After Ling Tian left, the atmosphere gradually heated up.
The few who came up shortly afterward were all between the sixth and ninth levels of martial arts apprentices, and no one was left out of the inner courtyard.
At this point, of the over one hundred Ling family members, one-third had already been tested. Only Ling Tian and two other Ling family members had reached the Xuanzhe level. This shows that for the younger generation to reach the Xuanzhe level, in addition to individual effort, individual talent is also crucial.
"Eighteenth generation descendant, Ling Zhi, take the stage." Just as a Ling family member left the stage, Ling Fu's voice rang out again.
Ling Zhi approached with an arrogant head held high. Without even a single salute to the Ninth Elder, he raised his fist and struck the test crystal.
Ling Fu paid no attention. He glanced at the test crystal's color value and read aloud, "Ling Zhi, a low-level Xuanzhe. Compared to last year's ninth-level martial arts apprentice, he has advanced one level. He can remain in the inner courtyard."
"Hmph," Ling Zhi snorted triumphantly, turning to leave the stage. "Eighteenth generation descendant, Ling Xiao, come on stage!" Ling Fu continued to shout.
As soon as Ling Fu finished his words, the audience fell silent for a moment, then erupted in a frenzy of activity.
"I never thought Ling Xiao would return for another test. It's truly a miracle. I just wonder what his current cultivation level is."
"I think he's at least a high-level Xuanzhe. I saw with my own eyes that day that Ling Zhi wasn't even a match for him."
"Even a poor man can turn his life around. The Grand Elder declared that he could never cultivate Xuanli again. He's truly run out of luck."
"Who knows if he'll become a wasted talent again?"
The younger generation of the Ling family kept buzzing about Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao bowed and quietly walked up the stairs to the stage. He didn't choose a flashy entrance like Ling Tian. The crowd was filled with little kids, and with no beautiful women, he didn't want to waste his energy. As he passed Ling Zhi, Ling Zhi unconcealed the fierce glint in his eyes. He narrowed his eyes and said to Ling Xiao, "I was just careless last time. You'd better pray you don't run into me later, otherwise... you're dead."
Ling Xiao glanced at him, undeterred, muttering to himself, "On such a beautiful, cloudless day, hearing a dog barking is truly a disservice." With that, Shi Ran stepped onto the platform.
Ling Zhi clenched his fists, turned his head to stare at Ling Xiao's back, and thought to himself, "I wonder how much longer you can hold on to your arrogance."
Ling Xiao reached the platform and politely bowed to Ling Fu, greeting him, "Hello, Ninth Elder."
Ling Fu smiled and nodded, saying, "Let's begin!"
Ling Xiao responded softly, approached the test crystal, and casually punched it.
The test crystal changed from white to gray, then from gray to a faint pale yellow. Ling Fu glanced at him, then announced with a slightly puzzled look, "Ling Xiao, low-level Xuanzhe, may remain in the inner courtyard."
"Low... low-level Xuanzhe? How is that possible? I heard he even defeated the Fifth Elder's two high-level Xuanzhe guards, so he should be a low-level Xuanzhe!"
"Could he be hiding his strength?"
"That's possible."
...
Ling Zhi, returning to the stage, was stunned by Ling Fu's announcement, then muttered to himself, "Even if we're at the same level, so what? I won't lose." Elsewhere, Ling Tian, rms folded across his chest, said disdainfully, "I used to idolize you, but you're nothing more than a low-level waste."
Over on the side branch, Ling Hu stared at Ling Xiao on the stage and muttered, "As expected of a former genius. Even with his meridians damaged, he's risen again. Truly impressive!"
In the area where the Ling family's disciples were most numerous, a young man around nineteen years old, standing at the front, sneered, "Hmph, the title of Ling family genius belongs only to me."
After Ling Xiao left, the test continued.
The first round of the test took nearly two hours to conclude. Of the more than one hundred Ling family members, a dozen or so were sent out of the inner courtyard, while the rest remained. During the first round of the test, besides Ling Tian and Ling Xiao, who wowed everyone, several other Ling family members also captured attention by achieving breakthroughs from last year's ninth-level martial artist to the lower-level Xuanzhe level. Ling Hu, a representative of the collateral family, achieved breakthroughs from the mid-level Xuanzhe level to the high-level Xuanzhe level, attracting even greater attention. Even the head boss on the stage cast admiring glances at Ling Hu. With Ling Hu's talent, he had a good chance of achieving the Xuanshi level, adding another powerful warrior to the Ling family's future.
While all of the above individuals were exceptional, the one who garnered the most attention and the most astonishment was Ling Lin, who achieved the Xuanshi level.
Ling Lin is the granddaughter of Fourth Elder Ling Wei and a sibling of Ling Tian. She is also exceptionally talented. Having just turned twenty this year, she quietly achieved the Xuanshi level a few days ago, becoming the second person under twenty years old in the eighteenth generation.
After the first round, the second round began.
The second round was a martial arts competition to determine the ranking. Although the test crystal can determine an individual's martial rank, this incompleteness doesn't necessarily mean that lower-level warriors are inferior to higher-level ones. Occasionally, lower-level warriors defeat higher-level ones, a matter of individual combat talent.
The second round begins with the lowest-level warriors, with a same-level elimination matchup. For example, a level 5 warrior will face a level 5 warrior, or a level 6 warrior will face a level 6 warrior, to determine the ranking within the same level. The highest-ranked warrior of the same level will then challenge any warrior in the next level up, or choose to relinquish their position, retaining their ranking. This continues in this order until the final ranking is determined.
