Centuries ago, the Gu Yue clan arrived at Qing Mao Mountain, settling down after migrating from the central lands to the South Border. It was here that they discovered a spirit spring nestled within an underground cave. This spirit spring yielded a vast number of primeval stones— This could truly be called the foundation of the Gu Yue clan.
And now, more than a hundred 15-year-old youths stood gathered in this very underground cave, their eyes wide with awe as they beheld the otherworldly landscape that surrounded them.
Before them stretched a 10-meter-wide underground river, its waters emitting a faint blue glow reminiscent of a star in the night sky. The river flowed from the dark depths of the cave, its crystal-clear waters revealing fish, aquatic plants, and even the sand beneath its surface. Across from the river lay a sea of flowers, painting the cave with vibrant hues.
These were the Gu Yue Clan's closely cultivated moon orchids. The beautiful blue and pink petals resembled a crescent moon in shape; their jade-like stems and the warm brilliance shining from the center of the flower were akin to pearls under the light.
The moon orchid served as food for many Gu. As such, this flower sea could be considered the clan's largest cultivation medium!
"Wow, it's breathtaking!"
"It's like something out of a dream!"
The new sight mesmerized the young teenagers, filling them with a sense of wonder and awe.
Their eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation, yet they were oblivious to the fact that for most of them, this would be the first and only time in their lives they would lay eyes on such a scene.
"Alright, listen up as I call your names. Those who are called must walk through this river to the opposite bank. Walk as far as you can—of course, the further you go, the better. Are you all clear?" The white-haired Elder overseeing the youngsters spoke loudly, ensuring everyone could hear him.
"Gu Yue Chen Bo," the elder announced, holding the list of names as he called out the first person.
...
"Gu Yue Chen Bo, 3 steps, no talent to become a Gu Master. Next, Gu Yue Zao Xie!"
...
"Gu Yue Zao Xie, 4 steps, no talent to become a Gu Master. Next, Gu Yue Mo Bei!"
...
"36 Steps! Good, Gu Yue Mo Bei, B-grade talent! Come here, let me see your Primeval sea..."
.
.
One by one, the youths walked through the river, prayers towards their gods and ancestors etched on their lips as they marched forward through the knee-deep water...One hour later, half of the youths had already crossed through the flower sea. Among them were C and D-grade talents, while the remaining half showed no talent at all.
Some rejoiced, some fell into despair, and others remained uncaring, their expressions never faltering even in the face of scorn and laughter from their peers.
Gu Yue Qin, who was huddled somewhere in the middle of the crowd, paid them no mind. His thoughts were occupied by something else—specifically, how much he should cheat on this assessment...
As he pondered, he suddenly heard the academy elder call out a particular name...
"Gu Yue Fang Yuan!"
At that moment, his surroundings fell silent. Countless pairs of eyes snapped toward the one bearing the name of Fang Yuan as he began his slow walk across the river and toward the opposite bank.
'The future Heaven Refining Demon Venerable, huh?' Qin thought, a wry smile playing on his lips as he observed the stoic figure of Fang Yuan, his features etched with determination as he made his way across the river. He could also discern the growing frowns on the Academy Elder's face as the amount of Hope Gu surrounding Fang Yuan failed to match his expectations.
"You can't push on any farther?" the academy elder asked in disbelief, his voice echoing across the river as Fang Yuan halted after his 22nd step.
Fang Yuan turned around and walked back, his actions serving as his response, much to the surprise of the crowd of onlookers. Even the elders began muttering among themselves about this unexpected and disappointing result.
The one who had been lauded as a prodigy since the age of three now revealed himself to be nothing more than a C-grade talent, leading to a reaction that was somewhat understandable.
Qin's smile widened as he observed Fang Yuan draw nearer to the crowd, his eyes indifferent to the scornful looks being thrown his way.
'His mindset truly is unbreakable, honed by endless trials and tribulations...' Qin observed the man, noticing the multitude of threads that bound his body, more than any other person he had seen until that moment. It was as if he was chosen by the heavens themselves...
'Yet he remains a mere pawn, oblivious to his own position' Qin reflected, his emotions steady like a calm lake. While he admired the man's determination, he harbored no sympathy toward him whatsoever.
"Qin" was a clone of a multiversal being who had conquered countless worlds, ascending to that level through the slaughter of an incalculable number of sentient beings.
If he didn't believe that by doing so he would attract the attention of the Star Constellation Immortal Venerable, he would have attempted to kill Fang Yuan at the very first opportunity, simply to make his own ascent to the peak of this world more feasible.
While it was true that his main body used to be a simple human once upon a time, and said human happened to read a book titled Reverend Insanity a few times during his lifetime, such a distant thing wouldn't influence his behavior in the least.
'Just as Fang Yuan would sacrifice everything for his dream of eternal life, so too would I grind my very soul to dust for eternal improvement... for Negary is not just a person, but a mindset.' Qin thought with a distant look in his eyes, all but ignoring the commotion he knew would erupt in a few moments.
"Oh my god, A-grade talent!" The Academy Elder screamed suddenly, seeming to have lost his mind as Fang Yuan's younger brother finished walking across the river as well...
.
.
.
Another hour passed in a flash, yet the elders of the Gu Yue clan were still engaged in an animated discussion, in the hidden room from which they observed the Ceremony.
Their main topic was, of course, the unexpected genius Fang Zheng and the Clan Head's decision to raise him as if he were his own son. They could hardly believe their clan's luck, the earlier disappointment over Fang Yuan's lack of talent all but forgotten.
Alas, their happiness slowly faded as they realized that most of the remaining youths lacked any sort of talent whatsoever, and even those who did possess some were barely scraping the bottom of D-grade by the skin of their teeth.
"The blood of our ancestors is thinning with each passing generation," they muttered softly to themselves, especially as they witnessed three or more youths in a row fail to awaken their apertures.
It was no surprise, then, that they watched the last remaining youth with impatience, wishing for the whole ordeal to be over already.
"Gu Yue Qin! Step forward!" echoed the deep voice of the Academy Elder. Yet even he seemed to pay little attention anymore, shifting his position to stay closer to Fang Zheng. After all, it wouldn't do for the clan's newest genius to be stabbed to death by some envious peasant, now would it?
Ignored by most and mentally dismissed by the few who glanced towards him because of his appearance, Gu Yue Qin looked completely ordinary as he entered the icy cold waters of the river.
And so, with the same harmless smile adorning his bruised face, Qin began to feed his hungry soul.