Luo Zeping's words were not impassioned, but they gave the eliminated geniuses on the steps a glimmer of hope.
They could still enter the Profound Sect and practice the same arts as its Official Disciples. The only difference was that they would be servant disciples rather than Official Disciples.
Many faces lit up again. As long as they could enter the Profound Sect, even being servants would do. After all, if they performed well, they could still become Official Disciples. Li Yunfei and the other two eliminated candidates from the Heavenly Strategy Academy were overjoyed. They had never expected they could still enter the Profound Sect as servant disciples.
Some, however, showed no joy. Even the least gifted among them was a genius with a perfected root bone, a rare, outstanding talent across an entire province. They could not lower their heads and enter the Profound Sect as servants.
Servants? Wouldn't that make them beasts of burden, mere underlings?
They might receive no respect in the Profound Sect, but back home, they were still geniuses everyone admired. Better the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. Among the nearly hundred eliminated candidates, quite a few immediately turned, descended the steps, and strode away, unwilling to enter the Profound Sect as beasts of burden. Below the dragon, a Profound Sect disciple called out, "Those willing to enter the Profound Sect as servants, follow me now."
Those intending to enter as servant disciples stopped hesitating. They turned, descended the steps, and left with that disciple. "I hereby declare this Dragon Ascent selection concluded. You may all disperse," Luo Zeping announced.
The geniuses and prodigies who had reached the dragon were startled. Hadn't they said this was only the first round? Why was it over already? Was there no second