Chapter 152: Heavenly Tier Aptitude

"You don't want me to go?"

Qin Xuanxi seemed to show a look of displeasure. "Do you feel that I am still not truly considered a family member of Song Yan, and not qualified enough to attend the Tishan Banquet? Then all this time I've called you 'little husband' was ultimately in vain after all."

"..."

Song Ye suspected that this female demon had secretly taken some advanced courses in manipulative, guilt-tripping speech. For a moment, he was utterly speechless.

"Actually, I'm worried about your health," Song Ye said. "You've only just recovered enough to walk; you shouldn't exert yourself like this. Besides, Song Yan herself lacks the aptitude for cultivation and has no affinity for immortality—why force it? Rather than staying at the Xuanqing Palace only to be ostracized, she might as well return to my side."

"Let me ask you this: Am I or am I not a family member of Song Yan? Am I or am I not her future sister-in-law?" Qin Xuanxi cut straight to the point.

"I suppose you are," Song Ye could only reply this way, opting to placate her first.

"Good, having your answer is enough. Then I am not afraid of the trouble and will make the trip to Tishan myself, to back up my future sister-in-law," Qin Xuanxi smiled.

Qin Xuanxi naturally knew what Song Yan's situation was. At present, Song Yan's celestial physique remained dormant, making her truly unsuited for cultivation; no matter how bitterly she forced herself to practice right now, it would all be in vain. However, once her Myriad Paths Immortal Radiance physique awakened, her cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds daily, and in the future, she might very well become an imperial immortal sovereign.

Although Qin Xuanxi possessed a dual nature of immortality and demonic essence, her current stance leaned toward the demonic cultivation faction. Naturally, she had no desire to see the demonic cultivation world gain such a formidable future enemy.

Yet, Song Yan was the daughter of her old friend.

Therefore, Qin Xuanxi's attitude toward Song Yan was simply not to interfere too much with her celestial destiny.

After all, if Qin Xuanxi truly wished to interfere, she certainly had ways to arrange for an immortal sovereign to become Song Yan's master.

Right now, she merely wanted to help Song Yan secure a place to stay and cultivate at the Xuanqing Palace under the guise of being her future sister-in-law, rather than stepping in as the Profound Abyss Demonic Sovereign. That could hardly be counted as true interference.

Song Ye hurriedly advised, "Really, there's no need. Your health is what matters."

Yet Qin Xuanxi had already used immortal arts to ride the wind and fly away.

Watching Qin Xuanxi's retreating figure vanish into the horizon, Song Ye could not help but think that if anyone at the Tishan Banquet lacked vision and offended this female demon Qin Xuanxi, they were going to be in for catastrophic misfortune.

***

Meanwhile, at the Xuanqing Palace,

those students who failed the aptitude assessment and those who were not chosen by the immortal masters had already begun to leave the palace in succession with their luggage. In the end, a total of only fifty-seven people were allowed to stay and continue their cultivation at the Xuanqing Palace.

These fifty-seven students were naturally all brimming with high spirits, each following behind their newly appointed masters to tour the architectural complex of the Xuanqing Palace.

The immortal master Tao Bai of the Xuanqing Palace was currently leading his three newly accepted disciples toward the Martial Arts Hall.

Among Tao Bai's three new disciples was Yuan Liwen, whose cultivation aptitude had been rated as "Heaven Grade."

Moreover, Yuan Liwen was the only student with a Heaven Grade aptitude in this entire cohort.

The aptitude grades of the Xuanqing Palace were divided into eight tiers: "Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow" and "First, Second, Third, Fourth," with Heaven Grade being the highest. Generally, an aptitude rated at Second Grade or above was required to pass the assessment.

Song Yan's aptitude, however, had been rated as the lowest and most inferior Fourth Grade.

Other sects roughly categorized their aptitude levels according to a similar pattern.

Naturally, the threshold varied from sect to sect. Some major sects, such as the Grand Void Palace and the Immortal Edict Sect, had much stricter aptitude assessments; only those with a Mysterious Grade aptitude or higher were qualified to become disciples of these major sects.

The Xuanqing Palace, on the other hand, could only be considered a medium-scale sect. To have a student with Heaven Grade aptitude emerge in this cohort was already quite remarkable.

