Just a mere Lin Zhongyu is not worth the Yun Family spending so much.
So, in the Grand Elder's view, Yun Zhonghe and Lin Zhongyu getting close recently is no cause for too much worry.
"Father, although that is true, your child still feels it's better to be more prepared, just in case."
Lin Feng said respectfully. He already had an idea about this matter, so he quietly told the Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder couldn't help but be overjoyed upon hearing this!
"Hahaha! Excellent, excellent! My son is truly intelligent to come up with this idea! Now that fellow Lin Zhan will have no choice but to suffer a huge setback!"
The Grand Elder beamed with joy, looking at Lin Feng with eyes full of admiration, feeling that Lin Feng was becoming more and more outstanding.
That look had a certain charm of "My son has the potential of a Great Emperor."
With this, how could his lineage not gain great power?
"Go, quickly get things done. This time, those father and daughter must not have any chance to turn things around."
"Understood, Father!"
...
The next few days were peaceful.
Yun Zhonghe had already completed all the necessary preparations. His relationship with Huang Aotian and the heroine had developed to a certain extent, and he felt it was best to pause for now and not rush things. So, he stayed in his courtyard every day, diligently practicing swordplay.
Both the Eight Desolations Swordplay and the Asking Heaven Nine Swords were practiced to the perfect Realm, meeting the requirements for swordplay integration. However, to successfully integrate them, more practice was needed, which would take quite some time.
But he wasn't in a hurry, taking things easy. When tired, he would study the Limitless Swordplay obtained from the black stone. Yun Zhonghe's life was quite leisurely.
But he also enjoyed it immensely, as no guy could refuse the joy of grinding levels in a game like this.
This was much more interesting than studying.
Although Yun Zhonghe was very relaxed, the entire Yun Mansion was immersed in excitement, especially after Yun Zhonghe's Father returned from his trip and learned about Yun Zhonghe's changes from Yun Zhonghe's Mother. He was so excited that tears welled up, unable to contain himself, exclaiming, "Heaven blesses the Yun Family! My son has finally come to his senses."
That very evening, Yun Zhonghe's parents were so excited that they engaged in a joyful 'clapping' exercise and 'communicated' all night, feeling that they could once again contribute to the continuation of the Yun Family's lineage.
As for the details, it's not suitable to elaborate...
Compared to Yun Zhonghe's leisurely days, Lin Zhongyu's life was the most pressing.
She was almost seizing every moment to improve her cultivation. The five top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills given by Yun Zhonghe had all been refined, and she had also consumed some of the large pile of pills Yun Zhonghe had shared with her and Mu Jixue last time.
With the assistance of the Golden Emperor Sacred Eyes, her cultivation soared at an incredibly exaggerated speed.
She had only one thought in her heart: she could not let down Yun Zhonghe's expectations, nor could she let down Mu Jixue's companionship. This time, she must succeed in turning things around!
Yun Zhonghe practiced swordplay, Lin Zhongyu pushed her cultivation Realm, while only Mu Jixue slept soundly every day.
And because she had reconciled with Lin Zhongyu, she was in an excellent mood and slept incredibly peacefully.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was finally the day of the Xuantian Sect Disciple recruitment ceremony—
On this day, all the Family heads of Cangzhou City gathered at the City Lord's Mansion, and each major Family brought a batch of fresh blood from their families. Some were there to participate in the selection, while others were there to observe and gain knowledge and experience.
Yun Zhonghe and Lin Zhongyu also attended with their respective families. As for Mu Jixue, there was even less to say; she stood directly in the center position on the high platform, after all, she was the Disciple specifically designated by the Xuantian Sect. The main purpose of the Xuantian Sect Elder's visit this time was to take Mu Jixue away.
The City Lord's Mansion was packed with people, many with solemn expressions, because only three people would ultimately be selected to enter the Xuantian Sect in this selection.
Lin Zhongyu stood in the Lin Family's Ranks and took a deep breath. Her emotions were difficult to calm for a long time. This time, she had made ample preparations and had sufficient confidence.
"Tsk, this Lin Zhongyu actually came along."
"Heh heh, after all, she's the Family head's daughter. If not for this status, she wouldn't even be qualified to stand here."
"But didn't I hear that she has recovered her talent?"
"So what if she recovered? She was still defeated at the Immortal Alliance entrance. Does she really think she can catch up in just a few days?"
"Exactly, such an overconfident thing, truly a disgrace to our Lin Family. With her, she won't even pass the initial test."
In the Lin Family's queue, the Lin Family members mocked her one after another, not hiding their contempt for Lin Zhongyu.
But Lin Zhongyu didn't retort. She just silently stared ahead, her expression resolute.
