Xue Qiang grasped Feng Fan's right arm, the sudden gesture catching him off guard.
When he glanced at her, he was met with eyes that radiated determination, not fear.
It was clear she was ready to run at a moment's notice, and from her firm grip, she intended to take him with her if things went south.
Feng Fan's heart softened at her gesture. 'This girl is too good for me,' he thought, a flicker of admiration crossing his mind.
'Even in this situation, she's still able to maintain her composure,' he thought.
"Ahem! Please, everyone, calm down and allow me to explain the situation. We mean you no harm, I swear!" Elder Jiang stepped forward, his voice firm yet soothing, cutting through the tension before another weirdo popped up.
The chatter from Feng Fan's class subsided as everyone turned their attention to Elder Jiang, their anxious expressions still evident.
"I am Jiang Shan, an elder of the White Crow Sect. In the context of your Earth's culture, you might refer to us as cultivators, living in a Xianxia world. The reason we can communicate with you now is because the formation that brought you here also imparted knowledge of our language to you."
'Cultivators!' Feng Fan thought, feeling a strange mix of confirmation and excitement. 'Just as I suspected, this is a cultivation world... and this formation is incredibly useful—it's even teaching us their language!'
"Before any of you ask," Elder Jiang continued, "we cannot send you back to your world. The formation that brought you here is a one-way portal… you can come, but cannot leave."
He paused for a moment, watching the reactions from the group before adding, "However, there is an alternative. If any of you manage to break through to the Immortal Ascension Realm, you will gain the ability to travel to any world you wish."
Feng Fan's eyes sharpened at the mention of Immortal Ascension, but Elder Jiang didn't elaborate further. 'Immortal? It seems that eternal life is possible here. Interesting.'
What Elder Jiang left unsaid was the reality of the Immortal Ascension Realm.
Such cultivators were rare, even in the most prosperous lands of this world. The spiritual energy within the Qian Empire was far too thin to support such a breakthrough.
To reach that realm, one would need to journey to lands with far richer qi—places where spiritual energy was dense enough to support that kind of powerhouse.
"The reason we brought you here," Elder Jiang continued, his voice growing more intense, "is because we need fresh blood for the sect, especially for the upcoming young generation competition between all sects in the Qian Empire. People from your world tend to have superior cultivation potential, which is why we sought you out."
'I barely arrived, and now a competition arc is already heading my way?' Feng Fan thought.
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle in.
"My sect will provide you with the best resources available to help you advance in your cultivation. If you excel, not only will you have the chance to achieve immortality and live an eternal life, but you'll also gain the strength to dominate this entire world!"
His gaze swept across the group. Only he knew it wasn't easy to cultivate, but he needed to give them reason and hope to improve themselves.
"We'll measure your talent for Qi Cultivation using this orb," Elder Jiang announced, holding up a gleaming white sphere in his hand. "Simply place your hand on it and focus. The color and brightness it emits will reveal your cultivation potential."
He paused for a moment, before continuing. "Cultivation talent is ranked on a scale of eight levels, from lowest to highest: Trash, Subpar, Average, Above Average, Top, Genius, Heavenly, Immortal."
"Now, please form a line and approach one by one for the assessment. Tell us your name for registration before placing your hand," Elder Jiang instructed. "Those with higher talents will receive more resources to aid in their cultivation. As for those with the lowest, Trash talent, you need not worry. To my knowledge, no one from your world has ever had such a bad talent."
His words were meant to reassure the group, though the mention of Trash talent still lingered ominously in the air.
They found themselves in a foreign world, surrounded by people who seemed to value nothing more than their cultivation talent. The thought of having bad talent was too unsettling to even consider.
What would happen if they were deemed worthless? The mere idea was something they dared not imagine.
For now, no one dared voice their concerns. It seemed wiser to first assess their situation before making any demands.
Once they understood where they stood, they could act accordingly. Even Cao Zhu, the self-proclaimed otaku, had fallen silent after his earlier display of embarrassment.
Feng Fan, the last to be tested, stood right behind Xue Qiang in line.
One by one, he watched his classmates step forward and undergo the assessment. Their talents ranged from Average to Top talent. When the first person with Top-tier talent was tested, both Elder Jiang and the man he heard being called Sect Master couldn't hide their excitement.
'Spending resources to invoke people from Earth was indeed the wisest idea!' Thought the sect master.
'It looks like Top-tier talent is already considered exceptional here,' Feng Fan thought, observing their reactions.
Soon, it was Cao Zhu's turn. As he placed his hand on the orb, a brilliant orange light erupted from it. Elder Jiang's expression shifted instantly, a look of pure joy crossing his face. "Genius Talent! It's truly a Genius Talent!" he exclaimed.
Both Elder Jiang and the Sect Master regarded Cao Zhu as a treasure. 'Even if this guy is a fool, with the right guidance, he'll become a powerhouse,' thought Elder Jiang, feeling a surge of excitement.
Seeing their reaction, a smug grin spread across Cao Zhu's face. 'It seems I'm destined for greatness,' he thought, basking in the attention.
Next in line was Gong Long. As he placed his hand on the orb, a light more intense than Cao Zhu's erupted, blinding in its brilliance. Elder Jiang's eyes went wide in disbelief. "Heavenly Talent! Impossible… how can this be?" His voice trembled with shock, unable to fully process what he was witnessing.
'How could a Heavenly Talent appear here? What's going on?!'
Elder Jiang exchanged a meaningful glance with the sect master, who immediately understood. With a voice that resonated with spiritual qi, the sect master spoke, his tone cold and authoritative:
"What happens here today stays here. Anyone who dares to speak of this will be met with persecution and execution!"
His words cut through the air, harsh and unforgiving. Though they trusted the loyalty of those selected to be here, some matters needed to be made clear.
All disciples present nodded in agreement, understanding the seriousness of the situation. If their talents were revealed, the top forces would undoubtedly swarm to steal them away.
That was something they couldn't let happen.
Gong Long couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. He stole a quick glance at Xue Qiang, his thoughts racing. 'If I become strong enough, surely Xue Qiang will eventually leave Feng Fan and come to me.'
It was soon Miss Yi Qiuyue's turn. Elder Jiang noticed that she was somewhat older than the optimal age to start cultivation, around seventeen or eighteen, just after coming of age.
However, as long as she had at least Above Average Talent, she could still play a vital role.
When Miss Yi placed her hand on the orb, a radiant light, as brilliant as Gong Long's, erupted, filling the entire room.
"Another Heavenly Talent?! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!" Elder Jiang exclaimed, nearly fainting from the excitement.
His heart raced in disbelief, but his face beamed with uncontainable joy.