Ji Zining nodded firmly.
"That's right, just as you said, Father."
"Father, there's no time to lose. Come with me."
With that, Ji Zining turned and headed back the way she had come.
Ji Chenkong was somewhat at a loss, but he quickly had Xiao Jiu follow Ji Zining.
Xiao Jiu had been somewhat afraid to go forward, but after sensing Ji Zining's presence ahead, he finally mustered the courage to fly onward.
With Ji Zining leading the way, Xiao Jiu and Ji Chenkong arrived atop the platform.
Seeing this, Li Changsheng gave Hua Qianyan a slight nod.
Hua Qianyan understood at once. He reached out and drew a line through the space beside him, and a long, black spatial rift appeared instantly.
Ji Chenkong gazed at Hua Qianyan and Li Changsheng with a measure of awe.
These were the Holy Lord and the patriarch of the Ziwei Holy Land!
The two of them were among the most dazzling figures in the entire True Martial Dao Domain!
Although he had once been a disciple of the Ziwei Holy Land, he had only been an outer disciple.
Getting such a close look at Hua Qianyan and Li Changsheng had been utterly impossible.
He had never even seen what Li Changsheng looked like. He had only heard that the patriarch of the Ziwei Holy Land had the appearance of a white-haired youth and an unrivaled bearing.
Now that he had seen him, it was indeed true!
Noticing Ji Chenkong's gaze, Hua Qianyan and Li Changsheng both smiled kindly.
This was Ji Zining's father. They could not afford to offend him too greatly.
Otherwise, Ji Zining would surely feel estranged from them, and that would be bad for the entire Ziwei Holy Land.
Li Changsheng stepped forward and spoke in a deep voice to the young cultivators below the platform.
"Fellow geniuses, the doors of our Ziwei Holy Land are always open to you, provided you can pass the tests."
"Whether it's cultivation resources or status and authority, our Ziwei Holy Land can give them to you!"
"So, everyone, do your best to pass the tests!"
With that, Li Changsheng gave Ji Zining and Ji Chenkong a slight gesture, then stepped into the spatial rift.
Hua Qianyan smiled.
"After you. We'll go to the patriarch's small world to discuss matters."
Ji Zining and Ji Chenkong exchanged a glance and entered the spatial rift without hesitation.
Seeing this, Hua Qianyan took a step and disappeared into the spatial rift.
On the platform, Li Changlong and the other testing elders returned, still somewhat shaken.
What had happened today was beyond their understanding and expectations. It would probably take them some time to recover.
It was not just them. Although the young cultivators below had received Li Changsheng's encouragement,
it had only barely brought them back to their senses.
Now, whenever they thought of Ji Zining, they lost the desire to go up and take the test.
With a pearl like Ji Zining before them, they would only make fools of themselves if they went up.
But they had no choice. Although they did not want to lose face, they had to.
Only by doing so could they possibly join the Ziwei Holy Land and narrow the gap between themselves and a monstrous genius like Ji Zining!
Li Changlong took a deep breath and spoke in a deep voice.
"The test continues! Li Yuanlong, come up for your test!"
Soon, the aptitude test returned to its previous rhythm.
This time, however, no matter what aptitude was revealed, the crowd remained utterly silent. No one made a sound.
Cultivators whose aptitude fell short quietly walked down from the platform without needing to be told.
Those who passed showed little joy either. They went to the side, expressionless, to await the second round of testing.
In a peach grove.
Xiao Jiu, Ji Zining, and Ji Chenkong stepped out of space and looked around, their expressions somewhat surprised.
They were certain that this was not the same space as the world they had just left!
Could this be the small world Hua Qianyan had just mentioned?
Legend had it that Quasi-Emperors could create small worlds in the void. They had not expected it to be true!
Li Changsheng sat upright on a stone stool, brewing tea.
When Ji Zining and Ji Chenkong appeared, he beckoned to them.
"Come over. This is the Dao Comprehension Tea I prepared earlier. Have a taste."
Dao Comprehension Tea!
Ji Chenkong's body trembled, and his gaze locked onto the teacups on the stone table nearby.
It was actually Dao Comprehension Tea!
Just as its name suggested, drinking Dao Comprehension Tea allowed one to comprehend the Dao!
One might even enter the state of sudden enlightenment that all cultivators dreamed of!
He had only heard the name Dao Comprehension Tea before. He had not expected to see it with his own eyes today.
Ji Chenkong took a deep breath and respectfully cupped his hands.
"Patriarch, this Dao Comprehension Tea..."
Li Changsheng glanced at Ji Chenkong, looking somewhat surprised.
"I can tell from the Qi of your cultivation technique that you have some connection to our Ziwei Holy Land. Could it be that you were once a disciple here?"
Ji Chenkong nodded slightly.
"That's right. I was once an outer disciple of the Ziwei Holy Land, but unfortunately, I couldn't break through to the Nascent Soul Realm by the required age, so I had to leave."
At this, Ji Chenkong's expression dimmed slightly.
Although he had broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm the following year, and his current achievements far surpassed those of his peers who had broken through on time,
in the end, his breakthrough had still come too late.
Just then, Hua Qianyan also appeared in the peach blossom grove.
Hearing Ji Chenkong's words, Hua Qianyan smiled.
"That rule was somewhat unreasonable to begin with. It cast out some late bloomers early on."
"It cost our Ziwei Holy Land some late-blooming geniuses for nothing. Rest assured, after tomorrow, that rule will be gone."
"If you wish, you can become a guest elder of the Ziwei Holy Land right now and receive an elder's treatment."
"Consider it compensation for how you were treated back then."
A guest elder!
Disbelief showed on Ji Chenkong's face.
To become a guest elder of the Ziwei Holy Land, even an outer guest elder, one needed at least Spirit Transformation Realm cultivation.
He was only at the peak Nascent Soul Realm. How could he become a guest elder?
Li Changsheng picked up a cup of tea and passed it through the air to Ji Chenkong.
"Drink this tea, and you'll be able to break through to the Spirit Transformation Realm without any bottleneck. Your cultivation will then meet the requirement."
"As for the heavenly tribulation, I'll give you a treasure to get through it. You needn't worry about your safety."
"From this moment on, you are an outer guest elder of our Ziwei Holy Land!"
At this, Li Changsheng glanced at Ji Zining and smiled.
"And, of course, the father of our Ziwei Holy Land's Divine Child!"
Ji Chenkong took a deep breath, accepted the Dao Comprehension Tea, and spoke in a deep voice.
"Although I know I'm benefiting from Ning'er's reflected glory, rest assured, Holy Lord, Patriarch, I won't disappoint you."
Given another chance, he would surely cherish it!
Hua Qianyan came over to Li Changsheng, and the two exchanged a smile.
They had won Ji Chenkong over. Now the Divine Child could not run away!
Ji Zining said nothing from the side. Watching the two of them, she smiled as well.
Her father had made up for a past regret. Not only had he returned to the Ziwei Holy Land, but he had also become one of its guest elders.
With that status, along with the Spirit Transformation Realm cultivation he was about to attain, the Flowing Moon Dynasty was no longer a concern.
Now she could put her mind at ease and sign in at the Ziwei Holy Land to improve her cultivation!