The first round of testing finally drew to a close.
From the initial gathering of ten thousand young cultivators in the square, only eight hundred had been disqualified. The remaining nine thousand stood in a sea of mixed expressions—some wore confident smiles, others nervously fidgeted, and a few were simply overwhelmed by the weight of the situation.
For most of the Gui family, it was a time of immense pressure.
They hadn't come to the Profound Sword Sect merely to chase personal glory. This journey—this moment—was a matter of life and death for their clan.
Not far from the square, standing in quiet contemplation, the Second Elder of the Gui family observed the scene. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back, his posture rigid as he surveyed the crowd. His gaze was distant, his mind occupied not only with Gui Yiyi and Gui Lan, but also with the fate of the Gui family back in Half Moon City.
The situation at home was growing dire.
The Witherwood Gate, though not as powerful as the Profound Sword Sect, was still one of the major sects of the Southern Province. With a Nascent Soul Realm expert overseeing it, even the combined might of all the clans in Half Moon City would be unable to challenge their will.
But the true danger didn't come from the sect itself. No, it came from Duan Li, the Duan clan's prodigious genius.
Duan Li had risen from the same city as Gui Yiyi and Gui Lan, yet unlike them, he had already shattered the confines of the city's limits, reaching heights they could never have imagined.
By a stroke of fate, Duan Li had been accepted into the Witherwood Gate. Not only that, he had become the personal disciple of a peak eighth-level Soul Condensation Realm elder—an honor and power that completely turned the tide of influence in Half Moon City.
The Gui clan patriarch, Gui Tiancheng, stood at the fifth level of Soul Condensation, while the most powerful figure in the city, the patriarch of the Wang Clan, was barely at the sixth level.
Against someone backed by an eighth-level master, Half Moon City was nothing more than a plaything.
The news that Duan Li would soon return to the city to participate in the annual Grand Competition sent shockwaves through the region.
But it wasn't the competition itself that caused the Gui family to tremble.
It was the master who would accompany him.
Everyone knew the truth—Duan Li's return would most likely signal the destruction of the Gui Clan.
Unless…
Unless someone from the Gui family managed to enter the Profound Sword Sect.
This was the reason the stakes were so high.
This was why Gui Yiyi, Gui Lan, and the other Gui family disciples had traveled here, clinging desperately to their last hope.
Because the Profound Sword Sect had a reputation for being overbearing, fiercely protective of its own. If even one disciple from the Gui family joined their ranks, it could be enough to shield the entire clan from annihilation.
But as the test continued and more monstrous talents emerged, that hope began to feel more fragile, like a candle flickering in the wind.
Back on the testing platform, Yang Hong stood as the unrivaled star of the first round.
His bone age was sixteen, his cultivation at the seventh level of Qi Condensation. His natural talent was a remarkable 91.
He was the only one besides Gui Yiyi whose talent even grazed the number 90, and many already whispered that he would be the next great figure to rise within the Profound Sword Sect.
Even the usually aloof elders couldn't help but nod in approval when his test results were announced.
Xuan Yi, observing from the high platform, narrowed his eyes.
"Not bad," he murmured. "Though I considered him for a while, I've changed my mind."
Yang Hong was undeniably gifted, but Xuan Yi had been paying attention to more than just the numbers. He was studying the temperament, the character, and the potential for growth.
Yang Hong… was too prideful, too arrogant. He was the type to easily lose himself in his own brilliance.
And Xuan Yi wasn't interested in searching for blazing flames—he sought enduring stars.
As the first phase ended, the crowd stirred with anticipation as the elders stepped forward once more.
The second phase of the disciple selection was about to begin.
The nine thousand qualified participants were led by a group of Sword Profound Sect elders toward the nearby Demon Beast Forest—a wild and dangerous expanse where spirit beasts roamed freely, ever on the prowl.
This part of the test wasn't about cultivation.
It was about combat strength.
Even a cultivator at the third level of Qi Condensation could defeat someone at the sixth level—if they possessed sharper combat instincts, superior awareness, or more real-world battle experience.
This was where the true rankings would emerge.
From the sky above, a massive projection shimmered into view, hovering like a living tapestry above the Sword Profound Sect.
The projection was composed of thousands of smaller screens, each displaying a participant's journey through the Demon Beast Forest in real time.
The upper echelons of the Profound Sword Sect, including Xuan Yi and Sect Master Jian Nantian, gathered to observe the spectacle, their eyes fixed on the unfolding events.
"Yang Hong isn't bad," Jian Nantian remarked, his sharp gaze locking onto one of the screens. "At the peak of the seventh level, and he's fighting four eighth-level demon beasts alone. Impressive. He's even gaining the upper hand."
The other elders nodded in agreement.
"Fi Zhen is falling short, though," a deputy sect master muttered, his expression souring as he focused on another participant. "I had high hopes for him. But he's at the same level as Yang Hong and can't even handle one eighth-level beast."
Another elder sneered. "He's just a medicinal pot stuffed with pills. No real strength. Yang Hong would crush him."
The second phase had barely begun, but already the wheat was being separated from the chaff.
This was where false geniuses fell.
As for Gui Yiyi, her performance thus far had been… lackluster, at best.
She struggled against even the weaker demon beasts. Her sword swings were unsteady, her movements clumsy. She clearly lacked real battle experience.
None of the elders took a second glance at her.
Except for one.
Xuan Yi's gaze remained fixed on her, unwavering.
"She's struggling," he thought, his eyes never leaving the screen where she fought. "But I expected this. Her Ice Spirit Physique hasn't awakened yet..."
"She's no match for the others right now—but if I can help her activate her bloodline…"
He saw what no one else could.
Beneath her fear, her hesitation, and her inexperience… there was a spark.
And that spark could ignite into a storm—a blizzard that would shake the heavens.
Among the thousands of youths now fighting for their future, Gui Yiyi was just another shadow, blending into the vastness of the forest.
But Xuan Yi had already made his decision.
"She's the one."
"She just doesn't know it yet."