Nuwa, the goddess of immortality, said that cultivating immortality does not require spiritual energ

The Chosen Ceremony has existed since the opening of the passage between the celestial realm and the mortal world more than five hundred years ago.

The millennia-long celestial war resulted in heavy casualties among the immortals, leaving a shortage of reserve forces—it was for this reason that the celestial realm opened a passage to the mortal world, allowing mortals to embark on the path to immortality.

The divine selection ceremony is an important occasion for celestial beings to select disciples from the mortal realm.

If a deity takes a liking to a promising talent, they can use the Heavenly Stone to send a wisp of their soul to guide the disciple's cultivation like a personal mentor.

To put it bluntly, it's like the celestial realm is distributing rings in batches to elderly men and women.

However, this is not a one-way selection. Top geniuses like Chen Yun, with a spiritual affinity of up to 99%, are often sought after by multiple deities.

At this point, Chen Yun could choose a deity he found agreeable to be his teacher.

Of course, if you lack talent and have an unpleasant personality, you might not even find a perfect match – it all depends on fate.

On the academy's playground, several high-ranking members of the alliance were already seated. Among them were Qin Le's parents, Lin Wanrou, who was dressed unusually elegantly and conservatively, and Qin Shoudao, who was dressed in work clothes and seemed to have just come from the alchemy room.

The most eye-catching figure was the one seated in the main seat—an avatar of the Jade Emperor and the current leader of the Human Alliance. His well-tailored black Zhongshan suit accentuated his imposing presence.

Every year during the selection ceremony, an avatar of the Jade Emperor would personally attend. After all, the Heavenly Academy that Qin Le attended, which offered a complete education from elementary school to university, was an enterprise founded by the Jade Emperor himself.

On the playground, Qin Le and his group of eighteen-year-old students, who would be taking the mock college entrance exam in a month, stood in neat rows under the scorching sun.

However, the sun had no effect on them—everyone present had entered school after having their spiritual affinity tested at the age of six, and had been cultivating for a full twelve years.

Even the seemingly useless Qin Le possessed the cultivation level of the early stage of Qi Refining, and was not afraid of being exposed to the sun. The others were at a higher level, with the lowest being three minor realms higher than him.

As for Chen Yun's monstrous talent, he is already at the early stage of Refining Spirit and Returning to Emptiness. If he trains diligently for another month, it is highly likely that he will break through to the middle stage of Refining Spirit and Returning to Emptiness during the actual college entrance examination.

The dean of the high school, dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit, with a refined appearance, was standing next to the nearly three-meter-high Tongtian Stone, presiding over the ceremony.

"The Chosen One Ceremony shall now begin." The dean's calm voice echoed across the entire playground: "The first one is Qin Le."

The order of presentation starts with the least talented students—this is to give students with average talent a chance, so that they are not completely overshadowed by the geniuses who follow.

Qin Le, without a doubt, is the one with the lowest talent. His unprecedented 1% affinity firmly places him in the position of the number one useless person—even though his comprehension is also at a monstrous level, unprecedented in history.

The moment the dean announced Qin Le's name, many people turned to look at him. Their eyes held anticipation, worry, and some silently praying—hoping that a deity would choose Qin Le.

Every student present had consulted Qin Le about cultivation difficulties. They knew better than anyone how terrifying this seemingly useless person's understanding of cultivation was.

Everyone hoped that a miracle worker could solve his damn 1% affinity problem.

Qin Le walked calmly onto the stage, stretched out his hand, and placed it on the Tongtian Stone.

In an instant, his consciousness was pulled into darkness.

Several voices then rang out in the darkness:

"Huh? It's this kid!"

"What a pity... If he had even 10% affinity, I would have chosen him no matter what."

"Nonsense, if it were really 10%, would it even be your turn?"

"Why didn't Laozi secretly keep a few Nine-Turn Golden Pills back then...?"

"Who would have thought that such a freak would appear in later generations?"

"That's true..."

Hearing these comments, Qin Le felt a pang of bitterness. Sure enough, his 1% affinity was beyond saving, except perhaps with the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir.

Just then, a gentle voice rang out: "Little one, you heard what we said. It's not that we look down on you, it's just that we really can't help you."

"Yes, I know," Qin Le replied calmly.

"In that case, let's go back."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Le's consciousness returned to his body.

Seeing that Qin Le hadn't been chosen by any deity, the dean couldn't help but sigh softly. Many students felt a lump in their throats, wanting to say something but unsure how to begin.

Qin Le's parents, however, remained calm. Both had been chosen by Laozi's alchemy attendants and maidens, and knew their son's condition better than anyone else—there was no other way but the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir. These words had been spoken by Laozi's attendants and maidens themselves.

Qin Le turned around indifferently, preparing to leave the stage.

At that very moment—

A sudden and unexpected change occurred!

A golden light descended from the sky, so fast that even the Jade Emperor's avatar couldn't react in time, and it went straight into Qin Le's brow!

The moment the golden light entered his body, Qin Le's consciousness flickered, and he immediately saw a quietly floating mass in his sea of ​​consciousness...

Yellow mud?

"son!"

"Xiao Le!"

Qin Le's parents, Lin Wanrou and Qin Shoudao, appeared beside him almost simultaneously. Even the Jade Emperor's avatar stepped forward and came before Qin Le.

"Son, how are you feeling?" Lin Wanrou asked nervously.

Even if her son couldn't cultivate, she didn't want anything to happen to him.

Qin Le was somewhat bewildered: "I don't feel anything... it's just that there's a lump of yellow mud in my sea of ​​consciousness."

Yellow mud?

Qin Le's parents and the Jade Emperor's avatar were all stunned. They racked their brains, but couldn't recall any deity who was related to Huang Ni.

"Could it be... Houtu Niangniang?" the dean guessed.

The Jade Emperor shook his head: "It doesn't seem like it. That golden light doesn't have the aura of the underworld."

Qin Shoudao took a deep breath and looked at the Jade Emperor: "Your Majesty, may I ask you to investigate my son?"

"Yes." The Jade Emperor nodded, then looked at Qin Le and asked gently, "Little one, are you willing?"

Qin Le nodded: "Okay."

He also wanted to know who had chosen him.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the Jade Emperor's avatar raised his hand, his fingertips glowing faintly, and touched Qin Le's brow.

However, just as they were about to touch—

A golden light flashed between Qin Le's brows!

An invisible force suddenly swept out, forcing the Jade Emperor's avatar back several steps, his arm slightly numb.

The entire room fell silent.

The Jade Emperor's avatar flicked his wrist, a rare look of solemnity on his face: "The other party is unwilling to let me investigate. But I can confirm—this is a sage."

As a quasi-saint, he only needs to make one contact to determine the other party's level.

That's saint-level power.

The majesty of a sage is not to be underestimated.

Below even a sage, all are but ants.

This statement was never made lightly.

After the Jade Emperor finished speaking, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.

Immediately afterwards, exclamations and ecstasy erupted like a tidal wave!

A sage accepts disciples!

This is the first time in over 500 years!