I Can Add Points Infinitely - Chapter 8

The registration process continued for a full half-hour.

From a rough estimate, Shen Lian judged that around ten thousand disciples had successfully registered for the inner disciple selection.

Ten thousand disciples at the tenth layer of Body Refining—a testament to the immense foundation of the Azure Cloud Sect.

“Alright, disciples who have registered, prepare yourselves; the selection will begin shortly.”

At the front of the plaza, an elder in a purple robe ascended into the air, hovering above the crowd.

His voice, amplified by spiritual energy, echoed across the entire area, instantly quieting everyone.

The purple robe signified his status as an inner sect elder.

The outer sect stewards, previously seated at their tables, respectfully stepped aside to make room.

“Next, we will activate the selection array.”

A disciple couldn’t help but exclaim, his eyes filled with excitement.

The elder’s hands moved rapidly, forming a series of complex hand seals. As he pressed his hands downward, a vast surge of spiritual energy erupted from his body, enveloping the ground below.

The immense spiritual pressure forced many disciples to retreat, clearing a large space in the plaza.

“So this is the power of a Golden Core cultivator?”

Shen Lian, along with the others, moved back and stared at the elder in awe.

To become an inner sect elder, one had to at least reach the Golden Core stage.

Even from a distance, Shen Lian could sense the overwhelming intensity of the elder’s spiritual energy, knowing that with his current physical strength, he stood no chance against it.

Even a stray wisp of that energy could easily end his life.

And this was without the elder specifically targeting him—Shen Lian shuddered to think what would happen if he were the focus.

“Rise!”

The elder’s eyes widened, and he let out a low shout.

Boom!

It seemed as though the ground itself trembled.

Hidden beneath the stone slabs of the plaza, countless intricate golden runes suddenly lit up.

The selection array for inner disciples was built right within the plaza.

As the elder channeled his spiritual energy into the array, the runes grew brighter, until they were almost blinding.

Finally—

Bang!

With a dull thud, the array fully activated, stabilizing into place.

When the disciples looked again, the golden light had dimmed, allowing them to see clearly.

Countless rune marks rotated in the air, following a specific pattern, isolating the central area of the plaza.

From the outside, the inside could still be seen, but it was as if viewed through frosted glass, hazy and indistinct.

The elder wiped the sweat from his brow, clearly exerting himself to activate the array.

Descending lightly to the ground, he walked to the array’s edge and waved his hand, creating a large entrance within the rotating runes.

“All registered disciples, enter the array.”

The elder’s voice was stern.

The registered disciples, guided by the outer sect stewards, quickly entered the array.

Before long, everyone was inside, and the elder closed the array once more, sealing the disciples off from the outside world.

Seeing this, the outer sect disciples who weren’t qualified for the selection began to disperse.

The first round of the selection would take a month, and there was nothing more to see for now. Most had come just to witness the elder activate the array.

…

Inside the array, Shen Lian was completely cut off from the outside world.

He glanced around curiously.

Entering the array felt like stepping into another world.

The surroundings were unusually quiet, with no noise to disturb the peace.

The disciples inside were separated by the array, unable to communicate with each other.

The array was specially designed by the Azure Cloud Sect to create an ideal environment for disciples to focus on their cultivation during the selection.

It also served as a protective measure.

After observing for a while, Shen Lian sat down cross-legged. As he did, a flash of golden light appeared before him, revealing a phantom figure.

The figure resembled the inner sect elder they had just seen.

“Greetings, Elder,” Shen Lian immediately bowed.

The phantom didn’t respond.

In reality, the figure was merely a projection transmitted through the array, unable to hear the disciples.

Each disciple within the array saw the elder’s figure appear before them.

“The selection for inner disciples will now formally begin,” the elder announced after a brief pause.

“I will now teach you the Qi Gathering Technique. I will demonstrate and explain it three times. You must memorize it carefully.”

The elder closed his eyes briefly before opening them again, beginning his detailed explanation of the Qi Gathering Technique’s circulation paths and cultivation methods.

His explanation was meticulous and his tone steady.

Shen Lian listened intently, memorizing the technique after just one explanation.

However, the elder’s projection repeated the instructions three times before finally fading away.

With the disappearance of the projection, the real test began.

Shen Lian immediately sat down and recalled the Qi Gathering Technique.

He gradually calmed his mind, focusing on sensing the spiritual energy in the air.

Unnoticed, time slipped by.

Shen Lian suddenly opened his eyes and sensed his surroundings.

During that single meditation, three days had passed.

Despite his keen perception, enhanced by his transmigrated soul, Shen Lian could only sense and draw in spiritual energy. No matter how hard he tried, the energy refused to circulate effectively within his body.

Without completing the energy cycle, it couldn’t be stored in his dantian and ultimately dissipated back into the air.

“Sigh, this body’s aptitude is awful,” Shen Lian muttered in frustration.

After hesitating for a moment, he decided to hold off on using the Profound Spirit Pill, opting to continue his attempts.

He wanted to see just how poor this body’s aptitude could be.

And it didn’t disappoint.

It was no wonder the original owner had taken years to reach the third layer of Body Refining.

Even with Shen Lian’s enhanced comprehension, he spent over twenty days without successfully gathering Qi, never completing a single cycle of the technique.

“Damn it, I must be out of my mind, putting in all this effort,” Shen Lian sighed in defeat.

Having lost all hope in this body’s aptitude, he decisively took out the Profound Spirit Pill and swallowed it.

The pill dissolved instantly, turning into a warm current that surged into his dantian.

As the pill’s effects took hold, the spiritual energy within him grew steadily.

What began as a wisp soon formed into a cluster.

Shen Lian felt his abdomen swell slightly.

Fortunately, his body was exceptionally strong. His prior investments in the Body Tempering Technique had significantly bolstered his physique.

With just a bit of effort, he managed to suppress the surging spiritual energy.

“This thing actually poses a risk?” Shen Lian muttered instinctively.

Unbeknownst to him, the Profound Spirit Pill’s potent effects required the assistance of an expert during refinement for most Body Refining disciples.

Without guidance, the rapid expansion of spiritual energy could easily rupture the meridians, turning the user into a cripple.

Given the original owner’s limited knowledge, Shen Lian had no way of knowing this.

Fortunately, his previous investments in enhancing his body had inadvertently helped him safely navigate this dangerous moment.