What Bai Sui feared was that her talent was too good!

It would instead attract trouble.

Since she had decided to keep a low profile, should she always act low-key and retreat from the "limelight"?

After returning from the Tian household, Bai Sui kept thinking about this matter. To go or not to go?

In the end, a certain inclination in her heart gained the upper hand.

Go!

Why not go!

The Crimson Sun Sect only arranged testing once every ten years. Actually, calling it "testing" was less accurate than saying it was a "mass selection of disciples".

Life hurried by in a few decades; testing once every ten years was enough to cover the outstanding ones of each generation.

As the saying went, all the talents under heaven enter my trap. As the private preserve of the Crimson Sun Sect, it wasn't hard to imagine that children who displayed superior talent during the testing process had a considerable probability of receiving an "invitation" from the Crimson Sun Sect. For these children, joining the Crimson Sun Sect was nothing short of a matter of a chicken soaring to heaven—a great joy!

After all, the Crimson Sun Sect was the largest sect nearby. Leaning against a big tree made for good shade; with a powerful sect, both resources and safety were greatly assured.

So tomorrow's scene would be no small matter! At that time, not only would big shots from the Crimson Sun Sect come to oversee things, but it would also attract cultivators from ten villages and eight hamlets.

Whether to catch a glimpse of the big shots' elegance or to see if there was anything to trade, there was no reason for her not to go. Even if it was just to join the excitement, broadening her horizons would also be excellent.

As for whether to participate in the testing, that was secondary. The core was whether she was willing to be a free rogue cultivator or a sect disciple bound by sect rules.

In fact, after experiencing the upheaval of the South Dipper Sect two years ago, Bai Sui had formed some of her own understanding about joining a sect.

The Crimson Sun Sect was indeed the largest sect nearby, but as the old saying went, people can't be well for a thousand days, and flowers can't bloom for a hundred days. Sometimes, the more top-tier the sect, the more its internal complexity and infighting forced one to act against their own will.

Bai Sui didn't know this, so she didn't dare make hasty judgments. But one thing was certain: if she joined a sect, she would definitely be bound by sect rules.

As for the benefits of joining a large sect—resources, safety, or better guidance—these were naturally what Bai Sui lacked. In the past, she would have been very envious, but now with the blessing of the "attribute panel", wouldn't being free and alone also be a good path?

Alright, her true thought was that she could no longer hand her fate over to others to decide.

The existence of the attribute panel gave her a bit more confidence. Combined with the progress of cultivation in recent days, it also made her think more. It seemed that cultivating alone was also quite good, at least she didn't need to over-explain all the various unreasonable things about herself to others.

Since she had decided to go have a look at the scene tomorrow, Bai Sui was not going to cultivate tonight either. Cultivating every night kept her nerves tight; timely balance between work and rest was also necessary.

So, she lay comfortably on the bed, wrapped herself tightly in her little blanket, said goodnight to herself, turned off the lamp, and prepared to sleep.

* * *

The next day, she got up very early.

In front of the only mirror in the house, she gave herself a bit of grooming.

Face in the mirror, shadow under the moon, silhouette behind the curtain, just waking from sleep.

The final conclusion: she really was a budding beauty!

Although her features hadn't fully matured yet, based on her current foundation, it was foreseeable that she would be very beautiful in the future!

Sometimes, since it couldn't be changed, it was better to let nature take its course and accept it calmly.

Besides, being a beauty was still better than being an ugly woman.

On the matter of appearance alone, Bai Sui was quite satisfied.

She tied up her hair, changed into a clean set of clothes, and after everything was ready, Bai Sui went under the eaves, took out her "savings" from the hidden compartment, counted out several spirit stones, and then placed them all into the storage pouch that Aunt-Master Jiang had given her.

For safety, she put the storage pouch inside an ordinary small purse as camouflage. She then threaded the purse with a string, hung it around her neck, and hid it close to her body.

‘Done, time to go see the testing scene…’

After ensuring absolute security, she smiled slightly, opened the courtyard gate, and walked out.

* * *

At this moment, because Spirit Water Village had been chosen as the main venue for the "testing", the area near the village entrance had already become very lively.

On the originally spacious open ground, a wooden platform about two meters high had already been built. Around the platform, a dense crowd of people, shoulder to shoulder and jostling, gathered in a circle. They were villagers from ten villages and eight hamlets, who had brought their children here when the sky was still dim, the total number reaching several thousand.

For a small village like Spirit Water Village, which had a permanent population of only about six hundred, such a grand occasion could be called a once-in-a-decade event, truly spectacular.

In the cultivation world, almost everyone harbored a heart for cultivation. Even if they themselves couldn't cultivate, they hoped their children could! At the very least, they wanted to test their children's talent. If it really was impossible, they could then give up on this thought.

So naturally, no one was willing to miss the Crimson Sun Sect's testing.

After receiving a number card from the staff maintaining order, the parents couldn't resist giving a few reminders, then conscientiously retreated to the side, letting the children line up by themselves, waiting for the arrival of the seniors from the Crimson Sun Sect.

Many people meant business opportunities, so at first light, a mobile market had already formed spontaneously.

