Seeing Qi Yuan's 'obedient' demeanor, Great Master Hengzhen did not continue his lecture. Instead, he changed the subject and slowly said, "This world is vast, and Cultivators are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, endless. Yet, only one in ten thousand can form a Nascent Soul. Who knows how many Geniuses have failed at this hurdle, leaving only regret."
"Your Golden Core is of the finest quality, so Breaking Through to the Nascent Soul stage should not be a problem. However, Nascent Souls are also divided into various grades, with differences as vast as heaven and earth."
"According to the Holy Land's ancient texts, a Cultivator's Nascent Soul is categorized into five grades: Dao Rest Nascent Soul, Purple Mansion Nascent Soul, Upper Clarity Nascent Soul, Divine Bloom Nascent Soul, and the Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul, which only exists in legends."
"The lowest grade, Dao Rest Nascent Soul, has impure and Miscellaneous spiritual power. Those who form this Nascent Soul will have their Dao path come to an end, with no possibility of further advancement, hence it is called 'Dao Rest.'"
"Purple Mansion Nascent Soul is slightly better; those who form this Nascent Soul have about a 20% chance of advancing to Soul Transformation. The Upper Clarity Nascent Soul is above the Purple Mansion Nascent Soul, and those who possess it have hope for the Immortal Path, with a 50% chance of Soul Transformation."
Great Master Hengzhen paused before continuing, "The Nascent Soul I once condensed was an even higher grade, the Divine Bloom Nascent Soul. Those who form such a Nascent Soul have at least an 80% chance of achieving Soul Transformation, and their future Dao path is limitless."
"As for the Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul... only a handful of cases have appeared throughout history, all of them individuals blessed by the Mandate of Heaven. In the present world, I have never seen one."
"Your Senior Brother Lu Changfeng's Aptitude is even above mine, but because he was infatuated with romantic love, it allowed a Heart Demon to take hold. Later, he only barely managed to form an Upper Clarity Nascent Soul. In the end, he was still a step short."
Speaking of this, Great Master Hengzhen gave Qi Yuan a meaningful glance.
"You must take this lesson to heart."
"This time, I defied all objections to let you take over the position of Daozi before Breaking Through to the Nascent Soul stage. This was to allow you to break through distractions, strengthen your Dao Heart, and enter the Nascent Soul realm with an unyielding and courageous spirit of advancement."
"You should know that, besides you, this Tai Xuan Daozi who has not yet formed a Nascent Soul, the Daozi and Saintess from other Holy Lands have all condensed Divine Bloom Nascent Souls..."
Hearing these words of implicit warning, Qi Yuan's heart tightened, and he nodded in agreement, "Yes, Disciple has noted it."
His Master's meaning was very clear: as the Daozi of Tai Xuan Holy Land, if he could not condense a Divine Bloom Nascent Soul, his position would likely not be very stable.
The path to Immortal Ascension was originally a process of sifting through the sand, where the fittest survived.
Qi Yuan was able to achieve his current status by defeating one talented competitor after another.
As a Daozi, he not only had to face the overt and covert coveting and challenges from numerous Genius Disciples within the Holy Land, but also had to compete with the Daozi and Saintess from other Holy Lands, debating and contending for supremacy!
At this moment, Great Master Hengzhen seemed to recall the purpose of his summons to Qi Yuan, and immediately gave a light cough:
"Qi Yuan, I have had some minor insights into the Great Dao these past few days and will soon enter seclusion for a period."
"I called you here originally intending to have you learn how to manage Sect affairs from Hall Master Xu, but since you are on the verge of forming your Nascent Soul, it is better for you to focus on Cultivation. This matter is hereby dropped."
Fortunately!
Hearing this, Qi Yuan immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
If he were assigned to intern at the Internal Affairs Hall now, it would indeed be troublesome. The affairs there were complex, and he would most likely be unable to spare time to complete the current System task.
Although the position at the Internal Affairs Hall was high-ranking and powerful, for Qi Yuan, it was a murky situation. Even if he achieved results, there would be no merit, and if he made the slightest mistake, he would likely immediately attract criticism. It was a thankless task.
The Tai Xuan Holy Land's Sect rules were strict, and as a newly promoted Daozi, he was under the scrutiny of all. Who knew how many people were unconvinced and waiting for him to make a mistake.
Thinking of this, he quickly said, "Disciple wishes to travel and experience the world, while also comprehending the Heavenly Dao, tempering himself, and seeking an opportunity to form a Nascent Soul. I hope Master will grant permission."
"Hmm?"
Great Master Hengzhen first frowned slightly, then relaxed his brow and said calmly, "Very well. Cultivating in seclusion will never make one a Great Master. It's fine for you to go out and explore."
"When traveling, always be cautious. If you encounter danger and cannot overcome it, do not act recklessly or seek to win. You must retreat in time and leave the matter to the Sect elders to handle afterward, understand?"
"Disciple respectfully obeys Master's teachings."
Qi Yuan was overjoyed upon hearing this.
With his Master's words, he could not only freely go out to do System tasks, but also legitimately call upon the Tai Xuan Holy Land for help when encountering powerful enemies.
In the Cultivation World, besides one's own cultivation, connections often mattered greatly.
Fortunately, his background was very strong...
...
More than ten days later.
Eastern God Domain.
Outside Puzhou City, there is a Canglan Mountain range stretching for a thousand miles. Its peaks are majestic, and its resources are abundant, producing various flying beasts, walking beasts, mountain delicacies, and medicinal herbs, sustaining countless hunters and herb gatherers.
At this moment, outside a secluded valley deep within Canglan Mountain, a crowd surged, with hundreds of young men and women gathered.
