Family Test, Winds and Clouds Rise Again

The morning bell, as if by prearrangement, once again rang out melodiously over the Lin family mansion. But this bell was louder, more solemn, and even more… exciting than the one three days ago!

Because today was the Lin family's annual, and most important, grand event: the formal family testing ceremony!

This day not only determined the allocation of resources and family status for the younger generation of the Lin family in the coming year, but also related to the Lin family's performance and reputation in the upcoming Qingyang Town Three Great Families Competition! Its importance was self-evident!

The entire Lin family mansion had been buzzing with activity since before dawn!

Countless servants busied themselves setting up the venue, hanging colorful flags, and preparing refreshments.

The disciples of the Lin family from various courtyards had already washed and dressed early, putting on their most presentable and spirited attire. One by one, they clenched their fists, their eyes filled with excitement, nervousness, and anticipation.

Especially those who had performed exceptionally well in the preliminary tests three days ago, or who believed their strength was not bad, were all holding their heads high and looking spirited, ready to shine brightly on today's final stage and solidify their position within the family!

The martial arts arena was already packed with people, several times more lively than three days ago!

Not only were all the disciples and high-ranking members of the Lin family present, but representatives from the other two great families of Qingyang Town—the Su family and the Wang family—as well as some influential figures from the town, had all sent representatives to observe!

This was not only an opportunity for the Lin family to showcase its strength and foundation, but also an occasion for various forces to probe each other and observe the potential of the younger generation.

The high platform was already filled with people.

Patriarch Lin Xiaotian, dressed in a new purple brocade robe, wore a dignified smile. He exchanged pleasantries with the Su family elder and the Wang family elder (not Wang Teng's father, but another elder of higher status) who were present to observe. However, his gaze occasionally swept over the young disciples below, his eyes filled with expectation.

Great Elder Lin Zhenhong's expression remained gloomy, but compared to three days ago, he seemed to possess a bit more coldness and calculation. He glanced at his grandson, Lin Bao, who sat not far away, his face still pale but his eyes filled with malice. (He had used a large amount of precious medicinal pills, finally managing to allow Lin Bao to barely recover his ability to move, but his strength was bound to be greatly diminished.) Then, he cast his cold gaze towards an inconspicuous corner in the crowd, a subtle, cruel curve forming on his lips.

Third Elder Lin Zhenyue had a solemn expression. As one of the main persons in charge of this test, he needed to ensure fairness and impartiality (at least on the surface).

On the viewing platform, the Su family elder's gaze swept through the crowd intermittently, as if searching for something. When he saw a certain figure, a flicker of complex, unreadable emotion flashed in his eyes. The Wang family elder, on the other hand, looked extremely arrogant, as if disdainful of the Lin family's test, but deep in his eyes, a hint of vigilance and scrutiny was hidden.

As for the focus of everyone's attention three days ago, Lin Chen, he was still dressed in his "low-key" attire, blending into the crowd towards the back.

He had changed into a semi-new blue training outfit "bestowed" by the Patriarch. Although the material was good, it still looked somewhat "ill-fitting" on him. Combined with his deliberately disguised expression of nervousness and awkwardness, he perfectly portrayed a young man who had "luckily risen but lacked confidence."

He could clearly feel that the gazes directed at him were even more numerous and complex than three days ago!

There was curiosity, scrutiny, jealousy, disdain, anticipation, and of course, the undisguised malice and killing intent from Lin Bao and his cronies!

He even keenly caught a few scrutinizing and probing gazes from the direction of the viewing platform! Clearly, his "astonishing debut" three days ago had not only shaken the Lin family internally but had also attracted the attention of external forces!

"Very good, this is the effect I want." Lin Chen sneered inwardly, but on his face, he appropriately showed a hint of "unease" and "nervousness," as if he were intimidated by the overwhelming attention.

He knew that he was now at the center of the storm! Countless eyes were fixed on him! Waiting to see if he could continue to create miracles or if he would be a flash in the pan and return to his original state!

And this was exactly what he wanted!

The more attention he received, the better the effect of his upcoming "performance" would be! It would allow him to better paralyze his enemies and buy himself more time and space!

"Silence!"

With Third Elder Lin Zhenyue's resonant shout infused with True Qi, the originally noisy and lively martial arts arena instantly fell silent.

"The auspicious hour has arrived! The Lin family's annual family testing ceremony officially begins!"

No need for excessive formalities, straight to the point!

"As in previous years, the test is divided into three parts!" the Third Elder announced loudly. "The first part is still a cultivation inspection! All disciples aged twelve and above who have reached the Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer must participate! This will be used to assess their basic level!"

"The second part is the potential test! The family's secret 'Potential Stone' will be used to test your future development potential! The results of this test will serve as an important reference for the family's resource allocation!"

"The third part, and the most important one—the combat ranking battle! All disciples who have reached the Body Tempering Realm Triple Layer and above can participate! Through methods such as drawing lots for duels and challenge advancements, the top ten participants of this test will be determined! The top ten will receive generous rewards and will represent our Lin family in the Qingyang Town Three Great Families Competition half a month later!"

