The jade stele landed gently on the ground, radiating a peculiar aura. Wisps of mist swirled around it, lending it an extraordinary, mystical appearance.
As the villagers stared in astonishnt, Lu Qing spoke: "This jade stele is sothing I specially refined. It has the ability to test whether you have the aptitude for cultivation."
All eyes turned to the jade stele once more, filled with curiosity.
This stunning jade stele could reveal their potential to embark on the Path of Cultivation?
“Ah Qing, what do we need to do?” a villager asked.
“It’s quite simple. When your turn cos, just stand before the jade stele, breathe calmly, and keep your mind steady,” Lu Qing said with a smile.
“That’s it?”
The villagers were even more amazed.
But then they reminded themselves: Lu Qing was no ordinary person—he was soone from the realm of immortals.
Since he was an immortal, there was nothing he couldn’t achieve.
“Yes, it’s that simple. Now then, who will go first?”
The villagers exchanged glances, their eagerness suddenly tempered by hesitation. Although everyone hoped to have the aptitude for cultivation, the thought of stepping forward for the test filled them with trepidation.
Finally, one man gritted his teeth and stepped up. “I’ll go first.”
Seeing the tension on the man’s face, Lu Qing chuckled. “Da’an, relax. The test is not uncomfortable.”
The volunteer was Wang Da’an, who had once accompanied Lu Qing on his first trip to the Grand Bazaar. At Lu Qing’s reassurance, Wang Da’an visibly relaxed and even managed a smile. “Alright.”
With that, he stood before the jade stele.
A gentle white glow emanated from the jade stele, enveloping Wang Da’an.
At first, he was nervous, but he quickly realized that the light was warm and soothing. It carried an unusual energy that left him feeling utterly comfortable. His anxiety lted away, replaced by a serene and peaceful state of mind.
In contrast, the other villagers grew increasingly tense as they watched the scene unfold in silence.
Lu Qing, too, focused on observing the jade stele’s changes. While his Spiritual Powers allowed him to discern the information of all things under heaven, the details obtained through his ability were often limited. The jade stele, however, had been specifically crafted to assess one’s Cultivation Aptitude. It was a treasured artifact originally used by the Li Huo Sect to evaluate the potential of its new disciples. For these villagers, it was well-suited.
As the white light continued to shroud Wang Da’an, it remained unchanged. Finally, it began to dim.
Lu Qing let out a soft sigh. “Brother Da’an, I’m sorry, but you don’t have the innate aptitude for cultivating the immortal path.”
“I don’t have the aptitude for cultivation?”
Wang Da’an was stunned, his face falling with disappointnt. Despite having prepared himself for this outco, hearing the words still stung.
The other villagers fell silent, their initial excitent cooling rapidly.
Wang Da’an was one of the village’s strongest n, physically robust and full of vitality. If even he lacked Cultivation Aptitude, what hope was there for the rest of them?
The atmosphere grew subdued as the villagers began to understand that aptitude for cultivation was far rarer than they had imagined.
Seeing Wang Da’an’s dejected figure retreat to the side, Lu Qing remained silent.
The jade stele primarily tested a person’s affinity for Spiritual Energy. If the affinity was too low to even sense Spiritual Energy, then the individual would lack the necessary foundation to begin cultivation. This was Wang Da’an’s situation.
Although he was strong and brimming with vitality, his affinity for Spiritual Energy was so low that even sensing it would be a nearly insurmountable challenge. The idea of progressing further was out of the question.
After Wang Da’an, another villager stepped forward. Again, the jade stele emitted a white glow that remained unchanged, and Lu Qing shook his head.
The villagers understood the result: this person, too, lacked Cultivation Aptitude.
Having seen Wang Da’an’s example, this villager was better prepared to accept the disappointnt. After all, if soone as strong as Wang Da’an couldn’t cultivate, it was hardly surprising that they couldn’t either.
One by one, the villagers ca forward for testing, but the results were the sa. The white glow remained constant, never showing any sign of change. More than ten people in a row were found to lack aptitude.
The villagers finally began to grasp why Lu Qing had said that the path of cultivation was a difficult one.
It turned out that possessing Cultivation Aptitude was far rarer than they had anticipated. Out of so many people, not a single one had shown any potential thus far.
Ti passed slowly as the tests continued. Before long, more than half of the villagers had been tested. Yet not one person had demonstrated the ability to cultivate.
Just as everyone began to wonder if the entire village lacked Cultivation Aptitude, the jade stele’s light finally changed.
The pure white glow flickered slightly before shifting to a faint red hue.
“Hm?” Lu Qing’s face showed a trace of surprise.
“There’s a change! The light is turning red!”
A villager exclaid.
The rest of the villagers also noticed the change and quickly turned to Lu Qing with expectant eyes.
Under their gaze, Lu Qing smiled and nodded. “Yes. This red light indicates that the person being tested has Cultivation Aptitude.”
Turning to the young girl standing nervously within the red glow, he said, “Erya, congratulations.”
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
Er Ya’s parents were overco with emotion, tears streaming down their faces. Were it not for the light still enveloping their daughter, they might have rushed forward to embrace her.
“Wow! Erya is amazing!”
Xiao Yan, one of Erya’s playmates, jumped for joy. She was genuinely happy to see her friend possess the potential for cultivation.
After Erya, the results began to change slightly. Two more individuals—a young man and a boy—also triggered variations in the jade stele’s glow, although their red light was fainter than Erya’s.
Still, having any level of Cultivation Aptitude was reason for celebration, and the two were overjoyed by their results.
When the boy’s test concluded, only one villager remained untested.
All eyes turned to him, their expressions slightly strange.
The final individual was none other than Grandfather Zhang.
Grandfather Zhang sighed and covered his face. “This old man should’ve stayed at ho instead of embarrassing himself here.”
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