The sect's examination

The sun burned intensely over Viresta, casting short shadows over the stone buildings and illuminating the banners fluttering on the rooftops of shops and markets. The heat was suffocating, but the young people gathered in Celestial Square barely noticed. The sweat on their foreheads was not just from the weather but from the tension of the moment.

The square was packed with spectators and cultivation aspirants. Today was the day of the sect's examination, the only event of the year in which the Celestial Dragon Sect recruited new disciples, normally used as a means to raise funds, but still accepting disciples only through this method. Even the descendants of elders had to enter the sect by paying the fee and taking the test.

At the center of the square, on a stone platform, stood the Spirit Treasure, a sacred jade artifact adorned with bronze bells. Its function was simple: to determine the talent of each young cultivator. This artifact permanently stood in the center of Viresta, mainly serving as a tourist attraction, except for the one day a year when it was activated for testing.

The test was simple. The young aspirant would place their hand on the artifact, and the artifact would ring bells—the more bells, the more talented the aspirant was.

Kaelen looked at the artifact with a mix of curiosity and anxiety. Despite his memories as Eric, he had been just a common NEET who occasionally enjoyed playing football. But that hobby had cost him his previous life.

Kaelen knew that soon he would stand before the artifact, exposed to everyone. He had no idea what to expect. Although the system had granted him a talent for cultivation, he still didn't fully understand what "[Radiant Sun]" meant.

If he combined the age of his two lives, he would be 30 years old, but he was still just a teenager. Mental age cannot be counted as a mere sum of lives.

The thought of failing in front of that entire crowd was unsettling.

"Are you sure I need to be here?"

Ermin yawned beside him, seeming completely indifferent to the weight of the moment.

Kaelen sighed.

"Yes, Ermin. I never ask you for anything. Getting up now and then to stretch your legs is good."

"I might agree with you on stretching my legs, but public humiliation doesn't sound pleasant. Besides, I don't think I have talent for cultivation."

"Yes. I know that."

"Then why am I here?"

Kaelen turned to him and patted his shoulder.

"Because I didn't want to come alone."

Ermin blinked a few times, trying to process the answer.

"So… you dragged me to an event where I might be humiliated in front of the entire city… just so you wouldn't be embarrassed alone?"

"Yes."

His friend sighed deeply, placing his hands on his head.

"Kaelen… I really hope you fail."

Kaelen laughed, trusting that the talent given by the system would be more than enough.

The crowd around them was filled with murmurs of anticipation. Some young cultivators were already positioning themselves near the platform, adjusting their robes and taking deep breaths to remain calm. Many came from small martial families, eager to represent their clans and secure a better future.

Others, however…

Were already convinced of their superiority.

Jiang Kai, a young man in lavish robes, walked alongside a small group of candidates. His golden emblem gleamed under the sun, indicating his affiliation with the Baiyun Clan, a family of cultivators that, although insignificant compared to the Celestial Dragon Sect, still held great influence among mortals.

"Hah. They really let anyone enter. This lowers the level of the sect's examination."

Jiang Kai commented, casting a look of disdain at Kaelen and Ermin. Ermin's careless attitude disgusted him.

Kaelen didn't react. It wasn't worth wasting time arguing with someone like Jiang Kai.

Ermin, however, smiled lazily and spoke slowly yet confidently.

"You say that as if you weren't taking the same test as us."

Jiang Kai narrowed his eyes.

"Do not compare me to you. The fate of lowly commoners like you is to crawl and serve true cultivators. As for me, I will ascend to the heavens and become an immortal cultivator. But don't worry, I will accept you as my servants when I achieve success in cultivation."

Kaelen listened quietly but immediately judged the young man as lacking intelligence. Believing that power was the only thing that defined a person was incredibly superficial.

Before any argument could start, a powerful boom reverberated through the square.

Everyone fell silent.

A man ascended the steps of the platform, his purple and gold robes swaying slightly in the wind. His razor-sharp gaze swept over the crowd, and his presence emanated an overwhelming pressure.

He was one of the Celestial Dragon Sect's Internal Elders.

The elder raised his hand, and the silence spread through the square.

"My name is Xuan Bei, I am an Internal Elder of the Celestial Dragon Sect. I assume all of you already know how the exam works, correct?"

"You must place your hand on the artifact positioned atop the platform. The artifact will then release a cold spiritual energy into you. Please do not panic. Shortly after, the bells will begin to ring."

The crowd remained silent. Then, Xuan Bei's voice roared once more like thunder.

"If no bells ring, the candidate has no aptitude for cultivation and will remain mortal."

Xuan Bei slowly scanned the crowd of young aspirants, then continued.

"If one bell rings, the candidate will be classified as a Servant Disciple. But do not worry, there is still a chance to become an External or even an Internal Disciple if they meet the necessary cultivation requirements."

Kaelen overheard a whisper beside him.

"If it's just one bell, it's better not to try at all…"

"I have an uncle who only managed to ring one bell. He remained a servant for his entire life. Better to be a rich mortal than a poor immortal servant."

"At least two bells, if not, it's best to accept the fate of a mortal."

"Maybe even two bells isn't enough. Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. If you lack talent, it's better to get rich in the mortal world."

The murmurs grew.

"Ten bells will grant the title of Internal Disciple. One could say these are talented disciples, with a chance to even become Lineage Disciples."

The crowd buzzed with nervous murmurs. For most candidates, ten bells meant a complete change of life and an ascension to the heavens. It would bring glory to their entire clan.

Xuan Bei took a deep breath before concluding.

"For those with 15 or more bells, just know that you will be above ten thousand and below very few."

Silence swallowed the crowd.

"They will be accepted as Direct Disciples, receiving guidance from the most powerful masters of the sect."

A shockwave of murmurs swept through the square.

"Direct Disciples?"

"Does that mean they skip years of training?"

"Becoming an Internal Disciple is already enough to completely change a person's destiny. A Direct Disciple must be even more terrifying."

"Has this ever happened before?"

"It must have. Otherwise, the elder wouldn't have mentioned it."

Kaelen felt his heart race. As a young man filled with ambition, he aspired to soar into the heavens and become a dragon.

Xuan Bei extended his hand toward the crowd.

"Let the test begin!"

The first candidates stepped onto the platform one by one.

The first young man placed his hands on the artifact.

Ding!

The bells began to ring.

Five bells.

Seven bells.

The crowd murmured. Those who reached seven bells would become External Disciples, with a chance to become Internal Disciples over time.

Jiang Kai stepped onto the platform with confidence. As soon as he touched the artifact, the bells began ringing rapidly.

Nine bells rang.

Then, the tenth bell sounded timidly, showing that he barely qualified at this level.

Xuan Bei observed him for a moment before announcing:

"Jiang Kai will be directly accepted as an Internal Disciple."

The young man smiled victoriously and slowly turned his gaze toward Kaelen and Ermin, with an air of superiority, as if indicating that they now belonged to different worlds.

Ermin sighed and walked slowly toward the Spirit Treasure, yawning.

But then, he placed his hands on the artifact.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The bells began ringing non-stop.

Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong!

Bong! bong! bong! bong! Bong!

Ten bells.

Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong!

Fifteen bells.

And then—

Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong!

The twentieth bell echoed in a thunderous sound.

The entire square fell silent.

"TWENTY BELLS!"

Jiang Kai was dumbfounded.

Beyond everyone's shock, there was one person more stunned than all the others.

Ermin was completely slack-jawed, his chin nearly hitting the ground.