"Little Martial Uncle has been out for a long time."
"Yeah, she has been traveling outside for almost two years now."
The female disciple froze slightly. 'Did I hear that wrong, or did Little Martial Uncle misspeak?'
'It should be twenty years, right?'
'Two years?'
'Wouldn't a single closed-door cultivation session take that long?'
At that moment, True Lord Fierce Sun declared, "Everyone, step onto the teleportation array! We are departing for Azure Cloud City!"
"Yes, True Lord!"
Azure Cloud City.
They all sought to join the Azure Cloud Sect.
Among the sword cultivators of Heavenly South, the absolute best emerged from Azure Cloud, possessing unparalleled combat prowess.
The champion of the previous Prodigy Grand Assembly was a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect.
Therefore, this iteration of the Prodigy Grand Assembly was being held in Azure Cloud City.
The city had already sectioned off five distinct districts to accommodate the participants arriving from the five major regions for the assembly.
"That white-robed Luo Yu is a prodigy from the Feather Transformation Sect. I heard they have extremely few disciples, but every single one is a prodigy. A rogue cultivator friend of mine from the Central Region told me about them.
"This time, out of the Central Region's seventy-two prodigies, the top seven are all disciples of the Feather Transformation Sect, collectively known as the Seven Scions of Feather Transformation."
"Last time, the Azure Cloud Sect snatched the top spot from them. It seems they are determined to wash away that humiliation this year."
"The top seven prodigies are all from there?! No way! The Central Region has quite a few powerful Nascent Soul powers. Are you saying their most elite talents couldn't even break into the top seven?"
"Daoist friend, you might not know this, but members of the Feather Transformation Sect rarely travel the outside world. Yet, whenever one steps out, they are invariably a peerless prodigy."
"What a blindingly shiny bald head!"
"Shh, watch your words! Those are disciples from Thunder Sound Temple. Their demon-subduing and suppression techniques are incredibly formidable. Be careful, or they might capture you and 'purify' you."
Thunder Sound Temple was located in the western region of Heavenly South.
Its disciples wore yellow robes and Buddhist beads, walking with their hands pressed together in prayer while muttering quietly under their breath.
Meanwhile, the Golden Core elders draped themselves in cassocks, mostly sporting kind and benevolent expressions.
Because of Thunder Sound Temple, the western region was filled with temples and nunneries that strictly adhered to ascetic practices.
"Look quickly, it's the people from the Heavenly Foundry Sect!"
"That person leading them must be the Phoenix Heavenly Maiden, right? She is the hidden top-tier prodigy of the Heavenly Foundry Sect. During the battle for the seventy-two prodigy slots, she almost took first place.
"She was only slightly bested by Lu Qingxue of the Azure Cloud Sect, who is known as the Azure Cloud Sword Fairy."
"Tsk, tsk. Being forcefully suppressed by two female cultivators—where do those male prodigies put their pride?"
"Looking at the smirk on your face, Daoist friend, I'd say you're thoroughly enjoying this too."
"Haha! The Phoenix Heavenly Maiden is full of majesty and utterly inviolable, while the Azure Cloud Sword Fairy is as cold as ice and frost, her sword qi piercing the heavens. They're both absolutely captivating to watch!
"If anyone could just exchange a single word with them, they would probably be so thrilled they'd gladly die on the spot."
The person listening to this felt the corner of his mouth twitch slightly.
'Turns out this guy is an old pervert. It's best to keep a respectful distance!'
However, at this moment.
Spotting a figure up ahead, Xu Deling instantly transformed into a streak of rainbow light, appearing right in front of that person in a flash.
The man had just been about to enter an alchemy shop. Seeing someone arrive in the blink of an eye, he couldn't help but turn around, a look of astonishment appearing on his face.
Looking at the familiar yet slightly foreign fairy before him, the man offered a faint smile. "Linger, to think I would run into you here.
"You look a bit different now. There's an added aura of being high and unattainable about you."
Xu Chuan naturally understood the reason behind this change; that aura emanated from her Flame Phoenix Spirit Body and Flame Phoenix Spirit Eyes.
He raised his hand and affectionately rubbed her head. "You must have suffered quite a bit, haven't you?"
"I didn't," she replied softly.
Witnessing this scene, the disciples of the Heavenly Foundry Sect and the surrounding crowd stared with their eyes wide and jaws dropping.
'Is this still that aloof and supreme Phoenix Heavenly Maiden?!'
"My goddess..." The old man from earlier felt his heart shatter into pieces.
