Several elders with an immortal air and sage-like bearing stood shoulder to shoulder atop a raised platform in the Ziwei Holy Land's square.
They were the Ziwei Holy Land elders in charge of this disciple recruitment ceremony.
Behind them stood a massive black stone stele, bearing nine unlit stars arranged from bottom to top.
At that moment, a youth stood before the black stele with his palm pressed against it.
"Buzz!"
With a hum, the black stele bloomed with a hazy light.
The unlit stars on the black stele began to light up in the glow. In the end, three of the nine stars lit up.
The youth looked at the three lit stars, and his face went deathly pale.
He knew he was finished!
An elder with an immortal air and sage-like bearing, who had been watching the youth all along, shook his head and announced in a clear voice.
"Three-star talent, failed. Next!"
In the end, the youth couldn't hold back his tears, and they kept streaming down his face.
Though unwilling to accept it, he still left the platform.
After him, a woman who had long since grown impatient hurried onto the platform.
A moment later, a voice tinged with slight satisfaction rang out from the platform.
"Six-star talent. Not bad. You've passed the talent test and may proceed to the next round."
In a corner of the square, Ji Zining watched the scene and stroked her chin.
Before she came, her father, Ji Chenkong, had told her that to enter the Ziwei Holy Land, she needed to meet the cultivation and age requirements, as well as the talent requirement.
Only those with five-star talent or above could pass the first round's talent test and enter the second round, where their cultivation and age would be tested.
As for how talent grades were divided, Ji Zining knew that too.
Talent in this world was divided into one through nine stars, with one-star talent being the lowest and nine-star talent the highest.
The vast majority of special physiques were included within these nine talent grades.
Physiques such as the Water Spirit Physique and Fire Spirit Physique didn't even count as eight-star talents.
Only some powerful sacred physiques and divine physiques stood beyond the nine talent grades.
Those with special physiques of that caliber were all known as peerless heavenly geniuses.
Without a doubt, her Exquisite Immortal Physique surely stood beyond the nine talent grades.
Even so, Ji Zining wouldn't assume that the Ziwei Holy Land's talent test was easy.
For ordinary beings, those with three- or four-star talent were the most monstrous heavenly geniuses in some small towns and cities.
Only before a faction as powerful as the Ziwei Holy Land, one of the strongest in the True Martial Dao Domain, did three- and four-star talents seem especially poor.
Ji Zining glanced over the dark sea of heads in front of her and couldn't help shaking her head.
There seemed to be a lot of people here, but in the end, probably fewer than one in ten would be able to pass the first round's talent test.
Some minor factions and Rogue Cultivators had no access to talent-testing steles, so they generally had no idea how good their talent was.
Only some major factions had the means to obtain talent-testing steles.
The elimination rate was so high precisely because some Rogue Cultivators and heavenly geniuses from minor factions who didn't know their own talent had also joined in.
Those from major factions that could actually test talent could generally pass the first trial's talent test.
If they knew they couldn't pass, they wouldn't go to all the trouble of traveling so far to attend the Ziwei Holy Land's disciple recruitment ceremony.
While Ji Zining's thoughts wandered, dozens more young cultivators went up to the platform to test their talent.
In the end, however, only three passed the talent test; all the rest were eliminated.
Of those three, two had barely reached the passing mark of five-star talent.
Seeing that terrifying elimination rate, the cultivators who had yet to be tested and didn't know their exact talent wore solemn expressions.
Unlike them, the cultivators from major factions, dressed in splendid clothes and looking thoroughly distinguished, were full of confidence.
They glanced at the other cultivators from time to time, traces of pride in their eyes.
Ji Zining looked at the heads in front of her and shook her head, planning to find somewhere to cultivate for a while.
There was nothing for her to do while watching, so she might as well save time by cultivating and try to reach the Nascent Soul Realm sooner.
Just then, a handsome youth with a gentle smile on his face came up to Ji Zining.
The moment he saw her, a flicker of astonishment flashed through his eyes.
There was actually someone so breathtakingly beautiful in the world!
She even gave him the illusion that she didn't belong in this world.
She seemed to have Immortal Qi swirling around her, making her seem extraordinarily ethereal.
He cupped his hands slightly toward Ji Zining and spoke softly.
