The square grew more crowded by the minute.
A long line of children stretched toward the grand hall at the front of the plaza—the entrance test would take place inside.
Lin Fei and Li Chen stood in the latter half of the queue, while Wan Li, Qingkong, and Li Dong waited nearby to watch over them. Some of the children waiting for the test chatted excitedly with each other, some nervously looked around, and others stood beside their families as their parents whispered last-minute advice.
"There are really a lot of people," Li Chen said as he looked around. "But who knows how many will actually make it in."
"Isn't it said that anyone with spiritual power above Level Five can enroll?" Lin Fei asked.
"That doesn't mean everyone has Level Five spiritual power," Li Chen replied like someone experienced. "At our age, spiritual power level represents cultivation talent. The higher your initial spiritual power, the greater your future achievements will likely be."
"Oh!" Lin Fei nodded, suddenly enlightened.
Just then, a commotion arose in the crowd.
Lin Fei turned and saw two young boys walking toward the end of the line. Both wore luxurious robes with jade ornaments at their waists, their bearing refined and confident.
The boy in front had sharp eyes and an obvious drive to succeed, while the one behind him appeared calm but carried the same competitive edge.
"Uncle Qingkong, I think I've seen them before. What are their names?" Li Chen asked.
"They are the grandsons of Marquis Jumu," Qingkong said quietly. "The Marquis's surname is Lu. His son-in-law married into the family, so these two children carry their maternal grandfather's surname. The elder is Lu Zhenhuan, and the younger is Lu Zhenyu."
Lin Fei observed them for a moment.
The Lu brothers seemed to notice someone looking at them. Their eyes swept across the crowd, pausing briefly on Li Chen and then on Lin Fei before indifferently shifting away.
Lin Fei withdrew his gaze and began searching through the crowd again.
He was looking for the boy who had arrived on the Kunpeng.
Finally, he spotted him at a corner of the square.
The boy wore simple robes and had a cold expression, his eyes carrying a distant and aloof air. Two middle-aged men stood behind him—one tall, one short—both wearing gray robes. Their presence was quiet yet imposing as they escorted him to the back of the line.
Though the two guards released no visible pressure, people around them instinctively gave them space.
"That's the one who came riding the Kunpeng," Lin Fei whispered.
Li Chen nodded, glancing at the boy.
As if sensing their gaze, the boy slightly turned his head. His eyes briefly met Lin Fei's before he looked away again, expression unchanged.
"My grandfather said a very powerful youth from the Kunlun Kingdom would enroll here. That must be him," Li Chen said softly.
"Move forward," Li Dong's voice sounded from behind them. "The test is starting."
They turned and realized the line had already advanced several steps. The two hurried forward.
Just as they approached the hall entrance, a gasp suddenly echoed from inside.
"Water and Wood dual attributes—Level Ten spiritual power!"
Lin Fei tiptoed to look inside.
A girl was slowly walking out of the hall.
She was extremely beautiful, with delicate features and fair skin like jade. Her long black hair draped over her shoulders, and though she looked only around ten years old, she was taller than most children her age.
She wore a light pink dress that swayed gracefully as she walked.
Li Chen stared for a moment and whispered, "That girl's aura is extraordinary. No wonder she has full spiritual power."
Lin Fei glanced at him and laughed. "You're looking pretty carefully."
Li Chen coughed awkwardly. "I'm just curious about her spiritual power."
The girl seemed to notice their gazes. She suddenly turned and looked at them. Her eyes passed over Li Chen and paused briefly on Lin Fei.
Then she walked directly toward him.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"I… I'm Lin Fei."
"I'm Hu Mei, from the Immortal Fox Forest. What about you?"
"My home is in Senluo City."
Hu Mei smiled softly after hearing this. Without saying anything more, she turned and left, leaving behind a faint fragrance. Many boys nearby stared at her in a daze.
Li Chen watched her back for a moment before turning to Lin Fei.
"Why did she only ask your name?"
Lin Fei blinked. "Huh?"
"She looked at you longer than anyone else," Li Chen said seriously. "And she only asked you."
"I have no idea," Lin Fei said helplessly.
Soon it was their turn to enter the hall.
The hall was vast and lofty, with beams crisscrossing above like giant trees. Four green stone pillars stood on either side, carved with ancient tree patterns.
At the front hung a wooden plaque with four bold characters:
One Tree Bears Spirit.
Beneath it stood a long table. Before it rested a waist-high jade pedestal with an oval Spirit Testing Crystal embedded on top.
An elderly man in long robes sat calmly behind the table.
