Chapter 1

"Why should I step down? This selection for the Wu Zong Pavilion is open to all ordinary disciples of the Qingyun Sect, including me, Qin Ming!" Qin Ming stood on the high platform, facing the beautiful and cold female elder in front of him. However, his insistence only earned him a cold look from the elder and scattered sneers from the crowd below.

"Don't make yourself look bad, step down." The female elder coldly commanded for the third time.

"I, Qin Ming, will take the first round of the test! Elder Chu Hua, please?" Qin Ming ignored everyone's gazes, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Stubborn fool!" The female elder snorted coldly, and with a wave of her hand, a powerful martial aura enveloped Qin Ming, as if a hundred-pound boulder had fallen from the sky, crashing heavily onto him.

Qin Ming grunted, stubbornly resisting, standing firm in the center of the platform. He glanced at the incense burner not far away; if he could hold on for half the time it takes for the incense to burn, he would pass the first round and then participate in the subsequent challenge to compete for one of the thirty spots in the Wu Zong Pavilion.

The female elder's expression remained unchanged as she increased her power, the released aura layering and stacking, and in a moment, it had reached three hundred pounds of pressure.

Qin Ming gritted his teeth, stubbornly resisting, still standing firm.

At this moment, the sneers from the crowd below gradually turned to surprise. He actually held on?

The female elder looked at Qin Ming coldly, her released aura growing stronger, as if boulders were continuously crashing onto him.

Three hundred pounds? Four hundred pounds? Five hundred pounds? Six hundred pounds...

Qin Ming stood firm, stubbornly enduring, his eyes fixed on the elder in front of him. But when the pressure reached eight hundred pounds, his body began to tremble, his eyes turned red, and a trickle of fresh blood seeped from the corners of his mouth.

"What is fate? This is your fate." The female elder's eyes were filled with disdain, ready to end this farce.

However...

"My fate is not for you to dictate." A bright red aura burst from within Qin Ming, stirring up the dust at his feet. His legs trembled, his body shook, and with the impact of the aura, arcs of lightning suddenly sparked all over his body.

"External manifestation of spirit energy?" The entire crowd was in an uproar, countless young men and women covering their mouths in shock.

"External manifestation of spirit energy, refining the spirit to enter the martial realm, he actually broke through to the Spirit Martial Realm?"

"Lightning? His spirit energy can actually condense into lightning?"

"Good boy, indeed a talent with astonishing potential!"

The elite disciples in the distance were moved, their eyes filled with astonishment. It was too incredible! But looking at the stubborn and persistent Qin Ming, they still shook their heads in regret. Why go through this? You know very well that you can't pass this test, and you shouldn't come here to humiliate yourself. This is your fate, your destiny.

The young men and women in the crowd shook their heads in secret. Today's test was open to all ordinary disciples of the Qingyun Sect, competing for spots in the Wu Zong Pavilion. It was a treasure trove of the Qingyun Sect, filled with numerous martial techniques, usually open only to elite disciples. But every six months, it would open to ordinary disciples, a rare opportunity for them, with thousands vying to enter.

Such a precious opportunity, everyone wanted to seize, how could they let it go to the son of a criminal?

Even though you are very excellent! You are more excellent than the majority!

But what can you do? You are the son of a criminal, you are here to suffer, not to train.

The female elder looked at Qin Ming, her eyes filled with regret but more with coldness: "One last time, will you give up?"

"Impossible! If I can hold on for half the time it takes for the incense to burn, I will pass the test! If I pass the test, I can enter the second stage." Qin Ming stubbornly endured the pressure she released, bright arcs of lightning dancing all over his body. He glanced at the incense burner in the center of the platform; it was almost time.

However...

The female elder's raised right hand suddenly clenched, a visible wave of aura burst forth, a massive pressure like a small mountain crashed onto Qin Ming.

"Spit!" Fresh blood spurted from between Qin Ming's teeth, and he fell heavily to the ground, his face flushed, his internal qi and blood surging.

"Fail!"

The female elder, standing high above, declared Qin Ming's fate.

"You..." Qin Ming lay on the ground, breathing heavily.

According to the test rules, the elder serving as the examiner needed to release an aura to suppress the challenger, usually about two-tenths of her aura, enough to test the challenger's potential and perseverance. The challenger only needed to hold on for half the time it takes for the incense to burn and perform well to pass. But just now, she definitely released seven or eight-tenths of her aura.

You, a Ground Martial Realm expert, bullying a Spirit Martial Realm disciple?

The cultivation path of martial techniques is divided into the Spirit Martial Realm, Mystic Martial Realm, Ground Martial Realm, Sacred Martial Realm, Heaven Martial Realm, Radiant Martial Realm, Immortal Martial Realm, and so on. Before entering the Spirit Martial Realm, one must undergo a long period of spirit refinement. Only after completing the refinement can one formally condense a spirit body and advance to the Spirit Martial Realm.

Each realm is vastly different, with a chasm that is difficult to cross. For children under fifteen, being able to hold on for half the time it takes for the incense to burn under two-tenths of a Ground Martial Realm expert's aura is already the limit. But the female elder deliberately attacked, clearly not giving Qin Ming any chance.

