Wastrel Lin Bai, Arrogant Wang Tian

The Disciple Recruitment Assembly was in full swing.

Those who had been eliminated hung their heads in dejection.

Some even threw back their heads and shouted at the sky.

"It hurts! It hurts so much!"

"I, a future Great Emperor, actually met my downfall at this tiny Disciple Recruitment Assembly! I refuse to accept this!"

"This guy's gone crazy!"

"Isn't that so? He's twenty-five in bone age and only at the middle stage of Qi Refining!"

"And he calls himself the strongest Qi Refiner, a future Great Emperor? Go screw yourself."

After saying that, the man followed his companions and kicked him too. This kid was far too good at putting on airs!

Even I, the king of humblebragging pretension, couldn't stand watching it.

Elsewhere.

"Lin Bai, don't be sad. If this place won't keep you, another place will."

"I believe in you, Lin Bai. One day, you'll soar into the sky!"

"Sigh, still no good?"

The one speaking was a dejected young man dressed in white, with a face carved as if by a blade, sword-like brows, and starry eyes.

He had the face of a novel's protagonist, but not the fate of one.

His name was Lin Bai, the eldest young master of the Lin Family of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and nominally the future Lin Family Head.

It could be said that he had been born into lofty status.

Lin Bai had reached Qi Refining Early Stage at the age of eight, becoming famous throughout the city.

But heaven did not grant his wishes. Qi Refining Early Stage had accompanied him for ten years, and he had ultimately become a laughingstock.

For ten years, his cultivation had not advanced in the slightest, forever stuck at Qi Refining Early Stage.

This time, he had come on a whim to try his luck and see whether he could find a way to cultivate.

"Mm, thank you, Qing Er. It's fortunate that you've been by my side."

The young woman who had been speaking beside him was his fiancée, Nian Qing.

Their childhood betrothal had been arranged when they were eight years old.

"Lin Bai, I passed the first test. The second one will begin soon."

"I'll go get ready first."

After hurriedly saying that, Nian Qing walked away into the distance.

"Mm, be careful, Qing Er."

Watching Nian Qing's departing figure, Lin Bai slowly concealed the trace of envy in his eyes.

"Why! Why is this happening!"

He had seen the scene of that man shouting at the sky just now.

The sight of him being kicked to the ground in the end had deeply stabbed Lin Bai's heart.

He truly couldn't hold it in any longer!

That man was twenty-five and at the middle stage of Qi Refining, but what about him?

He had not even broken through the early stage in ten years. If he could not find a way to break through, then when he turned twenty-five, he would still be at the early stage—far worse off than that man!

Lin Bai walked along absentmindedly, sighing as he agonized over it.

He had come this time both to try his luck and to accompany Nian Qing.

It was only natural that Nian Qing had passed the first round of tests.

Nian Qing was the genius girl renowned throughout their city. She had reached Qi Refining Early Stage at ten, and now, at eighteen, had already attained the Golden Core Realm.

The two of them had originally been a match made by heaven and earth, except he had gradually become a joke.

"With an early Golden Core cultivation at eighteen, she should stand out from the crowd."

Just as he lowered his head in deep thought, a voice reached him.

"Young man, do you have some trouble? This sect is most fond of helping others. Why not tell this sect about it?"

Hearing this, Lin Bai paused and stopped walking.

He sized up the three people before him.

Of the three before him, the young man in Black Robe who called himself "this sect" had Ink Hair cascading like a waterfall, and his violet eyes in particular were exceptionally strange and wondrous.

The youth beside him had an aura spilling outward, and his eight-foot-tall frame was immensely imposing. There was also a middle-aged man whom Lin Bai similarly could not see through.

"May I ask who you are?"

Lin Bai asked doubtfully. Could this guy have heard of my title as the Lin Family's Great Wastrel and come specifically to mock me?

"This sect is the Azure Cloud Sect Master."

"Our Azure Cloud Sect is fated with you, and this sect sees that you possess extraordinary talent. This sect will give you an opportunity to rise straight into the clouds—join my Azure Cloud Sect."

Feng Qingyang's words struck Lin Bai like a bolt from the blue.

Tears immediately streamed down his face!

"Ten years!"

"A full ten years!"

"For ten years, I've been waiting for an opportunity! Waiting for someone who could recognize my talent!"

"But Azure Cloud Sect? I've never heard of it. Whatever, as long as it's a sect."

After all, in ten whole years, not a single sect had ever invited him.

"Me? Sir, haven't you mistaken me for someone else?" Lin Bai cautiously asked just in case. It would be awkward if they had the wrong person.

What puzzled him even more was that the title of Lin Family Great Wastrel had already spread throughout Spirit Province, yet someone had actually come looking for him.

"What, are you questioning this sect?"

Feng Qingyang said with a raised brow.

After confirming there was no mistake, Lin Bai hurriedly cupped his hands. "No, I wouldn't dare... I want to join the Azure Cloud Sect."

"Very good. You will one day be glad for the decision you made today."

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully recruiting the second genius disciple. Mission complete."

"Distributing mission rewards... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained one Silver Summoning Card."

"Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Ten Thousand Swords Tomb. It has materialized on the Azure Cloud Sect Back Mountain."

"Congratulations, Host, you have obtained Azure Lotus Swordplay."

As before, notes explaining their uses followed.

Silver Summoning Card: Can summon those from the Spirit Transformation Realm to the Manifest Saint Realm.

Ten Thousand Swords Tomb: Countless swords of the heavens are buried within; those fated may obtain them.

Azure Lotus Swordplay: An immortal art tailor-made for the Azure Lotus Sword Body.

As the sounds of the rewards being issued rang out, Feng Qingyang also opened Lin Bai's panel.

Lin Bai: Qi Refining Early Stage

Physique: Azure Lotus Sword Body (Unactivated)

Identity: Eldest Young Master of the Lin Family of the Great Zhou Dynasty

"No wonder this kid is at Qi Refining Early Stage. It seems his unactivated physique has absorbed his spiritual energy. Without a suitable cultivation technique, he can't advance."

Now that he had accepted a disciple, there was no need to remain at this Disciple Recruitment Assembly.

Once the Azure Cloud Sect shook the Eastern Domain in a few days, countless heavenly geniuses would naturally come flocking by name, begging him to let them join the sect.

"Let's go. Back to the sect."

"Ah, Sect Master," Lin Bai had just wanted to speak. He still wanted to wait for Nian Qing and tell her the good news that he had joined a sect.

But several people approached from the side, interrupting him.

"Oh? Isn't this the Lin Family's eldest young master?"

"What, isn't the great genius Lin going to take the second round of tests?"

"No way, no way. Could there really be a pig that can't even pass the first round?"

"Haha, Young Master, when you speak, why insult pigs?"

"Haha, I'm dying of laughter. This kid isn't even as good as a pig."

The people nearby who had failed the first round of tests only dared to be angry without daring to speak.

That was because the newcomer was Wang Tian, the young master of the Wang Family, one of the Great Zhou Dynasty's top families.