Potential test? Combat ranking battle? Three Great Families Competition?

These items instantly ignited the enthusiasm of all the young disciples! Especially the tempting top ten spots and the opportunity to participate in the competition, which caused the eyes of those talented individuals with strong strength to erupt with fiery brilliance!

Lin Chen's heart also stirred slightly. Potential test? That was a novel item. However, he had absolute confidence in this body that had been modified by the Myriad Dao Furnace, and in his mysterious Nine Aperture Dao Foundation! As for the combat ranking battle… hehe, that was the stage he had been eagerly awaiting!

"Now, we begin the first part, the cultivation inspection!" the Third Elder waved his hand. "The rules are the same as the preliminary test, proceed forward in order!"

Just like three days ago, the cultivation inspection began again.

With the experience of the preliminary test, the process was smoother and faster this time.

The low-level disciples still evoked faint glows, which did not cause much stir.

When it was the turn of those who had performed exceptionally well in the preliminary test, the atmosphere in the arena became lively again.

Lin Hu and others took the stage again. Although their cultivation had not shown obvious progress, it still drew quite a bit of applause.

Lin Bao also appeared on stage again. This time, the arrogance on his face had significantly subsided, replaced by a gloomy and resentful expression. He placed his hand on the Martial Proving Stele, and the stone tablet once again erupted with a dazzling white light. However, compared to three days ago, the light was noticeably dimmer, and its duration was shorter. The faint golden hue had also disappeared.

"Lin Bao, late stage of Body Tempering Realm Fourth Layer. Foundation is slightly damaged, requires good recuperation," the Third Elder commented expressionlessly.

Although he was still at the late stage of the Fourth Layer, this evaluation was undoubtedly a public slap in the face! It proved that he had indeed been seriously injured before, and his strength had declined!

Lin Bao's expression instantly became even more unpleasant. He shot a venomous glare at Lin Chen, as if wanting to devour him alive!

The crowd below also let out a sigh. It seemed that Brother Bao was indeed seriously injured… However, even so, the strength of the late stage of the Fourth Layer was still beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Next, Lin Xue and Lin Yan took the stage again, their performance still overwhelmingly dominant, igniting the entire venue! Lin Xue had stabilized at the early stage of the Sixth Layer, and her Ice Attribute True Qi was even more refined. Lin Yan, on the other hand, showed signs of breaking through to the peak Grand Perfection of the Sixth Layer! This made Patriarch Lin Xiaotian and a group of elders smile with joy! It also caused the faces of the Su and Wang family elders on the viewing platform to change slightly.

Finally, under the gaze of many complex eyes, it was Lin Chen's turn.

He took a deep breath again, his face wearing that "standard" nervous expression, and slowly walked onto the stage.

This time, almost all eyes were focused on him! Everyone wanted to see if, after three days, the cultivation of this "miracle youth" had changed again? Had it stagnated? Or… would he continue to create miracles?

Lin Chen walked to the Martial Proving Stele and, under everyone's gaze, placed his palm on it again.

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!

The same scene from three days ago repeated itself!

A clear, bright, and pure white light suddenly illuminated the area! It was stable and persistent!

The humming sound, like a delicate chime, rang out again! Clear and pleasant to the ears!

The light and sound lasted for about four breaths.

"Body Tempering Realm... early Fourth Layer!" The Great Elder Lin Zhenyue's voice carried a hint of undisguised surprise and admiration. "Lin Chen! In just three days, you've broken through another minor realm! And your foundation... is still solid! Good! Very good!"

BOOM!!!!

If Lin Chen's performance three days ago was "a stunning debut," then this moment was "earth-shattering"! It completely ignited the entire venue!

"F-Fourth Layer early?! Did I hear that right?!" "Three days! Just three days! He broke through again?!" "Is... is this still human?! This is a monster!" "His foundation is still solid?! How is that possible?! With this speed of breakthrough, how could his foundation possibly be stable?!" "Could it be... he really is a peerless prodigy, one in ten thousand? Was he just delayed for the past three years due to some special reason?" "Too terrifying! This cultivation speed... it's simply unheard of!"

Exclamations! Screams! Unbelievable gasps of cold air! They erupted one after another!

This time, no one doubted. No one mocked.

All that remained was deep shock! And... profound reverence!

Lin Bao's face instantly turned ashen! Early Fourth Layer! That good-for-nothing actually reached the Fourth Layer too?! Although it was only the early stage, combined with his peculiar strength and solid foundation... could he... could he still be confident of winning against him?! A fear he had never felt before instantly seized his heart!

Lin Zhenhong's expression turned even gloomier, as if water could be squeezed from it! He clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails almost digging into his palms! Fourth Layer! This little beast actually reached the Fourth Layer! And in just three days! This kind of talent... this speed... if allowed to grow, the consequences would be unimaginable! Kill him! He must be killed! No matter the cost! He had to nip this threat in the bud!

