On the stage, Ruo'er's gaze remained fixated on the orbs before her, a mix of determination and anticipation coursing through her.
She was acutely aware of the myriad eyes upon her, each filled with their intention. Some bore the unmistakable marks of lust and greed for her body, while the others radiated with envy and jealousy that were directed at her body and the attention she was receiving, the former was from the numerous males while the latter was from the female participants. But amidst this cacophony of gazes, there was one more kind- a gaze filled with longing....
Longing?!!!
The unexpected emotion shocked her, prompting her eyes to widen a bit. As if something was calling out to her, she turned her gaze in search of the source of this feeling and that was when her eyes locked onto a figure that seemed simultaneously familiar and distant.
That figure triggered a memory of the past perfectly aligning with the image of a figure that lay deep in her memory. A memory she had never forgotten, one that had become the reason for her to be determined to gain power.
As their gazes met for a fleeting moment, time seemed to have stopped, leaving behind nothing but the echo of shared memories and unspoken words. In his eyes, she saw purity, a warmth that didn't stem from any untainted desire and a familiarity that reached deep into her soul.
In that fleeting moment, a silent acknowledgement passed both their minds as they looked at each other.
'He didn't forget me!'
'She didn't forget me!'
Her lips curved into a slight smile as she also started to recall their past together– how he had defended her not out of some obligation, but because he saw her beyond her appearance, for who she was.
In his presence, she had felt valued, finding a sense of belonging akin to that beside her grandfather. His friendship was beyond the constraints of societal norms, proving that there was still someone who could see her for who she truly was, offering her solace in a world where she often felt misunderstood.
Their bond, no matter how much she had cherished, had vanished just as soon as he came into her life, leaving her with pain and longing ache. But then she remembered how she was able to meet him once again.
He had sneaked out of the Long Family mansion just to meet her and inform her of what had happened, and because she knew very well what kind of person he was, she patiently listened to his explanation. As she kept on listening to what happened to him during this time, her expression grew colder and colder.
That was the day when she had an intense urge to kill someone.
After listening to all that had happened to him, she wanted to eradicate the long family, but no matter how much she wanted, she didn't have the power to do so.
Unfortunately, their meeting could not last for long as he had to return before anyone could discover his absence and cause trouble for his mother.
After his departure, she contemplated her privilege and hated herself for blaming him for not coming to see her.
While he had to endure those hardships for days, she was here enjoying her carefree life. After that meeting, she was determined to aid him in the future for which she started training her body and mind for cultivation.
Right now Ruo'er simply wanted to rush into his embrace and hug him as tightly as she could, but she forced herself to remain composed before smiling back at him with a warmth that was hiding the storm of emotions that raged within her.
While the two were looking at each other in understanding, a chorus of misunderstandings rippled through the crowd, accompanied by misplaced assumptions and laughter.
"Whaa!!, that smile is worth dying for!!"
"Do you see, she smiled at me?"
"Are you an idiot? She obviously smiled at me. After all, I am the most handsome person here."
Hearing this comment, Long Tian turned to look at the source of the voice and immediately felt his stomach churn.
There stood a tall and muscular KID, if he truly was one, as he picked his nose and rubbed it off on his hairy chest. Other than the pair of shorts, the guy was literally not wearing anything.
His butt chin made everyone's gaze get fixated on it while his almost bald head seemed as if was being caressed by the wind, making the little amount of hair he had to flutter.
Seeing the man's figure, a deadly silence dawned in the area before everyone erupted in laughter.
Meanwhile, Ruo'er couldn't help but feel a hint of annoyance at the actions of these people, the sight of which only elicited a light chuckle to escape Long Tian's lips.
Unbeknownst to them, their exchange didn't go unnoticed by the watchful gaze of Lin Feng.
At the sight of Ruo'er, he wanted her to be his own, yet once again, the woman he wanted was looking at that very commoner. The same trash who had caused his fiance to look at him.
'It seems you are really courting death! Just wait, you will die a dog's death under my hands. That bitch will also kneel before me and beg for my forgiveness.'
Jealousy and rage consumed Lin Feng as he glared at the handsome boy. If Long Tian knew what the guy was thinking, he wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry. Ruo'er was his childhood friend, as for Xiao Mei, he did not care about her at all. He would simply look at Lin Feng and sneer.
'What a typical young master!'
Ignoring the drama, Ruo'er walked towards the orb and placed her hand on the first one- the fate-revealing orb.
As soon as her hand touched the orb, it glowed a bright green, astonishing everyone present. Ignoring the shocked eyes, she then proceeded to place her hand on the second ball.
Her rare affinity for water, wind and yin fueled the desire of the elders and a certain Lin Feng to bring her into the sect even further.
Gasps of disbelief echoed in the area. A commoner possessed this much talent surpassing even the most prominent clans which easily resulted in numerous malicious gazes being cast at her from all directions whether it be the clan heads or Lin Feng.
Ruo'er's observant nature allowed her to notice the reactions of those around her, yet she chose to remain patient and silent, waiting for the opportune moment to make her decision.
Noticing the intense gaze from everyone, including the heads of the famous clans of the city, she was disgusted to her core.
Meanwhile, Xiao Mei's jealousy flared even more at the sight of the amount of attention the woman was receiving.
Other than that, she was also able to notice the warmth Long Tian had as he looked at the girl, which only made her fuse go off.
She wanted that girl's talent for herself but couldn't.
Xiao Mei's rage and jealousy was fueled not only by Ruo'er's talent but also by the attention she seemed to be receiving from Long Tian, someone whose attention Xiao Mei desperately craved.
Other than that she also saw their little exchange.
At first, she thought, 'What does that bitch have that I do not? She is just a little more beautiful than me but that's all to her.'
But now it seemed like her words came back, slapping in her face. In fact, her face was a little flushed, feeling glad that she hadn't said it out loud.
Meanwhile, on the stage, the elders approached Ruo'er and offered, "Little girl, would you like to join our sect? You will become the core disciple, along with receiving all the benefits that come with it. You will also get an elder who will personally guide you with your cultivation."
Hearing the prestigious offer, the jealousy among the commoners intensified.
**GASP**
"Core disciple?!!"
"With an elder guiding her cultivation personally!!"
"Damn, I am envious! Why are the heavens so unfair? I want a talent like that too."
"What will happen if she dies before achieving any cultivation?" All kinds of discussions echoed in the hall but were completely ignored by the elders as their current priority was the choice of the girl before them.
She was about to reply when she heard a voice in her head, causing her to pout slightly, prompting her to reply. But her strange actions were left unnoticed by the two elders as she immediately announced.
"I'll discuss this with my grandfather after the selection and then give you my answer."
Understanding the importance of the guardian's approval, the elders nodded in agreement. While they couldn't force such a genius, from her words it seemed that if her grandfather agreed, she would join them and they were even willing to take him along with them if it meant that she would agree to join their sect.
Stepping aside, she noticed the commoner boy (Yuan Ming) from before with an orange talent was looking at her strangely.
Puzzled, Ruo'er furrowed her brows before taking a look at the boy and after confirming that she did not have any memory of him, she ignored him and walked towards another corner.
After two more talentless participants the number "1173" was called out loud.
It was finally Long Tian's turn.
Approaching the platform, he touched the ball, and a bright light started to envelop him as the orb started to glow.