Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the day of the Qingyun Sect entrance selection had finally arrived. For the past three days, Lin Chen had shut himself away in his private courtyard, focusing solely on stabilizing his cultivation and preparing for the trials ahead. He ignored the endless stream of visitors and gifts from the city's major clans, knowing that the fame and respect of Green Sun City meant nothing compared to the power he needed to survive and thrive in the Qingyun Sect.
Every morning, without fail, he completed his daily sign-in, and each reward pushed his strength to new heights. On the final morning before the journey, as the first rays of dawn spilled over the courtyard walls, the familiar cold mechanical voice rang in his mind.
[Ding! Daily sign-in refresh completed! Do you want to sign in now?]
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Lin Chen's mouth. This would be his final sign-in before the selection, and he had high hopes for what it would bring.
"Sign in."
[Ding! Sign-in successful! Congratulations to host for obtaining:
1. Cultivation Base Upgrade: 9th Level of Qi Refining!
2. High-Grade Heaven-Rank Offensive Skill: Primordial Chaos Dragon Fist!
3. Special Item: Illusion Breaking Talisman x5!
4. Special Item: Mid-Grade Spirit Sword: Thunder Dragon Blade!
5. Spirit Stones: 100,000!]
Boom!
A boundless surge of pure spiritual energy exploded inside Lin Chen's body, rushing through his meridians like a raging river. His cultivation rose without a single obstacle, breaking through the peak of the 8th level and stepping straight into the 9th level of Qi Refining—the absolute peak of the Qi Refining realm. In an instant, his aura skyrocketed, the air around him rippling with suppressed power, the stone ground under his feet cracking slightly under the weight of his new realm.
At the same time, a complete set of profound offensive skill memories flooded into his mind. Primordial Chaos Dragon Fist, a top-tier heaven-rank technique far more powerful than any of his previous skills. Once fully unleashed, it could summon the full might of the Primordial Chaos Divine Body, crushing any enemy below the Foundation Establishment realm with a single blow. The Thunder Dragon Blade, a mid-grade spirit sword, would amplify his thunder-based skills by fifty percent, making his attacks even more devastating.
Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing through them. Now, at the 9th level of Qi Refining, with his upgraded Primordial Chaos Divine Body and a full set of heaven-rank skills, he was already the strongest person in the entire Green Sun City region. Even the strongest Foundation Establishment experts would struggle to stand against him.
A soft knock sounded on the courtyard door, and Lin Yue's gentle voice came from outside. "Senior Brother Lin Chen? The Clan Leader and Elder Li are ready. The carriage to the Qingyun Sect is waiting for you at the main gate."
Lin Chen stood up, slinging the Thunder Dragon Blade over his shoulder, and walked out of the courtyard. Lin Yue stood outside, her eyes filled with admiration and a hint of worry. "Be careful at the selection, Senior Brother. There will be thousands of geniuses there, all fighting for a spot. Don't take unnecessary risks."
Lin Chen smiled faintly. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. When I come back, I'll be an official disciple of the Qingyun Sect."
Lin Yue nodded, her face turning slightly red. "I'll be waiting for you. The entire Lin Family will be waiting for you."
Lin Chen walked toward the main gate, where the Lin Family's Clan Leader, Grand Elder, and Elder Li from the Qingyun Sect were waiting. Beside them was a luxurious carriage pulled by two powerful Wind Wolves, spiritual beasts that could run hundreds of kilometers in an hour.
"Lin Chen! You're here!" The Clan Leader said with a bright smile, his eyes filled with pride. "We've prepared everything you need for the journey. The entire Lin Family is counting on you."
Elder Li nodded, his eyes filled with admiration as he felt Lin Chen's new aura. "You've broken through to the 9th level of Qi Refining? In just three days? Lin Chen, you never cease to amaze me. With your talent, you have a real chance to take the top spot in the entire selection."
Lin Chen bowed slightly. "Thank you, Elder Li. I won't let you down."
They climbed into the carriage, and the Wind Wolves set off at a gallop, racing toward the Qingyun Sect's mountain gate, hundreds of kilometers away. Along the way, they passed countless other carriages and groups of young disciples, all heading to the same destination, all hoping to earn a spot in the legendary immortal sect.
By midday, they had reached the foot of the Qingyun Mountains, where the Qingyun Sect was located. The moment they arrived, Lin Chen's eyes widened slightly. The entire foot of the mountain was packed with people—thousands of young geniuses from over a hundred cities across the region, accompanied by their family elders and clan leaders. The air was thick with the auras of powerful cultivators, and the sound of chatter and excitement filled the air.
This was the biggest event in the entire region, the chance of a lifetime for every young cultivator.
But as soon as their carriage stopped, a cold, arrogant voice rang out from the crowd.
"Well, well. If it isn't the so-called genius from Green Sun City, Lin Chen."
Everyone turned around, and saw a group of young men walking over. At their front was Zhao Lei, the genius from Black Rock City who Lin Chen had defeated a few days earlier. His face was twisted with rage and humiliation, and beside him stood three tall, arrogant young men, all at the peak of the 9th level of Qi Refining, their auras powerful and oppressive.
These were the three top geniuses of Black Water City, the largest and most powerful city in the region. They were the favorites to take the top spots in the selection, and they had been personally scouted by the Qingyun Sect's inner sect elders months earlier.
