Bai Ling smiled charmingly, her eyes shimmering as they shifted. “You want to cut in line? Sure.”

She raised two slender, jade-like fingers and waved them in front of Xiao Che. Fifty contribution points. Errand fee. Fair trade, no cheating.”

Xiao Che’s smile stiffened.

…What a profiteer! She’d really found a sheep and was determined to shear it to the bone!

He glanced at the sun sinking lower and lower, then steeled his heart.

Whatever. When you already owe a lot, what’s a little more?

“…Deal.”

Bai Ling’s smile deepened. She turned lightly and walked toward the registration desk.

No one knew what she said, but the deacon in charge actually looked up at Xiao Che, then nodded.

Moments later, Xiao Che had a numbered token in hand.

Clutching the token, he squeezed back to the edge of the field. As he calculated the rapidly growing “debt” in his head, his molars ached faintly.

On the high platform, the Spirit-Testing Stele flared with light from time to time.

A young man nervously pressed his hand against it. The stele gave off only a faint gray glow.

“Low-grade earth spiritual root, Qi Refinement Layer Three. Unqualified. Next,” the examiner said flatly.

The youth’s face turned deathly pale as he staggered off the platform.

Another young woman stepped forward. When her hand touched the stele, it shone with bright golden light.

“Mid-grade metal spiritual root, Qi Refinement Layer Six. Qualified. Register the name.”

The girl jumped with joy, while envious murmurs rose from below the stage.

Xiao Che watched calmly.

Scenes like this weren’t much different from school entrance exams or corporate interviews back in his old life.

Same pressure—just a different venue.

At that moment, a stir rippled through the crowd.

A girl in a light aqua gauze dress slowly stepped onto the platform. Her temperament was gentle, her brows and eyes like flowing water. She lightly pressed her hand to the Spirit-Testing Stele.

A dazzling blue radiance bloomed, drawing gasps from the crowd.

“High-grade water spiritual root! Qi Refinement Layer Nine!” Even the examiner’s voice rose a few notches. “Excellent! Shuiyue Sect, Mu Xinlan—Grade B!”

“So it really is the little immortal from Shuiyue Sect!”

“Her reputation isn’t undeserved at all!”

Praise erupted from the crowd.

The girl withdrew her hand and turned. Her gaze swept past Xiao Che below the stage, pausing briefly before she gave a slight nod.

Clearly, she had recognized the Xiao family’s young lord, who had once shaken Cangyun Prefecture.

Before the admiration could subside, another youth with a steady, composed aura stepped onto the platform.

When his palm pressed down, the stele erupted with a thick, deep yellow glow—solid and weighty, like a mountain.

“High-grade earth spiritual root! Qi Refinement Layer Eight!” The examiner smiled. “Stonecliff Family, Shi Chongshan—Grade B!”

“Another high-grade!”

“What’s going on this year?”

“The Stonecliff Family really does specialize in earth-type geniuses!”

The atmosphere below grew increasingly heated. People whispered excitedly, eyes burning with interest.

Xiao Che watched quietly, searching through the original owner’s memories.

Shuiyue Sect and the Stonecliff Family were both powers within Cangyun Prefecture. Located on the eastern fringe of Dongzhou, the region had long been dominated by the Xiao and Sun families, with many smaller sects and clans scattered around them.

High-grade spiritual roots, Grade B evaluations… they sounded impressive enough.

But what would my “top-grade” one count as?

As the thought crossed his mind, the examiner called out his number.

“Next—Number Seventy-Three. Step forward for testing!”

Xiao Che took a deep breath, firmly restraining his aura at Foundation Establishment Layer One. He parted the crowd and walked steadily onto the platform.

Will my true cultivation be exposed? Whatever—leave it to fate.

Hardening his resolve, he raised his hand and pressed it firmly against the Spirit-Testing Stele.

Boom—!

A blazing pillar of light, fierce as a great sun—crimson laced with flowing gold—shot skyward from the stele. The beam was solid and unscattered, golden light swirling within it, bathing the entire platform in brilliance like noon-day sunlight!