Due to the large number of participants, four competition areas were designated within the training grounds. Four stewards served as referees, initially determining the ranking of the warriors. The fifteen Ling family members who had already reached the Xuanzhe level remained at the end to compete together on the training grounds' arena.
A small circle surrounded the four competition areas, each supporting their close brothers and sisters.
To participate in the second round, one must have reached at least level 5 warrior rank. The first round of the competition wasn't particularly impressive. Level 5 martial artists faced off against level 5 martial artists, with no flashy, showy moves, just a test of reaction speed and brute force.
It wasn't until the level 7 martial artists and above did the atmosphere pick up steam, as several Ling family members unleashed gray-level profound techniques, making the action much more intense and exciting.
Some family stewards also took note of these promising young talents. If they found any with exceptional combat talent, they would receive increased attention and training over the next year.
The dozen or so people who had reached the Profound Master level had no interest in watching the martial artist competitions, as they all held the pride and dignity of the Profound Masters.
However, there was one exception.
Ling Xiao, like a child who had never seen the world, wandered around the four arenas, observing the competitions. Occasionally, he would lose himself in thought, then reveal a look of sudden enlightenment, as if he had grasped something. Ling Zhi, standing not far away, stared intently at Ling Xiao's back, his fists clenched tightly, as if he wanted to tear Ling Xiao apart alive.
Ling Tian was also watching Ling Xiao, but the disdain in his eyes was even stronger.
After a series of competitions, the strongest Wu Tu rank had been determined. No one expected it to be a woman. She was Ling Xue, the granddaughter of Third Elder Ling Yuan. Just turned fifteen, she possessed the strength of a ninth-level Wu Tu. With her Gray-level technique, "Scattering Flower Hands," she defeated three Ling family members of the same rank, raising her overall ranking to sixteenth. She would then be eligible to either participate in the Xuan Zhe rank competition or forgo it.
The Wu Tu rank competition had just concluded, and the Xuan Zhe rank competition was about to begin.
Ling Xue ultimately chose to forgo the Xuan Zhe rank competition. Despite this, no one mocked or ridiculed her. Everyone considered it a wise decision, given the insurmountable gap between the Wu Tu rank and the Xuan Zhe rank. The Xuanzhe level competition wasn't like the martial arts competitions, where equals faced each other. Instead, it was a draw. Regardless of the opponent drawn, the opponent had to face or forfeit. Of course, Ling Kuang and Ling Lin, who had already reached the Xuanshi level, did not participate in the Xuanzhe level competition. They had already been internally designated as the top two finishers. Only three spots remained for the top five, which would be determined among the remaining thirteen Xuanzhe levels.
Since Ling Xue didn't participate in the Xuanzhe level competition, there was an odd number of thirteen Xuanzhe players. The draw would result in one bye, and that lucky winner would advance directly to the next round.
A Ling family steward came up with a box of lots, and the thirteen Xuanzhe players came up one by one to draw their lots.
The first to go up was Ling Tian. After drawing his lot, he handed it to the steward without even glancing at it, as if he could defeat anyone he faced, his expression utterly confident.
Next, another member of the Ling family came up to draw lots.
When Ling Xiao was about to draw his lot, someone approached him. A young man in a blue martial arts uniform appeared. He wasn't exactly handsome, but he had a strikingly upright figure, a striking presence that emanated an undeniable aura. The golden spear dangling from his back was dazzling, making it clear at first glance that he was no ordinary artifact.
This man was Ling Xiao's cousin, Ling Li, a high-level profound practitioner.
In Ling Xiao's memory, his elder brother was devoted solely to hard training, a silent and cold type. In Ling Xiao's past life, he'd described him as a pretentious type.
"Brother," Ling Xiao greeted him. He didn't recall any enmity between them, nor was their friendship particularly close, but he still had to honor the courtesy; he was his cousin, after all.
Ling Li nodded calmly, then said, "Let's go draw lots together."
Ling Xiao glanced at Ling Li with a puzzled look, then nodded in response, "Okay."
Ling Li and Ling Xiao went up together to draw lots, attracting everyone's attention. "Look, the crazy cultivator and the useless talent are together."
"Fuck you! If Ling Xiao were useless, we'd all be banging our heads against the wall. But he's a Xuan-Zhi now."
"Mistake...pure mistake. The arrogant cultivator is actually getting together with Ling Xiao. Does this hint at something?"
"What's so surprising about this? They're brothers, so this is normal. Besides, Ling Xiao can cultivate again now. Who knows if he'll rapidly advance to become a Xuan-Zhi again? Of course, we have to be friendly."
...
Ling Li and Ling Xiao drew lots at the same time. Ling Li drew number five, while Ling Xiao, surprisingly, was the lucky one among the thirteen, drawing number seven. He got a bye in the first round and advanced directly.
Ling Li glanced at Ling Xiao and said calmly, "You're lucky. Keep an eye on Ling Xing." With that, Ling Li and Ling Xiao separated.
"Ling Xing?" Ling Xiao paused, then seemed to think of something and smiled nonchalantly. Several of the Ling family members who had recently ascended to the Xuanzhe realm were both envious and jealous of Ling Xiao's luck. Others secretly thought he was incredibly lucky to have even gotten the only lot.
The drawing was complete, and the first match was between Ling Hu, number one, and Ling Guang, number thirteen.