"Tsk tsk.."
"As usual, after all, not everyone can be a genius.."
The murmurs were spoken in a hushed manner but Li Meirong could still hear snippets of sentences here and there...
It was alright. She was fine with this.
She would just teleport outside of the forest, find herself a craft or make do with humble work and build her ordinary life step by step. This body was young, she had years to make something of herself.
Mo Cheng, Shu Qianqian and Mo Jing also saw the results, their faces evidently expressing their disappointment of not having the opportunity to continue the journey with Li Meirong, but after all, the results were expected.
She did arrive there entirely by accident. What was not fated could not be forced.
"Eliminated." The Cultivator Lady stated in near disinterest and disdainfully gestured for Li Meirong to join the ranks of the people without attributes, to be handed a teleportation stone.
However, just as Li Meirong was about to move her hand out, the water in the bowl gradually turned red… then, half of the water turned blue, and finally, a deep green joined the other two colours swirling in the bowl. Three attributes.
Li Meirong stared at the test results in wonder. 'Does this mean I have some sort of talent?'
Almost as soon as they appeared, the three attributes vanished only to be replaced with a sudden brilliant and blinding display of flashing rainbow colours, flashing all at once. All of them.
Each symbolic colour shone vividly, distinct on its own yet blending harmoniously with the ones near it. Then, just as abruptly as they had appeared, the colours vanished and left the water crystal clear once more.
One of the senior disciples ready to bring the accepted group to the chambers observed inquisitively...
"How rare.."
It is most common for cultivators to own multiple attributes, but to have all of the attributes flash together at once thus, could only mean one thing...
The girl had displayed two results, the first was of an average talent, multiple attributes. As for the final outcome, that was the rarity. Nobody dared to say what they knew the girl's outcome had meant.
The potential contestants behind Li Meirong were as clueless as she was about what was happening but the elder cultivators were aware of the phenomenon.
Li Meirong had acquired the Cultivator Lady's full attention now.
What was before just clear and simple disdain had now turned into outright pity.
Li Meirong, clueless as to what was going on was overjoyed with the results! She had potential, she could cultivate! She glanced at the Senior Cultivator full of smiles and bowed.
"Senior Cultivator, does this mean I passed?" apparently forgetting the dangers she had been previously told about the tests yet to come. Li Meirong was too preoccupied with the fact that she now had undeniable proof of her potential. She didn't have to be a champion!
All that mattered to her was that she could stand alongside her newfound friends and not struggle alone in another unfamiliar location.
"…" The senior Cultivator Lady was at a loss for words. She couldn't bear to say out loud what she knew about the unfortunate girl.
She coughed uncomfortably and regained her composure.
"Triple attributes. Average talent. Pass."
Li Meirong bowed again joyfully and practically skipped towards her companions, who were all none the wiser and quite happy to share in her premature self congratulation.
A senior cultivator with a mischievous look on his face smirked as he approached the group. He was adorned with more exquisite clothing than most of his fellow senior disciples, and his long hair hung loosely past his shoulders. He had high cheekbones and a pointed chin, everything about his features seemed sharp and unfriendly.
"Foolish one, it would have been better for you if you had no attributes at all. From all the potential cultivators passing through today, you will have it the worst." his voice was scornful, loud enough to carry and be heard by the surrounding crowd, undoubtedly on purpose.
Another senior disciple with a pair of dots for eyebrows walked up to him. She was quite intimidating with a strong, trained physique and towering over most of the men in the vicinity.
"Don't address her, brother Shuchu. It is beneath us." She said, looking down her nose at Li Meirong in disgust.
Li Meirong felt hurt and unsettled by their words. After all, according to what Mo Cheng had told her, the most common result for cultivators was multiple attributes. Why were they treating her differently from the rest?
"Don't worry, sister Liang. Even with her single use, she will still struggle to find strong support in the sect with her face looking like that." Senior disciple Shuchu snickered and took out a fan from the sleeve of his robe, flapping it gently at his face.
Mo Cheng, Mo Jing, and Shu Qianqian were visibly outraged by the seniors' chatter. They wouldn't dare offend their elders before they'd even officially joined the sect but they had spent the whole day with Li Meirong and in that time they had already come to consider her their friend. She had passed the test after all and listening to them stand around and insult her like that was frustrating, especially when they felt unable to respond.
Li Meirong knew that these people may potentially be her future seniors if she ended up passing the rest of the tests and successfully becoming a disciple of the sect. Wanting to avoid making enemies, she smiled at her talented companions to calm them down and then proceeded to bow and cup her hands in front of her seniors.
"Thank you Elder Seniors for reminding me. I hope I have not done anything to offend you." Her voice was soft and melodious, hoping to sound pleasant to them.
There was no room for pride if one wanted to survive and lead a conflict-free life. Li Meirong didn't mind debasing herself in order to avoid confrontation.
"Pft, the very presence of the likes of you offends me. You probably don't know, so I will stoop to give you this one tip, dirty little thing. You're a furnace. Your best utility would be only to increase the strength of another cultivator and the means for that… humph!"
"Stay away from the bestiary coalition. We won't welcome you there!"
The rest of the potential disciples who passed the test were all staring at Li Meirong now.
What does a furnace even mean? Li Meirong wondered.
She was slightly intimidated. The feeling was not very different from what she had experienced at the brothel the previous day, being displayed on stage for the crowd to ogle and scrutinize.