"There are too many people here. Let's go chat at the sect's estate," she suggested.
"Sect?"
"I'll explain everything to you in detail later."
Xu Chuan nodded slightly. He looked at Xu Deling, then glanced at the group of people not far away, a thoughtful expression crossing his mind.
Inside the Heavenly Foundry Sect's estate in Azure Cloud City.
"You must be little Linger's grandfather, right?" Yan Longzi suddenly spoke up.
Even though he wasn't intentionally emitting his aura, Xu Chuan knew there was a high probability the other party was a Nascent Soul stage cultivator. He immediately cupped his hands and greeted, "Greetings, Senior."
The only people present in the room were Xu Chuan, Xu Deling, Yan Longzi, and True Lord Fierce Sun.
True Lord Fierce Sun was momentarily stunned.
'Such a youthful-looking grandfather?'
'Could it be that he also consumed a Youth-Retaining Pill?'
"Grandfather, this is my Second Master, one of the Nascent Soul Grand Elders of the Heavenly Foundry Sect, Yan Longzi," Xu Deling introduced.
"Second Master?"
"Hehe, Grandfather, I recently formally acknowledged two masters. They are both Nascent Soul Grand Elders of the Heavenly Foundry Sect. My First Master is Zhen Yangzi, who is at the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm.
"He is currently the most elite artifact forging grandmaster in all of Heavenly South, capable of refining nine-patterned magic treasures!
"Meanwhile, Master Yan Longzi is at the early-stage Nascent Soul realm. He specializes in combat and possesses the True Spirit Flame Dragon bloodline. Because I also possess a trace of the True Spirit Flame Phoenix bloodline within me now,
"he became my master as well, teaching me how to properly wield my bloodline powers."
"Little Linger, you really don't hold back at all. You've completely exposed all of this old man's secrets," Yan Longzi said with a laugh.
"Please forgive me, Second Master. I never keep anything from my grandfather."
"Forget it." Yan Longzi waved his hand dismissively and observed Xu Chuan. "Your foundation isn't weak. Are you also here to compete for the Prodigy Roll?"
"Senior jests. With my old arms and old legs, leaving it to the young ones is fine. I'm just here to watch their matches and broaden my horizons while I'm at it," Xu Chuan replied politely.
Yan Longzi paused for a moment. "This is the first time this old man has ever heard someone under a hundred and twenty years old refer to themselves like that.
"If you have 'old arms,' then what about this old man who has lived for over eight hundred years? Am I considered an undying fossil who crawled out of a grave?"
"Second Master, don't take it too seriously. My grandfather just loves to joke around."
"Your bias truly knows no bounds," Yan Longzi grumbled, shooting her a sidelong glance. "I've wasted my efforts wholeheartedly teaching you these past few months."
Xu Deling smiled faintly before suddenly asking, "By the way, did Fifth Uncle, Deyue, and Ye Fan pass the preliminary selections?"
"Naturally. They obtained a rather significant opportunity and have improved tremendously over the last two years. Don't be too shocked when you see them."
"Since Grandfather says so, it seems they all have a chance to leave their names on the Prodigy Roll."
Yan Longzi chuckled heartily. "Getting on the Prodigy Roll is nowhere near that easy. Do you have any idea how many Nascent Soul powers participate in the Prodigy Grand Assembly every time?
"The Prodigy Roll only has a total of one hundred and eight spots. With dozens of Nascent Soul powers and the five supreme Nascent Soul powers, the competition is unimaginably fierce. Only the absolute top one or two disciples from each Nascent Soul power actually stand a chance.
"The supreme Nascent Soul powers might manage to secure a few more spots.
"You're from the Northwest Region of Heavenly South, right? During the last assembly, the Profound Moon Sect only managed to get three people onto the Prodigy Roll. Their best result only ranked ninth, while the other two were placed in the middle and near the bottom.
"Out of the entire Northwest's seventy-two prodigies, merely twelve made it onto the Roll. Compared to the prodigies from the other regions who made the list, their numbers don't even add up to half."
"Thank you for enlightening me, Senior," Xu Chuan respectfully cupped his hands.
Xu Deling said, "How about this, Second Master? Let's make a bet. If anyone from my Xu family aside from me makes it onto the Roll, you will give us a Tier 2 Spirit Vein. How does that sound?"
"You wretched brat, how casually you speak of such wealth! While a Tier 2 Spirit Vein might not be an earth-shattering treasure, spirit veins are ultimately the foundation of any faction. Naturally, the more the better. Do you think they can just be given away on a whim?"
"Stingy," Xu Deling muttered, curling her lip.