Naturally, Yuan Liwen, possessing this Heaven Grade aptitude, had become a highly sought-after prize, contested by numerous immortal masters.

Tao Bai had relied on his identity as the junior martial brother of the Xuanqing Palace's Sect Master to successfully snatch up this high-quality disciple, Yuan Liwen.

"This here is the Martial Arts Hall of our Xuanqing Palace."

Tao Bai led his three new disciples into the Martial Arts Hall.

In one corner of the hall, a young girl with an exceptionally exquisite figure and appearance could be seen holding a broom, sweeping the floor.

"Hey, isn't that the mute Song Yan?" a female student pointed at the distant girl with the broom and said. "Didn't she fail the aptitude assessment? Why hasn't she gone down the mountain yet, and instead ended up sweeping floors here?"

Tao Bai sneered, "Every year, there are some shameless students who think they can linger here by doing menial chores, hoping for a chance to secretly steal some skills later. I am already quite accustomed to this sort of behavior."

One of the male students remarked with a hint of pity, "It's truly a pity that someone as pretty as Song Yan turned out to be a mute."

Yuan Liwen, however, wore a look of disdain and said, "Hmph. In the world of cultivators, appearance is the most worthless thing of all."

Tao Bai immediately cast an approving glance at Yuan Liwen. "Well said, Yuan Liwen. You show quite a bit of insight; all of you should learn from him."

"Yes!" the other two disciples obediently acknowledged in unison.

After giving his three new disciples a tour of the Martial Arts Hall, Tao Bai left with them.

Song Yan was still sweeping inside the hall when Zhang Zixuan, who had returned from Yan City, finally found her.

"Song Yan, I've been looking for you for ages. Why are you sweeping here?" Zhang Zixuan asked.

Song Yan used her fingertip to write on the palm of Zhang Zixuan's hand: [Immortal Master Sun said as long as I help her with chores, I am allowed to stay here.]

Thanks to Song Ye's painstaking efforts in teaching her to read and write when she was young, she was able to communicate with others in this manner now.

The Immortal Master Sun that Song Yan referred to was Sun Yingxia, a junior martial sister of Su Xiqiu. Zhang Zixuan had to address her as Martial Aunt. Both this Martial Arts Hall and the Scripture Pavilion fell under Sun Yingxia's jurisdiction.

Therefore, once she finished sweeping the Martial Arts Hall, Song Yan would likely have to go sweep the Scripture Pavilion as well.

"Stop sweeping," Zhang Zixuan snatched the broom from her hand. "Go back and pack your things. I'll take you down the mountain tomorrow. Your brother is eagerly waiting for you to return."

Yet Song Yan shook her head, continuing to write on Zhang Zixuan's palm: [I am not going down the mountain. I want to stay here.]

"The rules of the Xuanqing Palace are strict. Even if you sweep floors here for ten years, no one will secretly teach you cultivation mental arts. Why put yourself through this? Come down the mountain with Sister Zixuan. Don't you miss your brother?" Zhang Zixuan urged.

Song Yan continued writing on Zhang Zixuan's palm: [No. I like it here. I want to stay.]

However, Zhang Zixuan noticed that the corners of Song Yan's eyes held tiny glimmers of crystal tears; it was obvious that everything she wrote on her palm was against her true heart.

Although Song Yan was a mute, she was far more sensible than children her age. Especially after her older brother frequently had to run off to the Prince of Xiang's estate to look after his unconscious fiancée, she had proactively taken on most of the household chores to relieve her brother's burdens.

Therefore, Zhang Zixuan understood in her heart that Song Yan saying she liked it here was a lie. She simply felt that her brother already had it miserable enough being saddled with an unconscious fiancée of many years, and she refused to return and become a second burden to him.

"Then you can stay here for the time being." Zhang Zixuan's heart softened.

She thought that she would surely find a way in the future to make the Xuanqing Palace make an exception and accept Song Yan as an official disciple.

According to sect rules, if Song Yan did not become a disciple of the Xuanqing Palace, Zhang Zixuan was not permitted to privately teach her the sect's cultivation mental arts either; otherwise, it would be considered an act of rebellion.

If the Xuanqing Palace truly refused to accept her, Zhang Zixuan planned to secretly seek out some minor sects with lower requirements for taking on disciples and beg them to take Song Yan in, at least helping her set foot on the path of cultivation first.