Li Meirong's eye caught one of the new recruits looking at her lustfully, licking his lips.
"I'm a dual attribute of earth and water. If you want to be my companion, I may consider it despite your imperfections." He approached her, grinning deviously. Was she to interpret this as generosity, with his 'kind' offer to take ownership over a girl with ruined features?
Mo Jing was first to stand protectively in front of Li Meirong. He hid her from the crowd and glared at the approaching young man. Qianqian joined him at Li Meirong's side and squeezed her hand reassuringly as Mo Cheng raised his voice to address the assembled disciples.
"Li Meirong is under my family's protection and I won't allow any newcomers to bully her!" Mo Cheng announced, his words resonated with the crowd.
Li Meirong was mortified by all this special attention, yet she felt a sudden warmth blooming in her heart. This was the first time someone had ever stood up for her, and such a young boy at that!
The group wouldn't dare oppose the senior disciples but when it came to the newcomers, they were clearly considered dragons among the recruits. Mo Cheng's commanding announcement made their fellow disciples avert their eyes and quiet their gossip. The young man who had propositioned her retreated after muttering a brief apology.
Li Meirong cast her gaze to the ground and stared at her feet.
"Thank you, fellow Brother Mo." Her tone was low and humble. With the hair hiding her face, Mo Cheng thought she looked kind of cute.
He patted her head and said in a brotherly fashion, "Don't worry about it. You are now like a little sister to us. Whoever bothers you will have to deal with me."
Mo Cheng then headed away to help assemble the rest of the disciples who were accepted.
Mo Jing meanwhile seemed slightly displeased, watching the interaction between Li Meirong and his brother. He folded his arms and huffed but said nothing. Mo Cheng was clearly speaking only for himself when he proclaimed her "practically part of the family".
Qianqian, who was still holding Li Meirong's hand, had tightened her hold until Li Meirong cringed in pain.
Shu Qinaqian's smile seemed forced and almost static. She stepped closer to Li Meirong and whispered in her ear, "Because I like you, I don't want any trouble between us. But you should know brother Mo is mine so don't get any ideas. As long as you keep your distance from him I will be your friend and will even support you. Are we clear?"
Li Meirong shuddered and nodded her head vigorously. Young or old, she definitely didn't want to become the target of a jealous woman!
Not to have romantic inclinations towards the prodigy?
Not. A. Problem. In fact, Shu Qianqian could have all the men she liked. Li Meirong just wanted to live simply and without worries. Relationships were always a cause for worry.
After what happened at the brothel, she felt like she'd need the next twenty years to get over her awkwardness around the opposite sex anyway. Especially after the experience she shared with that strange man who fondled her, went down there and licked between… between...
Shaking her head to snap out of those embarrassing memories, Li Meirong focused her attention on the lovestruck young girl who considered her a threat. She had to be as clear as possible and stop her foolish impression from getting worse.
Li Meirong looked straight into Shu Qianqian's eyes and made a point of grabbing her other hand tightly as well.
"I swear that I have no intention of making any moves on brother Mo. I'm really grateful to all of you! You're the first friends I made in this worl- uh, this sect. I hope we will stick together as true friends! " Li Meirong solemnly swore. She then came close to Qianqian's ears in the same way she had done for her and whispered. "And if you need my help hooking up with brother Mo, don't hesitate to ask!"
Shu Qianqian listened intently and when Li Meirong was done she grinned from ear to ear and clasped their arms together.
"Then we will definitely get along! Don't worry, even if you're a furnace, I'll make sure nobody will touch you!" Shu Qianqian happily proclaimed.
Mo Jing, who was standing up ahead, glanced back at them and frowned.
Li Meirong was glad that although they were incredibly powerful, these kids were good-natured and not at all wretched like the people she met before.
No Eyebrows Lady from the Bestiary coalition had called her a furnace. Maybe that was a term used to describe the weakest among cultivators, ones that can only support others instead of enhancing their own strengths.
But how bad could it truly be? Li Meirong did not know yet, but she would soon find out.
The second test passed with only a little over two dozen disciples accepted into the ranks. The selected lot followed the senior cultivators to the nearby cabins to rest for the night.
Shu Qianqian bunked with Li Meirong in the same room. She was rather entertained by Shu Qianqian's behaviour and antics, now that there was no more tension between them, much like an excited little puppy with a lot of mischievous ideas in mind.
They were each provided with a plate of sauteed green vegetables and steamed lotus roots, a small bamboo basket filled with dumplings along with a bowl of clear warm soup. The girls sat and ate together. Having not eaten a proper meal for god knows how long, Li Meirong ravenously consumed her share.
When their bellies were full, they settled down to rest atop wooden beds. Li Meirong was barely able to fall asleep on the uncomfortable surface, and would possibly have been kept awake all night if not for the exhausting and eventful day she had had.
Early the next morning, the sound of a loud horn startled them all awake. The sun had just risen and the sky was coated with a splash of warm yellow.
Shu Qianqian snored lightly on the adjoining wooden plank these cultivators called a "bed".
With dark circles under her eyes, Li Meirong was suddenly hit with the realization that now she was expected to survive in a forest full of monsters for three whole days!
If I die in an unmarked grave, I will regret foolishly waltzing into a testing ground for a sect in my next life as well! Li Meirong fearfully thought to herself.
Shuddering in trepidation, she laid on the wooden bed and hugged herself a while longer before resolving to get up.
No matter what, she would stay by her new champions' side and hug their powerful thighs!