"Fine, even assuming this old man is willing to bet, what can the Xu family offer of equal value?"
Just as Xu Deling was about to speak, Xu Chuan smiled warmly. "Not long ago, my Xu family coincidentally received a reward from the Heavenly Azure Sect. We currently hold a Tier 2 Spirit Vein in our hands, and this junior is willing to use it as the stake."
"Good! Then this old man will see what other remarkable figures your Xu family has produced. Could a lowly Foundation Establishment Clan truly stand shoulder to shoulder with Nascent Soul powers?!"
Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "Senior just needs to wait and see."
Afterward, Xu Chuan took his leave.
Xu Deling also wanted to see Xu Mingxian and the others, so she informed Yan Longzi and followed Xu Chuan out.
"It seems little Linger's heart still belongs to her clan. To thoroughly make her stay, I'll have to wrong you, Fierce Sun," Yan Longzi sighed.
"This disciple understands. Deling is blessed with immense providence. In the future, she has a very high chance of stepping into the Great Nascent Soul Cultivator realm. Moreover, with her potential in artifact forging, she is fully capable of surpassing Martial Uncle Zhen Yangzi.
"She is the one who can lead our Heavenly Foundry Sect back to its absolute peak.
"I am willing to serve as her Dao Protector."
"Mm. However, rest assured, the sect will not treat you unfairly. We will still throw our full support behind you for your Nascent Soul Formation.
"Everything else regarding Nascent Soul Formation is manageable; the most difficult hurdle is the Inner Demon Tribulation.
"Unfortunately, Tribulation-Crossing Pills are incredibly scarce nowadays. One only appeared at an auction in the Eastern Region several centuries ago.
"If you had its help, your chances of a successful Nascent Soul Formation would increase by twenty percent."
"Having already walked this far, regardless of the success rate, this disciple must make the attempt, even if it means perishing in the process."
At the Heavenly Azure Prefecture's estate.
When Xu Mingxian and the others saw Xu Deling, they were naturally overjoyed.
As Xu Deling recounted her joining the Heavenly Foundry Sect, becoming the Foundation Establishment Chief, and now holding the title of the number two prodigy in the southern part of Heavenly South, a hint of pride showed on her face.
The struggle for prodigy rankings in the southern region was vastly different from the Northwest Region; it was a brutal climb forged entirely through individual strength.
"Sister Linger, Father-in-law is currently the publicly recognized number one prodigy of the Northwest," Ye Fan said with a chuckle.
"Ah?" Xu Deling was thoroughly shocked.
Ye Fan then explained the rules of the Northwest's prodigy competition and detailed their encounters within the Secret Realm.
"While I was away from the Xu family, you guys actually killed three Ancient Demons!"
Xu Deling sighed emotionally. "If Ancient Demons possessing merely a sliver of divine sense are this terrifying, how are we supposed to deal with them if Ancient Demons with physical bodies emerge in the future?
"I fear even Great Nascent Soul Cultivators would have to give them a wide berth."
Xu Chuan smiled placidly. "We can worry about future matters when the future arrives. Ancient Demons are a crisis, but they are also an opportunity. Last time, we managed to obtain a top-tier body refinement cultivation method from them. Although it's only half a manual, it's truly extraordinary.
"Otherwise, Ye Fan wouldn't have had much hope of securing a prodigy slot."
Xu Deling didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Grandfather, participating in the battle for the Prodigy Roll while only at the mid-Eighth-Layer Foundation Establishment stage is already utterly unprecedented in history.
"I would bet that if Ye Fan participates in the next iteration of the Prodigy Roll, he will absolutely take the top spot."
Ye Fan chuckled. "Let's forget about that. I definitely don't want to stay in the Foundation Establishment Stage for that long!"
Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.
"By the way, Deling, since you've joined the Heavenly Foundry Sect, I figure you must know more about this Prodigy Roll. Why are all the factions exhausting so much effort to get their disciples onto the Roll?" Xu Chuan asked.
Xu Deling reined in her smile and put on a serious expression. "This granddaughter actually asked my two masters about that. It seems the Prodigy Roll is an incredibly powerful Ancient Grotto-heaven Spirit Treasure.
"During ancient times, any prodigy who managed to get onto the Prodigy Roll was permitted to enter the grotto-heaven within to seek out opportunities.
"Nowadays, it appears to be damaged. The grotto-heaven can no longer be forced open via external power."
"So the various factions are after the opportunities inside?" Xu Chuan mused.
