I had been cultivating for about a month since I met Bai Xinyue.
You could say that after realizing just how deep in shit I was, rest wasn’t even an option—even if I wanted to.
As for Shen Liang? I couldn’t care less. In my eyes, he was just an ant I could crush whenever I felt like it.
Instead of wasting time on him, I poured everything into getting stronger.
But the progress wasn’t as fast as I’d hoped.
I only managed to break through once during the entire month, and another breakthrough didn’t seem to be anywhere on the horizon no matter how hard I cultivate.
“System!”
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[ Host Info ]
Host: Bai Zihan
Age: 16
Cultivation Realm: Core Condensation (Mid)
Constitution: None
Martial Arts: Nine Shadows Flowing Light Sword (Minor Mastery)
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Although that progress could already be said to be miles better than my previous pace, it was still slow compared to what I would like it to be.
With an opponent like Bai Xinyue, this progress felt very slow.
“I need something like a 10x Cultivation Speed Card to help me!”
With a 10x Cultivation Speed Card, cultivating was a breeze but those cards were insanely expensive in the System.
I want to save the System Points for emergencies.
(Should I go around beating up Heaven Sword Sect’s disciple?)
That way I could earn a huge amount of System Points and perhaps even good rewards like 10x Cultivation Speed Card without needing to buy it.
But that is too risky, considering I am a new disciple and also have weak cultivation.
I will think about it once I reach the Golden Core Stage.
Before continuing with my cultivation, there was something I wanted to check out—the Heaven Sword Sect’s Assessment Test.
Lin Xuan had told me about the assessment day where he would be participating to become an outer disciple.
I was interested. After all, this is the kind of event where a protagonist definitely shines.
Although there was already Lin Xuan, there might be others as well—just like how the Heaven Sword Sect already has two Heaven’s Chosen.
Who knows if another Heaven’s Chosen might pop up during the assessment test?
***
Bai Zihan stood at the edge of a towering cliff that overlooked the sprawling valley below—the site of the Heaven Sword Sect’s Assessment Grounds.
A sea of disciples, elders, and onlookers filled the stone platforms, the air buzzing with anticipation.
This wasn’t just some little internal test of just Heaven Sword Sect—it was a grand event, practically a festival involving thousands of people from all over the Desolate Heaven Empire.
He folded his arms, black robe fluttering in the wind as he looked down with an indifferent gaze.
He didn’t come here to cheer anyone on.
He came to scout for potential Heaven’s Chosen.
However, despite being in such close proximity, there was no notification from the System indicating that a Heaven’s Chosen had been detected.
(This really must be Lin Xuan’s big moment!)
If no other Heaven’s Chosen showed up, then it basically confirmed this whole event was designed just for him to shine and blow everyone’s minds with his talent.
Bai Zihan kept his eyes on Lin Xuan.
Lin Xuan stood alone in the crowd of thousands.
Although alone, he didn’t seem nervous—rather, he looked determined.
(As expected of a protagonist!)
After failing many times, it wouldn’t be easy to stay confident, no matter how much progress you’ve made.
But his previous failures didn’t seem to bother him at all.
Moreover, dozens of candidates were being knocked out cold, coughing up blood, or being dragged off the platform by stretcher teams.
The test was brutal for many who didn’t have sufficient talent.
You had to sit within a special formation that simulated extreme spiritual pressure while absorbing Qi to keep yourself stable.
One mistake? One misstep? That was all it took to fail.
Hundreds had tried—only to walk away disappointed or get knocked out.
The elders were clearly growing disheartened.
“Looks like this year’s recruitment is also going to be bad. No one has yet to pass.”
“Seems like it’s going to be hard to meet the quota this year.”
With hundreds already failing without a single success, morale was sinking fast.
Of course, they wanted talented disciples to join the Heaven Sword Sect—but they also had standards.
They couldn’t just accept anyone.
Their requirements were high, and for good reason.
“Participant No. 234! Please come forward!”
“Here!”
After some time, it was finally Lin Xuan’s turn.
