"Silence!"

A silver-robed Elder, serving as the steward for this assessment, waved his sleeve. His voice, resonant and amplified by his Divine Sense, instantly hushed the square.

"I, Elder Xu Guan, shall preside over this assessment. The results will determine the standing and protection you are granted within the Sect. Treat this matter with the gravity it deserves. Do you understand?"

"We understand!"

The newcomers bowed in unison.

Following this, the Elder explained the rules. The assessment consisted of two parts: a test of Potential and a test of combat capability.

The Potential test involved the massive Dragon and Phoenix Divine Pillar, which measured the dual-cultivation compatibility of a pair and assessed their inherent talent based on the cultivation gains achieved during their first experience of dual cultivation.

The combat test measured the actual strength of the newcomers through sparring.

"The assessment begins."

Under Elder Xu's guidance, the newcomers moved to the center of the square, approaching the Dragon and Phoenix Divine Pillar in pairs.

"He Tian, Xue Lan!"

At the call of their names, the pair stepped forward, placed their hands upon the pillar, and channeled their spiritual energy.

The pillar immediately ignited with three zhang of golden light.

"Not bad."

The Elder nodded, satisfied.

"Three zhang of light. A cultivation improvement of one and a half minor realms!"

"Three zhang? They are small talents, indeed."

"Quite so. Among our batch of over a hundred pairs, only three reached beyond two zhang. Truly one in a hundred."

"Given such Potential, their physiques are well-aligned. They possess at least a thirty percent chance of reaching the Earth Extreme Realm."

The following newcomers stepped forward in turn.

"One zhang. Half a minor realm improvement!"

"One zhang. Half a minor realm improvement!"

"Two zhang. One minor realm improvement!"

For the next several dozen pairs, none managed to light the pillar beyond two zhang. Most could only muster one, causing the Elder to frown in disappointment.

"Zhao Yuankai, Bai Ruo!"

As the two pressed their hands to the pillar, a surge of golden light erupted and climbed rapidly!

"Hiss-"

The Elder's face brightened with surprise.

"Four zhang! A two-realm improvement!"

"Whoa!"

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

"Four zhang? That is monstrous!"

"I recall it has been three years since a pair last reached four zhang!"

"Zhao Yuankai and Bai Ruo are surely the leaders of this new generation."

Many senior disciples nodded toward them, offering gestures of goodwill. Zhao Yuankai smiled thinly; the outcome was exactly as he had foreseen.

Ning Fan watched, his heart stirring. If a two-realm improvement could light four zhang, then his own leap of three minor realms surely signified a far greater potential.

"Ning Fan, Yun Qingyao!"

As the Elder called their names, the already boisterous square grew even louder. Many cast jeering, hostile glances at the pair.

"How amusing. The local trash is stepping up."

"Those two fools won't even manage a single zhang."

The Elder glanced at them coldly, signaling them to begin.

Ning Fan took Yun Qingyao's hand and they stepped onto the platform. As their palms met the surface of the Dragon and Phoenix Divine Pillar, a golden radiance pierced the sky, so brilliant that it forced the onlookers to shield their eyes!

The Elder's expression froze, his composure shattered.

"Six... six zhang?"

He could scarcely believe what he was seeing.

"Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao have lit six zhang... an improvement of three minor realms!"

The Elder was utterly dumbfounded. Did they not possess the most meager of aptitudes? How could their gains be so immense?

The square fell into an eerie silence. Even Zhao Yuankai, who had been meditating in the waiting area, snapped his eyes open, staring at Ning Fan in disbelief.

Looking at the pillar, glowing with six zhang of golden light, the crowd finally erupted into chaos.

"How is this possible? Is the pillar malfunctioning?!"

"Two recognized fools have surpassed Zhao Yuankai and Bai Ruo in potential?"

"Terrifying. I have never seen a six-zhang light in my entire life!"

Suddenly, a discordant voice cut through the clamor.

"Lighting the pillar to six zhang and breaking through three realms does not necessarily make them peerless geniuses."

"I recall a case in the Sect's history where a pair of ordinary aptitude found their physiques to be perfectly compatible. They achieved a seven-zhang light upon their first dual cultivation, far exceeding others."

"However, that high-speed growth lasted only a fortnight before their cultivation speed plummeted, and they sank back into obscurity."

The realization spread quickly through the crowd.

"Exactly! I recall that tale too. It must be a fluke of their compatible physiques."

"Compatible waste? That is a hilarious thought."

"Trash remains trash. Even if they perch on a high branch for a moment, they can never become phoenixes."

"Indeed. In this world, only the strong matter. So what if Ning Fan broke through three realms? His foundation is hollow. At the fourth layer of the Yellow Extreme Realm, he likely couldn't even defeat an ordinary third-layer cultivator."

Ning Fan paused upon hearing the whispers, then dismissed them with a faint smile. Their assessment of the situation was entirely incorrect. With the Tianxuan Heart Sutra, he possessed the confidence to triumph even against those stronger than himself.

After a moment's hesitation, the Elder ranked them at the top of the Potential list. Regardless of their future, their current achievement was undeniable; the rules remained supreme.

Zhao Yuankai watched his own name slip down the list, replaced by Ning Fan. A flicker of irritation crossed his eyes. While he held no personal grudge, a 'waste' daring to stand above him was an unforgivable affront.

"Do not let me encounter you during the combat trials," Zhao Yuankai muttered to himself before closing his eyes once more.

The Potential assessment continued, but with the brilliance of Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao's results, no other pair could stir the crowd's interest. By the end of the test, Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao remained firmly at the top, their position unchallenged.