"Exactly. They host the Prodigy Grand Assembly because there's a chance that a prodigy who makes the Roll might trigger the opportunity to enter it and obtain the treasures hidden inside.
"Master Zhen Yangzi once mentioned that according to the records, everyone who has ever entered it eventually stepped into the Late-Stage Nascent Soul realm without exception.
"The most recent person to do so was the Old Ancestor of the Profound Moon Sect.
"This has nothing to do with one's specific ranking on the Roll. It seems to be entirely dependent on providence.
"Master Zhen Yangzi speculates that an astronomical amount of providence is required to reawaken the artifact spirit of the Prodigy Roll."
"That really is an earth-shattering secret. Joining a massive faction really has its perks. However..." Ye Fan trailed off hesitantly. "Sister Linger, now that you've joined the Heavenly Foundry Sect, will you ever be able to return to the Xu family?"
Xu Deling smiled softly. "Don't worry. Do you think I'm the type to abandon my clan? Back then, to convince me to join the Heavenly Foundry Sect, Master Zhen Yangzi personally promised that he would establish a branch of the Heavenly Foundry Sect for me in the Heavenly Azure Prefecture.
"Once I advance to the Golden Core stage, they'll let me be the Sect Master. Until then, a Golden Core Perfection powerhouse will manage it in my stead. I estimate that person is True Lord Fierce Sun, who traveled here with us."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan immediately found it unbelievable, concluding that there had to be some hidden agenda behind this.
Xu Mingxian and the others shared the same sentiment.
"Grandfather, Linger can mostly guess the reasoning behind this. The Heavenly Foundry Sect wants to thoroughly tie me to their ship.
"Given my Artifact Forging Talent, if I were to mature and establish my own artifact forging faction in the future, it would inevitably deal a heavy blow to the Heavenly Foundry Sect.
"It could even spell the beginning of the Heavenly Foundry Sect's decline.
"Furthermore, upon entering the Heavenly Foundry Sect's Flame Phoenix Blood Pool, I instantly obtained its greatest opportunity—acquiring the Flame Phoenix essence blood and the Nirvana Secret Art, and I even successfully underwent Nirvana.
"They believe I am blessed with immense providence and have the potential to step into the Late-Stage Nascent Soul realm in the future."
"That does make sense," Xu Chuan nodded after analyzing the situation. "Then what are your thoughts?"
"Linger has naturally always been a member of the Xu family, and that will never change from beginning to end. Joining the Heavenly Foundry Sect now and securing Nascent Soul backing is a great boon for our family.
"Once this news spreads, no Golden Core faction should dare to cause us any trouble.
"This can buy our Xu family a period of peaceful development.
"My two masters have shown me genuine dedication. As long as the Heavenly Foundry Sect doesn't betray me, I won't betray them. If I gain the ability in the future, I will definitely help the Heavenly Foundry Sect return to its peak.
"This will be my way of repaying their grace."
Xu Chuan smiled and nodded in approval. "Just follow your heart and do as you see fit."
"However, the Heavenly Azure Prefecture has been rather turbulent recently. A Nascent Soul power from the Greedy Wolf Prefecture is scheming to seize control of the Heavenly Azure Prefecture, so your plans might not unfold perfectly.
"But if possible, the Heavenly Azure Prefecture should be able to maintain its peace for a little while longer."
"Something like that is happening?" Xu Deling was slightly taken aback.
Ye Fan smiled bitterly. "Not only that, but our Xu family also has a conflict with the Greedy Wolf Sect."
He proceeded to explain how Xu Mingxian had continuously slaughtered disciples of the Greedy Wolf Sect in the past, causing them to lose an enormous amount of face.
Xu Deling furrowed her brow tightly.
The Prodigy Grand Assembly period lasted for ten years—specifically, seven years prior to the event and three years after its conclusion.
During this time, all factions had a mutual agreement to completely halt all hostilities.
This was partially to give the emerging prodigies time to mature.
After this grace period ended, prodigies were no longer under absolute protection. There had been instances in the past where a prodigy traveling abroad was besieged and killed by a hostile sect.
"Rest assured, Grandfather. Even if my masters find out about this, I will definitely convince them to muddy the waters in the Heavenly Azure Prefecture and buy our Xu family more time."
Shortly after, Xu Deling returned to the Heavenly Foundry Sect's estate.
After all, she was currently representing the Heavenly Foundry Sect at the Prodigy Grand Assembly, so it was impossible for her to stay here indefinitely.
Before leaving, she handed over a prepared gift to Xu Chuan.
Xu Chuan swept it with his divine sense.
