As the four intense lights erupted, Han Li and the elderly Foundation Establishment Deacon responsible for testing were struck with shock.
"Peak-grade Metal-attribute aptitude! Peak-grade Water-attribute aptitude! Peak-grade Fire-attribute aptitude!"
"And even Peak-grade Soul aptitude!"
"Incredible!"
The Deacon looked at the four lights with disbelief before turning his gaze to Qi Ping, his eyes filled with shock. In the Qingyuan Sect, those with peak-grade aptitude weren't rare, but someone with four peak-grade aptitudes was unheard of—especially since his soul aptitude was equally high, indicating that his comprehension would be just as formidable.
Moreover, Qi Ping had already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment; he was basically already grown. If he continued steadily, he would reach the Golden Core stage! This was a "Golden Core seed"!
What kind of concept was that? One must know that the Qingyuan Sect only produced a Golden Core cultivator every few centuries—sometimes even fewer! Only in rare eras did they appear more frequently.
Han Li, who looked like a refined gentleman, was equally shocked. He hadn't expected the man he had casually led inside to be so terrifying! He himself only had one peak-grade aptitude: Wood.
However, this was good for him too. He would receive rewards for recruiting a top-tier genius, and his first impression of Daoist Ya was good. It would be excellent if he could befriend him or pull him into his faction.
The testing crystal could only measure specific spiritual energy aptitudes; what kind of physique one possessed required more detailed observation and deduction. There were thousands of types of special physiques in the cultivation world, more than a single crystal could detect.
"Daoist Ya, your aptitude is truly extraordinary. It isn't just one in a thousand years, but rare even among your generation. In time, the Golden Core stage is within your reach!" Han Li praised once he suppressed his shock.
"Daoist Han, you flatter me. If I am fortunate enough to join the sect, I will need your guidance in the future!"
Qi Ping wasn't arrogant; he responded with humble courtesy.
"Naturally. The aptitude test is certainly passed!" Han Li paused, then continued, "Next is the Heart-Questioning Mirror. It is one of our sect's spirit treasures, passed down for tens of thousands of years. It can identify those with ill intentions. You must answer the questions from the artifact spirit truthfully. No one below the Nascent Soul stage can escape its detection..."
"I understand!"
Following Han Li's instructions, Qi Ping sat before the Heart-Questioning Mirror with a bit of trepidation. He wasn't entirely sure about this test, but fortunately, it was limited to questioning and wouldn't invade his soul. If it did, he would immediately self-destruct the clone.
Soon, a surge of spiritual energy enveloped Qi Ping. As he entered the state, Han Li and the Deacon exchanged nervous glances. If Qi Ping passed and made the right choices within the sect, he would surely receive the resources to reach the Golden Core stage. But if he failed, he might not leave this place today; the sect would never allow someone with such high talent and hostility toward them to depart.
As time passed, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Finally, the test stopped, and information appeared on the mirror.
[Mainstay of the Sect]
Upon seeing the evaluation, Han Li and the Deacon were stunned once again! They had suspected that someone with Qi Ping's talent wouldn't be a spy, but they never expected he would be evaluated as a "Mainstay"!
This evaluation meant the Heart-Questioning Mirror gave Qi Ping a high level of affirmation, considering him someone worthy of being a core pillar! Not many people received this evaluation upon joining; most were simply marked as "Neutral," meaning they had neither loyalty nor malice.
As Qi Ping withdrew from the mirror's power, surprise filled his eyes. He had actually received the "Mainstay" evaluation!
The reason for this was his heartfelt answer: he truly wanted the Qingtian Domain and the Qingyuan Sect to become more powerful! He believed the domain could become even stronger under the sect's management. He had also expressed his hatred for those who sought to destroy the sect and the domain, stating he would never tolerate them!
'Mainstay... how interesting,' Qi Ping thought.
He hadn't expected that answering from the perspective of the Qingtian Domain and the sect as a whole would result in such a high evaluation. He answered that way because the stronger the Qingtian Domain was, the more world power he could mobilize, and the stronger his own buffs would be. Only a strong Qingyuan Sect could protect this region; if the sect fell, the domain would inevitably descend into chaos!
The domain's strength required good management, and the Qingyuan Sect had undoubtedly proven its management and economic development capabilities over the years. Even Qi Ping felt he couldn't match them in that regard. When he was first saved by Old Man Zhou, he had spent his most peaceful and safe years under this management.
The only ones Qi Ping truly felt murderous intent toward were the parasites within the sect who sucked the marrow from the people! It was those parasites who allowed the Celestial Alliance to run rampant, causing the domain to weaken.
The artifact spirit of the Heart-Questioning Mirror was not controlled by anyone; it simply thought from the perspective of the Qingyuan Sect. Thus, when Qi Ping answered from the perspective of the overall prosperity of the domain and the sect, he was evaluated as a "Mainstay."
'The reason the silver-masked Golden Core gave me that token must have been because he thought I had killed so many sect members that I must harbor hostility. He likely thought I'd never pass the mirror test...'
'But he didn't realize that I don't harbor hostility toward the Qingyuan Sect itself. What I want is a Qingyuan Sect and a Qingtian Domain that grow stronger under my control.'
'Only those parasites are my enemies. But from the perspective of the Heart-Questioning Mirror, clearing out parasites is exactly what should be done...'
Amusement rose in the depths of Qi Ping's heart. Who would have thought that the Bee Daoist—who had caused such a stir and committed such a massive slaughter—would be evaluated as a "Mainstay" by the sect's own mirror?
He wondered how those people would react if they ever found out the Bee Daoist had become a pillar of the Qingyuan Sect.
"Congratulations, Daoist Ya!"
As Qi Ping emerged from the energy field, Han Li and the Deacon offered their envious congratulations. There was an ancient sect rule: any disciple evaluated as a "Mainstay" with top-tier aptitude must be prioritized for cultivation by the current leadership!
(Brothers, a new month has started. Can I ask for some monthly tickets? From tomorrow, I will resume three updates a day! If I have time, there will be four! Special thanks! I wish all readers great wealth in the Year of the Snake! May everything go smoothly in the new year!)