The entire field fell silent.

Even the examiner’s eyes went wide. Staring at the red-gold radiance that seemed about to overflow, he finally shouted with a trembling voice:

“Su… supreme-grade fire spiritual root! Pure Yang Dao Body! Foundation Establishment Layer One!”

“Xiao family, Xiao Che… Super Grade A!”

The moment the words fell, the crowd exploded into uproar!

“My heavens! It’s that Xiao family’s young genius, the lord! Wasn’t his dantian crippled?”

“Not only restored—he’s already established his foundation!”

“And more than that! I heard seven days ago, he crippled Sun Tao of the Sun family—Foundation Establishment Layer Five—with just Foundation Establishment Layer One cultivation!”

“That savage?! But… he’s so handsome!”

Several young female cultivators in the crowd lit up, crying out in excitement.

“Strong and good-looking! If only I could become his dao companion…”

“Wake up! Did you look in a mirror this morning? Your dao companion is your pillow!”

“So what? Maybe… he’s into my type!”

On the platform, Xiao Che slowly withdrew his hand.

The towering pillar of light gradually dissipated, yet a faint red-gold halo still seemed to linger around him. His posture was straight and tall, his features appearing even more striking under the fading glow.

He gave the examiner a slight nod, his expression calm.

Below the platform.

Bai Ling leaned against a corridor pillar, idly twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. A smile rippled through her eyes. “Now this is getting interesting…”

“Outstanding bones, supreme talent, steady temperament. A seedling like this appears only once in several hundred years.”

“Xiao Che—are you willing to take me as your master and become a true disciple of the Tianshu Court?”

Xiao Che turned to look.

A white-robed, white-bearded old man had appeared at the edge of the platform at some unknown point, stroking his beard and nodding in approval.

For a brief moment, the crowd was silent—then it erupted!

“Tianshu Court!”

“The top inner court—the one only world-shaking geniuses can enter!”

“This person… could it be Bai Yuntian, Vice Headmaster of White Deer Academy, Master of the Tianshu Court? One of the academy’s three great Nascent Soul-level powers?”

Before the exclamations could die down, Bai Ling had already straightened up. The playful smile on her face gave way to surprise.

“Grandfather!”

She hurried forward, her tone carrying a hint of girlish complaint.

“Why are you here? Didn’t you say this recruitment would be entirely my responsibility?”

The old man chuckled and glanced at his granddaughter.

“I was passing by and decided to take a look. Didn’t expect to stumble upon an uncut jade.”

His gaze returned to Xiao Che, and he said solemnly:

“I am Bai Yuntian. Little one, what I said just now was no jest. Enter my Tianshu Court, and whether it’s resources, techniques, or horizons, none can compare to the outer courts. What do you say?”

Xiao Che’s heart skipped a beat.

That was a big move—having the vice headmaster personally step in to recruit him. The treatment was on another level.

His expression remained composed, but his thoughts raced.

Tianshu Court—the foremost inner court. Just hearing the name sounded formidable. And this white-bearded elder seemed fairly amiable…

Steadying himself, Xiao Che clasped his fists toward Bai Yuntian, his tone respectful yet neither servile nor arrogant.

“Master Bai’s favor is overwhelming, and this junior is deeply honored. However, this junior has one small condition. I’m not sure whether it’s appropriate to mention it…”

“Since you know it’s inappropriate, then don’t mention it.”

Bai Ling cut in lightly, intercepting his words.

Her eyes flickered, her voice soft and gentle, smiling as she spoke—yet her words carried a sharp edge.

Xiao Che was caught off guard, his next words stuck in his throat.

Bai Yuntian’s hand froze on his beard. He turned and shot his granddaughter a glare, half amused, half exasperated.

“You little rascal!”

His tone was full of helpless indulgence. Turning back to Xiao Che, he smiled.

“Don’t mind her, young friend. I’ve spoiled this girl since she was little. Whatever request you have, feel free to speak.”

Bai Ling stamped her foot lightly.

“Grandfather!”