He Hadn’t Seen Enough

Chen Xiao had traveled across the country with his master in his early years, visiting ancient and modern dragon vein sites. Through hands-on learning, he had personally witnessed several dragon veins. These veins carried evident auras, consolidating the fortune of the land—some strong, some weak, some damaged, and others fading with time. Thus, he was absolutely certain about the aura surrounding the person in front of the ancestral hall—it was unmistakably the aura of a dragon vein, even if it seemed utterly impossible.

Dragon veins, in essence, refer to the contours of mountains and the flow of water. Ancient people used the term "dragon" as a metaphor, signifying the undulations, twists, and changes in the landscape. The veins of mountains and rivers often extend tens or even hundreds of kilometers. Feng Shui masters inspecting dragon veins typically trek through desolate regions, often carving paths in uncharted wilderness.

Having experienced such terrains, Chen Xiao knew just how vast a dragon vein could be, how awe-inspiring its compressed aura was, and how formidable its contained might.

But how could such an immense force exist within a single human body? How powerful must this person be to possess an aura comparable to that of a dragon vein? Chen Xiao rubbed his temples, his head aching from the overwhelming thoughts.

"Brother Hanwa, have some water," Ershun said, hurrying over with a bowl of water.

Chen Xiao looked up and managed a weak smile. "Thanks."

"Brother Hanwa, are you still feeling unwell? Maybe we should go back," Ershun suggested, biting her cherry-red lips. Despite her words, her expression betrayed hesitation. At such a critical moment, she was desperate to see if Wu Xinzhi would be chosen. However, she couldn't just leave her cousin alone. The kind-hearted girl was clearly torn.

Chen Xiao took a sip of water and waved her off. "I'm fine. There were just too many people earlier, and I felt a bit suffocated. You know I had a serious illness recently, and my body hasn't fully recovered. Don't worry about me—it's nothing serious. I just need to sit here for a bit. Go check on the Wu family. See if they've been chosen."

Seeing that Chen Xiao's complexion had returned to normal and his breathing had stabilized, Ershun felt reassured. Her concern for the testing won out. She told Chen Xiao to call her if needed, then hurried off to join the crowd in front of the ancestral hall.

After resting for a while, Chen Xiao felt fully recovered. His heart stopped racing, and his dizziness faded. He returned the bowl to the family Ershun had borrowed it from and walked back to his previous vantage point.

Ershun was too focused on the testing to notice Chen Xiao's return. He didn't disturb her and instead found a slightly elevated spot where he could observe the proceedings more clearly.

By now, the tests were halfway through, and Wu Xinzhi had already gone. The boys stood with their backs to Chen Xiao, so he couldn't see their expressions, but judging by Wu Xinzhi's relaxed posture, his results seemed decent.

Sweeping his gaze across the scene, Chen Xiao's eyes inevitably returned to the only person seated—the man in the center of it all. Earlier, he had been captivated by the man's overwhelming aura. Now, he took a closer look at the man's appearance.

The man appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with long, jet-black hair that gleamed like raven feathers. His forehead was broad and full, his eyebrows sharp like blades, and his eyes as deep as obsidian. His straight nose and crescent-shaped lips complemented his perfectly chiseled features. However, his square jawline added a touch of masculinity, making him strikingly handsome without seeming effeminate. He wore a black robe adorned with intricate patterns, understated yet luxurious, exuding an air of grandeur and steadiness.

With such stunning looks, he should have easily drawn the attention of the villagers, who weren't accustomed to seeing such beauty. Yet, most people didn't notice his appearance at first glance. Their attention was wholly dominated by the powerful aura emanating from him, which left them overwhelmed.

At this moment, the man leaned casually against the chair's backrest, one hand holding a porcelain teacup, the other toying with the lid. He wasn't looking at the boys being tested nor paying attention to the process. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the wisps of steam rising from his tea, his expression indifferent. He seemed utterly detached, as though he existed in a world apart from everything around him.

It took all of Chen Xiao's willpower to tear his gaze away from the man. While the aura of a dragon vein was a rare sight, witnessing a disciple selection by immortals was equally remarkable. Unsure if he'd ever get another chance, Chen Xiao resolved to focus on the event.

Shifting his attention back, he noticed the final boy being tested. The immortal who had spoken earlier gestured for the boy to step forward and instructed him to place his hand on a small object resembling an inkstone.

Following the instructions, the boy channeled his internal energy into the object. Moments later, a glowing halo of red, yellow, green, blue, and purple appeared around the inkstone. The immortal didn't comment, but the boy's expression fell, revealing his disappointment.

Judging by the reaction, Chen Xiao guessed that such colors didn't signify a good result.

