He quickly lowered his eyelids, retracting his gaze, lest he attract the attention of the Four Cultivation Grandmasters.

After a while, Chunyu Cultivator exchanged a few more words with Master Xuanji, then left grandly with his martial nephew Long Tingfeng.

The Bai Brothers, who had been waiting for a long time, finally received a summons from the Daoist Official.

Master Xuanji sat at the head, his gaze wandering uncertainly over Bai Qi and Bai Ming.

Especially the former, whom he had only glanced at fleetingly using the "Observation Candle Technique" before, was not seen clearly.

Now, upon a closer look, he felt it even more peculiar:

"The spiritual cultivation aptitude of a nine-inch purple aura is not an exaggeration."

Master Xuanji’s eyes lit up, enveloping Bai Qi, as if he could see through his entire being inside and out.

The faintly swelling Divine Soul Embryo was astonishingly powerful, faintly surrounded by water and fire, constantly tempering thoughts.

"There are ’mortal embryos,’ and there are ’holy embryos.’ Bai Qilang has developed a ’holy embryo,’ so vibrant and lively, it even seems to nurture a faint, elusive connection with the spirit."

Master Xuanji was greatly satisfied; if Zhi Xin Temple could enroll such a student, they would surely achieve merit in the mandatory examinations.

"A seed of the Fourth Realm, with fortune, may even break through the barrier of life and death..."

Turning to gaze helplessly once more, he shifted his glance to the younger Bai Ming.

"With a clear soul and refined thoughts, it’s a rare and promising start."

Master Xuanji immediately clutched his chest, as if in unbearable pain, and turned his head away:

"Summon Daoist Chongxu to come and accept the apprentice. Bai Ming, would you like to join Yuanyang Temple and enter the Daoist School as a student?"

Xu Zhen, the Bearer of the Tripod, nodded, immediately summoning an Ear Reporting Deity to convey the message.

"Bai Qilang, your brother will remain at the County Daoist School, focused on his cultivation.

With his talent, apprenticing under Daoist Chongxu, I believe he will be ordained in due time."

Master Xuanji tightly closed his eyes, not wanting to glance even once at Bai Qi, standing respectfully below, for fear that every look would increase his heartache.

"As for you, you should return whence you came."

Bai Qi was slightly stunned; for a cultivation genius like him, they didn’t even spare a glance?

He felt inexplicably relieved, yet also a bit puzzled.

Having emerged from the Inner Scenic Land of the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest, his Divine Soul had grown stronger; his talent should be far superior to before.

This Lord Daoist Official of Zhi Xin Temple wasn’t the least bit moved?

"Such high standards..."

Bai Qi cleared his mind of miscellaneous thoughts, instructed Bai Ming a few things, and then walked out of the main hall.

He waited outside the Government Office until Qingfeng Daoist Child led his brother to Yuanyang Temple before he felt assured.

Then, he headed towards the Jiuque Platform Villa of the He Family.

...

...

"Why did Martial Uncle Chunyu snatch people from Master Xuanji?"

Back at the Post House, Long Tingfeng finally couldn’t hold back and asked in a deep voice.

Forcibly entering the Government Office, intimidating the Daoist Official, and then snatching students.

The accumulation of these three major crimes was enough to stir up great trouble in the Celestial Water Prefecture.

With the Sect Leader in closed-door meditation, Zhao Pijiang would definitely seize the opportunity to cause trouble, targeting the Sword Sect.

"Martial Nephew, when did you become a Mud Bodhisattva, without a trace of aggression?"

Chunyu Cultivator sneered coldly.

"Suppressing matters has never been the Sword Sect’s style."

Long Tingfeng furrowed his brows, still sticking to his viewpoint despite his martial uncle’s questioning:

"But we must prioritize the bigger picture! Martial Uncle, we cannot burden the sect; Senior Sister Zhaoyang can’t support everything alone. When you’re being so aggressive in Yihai Prefecture today, in the future, Senior Sister Zhaoyang will definitely face many overt and covert tactics in the Simurgh Platform Sword Fighting!"

Chunyu Cultivator was noncommittal:

"No matter the tactics, can they withstand a single strike from my disciple?"

Long Tingfeng was speechless.

He couldn’t possibly claim that Mu Zhaoyang, the head disciple of the younger generation, might not be capable enough to win the Simurgh Platform Sword Fighting.

"That Bai kid, he’s a disciple of Ninghai Zen."

Chunyu Cultivator’s smile bore a mysterious meaning:

"For Ninghai Zen’s disciple to sense the Nanming Li Fire Sword within me is rather interesting."

Long Tingfeng’s eye twitched; whenever Martial Uncle Chunyu showed such an expression, he usually intended to stir things up.

"Is Martial Uncle suggesting that the boy has high perception and can harmonize with the sect’s divine weapon, the Nanming Li Fire, to become its nurturer?"

Chunyu Cultivator shook his head:

"Wrong. I’m simply curious why an unruly man like Ninghai Zen would choose a disciple with extraordinary spiritual talent?

The boy’s natal attributes are heavily metal-aligned, with a pure fire element.

That’s why the Nanming Li Fire Sword reacts naturally."

In the Meridian Sword Sect, talents with high aptitude are as common as oxen on a field.

It’s not regarded as anything significant.

But natal attributes like this are rare and difficult to cultivate.

Seventy percent is bestowed by Heaven, thirty percent relies on fortune.

At least for Chunyu Cultivator, he had never seen a young man whose natal attributes harmonized metal and fire so perfectly.

"Ninghai Zen, I’ve thought of a way to repay the slap you gave."