One by one, children stepped forward and placed their hands on the crystal.
"Fire attribute, Level Three. Not qualified."
"Wood attribute, Level Five. Qualified."
"Water attribute, Level Four. Not qualified."
"Metal attribute, Level Six. Qualified."
Those who passed happily ran to register, while those who failed left quietly with their families.
Lin Fei felt his palms sweating.
"Nervous?" Li Chen whispered.
"A little."
Li Chen slapped his shoulder. "You'll definitely pass!"
Finally it was their turn.
Li Chen stepped forward first.
He placed his hand on the crystal, and it burst into bright light. Green and yellow beams shot upward, shining brilliantly.
"Wood and Earth dual attributes. Level Ten spiritual power."
The elder nodded approvingly.
The hall erupted in surprise.
Li Chen grinned at Lin Fei before skipping toward the registration desk.
Lin Fei took a deep breath and stepped forward.
The moment he touched the crystal, a warm current flowed into his body.
Then the crystal lit up.
Pure green light—without a single trace of impurity.
The light grew brighter and brighter until it became dazzling.
"Pure Wood attribute. Level Ten spiritual power."
Another wave of shock spread through the hall.
Lin Fei walked toward registration in a daze.
Li Chen wrapped an arm around him excitedly.
"Lin Fei! We both got full spiritual power!"
After registering, they remained in the hall to watch the others.
The Lu brothers soon stepped forward.
Lu Zhenhuan tested first.
A pure white light burst upward.
"Attribute-less. Level Ten spiritual power."
Lin Fei whispered, "What does attribute-less mean?"
"It means he can cultivate any technique," Li Dong explained from behind them.
Next came Lu Zhenyu. He also had attribute-less power, though his light was slightly weaker.
Finally, the boy from the Kunlun Kingdom stepped forward.
He placed his hand on the crystal.
A thick yellow beam surged upward.
"Pure Earth attribute. Level Ten spiritual power."
But before the elder could finish—
The crystal trembled.
A green beam shot upward.
Then red.
Then white.
Then blue.
Five colors illuminated the entire hall.
Five attributes.
All at full spiritual power.
The hall fell into complete silence.
The elder stared at the boy for a long time before speaking slowly:
"Five elements… full spiritual power."
The boy remained calm as if nothing unusual had happened.
Only later did Lin Fei learn his name.
Zhou Ping.
The boy withdrew his hand and walked toward the registration desk. The two gray-robed guards followed him closely.
Only after the three of them left the hall did the crowd finally explode into loud discussions.
"Five elements? What does that even mean?"
"I've never even heard of that!"
"Who exactly is that boy? Where did he come from?"
Lin Fei watched the boy's distant back and thought to himself—
Just as expected, that boy was different from everyone else.
Li Chen leaned closer to him, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Lin Fei, did you see that? Five elements… all five elements! My grandfather once told me that this kind of constitution appears maybe once in a thousand years. It's the ultimate genius for cultivating Lin Arts!"
…
The testing finally came to an end.
Out of the more than one hundred children who came to register that day, only a little over a hundred were accepted.
Among them, only six had reached full spiritual power:
Lin Fei, Li Chen, Hu Mei, Lu Zhenhuan, Lu Zhenyu, and the boy from the Kunlun Kingdom—Zhou Ping.
The sun was already setting, and the evening clouds dyed half the sky red.
The newly admitted students were led toward the dormitory area. Lin Fei and Li Chen were assigned to the same room. After helping them arrange their belongings, Li Dong, Qingkong, and Wan Li gave them a few reminders before taking their leave.
Lin Fei leaned on the window, gazing at the rolling sea of clouds in the distance.
Mountain ranges stretched endlessly, and beyond them lay a vast forest—the Cangmang Forest Sea that Wan Li and Li Dong had spoken about.
Lin Fei stared at it in fascination.
Li Chen walked over and leaned beside him.
"What are you looking at?"
"Have you ever been to the Cangmang Forest Sea?" Lin Fei asked, pointing toward the horizon.
"No," Li Chen replied. "But my grandfather has. He said there are countless rare treasures and strange beasts inside."
Lin Fei remembered what Li Dong had once said—
Only truly powerful Lin Masters could step into that forest.
"When do you think we'll become Lin Masters like Brother Li Dong?" Lin Fei asked quietly.
Li Chen thought for a moment and answered seriously,
"If we start working hard from today, one day we'll get there."
Lin Fei nodded.
His gaze remained fixed on the distant and mysterious forest.
I want to become stronger…
I want to see this world.
At that moment, a great ambition quietly took root in the young boy's heart.