Down on the ground floor, nearly all the disciples had been appraised, leaving only two. Xue Taiyang and Shou Bing.
As Shou Bing prepared to step forward, Reon's hand shot out to stop him, his movement sudden and sharp.
Shou Bing paused, his brow furrowing in Confusion, quickly replaced by a flash of Rage.
"Hey! Do you dare block my path, peasant?" he spat, his voice heavy with arrogance.
Reon, unperturbed, gave a small, respectful bow. "Not at all, Young Master Shou Bing. I only wished to suggest that you, the true hero of today's investigation, should make your Grand Entrance last. All the glory will be yours then, without question."
Internally, Reon smirked. Perfect. I'll use this self-absorbed fool to my advantage. The artifact seems suspicious, and I need a backup plan.
Shou Bing, after a brief moment of contemplation, smirked back, his arrogance turning into pride. "You're right," he mused.
"It's best to make an appearance last. You have some brains after all. I like you. What's your name?"
Reon held back a satisfied grin, pretending to hesitate. "It's Xue Taiyang, Young Master."
"I will remember that name, Xue Taiyang," Shou Bing said, his words full of false grandeur, his mind already on his own impending glory.
Reon stepped forward, his heart still pounding from the moment of tension. This is it. Let the game begin.
He came to a halt before the Minor Elder and offered a respectful bow.
"Greetings, Minor Elder."
The Minor Elder gave a curt nod. "Hmm. Now, place your hand on the orb."
"Understood," Reon replied.
Just as he was about to comply, an urge to ask a question arose in his mind.
He hesitated for a brief moment—then asked anyway.
"Minor Elder, I have a question."
"Ask away," the Minor Elder responded nonchalantly.
"If I remember correctly, the Sect Disciple Selection Ceremony never used such an Advanced Appraiser. Why does this one provide so much detail?"
Without waiting for an answer, Reon extended his right hand and placed it upon the glowing White Orb as instructed.
The Minor Elder let out a small sigh before replying.
"Well, this isn't the Original Orb we intended to use. We planned to use the Standard One, but at the last moment, a Decree from the Higher-Ups changed that. They deemed the Old Appraiser Insufficient."
A sharp glint flickered in Reon's eyes. As I suspected, this is a More Advanced Artifact, he thought to himself.
Now, I can only hope that this artifact also fails to Unravel my Strange constitution. Though, I'm fairly certain it will—after all, even the system, a Force Beyond Comprehension, couldn't Decipher it.
As his hand made contact with the orb, it reacted almost immediately.
At first, it was Subtle.
A faint flicker of energy pulsed beneath its surface.
Then—
BUFF!
A low, unsettling hum echoed through the chamber.
BUFF!
BUFF!
The orb vibrated violently, its glow flickering erratically.
The Minor Elder furrowed his brows. "What's wrong with this artifact?"
Meanwhile, Reon's heart pounded in turmoil.
What the hell is happening?!
Then—
PUUFFFF!
The Glow Vanished.
The once-radiant orb turned Dull and Lifeless, all color drained from its surface.
A moment of silence followed.
Then, the Minor Elder's voice rang out, flat and indifferent.
"Xue Taiyang—no talents Detected. Next."
The room fell into stunned silence.
Then, from among the disciples, a wail broke out.
"Ehh?! I worked so hard, training day and night, and I have no talent at all?!"
Reon's voice cracked as he sobbed pitifully. "I thought I'd at least awakened something... But... SOB... SOB..."
Yet, beneath his forced tears, a Faint Smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
The Minor Elder shook his head. "Work harder in the future."
Reon wiped his fake tears and nodded. "Yes, Minor Elder. I will surely awaken at least an Advanced-Grade ability next time!"
.
.
Upper Floor – Outer Sect's Security Pavilion
From above, the Nine seated figures observed the scene unfold with clear disinterest.
One of them scoffed. "Another waste."
"Yes," another sneered. "I don't understand how trash like that is even allowed into an Overlord Sect of the Supreme Dao Sect's caliber. They should be sent to some insignificant Third-rate sect instead."
"You're right. Third-rate sects are nothing more than gathering grounds for Insignificant Ants. He doesn't even deserve to set foot in a Second-rate sect.
The mere thought of entering a First-Rate, High-Ranking, Elite, Superior, or Great Sect is laughable—let alone an Overlord Sect."
"They should be kicked out as soon as possible," another spat. "Filthy wastes are sullying our name as one of the Four Overlord Sects in the Sleeping Dragon Continent!"
A different disciple leaned forward. "Enough about that. There's only one disciple left. I think he may be the one."
"I agree. There's a strong possibility," another added. "After all, he's from a High-Ranking Noble Family."
"Yeah... Let's wait and see."
Amidst the murmurs, two figures remained silent—Yi Ran and Zi Chen. Their gazes were locked onto the last remaining disciple.
Shou Bing.
The Final Candidate.
.
.
Ground Floor –
Reon descended from the stage, his face the picture of sorrow, but inside—he was laughing.
Perfect. Everything went just as planned.
Meanwhile, the last remaining disciple, Shou Bing, stepped forward. His posture was prideful, his steps filled with confidence.
This was his moment.
For too long, he had endured humiliation.
His disappointment had reached its peak when he heard that the third-ranking disciple of the Sect Disciple Selection Ceremony had awakened a Heavenly-Grade Physique—the very same physique as the Sect's Ancestral Founder.
That moment had nearly shattered him.
How could that bastard awaken something so powerful while he could not?
How could that bastard surpass someone as naturally gifted as him?
He was so consumed by jealousy that he wanted to kill that bastard by any means necessary.
But none of that mattered anymore.
Now—his moment of Glory had arrived.
Today's Hero would be none other than him.
As he stepped onto the stage, his eyes burned with determination.
He approached the orb, raising his hand, the entire room holding its breath in anticipation.
Then—
BUFF!
A sudden pulse of energy.
BUFF!
BUUFFF!
The orb trembled violently, strange noises reverberating through the chamber.
Shou Bing smirked.
Nothing will stop me today.
Even this strange noise of the artifact.
Then—he placed his hand upon the orb.
For a moment, everything was still.
Then—
BOOOOM!
A deafening explosion rocked the chamber.
The orb Shattered, sending shards flying in every direction.
A surge of chaotic energy erupted, whipping through the air like a violent storm.
Gasps and shouts filled the room as disciples scrambled backward, shielding themselves from the blast.
Shou Bing staggered, his once-proud stance now shaken. His heart pounded wildly as realization set in.
Something was Terribly, Terribly Wrong.
And in the upper floors—Yi Ran and Zi Chen finally reacted.
Their eyes widened.
What... just happened?