Illusory Realm Assessment, Profound Heaven Dao Academy

"Old Fish, you brought back another batch of new disciples. That Earth-grade Genius you found before—who knows what kind of luck you had to run into one."

An old man appeared before the crowd at some unknown moment, utterly silent and without a trace.

His tone was familiar.

Elder Mo nodded rather smugly. "Naturally. My luck is anything but ordinary. This time, there are three with Superior Aptitude. Even in that remote place, that's rare."

That elder also sighed. "That's why I say your luck is something else."

He was consumed with envy and jealousy. While everyone else went out to recruit disciples, Elder Mo had been assigned that region this year—a perennial backwater within the territory of the Profound Heaven Dao Academy. Finding even one with Mid-grade Aptitude would have been enough to account for his task.

Who could have expected three with Superior Aptitude? No, it should have been four—except one had fallen. And there was even an Earth-grade Genius.

"Enough of that nonsense. Old Lin, test them. Those who pass can be issued their disciple jade badges directly."

"Hahaha, since you struck it lucky this time, the Academy Master and the other elders will also come take a look."

Elder Lin continued to prattle on. With a sweep of his sleeve, everyone's consciousness fell into an illusory realm.

At the same time, a mirror hanging high in the hall slowly emitted a soft radiance that enveloped the disciples.

"Clean backgrounds. No problems."

"Three Superior Aptitudes. Not bad, not bad."

Amid invisible ripples in the air, strands of Divine Consciousness entered the disciples' hall.

With their eyes closed and their awareness cut off from the outside world, they clearly had no idea that quite a few elders were already watching them.

This was something that rarely happened before.

It was also a rare opportunity. If one caught the eye of an elder and became their disciple, they wouldn't be entirely without support in the Dao Academy.

Of course, this was a passive opportunity.

Lu Qing guarded his mind as an illusory realm appeared before him.

He saw a wolf appear in front of him, and his heart jolted in alarm.

"What is this?"

Yet nothing surfaced in his mind soon after.

A flicker of realization arose in his heart.

Right, this had to be the second stage of the assessment.

His Calamity Avoidance Talent hadn't activated. Clearly, this wolf couldn't kill him.

He broke free at astonishing speed.

"This kid isn't bad."

"His temperament is good. He isn't afraid."

"Deepen it a little more."

In the blink of an eye, after the wolf vanished, Lu Qing fell into an even deeper illusory realm.

This time, although he didn't understand what was happening, he saw a scene of countless people surging forward to congratulate him on becoming the Dao Academy's peerless prodigy, with an unrivaled great being personally accepting him as a disciple.

His face remained expressionless, though he almost wanted to laugh. Give me a break. I know my own aptitude better than anyone. With Earth-grade and Heaven-grade monsters around, there's no way I'd believe this kind of scene.

The next moment, the illusory realm shattered.

"Hm, interesting." A faint voice sounded.

"Interesting enough to take him as a disciple?"

"Ah, I calculated that the fated one isn't here this year." The first voice hesitated, then chose to refuse.

More Divine Consciousness turned toward the others.

"This boy's aptitude is much poorer, but his single-minded pursuit of the path of cultivation is still rare and precious."

"Superior Aptitude, but his temperament is far too weak."

"No one caught your eye? The Academy Master asked us to come accept disciples."

"Quit your damn whining. It's not like I've never accepted a disciple before!"

"We already accepted the Earth-grade ones this year. They can be taken in next year, but this year, they have no fate with us." As things came to an end, a solemn voice sounded.

The speaking voices were extremely faint, yet goosebumps rose all over Lu Qing's body.

Then, a bad-tempered voice appeared.

He immediately remembered everything, but he didn't open his eyes at once. What if this was another illusory realm?

"Alright, congratulations on passing the assessment."

Elder Mo's voice rang out.

When Lu Qing opened his eyes after this assessment, he saw only two elders standing before them.

He lowered his gaze. He had clearly heard many voices just now, yet there was no one else in sight. Without question, those speakers had all been major figures.

He had no intention of revealing anything unusual about himself.

Lu Qing didn't know whether only he had heard them or whether the others had as well, and he wouldn't gamble on that possibility.

As for being accepted as a disciple or taking a master, he would leave it to fate.

Whether he had one or not, Lu Qing had always believed only in himself.

No one present became a disciple of any master.

Perhaps those major figures who had spoken were merely here to watch the excitement.

So what if one had Superior Aptitude? So what if one was a genius? Even the death of one with Superior Aptitude hadn't caused the slightest ripple. Lu Qing knew clearly that what he needed to do was cultivate—keep a low profile, keep a low profile. He had already obtained another kind of Longevity, and he had Calamity Avoidance as well. Competing for supremacy wasn't what he liked, wasn't what he was good at, and wasn't what he needed.

After Elder Mo gave them a brief reminder, he handed this batch of new disciples over to the dozen or so young people who arrived afterward.

Lu Qing received his jade badge from one of the senior brothers who came later.

After he dripped blood onto it and spiritual light gathered, his aura was branded upon it. Even though he hadn't yet begun cultivating, he vaguely sensed a faint connection to the jade badge in his hand.

"Senior Brother, may this junior ask you something? How should one choose a Dao Peak?"

After receiving their jade badges, many more disciples appeared and led the others away.

The senior brother before him was cheerful by nature. Hearing this, he laughed heartily. "Junior Brother, don't worry. Dao Peaks are everywhere here. Since you haven't yet begun cultivating, you'll first choose a Dao Peak in the Outer Academy. Once you begin cultivating or your cultivation becomes profound in the future, you can move elsewhere."

"That will depend on the cultivation method you choose in the future before a decision can be made."

Lu Qing understood. In other words, before entering the path of cultivation, which Dao Peak he chose wasn't particularly important.

"Thank you for informing me, Senior Brother."

"It's nothing. We accepted missions to come out here. I'll take you to a Dao Peak first. The Dao Academy jade badge is extremely important, Junior Brother, so don't lose it. If you do, remember to come to the disciples' hall here to have it replaced."

"If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me, contact other fellow disciples through the jade badge, or seek out the teachers and elders."

"These are your entry items, Junior Brother. They're all necessities for new disciples. Keep them safely. Inside are jade slips introducing the various places. Just press them against your forehead to examine them."

After arriving at their destination, Lu Qing chose a Dao Peak shrouded in clouds and mist.

The senior brother who had accepted the mission was blunt and efficient, highly familiar with the process. In just a few words, he explained the relevant matters and handed over a bundle.

It was the Dao Academy's entry stipend for new disciples.

The Dao Peak Lu Qing chose was nameless. A group of mortals was sweeping the courtyard on the mountain.

The three-story courtyard was vast and boundless. Beyond the gates lay a jade-built pool, and the sound of trickling water greeted him the moment he entered. The main structure of the courtyard had three floors—the entrance hall on the first floor and several cultivation rooms on the second.

There was also a Spirit Field in the rear courtyard.

Lu Qing saw the dozen or so mortals sweeping the courtyard.

"Greetings, Immortal Master. The courtyard has been cleaned. Please move in, Immortal Master."

Upon seeing Lu Qing, they bowed and spoke in unison.

"Mm. You may leave."

"Yes."

Cultivators needed to devote themselves to cultivation. When that senior brother had led Lu Qing here, he had already seen many people working on numerous Dao Peaks.

After that group left.

The courtyard became quiet once more.

Entering the front hall, Lu Qing first opened the bundle and took out a jade slip.

Following his senior brother's instructions, he pressed it against his forehead and saw within it an introduction to the Profound Heaven Dao Academy.