Ch. 32 - Aptitude

The ancient Grand Emperors, Gu Zhi, Hao Han, Fei Yang, Tian Qi... Facing these revered figures of earlier generations, Xu Zimo remained unfazed. Calmly, he said, "What crime have I committed? Even if you bear Heaven’s Will and act on its behalf, so what?" At that moment, Xu Zimo felt an urge to shout, "We cultivators defy the heavens! Who dares to stand above us? Today, I shall shatter the heavens. My fate is mine to determine, not heaven's." But upon reflection, he found it a bit melodramatic. Narrowing his eyes, he drew the Shadow Tyrant from his back. His slender figure stared directly at the ten emperors above, grinning, "Even if I drag you down from your divine thrones, what of it?" He stepped into the air, Shadow Tyrant reflecting ten thousand rays of light, roaring as he charged toward the emperors. "Heroes emerge amidst the storm, Entering the world, time hastens on. Empires rise and fall in jest, Life is but a drunken dream!" Qi Shan waved his hands, causing the Seven-Emotions Six-Desires Formation to gradually dissipate. The mist cleared, and Xu Zimo wore a smile. This formation could evoke a person's deepest desires, creating illusions of what they most yearn for, power, wealth, beauty, or strength. Many of the youths present appeared disheveled, their clothes in disarray, hair unkempt, looking quite miserable. Even those in better condition had pale or flushed faces, their bodies covered in sweat. "What did you see in the illusion, Ruhu?" Xu Zimo asked with interest. "I saw many unclothed women, but I wasn't interested, so I blasted them away," Lin Ruhu replied. "I also saw myself bearing Heaven’s Will, becoming an emperor. But I knew this life's emperor would be you, Brother Zimo, so I killed all those worshiping me." Xu Zimo realized that such illusions merely stirred one's desires, but Lin Ruhu seemed to have none. "Ruhu, what do you like?" Xu Zimo asked curiously. "I just like following you, Brother Zimo," Lin Ruhu replied with a silly grin. "Just to be clear, my preferences are quite normal," Xu Zimo quickly clarified. "That's not what I meant," Lin Ruhu said hurriedly. "I already have someone I like." "Eh? Who?" Xu Zimo was surprised. Lin Ruhu usually seemed quiet and unassuming; who would've thought he harbored such feelings? "The Seventh Grand Elder's daughter," Lin Ruhu whispered. Xu Zimo gasped, "That's terrifying!" He had met the Seventh Elder's daughter before and didn't expect Ruhu's taste to be so... unique. "What do you like about her?" Xu Zimo felt compelled to ask. "I think she has a great personality," Lin Ruhu replied, smiling brightly as if recalling something pleasant. "I'll leave you to it," Xu Zimo nodded silently, choosing not to comment further. "He's quite the wolf." At this moment, the inner court elder began announcing the top hundred disciples. Those whose names were called were ecstatic, standing proudly and confidently. As the list neared its end, the remaining youths looked despondent, their year-long hopes dashed. "Those who didn't make it into the sect, don't give up. The path of cultivation is filled with setbacks; smooth sailing is rare," the inner court elder consoled. "You can try again next year or consider joining other sects, which is also a good option." In the Western Region, besides the True Martial Sacred Ground, there were many other sects. However, in every aspect, the True Martial Sacred Ground was the strongest. The inner court elder then gave an inspiring speech to the 100 new disciples. The gist was: "The sect supports me, and I support the sect." After the speech, the elder took out a hexagonal crystal. Its surface was polished smooth like a mirror, sparkling with starlight. He didn't explain its purpose, only instructing everyone to line up and place their hands on it one by one. "What's this for?" Lin Ruhu asked curiously from afar. "The Legacy Crystal," Xu Zimo replied with a smile. He had anticipated this moment, it marked a historic event for the True Martial Sacred Ground and the moment Baili Xiao truly ascended. Yet Xu Zimo didn't intervene, finding the unfolding events too intriguing, too beautiful. So beautiful that he couldn't bear to shatter others' hopes. One by one, the youths placed their hands on the crystal, but it showed no reaction. The inner court elder remained calm, having expected this outcome. "For the Empress to choose a successor isn't easy." The line grew shorter. Yan Buhui, Gao Xiong, and even the twin sisters all failed. Finally, Baili Xiao, heart pounding, stepped forward and placed her hand on the crystal. She felt a warm current flow from it. Suddenly, the entire crystal emitted a dazzling silver light. "This... this is..." the inner court elder stammered, stunned. Not far away, Xu Zimo smiled, "A historic moment indeed. Pity there's nothing to record it." As the crystal shone brightly, several figures suddenly appeared in the sky, stepping through the air. Each exuded a formidable aura, their combined presence overwhelming, making the very air seem to freeze. Among them were the seven elders of the True Martial Sacred Ground, including the Vice-Lord. This crystal was a sect treasure, not something casually entrusted to an inner sect elder. In truth, during each search for a successor, these leaders observed from the shadows, choosing not to reveal themselves. "Brother Zimo, what's happening?" Lin Ruhu asked, astonished by the sect's high-ranking members' appearance. The crystal slowly rose into the sky, radiating brilliant light, as if something was about to emerge. Xu Zimo explained, "Before ascending, our sect's four Grand Emperors left their legacies within the sect, hoping one day a worthy successor would arise to lead the sect to glory. Grand Emperor Shen Xing’s legacy went to our current Sacred Lord, while Grand Emperor Zhen Wu’s legacy was inherited by my father. Now, only the Grand Emperor San Dao and the Grand Empress Hongtian's legacies remain unclaimed. Today, Empress Hongtian's successor has appeared."