Chapter 187: Low Aptitude

After a moment, Han Li and the other two walked out of the Linchuan Pavilion.

This great hall was situated atop a peak, at an extremely high elevation.

Nearby there was also a huge square, several times larger than the welcome square from before, paved with white jade that emitted dazzling light, with faint clouds floating above it.

Walking on it, the numerous mountains lay beneath their feet, high above, naturally giving a feeling of controlling everything.

Above the square, a majestic giant palace floated in midair, surrounded by swirling clouds that half-hid it, like a celestial city in the clouds.

On the golden plaque above the palace were written three vigorous golden characters: "Zhaoyao Hall."

"Zhaoyao Hall is where the sect tests the spiritual root aptitude of entry disciples. It is overseen by a Vice Dao Lord. Be careful with your words when you go in," Qi Liang instructed as he walked.

Upon hearing this, Han Li's eyelids twitched slightly.

As far as she knew, Candlestick Dao was different from ordinary sects; it had no sect leader, but was instead governed by thirteen Golden Immortal-level Dao Lords in rotation.

Below the Dao Lords were thirty-six Vice Dao Lords, each said to be a pinnacle figure at the True Immortal realm.

These Vice Dao Lords were not ordinary True Immortal realm cultivators; each was a true immortal who had mastered the power of laws, with boundless divine abilities, far beyond those scattered immortals outside.

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Qi," Han Li nodded, and Bai Suyuan also immediately agreed.

As they spoke, the three had already flown down to the open space before the gate of the floating giant hall.

The great hall's doors were tightly shut, with two young, handsome disciples standing on either side.

Seeing Qi Liang approach, the two young disciples quickly bowed.

"Is Vice Dao Lord Xiong inside?" Qi Liang asked.

"He is, but the Vice Dao Lord is in seclusion cultivating and has instructed us not to disturb him," one young disciple said with some difficulty.

Qi Liang frowned and said, "Did Vice Dao Lord Xiong say when he would finish?"

"He did not," the disciple replied.

Qi Liang's expression darkened slightly. After a moment's thought, he said, "Please trouble you two to announce me. Say I have an important matter to discuss."

The two disciples exchanged a look of difficulty, but one of them still took out a white token and whispered a few words.

A full quarter of an hour passed before a faint white light appeared on the token and flickered once.

"The Vice Dao Lord invites you in," the disciple said with relief, waving a hand to cast a spell, and the doors slowly opened.

"Let's go," Qi Liang said, leading the way into the hall.

The interior of the hall was extremely spacious, several hundred zhang in size, filled with azure mist. Dozens of green stone pillars stood around the hall, each with a carved beast statue coiled around it—divine dragons, azure phoenixes, white tigers, qilins, and so on.

The mouths of these beasts were all aimed at a dark azure stone platform in the center of the hall, like an altar.

The platform surface was over ten zhang in size, circular in shape, covered with extremely complex runes and countless speck-like patterns, appearing very profound.

At the far end of the hall was a white high platform, on which sat a short, stout man. He appeared to be around forty years old, with two thin mustaches on his upper lip. He wore not the white robe of Candlestick Dao, but a splendid golden robe and a golden hat, making him look like a wealthy merchant from the mortal world.

The stout man seemed somewhat sullen at having his cultivation interrupted.

"Greetings, Vice Dao Lord Xiong," Qi Liang bowed.

Han Li glanced at the stout man on the high platform, his pupils contracting slightly.

The man had an ordinary appearance and was short in stature, but sitting on the high platform, he seemed like a huge golden mountain towering in midair, emitting a powerful and extremely sharp aura, far surpassing Fang Pan and the octopus sea beast.

He inwardly marveled at the man's power, and together with Bai Suyuan, followed Qi Liang in bowing.

"Elder Qi, what urgent matter do you have that requires disturbing my secluded cultivation?" the stout man asked Qi Liang directly, without even glancing at Han Li and Bai Suyuan.

"I apologize for disturbing Vice Dao Lord Xiong's cultivation, but there is a reason. This Fellow Daoist Li holds our sect's Candlestick Token and wishes to join the sect, so I had to presumptuously trouble you," Qi Liang explained respectfully, with an apologetic tone.

"Oh, let me see the Candlestick Token," the stout man said, his expression softening slightly.

Han Li had already taken out the token. The stout man beckoned, and the token flew out of his hand and landed in the man's grasp.

"Hmm, it is indeed a genuine Candlestick Token," the stout man nodded, then looked up at Han Li. A faint light seemed to flash in his eyes, as if trying to discern the newcomer's background.

As the stout man's gaze fell upon him, Han Li felt a chill in his heart, and the skin all over his body seemed to be scraped by blades, stinging slightly.

Han Li merely frowned and said nothing.

"Since you hold the Candlestick Token, go ahead and step onto the Zhou Tian Immortal Platform to test your spiritual root aptitude," the stout man said, withdrawing his gaze and casually waving a hand to cast a spell.

Hum!