"Fellow Daoist, may I ask which faction you come from?"
"Why don't we get acquainted? Once we enter the Ziwei Holy Land, we can look out for each other."
Ji Zining glanced at the fellow who had suddenly struck up a conversation with her.
Although he sounded polite, Ji Zining could hear the pride in his words.
There was no hint that he was worried about failing the first round's talent test; he spoke as though he had already entered the Ziwei Holy Land.
After sensing his cultivation, Ji Zining's expression showed a trace of understanding.
A Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. No wonder.
Having reached the Nascent Soul Realm at his age, his talent was naturally no ordinary thing, and joining the Ziwei Holy Land was practically a nail in the board.
But get acquainted?
Sorry, she had no time.
After that glance, Ji Zining looked away. Ignoring the handsome young man completely, she found a place on her own and sat down cross-legged, ready to cultivate.
But to Ji Zining's surprise, the handsome young man had no intention of giving up on his attempt to talk to her.
Seeing that Ji Zining had ignored him, he smiled without taking offense, walked a few steps closer to her, and chuckled.
"Fellow Daoist, you seem a little impatient from waiting. How about this? I'll take you to the front so you can be tested first."
"One of the elders in charge of the disciple recruitment ceremony this time is an elder of my family. He should be willing to do me that favor."
Ji Zining's expression shifted.
Get tested first?
Ji Zining was somewhat tempted.
Indeed, she had grown a little impatient from waiting. With so many people to test, there was no need to guess-it would definitely take a long time.
The surprise that old man pretending to be young had spoken of still hadn't appeared, which was honestly a little deceptive.
Seeing that Ji Zining was somewhat tempted, the handsome young man's eyes lit up, and he hurried to strike while the iron was hot.
"My name is Li Yuanlong. May I ask your name, Fellow Daoist?"
Ji Zining raised her head and glanced at Li Yuanlong, just about to speak.
Suddenly, a startled cry rang out from beside them.
"Aren't you Young Master Yuanlong, the heavenly genius of a Saint King Lineage? Have you also come to take part in the Ziwei Holy Land's disciple recruitment ceremony?"
The voice was loud, and the surrounding cultivators all turned shocked gazes on Li Yuanlong.
A Saint King Lineage was a lineage with a Saint King Realm expert holding down the fort-a true major faction!
This fellow actually came from a Saint King Lineage!
When the cultivators saw Ji Zining, their gazes lingered on her as well.
They hadn't noticed just now that such a beauty was behind them.
Ji Zining looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young man in fine clothes standing not far away, his face full of delight.
She looked away, then glanced at Li Yuanlong with some surprise as well.
This fellow came from a Saint King Lineage?
He did count as a heavenly genius from a major faction, then.
Still, it had little to do with her.
Li Yuanlong noticed Ji Zining's gaze and smiled smugly.
That fellow had arrived at just the right time, revealing his background right now. Surely this stunning beauty would see him in a new light?
He turned and nodded approvingly at the young man in fine clothes who had spoken.
"That's right. If you wish, you can follow me from now on."
He spoke with immense pride, as though bestowing a tremendous favor.
Thud!
The young man in fine clothes knew just how to play along. Delighted, he knelt without hesitation and kowtowed to Li Yuanlong.
"Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Young Master Yuanlong!"
"Rest assured, Young Master, from now on I'll follow wherever you lead!"
Hearing this, the surrounding cultivators cast looks of disdain at the young man in fine clothes.
He hadn't even joined the Ziwei Holy Land yet, and he was already someone else's lackey. He would never amount to much.
Watching this, Ji Zining couldn't help pressing a hand to her forehead.
After all that, he was a shameless flatterer with no bottom line. How dull.
She stood up and spoke indifferently to Li Yuanlong.
"You just said you could take me to be tested early?"
Li Yuanlong nodded hurriedly.
"Yes, Fellow Daoist. Are you willing to be my friend?"
Ji Zining didn't answer. Instead, with a thought, she took out several hundred supreme-grade Spirit Stones and tossed them to Li Yuanlong.
"Take me to be tested early, and these are all yours. Of course, if you don't think it's enough, I can add more."
She had no interest in making friends, but getting tested early would be of some help to her.