C21 Profound Grade Talent
"Heh."
Chen Yi's lips quirked into a smirk as he caught Wang Sheng's eye.
He hadn't witnessed Wang Yun's plight firsthand, but he could imagine well enough. The ordeal Wang Yun was enduring was merely a reflection of his own past tribulations. An eye for an eye—the anguish his adversary had inflicted upon him in a former life was due to be repaid in full in this one.
Following the announcement of the first successful candidate, a steady stream of qualifiers began to emerge.
Most of these successful individuals were from prominent families, with only a handful of ordinary Cultivators making the cut.
"Hong Yu. Yellow Rank, Ninth Grade—qualified!"
Suddenly, a name was announced that sent a ripple of shock through the crowd.
"Good heavens, Ninth Grade Yellow Rank! Who is this person?"
"I recognize him. He's the second young master of the Honh family, the most prestigious clan in Honhyun City!"
"The Honh family's second son? It's no surprise he's so gifted!"
...
Amidst the chorus of awe, Hong Yu, the youth in white, allowed a smug grin to spread across his face.
Up in the loft, a rotund, well-dressed middle-aged man beamed with pride.
He was none other than Patriarch Honh.
"Patriarch Honh has truly raised a remarkable son," Wang Sheng commented, admiration in his voice.
The Wang and Honh families enjoyed close ties. Wang Sheng's visit to Honhyun City and his encounter with Yu Feng had been on Honh family business.
"Brother Wang flatters him. Ninth Grade Yellow Rank is still a long way off from true distinction," the Honh patriarch demurred, his modesty belied by the triumphant smile that played upon his lips.
A Ninth Grade Yellow Rank talent was quite respectable in Willow State. Such a rank almost guaranteed future advancement to the Spirit Essence Stage and a high likelihood of acceptance into the prestigious South Wind Academy.
For the families of Willow State East, having a youth gain entry into the South Wind Academy was a joyous occasion that might come only once a decade.
Considering the South Wind Empire at large, Willow State's standing was modest at best. Tradition held that the number of youths from Willow State who passed the initial, semi-final, and final exams to join the academy was very few—often countable on one's fingers. For the eastern region of Willow State, having two or three such talented youths in a single generation was quite an achievement.
On average, each family in the region would have to go through several rounds of recruitment before a young candidate could pass the rigorous entrance examination and gain admission to the academy.
This time, Honh Yu from the Honh family was clearly set on making his mark at the academy.
Wang Sheng offered his congratulations outwardly, but inwardly, he was seething with frustration.
The Wang family had been all set to support Wang Yun's bid for the South Wind Academy, but they hadn't anticipated running into such an obstacle before the recruitment process even began.
It was his own fault for targeting the Chen family at such a critical time. Instead of bringing down the Chens, they had inadvertently caused their own downfall. No, the real blame lay with Yu Feng, the inept Gu Master. His poisonous insects had been completely ineffective against Chen Yi and had only ended up harming Wang Yun. Wang Yun's death was too light a consequence for him!
The more Wang Sheng dwelled on it, the angrier he got.
He should never have trusted Jade Peak, that worthless Gu Master.
Wang Yun was supposed to have successfully planted the Poisonous Insect in Chen Yi's body. But what was the outcome? Chen Yi was unscathed, while Wang Yun suffered the consequences. It all pointed back to Jade Peak's incompetence.
It was a stroke of luck that Chen Yi had already killed Jade Peak; otherwise, Wang Sheng would have personally sought retribution.
"Chen Xin. Yellow Rank, Sixth Grade. Pass!"
"Honh Ying. Yellow Rank, Sixth Grade. Pass!"
"Lin Yue. Yellow Rank, Sixth Grade. Pass!"
...
As more young men and women took the stage for their tests, the number of successful candidates grew. Yet they were all Yellow Rank, Sixth Grade, with Honh Yu remaining the sole individual at Yellow Rank, Ninth Grade.
This only inflated Honh Yu's arrogance further, as he cast a scornful glance at the other youths around him.
But his smugness was short-lived. His expression turned to stone as a voice rang out.
"Du Qianyan. Profound Rank, Third Grade. Pass!"
The voice of the South Wind Academy instructor, tinged with excitement, made Honh Yu doubt his hearing. But as he looked up, the crystal ball on the stage clearly displayed 'Profound Rank, Third Grade'.
Profound Rank!
It was actually Profound Rank!
"How can this be?"
Honh Yu was in utter disbelief.
It wasn't just him who was in disbelief; the countless onlookers were equally astounded.
"Good heavens! Am I seeing this right? A Profound Grade... Profound Grade talent!?"
"Profound Grade talent here in Willow State East? How is that even possible?"
"Who on earth is Du Qianyan? How come I've never heard of him before?"
...
The crowd was in total disarray.
Even the family Patriarchs perched in the loft were visibly shaken.
As the heads of the major families in Willow State East, they had overseen the recruitment exams numerous times, yet they had never encountered a youth with Profound Grade talent.
Considering that Willow State East was one of the weaker regions within the entire Willow State, it was rare for a Profound Grade talent to emerge—perhaps once in several decades.
And now, one had appeared...