This group of young men and women wore varied clothing and came from vastly different family backgrounds. Some were shabbily dressed and had a humble demeanor, while others wore luxurious clothes and lived a pampered life. All the young people looked excitedly towards the valley entrance, their anticipation evident on their faces.
"Didn't they say the Luoyun Sect was recruiting Disciples? Why is there no movement yet?"
"The dry food I brought is almost gone. If they don't start soon, I'll probably be hungry."
A short young man in gray cloth robes couldn't help but complain.
The dark-skinned young man next to him also sighed, saying with a worried expression, "It is said that the Luoyun Immortal Sect's assessment is extremely strict. Each time, more than 90% of people are eliminated, and those who remain can only start as Utility Disciples, not even Outer Sect Disciples. I wonder if I can last until the end..."
As the two talked, a wealthy-looking chubby young man glanced at them with disdain, his tone full of contempt:
"If you can't hold on, then scram. You poor, low-class people are not even qualified to Cultivate. Anyway, you'll be eliminated eventually, so it's better to withdraw early and save me the sight."
"You..."
The gray-robed young man's face flushed with anger, wanting to argue, but he was intimidated by the burly servants behind the chubby young man and dared not act out. In the end, he could only let out a muffled grunt and turn his head away.
The dark-faced young man, however, was indignant and angrily said,
"Wang Luchuan, I know your family is prominent, but cultivation relies on Spiritual Root Aptitude. It's not yet certain who is superior or inferior. Why do you look down on us?"
Hearing this, the chubby young man named Wang Luchuan was not angry. Instead, he chuckled and beckoned to a pretty young girl not far away:
"Liu Yingying, tell Lin Zhen, is my Aptitude better, or are theirs better?"
The pretty young girl trembled, bit her thin lips with a conflicted expression, and finally lowered her head, softly replying,
"Brother Wang had already had a Cultivator test him before coming. He possesses both wood and water Spiritual Roots, which can be called a one-in-ten-thousand Cultivation Genius."
As soon as these words came out, the surrounding young men and women immediately burst into an uproar.
Dual Spiritual Roots!
This kind of Aptitude was a rare existence among Mortals, definitely a visible sign of limitless potential.
If Liu Yingying's words were true, Wang Luchuan would not only easily join the Luoyun Sect but also be highly valued and cultivated as a future True Disciple.
Under the envious and awestruck gazes of the crowd, Wang Luchuan directly walked over, pulled Liu Yingying into his arms, puffed out his chest proudly, and said arrogantly,
"Useless trash, I'm not afraid to tell you, your childhood sweetheart fiancée is now my woman. From now on, you'd best stay far away from her, or else I'll break your legs."
The young girl Liu Yingying struggled twice but couldn't break free. She could only bury her face in Wang Luchuan's chest in shame.
"Yingying, is what he said true?"
Seeing that the young girl did not deny it for a long time, Lin Zhen's face showed a complex expression of sorrow and indignation. He clenched his fists, trembling all over, and his eyes almost spouted fire.
He and Liu Yingying were childhood sweethearts, betrothed since childhood, and both families had long had an understanding, only waiting for them to come of age to become husband and wife.
Now, seeing his beloved in someone else's arms with his own eyes, the impact on him was immense.
Liu Yingying raised her head, a hint of determination flashing in her eyes:
"Lin Zhen, Brother Wang and I have secretly pledged ourselves to each other. Let's cancel our engagement. Please don't bother me anymore from now on."
"So that's how it is."
Lin Zhen stood stunned, then after a long while, he suddenly gave a tragic smile and slowly stepped back.
Then, somewhat dejectedly, he turned around and started to walk away, intending to give up on this entrance assessment.
Seeing this, Wang Luchuan laughed triumphantly, then said meaningfully,
"That brat Lin Zhen is naturally born with a cheap and thin Luck. If he walks alone in the desolate mountains and wilderness, he might be snatched away by some Yao Beast and become a lonely ghost. You can't blame me then."
"Young Master is right. I don't think this little brat will be hopping around for many more days."
The servants behind him immediately understood, looking at the direction Lin Zhen was leaving with sinister smiles.
Seemingly realizing something, Liu Yingying's face turned pale. She wanted to speak up to plead for him but was glared back by a single look from Wang Luchuan.
In a secluded corner of the crowd, Qi Yuan was watching this exciting drama with great interest, his heart completely calm.
To conceal his identity, Qi Yuan had specially changed his appearance before coming. At this moment, he had an ordinary face, the kind that would be impossible to find if thrown into a crowd.
Therefore, compared to the other candidates participating in the assessment, apart from appearing slightly older in age, there was nothing about him that warranted attention.
Although the young man named Lin Zhen was extremely miserable, possibly even in danger of his life, it was at most a private grievance. What did it have to do with him, a mere bystander who was neither relative nor friend?
Before completing the task, Qi Yuan did not want to do anything that would cause complications.
Moreover, with so many people gathered outside the mountain gate, Falling Cloud Valley would certainly be under strict surveillance. Everything that happened here would not escape the eyes and ears of the Cultivators. Since the hosts themselves did not intervene, he had even less reason to meddle.
Just then, Qi Yuan's System interface suddenly appeared before his eyes:
"Special event encountered, hidden side quest activated:
The Prodigy of Fortune, Lin Zhen, is currently at the lowest point of his life. The host can choose to step forward and rescue him from danger."
"Quest Difficulty: Two Stars (Easy)"
"Quest Objective: Rescue the Prodigy of Fortune, Lin Zhen, from a group of evil servants and establish a good relationship with the future Prodigy of Fortune."
"Quest Reward: 50 Counterattack Points, 200 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, gain a certain Luck increase."
"Note: This side quest can be abandoned. No penalty for failure."
Luck increase?
Qi Yuan's eyes instantly lit up.
Only a fool would give up such a good thing!