A low-grade magic treasure—the Heaven-Overturning Seal!
'Its power is even greater than the Eight Trigrams Alchemy Furnace. Linger's artifact forging skills have leveled up yet again.'
The corners of Xu Chuan's mouth couldn't help but curl into a smile.
Not long after.
Rumors began swirling through Azure Cloud City that the Heavenly Foundry Sect's Phoenix Heavenly Maiden already had someone she liked. From this premise, all sorts of dramatic, heartbreaking romance tales were spun detailing the supposed causes and consequences of their love.
As Xu Chuan was about to head out, he overheard the prodigies from the Northwest discussing the very same matter.
"Do you guys think the rumors outside are true? To think that the Phoenix Heavenly Maiden, the second-ranked prodigy of the South, actually has someone she fancies! And it's supposedly a peerlessly handsome man.
"I heard that aside from his pretty face, the guy is completely useless at everything else."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan didn't know whether to be happy or angry. His face was definitely not 'handsome'; by an ordinary person's standards, it could only be considered pleasant to look at.
'But calling me completely useless... These rumors have definitely gone way too far!'
"So what? Figures like her definitely act upon their own whims. Don't we also have the 'Cold Moon Immortal Fairy' here in the Northwest?
"She became Dao companions with someone early on, and the couple even brought their father-in-law along to participate in the Prodigy Grand Assembly.
"If anyone else finds out about this, they'll probably laugh their heads off."
"How could a thing like that possibly be kept a secret? It'll likely spread within a day or two. Nowadays, news about the prodigies from every faction is flying around everywhere."
"Before you sit around loudly gossiping, you ought to worry about your own rankings."
Zhang Xuanzhi happened to pass by and, upon hearing them, remarked coldly, "That family of three might be eccentric, but they are all ranked in the top ten!"
"Maybe they just got lucky and ran into a bunch of weaker opponents," someone retorted.
"Twenty-eight tokens. What kind of luck could possibly be that overwhelmingly strong? Do you seriously think every encounter they had was a three-on-one scenario?
"Even if that were true, if it were you guys in a three-on-one, could you absolutely guarantee securing the opponent's token?
"Who among those who entered the Secret Realm doesn't have some hidden trump cards up their sleeve?"
Zhang Xuanzhi himself had experienced five or six instances where his target managed to escape. If he hadn't slain Wen Jiu and obtained over ten tokens in one go, his own token count wouldn't have reached twenty-one.
After the Secret Realm concluded, he had inquired with the eliminated disciples of the Profound Moon Sect. The intelligence he gleaned from them made him view the trio with extreme caution.
He had even asked himself: what would happen if he had to face the three of them joining forces?
The answer was that there was no answer.
Without fighting them for real, it was impossible to know.
The chatting prodigies scattered. Zhang Xuanzhi took a few steps, spotted Xu Chuan, gave him a slight nod, and then headed in the direction of the Profound Moon Prefecture's estate.
'It looks like he already knows the general details regarding Mingxian and the others, and he's treating them as genuine rivals.'
Xu Chuan shook his head slightly and stepped out of the estate to stroll around outside.
After all, this was a grand assembly that only occurred once every one hundred and twenty years. Perhaps he would stumble upon a fortuitous encounter.
He had previously calculated that successfully creating his new cultivation technique, based on the current progress rate of Heaven Rewards Diligence, would take about three to four years.
However, if he stumbled upon an opportunity, it could be reduced to just several months or half a year.
At this moment.
There were seven days remaining until the start of the Prodigy Grand Assembly.
Xu Chuan walked through the streets of Azure Cloud City in his elderly guise.
Everyone in sight was an immortal cultivator, and the vast majority were at the Foundation Establishment stage, packing the streets densely.
Whenever he saw this scene, Xu Chuan couldn't help but sigh in realization. Back in Great Wei, an entire commandery might have had a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators at most, and sometimes as few as one or two.
Time swiftly advanced to the third day.
Xu Chuan utilized the Minor Star Divination Art in conjunction with Daily Divination to deduce the whereabouts of his personal opportunities. He had originally just been testing his luck, but to his surprise, he actually received a response.
'There's an opportunity for me to the east?'
Xu Chuan immediately stood up and set off.
Traveling eastward all the way, near the center of the city, he overheard someone discussing a certain auction.
"The prodigy auction hosted by the Void Heaven Chamber of Commerce is about to begin! Every time before the Prodigy Grand Assembly, they hold an auction, and I heard the items up for grabs are incredibly rare."
