Ji Mo tucked the silver ingot into his embrace, offering no resistance as the middle-aged scholar led him away.
He was penniless anyway, and had no fear of being schemed against.
Once the hundred taels were in his possession, he would never part with them, having gained a fortune for free.
The two arrived at a luxurious manor.
In an open space, a large crowd of beings had gathered, comprising both humans and demons.
In the center stood a platform, interwoven with runes and surging with spiritual energy, emitting countless special rays, clearly for detecting something.
A young demon, covered in beastly markings, stood within the platform, desperately channeling his bloodline power, his entire body boiling with vital energy.
Before long, brilliant lights began to illuminate on the platform, a total of five.
"Wow, five-colored auspicious light! Such powerful bloodline. I doubt anyone in the younger generation of Fengmo City can compare."
"Indeed, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should be the lucky one!"
Exclamations erupted in unison. Such an outstanding bloodline hadn't appeared in Fengmo City for several hundred years.
The young demon grinned proudly. Among the hundreds of young talents tested so far, his bloodline was the most potent.
Upon seeing this, the middle-aged scholar's face fell.
He had thought that finding Ji Mo would be a sure thing, only to encounter someone who could also activate the five-colored auspicious light upon arrival.
And that person was a demon, possessing racial advantages. Ji Mo couldn't compete with him.
"What is this for?"
Ji Mo asked curiously.
"They are testing bloodline strength. His bloodline is no worse than yours," the middle-aged scholar explained.
"Impossible. This creature's bloodline can't be better than mine."
Ji Mo declared, unyielding.
As a descendant of Yanhuang and possessing the Huaxia bloodline, it was naturally the world's foremost bloodline.
He wouldn't dare boast about other things, but when it came to bloodline, Ji Mo was immensely proud and refused to admit inferiority to anyone, especially a demon.
The middle-aged scholar gazed at Ji Mo, a hint of disdain in the depths of his pupils. Humans were inherently frail; their physiques and bloodlines ranked at the bottom among all races.
While you can emit five-colored auspicious light and your bloodline is indeed outstanding, your attitude is too arrogant, as if your bloodline is peerless.
He truly couldn't understand where Ji Mo, a mere mortal, got his blind confidence from. Was he mentally ill?
"Five colors? In my presence, it's not worth mentioning."
An arrogant voice rang out. A man in golden robes pushed through the crowd and stepped forward.
His eyes seemed to be fixed on the sky, showing no regard for anyone present. He strode onto the platform and declared, "Open your eyes and watch carefully. Don't be scared."
The beast-marked young demon was displeased, baring his teeth and saying, "Jin Cheng, I admit your strength surpasses mine, but in terms of bloodline, you can't compare to me. The blood of the ancient fierce beast, Tian Gou, flows within me."
"What is Tian Gou? Moreover, your bloodline is clearly impure. How can you be compared to me?"
As Jin Cheng spoke, his demonic energy surged, his vital energy churning like the sea.
Simultaneously, his head revealed its true form.
It appeared to be a frog demon, which explained why its eyes were positioned on top of its head.
"Holy cow, a golden toad!"
Ji Mo exclaimed. It was incredibly ugly, shimmering gold, and covered in bumps.
He used to think Long Dazui was ugly, but in comparison, Dazui now looked quite refined.
The middle-aged scholar quickly covered Ji Mo's mouth. How could he speak such nonsense? If Jin Cheng heard it, it would surely lead to a fight to the death, and he would be implicated as well.
Fortunately, the scene was noisy, and Jin Cheng didn't hear Ji Mo's words. Otherwise, he would have fought back with all his might.
Jin Cheng's vital energy soared, his body emitting rumbling sounds, and the phantom of a three-legged golden toad appeared in the air.
The platform also erupted with towering auspicious rays.
One!
Two!
...
Astonishingly, six rays of auspicious light illuminated, shocking the entire audience.
"Six-colored auspicious light! This is a once-in-a-millennium occurrence. I never expected Jin Cheng's bloodline to be so powerful. He must be a pure-blooded Lai... a pure-blooded Golden Toad."
"In the younger generation of the Western Regions, there are probably few with a stronger bloodline than him." Da Feng Novel Network
...
The crowd showered him with praise.
The beast-marked young demon's face turned ashen. Though unconvinced, he had nothing to say; his bloodline was indeed inferior to the other's.
"Let's go, let's go. It was all for nothing."
The middle-aged scholar, filled with disappointment, gestured for Ji Mo to leave.
With the emergence of the six-colored auspicious light, who could possibly compete?
Other young talents who hadn't yet tested lost the inclination to step onto the platform, not wanting to humiliate themselves.
"Croak, croak. With you lot of cripples, how dare you compete with me?"
Jin Cheng was immensely proud, laughing wildly.
On a tall tower in the distance, an old man and a young girl observed the scene.
The old man had snow-white hair and beard, exuding an aura of authority. With every gesture, he could influence the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth; his cultivation was unfathomable.
Standing beside the old man was a girl of only thirteen or fourteen years, exceptionally beautiful, as if she embodied the essence of heaven and earth. She radiated an aura of spiritual energy, like an elf.
Despite her young age, her body had developed remarkably well. Her figure was graceful, petite, and alluring, with captivating curves.
It was imaginable that in a few more years, she would undoubtedly be a beauty capable of toppling cities and nations.
"Daddy, I refuse to marry this toad. He's too ugly!"
The girl grabbed one of the old man's arms and shook it desperately.
The purpose of this bloodline test was solely to select a husband for her.
However, the girl had no desire to marry at all.
When the old man looked at his daughter, his face was filled with doting affection. He had become a father late in life, and only when he was nearing his end had this precious daughter been born.
Her father was reluctant to marry his daughter off at such a young age, but it was a matter of necessity.
He was now old and frail, likely not having many years left to live. Naturally, he had to find a good husband for his daughter as soon as possible.
Ideally, he wanted a grandson with an astonishing bloodline to inherit the family business.
His daughter was innocent and romantic, and he didn't want his son-in-law to usurp the vast family fortune after he passed away.
"He's a bit ugly, but there's no denying Jin Cheng's bloodline is indeed powerful. If you were to combine with him, there's a high probability of giving birth to powerful offspring. Rui'er, a man shouldn't be judged by his appearance, but by his inner qualities. Handsome men are often fickle and unreliable; it's better to be ugly."
The old man gently persuaded his daughter, stressing that this was not the time for tantrums.
A bloodline with six rays of auspicious light was already a rare sight in a thousand years. Although he wanted to find an even more outstanding genius for his beloved treasure, time was no longer on his side.
It would be best if they married this year and had a child next year. He could then try his best to hold on for a few more years and personally guide his grandson to success.
"I won't marry a toad. I'd rather marry that ugly monster than be with a toad."
Rui'er said indignantly.
The thought of living with a toad sent shivers down her spine, causing goosebumps to erupt all over her body.
The old man followed the direction of Rui'er's finger and saw Ji Mo, who looked like a creature of charcoal that had come to life, his forehead instantly covered in black lines.
Choosing a human, and such an ugly mortal at that, wasn't this sheer foolishness?
"Don't be ridiculous. He's just a mortal. How can he be worthy of your precious status? Moreover, mortals only live for a mere few decades. You two are simply not compatible."
The old man lost interest after a single glance at Ji Mo.
"I don't care. I just think this ugly monster, so dark and ugly, is very cute."
Rui'er continued to act spoiled.
Of course, she wasn't infatuated with Ji Mo, but rather seeking an excuse to avoid marriage, using Ji Mo as a shield.
At this moment.
Ji Mo strode forward and walked directly onto the platform.