Chapter 16: Testing Talent: Am I Really Stuck With Useless Talent?!

Yan Yi introduced himself with contagious enthusiasm, quickly putting everyone at ease.

The dinner table soon filled with laughter, the sound warm and lively.

Liu Ruyan and Yan Yi took turns serving each other dishes.

Locking eyes, Liu Ruyan and Yan Yi were completely lost in each other, the affection between them unmistakable.

It was as if they were silently confessing, “Life’s so short. It’s a pity we met so late.”

For a moment, the world seemed to shrink away, leaving only the two of them.

Nangong Lin, watching the pair, shuddered with goosebumps. “Can you two knock it off? Your food’s getting cold!”

“By the way, Sister Wang Wan, you only started cultivating recently, right? You haven’t taken the talent test yet, have you?” Nangong Lin turned to Wang Wan, voice mysterious. “Talent determines a cultivator’s future. With a great talent, the entire cultivation world will fight to claim you.”

Wang Wan set down her chopsticks at the question, shaking her head. “No, I just started cultivating a few days ago. I haven’t tried the test yet.”

“What? There’s actually still talent testing? Does this continent even have that sort of thing?” Gu Qingyi looked genuinely surprised as he listened.

“Huh? Wait—Brother Gu, don’t tell me you don’t know? You’re so strong already… Don’t tell me you’ve never tested your talent?!” Nangong Lin looked utterly shocked at Gu Qingyi’s reaction.

Gu Qingyi shook his head, secretly thinking, “Talent… Not a single mention of it in the original memories. I honestly just thought there were only cultivation realms here.”

“Didn’t expect there was this much to the world outside. Guess I really have been living under a rock,” he thought, giving the two a rueful shake of his head.

“Brother Gu, are you serious? I don’t buy it!” Nangong Lin pressed, staring at him in disbelief.

“I lived most of my life in the mountains, so I never saw much of the outside world. Please forgive my ignorance.” Faced with Nangong Lin’s persistence, Gu Qingyi scratched his head and gave a half-hearted excuse.

“Alright then, let’s go check it out after dinner.” Nangong Lin eyed Gu Qingyi, half convinced, half skeptical. “Hahaha, just you watch, I bet I’ll have the highest talent here.”

……………………..

An incense stick’s time later, with everyone finally full and satisfied,

they all headed straight for the Liu family’s Talent Testing Stone.

The Liu family’s Talent Stone was kept in the rear courtyard, usually reserved for testing the aptitude of their disciples.

Because the night outside was pitch black, the courtyard felt even more solemn. Only the occasional chirp of insects disturbed the silence.

Fireflies drifted through the darkness, weaving tiny lights and adding a hint of magic to the night.

After someone turned on the lights, a formation came into view—the array circle at its center holding a stone monument.

On the monument, five colors were marked: black, white, blue, purple and red, each representing a talent grade: Useless Talent, Low-Grade, Mid-Grade, High-Grade, Supreme Talent.

The bottom-most black color—Useless Talent—wouldn’t light up, no matter what.

“I’ll show you how it works. Just put your hand into that groove and pour in your spiritual energy.” Liu Ruyan said calmly, seeing everyone’s surprise.

The stone glowed with a blue light—Mid-Grade Talent.

“Pretty impressive, Sister Ruyan! Looks like you’ve got a shot at reaching the Sword Emperor Realm one day,” Nangong Lin said, instantly excited. “Brother Yan, your turn!”

Yan Yi nodded and stepped up, placing his hand in the groove and channeling his energy.

The crowd let out a chorus of playful boos.

The stone flared with a brilliant purple glow—High-Grade Talent, lighting up the darkness in an instant.

“Whoa, High-Grade Talent! Maybe you’ll become a Sword Saint Realm powerhouse someday,” Nangong Lin exclaimed in disbelief.

Liu Ruyan was even more amazed. “If the sects across the continent saw this, they’d send people rushing to our door trying to recruit you.”

Nangong Lin patted Yan Yi on the back and grinned. “Not bad! You’ve got real potential. Next up, it’s Sister Wang Wan’s turn.”

