The grand plaza in front of Heavenly Cloud Sect was packed with thousands of young cultivators from various clans and cities. Colorful banners fluttered in the wind, and the air hummed with spiritual energy and nervous excitement.
Today was the annual outer disciple recruitment test — the chance for anyone under twenty to enter one of the most prestigious sects in the region.
Liu Tian arrived wearing simple but neat black robes, Crimson Fang strapped to his back. His cultivation was now firmly at Qi Condensation Stage 4, and the Seduction Aura pulsed quietly beneath his skin like a hidden weapon.
The moment he stepped into the waiting area, mocking laughter erupted around him.
"Look who decided to show up!"
"Isn't that Liu Tian? The famous waste of the Liu Clan!"
"Heard he got publicly dumped by Feng Lan and now he's trying to run away to a sect. Pathetic!"
"Still stuck at the second layer, right? He'll be eliminated in the first round."
A group of arrogant young masters from rival families pointed at him and laughed loudly. Some female applicants covered their mouths, giggling.
Liu Tian ignored them completely. His expression remained calm and cold. The old him would have lowered his head in shame. The new him only felt dark amusement.
A loud bell rang, and the test began.
First stage: Spirit Root Assessment.
One by one, applicants placed their hands on a large glowing crystal. Bright colors indicated talent — gold for high-grade, silver for medium, gray for trash.
When it was Liu Tian's turn, the crowd sneered louder.
"This should be funny."
He placed his palm on the crystal.
The orb lit up with a steady silver light, then suddenly surged and turned into a bright silver-white with faint golden flecks.
The examiner's eyes widened.
"Silver-white root with latent gold potential… Qi Condensation Stage 4! Pass!"
Dead silence fell over the area.
The same people who had been mocking him moments ago now stared with shock and disbelief.
"Stage 4? Wasn't he supposed to be trash?"
"He jumped so many levels overnight?"
"How is that possible?"
Liu Tian withdrew his hand with a faint smile and walked past the stunned crowd. The first face-slap of the day landed perfectly.
Second stage: Combat Test.
Applicants were paired randomly to fight on raised platforms. Liu Tian was matched against a burly young man at Qi Condensation Stage 3 from a small clan.
The opponent laughed arrogantly.
"Waste of the Liu Clan? I'll finish you in three moves!"
He charged with a heavy fist technique.
Liu Tian moved like lightning. He dodged effortlessly, then countered with a single palm strike infused with his dense qi. The opponent flew off the platform and crashed into the barrier, spitting blood.
One move.
The entire plaza erupted in stunned murmurs.
"Impossible…"
"He's actually strong now!"
The examiner announced loudly, "Liu Tian — Pass!"
Dopamine surged through Liu Tian's veins. For the first time, the world was watching the "clan waste" succeed in front of everyone. The feeling of rising from the bottom was intoxicating.
As he waited for the final results, his eyes landed on a beautiful female applicant standing not far away. She was tall and elegant, with long flowing hair and a cold but attractive face. She wore expensive robes and carried a delicate sword — clearly from a powerful background.
Her name tag read: "Lin Xue'er — Stage 5"
She noticed him staring and sneered.
"What are you looking at, trash? Even if you somehow passed the first two stages, you'll never make it into Heavenly Cloud Sect with your pathetic reputation."
Liu Tian activated Seduction Aura at a very light level, directing it straight at her.
Lin Xue'er's arrogant expression faltered instantly. Her cheeks flushed pink. She shifted uncomfortably, pressing her thighs together as a sudden wave of heat spread through her body. Her nipples visibly hardened under her robes, and her breathing became slightly ragged.
She glared at him with a mix of confusion and anger, but couldn't bring herself to insult him again. Instead, she turned away quickly, biting her lip.
The system chuckled darkly.
[Nice warm-up, Tiny. Even a random proud girl gets affected. Just imagine what will happen when you hit Feng Lan with full power.]
The final announcement came.
"Liu Tian of the Liu Clan — Triple Pass! Accepted as Outer Disciple of Heavenly Cloud Sect!"
Cheers and shocked whispers spread through the crowd. Many who had mocked him earlier now looked at him with newfound respect and fear.
Liu Tian felt another powerful rush of satisfaction. In one day, he had washed away part of his "waste" reputation in public.
As he received his new disciple token and entered the sect gates, a cold, arrogant voice sounded from the side.
"So you're the one who caused a small commotion outside."
Liu Tian turned.
A breathtaking young woman stood there, arms crossed, looking at him with clear disdain. She had long jet-black hair tied in a high ponytail, sharp phoenix eyes, and a slender yet powerful body clad in pure white sect robes embroidered with golden sword patterns. Her aura was sharp and domineering — clearly at least Qi Condensation Stage 7 or higher.
Her name floated above her head in faint golden letters:
Mu Qing — Inner Disciple, Proud Sword Beauty
She looked him up and down like he was an insect.
"I heard you were the famous trash who got rejected by Feng Lan. Interesting that a bug like you managed to enter our Heavenly Cloud Sect. Don't get cocky just because you passed the test. Here, strength is everything. If you embarrass the sect, I will personally crush you."
Mu Qing turned and walked away, her long ponytail swinging like a whip, leaving behind a faint scent of cold plum blossoms.
Liu Tian watched her departing figure, his eyes narrowing with dark interest.
Another proud beauty.
Another target.
The system's voice rang with wicked amusement.
[Oh? Fresh meat already. Mu Qing — Extreme pride, sword genius, and virgin. Her ass is probably worth ×5 or more. Welcome to Heavenly Cloud Sect, Anal Tyrant. The real game has just begun.]
Liu Tian gripped his disciple token tightly, a dangerous smile forming on his lips.
He had taken the first step into a much larger world.
And he was going to dominate it.