But who was this Du Qianyan?
Could he be a hidden prodigy from some family?
The Patriarchs exchanged glances, their faces devoid of joy, only confusion and bewilderment.
Clearly, Du Qianyan was not from any of their families.
"Which family does this young man belong to?"
Mentor Yanshan inquired.
At his question, the Patriarchs shared awkward looks among themselves.
The emergence of such a talent in Willow State East, unbeknownst to them and unclaimed, starkly highlighted their incompetence.
"Looks like we've got a wild one on our hands!"
Mentor Yanshan's lips twitched into a knowing smile upon seeing their reactions.
Having overseen Willow State East's recruitment for several terms, he had little expectation of discovering any real talent in the region. Yet, to his surprise, here was an exceptional find!
Profound Grade talents were a rarity indeed!
It was somewhat disappointing that Du Qianyan was only Third Grade Profound, but finding such a talent in Willow State East was an unexpected joy nonetheless.
What mattered most was that this youth, Du Qianyan, was unaffiliated—making him all the more valuable for cultivation.
After all, youths from established families and other powers typically left the academy after graduation to rejoin their own clans. In contrast, a youth without any ties or background would often opt to join the academy as a mentor or in another capacity, becoming an integral part of the institution. The mentors at South Wind Academy didn't just appear out of thin air; most were former students who transitioned into their roles post-graduation.
Certainly, South Wind Academy's objective in training students wasn't to mold them into mentors, but to cultivate and discover talent to supply to the High Sect, the very founders of the academy.
The South Wind Academy didn't just spring up from nowhere; it was established by a formidable entity with the express purpose of nurturing and identifying talent. When students reached a certain level of proficiency, representatives from the High Sect would come to evaluate them. Those who passed the assessment would be welcomed into the High Sect.
This was common knowledge among the numerous youths who entered the academy, and none raised objections. The power behind the South Wind Academy was, without a doubt, colossal. For many of these young people, the opportunity to join such a force was nothing short of a blessing!
Indeed, many had enrolled in the academy with the explicit goal of getting noticed by the High Sect.
The cultivation of mentors was simply a necessary function within the academy itself. The teaching ranks needed continual replenishment with new talent. Students with potential, who hadn't quite caught the High Sect's eye, were often steered toward mentorship roles.
Mentor Yanshan saw Du Qianyan as one such prospect.
The individuals selected by the High Sect were truly exceptional. While a Profound Grade talent was impressive in Willow State, it paled in comparison to the standards of the South Wind Academy.
"Hu Ann, Yellow Rank Third Grade, not qualified!"
"Hong Qian, Yellow Rank Sixth Grade, qualified!"
"Wang Qing, Yellow Rank Sixth Grade, qualified!"
...
Following the stir caused by Du Qianyan's Profound Grade talent, the atmosphere settled as the subsequent assessments continued, with most candidates falling within the Third and Sixth Grades of Yellow Rank.
It wasn't until the majority of the young men and women had been tested that another standout emerged—a young man who achieved Yellow Grade Level Nine. He was a short-haired, muscular youth named Hu Zhen from a prominent family in the eastern region of Willow State, the Hu Family.
Had he appeared after Hong Yu, Hu Zhen might have caused quite a sensation. But having witnessed a Profound Grade talent, his arrival only sparked a brief flurry of interest.
After all, when stacked against the Profound Grade, the Yellow Rank Ninth Grade talent paled in comparison.
"Bei Yu."
"Huang Loong."
"Chen Yi."
...
As the number of untested individuals in the arena dwindled to less than twenty, Chen Yi's name finally echoed through the space, stirring a buzz among the crowd.
As the young lord of the Chen family who had recently bested Wang Yun, Chen Yi's name carried weight in Wood County City. Yet the stir he caused was relatively minor.
The appearance of Du Qianyan, a youth with a Profound Grade talent, had set a high bar, rendering the subsequent candidates somewhat lackluster to the onlookers. They doubted the emergence of a second Profound Grade talent and deemed the Yellow Rank Ninth Grade hardly noteworthy.
While Chen Yi was commendable, the consensus was that achieving the Yellow Rank Ninth Grade would be a respectable feat for him.
However, Chen Shanheng, perched on the balcony, watched Chen Yi with a gleam of hope. He was convinced that Chen Yi, who had attained the status of a Rank Three Pharmacist at such a young age, must possess extraordinary talent—perhaps even Profound Grade.
Chen Shanheng was filled with eager anticipation.
"Profound Grade Third Grade!"
The sudden surge of voices snapped him back to the present. Could it really be a Profound Grade?
His eyes brightened, but as he focused on the scene below, his excitement quickly waned.
On one of the platforms, a South Wind Academy instructor was exuberantly announcing to a youth in black, "Bei Yu, you've achieved the Third Grade of the Profound Grade—qualified!"
Another Profound Grade talent had emerged!
The crowd, previously disengaged, now buzzed with surprise.
"Bravo!"
From the pavilion, Mentor Yanshan couldn't contain his applause. His gaze fell upon the black-clothed youth, his face alight with astonishment. The appearance of one Profound Grade talent had been a delight, but the arrival of another was utterly unexpected!
