Chapter 2 The Second Test Examined the innate talents of everyone. One simply needed to enter the formation, draw in the special spiritual energy of heaven and earth within it, and circulate it according to a specific method to reveal their talent!
Tongtian looked at Duobao in surprise, not expecting the boy to have such a peculiar idea!
Di Jun observed the operation of the second formation and remarked, "Sect Leader Tongtian has taken a good disciple!"
Tongtian immediately chuckled and replied, "Not at all, not at all. The child is just messing around."
Tongtian appeared nonchalant, but the smile in his eyes could not be concealed!
Yuanshi, seeing Tongtian's smile stretching almost to his ears, pouted in displeasure!
The second formation was too simple, yet it eliminated quite a few people. Talent was innate, and there was nothing the others could do but lament their lack of it!
The third formation tested everyone's comprehension!
Duobao had placed the method to exit the formation at the formation's eye. As long as one could comprehend the formation's operating principle and channel their spiritual energy into the eye to circulate it once, the formation would guide them out!
Kong Xuan, who had been leading all along, was actually overtaken by a chubby boy in this round!
Tongtian looked at the chubby boy and happily said, "This child has a connection with the Way of Formations!"
Di Jun also commented, "He is indeed quite suitable for cultivating the Way of Formations!"
The fourth formation was an illusion formation, testing everyone's state of mind!
Those with firm Dao hearts found this round a breeze, remaining completely unaffected!
However, those with a penchant for slaughter became engrossed in the pleasure of killing, unable to extricate themselves!
Many were eliminated in this round!
Taishang looked at those affected by the illusion formation and frowned. These individuals could not be allowed to enter the Dao Sect, lest they tarnish its reputation!
After being surpassed in the third formation, Kong Xuan reclaimed his position as the top contender in the fourth formation and continued to be first in the fifth, sixth, and all subsequent formations until the very last one.
Kong Xuan was also the first to arrive at the foot of Mount Taiqing. Shortly after his emergence, others gradually came out of the formations!
Once the 5000th person emerged from the formations, Tongtian waved his hand, dismantling all the formations. Qi Chen then announced, "The selection has concluded!"
Those still within the formations were unaware of what had happened until they heard Qi Chen declare the end of the trials.
Everyone looked enviously at the 5000 people who had passed the test!
With a flick of his horsetail whisk, Taishang teleported the successful candidates to the front of the Taiqing Palace. Taishang then instructed Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao to summon Xuandu, Zhenwu, and the ten disciples accepted by Yuanshi.
While Taishang and Yuanshi were observing the successful candidates, Tongtian stood up and declared, "From now on, you are all my disciples of Shangqing Tongtian!"
Taishang and Yuanshi twitched their mouths. Did this third brother have a disciple-gathering complex?
Taishang inwardly grumbled, "He wouldn't dare to wholesale disciples like this!"
Upon hearing Tongtian's words, the 5000 people were overjoyed. It didn't matter who they bowed to as long as it was a Saint. Since the Three Pure Ones were one entity, they immediately prostrated themselves, exclaiming, "Greetings, Master..."
Before they could finish, Yuanshi raised his hand and sealed their mouths, preventing them from completing their words. Simultaneously, the candidates found themselves unable to kneel.
Seeing this, Tongtian immediately said, "Second Brother, we agreed that I would choose first!"
Yuanshi was almost driven to distraction by Tongtian's actions and replied, "I said you could choose first, not that you could choose them all!"
Tongtian ignored Yuanshi and declared, "I don't care, they are all mine!"
The crowd exchanged glances. They couldn't afford to offend either of them, so what could they do?
Yuanshi knew Tongtian intended to renege and turned to Taishang, saying, "Big Brother!"
Seeing Yuanshi look at him, Taishang knew he had to intervene. It didn't matter if Tongtian took them all, as they had already passed the selection and wouldn't cause internal strife!
Taishang stated, "Third Brother, let your Second Brother take one or two more."
Tongtian's eyes lit up, and he replied, "Alright!"
Yuanshi hadn't had time to breathe a sigh of relief before Tongtian added, "Then let Second Brother choose one or two."
Taishang nearly fainted. When Laozi said one or two, it was a general statement, not literally one or two!
Tongtian paid no mind and said, "Second Brother, you choose! One or two, no more!"
Yuanshi pressed his hand to his forehead. If not for everyone watching, he would have dragged this brat to a secluded spot and disciplined him! He would have shown him who the elder brother was!
Taishang also didn't understand why Tongtian was so eager to take disciples. If not for the establishment of their Dao Sect, how many monstrous beings would this brat have under him!
Taishang could do nothing but pretend not to see Yuanshi's glare.
Helpless, Yuanshi chose a jade essence that had taken human form and a yellow dragon to join his disciples, naming them Yu Ding and Huang Long.
Yuanshi wanted to accept a few more disciples, but Tongtian glared at him intently, guarding his treasures as if afraid Yuanshi would snatch them away!
After Yuanshi chose Yu Ding and Huang Long, Tongtian immediately declared, "Alright! Alright! It's full now, the rest are mine!"
The crowd looked at Tongtian and Yuanshi, wanting to laugh but not daring to, with question marks popping above their heads. Were Saints all like this?
Taishang pressed his hand to his forehead, wishing he could say he didn't know this troublemaker! This prodigal son was shaming the reputation of Saints!
He hadn't even been this enthusiastic when encountering a primordial supreme treasure!
After Yuanshi accepted Yu Ding and Huang Long, Tongtian immediately had the remaining individuals pledge allegiance to him, looking as if he feared Yuanshi would snatch them away.
When Qi Chen summoned Xuandu and the others, Yuanshi handed Taishang a spiritual treasure he had refined from the Book of Life and Death.
After Taishang carved the words "Roster" onto it, he glanced at the dense crowd before Tongtian, rolled his eyes, and quietly reserved two pages for himself and Yuanshi.
Taishang wrote Xuandu and Zhenwu under his name, then listed the names of Guangchengzi and the other twelve generals under Yuanshi. He then sat down and wrote Qi Chen and Duobao under Shangqing before instructing the disciples under Tongtian to announce their family names one by one.
Kong Xuan, Jin Ling Shengmu...
Taishang looked up, his brow furrowed, and asked, "Who gave you this name?"
Jin Ling Shengmu replied, "Senior Uncle Master, I have had this name since birth!"
Hearing this, Taishang immediately began to divine. The more he calculated, the deeper his frown became. Tongtian, seeing this, asked, "Big Brother? What is it?"
Taishang said, "This girl dares to use a Saint's name; she must have great merit with heaven and earth, otherwise, she wouldn't have come under your tutelage. I tried to divine her origin but could not!"
Tongtian's brow also furrowed upon hearing this. Taishang continued, "Never mind. Since she could enter your sect, she must be destined to be with you!"
Next!
"Greetings, Senior Uncle Master, my name is Gui Ling Shengmu!"
Taishang: ...
Next!
Yun Xiao, Bi Xiao, Qiong Xiao, Zhao Guangming, Jin Guang Shengmu, Wu Dang Shengmu, Huo Ling Shengmu!
Taishang: ...