The immortal dismissed the boy and addressed the group. "The spirit root tests are complete. Of the ten, we found one with three spirit roots, three with four spirit roots, and six with five spirit roots." Stowing the inkstone-like object, he pointed at the second, sixth, and ninth boys. "Regrettably, the three of you are not fated to join the Chongxuan Sect."

As soon as the man finished speaking, someone couldn't hold back their tears, sobbing softly. Those who had been worried about being eliminated sighed in relief. The man furrowed his brows in displeasure, his voice turning colder: "Fellow scholars, please escort these three away."

Three disciples hurried forward, each taking one of the eliminated youths aside. Some offered quiet comfort, while others whispered reprimands. It didn't take long for the area to return to silence.

The man gave a satisfied nod before turning to glance at his companion standing behind the chair. The companion stepped forward, and the man said, "Next, we will conduct a test of your physical aptitude."

The two men stood on either side of the group and began pressing their hands on each of the boys in turn, holding for a moment before moving on. From a distance, Chen Xiao couldn't tell what the purpose of this pressing was, only that the boys reacted differently—some remained still, others trembled involuntarily, and a few squirmed uneasily.

When this round concluded, another three were eliminated, leaving only four boys. Wu Xinzhi was among them.

Chen Xiao crossed his arms and stood not far from Ershun. He could clearly hear her let out a breath of relief, clearly relieved that Wu Xinzhi had made it this far. Chen Xiao found it amusing. This girl could calmly tell him that Wu Xinzhi might not make it, as if she didn't care much about the outcome. Yet, deep down, she clearly hoped her lover would succeed and rise to prominence.

Her contradictory nature, a mix of outward calm and inner longing, was typical of a young girl at her age, blossoming into her emotions.

After the second round, the companion stepped back again, and the sect member conducting the test announced, "For the final round, I will hand each of you a booklet. You will have half an hour to review it, after which I will ask you questions."

The announcement of this last test took the remaining boys by surprise. Their teachers at the academy had never mentioned a memorization test. All of them were visibly nervous—except for Wu Xinzhi, who secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Memorization was one of his strong suits.

The booklets handed out to the boys were thin, with fewer than ten pages, including the cover. Each page was densely filled with hundreds of characters, totaling five to six thousand words. Wu Xinzhi quickly skimmed through one section and deduced that the content was an excerpt from the sect's Daoist scriptures.

Regardless of today's results, just being able to glimpse such a text was an extraordinary stroke of fortune. Excited, Wu Xinzhi read through the booklet from start to finish before returning to the first page and memorizing each word carefully.

While the boys studied, the villagers watching nearby didn't dare make a sound, fearing they might disrupt the concentration required for this final test. For a while, the only sounds were quiet breathing and the occasional rustle of turning pages. With little happening in the scene, Chen Xiao's gaze drifted again to the man sitting in the chair.

The aura surrounding the man, reminiscent of a dragon vein, wasn't static—it moved with an almost imperceptible rhythm. Now that it was compressed into a single human form, the flowing motion became even more vivid. It ebbed and swelled in a mesmerizing cadence, like waves rippling gently across the sea. Chen Xiao found himself utterly captivated by the ethereal beauty of the energy's movement.

The man's silky hair and the edges of his robes swayed softly, stirred by the faint currents created by the aura. There was no wind in the area, yet these subtle motions gave him an otherworldly presence, further deepening the villagers' awe and reverence.

Perhaps Chen Xiao's gaze was too intense, for the man suddenly set down his untouched teacup and raised his head, looking directly in Chen Xiao's direction. Startled, Chen Xiao immediately averted his eyes, bowing his head and avoiding eye contact.

He knew it was inappropriate to stare so blatantly and worried that he might have offended someone so powerful. His heart raced, and sweat formed on the tip of his nose as he silently prayed that the man wouldn't hold it against him.

The tension made Chen Xiao's breathing quicken, and his neck ached from holding his head down for so long. It wasn't until the test ended, and someone announced that time was up, that he dared to raise his head slightly.

But when he looked up, the chair was empty. Alarmed, Chen Xiao scanned the area but couldn't find any trace of the man. Turning to Ershun, he asked, "Ershun, when did that sect member in the chair disappear?"

Ershun jumped at his question, clutching her chest in surprise. "Brother Hanwa, when did you get here?" This girl, so engrossed in watching her lover, hadn't even noticed her cousin standing beside her for the past hour!

"I've been here for a while," Chen Xiao replied. "Ershun, did you see when that man left?"

Ershun calmed herself and thought for a moment before answering, "It's been about three quarters of an hour. He set down his teacup, stood up, and then… vanished. I didn't see him move at all. How did he leave so fast? Brother Hanwa, do you think our Wu family's brother will become as powerful as that someday?"

So, he had simply left. Chen Xiao felt a mix of relief that the man hadn't taken offense and regret that he hadn't been able to observe more. That breathtaking aura… he hadn't had his fill of it yet.