Steward Zhang, the Qingyun Sect steward who had backed Zhao Lei, walked beside them, his face cold and disdainful as he looked at Lin Chen. "Elder Li, I told you this boy was just a lucky small-town trash. He doesn't belong here. The Qingyun Sect only accepts real geniuses, not upstarts who got lucky with a random adventure."
The leading genius from Black Water City, a tall young man with a scar across his face, sneered as he looked at Lin Chen. "So you're the one who humiliated Zhao Lei? I heard you beat him with a single flick of your finger. Let me tell you, Zhao Lei is nothing compared to me. If you know what's good for you, you'll kneel down and apologize to him right now. Otherwise, I'll cripple you in the first round of the selection."
The crowd around them fell silent. Everyone knew who the Black Water City geniuses were. They were the strongest young disciples in the region, and no one dared to offend them. They all looked at Lin Chen, wondering if he would back down.
But Lin Chen looked at the scarred young man calmly, a faint, cold smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Is that all you have to say? If you want to fight, we can do it right here. But I warn you: if you raise a hand against me, you'll end up worse than Zhao Lei."
The scarred young man's face twisted with rage. "You arrogant little bastard! I'll teach you a lesson!"
He roared, and circulated all his spiritual power. A huge black bear formed behind him, its roar shaking the ground. This was his strongest skill, the Black Bear King Fist, a top-grade earth-rank technique that had defeated countless 9th level Qi Refining experts. He threw a heavy punch straight at Lin Chen, aiming to crush him with a single blow.
The crowd screamed in shock. They knew this was the end for Lin Chen. No one could survive a full-power attack from the number one genius of Black Water City.
But at that moment, Lin Chen moved.
He didn't dodge. Instead, he raised his right fist, and a violent golden glow wrapped around his hand, accompanied by the deafening roar of a thousand dragons. This was his new skill, the Primordial Chaos Dragon Fist, a heaven-rank technique that could shatter mountains with a single blow.
"Is that all you've got?" Lin Chen said coldly.
He threw his fist forward.
Boom!
The two attacks collided with a deafening crash. The black bear exploded into nothingness in an instant, and the unstoppable force of Lin Chen's punch continued forward, slamming straight into the scarred young man's chest.
"AHHH—!"
The young man let out a shrill, blood-curdling scream, and his body was sent flying more than thirty meters away, crashing into a group of carriages. He fell to the ground, spitting out large mouthfuls of blood, his chest caved in, his dantian completely shattered. His peak 9th level cultivation, which he had spent years building, was gone forever.
The entire mountain foot fell dead silent. Not a single breath could be heard.
Everyone stared at the scene in shock, unable to believe what they had just seen. Lin Chen, the so-called small-town genius from Green Sun City, had just defeated and crippled the number one genius of Black Water City, a peak 9th level expert, with a single punch.
Zhao Lei and Steward Zhang stared at Lin Chen, their faces pale with terror. They had no idea Lin Chen was this strong. The other two Black Water City geniuses took a step back, their eyes filled with fear, not daring to move forward.
Elder Li burst into loud laughter, his eyes filled with delight. "Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! Lin Chen, you've done it again! With this kind of strength, you're sure to take the top spot in the selection!"
[Ding! Host has defeated the Black Water City genius and completed the hidden mission!]
[Reward issued: 120,000 Spirit Stones, Full Access to the Qingyun Sect Outer Sect Scripture Pavilion, and a special upgrade to your Primordial Chaos Divine Sense!]
A powerful surge of energy flooded Lin Chen's body, strengthening his spiritual sense even further. He could now clearly sense the auras of every cultivator within five kilometers, even the hidden Foundation Establishment elders from the Qingyun Sect who were watching from the mountain.
Lin Chen slowly lowered his fist, and looked at the terrified crowd around him. His voice was cold and clear, echoing across the silent mountain foot.
"From today onward, anyone who dares to provoke me, or look down on the people from Green Sun City, will end up just like him."
No one dared to make a sound. All the geniuses from the various cities lowered their heads, their eyes filled with awe and fear. From this moment on, Lin Chen was no longer just a small-town genius—he was the most talked-about, and most feared, competitor in the entire Qingyun Sect entrance selection.
Just then, a loud, clear bell rang out from the top of the Qingyun Mountains, echoing across the entire mountain range. A majestic voice boomed down from the sky, filled with the power of a Foundation Establishment expert.
"The Qingyun Sect entrance selection will officially begin at dawn tomorrow! All participating disciples must register at the mountain gate before sunset today! Anyone who arrives late will be disqualified! Prepare yourselves, for only the strongest will earn a place in the Qingyun Sect!"
The crowd erupted into cheers and excited chatter. The moment they had all been waiting for was finally here.
Lin Chen looked up at the towering Qingyun Mountains, shrouded in mist and clouds, his eyes calm and determined.
The Qingyun Sect was his first step into the wider cultivation world. Thousands of geniuses would be fighting for a spot, there would be danger, betrayal, and powerful enemies. But he was not afraid.
With the Supreme Sign-In System, nothing could stop him.
Tomorrow, he would shock the entire Qingyun Sect.
His journey from trash to Immortal Emperor was about to enter a whole new stage.