Baptism

Zhang Yang looked over Situ Mingyue and Chunxiao's essays. As expected, they were all the sort of empty moaning born of no real affliction.

Both came from great merchant families. Even Chunxiao had never truly suffered; cultivation was merely a seasoning added to their lives.

Of course, it was not that their understanding lacked depth, only that it was not deep enough.

After some thought, he still pulled out Situ Mingyue's essay and added it to the selections for this evaluation.

Because Situ Mingyue had written about ideals!

Among the eighty-seven people, quite a few had written about ideals. Situ Mingyue could serve as a typical example. More importantly, she had decent writing skills and had made it highly stirring...

The seven-day deadline arrived once more, and everyone gathered again at Main Hall Plaza.

But this time, their moods were utterly different from before.

Some darted their eyes about, some were expressionless, some had deep gazes, and some were brimming with self-satisfaction... Situ Mingyue belonged to the last kind. She felt certain that she would win the seal.

Zhang Yang glanced over the crowd and said with a smile, "This time, I assigned everyone a... task. Over these seven days, everyone completed it."

He deliberately paused, and his expression turned grave. "But some people did not put their hearts into completing it.

"On the path of the Great Dao, one must first be sincere at heart.

"During the process of completing your tasks, only you yourselves know how much sincerity you truly had.

"I want to remind those junior brothers and sisters who lacked sincerity: if you have not yet firmed your conviction on the path of cultivation, then you had best not set out. Otherwise, sooner or later, you will become a pile of dry bones along the road of the Great Dao."

At those words, many remained unmoved, but many others could not help lowering their heads.

This group truly consisted of geniuses, but they were still merely children in their teens.

Zhang Yang had lived two lives and understood far too much. Handling a group of children like this was no challenge at all.

Even now, he could not understand why these people had sent this group of children to Azure Cloud Sect, desperately squeezing their way in at all costs. Was it truly just to obtain Azure Cloud Sect's cultivation techniques and magical treasures, then take the people back with them?

That would indeed harm Azure Cloud Sect, but these geniuses would need at least several decades to grow up.

Over those several decades, these people should have exposed flaws sooner or later, shouldn't they?

Were they not worried in the slightest?

But when he thought of the actions of Azure Cloud Master and the others, he could understand somewhat.

Other than high cultivation, how much did they know about the ways of the world?

Azure Cloud Master in particular was clearly powerful beyond measure, yet he had somehow been bound hand and foot, to the point that Azure Cloud Sect was so poor it was nearly unable to keep the pot boiling...

Zhang Yang pretended not to notice the children's abnormalities and said slowly, "From among the tasks everyone completed, I selected several for evaluation. In a moment, I will choose people to read their contents aloud. After the reading is finished, everyone will vote by raising their hands and select the person who completed the task best. During the evaluation, if anyone thinks theirs is better, they may raise an objection. Come, Chunxiao, come up and help me. Read all their essays properly."

Chunxiao was somewhat surprised. Why had she been chosen?

Still, she obediently stood before Zhang Yang, took the sheets of paper he handed her, and began reading their contents aloud.

"My name is Situ Mingyue..."

Chunxiao could not help glancing at her young mistress. Situ Mingyue's eyes widened involuntarily, and she eagerly gestured for Chunxiao to hurry and read. Then she looked at the others, observing their reactions.

The crowd's reactions varied. Some seemed thoughtful, some nodded repeatedly, while others looked around everywhere, completely uninterested.

Situ Mingyue was rather baffled. I wrote it quite well. Why are everyone's reactions so strange?

Situ Mingyue's essay was soon finished. Next came one written by a girl named Cao Ying. She too was the child of a great family, but she was born of a concubine and was not favored within her Lineage. She had suffered bullying from the main branch's children, to the point that she could not even afford rice and could only eat meat... That meat made her want to vomit. She wanted rice!

Quite a few people searched everywhere for the girl named Cao Ying and quickly found her.

A girl wearing a long dress of Ice Silkworm Silk, with a jade pendant at her waist, stood proudly among the crowd.

Li Er nudged the person beside him, smacked his lips, and said in a lowered voice, "I really want to be bullied like her. Then I could eat meat every meal..."

"Heh!" The person beside him bared his teeth.

Zhang Yang wore a faint smile as he continuously observed everyone's reactions.

He had selected these essays for a reason to begin with.

Soon, Chunxiao began reading Wang Baole's essay.

"I caused a terrible disaster and brought calamity upon my Lineage. I never imagined that they would actually be people from Prince Ding's Residence."

Cao Ying, who stood among the crowd, immediately glared at Wang Baole and blurted out, "You're Wang Baole from White Tiger City? Su Xingwei of Prince Ding's Residence was injured by you? Do you even know that he has been looking for you all this time? I never expected you to have run off to Azure Cloud Sect."

Wang Baole looked coldly at Cao Ying without speaking.

"Quiet," Zhang Yang said calmly. "When I have not permitted you to speak, whoever rashly opens their mouth will make me angry."

Cao Ying muttered something, but ultimately said nothing more.

Chunxiao continued reading Wang Baole's essay, and gradually, even she could not help shedding tears.

Wang Baole's essay came from his own searing pain and the catastrophe of his family being destroyed and its people dead. Added to Zhang Yang's polishing of the prose, its effect naturally needed no explanation.

Before long, many of those gathered outside the main hall were moved and cast sympathetic looks toward Wang Baole.

Wang Baole's eyes were red, but he neither spoke nor said a word.

Cao Ying glanced at Wang Baole, thoroughly unimpressed.

A mere White Tiger City dared offend a young master of Prince Ding's Residence. Was that not simply courting death?

Soon, the essays of all five selected people had been read aloud.

Zhang Yang stepped forward and asked, "These are the essays of the people I selected this time. Does anyone have any objections? Does anyone think they wrote better? If not, then we will begin the vote by raised hands."

When no one raised an objection, Zhang Yang continued, "Very good. Those who think Situ Mingyue wrote well, raise your hands... Those who think Wang Baole wrote well, raise your hands... Very good. Wang Baole wins by an overwhelming margin."

Making these people write essays and reading them aloud had been the real point. The subsequent evaluation was not important at all.

Zhang Yang gestured for Wang Baole to step forward, took out the seal, and handed it to him. "When I had everyone join the sect, you were the first to do so. When I had everyone run to the main hall, you were also among the first to arrive. Now you have completed the task well too, showing how firm your conviction is. I hope you will continue striving and not fail Azure Cloud Sect's aspirations."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Wang Baole said as he accepted the seal.

Many looked at Wang Baole with no joy in their eyes, only sympathy. Only some people like Cao Ying glared at Wang Baole in indignation.

Zhang Yang distributed the large amount of grain to everyone and instructed, "After everyone has collected their things, continue cultivating. In seven days, gather again at Main Hall Plaza."