Lin Xiaotian excitedly stood up abruptly! His beard trembled slightly! Fourth Layer! Solid foundation! This was no longer just a simple genius! This was a Qilin! A Qilin that the Lin Family only encountered once in a hundred years! He could already see the Lin Family, led by Lin Chen, heading towards glory, dominating Qingyang Town, and even venturing beyond this borderland! He looked at Lin Chen with unprecedented fervor and determination! No matter what! He had to protect this child! Even if it meant completely falling out with the Great Elder! He wouldn't hesitate!

On the viewing platform, the Su Family elder's pupils constricted, a flicker of shock and... regret flashing in his eyes? If only... if only they hadn't broken off the engagement back then...

The Wang Family elder's face changed drastically! His eyes were filled with apprehension and killing intent! This child must not be allowed to live! He must be eliminated as soon as possible! Otherwise, he would surely become a major hidden danger for the Wang Family!

Lin Chen once again became the absolute focus of everyone's attention!

But he maintained his "humble" and "slightly bewildered" expression, as if he himself didn't know why he was breaking through so quickly.

"Disciple... disciple doesn't know what's going on either. These past few days, I felt... I felt that cultivation was exceptionally smooth..." He scratched his head "embarrassedly" and said to the stage.

This "humble brag" of a statement made everyone's mouths twitch again, and their hearts churned! Cultivation was exceptionally smooth? And that allowed him to break through a realm in three days?! Did he call this smooth?!

Even the elders on the high platform found it both amusing and exasperating. This kid not only had monstrous talent but also top-notch skills in "playing dumb"!

"Alright, alright, you can go down now." The Great Elder Lin Zhenyue smiled and waved his hand, signaling Lin Chen to retreat. He was becoming more and more satisfied with Lin Chen, finding him more and more pleasing to the eye.

Lin Chen, as if granted a great pardon, quickly bowed and saluted, then retreated back into the crowd under the gazes of everyone, who looked at him as if he were a monster.

The cultivation verification segment became dull and uninteresting due to Lin Chen's second "earth-shattering" performance. No matter how well the disciples who came after performed, they couldn't stir up much of a ripple.

Soon, the first test concluded.

Following that was the second item: Potential Test!

The stewards brought up a peculiar stone, about half a person's height, perfectly round, and emitting a seven-colored flowing light. This was the Lin Family's secret "Potential Stone."

It was said that by placing one's hand on the Potential Stone and injecting True Qi, the stone would emit light of different colors and brightness based on the tester's aptitude, bloodline, soul strength, and other comprehensive potentials. The higher the potential, the brighter the light, and the closer the color would be to the legendary purple or even gold!

Although this test was not as direct as the cultivation verification, it better reflected a person's future potential ceiling, thus it was highly valued by the family.

The test still began with the lower-ranked disciples.

Most ordinary disciples could only make the Potential Stone emit a faint white or pale yellow light, indicating ordinary potential.

Some with slightly better aptitude could emit bright yellow or pale green light, indicating moderate potential.

When Lin Hu stepped forward to test, the Potential Stone emitted a dazzling green light, drawing a round of admiration, indicating excellent potential.

When it was Lin Bao's turn, although he was injured, his potential was still considerable. The Potential Stone erupted with a deep green light, close to blue! This was already very good potential! It made Lin Zhenhong's expression slightly better.

When Lin Xue tested, the Potential Stone directly erupted with a brilliant deep blue light! Pure like ice crystals! Representing top-tier potential!

And when Lin Yan tested, it even triggered an anomaly! The Potential Stone not only erupted with a dazzling, near-purple crimson-gold light! It even trembled slightly! As if it couldn't withstand his terrifying potential!

"Good! Good! Good!" Lin Xiaotian excitedly stood up again, saying "good" three times! With such potential, his future achievements were limitless! He might even lead the Lin Family to greater glory!

Finally, amidst everyone's anticipation, it was Lin Chen's turn again.

All eyes once again focused on him!

What would be the potential of this young man who had created a miracle in cultivation speed?

Would it match his terrifying cultivation speed? Or... would it just be a fleeting moment, with mediocre potential?

Lin Chen took a deep breath, feeling a bit curious himself. He didn't know what kind of results his "Myriad Dao Furnace" and "Nine Aperture Dao Foundation" would show in this test.

He slowly walked to the Potential Stone, and under the gaze of countless eyes, he slowly extended his hand and placed it on the strangely colored, flowing stone.

Then, he cautiously injected a wisp of True Qi... deliberately suppressed and disguised, belonging to the "Body Tempering Realm early Fourth Layer."

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

The Potential Stone lit up.

But, to everyone's surprise!

It did not erupt with earth-shattering brilliance!

Nor did it display the blue, purple, or gold colors representing top-tier potential!

It… just lit up with a layer… of extremely dim…

Gray light???

As if covered in a thick layer of dust, it was dull and lusterless, even worse than ordinary disciples with mediocre potential?!

What… is going on?!

The entire venue fell into a deathly silence once more!