The vast square buzzed with a cacophony of voices, colorful banners fluttering in the breeze.
The Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon Sects each occupied a distinct quadrant, their formations clearly delineated.
Compared to the other three sects, the Moon Sect was noticeably weaker, its overall strength lagging significantly behind.
However, the young ladies of the Moon Sect were in the best spirits, for they harbored hope, believing that a certain someone would lead them to the highest peak.
In the center of the square stood a platform formed by a mountain half-cut away, crowded with invited masters from various factions.
These individuals were all incredibly excited, especially the males, whose faces were flushed red as they let out boisterous shouts, eager to witness the four delicate Saintesses tear each other apart.
The gaze of everyone present was almost entirely fixed on the four Saintesses standing in the most conspicuous positions.
Ling Lan, the Saintess of the Wind Sect, possessed a proud figure, with dozens of swirling air currents surrounding her. Her raven hair danced in the wind, her robes billowed, exuding a heroic and spirited aura.
Sakura, the Saintess of the Flower Sect, had eyebrows that seemed perpetually knitted in a delicate haze, and eyes that held a mixture of joy and sorrow. She was naturally frail.
She held a slender staff, her peach-colored cheeks flushed, a smile gracing her lips. Countless flower petals drifted behind her, painting a scene of exquisite beauty.
Bai Jingjing, the Saintess of the Snow Sect, had skin as fair as snow and teeth like polished pearls. Clad in pristine white, the ground where she stood was covered in a layer of frost, exuding an elegant and aloof aura that deterred direct gazes.
Yet, upon closer inspection, one would notice Bai Jingjing’s gaze occasionally and intentionally straying towards the Moon Sect.
The Moon Sect's "Saintess," Ji Hanhan, was the most eye-catching.
Many had come solely to behold Miss Ji's peerless beauty, hoping to see if she was truly as stunning as the rumors claimed.
However, their wishes were in vain; they saw nothing but an empty spectacle.
A crescent-shaped artifact floated in the air, casting a faint halo.
The hazy moonlight completely enveloped Ji Mo's form, obscuring his features from sight and divine sense, preventing outsiders from discerning his appearance.
To avoid being coveted by those perverted individuals, Ji Mo dared not reveal his face.
However, this only proved counterproductive, further igniting the curiosity of those lecherous old men.
"Miss Ji, could you grace us with your presence? It would alleviate my yearning."
"Ji Bao, don't let me see you, or I'll fall in love with you every time I do."
...
Many were filled with fervent passion and budding affection, confessing their feelings loudly.
The most outrageous was Lang Qing, the arsonist of hearts. Leading a large group of followers, he held up a banner and bellowed with a raspy voice, "Miss Ji Mo, no one in this world understands your inner loneliness better than I do. If you follow me, I guarantee that for the rest of your life, you'll be happy every night."
What?
Ji Mo was dumbfounded.
He was so enraged that he nearly exploded on the spot.
He could tolerate the words spoken before.
But what kind of perverse words were "happy every night"?
He glared intently at Lang Qing, wishing he could rush over and bend the bastard right there and then.
"Excellent, I've successfully captured this little lady's attention. She must be captivated by my handsome appearance and utterly smitten. It won't be long before she falls completely in love with me, unable to extricate herself."
Lang Qing wore a look of bizarre confidence, believing he could soon control Ji Mo.
However, he was unaware that he had courted trouble and had already caught Ji Mo's attention, putting him in peril.
"Interesting, truly interesting. What will be the reaction when these stinking men finally discover that the Ji Mo they're confessing to is actually a man? And what will the Moon Sect use to quell their wrath?"
Zhen Zhen, the sixth-ranked Grand Elder, wore a sinister smile.
Everything was proceeding according to her calculations.
Perhaps she could even make good use of Ji Mo, this chess piece, to better achieve her own objectives.
Zhen Zhen, responsible for this year's selection of the Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon Sect's leader, delivered an opening address before commencing the ceremony.
The first item on the agenda was to assess the innate potential of the four Saintesses, to determine who was stronger and weaker.
She chanted an incantation and produced a small, three-colored bronze mirror.
The mirror was ancient and weathered, etched with the marks of time, its surface inscribed with arcane runes. It could be used to assess the quality of a being's flesh and blood, destiny, and fortune.
In the blink of an eye, the mirror enlarged several dozen times, resembling a celestial sun suspended in mid-air. Under Zhen Zhen's control, it unleashed four beams of light that enveloped the four Saintesses.
The bodies of the four Saintesses shimmered with radiance, emitting three colors of auspicious light that shot towards the sky.
Red represented flesh and blood, green represented destiny, and yellow represented fortune.
The intensity of the radiance indicated the quality of their potential.
To be chosen as a Saintess, one was naturally a phoenix among men, a prodigy of exceptional talent, and their potential would not be lacking.
Ling Lan, Sakura, and Bai Jingjing simultaneously emanated brilliant lights, the three colors shining like a rainbow, piercing the clouds.
The intensity of their glow indicated that they all possessed exceptional potential, a rarity among the younger generation in the Immortal Spirit Realm.
The difference in potential among the three was not significant, and the outcome was as expected by many, so no one displayed any surprise.
However, for some inexplicable reason.
The yellow light representing fortune emanating from Bai Jingjing suddenly surged, far surpassing that of the other two.
Its brilliance reached the range of supreme quality, implying that Bai Jingjing possessed heaven-defying fortune.
As everyone knew, fortune was the most mysterious and unpredictable element, something that could not be manipulated or altered by human will. It was all predetermined by karma.
Bai Jingjing's fortune could not have been like this originally; its sudden surge was highly unexpected.
"How strange. What kind of opportunity has Bai Jingjing encountered to have her fortune inexplicably increase so much? Could she be the chosen one, destined to rise?"
Zhen Zhen's heart churned with a tempestuous wave; this greatly exceeded her expectations.
She favored Ling Lan for the position of sect leader. Now that Bai Jingjing possessed such high fortune, she might very well snatch the leadership position because of it.
Bai Jingjing's face was filled with confusion; she was clearly bewildered as well. She hadn't felt particularly lucky recently, so why was her detected fortune value so high?
Many in the crowd displayed expressions of intense jealousy. With such fortune, Bai Jingjing's immortal path would undoubtedly be bright. Perhaps it was an opportunity to forge a good relationship with her early on.
But soon, exclamations of disbelief echoed through the square.
Because something even more bizarre occurred.
All eyes were fixed on Ji Mo.
In stark contrast to the other three young ladies, the light emanating from Ji Hanhan could not be said to be entirely absent, but rather, it was virtually invisible.
Almost no light could be seen from his person.
If the other three were like the brilliant light of the moon, Ji Hanhan wasn't even as bright as a firefly. Only those with exceptionally keen eyesight could perceive a faint wisp of light on him.
"What is going on here?"
A question mark appeared in almost everyone's mind.
Zhen Zhen glanced over, stifled a burst of laughter, and let out a contemptuous snort, "Mortal flesh, mortal destiny, unlucky fortune, a once-in-a-billion-years... waste!"