After another five hours, a few more people with special talents were discovered, though their abilities were relatively ordinary.
Suddenly, a golden beam shot into the sky, breaking the calm atmosphere.
In an instant, several figures appeared around the glowing Talent Stone.
"The Jade Void Divine Radiance Physique!" exclaimed Grand Elder Mo Litian, her eyes burning with excitement, her black robe fluttering in the surge of energy.
Even from a distance, one could feel the overwhelming aura emanating from him.
"This young lady, I am the Grand Elder of the Sword Sect, Mo Litian. Would you like to become my disciple?" Mo Litian asked.
This declaration immediately stirred envy among the crowd.
Becoming the disciple of a grand elder would make someone an elite disciple, enjoying privileges far beyond those of inner disciples. Not to mention, Mo Litian had never taken a disciple before.
"Grand Elder, I thought you'd never take a disciple, hahaha," Gu Yan chuckled. "But we won't let such a talent slip by either. Would you like to become my disciple?"
"You old crones, don't scare the poor girl!" Ma Xuedong, clad in white, joined in, extending an invitation himself.
Fang Jia stood there in disbelief. So many elders were vying for her as a disciple, it felt like a dream.
Just a few days ago, she had been a simple farm girl herding cattle. By chance, she had stumbled upon a cultivation technique and, with astonishing talent, had managed to cultivate to the first level of foundation establishment within three years on her own.
She had come to the Sword Sect's recruitment merely out of curiosity, with no real understanding of what was happening.
In the end, after a heated debate, Mo Litian sealed the deal by offering a precious herb, winning Fang Jia as her disciple.
"System, how does the Jade Void Divine Radiance Physique compare to my Eternal Sun Divine Physique?" Ling Yun asked, curious.
"Ding! Host, please do not compare shit to the Eternal Sun Divine Physique. The so-called 'divine physiques' of today are merely concepts created by cultivators. In ancient times, these were known as 'pseudo-spiritual physiques.'"
"'Pseudo-spiritual physiques?'" Ling Yun was taken aback. This was the first time he had heard such a revelation.
Two hours later, it was finally Ling Yun's turn.
"Testing requires you to remove your mask," one of the Sword Sect disciples said, noticing Ling Yun's tall and evenly proportioned figure. His initially impatient tone softened.
Ling Yun removed his mask, revealing a face as delicate as porcelain, pale and smooth. His high nose and deep-set eyes only enhanced his extraordinary beauty, as though sculpted by the gods.
"My goodness! What a handsome man!" someone in the crowd gasped.
"Where? Where?"
"Look at those long legs! I could stare at them forever."
...
"Elder Ma, it looks like the title of 'Most Handsome Man in the Sword Sect' is about to change," Gu Yan teased with a laugh.
"This young man's beauty will certainly cause a stir among the disciples," Ma Xuedong remarked, clearly pleased as he observed Ling Yun.
As soon as Ling Yun touched the Talent Stone, it emitted an astonishingly bright white light.
"Wow, this feels so comfortable!" someone exclaimed.
"What is this light? It feels so warm."
"It's like coming home."
...
Everyone bathed in the white light showed expressions of pure bliss, and those unaware of the situation might have thought something indecent was happening.
"My cultivation seems to have loosened!" someone shouted excitedly.
"Mine too!"
"Really? I didn't feel anything. Move aside and let me bask in it."
...
"Innate Peach Blossom Physique!" Ma Xuedong stood up, his face filled with disbelief.
"What!" Everyone around him widened their eyes in shock.
"Elder Ma, are you sure? This isn't something to joke about," Mo Litian's voice even trembled as she spoke.
"There's no mistake. The overwhelming Yang energy can only belong to the Innate Peach Blossom Physique," Ma Xuedong confirmed before appearing at Ling Yun's side.
"The Innate Peach Blossom Physique... It's said to help others break through cultivation bottlenecks without any side effects."
Throughout history, only ten people were known to possess this physique. However, all of their partners were renowned divine emperors.
This secret was only revealed when the last divine emperor ascended.
"Immediately seal all information. Eliminate anyone exposed to the light!" Mo Litian commanded coldly. Then, he turned to the elders, "And to all the elders here, if any of you leak this information, don't blame me for being ruthless."
The other elders remained silent but were already calculating how to use this information to their advantage.
If word got out that Ling Yun had the Innate Peach Blossom Physique, not only would ancient hidden experts and families come after him, but even the top clans of the Central Region would spare no effort to capture him.
"It is indeed the Innate Peach Blossom Physique. Ling Yun, I am Ma Xuedong, an elder of the Sword Sect. Would you be willing to take me as your master?"
Ma Xuedong checked the register and discovered Ling Yun's name.
Ling Yun, still stunned by the reactions around him, finally came to his senses.
What was going on? Why did all the female cultivators suddenly seem so... enraptured?
And what was this Innate Peach Blossom Physique?
"System, what's happening?" Ling Yun thought. When in doubt, rely on the system.
"Ding! The Eternal Sun Divine Physique cannot be detected or analyzed. Therefore, people are mistakenly identifying your physique, which is quite normal."
'Ah, so that's what it was', Ling Yun realized. He had thought his physique had somehow mutated.
But now that he thought about it, ever since he left Li Rou, he hadn't experienced those burning desires anymore. Clearly, those were her doing.
"Disciple is willing. Master, please accept my bow." Ling Yun knelt on one knee, knowing when to be prudent.
Acknowledging Ma Xuedong as his master would only bring benefits and no harm.
"Hahaha! Excellent! From this day forward, you are my third disciple," Ma Xuedong exclaimed joyfully, with a wave of his hand, sending a storage ring and a magical weapon flying toward Ling Yun.
"These are your gifts from me. When we return to the mountain, I'll have more for you."
Ling Yun accepted them graciously. "Thank you, Master!"
"Alright, my dear disciple, come sit with me. Standing for too long is tiring."
Ma Xuedong wrapped his arm around Ling Yun, guiding him to the elder's platform and even preparing a crystal chair for him.
"This is Grand Elder Mo Litian, and this is..." Ma Xuedong introduced Ling Yun to the other elders, making it clear that Ling Yun was under his protection.
The other elders knew Ma Xuedong was famous for protecting his disciples, so they understood his unspoken warning.
Ling Yun politely bowed to each of the elders, which left a favorable impression on them.
Among them, Mo Litian was particularly warm, showering Ling Yun with gifts and even suggesting adopting him as her godson. However, a single glare from Ma Xuedong put an end to that idea.
Eventually, Ma Xuedong brought Fang Jia over, saying that fellow disciples should get to know each other.
Fang Jia, blushing furiously as she looked at the incredibly handsome Ling Yun, stammered her greeting.
"Senior Sister Fang Jia, from now on, we're fellow disciples," Ling Yun said with a smile, breaking the silence.
"Ling... Ling... Ling Junior Brother, hello," Fang Jia stuttered, her face bright red, her large, watery eyes standing out against her dark skin.
Ling Yun wasn't surprised by her reaction. Fang Jia, in this moment, was like an innocent country girl entering the city for the first time, running into someone as stunning as a movie star. Naturally, she'd be nervous.
However, now that she was Mo Litian's disciple and blessed with extraordinary talent, her personality would likely evolve over time.
As Fang Jia gazed at Ling Yun's unparalleled beauty, she made a silent resolution in her heart.