise to the top. If we fail, however, our Dragon Essence Temple might crumble." Elder Xin said with a pondering expression on his face.
"Is there even a need to think about this? Of course, we will protect Yuan even if we have to risk the entire Dragon Essence Temple! I'm sure the Founder would also say the same if he was here!" Long Yijun stood up and said.
"I agree with the Sect Master. Who knows what other talents Yuan might be hiding," Elder Xuan said.
"Then it's decided. We'll protect Yuan at all costs," Elder Xin and Elder Bai nodded their heads.
"Someone who's even more talented than our Founder, huh? I can already imagine how the ladies will react once they learn about Yuan. Therefore, I should take advantage of my situation and be the first to act." Elder Shan chuckled with a weird expression on her face.
"Do you have no shame, Elder Shan? You're already 300 years old while Yuan is merely 18 years old. He'll choose your disciples before he even considers you!" Elder Xin laughed out loud.
"One's age becomes inconsequential when you are both Cultivators, especially at the higher levels. You're just jealous that I am going after Yuan while I rejected you 200 years ago." Elder Shan looked at Elder Xin with a smirk on her face.
"..." Elder Xin became speechless after being reminded of his youthful days when he was infatuated with Elder Shan but was ultimately rejected by her.
"Did you really have to bring that up? That's very underhanded of you…" He sighed a moment later.
Meanwhile, after entering the portal, Yuan returned to the examination hall with the golden Tablet of Comprehension still standing there.
Yuan approached the golden tablet and bowed it.
"Thank you for everything. I will try my best to find your Legacy in the Dragon Temple and meet the real you somewhere in the upper heavens."
The Tablet of Comprehension suddenly trembled, and the symbols on the tablet began moving, before emerging from the golden tablet and flying directly at Yuan's body, submerging itself within his body.
"What the?"
Yuan patted his body after the symbols disappeared into his body. Oddly enough, he didn't feel any different, nor did any notifications pop up, so he has no clue as to what had just happened.
Meanwhile, inside Yuan's body, golden symbols appeared on all of his bones, yet neither Xiao Hua nor Feng Yixiao could see or sense the golden symbols.
Sometime later, Yuan left the examination hall through the gate, becoming the first person to complete the disciple examination.