The dozens of stone pillars in the hall trembled slightly, emitting dazzling azure light. The carved spirit beasts on them glowed with flowing light, as if alive.

Suddenly, the mouths of these spirit beasts spouted streams of azure mist that merged into the circular stone platform at the center of the hall.

The runes on the platform all lit up, radiating brilliant light and forming a semi-transparent spherical light orb, with countless star-like points of light flickering within, appearing extremely mysterious.

"Fellow Daoist Li, please," Qi Liang looked at Han Li.

Han Li nodded and stepped onto the platform.

A vast, hot current suddenly rose from the platform and surged into his body.

Within the light orb, countless multicolored specks of light appeared, spinning rapidly, appearing chaotic.

Han Li's expression changed slightly; he felt that wherever the hot current flowed, his internal condition seemed exposed under sunlight.

As it passed near his mind, a part of the hot current suddenly opened up and surged into his sea of consciousness.

Startled, Han Li quickly shrank most of his vast divine sense power into a single point, retaining only ten to twenty percent.

The hot current circulated once in his sea of consciousness, then quickly withdrew, continuing to flow through his body, completing a full circuit before flowing back into the platform.

The spherical light shield on the platform dissipated, but the countless runes did not disappear; instead, they gathered together, forming a blurry human figure that emitted multicolored lights of green, black, blood, purple, and so on, but they were not bright and appeared quite chaotic.

Qi Liang looked at the blurry figure and frowned.

"Low aptitude, the cultivation techniques practiced before were mixed and impure. The qi and blood in the body are abundant, as if some demonic beast bloodline power has been absorbed, but it's also messy and unsystematic... Not a single immortal aperture has been opened. Being able to cultivate to the early True Immortal stage is already the limit," the stout man said disdainfully, without any concealment.

Hearing this, Qi Liang seemed somewhat surprised and took another look at Han Li. As for Bai Suyuan, a trace of astonishment also flickered in her beautiful eyes.

Han Li, however, touched his nose, showing no sign of disappointment at the stout man's words. He nodded at him and calmly turned and walked off the platform.

The light on the platform completely dissipated, returning to its previous calm.

The stout man moved as if to turn and leave.

"Vice Dao Lord Xiong, please wait a moment. This Bai Suyuan is a descendant of Elder Bai Fengyi and also wishes to join the sect. May I trouble you to test her spiritual root aptitude as well?" Qi Liang said.

A trace of impatience appeared on the stout man's face, but upon hearing the name Bai Fengyi, his expression shifted slightly.

"Hurry up!" He glanced at Bai Suyuan and waved his hand again to cast a spell.

Hum!

The stone pillars in the hall once again emitted dazzling azure light, and the large light orb reformed around the platform.

Bai Suyuan took a light breath and stepped onto the platform.

Within the light orb, countless runes appeared, but unlike Han Li's case, these runes were all silver-white, crystal clear.

Rumble!

The entire hall suddenly shook, and the beast statues on the stone pillars emitted roars, an immense and unusual fluctuation echoing within the hall.

"What's happening?" Qi Liang's expression changed, and Han Li was also startled.

Their gazes then turned to Bai Suyuan on the platform.

On the high platform, the stout man suddenly stood up, excitement appearing in his eyes.

The light orb on the platform quickly disappeared, and countless silver runes gathered together, forming a silver human figure.

The figure was pure silver-white, extremely bright, like the bright moon in the night sky.

What was even more peculiar was that at the chest of the figure, seven faintly visible points of light flickered intermittently.

"This... this is the legendary Moonlight Immortal Body, and with seven immortal apertures naturally awakened!" The figure blurred, and the stout man appeared on the platform, his face full of excitement.

Then, as if thinking of something, he immediately waved his hand to cast a spell.

All the light on the platform disappeared, revealing Bai Suyuan's figure, and the silver figure also dissipated.

"You are called Bai Suyuan? A descendant of Elder Bai Fengyi, with excellent aptitude indeed. Good, good," the stout man said warmly, with a kind attitude.

"Yes, Suyuan greets Vice Dao Lord Xiong." Bai Suyuan had been enveloped by a great force just now, cutting off her perception, so she was unaware of what had happened and was a bit confused.

But she was quick-witted and did not lose her composure.

"I see that your bone structure is not old. How many years have you cultivated up to now?" the stout man asked, his eyes showing even more satisfaction.

"Reporting to Vice Dao Lord Xiong, Suyuan began cultivation at the age of three, and it has been over fifty years now," Bai Suyuan hesitated for a moment, then said.

Hearing this, Han Li and Qi Liang below the platform both showed surprise, while the stout man nodded, as if he had already guessed.

With the Moonlight Immortal Body and seven immortal apertures naturally awakened, cultivating to the late Nascent Soul stage in fifty years was naturally nothing special.

With suitable techniques and proper nurturing, he was even confident that within a thousand years, Bai Suyuan could break through to the Mahayana stage and undergo tribulation to ascend to immortality.

With such exceptional aptitude, it was not impossible for her to advance to Golden Immortal in the future.