As Lin Xuan stepped into the circle, he took a deep breath, settled down cross-legged, and prepared to begin his test.
Then—
Boom!
The Qi around him surged like a flood breaking through a dam, rushing into his body with terrifying force.
Even the elders watching from above straightened slightly, their expressions turning serious.
Just last year, this exact test had nearly killed him.
He had struggled to absorb even a trickle of Qi and had been knocked out cold within seconds, coughing up blood and carrying off with serious internal injuries.
Back then, the pressure from the formation had felt like a mountain crushing his lungs and dantian.
But now?
Now there was no pain.
No strain.
Instead, his body felt light. Energized. His meridians greedily devoured the incoming Qi, circulating it with ease as his cultivation surged within seconds.
A full minute ticked by.
Yet there was no sign of strain. No twitch, no falter, not even the slightest irregularity in his breath.
Then—
In the corner, one of the outer sect elders responsible for overseeing the first stage stood up and slowly raised a jade token high into the air.
“Pass!”
His voice carried across the entire platform, filled with excitement.
The first pass of the day.
And not just any pass—but a flawless one.
The elder’s calm “Pass” echoed like thunder across the entire platform.
There was a brief silence—then a wave of murmurs swept through the crowd like wildfire.
“Did the elder just say pass?”
“No way—someone actually passed?!”
“It’s been nearly half an hour and this is the first guy who didn’t pass out or explode!”
“Who is he?”
…
Then, someone in the crowd squinted toward the glowing circle.
“Wait a minute… isn’t that Lin Xuan?”
“The handyman?!”
“Yeah! I remember him. He failed twice already. How the hell did he pass this time?”
“Didn’t he get taken by that Bai Zihan guy? I heard he was being abused or something—locked up and tortured.”
“Maybe he’s been cultivating out of desperation for revenge. Maybe that’s why he passed?”
…
The theories and gossip ran wild, but no one could deny what they had just witnessed.
Lin Xuan—the handyman no one expected—was the first to pass this entire Assessment Test.
Lin Xuan calmly stood up, nodded politely to the elders, then stepped aside to the designated waiting area for stage two participants.
Meanwhile, the rest of the test continued.
Dozens more entered. Dozens more failed.
Time crawled, and soon another hour passed with hundreds of new hopefuls stepping into the circle, only to be ejected seconds later—coughing, vomiting, or straight-up passing out.
By now, Lin Xuan was meditating as he waited for the second test to begin.
He sat quietly on a stone platform beside the formation circle, legs crossed, posture straight, eyes closed.
His breathing was steady. His meridians still warm from the surge of Qi he’d taken in during the first stage.
But inside?
He was grinning like a maniac.
(I actually did it… I passed the first stage!)
Lin Xuan felt the excitement bubbling inside his chest.
After all, no matter how calm he tried to be, he couldn’t. He has failed twice with the thrice just being around the corner but he managed to pass.
And he knew that it was all thanks to Bai Zihan who gave him such a precious Cultivation Technique that he was able to prevent his third failure.
(Master Zihan… I really owe you everything.)
He silently thanked Bai Zihan in his heart, eyes still closed as he continued cycling his Qi, stabilizing the earlier breakthrough from the formation.
But although he was very happy that he passed, he didn’t forget that it was just the first of the three tests and he still got two more to go.
(That was only the first part…)
The Combat Trial was next, and then finally… the Dao Resonance Mirror.
If he failed at either stage, this entire effort would be wasted.
Worse—he’d have wasted Bai Zihan’s trust, time, and investment.
Although he knew that for Bai Zihan, what he gave him might not be much, for him, it was everything.
Even if it was for self-satisfaction, he was determined to make sure that those investments don’t go to waste.
(I can’t let that happen.)
He clenched his fists.
(I won’t let that happen.)
Lin Xuan’s expression turned serious once more, the earlier joy buried beneath fierce determination.
He’d prove himself.
Not just to the sect.
Not just to the fools whispering rumors behind his back.
But to Bai Zihan—the man who believed in him when no one else would.
(I’m going all the way!)