Chapter 45 : Chapter 45
Chapter 45: The Selection Begins, Ninth-Grade Talent
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the Li Clan’s New Blood Selection Assembly.
Sixth Elder Li Yanzhao had already arrived at Li Family Town a day in advance with several dozen Li Clan cultivators.
Li Family Town was the town with the largest number of Li Clan collateral branch clansmen, with a population of roughly fifty thousand.
Early in the morning,
Li Clan members from all directions had already packed the collateral branch’s ancestral hall so tightly that not even a drop of water could get through.
At this moment, Li Yanzhao and the others had not yet entered, and the gathered crowd was already talking excitedly with their acquaintances.
“I heard that the one presiding over this New Blood Selection Assembly is the Sixth Elder?”
A collateral branch clansman holding a child by the hand asked curiously.
“That’s right. The Sixth Elder is the youngest elder in the main branch. People outside all say that after the main branch’s Family Head, the Sixth Elder will become the next youngest Qi-Blood Realm cultivator.”
“Speaking of the main branch’s Family Head, he truly is extraordinary. At only a little over ten years of age, he already commands the main branch and can summon wind and rain with a turn of his hand.”
A somewhat younger collateral branch clansman spoke with a face full of envy.
“Of course. With the main branch Family Head’s talent, even the legendary Innate Realm is well within hope. When that happens, the name of the Qingfeng Li Clan will spread throughout the prefectures and counties.”
...
“Who do you think has a chance of passing the main branch’s New Blood Selection this time and returning to the main branch?”
A busybody whispered in a low voice.
“I think the town chief’s child has a chance. I heard that at such a young age, he already possesses monstrous strength. Several sturdy grown men together still can’t beat him. And I also heard the town chief say that his ancestors came from the same line as the main branch’s Family Head. By seniority, he’d even have to call the main branch’s Family Head Grandfather.”
“He really is shameless, trying to claim kinship like that at his age.”
Someone immediately mocked him.
“There’s nothing shameful about trying to claim kinship with the main branch’s Family Head. That’s a dragon among men. Forget mortals like us—even the great aristocratic families all want to climb that connection.”
...
“Li Chengjia’s daughter from the east side of town is no slouch either. At such a young age, the swordsmanship she displays is already quite polished.”
“Xiaolong from the neighboring town also has a chance.”
...
Outside Li Family Town,
“Xingzong, we’re almost there. Up ahead is Li Family Town.”
The woman carried a bundle on her back and pointed toward the town in the distance as she spoke to the boy beside her.
“I know, Mother.”
Xingzong’s little face was filled with determination.
“You must make something of yourself this time. Pass the selection, return to the main clan, and console your father’s spirit in heaven.”
The woman wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes as she spoke.
“Mother, don’t worry. I won’t disappoint you again.”
Xingzong secretly clenched his fists.
...
At the collateral branch ancestral hall,
“Silence! The Sixth Elder has arrived!”
A sonorous voice rang out, and in an instant, the uproarious ancestral hall fell silent.
The crowd consciously parted and opened a path.
Several dozen Li Clan cultivators strode calmly through the crowd, hands resting on the sabers at their waists, and took up positions on either side of the ancestral hall.
The stern-faced Sixth Elder strode forward with long steps. He first cupped his fists in salute toward the ancestral hall of the branch family.
Then, with an imposing air, he declared, “I am Li Yanzhao, Sixth Elder of the main branch, acting under the orders of the main branch’s Family Head to preside over this New Blood Selection Assembly!”
Though his voice was not loud, every word reached every person present with perfect clarity.
“Greetings, Sixth Elder!”
The more than ten thousand people present saluted in unison, and their voices shook the clouds.
“I will first explain the rules of the New Blood Selection Assembly. Regardless of gender, any collateral branch clansman between the ages of five and ten may take part in the New Blood Selection.”
“The participants will drip their blood onto the Talent Testing Stone. If the Talent Testing Stone flashes once, it indicates low-grade talent. If it flashes twice, it indicates mid-grade talent. If it flashes three times, it indicates high-grade talent. If it flashes four times, then the talent has entered the grades!”
