? What the Hell is a Genius?!

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The moment the Welcoming Elder finished speaking, the trial participants stepped forward one by one, nervously extending their trembling hands to touch the Awakening Spirit Jade Pillars.

"Fifteen Zhang. A waste!"

"Twenty-five Zhang. Trash!"

"Thirty-eight Zhang. Another piece of garbage!"

...

Beams of spiritual light surged up the jade pillars, but none surpassed forty Zhang-the benchmark for a Middle Grade Spiritual Root.

"Sigh..."

The Welcoming Elder shook his head and shut his eyes, unwilling to spare them another glance.

A bunch of trash!

"D-disciple Li Long, Crown Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty, steps forward... to test his Spiritual Root!"

Just as the Welcoming Elder closed his eyes, a young man draped in luxurious brocade strode out from the crowd, walking onto the platform with the imposing gait of a dragon and tiger.

Faced with the prince's respectful bow, the Welcoming Elder did not even bother to open his eyes, completely ignoring him.

After all, the entire Great Qian Dynasty could hardly enter the sights of a Saint like him, let alone a mere mortal prince.

Seeing this, Li Long smiled awkwardly, not daring to show the slightest hint of dissatisfaction.

The Great Qian Dynasty was nothing but a tiny vassal state. Its strongest cultivator was only at the Divine Fire Realm-someone who could not withstand a single strike from this Welcoming Elder. How could a petty prince dare to show displeasure before a Saint?

After finishing his bow, Li Long stepped forward and pressed his broad palm against the third towering jade pillar.

"Heavens, the Crown Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty is here. He's guaranteed to pass."

"Hmph, a dignified prince actually competing with us for an Outer Sect Disciple spot in the Divine Flame Imperial Palace... how shameless..."

"Shh! What do you know? In the face of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace, what does a mortal dynasty count for?"

"It is no exaggeration to say that as long as Li Long successfully joins the Divine Flame Imperial Palace-even as the lowest Outer Sect Disciple-the throne of the Great Qian Dynasty is practically his!"

...

The trial participants below the stage buzzed with discussion, but Li Long paid them no mind, focusing entirely on the Spiritual Root test.

The Great Qian Dynasty possessed its own Awakening Spirit Jade Pillars. Compared to these disciples from humble backgrounds, Li Long was brimming with confidence.

Standing before the third Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar, Li Long calmed his mind and took a deep breath. He pressed his broad palm firmly against the jade, mobilizing his spiritual power and forcefully channeling it into the pillar.

Swish!!

As his spiritual power flooded in, an ice-blue beam of light erupted within the third Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar. Like a wild horse breaking its reins, the light shot straight toward the nine heavens.

"Ten Zhang!"

"Thirty Zhang!"

"Sixty Zhang!"

"Heavens, the spiritual light is still rising!"

...

Amidst the exclamations, Li Long snorted coldly. His face flushed the color of pig's liver as he unleashed every last drop of spiritual power within his body.

The ice-blue beam surged higher and higher, finally stopping at a height of eighty Zhang before slowly stabilizing.

"Eighty Zhang!!"

"A beam reaching seventy Zhang signifies a Top Grade Spiritual Root. Li Long actually reached eighty Zhang..."

"He truly deserves to be the Crown Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty. His Potential is terrifying."

"It seems the champion of this Outer Sect Disciple trial will undoubtedly be Li Long!"

...

The Welcoming Elder, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and nodded in considerable satisfaction.

A faint smile finally surfaced on his withered, heavily wrinkled face.

"A Top Grade Spiritual Root. Not bad! Not bad at all!!"

Receiving the Welcoming Elder's praise, Li Long bowed respectfully. When he turned back to look at the thousands of trial participants below, his face was filled with unbridled arrogance.

From this moment on, he, Li Long, existed on an entirely different level from these people.

Between him and these mortals, there was now...

The difference between the clouds and the mud!

"Discovering a single Top Grade Water Spiritual Root is already a rare feat. With this, I can finally report back to the Sect."

