The testing continued.
One by one, the remaining children stepped forward. Some still held onto hope, but most left with disappointed faces. No light. No runes. No physique.
The stone returned to silence again… until—
Yun Qingyue walked forward.
The moment she stepped up, the atmosphere subtly changed. Her red hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her crimson eyes were calm—cold, even.
She didn't waste time. Her finger wrapped around the ceremonial dagger, and she made a clean cut across her palm. A drop of blood sizzled against the testing stone as she placed her hand down.
BOOOOM!
Another dazzling brilliance exploded into the sky—this time, a gentle yet radiant pink-gold hue, laced with elegant lotus patterns and swirling phoenix feathers.
From her body, feminine runic lights surged outward like flowing silk. Symbols resembling ancient yin blossoms and burning phoenix sigils danced along her arms and face.
Up in the sky, a massive celestial phoenix screamed into existence, spreading its wings wide as a full moon rose behind it. Lotus petals showered down across the testing ground.
Someone gasped.
"The... Empyrean Phoenix Vein Constitution!!"
Ranked 17th among all known physiques —this was a constitution suited almost entirely for women. Elegant, terrifying, and incredibly rare.
Those who awakened this constitution could manipulate spiritual flames and yin essence to a terrifying degree, and every stage of cultivation would refine their blood, beauty, and bones into near-perfection. It even boosted soul cultivation and natural charm, making them walking disasters for the hearts of men—and nightmares for their enemies.
It was a sacred constitution once possessed by a mythic empress 80,000 years ago.
In the clouds above, Yun Daorong, the patriarch of the Yun Clan, burst into loud laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!! So what if your brat has divine roots, Daoxuan?! My little girl has a Mythic Origin Root and the Empyrean Phoenix Vein! If your kid doesn't awaken a good constitution, he won't be able to surpass my girl HAHAHA"
Down below, Chen Daoxuan just gave the man a sideways glance... and ignored him completely.
Same old Daorong.
The other elders exchanged amazed looks.
"What a generation. First a divine root, then a beast path physique, now this phoenix girl... it's absurd!"
More children stepped up after Qingyue, but the stone remained quiet. No more light. No more roars.
Eventually, only three remained.
The whole sect turned to look.
Chen Chao. Feng Yumo. Zhao Wuqing.
Among them, Zhao Wuqing walked out first.
He looked at Chen Chao for a moment. There was a flicker of something complicated in his eyes—shock, doubt, competitiveness—but he hid it with a confident smirk.
"Even if you have divine roots... I have something better," he muttered to himself.
He'd been told since he could walk that he was born with a top 10 physique. His grandfather—the Supreme Elder himself—had spared no expense to confirm it. He didn't know the details, but if there was one thing he trusted without question, it was his grandfather's words.
He reached the stone.
Cut his palm.
Placed his hand.
And then—
ROOOOOOAAARRRR!!!
The heavens split.
A dragon's roar echoed through the skies as if a slumbering ancient had just awoken.
Golden runes in the shape of dragon scales surged across Zhao Wuqing's body. His eyes glowed with a violent draconic luster. His veins pulsed like they carried molten gold.
Above, celestial dragons tore through the sky, circling like heavenly guardians. Their roars shook the sect mountains, and even the clouds parted from their pressure.
"T-The Draconic Marrow Constitution?!"
"Ranked 9th… my heavens, a top 10!"
Gasps and shouts broke out among the elders.
The Supreme Elder, hovering high above, had a rare smile on his usually cold face. His gaze was proud, relieved, and a little arrogant.
'Good… good. The sectarian faction finally has someone worthy. Perhaps this generation's sect master… won't come from one of the three clans after all.'
Wuqing withdrew his hand and stepped down with pride, chin raised, gaze sharp. He didn't say anything, but his look said it all.
'I am the dragon of this generation.'
The elders began murmuring excitedly.
"A divine root… the 9th and 13th physiques... and now the 17th too? What kind of monstrous batch is this?"
"Hahaha! I wonder what kind of physique the Sect Master's son will have... if he has none, he might actually fall behind!"
Down on the platform, Chen Chao stood still, face unreadable.
Beside him, Yumo grinned and stretched his arms. "Heh, looks like it's our turn."
Chen Chao gave a faint smile in return.
Soon, the final reveal would begin.