The Main Assembly Hall was vast, carved from glittering white jade and suspended over the highest peak of the Azure Cloud Sect. Torches fueled by potent spirit stones cast sharp shadows, illuminating the tiered seating where the Council of Elders sat in judgment.
Lu Chenge entered the hall with measured, confident steps, his two disciples following close behind. Wei An moved with subtle, almost unnatural grace, while Mu Yun radiated a low, controlled heat that made the ambient air shimmer.
He walked to the center of the hall, ignoring the hundreds of critical gazes. His Perfected Golden Core pulsed with steady, irresistible power, and his Divine Soul Observation Art immediately scanned the figures seated above.
👥 The Judiciary
Seated on the highest tier was Sect Master Qiu, a stern man with an advanced Golden Core, and beside him, Grand Elder Lin, whose cultivation was cloaked in the immense power of the Nascent Soul realm. The rest of the Council—a mix of senior elders—looked upon Lu Chenge with a potent mix of envy and suspicion.
Sect Master Qiu cleared his throat, his voice echoing with authority. "Elder Lu Chenge. You were summoned here to address several highly irregular occurrences concerning Azure Cloud Peak."
He gestured to the other elders. "For forty years, you were a steady, minor Elder, stagnating at Peak Foundation Establishment. In the last week, we registered spiritual fluctuations consistent with a Golden Core breakthrough, followed by the terrifying pressure of an awakened Heavenly-Grade talent. Explain this sudden, immense surge in capability, yours and your disciples'."
Grand Elder Lin, whose spiritual sense was the sharpest, leaned forward. "Lu Chenge, your aura is that of a Law Master. Such an achievement takes centuries of epiphany. We must confirm: have you cultivated a forbidden art, or perhaps consumed a celestial treasure not registered with the sect?"
🗣️ The Defense
Lu Chenge bowed low, but without humility—a gesture of respect for rank, not fear.
"Sect Master, Grand Elder, esteemed Council. I have cultivated no forbidden art, nor did I consume any miraculous treasure," he stated clearly. "My breakthrough was the result of a long-delayed Daoist Epiphany realized during my solitary seclusion."
He knew he couldn't detail the System, but he could present the results.
"During my seclusion, I realized a fundamental truth: Talent is merely raw potential; true destiny lies in mentorship.The standard grading of spiritual roots is flawed, based only on the immediate quantity of Qi, not the latent quality of the soul."
He paused and gestured to his disciples.
"For forty years, I only saw the surface. But after my breakthrough, my perception expanded. I saw the truth of these two children—children the entire sect discarded."
Wei An: The Proof of Perception
Lu Chenge pointed to Wei An. "This is Wei An, labeled Mortal-Grade. What the standard tests failed to see was the Chaos of Time Essence gathering in her core. Her slowness was not weakness; it was resistance to the temporal flow. I merely guided her to stabilize that essence."
Wei An, under his instruction, subtly shifted her weight. To the powerful elders, the movement seemed to subtly drag the air, creating a brief, mesmerizing ripple—a flicker of the Law of Time.
Grand Elder Lin's eyes narrowed. "Time Essence? Impossible. That is a myth."
Mu Yun: The Proof of Fire
Lu Chenge then turned to Mu Yun, who stood like a small, immovable statue. "This is Mu Yun, labeled Trash-Grade. What the tests missed was the ancient, sealed Volcanic Fire Essence that lay dormant within his core. It was not trash; it was a volcano waiting for the correct catalyst."
"I broke his seal and guided the fire," Lu Chenge said simply.
Mu Yun, upon his Master's silent command, lifted his hand. A tiny, perfect sphere of molten gold flame condensed above his palm. It burned without heat, yet the entire hall felt its overwhelming, annihilating power—the essence of a Heavenly Law burning in the core of a child.
Sect Master Qiu inhaled sharply. He recognized the nature of that flame. It was the quality of fire only seen in the oldest legends.
⚖️ The Verdict
The hall erupted into a murmur. They couldn't deny the evidence. Lu Chenge, the mediocre elder, had not only achieved a mythical breakthrough but had instantly manifested two unparalleled geniuses by seeing what no one else could.
Sect Master Qiu regained control. "Elder Lu Chenge," he said slowly, respect now laced through his voice. "We find no evidence of forbidden arts. Your sudden enlightenment has gifted the Azure Cloud Sect with assets of incalculable value."
He stamped a decree on his table. "From this day forth, you are promoted to First Rank Grand Elder of the Azure Cloud Sect. Azure Cloud Peak will be designated the Peak of Destined Prodigies. All resources you request for your personal disciples will be granted immediately."
Lu Chenge bowed again. He had successfully monetized his Law of Incineration and his Divine Soul Observation Artinto sect recognition and unlimited resources—a magnificent return, though not 10,000-fold.
"The greatest contribution I can make now is to the sect's future," Lu Chenge thought, smiling inwardly. "And the sect's future is composed of more potential disciples."