(MC's POV)

"I must say, the youngsters taking the trial this year have exceeded this old one's expectation."

Peak Master A said so with a tinge of smile on his face as he gazed at the crystal which was currently broadcasting the trial.

"Indeed. Especially the villager with the lightning root and the kid from Quan Clan have given this old one a pleasant surprise."

Peak Master B added on while maintaining his looks like a (fake) Confucian.

"Not only talent, but they also have the necessary firmness to strive for excellence. They are bound to become dragons in the future."

Peak Master Lin Fen laughed joyfully along with other peak masters to show his satisfaction regarding the participants participating in the trial this year.

In response, I, as well as all the other elders simply kept our business smiles and 'joyfully' agreed with our superiors.

After all, our paychecks (resources) depends upon our superiors.

Hence, they are always right.

Even if they speak stupid stuff like 'firmness to strive for excellence' when all of us can hear the (un)holy sermon coming out of the crystal, they are right.

Even if they include chuuni lines like 'this old one' in their sentence which causes all of us to cringe, they are right.

Even if they alienate all the five female peak masters on the room by pacing the conversation at their own pace, they are right.

.. Scratch that.

Female peak master Xia Qingle seems to be on the verge of exploding.

They are not right.

Thankfully, Peak Master B managed to defuse the situation before it was too late by proceeding the conversation on a more neutral ground.

"Still, it seems like the kid in rags is more interesting than I expected. The brat managed to persist till the end despite his potential."

His words managed to shift the attention of the peak masters towards the crystal.

Displayed on the screen was a scarred face filled with firmness.

Seeing the resolute expression on the figure's small stature caused peak master Xia Qingle's heart to soften.

Sighing slightly, she commented melancholily.

"A pity."

None of the elders nor peak masters said anything more.

It was indeed a shame.

Despite whatever performance the ragged figure displayed in the walking trial, it was useless.

Since, the so-called disciple selection was nothing more than a sham in the first place.

.....

(Third person POV)

The daylight of the sun lost its grandeur and soft sliver light of the moon replaced it instead.

With the soft touch of moonlight on the peak of the mountain, the trial finally came to an end.

However, accompanying the end of the trial were not only the cheers of the entrants who passed the trial but also their remorse over losing something important.

Most of them had a feeling that this trial would probably occupy a special place in their dark history. (/□＼*)?

Yet, they could not afford to dwell too much in this matter.

This was because they clearly knew that the trial was not the end. In fact, it was only the beginning.

Their cultivation root would determine whether they would succeed in the path of cultivation or not.

Gazing at the changing expressions of the entrants with a nod of satisfaction, one of the ten examiners hovering atop a flying sword congratulated them.

"Congratulations on passing the first two phases of the trial (one of which was hidden) which gauged your talent and resolution."

"Your actions today have made you sufficiently worthy of my respect."

"The final trial will simply check your spirit roots. Please proceed towards the platform."

Knowing that this would be the last obstacle they would face before they could start cultivating, the young entrants were quite elated.

Pacing their strained bodies with great effort, they made their way towards the large platform before them.

Unlike smaller sects, Immortal Divinity Sect used the platform to conduct mass inspection of their spirit roots.

While attribute of roots was hidden from public due to fear of them being used by rival sects and devil cultivators, the platform displayed the quality of spirit roots within the entrants based on the intensity of light shining over them.

After which, the entrants were given the opportunity to select their master among those who were interested in them.

When they formally begun cultivating, their specific roots would then be revealed by their master.

Of course, even if their master did not do so, the attributes of the roots would reveal automatically when one formally started cultivating.

Hence, all of these actions were nothing more than a sort of formality.

....

(Random POV)

Standing atop the platform, the girl silently waited for the light to fall over her.

She did not hope for a bright light because she did not think that she deserved it.

All the girl desired was a small ray of light.

A small light to give her the hope she had stopped believing.

One by one, her surroundings started to be engulfed by several lights of various intensity.

The villager and the rich young master who arrived before her got a beam of light which seemed to pierce the heavens.

The burly man and the masked girl got a slightly dimmer ray of light which shone brightly.

Others had light fall atop them as well.

Some shone brighter, some shone dimmer.

However, it never failed to shine.

She waited and waited.

Yet, the light never fell upon her as if it shunned her.

When she had once again given up hoping, he came instead.

He grasped her hand and brought her away from the lightless world.

He gave her a new home.

He gave her a new hope.

He gave her a new light to follow.

He became her master.