“Those whose talent has entered the grades may pass the selection directly, be entered into the clan register, and receive the clan’s focused cultivation.”
“Those with high-grade talent will receive treatment equal to that of ordinary members of the main branch!”
“As for those with mid-grade or low-grade talent, they will be considered unqualified. But you need not lose heart. If you can break through into the Body Tempering Realm before the age of ten, then you may still return to the main clan.”
“Have you all understood?”
“We have understood!”
The crowd answered in one voice.
Li Yanzhao nodded. “Then I now declare that the Qingfeng Li Clan’s One Hundred and Seventy-First New Blood Selection Assembly officially begins!”
The moment Li Yanzhao’s words fell, the crackling roar of firecrackers erupted thunderously.
Once the firecrackers were finished, the talent testing began.
“First participant, Li Le’an!”
A Li Clan steward called out loudly.
A little boy of about six or seven stepped forward, looking somewhat nervous. Trembling, he stretched out his hand and shut his eyes.
The Li Clan cultivator in charge of the test pricked his finger with a needle. Blood dripped onto the Talent Testing Stone, which flashed once and then went still.
“Li Le’an, low-grade talent, unqualified! Next!”
The cultivator shook his head and announced the result.
His words were like the judgment of the god of fate, cold and merciless.
Li Le’an stepped down from the platform with red eyes and burst into tears in the arms of his disappointed father.
“Li Ze’an, mid-grade talent, unqualified! Next!”
“Li Shan, low-grade talent, unqualified! Next!”
“Li Heng, low-grade talent, unqualified! Next!”
...
“Li Yuzhen, high-grade talent, qualified!”
After more than twenty children had been eliminated in a row, the first child to pass the selection finally appeared.
His parents wept with joy.
The surrounding crowd also looked at them with envious eyes. With such a promising child in the family, their lives in the next half of this life would surely be free of want.
Li Yanzhao, however, remained calm.
The upper limit of high-grade talent was the Physical Body Realm. It was not enough to move him.
“Next, Li Zhe, mid-grade talent, unqualified!”
“... unqualified!”
...
“Li Xuanzhong, high-grade talent, qualified!”
“... unqualified!”
“... unqualified!”
“Next, Li Wu!”
A sturdy child with a round, tigerish face stepped onto the platform. Fearless, he stretched out his own hand on his own initiative.
Someone immediately recognized him.
“It’s the town chief’s child!”
“People outside have been saying for a while now that this child was born with tremendous strength. Looking at him now, it seems that really wasn’t baseless talk. He’s only seven or eight years old, yet his build is like that of a youth of fifteen or sixteen.”
“What use is great strength? If his talent isn’t good enough, he’ll still be brushed aside.”
Someone said sourly.
Yet very soon, the result of the talent test slapped him across the face.
After Li Wu’s blood dripped onto the Talent Testing Stone, it flashed four times in succession, instantly causing an uproar.
“My heavens, his talent has entered the grades!”
One man cried out in shock, and then the whole crowd exploded like a pot suddenly boiling over.
“Ninth-grade talent! If nothing unexpected happens, he’ll become another Fourth Elder in the future!”
“When the Fourth Elder was tested back then, he was found to have ninth-grade talent as well. That was why the family focused on cultivating him, and he became part of the family’s prominent line, wielding immense authority!”
“I said long ago that the town chief’s son was no ordinary child. Who would’ve thought that in a single leap he’d soar through the Dragon Gate?”
“That’s not what you were saying just now!”
Someone teased him.
As for the town chief of Li Family Town, Li Wu’s father, he could hardly believe it. He fiercely slapped himself across the face.
Only when the burning pain confirmed that he was not dreaming
did he drop to his knees without any regard for his dignity and break into loud sobs. “Ancestors of our line, do you see this? After a hundred years, our branch can finally return to the clan grounds once more!”
No one laughed at his loss of composure.
Instead, their eyes held nothing but pure envy and jealousy.
Returning to the clan grounds and bringing glory to one’s family line was the dream of every Li Clan collateral branch descendant.