Just then, Lin Zhongyu's gaze met that of Mu Jixue, who was standing on the high platform. The two exchanged their inner thoughts.
"(Go for it, Xiao Yu, I believe you can do it!)"
"(Xue'er, this time I will definitely not disappoint you!)"
The two were communicating with their eyes, while Yun Zhonghe was also quietly observing Lin Zhongyu.
Seeing her resolute posture, he felt that it should be stable and there was no need to worry.
"However, in the game, there was no storyline about Lin Zhongyu participating in the selection ceremony because, in the game's plot, Lin Zhongyu awakened the Golden Emperor Sacred Eyes later and didn't make it to this selection ceremony."
Yun Zhonghe muttered to himself, wondering what changes this selection ceremony would bring.
But it would definitely be exciting, after all, he had put in so much effort, he would definitely let the heroine shine.
The heads of each Family looked forward eagerly. Even the City Lord of Cangzhou City and Helm Master Li of the Immortal League Branch were present, waiting for the Xuantian Sect Elder to arrive.
There was only a quarter of an hour left until the appointed time. Just then, someone noticed a fairy in a plain colored dress slowly flying down from the sky.
The woman's appearance was breathtakingly beautiful, graceful and charming, with skin like snow, as exquisite as a painting, simply the creator's most outstanding work.
Countless young men and women couldn't help but hold their breath, staring in fascination.
Even Yun Zhonghe, looking up from a distance, couldn't help but secretly praise, "Beauty."
This old acquaintance was even more captivating than in the game's CG.
(Character design picture)
Youyue Zhenren, one of the Xuantian Sect Elders, at the early Spirit Transformation Stage cultivation, Mu Jixue's Master, and also a hidden heroine in the game who can only be romanced in the later stages.
The storylines involving "defying one's Master" and "disrespecting one's ancestors" related to her were widely discussed by players. Both her appearance and temperament were top-notch, making her a very popular heroine.
Chapter Thirty-Five: Huang Aotian: I Will Protect My Childhood Sweetheart!
Yun Zhonghe felt relatively safe regarding Youyue Zhenren. After all, she was a hidden romanceable character unlocked only in the later stages of the game, so Yun Zhonghe didn't have the opportunity to 'steal' her in the plot.
Moreover, she was in the Spirit Transformation Stage. With Yun Zhonghe being just a small fry, he truly didn't have the ability to mess with her.
Therefore, the power of the world line should not involve Youyue Zhenren with Yun Zhonghe, and Yun Zhonghe shouldn't need to be too wary.
However, she would become Huang Aotian's woman in the future, so it was still necessary to leave as good an impression as possible, at the very least, not to provoke her.
Yun Zhonghe's thoughts raced, and he quickly formulated a strategy to deal with the new heroine.
At this moment, Youyue Zhenren had also landed on the platform. She put away her Flying Sword and cupped her hands in greeting towards the heads of the many families present: "Bai Zhen of the Xuantian Sect greets all Fellow Daoists."
Bai Zhen was Youyue Zhenren's real name.
"Greetings, Youyue Zhenren." Everyone responded politely.
After all, she was a Spirit Transformation Stage expert. Even the Family heads had to tense up, as the strongest person in Cangzhou City, this beginner village, was still Helm Master Li of the Immortal Alliance Branch—Moon Xia Xianling, who was only at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage.
With so many people, small talk was definitely out of the question. Moreover, Youyue Zhenren was naturally taciturn, truly having a 'three-no' attribute.
So, she got straight to the point, taking out a huge test stone from her storage ring and placing it heavily in the center of the square.
This test stone likely weighed at least five thousand kilograms, yet she could casually put it into her storage ring. This showed that the ring's spatial capacity and weight-bearing ability were quite impressive, at least a mid-grade magical artifact.
"According to past practice, each Family is to submit their list to me. Each Family may only submit ten people, with the Lin Family being an exception, allowed to submit fifteen."
Youyue Zhenren's expression was indifferent, and her tone was cold.
The Xuantian Sect's Disciple selection ceremony was not unlimited. Each Family only had ten participation slots, with three people ultimately selected. However, the Lin Family gained an extra five slots this time because of Mu Jixue, which was considered a benefit given by the Xuantian Sect.
This had always been the rule, the same in all cities in the Eastern Continent.
However, there were exceptions. Unless a Family's strength was sufficient, they could find another way and didn't need to go through this regular channel.
For example, Yun Zhonghe was an exception. As the young Master of the Yun Family, his parents had already found connections for him and opened a back door, so he didn't need to participate in this selection.
He was just here today to observe and check on Lin Zhongyu's situation.
"The selection ceremony has two tests. The initial test is a comprehensive test. The test stone will score based on comprehensive talent, cultivation, and other factors. Those who meet the standard can proceed to the next stage."
