The children quickly joined their new groups, preparing to face the numerous dangers lurking within this forest. Suha was the center of attention. She already possessed a comprehensive understanding of the selection process and was eagerly sharing her knowledge with everyone she encountered. She swiftly became the most influential figure among the 20,000 children.
However, she was not alone. Other children were also privy to the secrets of this world, thanks to their connections within and outside the clan.
One such child was Zihui, ranked 34th, a young master with a characteristically arrogant demeanor. He had been sent to the seclusion zone by his brother, a direct member of the clan. His cultivation level was slightly lower than Suha's but was still impressive for his age, reaching the 5th level of Qi Refinement.
"Hey you! Who do you think you are, speaking to Princess Suha like that?"
He declared loudly, pointing at Long Shen.
A long silence ensued, and Zihui began to blush with shame but quickly concealed it. Approaching Long Shen with a furious expression, he demanded again:
"Answer me, you filthy commoner!"
This time, he infused his voice with Qi, forcing others to kneel under the overwhelming power.
But before Long Shen could even react, Suha had already taken action.
"Zihui, what do you think you're doing? He's a member of my group! If you want to settle a score, come fight me!"
With these words, Suha unleashed her superior cultivation, allowing the other children to move. However, Long Shen didn't seem to need her assistance.
"Princess! Why are you defending him? He humiliated you just moments ago, yet you seem to be on his side. Is this how a princess establishes her authority?"
"That's none of your business! You'll see my authority when I ascend the throne!"
These few sentences silenced Zihui. He retreated to his group. It was well-known that he wasn't the strongest in his group; the number 9 and 12 positions belonged to those added by the elder Ling, the so-called "scum," who were quickly oppressed by Zihui and the other powerful members. Suha witnessed this but looked away. She couldn't care for every child, but at least she had saved their lives with the new order established by the Monarch. She then turned her attention to Long Shen...
"Shouldn't you thank me?"
She asked confidently. This time, Long Shen deigned to reply:
"Did I ask for your help? I don't think so, so why should I thank you?"
He respected no one, regardless of their status. Despite lacking a cultivation foundation, he managed to stand his ground. Who could he possibly be? Suha's thoughts grew increasingly incoherent, and she decided to stop pondering it. After all, without cultivation, he couldn't be considered a threat to her.
Suha replied dryly:
"Very well, in that case, you'll only be a member of the group in name and won't be entitled to any assistance from me! Do you understand?"
These words were the opposite of what Suha truly thought, but she believed that perhaps they would provoke Long Shen into apologizing and showing her respect.
However, Long Shen's unexpected but predictable response filled Suha's ears:
"Fine, as the princess decrees, I'll fend for myself in this selection. It's not like I need the 'All-Powerful Princess' to protect me!"
With an ironic tone, he uttered the most dishonorable words to Suha, but she no longer grew impatient and let him do as he pleased.
"Very well, in case you change your mind, the meeting point is that old tree. Agreed?"
"Don't even count on it."
With this final reply, Long Shen delved deeper into the forest.
The most basic way to succeed in the selection was to survive, but there were other, less-known methods. One such method was to attract the attention of a high-ranking clan member by proving one's worth. This was the approach most geniuses planned to take, but others, unable to achieve such a feat, had to settle for mere survival.
However, Suha, who knew the principles of the selection best, already had several plans to ensure everyone's admission into the divine clan. She began to execute one of her famous plans:
**Step 1: Learning to cultivate**
As the name implied, Suha would teach cultivation, or rather, transmit a cultivation method to all the children present. How? By organizing a massive conference where nearly everyone would gather to hear and receive teachings from Suha and others with cultivation levels. Although some were reluctant to teach cultivation to those of lower status, they were forced to comply by the impetuous Suha!
Long Shen was exploring the surroundings when a muffled sound reached his ears, the kind of noise one hears without quite knowing why. But this time, a loud *DING* echoed in his mind.
[Hello again, dear Host. It seems your journey in cultivation is progressing.]
[The Equilibrium System has a new mission for you!]
These were words familiar to any novel character; it was a SYSTEM!
"System, what can you tell me about this place?"
Long Shen completely ignored the system's new mission and instead asked for information about the location.
[Hmm, interesting. It seems there is a vast cultivation ground and numerous treasures within this forest. Congratulations, Host, on this discovery!]
"Can you tell me more?"
With these words, a page of information about the forest where Long Shen was located appeared in front of his eyes.
[The Ancient Han Forest, a relic from the clan's inception five millennia ago, was a sanctuary of spiritual energy. The formation of the three yin and three yang ensured a constant purification of this energy, making it a coveted retreat for cultivators seeking enlightenment. But this serene forest also served as a proving ground. Inhabited by creatures with a cultivation level capped at the 5th level of Foundation Establishment, it was the perfect testing ground for aspiring clan members. And then there were the treasures of Simen Hong, the third hall's leader, hidden somewhere deep within its heart.]
A deluge of information washed over Long Shen, who processed it with uncanny speed. His eyes lit up with a newfound greed. "Let's go find those famous treasures of Simen Hong!" he exclaimed, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Collecting artifacts was his passion. Despite his long seclusion, he'd managed to amass a small fortune thanks to his system.
But before venturing further, he decided to delve into Simen Hong's profile. It was then that he was struck by a revelation. The information contained within this profile was far more unsettling than he had anticipated.