Chapter 39: The Day of Selection

The thought of him still being in closed-door cultivation with only two days remaining before the Inner Court disciple selection weighed heavily on her mind.

She tried to focus entirely on her teaching, but her worries kept creeping back.

Xialyn was no different. Sitting among the other female disciples, she listened to her master’s lecture while occasionally finding her thoughts drifting toward Veyron.

She couldn’t help sharing Aveline’s concerns, wondering whether her Little Vey would manage to break through in time.

What if he failed? How disappointed would he be after working so hard toward this goal?

Just imagining the possibility made her heart ache. She began thinking of all sorts of ways to comfort him if things didn’t go as planned, hoping she could somehow ease his disappointment.

After a while, Aveline finally brought the lecture to an end. "That’s all for today. We’ll continue tomorrow."

The disciples immediately stood up and bowed respectfully before beginning to leave the lecture hall.

Even though they were all worried about their junior brother, Veyron, there was nothing they could do to help him.

All they could do was pray that he would somehow make it in time and, perhaps, miraculously break through to the Spirit Adept Realm before the selection began.

However, deep down, they knew how nearly impossible that was. No matter how much they worried, they couldn’t change the situation.

With heavy hearts, they could only hope that everything would return to normal soon. One after another, they left the lecture hall, leaving only Xialyn and Aveline behind.

Xialyn slowly approached her master, her delicate brows furrowed with worry.

"Master, do you think Little Vey would have broken through?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of nervous anticipation. Despite trying to remain calm, the concern was clearly visible on her face.

"I don’t know, dear..." Aveline sighed softly, her usual cheerful smile nowhere to be seen. "It’s extremely difficult, if not impossible. But we both saw how confident he was the day he entered seclusion. He didn’t seem the least bit worried, so my heart tells me he’ll succeed."

She paused for a moment, her expression softening as she thought about her beloved baby.

"Even if he misses the selection, I just hope my baby comes out soon. I miss him so much..." Aveline murmured, her face growing even gloomier.

She had grown so accustomed to having Veyron around that these days of separation felt unusually long. She missed seeing his face, hearing his voice, and, most of all, hearing him affectionately call her Aunt.

The thought alone made her heart ache with longing. No matter how much she tried to distract herself, her thoughts would inevitably return to him.

Xialyn nodded in agreement, sharing her master’s feelings. More than anything, she wanted Veyron to remain safe and avoid pushing himself beyond his limits.

Missing the selection wouldn’t be the end of the world; he could always try again next time. His health and well-being mattered far more than a single opportunity.

Still, she knew her Little Vey all too well. He was a prideful man who refused to back down easily, and strangely enough, that stubborn pride was one of the things she liked most about him.

Moreover, ever since his Spirit Veins had been repaired, he seemed to have become even more mature and manly, making her heart flutter whenever she thought about him.

For now, however, there was nothing she could do but wait. Like Aveline, she desperately wished for him to emerge from seclusion as soon as possible.

Her mind couldn’t help but drift back to their last encounter, when she had been so close to him. And they were about to...

The moment that thought crossed her mind, warmth rushed to her cheeks, turning them a lovely shade of red.

She instinctively lowered her head, trying to hide her embarrassment, but the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed her thoughts.

Aveline noticed her deciple’s reaction from the corner of her eye. After a brief moment of silence, she shook her head helplessly and let out a soft sigh.

Seeing her disciple lose herself in thoughts of Veyron, she couldn’t help but wonder when that little rascal would finally return and put an end to their worries.

With that, another entire day passed, yet Veyron still hadn’t emerged from seclusion. Night had fallen over the Azure Sky Sect, and many disciples had already come to the conclusion that he would undoubtedly miss his chance at the Inner Court selection.

However, this wasn’t particularly surprising to anyone. After all, breaking through from the fourth rank of the Spirit Initiate Realm to the Spirit Adept Realm in just three months was already an extremely difficult feat.

Given the circumstances, missing the selection seemed like the only logical outcome. And so, the night passed, and the long-awaited day of the Inner Court selection finally arrived.

The Outer Court was unusually lively that morning. Disciples could be seen gathering in groups, chatting excitedly as they made their way toward the selection grounds.

The atmosphere was filled with anticipation, nervousness, and ambition. The occasion had been specially prepared for, with the surroundings decorated to make the event even more grand.

"Do you think I’ll be chosen as a disciple by one of the Elders?" a young man asked excitedly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"You wish! Only the most talented disciples have a chance of being accepted as an Elder’s personal disciple," another disciple replied dismissively.

"Who knows? I might get lucky. After all, I’ve already mastered the first form of my clan’s sword technique!" the young man said proudly, raising his chin.

"And you think that trashy sword technique of your clan is enough?" another disciple sneered.

"What the fuck did you just say?!"

The young man’s expression immediately darkened as he glared at the other disciple, his voice rising in anger.

The Inner Court selection wasn’t merely about becoming an Inner Court disciple. Those who performed exceptionally well and demonstrated outstanding talent also had the opportunity to be accepted as personal disciples by the Elders.

For ordinary disciples, such an opportunity was already something worth dreaming about. After all, having an Elder as a master meant receiving personal guidance, access to better cultivation resources, and a much brighter future within the sect.

However, that wasn’t the highest honor available.

If an extraordinary genius emerged during the selection, even a Grand Elder might take an interest in them and accept them as a personal disciple.

Such an opportunity was exceedingly rare, but it was precisely this possibility that made the Inner Court selection so special and drew the attention of countless Outer Court disciples.

"Hey, let’s head to the Azure Battle Grounds, guys! The selection will be starting soon!"

"Yeah, let’s go, or we won’t be able to find a good place to stand!"

Hearing this, several disciples hurriedly made their way toward the Azure Battle Grounds, eager to secure a good viewing spot before the selection began.

The Azure Battle Grounds was a special venue within the Azure Sky Sect where tournaments, battles, and duels were held. It was an enormous arena capable of accommodating a large number of disciples, making it the perfect place for major sect events.

What made this place particularly special was that it was open to Outer Court, Inner Court, and Core Disciples alike, although access was generally permitted only on special occasions.

**

Thanks for reading...