"It's a pity it has nothing to do with the likes of us. Only prodigies are allowed to enter."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan's heart stirred. He began to search for the location of this so-called prodigy auction and, sure enough, found it directly along the eastern axis.
He silently performed another divination, but the results were entirely hazy, as if the heavenly secrets were being deliberately obscured.
'Obscuring heaven's secrets?'
'It seems this Void Heaven Chamber of Commerce is anything but simple.'
Xu Chuan stepped forward to enter but was immediately stopped by a black-robed guard stationed at the gate. The man declared, "Those who are not among the prodigies of the five regions are strictly forbidden from entering."
"How do you know I am not a prodigy?"
The black-robed guard sneered coldly. "The faces of every prodigy from the five regions are etched into my mind, and yours is most definitely not among them.
"Furthermore, at your advanced age, how could you possibly be a prodigy?
"Leave immediately, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
"How superficial. Take another look."
Xu Chuan flicked his sleeve robe, sweeping it over his face. When the black-robed guard looked again, the person standing before him possessed the appearance of a young man.
He was instantly rendered speechless. However, another guard chimed in, "Even if you were disguising your appearance earlier, you still aren't among the prodigies of the five regions, are you?"
"I indeed did not participate, but that does not mean I am not a prodigy. Perhaps I just prefer keeping a low profile and simply didn't want to join the Prodigy Grand Assembly.
"I consider myself a prodigy. Why won't you let me in?"
The two guards frowned deeply.
At that moment, a middle-aged man accompanied by a young master walked out. The middle-aged man demanded, "What is all this commotion about?"
The black-robed guards swiftly reported the situation.
The young master snapped open the paper fan in his hand, laughing with clear curiosity. "This young master is seeing someone dare to cause trouble in front of our Void Heaven Chamber of Commerce's auction house for the very first time.
"You claim to be a prodigy, but the world has a universally accepted standard for the title. Under a hundred and twenty years old, at the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage, possessing formidable strength. Do you believe you satisfy all these criteria?"
"I believe I satisfy them all," Xu Chuan replied placidly.
"Words are wind without proof. Then we will test your bone age, probe your cultivation realm, and verify your strength. If you can pass all of them, this young master will permit you to enter."
"Young Master..."
The young master raised his hand to silence the interruption. "However, if you do not meet the standards, the consequence for trying to deceive my Void Heaven Chamber of Commerce is having your cultivation utterly crippled. Are you willing to accept that risk?"
"Let us test it then."
If there truly was an opportunity here, Xu Chuan absolutely could not afford to miss it.
With the current turbulent situation in the Heavenly Azure Prefecture, he needed to achieve Core Formation as quickly as possible.
"Manager Yao, test him," the young master ordered.
"Yes, Young Master."
The tests for his bone age and cultivation realm were concluded quickly. Xu Chuan flawlessly met all the requirements.
All that remained was the test of his strength.
The young master of the Void Heaven Chamber of Commerce unfastened a jade pendant from his waist and tossed it to a black-robed guard, commanding, "Activate the defenses on this jade pendant."
The black-robed guard cupped his fists respectfully and complied.
A pale cyan light screen immediately rose in front of him.
The young master then turned to Xu Chuan. "Daoist friend, launch your attack. As long as you can produce a single crack on it, this young master will acknowledge you as a true prodigy."
Seeing a spectacle unfolding, a large crowd quickly gathered to watch.
'How troublesome!'
Xu Chuan wanted to finish this quickly. He immediately thrust out a single finger, concentrating the full force of his Withered Glory Divine Ability Power onto a single point.
The pale cyan light screen didn't crack; instead, it dissolved under the bizarre energy. It looked as if it was being heavily corroded, and a gap rapidly formed.
"Is this enough?"
It happened in a mere flash; the crowd hadn't even managed to see what he did clearly.
The young master's pupils contracted sharply. He then snapped his paper fan shut and burst out laughing. "I truly didn't expect to find a peerless genius this low-key, entirely unbothered by fame and fortune!"
"How should I address you, Daoist friend?"
"Daoist Sanshu."
"Daoist Sanshu, please come in."
Xu Chuan immediately followed the young master into the auction venue. After taking just a few steps, when the young master glanced over again, the man had transformed back into the appearance of a hunchbacked elder.
"Fascinating, truly fascinating. Daoist Sanshu, your secret art is incredibly exquisite. I wonder if you would be willing to sell it to my Void Heaven Chamber of Commerce?"
"It is a life-saving method. Please don't force the issue, Young Master."
Hearing the rejection, the young master didn't become angry at all.
