Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint

Chapter 457: Chapter 203: True Inheritance (3)

Sang Yanping slowly opened his palm, revealing the clear number at the bottom of the Jade Slip—

"Two."

"The second day," Sang Yanping said, his tone placid.

Fu Shoushan: "..."

Granny Hanzhuang, Shi Ziyu, and the others nodded one after another. While the second day wasn’t the latest, it offered more time to prepare, which was a decent result.

Sang Yanping also breathed a silent sigh of relief, though his expression remained impassive. He put away the Jade Slip and turned his gaze back to Elder Deng Ziheng, who sat in the main seat.

The second day offered them plenty of time, enough for their disciples to make more thorough preparations.

It was a fairly good start.

Sang Yanping took a deep breath. Without lingering, he prepared to return and inform the others of the news.

.....

After the lot drawing ended, the crowd in Juying Hall gradually dispersed.

The various Elders, their hearts filled with either joy or worry, returned to their residences one by one to inform their disciples of their assigned entry time into the tower as quickly as possible.

Deng Ziheng turned, flicked his sleeve, and strode steadily through a carved moon gate to the side of the main hall. He followed a quiet corridor toward a more secluded courtyard in the back.

Outside the corridor, clouds gathered and scattered. Looking down, one could see the densely packed rooftops of Guest Welcoming Peak and, in the distance, the myriad lights of Celestial Treasure City’s Inner City.

But he kept his eyes fixed forward, walking straight to a study deep within the courtyard.

Deng Ziheng pushed the door open and entered.

A gaunt, gray-robed elder stood with his back to the door before a massive map of the Three Paths. One hand was clasped behind his back, the other held a brush, meticulously marking something on the map.

This was the other Steward Elder of Celestial Treasure Main Peak, Gong Nansong.

Deng Ziheng spoke slowly, "Is everything ready?"

Gong Nansong set down his brush. "Rest assured. The Celestial Treasure Tower has been inspected and is operating normally. We just have to wait for the appointed hour to begin the first round of selections."

"Mm."

Deng Ziheng nodded slightly and set down his teacup. "This selection is related to the Xu Wang Mountain plan. The Sect Leader and the Vein Masters are all paying close attention."

He paused, his tone growing solemn. "You know the purpose of our Sect’s selection. We don’t just value one’s Cultivation Realm. A sect like our Celestial Treasure Upper Sect, which has stood for a thousand years, has abundant resources. We have no shortage of Astral Condensing Pills, nor do we lack the Heavenly and Earthly Treasures that can perform Yijing Marrow Cleansing and improve one’s Root Bone. If all we wanted was to stack up a Realm, it would not be difficult."

Gong Nansong’s smile vanished, and he nodded seriously. "Brother Deng is absolutely right. Resources are easy to come by, but true geniuses are rare. Cultivation can be built up with resources, but a resilient heart, outstanding comprehension, and extraordinary willpower are things that money cannot buy."

For a Sect like the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect, which dominates the Three Paths, resources are abundant. The Sect doesn’t lack ordinary geniuses; what it lacks are monstrous talents capable of breaking through the shackles of the True Essence Realm.

"Precisely."

Deng Ziheng said, "The True Essence Realm is a natural chasm. It can’t be crossed simply by accumulating resources. Countless cultivators at Astral Force Perfection are trapped before its gate their entire lives. To break through to the True Essence Realm, one’s heart, comprehension, and willpower are all indispensable!"

"What our Sect needs are disciples who can cross this chasm and have the hope of glimpsing even higher realms in the future."

Gong Nansong deeply agreed. He poured a cup of tea and asked, "Brother Deng, you have a discerning eye. Looking at all the talents gathered from the Hundred Sects, are there any who have caught your attention?"

Deng Ziheng pondered for a moment before speaking slowly. "There are indeed a few promising seedlings who are quite eye-catching. The first I would recommend is Wu Anren of Dubhe Mansion. This young man’s comprehension is exceptionally high, and his understanding of cultivation techniques and moves far surpasses his peers. He is already at Late-stage Astral Force Cultivation and sits firmly at the top of the Heroes’ Record. His talent and temperament are both of the highest caliber."

