So, there's Lin Feng, right? Just standing there in the middle of the training grounds, and the whole sect is basically holding its breath. You could just feel all those eyes on him, honestly, it was kinda nuts. Everyone was just waiting for him to mess up, you know? But he wasn't doing the whole cocky thing like Chen Wu, or even looking nervous like the other low-level disciples. He was just... there. His old, beat-up servant robes were flapping a little in the wind, and his face was totally calm. Like he was about to, I dunno, grab a coffee or something.
He took a deep breath. And yeah, this wasn't just some regular, boring assessment. This was his big moment. This was where the Ascendant Sovereign was gonna kick off his comeback tour, and everyone was about to get a front-row seat.
First up was the basic spiritual energy control test. Super simple stuff. You just had to put a little energy into a crystal and make it glow. Most people got a faint shimmer, maybe a weak little pulse if they were lucky. The really good ones could get a steady, soft light. So Lin Feng walks up to the crystal, and the elders are already looking bored, because, I mean, they've seen this a thousand times.
He puts his hand on the crystal. He doesn't push or anything. He just... lets it flow. Not that crazy, explosive power from the Cosmic Origin Pearl, no way. He filtered it down, made it look like the purest, most stable energy anyone in the whole sect had ever seen. The crystal didn't just glow; it pulsed with this vibrant, steady light, way brighter than anyone expected from a servant. It wasn't flashy or a big explosion of power, it was just... perfect. Like, unnervingly perfect.
A quiet little murmur went through the crowd. The elders, who were literally half-asleep a second ago, actually straightened up. This was… definitely not normal.
Over on the sidelines, Mei Hua felt this jolt. She got it. She saw the insane control, the effortless flow. It wasn't just strong, it was pure. That's the kind of control that takes decades to get, and this was Lin Feng, a servant. She had this quiet, shiver-y moment of confirmation. Her crazy suspicions? They were right. He really was on another level.
Chen Wu, though? He just scowled. He was waiting for Lin Feng to barely make the crystal flicker, to completely embarrass himself. This was not the plan, dude. He wanted public humiliation, not... this. Not competence.
"Next, basic martial arts form!" the elder announced, and you could actually hear a hint of curiosity in his voice now.
This is usually where everyone starts to flail. They remember the moves, sure, but the actual flow, the connection to their energy? It's always super clunky. Lin Feng stepped into position. He picked the most basic form you could learn in the sect, one he'd probably seen a hundred times while cleaning floors.
He started to move. At first it was slow, then he got this fluid grace that just seemed impossible for his body. Every punch, every block, every stance was so precise. It wasn't about being powerful yet, it was about total mastery. He wasn't just doing the moves; he was embodying the form's essence, something nobody in the Azure Cloud Sect had managed in, like, forever. It looked simple, even understated, but there was this hidden depth, this ancient wisdom in every single move.
The elders were completely leaned in now, their bored expressions gone, replaced with genuine intrigue. One old guy, known for being a total jerk with his critiques, actually stroked his beard. That's a huge deal, trust me. They saw the simplicity, but they also saw the absolute perfection hidden underneath. This wasn't just some disciple; this was... a real craftsman.
Chen Wu's face was turning purple, and honestly, who could blame him? This was getting ridiculous. Lin Feng was supposed to be a joke, not some hidden genius. He was fuming, his fists all clenched up.
Lin Feng finished the form, ending in this super calm, balanced stance. He looked at the elders, then slowly swept his eyes over the crowd, and just for a second, he looked right at Chen Wu. A tiny, almost invisible smirk touched his lips.
The elder cleared his throat again, a little louder this time. "Alright. For the final test… we'll proceed with a direct assessment of cultivation level. Step onto the Spiritual Pressure Platform, Lin Feng."
The Spiritual Pressure Platform. Yeah, this was the real thing. This measures raw power, the true cultivation realm of a disciple. This was the moment Lin Feng was either gonna prove everyone wrong or just completely fall on his face. And you could tell... he was so ready.