Chapter 166: Not Yet Sixteen

As the commander of the Storm and Cloud Guard, Hua Beiqian truly commanded Luo Tian’s admiration.

With just a single touch of that earthy-yellow giant sword, Luo Tian could instantly perceive the myriad mysteries contained within it.

The formidable, coiled power restrained yet ready to erupt, the faint, vibrating ripple sensation, and the unyielding, indestructible aura transmitted to him from the giant sword itself...

The True Meaning of Control! The True Meaning of Incarnation! The True Meaning of Power! The True Meaning of Vibration! The True Meaning of Fossilization!

This seemingly unremarkable Hua Beiqian had actually mastered five different earth-type True Meanings, and all of them had reached the stage of minor accomplishment.

Had Luo Tian witnessed his initial arrival, he surely would have guessed that Hua Beiqian had already vaguely touched the threshold of the True Meaning of Earth-Escaping. Perhaps just one step away, he could truly reach the elementary level and comprehend it.

Such innate talent...

Was it really all that far behind his own?

Luo Tian blinked a few times, well aware that Hua Beiqian was undoubtedly a formidable figure.

Meanwhile, Hua Beiqian was likewise struggling to conceal the profound astonishment in his heart.

Setting aside the Fiery Blaze True Meaning, along with the Control True Meaning and Incarnation True Meaning Luo Tian had just comprehended, there were also the True Meaning of Destruction and the True Meaning of Explosion...

Such a talent, if properly nurtured, might genuinely possess the potential to enter a major sect. The Five Elements Sect was certainly out of the question, but there was a minuscule possibility he could enter some secondary-tier sect, such as the Sky Fire Palace or the like.

The most likely destination, however, would be those lowest-tier sects like the Heavenly Sword Sect, the South Bright Sect, or the Divine Light Sect. Yet even so, it would undoubtedly be a magnificent avenue toward the heavens that countless people yearned for.

He must be nurtured...

He must be cultivated with the utmost care!

Right, there was another crucial question!

"Luo Tian, how old are you this year?"

Hua Beiqian asked in a deep voice.

"Not yet sixteen!"

Luo Tian replied swiftly. Though he was unaware of Hua Beiqian’s motive, there was no need to conceal such a fact.

Not yet sixteen?

A trace of slight disappointment flickered in Hua Beiqian’s heart. If he could have been just a few years younger...

Immediately afterward, he gave a self-deprecating shake of his head. Even though Luo Tian was already sixteen, chronologically speaking, it would be impossible for him to reach the late stage of the Meridian Flow Realm before turning eighteen. However, during the imperial selection, catching the eye of the imperial family was still a distinct possibility.

As long as he could secure a position as a personal guard to some imperial prince, the Storm and Cloud Guard would have rendered a meritorious service of the highest order.

And if he could serve closely at the Emperor's beck and call, it would truly be a soaring ascent. As his discoverer, he himself would undoubtedly reap boundless benefits.

Watching Hua Beiqian’s expression shift several times, Luo Tian felt a momentary wave of doubt, but then his thoughts stirred slightly, and he chose not to press further with questions.

Presumably, Hua Beiqian merely wanted to ascertain whether he had any chance of being selected by a major sect?

Yet, judging by his demeanor, he probably did not harbor much hope for him.

Luo Tian could not help but shake his head inwardly. He possessed the Primordial Transforming True Fiang Fire. The energy contained within it was not only sufficient to propel him to the late stage of the Meridian Flow Realm at the fastest possible speed, but the time required would also be exceedingly brief.

He would certainly not be absent from the grand event where the Five Elements Alliance recruited new disciples.

The late stage of the Meridian Flow Realm before the age of eighteen...

There was no problem at all!

Luo Tian was brimming with confidence.

"Very good, very good! This batch of youngsters is truly exceptional!"

Hua Beiqian nodded slightly and said to Ling Qinghe, "Commander Ling, I'll have to trouble you to lead them to report for duty!"

"Understood, Commander!"

Ling Qinghe raised no objections whatsoever and readily accepted the command.