As for the scene outside, upon seeing Xu Chuan pierce through the cyan light screen with such ease, someone else immediately stepped forward to give it a try.
But the result was absolute failure; the light screen didn't budge an inch.
And true to their word, the man had his cultivation entirely crippled.
The onlookers sighed in lamentation.
After the young master and the manager brought Xu Chuan inside, they took their leave.
Over two hours later.
The prodigy auction officially began.
By this time, only a little over two hundred prodigies from the five regions had arrived.
Xu Chuan found himself uninterested in ordinary items, even high-grade Heavenly Spirit Pills, High-Grade Spirit-Purifying Pills, divine abilities, secret arts, rare materials, top-tier Tier 2 talismans, or high-grade Tier 2 formation flags.
This made him momentarily wonder if he had come to the wrong place entirely.
It wasn't until the auctioneer introduced a specific item that Xu Chuan's eyes snapped open.
"Our next item up for auction is a segment of spirit wood root. This spirit wood belongs to the ancient Withered Glory Tree. It takes a thousand years to grow and bears fruit only once every sixty years, known as the Withered Glory Fruit.
"This spirit fruit is the primary material for the high-grade Tier 3 Withered Glory Pill, and it can also be used to refine the wondrous ancient pill known as the Life and Death Pill.
"The Withered Glory Pill functions to purify the mana of a Golden Core stage cultivator and expand their Dantian's spirit sea. It is effective for anyone at any level within the Golden Core stage.
"As for the Life and Death Pill, its purpose is to repair a severely damaged Dantian.
"It remains effective for anyone below the Divine Transformation stage.
"In addition to these, it can also be used in the refining of Bone Generation Pills, Years Wither Pills, and the like."
Upon hearing this, many prodigies broke into widespread discussion.
Xu Chuan's eyes shot out a piercing gleam.
"Although this is merely a segment of a tree root, if someone possesses a special spirit liquid, they can stimulate it to sprout anew and replant it.
"However, one crucial point must be noted. The Withered Glory Tree is incredibly unique: one year, one cycle of withering and flourishing. It grows at the same sluggish pace as mortal wood. Ordinary methods cannot accelerate its growth, not even with the aid of rare spirit soil.
"Only someone exceptionally skilled in the Dao of Withering and Flourishing would be capable of doing so."
The Dao of Withering and Flourishing was considered an incredibly rare path, unlike the ubiquitous Dao of the Five Elements, the Dao of Wind and Thunder, or the Sword Dao.
"Setting aside whether it can even be revived, having to wait over a thousand years after planting is simply far too long," one prodigy remarked.
Under normal circumstances, ordinary spirit woods and spirit medicines planted in environments with dense spiritual qi and nourished by spirit soil could have their growth rates accelerated by over a dozen times.
Not to mention, cultivators who practiced withering and flourishing cultivation methods were practically unheard of.
"The opportunities that prodigies require are rarely found through ordinary means. My Void Heaven Chamber of Commerce merely gathers as many rarities as we can; it is impossible to guarantee that every item will be highly desired.
"If no one has any intention of purchasing it, having it remain unsold at auction is fine too.
"The starting bid for this segment of Withered Glory Spirit Wood root is three thousand spirit stones, and each minimum increment cannot be less than fifty spirit stones. Let the bidding commence!"
As his voice faded, very few people placed a bid.
About five minutes later, the price had barely crawled up to three thousand six hundred spirit stones.
"Is there anyone else who wishes to raise the bid?"
Xu Chuan felt the timing was right and immediately spoke up. "I bid three thousand six hundred and fifty spirit stones."
The person who had previously bid three thousand six hundred thought about it for a moment before raising the bid by another fifty spirit stones.
Feigning a moment of hesitation, Xu Chuan matched it with another fifty.
This continued until Xu Chuan offered four thousand spirit stones. The other man considered his options and finally gave up, shaking his head. "Forget it. Four thousand spirit stones would be better spent buying a handy two-patterned defensive dharma tool."
In the end, this auction item safely landed in Xu Chuan's hands.
After Xu Chuan settled the payment, the young master curiously inquired about his purchase. Xu Chuan casually replied, "There is a senior of mine who enjoys collecting and cultivating ancient spirit woods.
"As for why I bought it, Young Master, you should understand."
The young master burst into laughter. "I understand, I understand. Who doesn't have moments when they need to curry favor with their elders? This young master's surname is Ji. I hope fate allows me to meet you again in the future, Daoist Sanshu."
"Is Young Master Ji not staying to watch the Prodigy Grand Assembly?"
