A Wealth of Talent

"This true disciple sparring competition is intended to give the disciples of each peak an opportunity to interact."

"I hope all participating disciples will learn from one another and stop before causing injury."

"Different cultivation resources will be awarded according to the final rankings."

"I now declare the true disciple sparring competition open."

On the field, Cang Wenyu spoke up.

A dozen or so arenas then rose slowly from the ground.

Lu Changzhi sat in the peak master's seat, sweeping his gaze across the field.

It had to be said that the number of people present today was truly astonishing.

There were even more than at the disciple recruitment ceremony.

The seats all around were filled with inner and outer sect disciples.

System, scan the current area and identify anyone with a hidden physique.

Lu Changzhi began using the system to investigate.

Meanwhile, the true disciples of each peak were divided into groups and made their way onto the field.

True disciple was a status.

Generally speaking, a person could retain that status until the age of fifty.

After fifty, their status would change, and they would take up different duties in the sect according to their strength and aptitude, serving as elders or deacons and the like.

Only a select few outstanding individuals could retain their status as true disciples and devote themselves to cultivation without having to take part in managing sect affairs.

Perhaps because there were too many people present,

the system scan received no response for a long time.

Lu Changzhi turned his gaze to the field.

By now, the true disciples of the various peaks had begun exchanging blows.

Most of them were between the Dao Platform Realm and the Life and Death Realm.

Of course, some had only joined the sect in recent years and were still in the Spirit Sea Realm.

The different realms had been separated.

Though this was only a sparring competition, the presence of rewards made the competitive atmosphere intense.

Fierce clashes broke out on the field from time to time, drawing cries of astonishment from the disciples.

"Scan complete. Would you like to view the results?"

Just then, a system notification suddenly sounded.

"View."

Lu Changzhi immediately confirmed.

A string of information soon appeared before him.

[Name]: Mo Xun

[Realm]: Dao Platform Realm, seventh level

[Aptitude]: Low-Grade Heaven Rank

[Physique]: wind and thunder physique (unawakened)

[Name]: Sun Jing

[Realm]: Spirit Sea Realm, third level

[Aptitude]: Supreme-Grade Profound Rank

[Physique]: crimson fire physique (unawakened)

[Name]: Zhou Jiajia

[Realm]: Dao Platform Realm, third level

[Aptitude]: Peak-Grade Earth Rank

[Physique]: enchantment physique (unawakened)

Lu Changzhi looked through them one by one.

His heart stirred.

"It seems there are more people with hidden physiques in the Five Symbols Sect than I imagined."

Lu Changzhi spoke softly.

He had originally estimated that he would find only three or five.

Yet now he had found eleven in total.

Most of the eleven were merely inner or outer sect disciples.

If their hidden physiques went undiscovered, the more likely outcome was that they would never be awakened.

In the end, those disciples would fade into the crowd and never be entrusted with important responsibilities.

But once their hidden physiques were awakened, their aptitudes would also be affected and improve to a certain extent.

Luo Ling'er was one example.

Though the others might not undergo changes as great as hers, it would still be enough to let them travel farther on the path of cultivation.

"Well? Have you found anything?"

Cang Wenyu looked over and asked by voice transmission, a trace of anticipation in his voice.

"I've found some, but I'd still like a little more time," Lu Changzhi replied.

"There's no rush, no rush. Take your time."

The smile on Cang Wenyu's face immediately grew brighter.

System, identify everyone with a talent.

Lu Changzhi addressed the system again.

He had not put the two searches together.

That would have made the results too cluttered.

He had already noted down the eleven names separately.

At Lu Changzhi's command, the system got busy once more.

While he waited, cries of astonishment suddenly rang out from the field:

"That's complete Sword Qi!"

At the cries, everyone present turned to look at one of the arenas.

Lu Changzhi looked over as well.

If he remembered correctly, Xie Yang of the Mystic One Sect had mastered Sword Qi not long ago.

On the field, the one displaying Sword Qi was a youth in green.

He appeared to be at the second level of the Life and Death Realm.

Check his attributes.

Lu Changzhi gave the command inwardly.

[Name]: Ling Qingyun

[Realm]: Life and Death Realm, fifth level

[Aptitude]: Low-Grade Spirit Rank

So he really was hiding his realm?

Lu Changzhi smiled faintly.

The technique used by the Five Symbols Sect to conceal one's cultivation had a great many levels.

The higher the level one mastered, the more of one's cultivation one could conceal.

Unless one had mastered the same level or higher and was stronger, it was difficult to see through to the person's true realm.

Before the system, however, it could not be hidden.

If he remembered correctly, Ling Qingyun was Chen Miao's true disciple.

After watching for a while, Lu Changzhi turned his attention to Ling Qingyun's opponent.

His opponent also wielded a sword, yet he had not been easily defeated by Ling Qingyun's Sword Qi.

Using the system, Lu Changzhi took a look at the man's information.

"Hmm?" A trace of surprise appeared on Lu Changzhi's face.

[Name]: Qian Chen

[Realm]: Life and Death Realm, third level

[Aptitude]: Supreme-Grade Heaven Rank

[Talent]: clear sword heart

A talent for the sword dao?

Though surprised, Lu Changzhi also felt it made sense.

Although Ling Qingyun had used Sword Qi, it had not posed much of a threat to Qian Chen.

And although Qian Chen had not used Sword Qi,

Lu Changzhi had a hunch.

There was an eighty percent chance that Qian Chen had mastered Sword Qi as well.

After all, he had a talent for the sword dao and was handling himself so effortlessly.

"I never expected your swordsmanship to be so accomplished as well, Junior Brother Qian. Finding a worthy opponent is truly a pleasant surprise."

On the field, Ling Qingyun spoke with keen interest.

"You flatter me, Senior Brother Ling. I wouldn't call it accomplished. I should thank you for the chance to hone my swordsmanship."

Qian Chen spoke sincerely, his face full of gratitude.

As they spoke, their gazes met.

There were no fierce sparks between them, but each had his own thoughts.

Since you won't show more of your hand, neither will I.

"Identification complete. Would you like to view the results?"

The system notification sounded.

"View."

Lu Changzhi gathered his thoughts.

This time, even more people appeared.

"Talent for alchemy, talent for formations, talent for the spear dao..."

Lu Changzhi looked through these people one by one.

He marveled inwardly.

Although some of them did not have particularly good aptitudes,

their talents were quite good.

And the role talent could play was evident from Luo Ling'er's cooking.

As he looked through them, a feeling arose in Lu Changzhi's heart.

The Five Symbols Sect truly had a wealth of talent.

"Hmm?"

As he neared the end, Lu Changzhi suddenly frowned.

"There's a talent like this too?"

Lu Changzhi's gaze rested on the information of a disciple named Luo Zhen.