After Youyue Zhenren explained the rules for the initial test, each Family quickly finalized their lists and then took turns handing them to Youyue Zhenren to read aloud. The juniors whose names were called stepped forward to take the test.
Yun Zhonghe stood among the crowd of juniors, his eyes occasionally looking towards the Lin Family in the distance, specifically at Lin Zhongyu, who was isolated far away.
The first Family to undergo the test was the Lin Family. The first person from the Lin Family to go up was Lin Feng, the Grand Elder's son.
According to status order, it should have been Lin Zhongyu first, but perhaps considering Lin Zhongyu's current situation, she was likely pushed back.
Lin Zhongyu understood this and silently clenched her fists, clearly a bit nervous.
"Lin Feng, Talent Level Middle Grade B, Cultivation Foundation Establishment Stage Five!"
"Overall Score Upper Middle Grade!"
"You pass!"
When Lin Feng placed his palm on the test stone, lines of text appeared on the stone.
Instantly, everyone below was shocked.
"How impressive! This Lin Feng is already at Foundation Establishment Stage Five!"
"And he even got an Upper Middle Grade score! It looks like he will definitely be selected into the Xuantian Sect this time."
Many young men and women felt envious.
This Upper Middle Grade might seem ordinary, but it was compared to the average standard of the entire Eastern Continent. For a small place like Cangzhou City, Upper Middle Grade was already very difficult to achieve; perhaps only one would appear every few decades.
Having achieved such remarkable results, Lin Feng's lips curved upwards. He walked off the stage bathed in everyone's gazes, and at the same time, he glanced at Lin Zhongyu subtly, a cold sneer in his heart.
Immediately after, the second junior from the Lin Family stepped onto the stage for testing...
The third...
The fourth...
Lin Zhongyu gradually felt that something was wrong. Her tightly clenched fists loosened and then re-gripped, trembling slightly.
However, soon, when the name of the last junior from the Lin Family was announced, but it wasn't her name, she suddenly felt a chill run through her body.
Her spot had been taken!
Her eyes were filled with shock, and her gaze fell upon her Father, the Lin Family Head, Lin Zhan. It was he who had personally handed the list to Youyue Zhenren just now.
Mu Jixue, standing on the platform at this moment, also sensed that something was amiss. She looked at Lin Zhan in disbelief.
What's going on? Uncle Lin, why didn't you let Xiao Yu participate in the test?!
Lin Zhan was also startled. During the high-level Family meeting earlier, Lin Zhongyu's name was clearly placed at the end of the ten-person list. How could it have suddenly changed?!
"Could it be... the list was swapped?!"
Lin Zhan's expression darkened. Besides the Grand Elder, he couldn't think of anyone else who could do such a thing. He immediately glared angrily at the Grand Elder behind him.
He saw the Grand Elder reveal a meaningful cold smile.
"Lin Zhan, are you perhaps trying to change the list and let your useless daughter go up?"
"I know you've heard that your daughter seems to have recovered some talent recently and can Cultivate again, but you can't possibly think she can pass the initial test in just a few days, can you?"
"Everyone from all the families is here watching. If you insist on changing the list, I won't stop you. But if you make a big fool of yourself, your reputation will plummet. By then, the entire Lin Family will be ridiculed because of you. Do you think you can still sit firmly in the position of Family Head?"
"Don't do anything now, at least you can stabilize the current situation."
The Grand Elder whispered in Lin Zhan's ear. Listening to his words, Lin Zhan's hand, which he was about to raise to stop the proceedings, slowly lowered.
He was indeed at odds with the Grand Elder, having fought openly and secretly for a long time, but what the Grand Elder said at this moment was also reasonable.
Yes, although he also wanted to fight for his daughter, the reality was that Lin Zhongyu might truly not be capable. Even if she went up, she would only make a fool of herself, and in the end, he, Lin Zhan, would be mocked by everyone, and his position as Family Head would be in jeopardy.
He was conflicted, knowing he had been ambushed.
At this moment, Mu Jixue also noticed the secret exchange between the Grand Elder and Lin Zhan. Being smart and quick-witted, she instantly understood that the Grand Elder must have been the one pulling the strings, snatching Lin Zhongyu's spot. Immediately, a surge of anger rose in her heart.
She wanted to rush forward and loudly question Lin Zhan and the Grand Elder, but she noticed Lin Zhongyu's gaze, which told her to calm down.
That gaze carried a hint of plea, and only then did Mu Jixue barely manage to restrain herself.
Immediately after, Lin Zhongyu looked at her Father seriously. She still had a glimmer of hope in her heart; she still believed there was a chance.
[Father, please believe in me, give me this chance!]