NOVEL WEB Chapter 5: Trash Talent
Elder Jiang struggled to keep his excitement in check. 'Such exceptional talents have appeared already, and there are still more to come. My White Crow Sect is destined to rise above all!'
Now, it was Huang Xue's turn to be tested.
Huang Xue was possibly the second prettiest girl in their school, her long blue hair and captivating eyes were just as mesmerizing. Some even argued she was more beautiful than Xue Qiang, though most agreed they were different kinds of beauties.
While Xue Qiang exuded a kind, approachable beauty, Huang Xue carried herself as a cold, aloof beauty.
She had few friends and didn't seem inclined to make more. It wasn't arrogance—it was simply that she preferred silence, leaving most who tried to converse with or court her with nothing but a cold shoulder.
When Huang Xue placed her hand on the orb, something unprecedented happened.
A radiant blue light burst forth, illuminating the room with an almost ethereal glow. As everyone watched in stunned silence, the faint shadow of an Azure Dragon began to materialize above her.
The majestic creature let out a thunderous roar, the sound reverberating through the hall and sending chills down the spines of all who heard it.
Elder Jiang's eyes nearly popped out of his head, his mouth agape in astonishment. 'Today was one shocking revelation after another. This group of people from the other world is overflowing with rare geniuses!' he thought, struggling to contain his growing excitement.
Elder Jiang could barely find the words, his voice trembling as he muttered under his breath, "Immortal Talent…"
The sect master beside him nodded silently, his expression unreadable, though his clenched fists betrayed his overwhelming emotions.
The group from Earth didn't receive the usual enthusiastic explanation from Elder Jiang this time. The stunned silence spoke louder than words.
Still, it wasn't hard for them to draw their own conclusions. If even Heavenly Talent, the second-highest grade, hadn't caused such a dramatic reaction, didn't this mean Huang Xue had to be an Immortal Talent—the highest possible level?
Their eyes turned to Huang Xue, who stood calmly as if unaware of the storm her presence had caused. She remained unshaken as ever, a stark contrast to the awe and envy filling the room.
Immortal Talent was exactly as its name implied, a guarantee of surpassing the Immortal Ascension Realm, provided the individual didn't meet an early death.
With such talent, immortality wasn't just a distant dream; it was an inevitable destiny!
Now, only two people remained to be tested: Xue Qiang and Feng Fan. Regardless of the outcome, the discovery of an Immortal Talent and two Heavenly Talents was already beyond extraordinary.
Elder Jiang couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension. 'If there are any more prodigies among them, can our humble sect even provide the resources to nurture such potential?'
For a fleeting moment, he considered the possibility of sending them to the greater powers in the Qian Empire, where their talents could be cultivated better.
However, he dismissed the thought just as quickly. In this ruthless, dog-eat-dog world, the White Crow Sect couldn't afford to let such rare geniuses slip away.
These prodigies needed to remain under their care—no matter the cost!
Elder Jiang took a deep breath, circulating his cultivation technique to steady his nerves.
"Alright, let's continue," he said, his voice surprisingly composed as he turned his gaze to Xue Qiang.
Xue Qiang stepped forward, her expression calm.
"Xue Qiang." She told them her name before placing her hand on the orb.
Almost instantly, the room was engulfed in a radiant red glow, as bright and vibrant as what occurred with Huang Xue.
Moments later, a majestic Red Phoenix began to materialize above her, its fiery wings spreading wide as it let out a resounding cry that echoed throughout the hall.
Elder Jiang, now completely numbed by the day's surprises, didn't even flinch. His face, frozen in a mix of shock and resignation, betrayed only the faintest flicker of emotion as he muttered, almost absently, "Oh... another Immortal Talent."
Feng Fan overheard Elder Jiang's muttering and confirmed his suspicions. 'Huang Xue and Xue Qiang have the highest possible cultivation talent!'
'Damn it, they're both protagonist material. Two protagonists in one group—there's no way we'll have a third, right?' he thought, though a nervous chuckle escaped him internally.
The odds of him awakening a good talent seemed slim to none.
'I don't need to be exceptional. As long as it's not the trashiest talent, I'll manage,' he reassured himself.
'Oh fuck!' A dangerous thought crossed his mind, 'Did I just raise a red flag?!'
"All right, just one more to go," Elder Jiang announced, his voice devoid of enthusiasm, his eyes almost hollow from the day's emotional rollercoaster. "Put your hand on the sphere, young man."
Elder Jiang silently prayed for no more surprises. His heart had already endured enough for a decade.
Feng Fan nodded.
"Feng Fan." Feng Fan said his name and then complied, stepping forward and placing his hand on the orb. Unlike everyone before him, the reaction was… underwhelming.
The orb emitted a faint, almost imperceptible glow. The light was so dim that only Feng Fan, Elder Jiang, the sect master, and Xue Qiang, standing nearby, could notice it.
"Huh? The orb didn't light up. What does that mean?" a classmate whispered, breaking the uneasy silence.
"Did it break after being used so many times?" another speculated.
Elder Jiang let out a long, weary sigh. Of all the surprises today, this one hit differently.
"Trash Talent," he announced.
The words rang in everyone's ears like a gong.
In a group brimming with exceptional talents, this one stood out in the worst way.
'Well, this is unprecedented,' Elder Jiang thought. While Earth had produced its fair share of high talents, even Immortal Talents, one of whom the Heavenly Sword Sect had famously acquired, someone with Trash Talent was a first.
The irony wasn't lost on him. After all, witnessing the impossible had become the theme of the day.
While Elder Jiang's thoughts were racing, Feng Fan's mind spiraled into chaos. 'FUCK! Worst possible talent? Why am I so unlucky?! Wait… isn't this just another form of protagonist aura? Doesn't this mean I'm about to get a cheat soon?'
Desperate for a silver lining, Feng Fan focused hard and thought, 'System, where are you?' He waited in tense silence, but nothing happened.
'WHERE THE FUCK IS MY SYSTEM?!' he internally screamed, panic beginning to claw at him. 'If I don't get a cheat in this cultivation world, I'm screwed with this trash talent!'
Elder Jiang's internal musings drifted into dangerous territory. 'With such a bad talent, we can only send him to the qi stone mines. Hopefully, he'll last longer than most.'
What Elder Jiang didn't expect was Feng Fan suddenly shouting aloud in surprise, his face pale with shock. "What?! You're sending me to the mines to die? I didn't ask to come here! Are you people really this heartless?"
The room went silent for a moment before murmurs erupted among the Earthlings.
"Wait, what did he just say? They're throwing Feng Fan away?"
"We didn't ask to be brought here! How can they treat us like this?"
Gong Long, standing off to the side, smirked gleefully at Feng Fan's misfortune. 'Perfect. Throw him away, and I'll have Xue Qiang all to myself!'
Elder Jiang stood there, stunned. His expression shifted from confusion to mild panic. 'What the hell? Did I say that out loud by mistake?'
Feng Fan quickly pieced it together. He hadn't seen Elder Jiang move his lips, yet he'd heard every word. Realization dawned like a thunderclap. 'I have a mind-reading ability!'
His shock morphed into a triumphant grin. 'Holy shit, this is my cheat! Not all hope is lost after all!'