Supreme-Grade Trait Entry: The Sharpness of a Sword Comes from Grinding, the Fragrance of Plum Blossoms from Bitter Cold!

"Yes."

"Place your hands on the crystal ball and relax your whole body."

Su Chen floated the crystal ball before Zhu Zhuqing.

Other than Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing was already the student closest to the Top-tier Three-of-Nine Standard.

Su Chen still held high hopes for her.

Zhu Zhuqing's talent was actually only a small step above Meng Yiran's—above average, but not enough to reach the top tier. However, she was more driven and diligent than Meng Yiran.

That was destined to take her farther than Meng Yiran on the path of a soul master.

Of course, Meng Yiran had her own strengths. For instance, she was not as rigid as Zhu Zhuqing and preferred research and contemplation.

But on the Douluo Continent, which lacked masters of hidden weapons and a spirit of scientific research, Meng Yiran had little room to shine. Those unorthodox pursuits would instead hinder her cultivation.

This was not Zhu Zhuqing's first Trait Entry test. She naturally placed her hands on it.

Yet Su Chen noticed a detail.

The pair of slender, jade-like hands she once had were now covered in dense claw marks, with blackish-red blood still lingering beneath her nails. It was obvious that they had been forged through long and brutal battles.

Only she herself perhaps knew how much bitterness, danger, and heartache lay behind the experiences she had casually shared with Ning Rongrong.

Trait Entry detection in progress...

Trait Entry 1: Hell Spirit Cat (Purple)

Trait Entry 2: Near-Top-Tier Agility-Attack Soul Master Potential (Black with Red Patterns)

Trait Entry 3: Top-Tier Diligence (Top-tier Red)

The crystal ball's first three flashes all shone red!

Ning Rongrong grew excited.

"Your Trait Entries really evolved, Zhuqing! I remember when you tested last time, your potential Trait Entry and diligence Trait Entry were black and black with red patterns, right?"

"They've both risen by one tier now!"

"Yes. Immortal told me to challenge the fastest soul beasts. It really was the right decision."

Seeing that her Trait Entries had evolved, joy also appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's usually impassive face.

"Whether I can pass the Apprenticeship Standard this time or not, at least I know my efforts have been effective. They weren't wasted."

Zhu Zhuqing steadied her mindset.

Her words made Su Chen regard her in a new light.

With such a disposition, there was truly no reason for you not to study under Immortal Mountain.

Just then, the crystal ball flashed three more times.

Trait Entry 4: Hundred-Mile Great Escape Contestant (Purple)

Trait Entry 5: Leopard-Taming Master (Black)

Trait Entry 6: A Heart as Steadfast as a Winter Pine (Black)

Three more Trait Entries appeared, basically all purple quality or above.

Even Meng Yiran beside them could only envy such quality.

But Ning Rongrong began to worry.

Oh no.

Six of the nine Trait Entries had already been tested, yet only one was a true supreme-grade Trait Entry.

In other words, two of the next three Trait Entries needed to be supreme-grade. The difficulty was far too great.

"Seven Treasures Have Names, second is Speed!"

With her hands hidden behind her back, Ning Rongrong summoned the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda and softly recited the incantation, applying a speed buff to Zhu Zhuqing.

She did not know whether it would help, but what if it did?

Zhu Zhuqing also felt the change in her body. She looked at Ning Rongrong with complicated yet grateful eyes.

It had been a long time since someone had sincerely helped her like this.

Trait Entry 7: Supreme-Grade Figure (Top-tier Red)

Trait Entry 8: Shadow Speed (Black with Red Patterns)

Trait Entry 9: The Sharpness of a Sword Comes from Grinding, the Fragrance of Plum Blossoms from Bitter Cold. Frost and wind wash away the coldness between the brows; tribulation flames melt open the light within the box. (Top-tier Red)

Boom!

As the final Trait Entry was detected.

The crystal ball burst forth with a blazing red radiance.

The ninth Trait Entry was often the core evaluation of the person being tested, and also the hardest to obtain.

Yet Zhu Zhuqing's core evaluation had actually lit up Top-tier Red!

Top-tier Three-of-Nine—three supreme-grade Trait Entries detected, meeting the Apprenticeship Standard!

"It worked?"

"Zhuqing, you're really going to become my little junior sister who patrols the mountain!"

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing obtain three Top-tier Red Trait Entries, Ning Rongrong's eyes widened.

She truly had hoped Zhu Zhuqing would make it, but she had not expected her to actually succeed!

"I really tested three supreme-grade Trait Entries?!"

"Immortal... I... I..."

Zhu Zhuqing was so excited that she could barely speak.

Ning Rongrong tapped Zhu Zhuqing's forehead with a finger and said helplessly, "Still calling him Senior? Call him Teacher! Don't you want to become his disciple? Ah, you're unbelievably silly."

Zhu Zhuqing calmed her excited heart, took a deep breath, then looked earnestly at Su Chen and said, "Immortal... Teacher, I'm very happy to have met Immortal Mountain's Apprenticeship Standard, but... but these results aren't real. Rongrong secretly used the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda to give me a speed buff just now. I don't want to hide it from you."

After saying that, Zhu Zhuqing felt both regretful and relieved.

Why is my mouth like this? I already met the standard. Wouldn't it have been better to just slip through first?

But lying is wrong, and lying to Immortal is even worse. If I, Zhu Zhuqing, want to become his disciple, I'll do it through my own improvement. Since I can evolve my Trait Entries once, I can evolve them a second time!

"You're hopeless. Truly hopeless."

Ning Rongrong covered her eyes with both hands. At that moment, she wanted to beat Zhu Zhuqing to death.

I wanted to help you cheat, and you sold out your teammate right away?

At the same time, she feared that Teacher Su Chen would knock her on the head.

Teacher's flute was hard and long. It really hurt!

"Hahaha."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Su Chen did not get angry. Instead, he laughed heartily, like the most carefree and unrestrained wind in the world, leaving Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Meng Yiran staring blankly.

"Immortal... Teacher, what are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at how adorably foolish you are."

"Although Rongrong's enhancement can temporarily raise your speed from the Shadow Tier to the peak of the same tier, it won't affect Trait Entry detection."

"Trait Entry detection only evaluates you based on your own innate conditions. So no matter how many buffs this girl adds to you, they won't affect the test results in the slightest."

Su Chen waved his sleeve and smiled.

"So that's how it is. Then... Immortal... can I..."

The words adorably foolish made Zhu Zhuqing's face flush slightly.

Before she could let her imagination run wild.

Su Chen's voice turned solemn, and a Flute Bone Token appeared in his palm.

"Zhu Zhuqing, having met Immortal Mountain's Apprenticeship Standard, are you willing to become my second personal disciple? From this day onward, cultivate diligently, respect your teacher and uphold the Way, abide by the academy rules, and never commit acts that harm heaven and reason."

Magnificent. He was simply too magnificent.

When Su Chen spoke those words, his image in Zhu Zhuqing's heart reached an unprecedented height.

Trembling with excitement, she accepted the Flute Bone Token.

"This student is willing. This student, Zhu Zhuqing, pays respects to Teacher!"

"Um, young friend Immortal, that crystal ball of yours is rather interesting. Do you think this old woman can try it too?"

After witnessing Zhu Zhuqing's apprenticeship ceremony, Snake Granny also became eager to give it a try.

"Grandma, what are you doing?" Meng Yiran was stunned.

"Oh, who wouldn't want to study under an Immortal who is powerful, learned, and incomparably handsome?"