Chapter 178: Seven Chosen Join Little Ting Peak

At first Bai Shishi watched everyone awaken their talents with a calm face, but her eyes grew wider and wider.

When she saw Tang San awaken an exceptional talent, her jaw literally dropped, wide enough to fit a fist.

“E-exceptional talent? Am I dreaming right now?” Bai Shishi rubbed her eyes over and over, desperately trying to make sense of what she’d seen.

She stared at the sight before her, a mix of shock and confusion in her heart. For a cultivator, with a talent like that, future cultivation would be as easy as drinking water.

It also meant Tang San’s lowest achievement in this life would be becoming a Sword God!

A pillar of crimson light shot up from the stone tablet, blazing all the way through the entire Outer Sect. Even disciples in the Inner Sect could see it.

All around the Outer Sect, elders felt a shiver run through them, instantly stopping whatever they were doing.

They looked up at the bright red pillar outside their windows. When they saw the blinding light, shock flashed across their faces.

Without hesitation, they all dropped what they were doing and shot toward the Talent Testing Stone, each one determined to recruit this genius first!

“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Several figures hovered above the Talent Testing Stone.

“Haha, which Outer Sect genius just awakened an exceptional talent?” boomed a mighty voice from above.

Tang San and the other six looked up toward the figures overhead, confusion written all over their faces.

Bai Shishi, still dazed, shivered at the sound of that voice. She quickly brought her fists together and bowed to those in the sky.

“Outer Sect disciple Bai Shishi greets the elders. May I ask why you’ve all gathered at the Talent Testing Stone? Is there something important?”

The figures circling overhead exchanged slight smiles. One hulking figure stepped forward.

“Which one of you awakened the exceptional talent? This one—Luo Xuan—wants him!” Luo Xuan’s eyes swept over the seven below.

“Reporting, Elder Luo! This person is Tang San, a new disciple who just joined our Heavenly Martial Sacred Land!” Bai Shishi pointed at Tang San beside her.

“Oh?” Luo Xuan paused, fixing his gaze on Tang San. “Not bad. Not bad at all—exceptional talent, excellent foundations, a true prodigy!”

Luo Xuan cleared his throat, hiding his excitement and trying to look serious.

“Tang San! You’ve got outstanding potential and talent, and you’re a natural with the spear. Would you like to join my Spear Martial Peak?”

No sooner had Luo Xuan finished than an enchantingly beautiful female elder stepped forward behind him, patting him playfully on the shoulder with a bright smile.

“Elder Luo, aren’t you being greedy? You always want the talented disciples to join your Spear Martial Peak.

In my opinion, they should all come to my Little Ting Peak! After all, I could use more disciples over there.”

Without waiting for Luo Xuan’s reply, she darted toward Tang San’s group in a flash.

Bai Shishi snapped out of it and bowed, “Greetings, Peak Master!”

The striking woman waved her hand and eagerly looked the seven up and down. After checking them over, her eyes sparkled.

“Excellent! Four with high-grade talent, two with mid-grade, and one with an exceptional gift!”

“Let me introduce myself. I’m Su Mei, Peak Master of Little Ting Peak. Would all seven of you like to join us?”

“Uh…” Tang San hesitated and glanced at the other six. The same uncertainty was written on all their faces.

Catching on, Su Mei wrapped an arm around Bai Shishi and smiled warmly.

“Oh, I almost forgot to mention—Bai Shishi is also a disciple of Little Ting Peak. If you all join, wouldn’t that be lively?”

Hearing that, their hesitation faded. Each of the seven turned around to look at Bai Shishi.

She could only nod helplessly under their gaze.

Up in the air, Luo Xuan snorted at the scene below.

“That Su Mei, always wants more. She dares try to take all seven for herself! She can have the rest, but Tang San? He’s mine!”

He started to fly down only to have someone grab his arm.

“And what about you, Elder Li He?” Luo Xuan shot a puzzled look at the elder behind him.

Li He just smiled. “Let Su Mei take those seven into her Little Ting Peak. She really is short on disciples over there.”

Luo Xuan frowned. “But that Tang San kid is born for the spear—he belongs on my Spear Martial Peak! Besides, don’t you want new blood for your Green Mountain Peak?”

Li He simply shook his head, unconcerned. “I prefer a quieter life. Besides, I just came to take a look—I’ll be going now!”

A rush of wind swept past and Li He vanished without a trace.

Luo Xuan sighed. “Fine, let’s see how things go. If Su Mei wastes this talent, I’ll take him myself!”

“Worst case, I’ll just have to invest a little more in Tang San later.”

He fixed his gaze on Su Mei and called out, his voice booming, “Elder Su, I’ll let you have all seven today! But if you don’t teach Tang San well, I’m coming to take him back!”

Su Mei blinked, lips curling into a smile. “No need to worry, Elder Luo. Oh, and don’t let us keep you.”

“Hmph!” With a huff, Luo Xuan swished his robe and left.

While Su Mei and Luo Xuan spoke, Tang San and the others huddled together and whispered. In the end, the seven came to a unanimous decision:

They would join Su Mei’s Little Ting Peak!

The biggest reason was that Bai Shishi was already a disciple of Little Ting Peak. It would be easier to look out for each other if they stuck together.

They nodded to one another, then stepped forward and bowed deeply to Su Mei.

“Disciple Tang San greets the Peak Master!”

“Disciple Xiao Wu greets the Peak Master!”

“Disciple Dai Mubai greets the Peak Master!”

“Disciple Oscar greets the Peak Master!”

“Disciple Ma Hongjun greets the Peak Master!”

“Disciple Zhu Zhuqing greets the Peak Master!”

“Disciple Ning Rongrong greets the Peak Master!”

“Very good! Please, everyone, rise.” Su Mei stepped forward and helped them up with a smile.

The more Su Mei looked at them, the more satisfied she became. Suddenly, something came to mind. She quickly pulled out seven rings from her pocket and handed one to each of them.

“Consider these your initiation gifts. Each ring contains ten low-grade spirit stones and a few basic cultivation manuals.”

“Thank you, Peak Master, for your generosity!”

The seven looked at their new rings, glanced at each other, and bowed again.

Su Mei nodded happily, then turned to Bai Shishi and spoke with a hint of seriousness:

“Shishi, take these new junior brothers and sisters to get settled at Little Ting Peak.

I’ve got something to take care of now, so I’ll have to ask you to help them out with their cultivation for a while!”

“As you wish, Peak Master!” Bai Shishi stepped forward, brought her fists together, and bowed.

Seeing this, Su Mei didn’t say more. She lifted her head to the bright sky above.

“Whoosh!”

Her figure vanished on the spot.

Noticing that Su Mei had left, Bai Shishi let out a breath and looked up.

“Let’s go, junior brothers and sisters. We’re going home! When you see Little Ting Peak, I’m sure you’ll fall in love with it just like I did.”

With a graceful turn, Bai Shishi stepped lightly into the distance.

Tang San and the others tightened their grip on their rings and followed along behind her.

And so, the eight of them made their way together toward Little Ting Peak.