Elders and instructors from the inner sect arrived one after another, standing high above the training grounds, their auras calm yet oppressive. They were here for one reason—
To select disciples.
For outer disciples, this was a chance to change their fate.
For Li Wei, it was a minefield.
As he stood among the crowd, his mind raced.
If I make enemies… hostility will accumulate.
If I kill Zhao Yuan here… what about his seniors? His clan?
One extreme hostility was manageable.
Several?
Death.
Li Wei lowered his presence instinctively.
I need resources.
To break through, I need the inner sect.
But I can't show off.
This was a balance he could not afford to lose.
The first trial began.
"One hundred disciples," an elder announced calmly. "One stage. Elimination battle."
The moment the stage formed, pressure descended.
Among the crowd were several Qi Formation realm disciples—well-known figures, popular, confident. The weaker ones instantly stepped back.
Li Wei stepped onto the stage.
And immediately—
Eyes turned.
"It's him."
"The one Zhao Yuan humiliated."
"A good-for-nothing."
Some disciples lost interest instantly.
But Zhao Yuan didn't.
He grinned.
"Play with him," Zhao Yuan said lazily.
Several disciples moved at once.
Li Wei ran.
Not panicked—controlled.
Ten minutes passed.
He dodged, retreated, circled the stage, letting others clash loudly while he stayed on the edges. To the spectators, he looked pathetic.
Cowardly.
Worthless.
When the crowd's attention faded—
Li Wei moved.
Wind condensed.
A blade invisible to most eyes flickered.
One disciple fell.
Then another.
Fast. Clean. Silent.
By the time anyone noticed, those who chased him were already defeated.
Only one person noticed.
From the sidelines—
The library senior sister narrowed her eyes.
Wind… no. Condensed execution.
Her gaze lingered on Li Wei longer this time.
When the chaos settled, only ten or eleven disciples remained.
Li Wei stood quietly.
Eighth place.
Good enough.
High enough to be noticed.
Low enough to be ignored.
A woman in elegant robes—beautiful, composed—looked toward him briefly.
An inner courtyard instructor.
Li Wei lowered his head.
Good.
The trial ended.
The final round would be tomorrow.
That night, Li Wei ate with Su Qing and Wang Hao at a small stall.
For a brief moment, things felt… normal.
Wang Hao chewed noisily. "Be careful of Zhao Yuan."
Li Wei nodded.
Su Qing smiled faintly. "You did well today."
Afterward, Li Wei returned alone.
There was no time to waste.
He sat down and began cultivating.
Minutes passed.
An hour.
Two.
The qi in his body surged violently.
This is it.
Elemental power intertwined perfectly—no rejection, no instability.
Li Wei laughed softly.
"So elemental affinity really is something good."
Then—
[Breakthrough Detected]
Host has successfully advanced to a new realm.
A wave of power washed through him.
His foundation stabilized instantly.
[Reward Granted]
Skill Unlocked: Heavenly Concealment
Effect:
Completely hides cultivation, aura, and fate traces.
Effective even against God-level perception.
Li Wei froze.
Then slowly exhaled.
"…Now this," he murmured, "is survival."
Another window appeared.
>[System Upgrade Available]
Status: In progress
Completion: Pending
Li Wei closed his eyes.
Tomorrow was the final.
And for the first time—
He could choose when Heaven noticed him.