Jiang Sixuan's Confusion

Manager Chen approached Xiao Chen and gave him a very serious once-over from head to toe.

Although his Spiritual Root Aptitude was average, this comprehension that far surpassed ordinary people was truly formidable.

With this advantage, Xiao Chen had every hope of reaching Late-Stage Qi Refining within a few years, or even within a single year, and becoming an Inner Sect Disciple.

Perhaps he would not stop at becoming an Inner Sect Disciple. Could he possibly reach Foundation Establishment in the future?

Very likely!

That made him a Foundation Establishment seedling!

With that thought, the more Manager Chen looked at Xiao Chen, the more pleasing he found the disciple's appearance.

The lad had a bright future ahead of him.

He had decided. In a moment, he would take Xiao Chen to report to and discuss matters with his third uncle. Investments had to be made early.

He could not wait until someone had already reached Foundation Establishment before rushing over with gifts. That would be far too late.

While Manager Chen was thinking, everyone else had their own thoughts as well.

To be honest, within the Li Fire Sect, a lone cultivator at the 6th level of Qi Refining was nothing much.

Until one entered the Inner Sect, one was ultimately just a lowly laborer who worked diligently to support others in their pursuit of immortality.

But Xiao Chen's rate of progress had undoubtedly shattered the Li Fire Sect's highest record. There was no need to look through any records to know that.

Being at the 6th level of Qi Refining at twenty-one alone absolutely earned him the title of an outstanding young talent.

Going from the Qi Refining First Layer to the 6th level of Qi Refining within a year made him an absolute monstrous prodigy.

Chen Guangyu stared at Xiao Chen, completely dumbfounded.

This junior brother he had traded with was actually this formidable?

In truth, ever since the rankings had been announced, Chen Guangyu had held a grudge against Xiao Chen.

For no other reason than that he believed from the bottom of his heart that Xiao Chen had deceived him.

Back then, Xiao Chen had produced a total of seventy-two Points to trade with him, so he had assumed Xiao Chen had earned only seventy-two Points.

Though that result was somewhat higher than expected, it was still understandable. After all, he himself had initially expected to score around seventy Points.

That was why he had chosen to purchase only fifty Points, saving Spirit Stones in the process.

Yet after the Trial ended, he had actually been squeezed out of the top three and lost the Mysterious-grade techniques.

At the same time, he discovered that Xiao Chen still had sixty-five Points, which earned him Ninth Place.

In Chen Guangyu's eyes, Xiao Chen's deliberate act of selling him only part of his Points had severely misled his judgment.

Had he known earlier that someone like Xiao Chen was capable of earning one hundred and fifteen Points, he certainly would not have stopped after reaching one hundred and four Points.

They had clearly agreed on a trade, yet Xiao Chen had hidden away some of his Points instead of selling them to him, keeping them for himself to compete for the rankings. How despicable, how shameless.

Thus, he immediately began to resent Xiao Chen, believing this junior brother to be sly and deceitful.

He decided that he would keep away from such a petty man in the future, and that he would find a chance to take revenge someday.

But Chen Guangyu had not expected that after only a few days apart, Xiao Chen had already reached the 6th level of Qi Refining.

Even more terrifyingly, the other party had clearly displayed extraordinary potential.

He turned to look at Song Zhongming on his right and discovered that Song Zhongming was staring at Xiao Chen with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Tsk, he had definitely taken a liking to him. Could this brat be recruited by the Song Family?

He then turned to look at Liu Benxin on his left and found that Liu Benxin was also staring unblinkingly at Xiao Chen, one hand stroking his chin as though recalling something.

Chen Guangyu frowned. It seemed everyone had set their minds on him. Taking revenge might not be easy.

Why did such a cunning villain have such good fortune?

After thinking it over, Chen Guangyu looked toward Jiang Sixuan.

Eh, Jiang Sixuan was not looking at Xiao Chen at all. Instead, she was staring blankly at the ground.

A trace of confusion appeared on her beautiful face, making her especially captivating.

Chen Guangyu was instantly drawn in. He tossed Xiao Chen to the back of his mind and began calculating the odds of a marriage between himself and Jiang Sixuan.

He was not merely indulging in wishful thinking. After all, the Five Great Immortal Clans did indeed frequently form Marriage Alliances with one another, so intertwined that you were within me and I was within you.

Chen Guangyu could never have imagined that Jiang Sixuan was actually lost in thought over Xiao Chen.

Even when the Trial ended and Xiao Chen took Ninth Place, she had firmly believed it was merely luck.

But as Xiao Chen reached the 6th level of Qi Refining, she finally began to waver.

Was all of this truly just luck?

Had her previous judgment been wrong?

Should she continue to distance herself from Xiao Chen, or should she approach him again and draw closer to him?

Since beginning cultivation, Jiang Sixuan had felt lost and helpless over her own choices for the first time.

"Cough, cough."

Manager Chen cleared his throat twice and arranged, "Does anyone have any questions about this Trial?"

Silence filled the surroundings. Clearly, no one could spare any attention for the Trial anymore.

"Since that is the case, you may all disperse. Go back and cultivate properly, and strive to break through soon."

"Xiao Chen, come with me."

Manager Chen beckoned, signaling him to follow.

Xiao Chen stepped forward after him. The two left Branch 2, turned left and right through several paths, and arrived at a small garden on the side of the mountain.

Hundreds of different flowers grew there. It was August, and the flowers were in full bloom. Butterflies of every color flitted among them, a sight of incomparable beauty.

When they reached a Bamboo Hut, Manager Chen stopped. "Wait here for a moment. I will see whether my third uncle is in."

Outside the Flying Rainbow Mountain Range before, Xiao Chen had seen Manager Chen being summoned away by his third uncle, Outer Sect Elder Chen Tianyang.

That had been the first time since entering the sect that he had personally seen someone of an Elder's standing.

He had not expected that upon returning this time, Manager Chen would bring him along to meet Elder Chen.

Very soon, Manager Chen emerged with a smile. "Come in. My third uncle happens to be resting. You need not be nervous. Third Uncle has always been very kind."

Xiao Chen followed him through the front hall and into the Side Room behind it, where he saw Chen Tianyang wearing a long robe.

A round disc-shaped magical artifact sat before Chen Tianyang. Upon seeing Xiao Chen, he immediately called out, "You are Xiao Chen? Come, grip this bead tightly with your hand."

This was a magical artifact that could test another person's Spiritual Root Aptitude.

After hearing Manager Chen's report, Elder Chen's first reaction had been that the Spiritual Root test at the time of Xiao Chen's entry into the sect might have been wrong.

Xiao Chen obediently extended his hand. Immediately afterward, he saw a faint green glow light up.

Several other colors of dim light appeared beneath it, but they were so faint that they were almost completely obscured.

"It really is a Low-Grade Wood Spiritual Root!"

Only after personally testing him did Elder Chen believe Xiao Chen's Spiritual Root Aptitude. "Strange. Your Spiritual Root is indeed poor, yet you ultimately took even less time than Lin Ping'an."

"He relied on luck to pick up Jade Color Ginseng and broke through to the 6th level of Qi Refining in half a year. I had thought his record would be difficult to break in the future."

"Who would have thought that you would be even faster than him? The land brings forth talents generation after generation; the younger generation is truly formidable."

Xiao Chen hurriedly cupped his hands. "This disciple was merely somewhat lucky. It was only a fortunate chance."

Elder Chen shook his head. "A fortunate chance? I think this is more than just a fortunate chance."

The moment Elder Chen said that, Xiao Chen's pupils contracted.

What did he mean?