After walking only three steps, his legs gave out, and he collapsed directly into the river. The Spirit Spring, situated further up the cavern, emitted a dense concentration of heaven and earth qi that saturated the water. For a mortal who had not yet awakened their aperture, this qi acted as a heavy, invisible pressure. The further one could walk through the river against this current, the higher their innate talent.
Only those who could push past the ten step mark possessed the aptitude to become a Gu Master. Those who failed to reach even fifteen steps were considered talentless; their future paths would be exceptionally bleak. It was no wonder the youths who failed would break down in bitter tears.
"Gu Yue Xiao Ming, three steps. No Gu Master aptitude. Next!" the Academy Elder announced. His voice was flat, devoid of emotion, as he unceremoniously drew a large 'X' next to the boy's name on the register.
Immediately, two muscular guards appeared like ghosts at Xiao Ming's side. Without a word, they hauled the sobbing boy out of the freezing river. His cries echoed through the hollow limestone cavern, sounding particularly desolate. However, the guards showed no mercy, tossing him aside like a piece of discarded trash.
"Gu Yue Wang Qi, ten steps. No aptitude! Next." Gu Yue Zhi's voice remained cold and monotonous.
As name after name was called, the cavern filled with the sound of weeping children whose dreams had just been shattered. Conversely, the few who showed even a sliver of potential wore expressions of ecstatic relief as they reached the ten-step threshold.
"Gu Yue Mo Yan!"
As this name was called, the Academy Elder's expression softened slightly. From the crowd, a graceful young girl stepped forward.
"Present." Mo Yan's voice was clear. Without hesitation, she stepped directly into the underground river.
The water rippled beneath her feet. On the opposite bank, the Moon Orchids glowed intensely, and several specks of light Hope Gu began to flutter toward her, attracted by the disturbance in the qi. Mo Yan moved with a steady, determined pace, each step firm and resolute.
"Gu Yue Mo Yan, thirty-six steps. B grade aptitude! Excellent." As she reached her limit, a rare smile finally touched the Academy Elder's face. He marked a large 'Superior' character next to her name.
The other children looked on with envy. Mo Yan's success had set a high bar. She turned and walked back to the riverbank with light steps, her head held high, looking as though the entire world was beneath her feet.
Mo Yan was the granddaughter of Gu Yue Mo Chen, the head of the Mo branch. Her B grade aptitude made her the immediate focus of the clan's future.
Gu Yue Mo Chen stroked his beard, a smug smile playing on his lips. When his eyes met those of his old rival, Gu Yue Chi Lian, he made no effort to hide his triumph.
"Did you see that? That is my granddaughter. Not bad, right?" Mo Chen spoke loudly, his voice brimming with confidence.
B grade aptitude meant that Mo Yan's cultivation journey would be relatively smooth. As long as she remained steady, reaching Rank 3 and becoming a clan elder was almost certain. For any clan, such talent was a cause for celebration.
However, facing Mo Chen's provocation, Chi Lian only offered a cold snort. He remained unimpressed because his own Chi branch had produced a youth born with extraordinary natural strength. To him, Mo Yan's B-grade was not enough to be truly threatening.
Furthermore, even the Clan Leader, Gu Yue Bo, was silently observing the "strength path" youth, hoping for an A grade genius to appear. The Gu Yue clan had not seen an A grade talent in nearly a century. The gap between generations was widening, and the current leaders were growing old without suitable successors.
"Gu Yue Chi Shan!"
"Present!"
With a deep response, Chi Shan stepped out of the crowd like a moving mountain. He was tall and imposing, his build resembling an immovable iron tower.
As he entered the underground river, the crowd held its breath. All eyes followed his massive frame, waiting to see what level of talent he would reveal as he pushed against the pressure of the Spirit Spring's qi.
"Gu Yue Chi Shan, thirty seven steps. B grade aptitude. Good, very good!" Gu Yue Zhi's voice grew increasingly excited. This was the second B grade talent in a row, an outcome that exceeded his expectations. Upon seeing Chi Shan's progress, the joy on Chi Lian's face was impossible to hide. He turned to Mo Chen with a mocking look: "How about that? My Chi branch is not inferior to yours, is it?"
Liu Chen let out a quiet sigh. He watched the scene with a sense of detachment. He knew that while B-grade talent was excellent for the branches, the Clan Leader was still disappointed. For the legacy of the entire clan, B grade was simply not enough. Gu Yue Bo desperately hoped for an A grade talent to emerge and shoulder the clan's future.
Unfortunately, the youths who followed only showed C or D grade talent, causing the disappointment in the Clan Leader's heart to grow heavier with every passing name.