Jiang Zihe glared resentfully at Luo Tian, the stifled frustration in his heart beyond description. Hua Beiqian had only looked at Luo Tian alone, yet he had remarked that this entire batch of youngsters was exceptional—wasn't that a thinly veiled compliment solely directed at Luo Tian?

As for the rest of them, they were merely included along for the ride... completely incidental!

Clenching his fists so tightly that they turned white, Jiang Zihe trembled with rage. Aside from keeping his mouth shut in front of the direct descendants of the Jiang family, when had he ever suffered such utter indignity anywhere else?

"Very well, follow me, all of you. The rules of the Storm and Cloud Guard are few, and duties are light, but if any of you treat this place like a vacation resort, you'd better clear out sooner rather than later!"

Seeing Hua Beiqian's attitude, which clearly showed an extraordinary level of favor toward Luo Tian, Ling Qinghe naturally felt extremely disgruntled as well. Consequently, a trace of suppressed anger unconsciously bled into his tone.

This time, they headed back in the direction of the region where they had first entered the encampment.

Leaving just like that?

Lu Dong was currently standing at the edge of the sparring grounds, watching Luo Tian and the others depart in the wake of Ling Qinghe. He felt an urge to catch up, but after a moment of reflection, he ultimately shook his head. There was no pressing need to rush just yet.

After retrieving a dozen or so tokens from a small room by the doorway of the armory, Ling Qinghe casually tossed one to each person: "Drop your blood into the groove, and it will be considered bound to you. Once the blood-bonding is successful, only when you circulate your elemental energy into it will the token emit a faint glow; this serves as a means of identity verification. Your accumulated contribution points will also be stored within it. If you wish to transfer points to someone else, simply hold the tokens together while mentally focusing on the desired amount!"

It was evident that Ling Qinghe had little desire to waste time; he rattled off the instructions without a single pause.

Fortunately, everyone present consisted of Meridian Flow Realm cultivators. Had they been ordinary mortals, they would have undoubtedly needed to stand still and ponder the mechanics for quite a while.

"The contribution point rewards distributed this time according to your rankings are also stored inside: three thousand for Luo Tian, two thousand for Jiang Zihe, fifteen hundred for Jin Xishan, and one thousand for the rest."

Ling Qinghe’s expression grew even darker. "As for your accommodations, you will head to the residential quarters shortly, where someone will make arrangements according to your needs. Always remember, your performance during the evaluation amounts to nothing! Once the training period is over, that is when true strength is put to the test!"

"Commander Ling, what is a training period?"

A disciple from a major sect chimed in to ask.

"Tonight, you will find your lodgings as quickly as possible and get a thorough rest. Because starting tomorrow, you will undergo the most rigorous training. The moment anyone cannot endure it or quits midway, they will likewise be expelled from the Storm and Cloud Guard!"

Ling Qinghe explained with a stern face. "Under normal circumstances, the training period lasts for one month. However, those who perform exceptionally well may finish early. As for those who perform poorly, they will continue training until they meet the passing standard!"

Noticing that the faces of several individuals were already twisting in bitter dismay, Ling Qinghe sneered dismissively, "These are the rules, and they cannot be altered! All newcomers, as well as members currently at the Red Light Transformation of the Meridian Flow Realm, must undergo training. Do not assume that those at the Orange Light or Yellow Light Transformations can rest easy; if you fail the final review, you will continue training!"

Luo Tian suddenly recalled the members of the Storm and Cloud Guard he had encountered on the Black Stone Road in Ten Winds City that day. It seemed those individuals must have been members who remained stuck at the Red Light Transformation of the Meridian Flow Realm.

He just wondered what the training regimen entailed, so he could mentally prepare in advance.

"After the training, squad assignments will be determined based on the respective scores of those who pass. Teams with higher rankings will be assigned more missions and receive more bountiful rewards. As for those at the very bottom... I need say no more; you can ponder that yourselves."

Ling Qinghe leaned forward slightly, gazing at the youths before him, whose excitement was laced with anticipation: "You must display your absolute best mental state, or else you will endure a great deal of hardship!"