"Is that the Saint in white? He really is different. He's kind of handsome, too."
"Yeah, he slaughtered the Demon Race and stood alone against a hundred thousand troops, making them afraid to invade the southernmost region. He's my idol."
"He's so handsome. I wonder if I could have his babies."
Everyone was beside themselves with excitement after learning of Cao Zhengchun's deeds.
The female disciples, especially, had eyes full of adoration.
The male disciples' eyes brimmed with longing.
They longed for the day when they, too, could stand with a single sword, their backs to everyone, holding off enemies who invaded their human race.
What courage that was, what imposing, domineering might.
Whoosh!
The next moment, with a whoosh, a streak of gray light flashed over.
Then, in the center of the bluestone plaza before the Primordial Forbidden Zone, a six-story pagoda stood towering and motionless, radiating a vast, majestic presence.
It caught everyone's interest.
"This is the Tower of Illusion, an extremely powerful divine weapon. Everyone, line up. You may enter now."
Cao Zhengchun spoke.
The people at the very front began lining up to enter.
"You up front, move faster."
"Grandpa, I'm going to take the test. Please believe that I'll succeed."
"Big sister, wait for me. I'll succeed. I will."
"This time, for my family, for my beloved, and for myself, I have to succeed. I have to."
Plainly dressed men and women in tattered clothes stepped forward and began entering the Tower of Illusion's first floor.
A vortex swallowed them all.
An hour, two hours-two hours passed, and they still hadn't all entered.
"Anyone eliminated is forbidden from taking the test again. You may go home. Our Primordial Forbidden Zone does not accept those who have been eliminated."
Yagyu Tajima no Kami swept his cold gaze around.
Hearing this, some who had been eliminated less than an hour after entering...
Could only glance helplessly at the towering pagoda before turning to leave.
"They've already been eliminated?"
Thousands upon thousands of people lined up to ascend the mountain, only to discover that some people beside the road had already been eliminated and were leaving with their heads hanging.
A group of people in line began to waver.
"Cousin, how did you get eliminated?"
A young man in blue grabbed one of the eliminated people and asked in some shock.
"Oh, it's you, Wu De. I don't have anything to give you, but I'll tell you this. The Primordial Forbidden Zone doesn't look at talent or family background, much less whether you possess a bloodline or special physique. As long as you pass the Tower of Illusion's first floor, you'll pass the test outright and be allowed to stay in the Primordial Forbidden Zone to cultivate."
"Remember, hold fast to your true heart, and only then will you know that you are yourself. Wu De, the Wu Family is counting on you. Do your best."
With that, he hurried down the mountain.
Hearing this, everyone gained a rough understanding.
Their faces filled with excitement, as though they were already certain of the test's outcome.
Ye Changge had just finished a fierce battle with Wang Xue when he discovered she wanted more.
"Xue'er, how did you get so formidable? I'm almost falling apart."
"Hmph, a greenhorn like you still doesn't measure up against a married woman."
Hearing this, Ye Changge burst out laughing.
Then they launched into another earth-shaking clash.
Within Ye Changge's perception, however, two promising youths appeared in the Tower of Illusion.
A Qinglong soared into the sky.
Then it transformed into a suit of battle armor.
It radiated terrifying draconic might.
"Could this be the Azure Dragon Battle Physique? The system actually didn't notify me about a prodigy like this."
"The Azure Dragon Battle Physique is a nine-star genius, outside the host's disciple recruitment range."
"System, are you really that picky?"
"Host, what the hell do you know? This is a faction under this system's protection, after all. If it only had top-tier prodigies and no prodigies across the ranks, wouldn't that be a waste? Besides, what do you do all day apart from practicing with a married woman? Having you teach them would be an utter waste of food."
"Well..."
Ye Changge was left utterly speechless.
The owner of the Azure Dragon Battle Physique successfully passed the instant his battle physique was activated.
"Little fellow, what's your name?"
"Who? Who's talking to me?"
"Wait, there's no one here. Could it be a ghost? Grandpa always said there were ghosts in this world, but ordinary people like us simply couldn't see them because we weren't in the same dimensional space. Have I, Li Xiaolong, really run into a ghost today and entered the dimensional space where ghosts live?"
Li Xiaolong's face filled with shock and bewilderment.
He had no cultivation and was an ordinary person. If not for his grandfather, he wouldn't have insisted on joining the Primordial Forbidden Zone. This had been his unwavering conviction ever since he set out. His grandfather alone was the only light in his heart.
Ever since he was little, he had had no other family. He had asked his grandfather many times why his father and mother never came to see him and why they had abandoned him, but his grandfather only ever smiled faintly.
He said that Li Xiaolong was still young and didn't understand the world of adults. Now that he was thirteen, he no longer thought about it. He only wanted to keep his grandfather company, because his grandfather was ill.
But his grandfather had told him that to save him, he had to join the Primordial Forbidden Zone. Once he gained some ability, he could do it.
"I am Dugu Jian, the examiner for the second floor."
"What? The second floor? Did I pass the test?"
Dugu Jian nodded.
Li Xiaolong jumped up in excitement.
But after only a few jumps, his face turned pale, and his whole body went weak.
"Li Xiaolong, the second floor tests your talent. Do you still want to continue?"
"But I'm so hungry. Can I still take the test?"
Hearing this, Dugu Jian froze.
Then he swept his gaze over him and discovered a suit of battle armor emerging within Li Xiaolong's body before transforming into a Qinglong that roared through the nine heavens.
Finally, it condensed into the phantom of a Qinglong war god, its terrifying dragon cries thundering through the nine heavens.
"This is the Azure Dragon Battle Physique. Well, boy, you actually have a battle physique."
Dugu Jian was very excited inwardly.
Without betraying anything, he produced a roast chicken, a roast duck, a serving of rice, and a bowl of soup.
"I like you, boy. Eat these, then continue taking the second-floor test for me."
"Elder, you're so kind. Thank you, thank you."
As he spoke, he hurriedly kowtowed, thanking him twice in succession.
Roast chicken and roast duck-ever since he could remember, back in the mountains, he had basically only eaten such things three or four times a year.
This time, he got to eat one of each at once. The elder was practically a parent who had given him life anew.
After kowtowing, he began wolfing down the food.
"Elder, it's delicious, delicious..."
As he spoke, he let out several full belches. After he finished everything in less than three minutes...
A copy of the Basic Qi Nourishing Art appeared before him.
"This Qi Nourishing Art is a basic cultivation method. If you successfully cultivate it within a day, you'll be considered to have passed the second floor."
"A cultivation method? Big brother, does that mean I can cultivate now?"
Being called "big brother" caught Dugu Jian somewhat off guard, but he enjoyed it.
Ever since he was little, Li Xiaolong had never seen a third person. Apart from his grandfather, there was only himself.
The big brothers his grandfather spoke of were young and handsome, so he thought they were just like Dugu Jian.
"The Qi Nourishing Art uses Qi to nourish the meridians and the meridians to store Qi. This is the nourishing of Qi..."
Li Xiaolong opened the book, and his mind seemed to clear considerably in an instant. Many things suddenly became clear. In less than three minutes, the surrounding Spiritual Qi began gathering toward him.
The sight gave Dugu Jian quite a fright.