Chapter 526 524: Celestial Peak Test

The Fifth Layer Celestial Peak was comprised of five great peaks, which constituted the Bu Family's territory. The one in the center was the headquarters, while the other four were branch locations. All were equally important, and the entire formation was known as the Fifth Layer Celestial Peak.

The First Celestial Peak was the headquarters, and the others were named in sequence. It was simply a naming convention, not a ranking of importance, as each Celestial Peak had its own distinct responsibilities and systems.

'So this is the Bu Family's territory. A Super Race is truly on another level. This is what it means to be one with heaven and earth!'

The five peaks were interconnected, forming a single entity. The Bu Family had certainly chosen a prime, auspicious location. The Fifth Layer Celestial Peak also doubled as a gigantic Array, capable of intercepting external assaults. It could both attack and defend, making it a perfect formation.

Beyond that, the surroundings were ethereal, wreathed in drifting white mist. It truly looked like a Human World Immortal Realm.

"This is the Fifth Layer Celestial Peak, the place where the Bu Family resides. From now on, this will be your home!" Bu Feiyun was in high spirits. Not many of the top fifty contestants had been recruited by the Bu Family—only six new disciples joined their ranks—but Lin Xuan's first-place victory changed everything.

They would have been thrilled even if only Lin Xuan had joined. He was the first-place winner, after all! Quality over quantity—it was a principle every family followed.

The other disciples cheered, but Lin Xuan only offered a faint smile. 'Of course, the Bu Family isn't my home. I don't feel any sense of belonging here. If they treat me well, perhaps I might start to feel something, but for now, there's nothing.'

Led by Bu Feiyun, they ascended the First Celestial Peak in the very center. Before entering, they had to pass through a specific entrance. While it looked like one could simply fly in at will, in reality, it was just like the Divine Seal Sect—a protective barrier blocked the way, preventing entry.

This barrier didn't just guard against sneak attacks; it also repelled the assaults of Demon Beasts.

The territories of Super Races weren't located in perfectly safe zones. They were situated in rather chaotic regions, and Demon Beasts were numerous. Of course, to a power of their stature, such beasts were a trivial threat. Ultimately, the real danger they guarded against was rival families.

Upon walking inside, the density of the Elemental Power was, needless to say, immense. This was truly a blessed land, with an unimaginable concentration of Elemental Power. The key was that all sorts of Spirit Medicines were grown throughout the Fifth Layer Celestial Peak. Therefore, with the Grand Array in place, the Elemental Power was firmly locked in, preventing it from dissipating.

This meant the place generated its own Elemental Power, causing the concentration to grow ever richer. It was different from the previous places he'd stayed, which had to forcefully gather Elemental Power from the outside.

Here, it was generated internally, creating an endless supply. Since the Fifth Layer Celestial Peak was full of Spirit Medicines, the effect was certain to be remarkable.

Next, they followed him to the summit of the First Celestial Peak, where the Bu Family's main palace was located. Before they even entered, Lin Xuan noticed many disciples outside. They glanced over, and he could tell with a single look that their Cultivation was quite high. Of course, there were also those with lower Cultivation.

They just weren't here; they were on the other peaks. There were certainly disciples with low Cultivation—plenty at the Essence Pill Stage, and even some at the Spirit Refining Stage.

These were the true disciples of the Bu Family, born and raised here. Naturally, the younger ones wouldn't have high Cultivation yet. However, thanks to the exceptional environment, their progress was bound to be incredibly fast.

Normally, besides the Imperial Competition, there were other channels to recruit Foreign Disciples. However, the family's core was always comprised of its own bloodline.

However, the looks they received were not respectful. Instead, they were tinged with hostility. The reason was simple: the newcomers were not of the Bu bloodline, so they were naturally seen as outsiders. It was a common assumption that if anyone were to betray the family, these Foreign Disciples would be the first.

However, history had shown that betrayal often came not from outsiders, but from within.

Lin Xuan paid the stares no mind. He had anticipated this before even arriving, so it didn't surprise him. Upon entering the palace with the others, he saw even more powerful figures inside. All the great Stewards and Elders were present.

In addition, there were the Peak Masters! The masters of the First Celestial Peak, the Second Celestial Peak, and so on. In truth, these Peak Masters were also Elders. The Patriarch was not a Peak Master himself, but he had authority over every Celestial Peak, placing him above that system.

"So, these are the six new members…?" A deep voice emanated from the front of the hall, and the six new disciples, Lin Xuan included, all looked up.

Looking up, they saw the man seated in the center was none other than the Bu Family Patriarch, Bu Lingyu. He sat there with perfect stillness, appearing like an ordinary man as he sized them up with slightly narrowed eyes.

He hadn't attended the Imperial Competition, relying only on reports. His gaze finally settled on Lin Xuan. In that instant, Lin Xuan felt like he had been seen through completely, from the inside out! He had no power to resist. In fact, by the time he could even react, the man had already seen everything.

"Oh, interesting… interesting. Worthy of the first-place winner. You even possess a Yulan Pearl. That is quite a fortuitous encounter!" Bu Lingyu had immediately spotted the Yulan Pearl within Lin Xuan's body. He couldn't discern anything else, though; a bloodline, for instance, wasn't something one could perceive with a simple glance.

'Blood is just blood. How could he possibly tell? It could only be detected when it was actively unleashed, or by using a specific tool.'

A chill ran down Lin Xuan's spine. 'Thankfully, he didn't detect the Soul Pearl inside me. That would have been truly terrifying.' The Bu Lingyu before him possessed an incredibly high Cultivation. He was a genuine Spirit King Stage expert, not someone at the Void Spirit Level. Killing Lin Xuan or taking the Yulan Pearl from his body would take him but a few moments.

"Relax. Not just anyone can master the Yulan Pearl," Bu Lingyu said with a calm smile. "As long as you don't betray the Bu Family, I will do nothing to you. On the contrary, I will grant you even more resources!" His gaze then shifted to the others, scanning each of them from the inside out to see if they were hiding anything.

After scanning them, Bu Lingyu smiled faintly and said, "Next, we must test the level of your innate talent. We haven't tested you before, so now I'd like to see where you all stand. Don't worry, this won't change your status as disciples. It will simply determine which Celestial Peak you will join!"

The moment he finished speaking, he flicked his wrist, and a massive Stone Stele materialized, descending from the air to land before them. This Stone Stele was different from the one Lin Xuan had seen before; it was not only larger, but its material was completely different.

"'Determine which Celestial Peak we'll join?' Lin Xuan was intrigued. It seemed there was more to the Fifth Layer Celestial Peak than met the eye.