"Accept your fate, don't take what doesn't belong to you, and don't go where you shouldn't. Failing the first round means no chance in the second round. Go down, return to your warehouse, and do your servant's work." The female elder turned to leave.

Suddenly, the entire crowd burst into exclamations. Qin Ming leaped up, his tightly clenched right fist smashing towards the female elder: "Second round! Take this punch!"

To everyone's shock, all the arcs of lightning on his body converged on his fist, emitting a bright light, something a newly advanced Spirit Martial Realm disciple couldn't achieve.

Humph! The female elder suddenly turned, passing by Qin Ming, and struck his abdomen with her palm.

Qin Ming spat blood and flew backward, landing directly below the platform, tumbling several times before stopping.

"Is he at the second level of the Spirit Martial Realm?" Many judged Qin Ming's strength, able to condense his spirit energy to this degree, definitely not achievable at the first level. This boy is indeed a genius, reaching this level through his own efforts. At this moment, they even thought, if Qin Ming were not the son of a criminal, if he received serious cultivation from the Qingyun Sect, how strong would he be? Unfortunately, he was born to the wrong parents.

Qin Ming struggled to stand up, spitting another mouthful of blood, swaying, his abdomen burning with intense pain, as if a fire was raging inside.

The crowd around him dispersed, no one came forward to help, but a few unruly young men looked at Qin Ming with exaggerated expressions.

"Oh, oh, didn't Young Master Qin Ming just perform a dog-eat-dog show for us? Come on, everyone, clap, the performance was great."

"Look at you, daring to sneak attack an elder."

"Serve you right for being so arrogant and proud!"

"You were so arrogant and tough, weren't you? Now you can't even stand up. Need some help?"

"You're here as a hostage, obediently atone for your parents' sins, and for the sins of the twenty thousand people in Thunder City."

...

Qin Ming suddenly lifted his head, his red eyes sweeping over them.

Those few disciples shivered, immediately shutting up, their gazes drifting to the side. They had fought with Qin Ming many times, often ending up with bruised faces, leaving a shadow in their hearts.

The female elder walked down from the testing platform, facing Qin Ming, her cold voice matching her cold face: "Go back to the warehouse, do your servant's work. The Qingyun Sect will not cultivate you, and you will not participate in any more tests in the future."

Qin Ming paused for a moment, dusted off the dirt on his clothes, and actually smiled, a carefree smile, but the sight of his mouth full of blood was terrifying: "One day, I will earn my rightful place in the Qingyun Sect, not lower than yours. We'll see."

The woman patted Qin Ming's shoulder: "If you were really smart, you would recognize reality and diligently atone for your parents' sins."

Qin Ming shook off her hand and walked away. His current appearance, with blood all over his mouth, was very frightening. The crowd parted, not daring to block his path. But after a few steps, he encountered a few noble young men and women.

The leader was a handsome but arrogant young man named Zhao Lie, who had a high status among ordinary disciples and was the female elder's designated personal disciple. It wasn't because he was particularly outstanding, but because his older sister was already the elder's favorite disciple.

This year's Wu Zong Pavilion selection was overseen by this female elder, so Zhao Lie would definitely pass the test and enter the Wu Zong Pavilion.

"Isn't this our Young Master Qin Ming? You came to take the test too?"

Zhao Lie stood in front of Qin Ming, feigning concern, but his eyes were filled with mockery. He had been beaten by Qin Ming many times in the past, but from today, their fates would finally change. He would enter the Wu Zong Pavilion, receive powerful martial techniques, and become the elder's personal disciple, with an unlimited future. And you? Continue to be a servant in your warehouse.

Qin Ming ignored him and walked forward.

Zhao Lie stepped in front of him: "Young Master Qin Ming, are you in a bad mood? Why am I in such a good mood..."

Qin Ming suddenly turned, raising his hand to punch, his mouth full of blood, looking particularly ferocious.

Zhao Lie's face changed slightly, and in the presence of everyone, he nervously took two steps back.

But Qin Ming's raised hand only wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and he sneered contemptuously: "Personal disciple? Don't wet your pants, get out of the way."

The female elder saw this, her brows furrowing, clearly dissatisfied with Zhao Lie's performance.

Zhao Lie, of course, noticed her expression, his face flushed, almost chasing after Qin Ming to fight, but he was secretly held back by someone beside him. The test was important, with thousands watching, he would deal with Qin Ming later.

Zhao Lie watched Qin Ming's retreating back, feeling annoyed. This was a crucial moment for him to show himself, and he had just lost face. Hmph, Qin Ming, I'll deal with you later.

Qin Ming left the testing ground, heading towards the Qingyun Sect's warehouse.

On the way, people came and went, the Qingyun Sect's disciples chatting and laughing, relaxed and lively. Seeing his blood-stained, staggering figure, they were all used to it. Some ignored him, some felt sympathy, some shook their heads. Some mocked him from a distance, obediently do your servant's work, that's what a criminal should do, always causing trouble, it's a miracle you're still alive with your personality.

I wonder what your father was thinking when he named you Qin Ming? Haha, this is your fate!