When Bai Sui arrived, she found that she couldn't squeeze into the crowd.

But her original intention wasn't to take the test, so she looked around and started strolling through the surroundings.

This testing had indeed attracted quite a few cultivators.

However, cultivators had their own dignity. They didn't compete for territory with the mortals; instead, they gathered in small groups of three or five in a valley on the outskirts of the village entrance, neatly forming another "community".

Unlike those ordinary people ahead, who were hoping their sons would become dragons and their daughters phoenixes, their side had a bit more leisure and jovial conversation.

Some set up stalls to sell, while others roamed around, searching for the resources they needed.

A simple temporary market stood in formation.

When they encountered familiar cultivators, they stopped to chat, asking about recent comings and goings, exchanging cultivation experiences.

However, the levels of the cultivators who came here were generally not high; they were basically all small fry at the second or third layer of Qi Refining. Of course, one could also see a few "experts" who had reached the fourth layer of Qi Refining.

Beyond that, there were none. After all, the "temporary market" here was small in scale. Cultivators who could reach the fourth layer of Qi Refining and above mostly had very picky tastes. For them, the scale of Jade Pool Market was larger; it had everything, so why come to this remote and backward place? To put it bluntly, they simply looked down on this place.

Only lower-level rogue cultivators were unwilling to miss any opportunity to improve themselves.

At this moment, several cultivators were gathered around a cultivator with a long beard who was at the fourth layer of Qi Refining, conversing.

"Senior Yao, I've heard that the person in charge of this testing, responsible for our testing site, is the Outer Sect General Manager of the Crimson Sun Sect, Senior Li Haichang. I wonder if that's true?"

A young cultivator, about thirty years old, asked the cultivator at the fourth layer of Qi Refining with curiosity.

The middle-aged cultivator addressed as Senior Yao seemed very satisfied with the young cultivator's form of address. He stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "Indeed. For this testing, I've heard the Crimson Sun Sect attaches great importance to it, sending out a total of several hundred teams led by 'Managers'. Since we're closest to Jade Pool Market, the one leading is the General Manager in charge of outer sect miscellaneous affairs, Senior Li Haichang!"

Pausing here, the middle-aged cultivator seemed to notice some puzzled expressions on the faces of a few cultivators, and added with a smile, "The Crimson Sun Sect is the largest sect in our region. Its internal branches are also extremely complex, divided into Nine Peaks, Six Palaces, and Four Halls! The outer sect is divided into Nine Peaks, the inner sect into Six Palaces, and the core has Four Halls. Every Peak Master, Palace Master, and Steward of the Four Halls is a super expert!

And this Senior Li Haichang is a senior of the inner sect. He is usually responsible for all miscellaneous affairs of the outer sect, specifically communicating with the Nine Peak Masters and playing a coordinating role in the middle. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the Grand Steward."

The crowd couldn't help but buzz with astonishment. This Senior Li managed all the miscellaneous affairs of the entire outer sect of the Crimson Sun Sect! How great his authority and perks must be.

"From what I know, Senior Li Haichang is an expert at the Late Fusion Stage (peak foundation establishment), just one step away from Core Formation! The fact that he leads the team for our testing site shows that they indeed attach great importance to our area!"

Another cultivator seemed to know something, directly pointing out Li Haichang's realm.

This again drew exclamations from everyone.

"Late Fusion Stage!!"

"Spiritual Rotation, Opening Light, Fusion—this Senior Li is actually an expert at the Late Fusion Stage!"

"Just one step away from Core Formation!!"

"No wonder he can manage all the miscellaneous affairs of such a huge outer sect!"

"So he's a great power at the Late Fusion Stage!"

"If only we could receive guidance from Senior Li!"

Everyone couldn't help but cast envious looks.

Contrast with Senior Li, Late Fusion Stage!

Look at themselves, Qi Refining Second Layer!

The gap in between was like comparing a firefly's light to the bright moon, not just an ordinary difference.

Even the middle-aged cultivator surnamed Yao from earlier looked at that cultivator with some surprise: "How do you know so clearly?"

That cultivator smiled shyly: "My humble family once provided a medicinal herb to the Crimson Sun Sect, and I had the honor of meeting Senior Li once."

Wow!!

He had actually come into close contact with him!

He totally showed off!

"Fellow Daoist, you hide your true depths well!"

"Fellow Daoist, a pleasure, a pleasure!"

"I never expected Fellow Daoist to have such an opportunity!"

"I wish I could take your place."

"You flatter me, you flatter me…"

…

Next, the cultivators present began a mode of "mutual commercial flattery" aimed at the young cultivator. Everyone exchanged with each other, continuously recounting widely known news of the cultivation world, sharing bits of open information with each other as if they were secret legends.

All were weaklings, laughing as they treated chicken feathers as blue steel blades.

Amidst the jesting, you and I both had bright futures; the true essence of cultivation seemed to have been sublimated.

None of them noticed that, just as they were exchanging with overflowing passion, a little head wobbled its way to them, craned its neck, tilted its ear, and was listening to their conversation with rapt attention.