Wang Wan stepped forward as everyone watched, doing her best to imitate them. She pressed her hand into the groove and poured in her spiritual energy.

A blue light appeared immediately—Mid-Grade Talent.

“Looks like Sister Wang Wan’s going to be a powerhouse too when she gets stronger. My turn!” Nangong Lin nearly jumped with excitement, striding up and pressing her own hand onto the stone.

A crisp ‘ding’ rang out, and the stone exploded in dazzling purple light—High-Grade Talent.

Facing this, Nangong Lin’s jaw just about hit the floor. Even the others were shocked—two High-Grade Talents at the same time!

“Hahaha, looks like I’m still ahead of you two! Guess it’s my job to look out for you sisters now!” Nangong Lin put her hands on her hips, gloating.

“Then I’ll be counting on you from now on,” Liu Ruyan smiled, grabbing Nangong Lin and giving her cheeks a playful squeeze.

While Liu Ruyan teased her, Nangong Lin turned to Gu Qingyi, face nearly glowing with excitement. “Come on, let’s see how monstrous Brother Gu’s talent is!”

Gu Qingyi gave a small nod, striding up to the stone and putting his hand into the groove.

With everyone watching him eagerly, he sent his spiritual energy into the stone.

In a heartbeat, the courtyard fell dead silent.

Nothing happened. The stone was utterly still.

“Why is there no reaction? Is the Talent Testing Stone broken?!” The sight put everyone on edge.

They all quickly tried to reassure him. “Try again! Maybe it’s just lagging. Give it another go, you’ll get it.”

Gu Qingyi saw their hopeful faces and let out a quiet sigh. He put his hand on the stone again.

Still nothing—the stone was completely dead.

Gu Qingyi could feel his composure slipping. Urged on by everyone, he tried again and again. There was never even a flicker.

Not a single sign of movement from the stone.

Seeing this, Gu Qingyi managed a bitter smile. “Looks like… I really do have Useless Talent.”

Nangong Lin started to protest. “Maybe it’s the stone. Try one more time?”

“Let’s not, everyone else triggered it. There’s no blaming the stone.” Gu Qingyi shook his head. “I’ll turn in for the night.” With that, he left.

Nangong Lin watched him go, her heart sinking, about to follow until Liu Ruyan grabbed her and held her back.

“What genius could accept suddenly being told they have Useless Talent?” The others watched Gu Qingyi’s retreating back, sighing together.

“There’s no way Brother Gu has Useless Talent,” Nangong Lin said, frowning. “With Useless Talent, you can’t even cultivate!”

“Brother Gu’s already at the Sword King Realm. It’s definitely the stone that’s broken!” she said fiercely, and kicked the stone hard.

No one could believe it, but reality was right there in front of them. All they could do was head back to their rooms to rest.

Moments after everyone left,

the Talent Testing Stone let out a deafening crash.

Just like that, the stone crumbled into a pile of rubble.

“Heh, I really do have terrible luck. Setbacks at every turn, working so hard for nothing.” Gu Qingyi stood in the courtyard beneath the dazzling moon, his expression dark and self-mocking. “I thought coming here I’d get to live the life of a genius—walk the easy path to the top, marry a rich beauty—but right from the start, I got labeled trash, humiliated by my fiancée breaking off our engagement, and ended up with a mountain of enemies.”

“Maybe things will just go the way they did before, being as insignificant as an ant,” he muttered, lowering his head. “If someone steps on me, no one would care. Turns out, even after coming to another world, nothing’s changed.”

“If fate set my path, I’ll carve a new one with my own hands!” Suddenly, Gu Qingyi’s eyes glinted with determination. “If the world’s unfair, I’ll flip it on its head.”

“So what if my talent’s useless? My fate is mine alone—I’ll decide where my life goes.” Clenching his fists, Gu Qingyi swore, “I’ll get stronger. No, I’ll become even stronger!”

“I’ll become someone everyone can only look up to!” Gu Qingyi stared hard at the moon. “Whoever tries to stop me, I’ll crush them—be they gods or buddhas.”