Following Li Long's test, the Welcoming Elder stood up. His calm eyes swept across the square, clearly intending to leave.

"This Outer Sect Disciple trial has lasted for three days. Anyone possessing a Middle Grade Spiritual Root or higher has passed the first round."

"I declare this Spiritual Root test concluded. Those who qualified shall follow me into Red King Mountain to prepare for tomorrow's second round."

"As for the rest of you, there is no need to linger in the Divine Flame Imperial Palace and waste my time!"

With a wave of his hand, a tyrannical spiritual force descended from the nine heavens, lifting the bodies of the qualified participants to carry them deep into Red King Mountain.

But just as the Welcoming Elder turned to leave, Chu Chen, who had remained entirely silent, finally snapped out of his thoughts and moved.

Although the Welcoming Elder had already announced the end of the test, Chu Chen paid it no mind.

Earlier, he had been too busy analyzing the rules of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace's trial and sifting through his past memories to act.

He had stood there like a ghost, completely ignored by everyone present.

But now, it was finally his turn!

He knew that the moment he revealed his cultivation talent...

It wouldn't matter if the Spiritual Root test had ended.

It wouldn't matter if this was just a mere Welcoming Elder.

Even if the entire Outer Sect Disciple trial had concluded.

The peak Great Saint powerhouses within the Divine Flame Imperial Palace, and even the ancient Saint King realm monsters, would be thoroughly alarmed by him. They would be so shocked that...

Their jaws would hit the floor!!

Chu Chen walked alone onto the high platform, extending his pale, slender hand to touch the first Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar!

His movements were relaxed, natural, and utterly devoid of hesitation.

It was as if...

As if he were doing something entirely mundane.

BOOM!!

In stark contrast to his casual demeanor, the Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar erupted with unprecedented momentum. It rumbled and shook violently, causing heaven and earth to tremble.

As spiritual power violently oscillated, the clouds above Red King Mountain churned wildly, accompanied by the deafening roar of thunder.

It was like a boulder smashing into a tranquil lake.

Ripples surged outward, throwing the entire area into absolute chaos!

A crimson beam of spiritual light manifested within the first Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar, shooting toward the nine heavens with the force of a thunderbolt.

Ten Zhang!

Fifty Zhang!

Seventy Zhang!

One hundred Zhang!!

...

The crimson beam surged upward in a single, effortless breath. It breached the one-hundred-Zhang mark in an instant, its momentum completely undiminished, until it slammed into the very apex of the Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar.

A beam reaching seventy Zhang was enough to be crowned a Top Grade Spiritual Root.

Out of thousands of trial participants, only Li Long, the Crown Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty, had achieved such a feat.

But the moment Chu Chen acted, the spiritual light not only shattered the one-hundred-Zhang barrier, it flooded the entire pillar. The towering jade turned a brilliant, blinding crimson, radiating light like a flawless ruby.

Swish!

Even though Chu Chen had already withdrawn his hand and stood calmly, the crimson light blazing within the pillar still...

Lingered, refusing to disperse.

It dyed half the sky blood-red.

Whoosh-

The Welcoming Elder, who had already turned to leave, whipped his head back around. His jaw went slack. Staring at the towering pillar of crimson light, his mind went completely blank.

It wasn't just the Welcoming Elder. Across the vast expanse of Red King Mountain, thousands of trial participants fell dead silent.

Eyes bulging and mouths agape, they stared fixedly at the crimson pillar piercing the heavens, their worldviews entirely shattered.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"A spiritual light reaching a hundred Zhang... that's simply impossible!"

"How can there be a trial participant with talent surpassing mine? I am the Crown Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty!"

...

The first to snap out of the shock was Li Long. He had firmly believed the title of champion for this Outer Sect Disciple trial was already in his grasp.

He was supposed to be the only one worthy of entering the Welcoming Elder's sights.

He was meant to steal the show on Red King Mountain, leaping over the dragon's gate to rise to absolute power.

