157 Pretty Sister

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[The three disciples of the Jin Shan Sect had soon prepared everything for the test. The two men stood next to their respective platforms while the female disciple stepped to the front of the stage and addressed the crowd in front.

"We're going to hold the preliminary tests for the admission to the Jin Shan Sect now. All children between the age of five and ten may come onto the stage and test for spirit veins. You only have to pick up one of the spiritual energy detection orbs we've placed on the three platforms here. If it lights up, you're qualified to follow us to the Jin Shan Sect and take the real sect admission test." The woman stepped back and moved into position next to the third platform.

On the market square, the people started pushing and shoving and soon enough a group of children was rumbling up the steps of the stage in an unorderly manner.

Ziju An didn't bother with these children. He continued to observe the boy who was clutching the edge of the stage and looking around curiously. Seeing him like that Ziju An slightly frowned.

"What is he doing?"

The first children already reached the platforms but the boy still waited down there. Had he not understood that he had to go up and take the test if he wanted to become part of the sect and then become an immortal?

Ah, most of the other children had probably come with their parents who knew what to do. But this boy seemed to be alone. Maybe he really hadn't understood what was going on?

On top of the stage, the first children already picked up the spiritual energy detection orbs. Some of them started to glow while others remained dull. The children whose orbs hadn't lit up frowned and shook them but the three disciples of the sect hurriedly intervened and took the orbs from them. They shooed the children off the stage and placed the orbs back with a sigh.

Ah, these spiritual energy detection orbs might not be particularly expensive but they would still get into trouble if they let the children break them in front of them.

The children hurried down the stairs and ran to their parents crying. All of them had obviously hoped to be able to enter the Jin Shan Sect. Well, Ziju An didn't care about them. He was still worried about that boy from before.

Just when he wondered if he should do something the boy finally let go of the edge of the stage and squeezed toward the stairs. He hurried up like the other children and hurried to one of the places that had become empty just now.

The disciple observing the children thought he was one of the children that had just been driven away and wanted to grab him but the boy just took the orb in front of him.

The disciple sighed. "You! Weren't you eliminated already? These orbs aren't something to play. Put it back down!"

He wanted to snatch it away but naturally, the boy wouldn't just let him. He tried to turn away and somehow the orb landed on the ground and shattered. The disciple speechlessly looked at the broken shards on the ground before lifting his gaze to the boy's face again. He scowled at him.

"You! I told you to put that down didn't I?!"

The boy took a step back and pursed his lips. "I also wanted to take the test! The pretty sister said I could."

"I don't care what some sister said! You've broken our spiritual energy detection orb! Do you have any idea what thing is worth? Your family couldn't afford it even if they worked for ten years without eating!"

The boy frowned. "It's broken anyway! It didn't light up when I took it. The others do that."

The disciple grew even angrier when he heard that. "That's because you have no talent!"

"It didn't light up for the one before me either! It's clearly broken!"

"You!" The disciple really didn't know what to say anymore. His fists were already shaking in anger. "That one was trash, too! Now get off the stage!" He shoved the boy to the side.

Ziju An frowned. The boy might have broken the orb but that certainly wouldn't have happened had the disciple dealt with this in a better manner. Furthermore ... something had indeed been wrong even before the orb touched the ground. Most likely this result wasn't as easy as the disciple thought.

The boy might not have the same knowledge as Ziju An but he didn't want to accept his test result either. He walked a few steps away before making a turn. He snatched another orb that had lit up before but unfortunately, he was caught immediately.

"You again!" It was the same disciple he had angered before.

He snatched the orb away and put it back before throwing the boy right off the stage.

Ziju An frowned. This definitely wasn't the way to handle a child. He stood up, placed some money on the table and hurried out of the teahouse.

After watching everything, he was sure that if he really had to take in a disciple, then he wanted it to be this child. He couldn't risk the boy getting away. It would be much too troublesome to search for him all over the city.

The boy had ruggedly landed on the ground. There were tears in his eyes when Ziju An reached him but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"Little boy, what's your name?"

The boy looked up and his eyes and mouth opened wide. "Whoa! You're even prettier than the pretty sister from the stage!"

Ziju An laughed. "Oh? Is that so?"

"Mn!" The boy hurriedly climbed to his feet and dashed the last two steps over.

He intently looked up and examined Ziju An's face. In the end, he seemed to resolve himself to do something. He straightened his shoulders and puffed out his little chest and even his mouth formed a decisive line. Ziju An tilted his head. Just what was this child thinking?

"You're really pretty."

Ziju An smiled wryly. There was an earnestness about how the boy said this that he couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh in response. "Well ... thank you?"

"I'm five." The boy showed Ziju An his fingers to make sure he understood. "My father said I still need to grow up for at least fifteen years until I'm an adult. But you're really pretty so I think waiting that many years shouldn't be so bad. You'll probably still be pretty by then. So let's get married then, pretty sister."

Ziju An laughed before he started coughing. Wait ... what?!]

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