"Next is He Shuang of the Biluo Sect. Although she is a woman, her will is extraordinarily firm. Under extreme pressure, she can unleash even greater potential. She cultivates three Heart Methods simultaneously, and the fusion of her Three True Astrals is comparable to that of a disciple who built their foundation on a Supreme Heart Method. Her future is limitless."

"Then there’s Tian Pingning of the Panshi Sect. This young man appears clumsy, but is truly skillful. His foundation is incredibly solid, and his perseverance is astonishing. He takes one steady step at a time. His progress may seem slow, but his staying power is immense. With a Mid-stage Astral Force Cultivation, his actual combat strength is comparable to the Late Stage."

Gong Nansong listened and nodded slightly. He had long heard of these individuals; their reputations were indeed well-known.

Deng Ziheng’s topic shifted. He continued, "Aside from these three, the others all have their own merits but are generally a cut below. For example, there’s Zhu Ming of the Red Cloud Sect. He broke through to the Astral Force realm before the age of thirty and has also mastered the Unparalleled Martial Arts Body Technique, ’Eight Trigrams Roaming Dragon.’"

He paused briefly before mentioning another: "And Luo Qianjue of the Celestial Blade Sect. This young man is obsessed with the Saber Path to the point of madness. He and his saber are nearly one. His ’Duan Chuan’ technique carries seventy percent of his master’s essence and is incomparably sharp. He is a purely offensive talent."

"Furthermore, there is Qiao Hongyun of the Haisa Sect. His foundation is solid, he’s highly experienced, and he cultivates two Superior Heart Methods simultaneously. Among the many disciples this time, he is certainly in the upper ranks."

"As for Chen Qing of the Wutai Sect from Yunlin Prefecture."

Deng Ziheng said in a deep voice, "This young man is the youngest. He reached the Astral Force realm before even turning thirty. What’s even more remarkable is that he also cultivates an extremely formidable Hard Skill, making his physique powerful. His comprehension of the Spear Path is excellent; he has actually cultivated a Superior Spear Skill to the realm of ’Momentum,’ which is truly rare."

The Heroes’ Record ranks based on strength, but the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect’s selection this time isn’t looking at strength; it’s mainly looking at potential.

Hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Gong Nansong’s eyes. "Brother Deng, in your opinion, among the disciples from the Hundred Sects, is there anyone... who has the makings of a True Disciple?"

In any Sect, the top prodigies are the future. They are the pillars that can hold up the sky when it collapses.

The Celestial Treasure Upper Sect was naturally no exception.

A True Disciple represented not just status and resources, but also unrivaled combat strength among their peers, supreme talent, and profound potential.

If one or two monstrous talents with the strength and potential of a True Disciple were to truly emerge from among these disciples of the Hundred Sects, only then might the delicate balance of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect be truly shaken.

Otherwise, it would all be for naught in the end, incapable of stirring up any significant waves.

Deng Ziheng was silent for a moment. He pondered for a long while before finally speaking slowly, "It’s hard to say. The position of a True Disciple is no small matter. Wu Anren has outstanding comprehension, and He Shuang has both a great foundation and excellent willpower. Those two... they might have a sliver of a chance to touch that threshold."

His tone was cautious. It was clear that while he was optimistic about these two, he also knew that the competition for the position of a True Disciple was far too fierce for ordinary disciples to compare.

After taking a sip of tea, Deng Ziheng continued, "Besides, it’s far too early to draw any conclusions. After they enter Xu Wang Mountain, the resources gathered there will be far beyond what the sects from the prefectures can compare to. Among these disciples, there are bound to be some who are limited by their origins. Once they enter Xu Wang Mountain, it’s not impossible that they could rise from behind and soar to the heavens."

Gong Nansong nodded, a cryptic note in his voice. "Someone wants to use this Xu Wang Mountain plan to stir these deep waters."

"I just wonder if these talents from the Hundred Sects will ultimately ride the wind and transform into dragons, or..."

The waters of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect ran unfathomably deep, with surging undercurrents and a tangled web of powers.

Deng Ziheng took a deep breath and looked out the window again. "Let’s just wait and see. Perhaps this group of young people from the various prefectures can truly deliver some significant surprises."

Gong Nansong nodded and said no more.

.....