He might have even earned the chance to meet Her Majesty the Empress in the future, bringing eternal glory to his lineage...

But just as his star was about to ascend, Chu Chen had swatted him out of the sky with a single backhand, stomping his face directly into the mud.

Stomping him over and over again.

Before Chu Chen, who radiated light like the blinding full moon, Li Long felt his own brilliance was no larger than a grain of rice. Forget competing for glory.

Just standing nearby meant he was completely eclipsed.

"Elder Luo, this... this Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar must be malfunctioning! Otherwise, it's impossible-"

Li Long desperately tried to slander Chu Chen, but before he could finish, the Welcoming Elder flicked his sleeve. A terrifying wave of spiritual power smashed into Li Long, sending him flying dozens of Zhang away.

"Scram!!"

Welcoming Elder Luo Tong swatted Li Long away like a bothersome fly. His eyes remained locked onto Chu Chen. After a brief moment of stunned silence, he suddenly threw his head back and roared with laughter:

"A Top Grade Fire Element Full Spiritual Root! A Top Grade Fire Element Full Spiritual Root!!"

"Ten years! A full ten years!"

"To think that I, Luo Tong, would one day welcome a genius with a Top Grade Fire Element Full Spiritual Root! Hahaha! The Red King Palace Master will surely reward me handsomely!"

"The Providence of my Divine Flame Imperial Palace is flourishing! Our blessings are boundless!!"

Channeling spiritual power into the Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar allowed one to judge a cultivator's talent based on the resulting light. Generally, a beam reaching over seventy Zhang was classified as a Top Grade Spiritual Root.

Those possessing a Top Grade Spiritual Root were one-in-ten-thousand cultivation geniuses. They could easily enter major Holy Lands and ancient cultivation families, receiving the full, undivided backing of their Sects.

But above the Top Grade Spiritual Root existed something far more mythical-the Top Grade Full Spiritual Root!

A beam of light reaching a hundred Zhang, completely illuminating the entire Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar-this was the absolute hallmark of a Top Grade Full Spiritual Root.

Because Top Grade Full Spiritual Roots were so exceedingly rare, ordinary cultivators knew nothing of them. However, as the Welcoming Elder in charge of the Outer Sect Disciple trial, Luo Tong was intimately familiar with the legend.

A cultivator with a Top Grade Full Spiritual Root, barring premature death, was guaranteed to break through to the Saint King realm.

In other words, by recruiting a cultivator with a Top Grade Full Spiritual Root, a Sect was essentially securing a future Saint King realm powerhouse to guard their foundations!

"Haha, let me see exactly what background this kid has!"

Manipulating his spiritual power, Welcoming Elder Luo Tong slowly descended from the sky onto the high platform, having completely thrown Li Long to the back of his mind.

"Kid, my name is Luo Tong. I am the Welcoming Elder of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace responsible for recruiting disciples. You..."

As Luo Tong spoke, Chu Chen did not even lift his head. His face was as placid as an ancient well, showing neither joy nor sorrow. Acting as if Luo Tong did not even exist, he simply continued with his own business.

"Kid, I am speaking to you! Did you hear me?!"

Luo Tong frowned. He was a dignified Saint-level cultivator and an Elder of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace. He held immense authority and terrifying strength. When had he ever been so blatantly ignored by a junior?

Even if the boy's talent was monstrous, possessing a once-in-a-millennium Top Grade Full Spiritual Root... wasn't this a bit too arrogant? To look down on everyone so brazenly?!

Luo Tong snorted coldly. He was just about to unleash his aura to intimidate Chu Chen when he suddenly saw something. His pupils shrank to pinpricks.

Whoosh-

This... this...

Could it be... could this kid...

Impossible!

Absolutely impossible!!

An utterly terrifying thought exploded in Luo Tong's mind. He, a dignified Saint-level powerhouse, suddenly felt his limbs go cold. Forget intimidating Chu Chen-he didn't even dare to breathe.

He could only watch as Chu Chen calmly walked over to the second Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar, slowly extending his hand to press against it...