"I have urgent matters back home and must return. I'm afraid I won't be able to stay until then."
"I see," Xu Chuan said, cupping his fists. "Then may we meet again if fate permits."
With that, he turned and left the Void Heaven Chamber of Commerce's auction house, disappearing into the dense crowd.
About thirty minutes later, he reverted to his youthful disguise.
After returning to his room at the estate.
Xu Chuan submerged the root inside a bowl completely filled with Vitality Spirit Liquid. He then washed and refined it with his Power of Withering and Thriving, intending to stimulate its withering and flourishing properties.
There were records within the "Alchemy Scripture": the Withered Glory Tree underwent one cycle of withering and flourishing per year, representing a cycle of reincarnation every single year.
It continuously cycled through life and death, never truly dying.
Even a tree root that had been withered and dead for an untold number of years could be coaxed back into the cycle of life and death by using the Power of Withering and Thriving.
Three days later.
This segment of root finally sprouted tender green leaves.
Xu Chuan transplanted it into a pot, continuously injecting his Power of Withering and Thriving to accelerate its transformations.
Another day passed.
To his pleasant surprise, he discovered that his current Power of Withering and Thriving was capable of increasing its growth speed by ten times.
Then, the time for the grand opening of the Prodigy Grand Assembly finally arrived.
The largest plaza in Azure Cloud City was known as Cloud Mirror Plaza, covering an area of over a hundred and sixty acres.
The plaza's ground was paved entirely with ten-foot square blocks of Azure Netherstone. Every single block of azure stone had undergone rigorous tempering, leaving the surfaces as smooth as a mirror while still emanating a rustic and heavy aura.
Cloud Mirror Plaza was the designated venue chosen by the Azure Cloud Sect to host the Prodigy Grand Assembly.
At the hour of chen.
The Golden Crow offered its first cry, and the morning clouds were dyed in rich hues.
The factions from all five regions gathered uniformly at Cloud Mirror Plaza.
Three hundred and sixty prodigies stood tall, every single one of them high-spirited and vigorous, thirsting to make a name for themselves through battle.
"Daoist Friend Xuan Zhen, isn't it time to bring out the Prodigy Roll?" an old Daoist priest in a gray robe from the Clear Void Sect asked with a faint smile, waving his horsetail whisk.
From within the Azure Cloud Sect's encampment, a figure slowly stepped forward.
This man was dressed in azure robes. The hair at his temples was frosted white, yet his face lacked any real signs of old age. His eyes burned brightly, and his entire aura was profoundly tranquil, devoid of the sharp, overbearing edge typical of sword cultivators.
He strode to the exact center of the plaza, turned to face the direction of the Azure Cloud Sect's mountain gate, and stood firm. "Bring forth the Prodigy Roll," he announced calmly.
As those words fell, the massive plaza instantly descended into pin-drop silence. Whether it was the participating prodigies from the various prefectures or the spectating cultivators standing on the periphery, everyone held their breath and focused their gazes on the distant horizon.
Suddenly.
A flash of golden light flickered in the distant sky.
In the blink of an eye, a streak of golden rainbow light tore across the sky like a falling meteor. Wherever the rainbow light passed, the cloud layers were completely dispelled. Radiating a majestic, heaven-shaking might, it rocketed straight toward the plaza at an extreme speed.
A moment later.
The pale golden light descended to hover right above Xuan Zhen's palm. The blinding light retracted, revealing a slightly tattered scroll that was over a foot wide. A faint, glowing luminescence coated its surface, along with countless minuscule, flowing runes.
It was precisely this seemingly unremarkable scroll that exuded a pressure no one present could possibly ignore.
Xu Chuan stood amongst the crowd, gazing at it from afar. 'Is this an Ancient Spirit Treasure?'
'Even in its damaged state, it feels as though a single burst of its pressure could crush a Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator to death.'
"Fellow Daoist friends, let us pool our strength and activate the Prodigy Roll," Xuan Zhen announced.
The gray-robed old Daoist from the Clear Void Sect, Perfected Tianya of the Profound Moon Sect, a white-browed old monk from Thunder Sound Temple, and a white-haired young man from the Feather Transformation Sect all stepped forward.
The crowd felt their vision blur for a fraction of a second, and the newly arrived figures were already standing beside Xuan Zhen.
However, just as they were about to combine their powers and initiate the activation.
A booming shout of "Hold on!" echoed from the heavens.
From the west, billowing black clouds abruptly surged. A monstrous demonic aura flooded the area, causing the sky and earth to change colors.