In the Cultivation World, there were many types of Elements, each with its own unique properties and manifestations.

    The most common were the Five Basic Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. These formed the foundation of many cultivation techniques and spells, and were considered the building blocks of the Universe.

    However, as ancient cultivators delved deeper into the mysteries of the Heavens and Earth, they discovered more complex and rare Elements.

    Beyond these five, there existed numerous other Elements, some rarer and more potent than others.

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    The Thunder Element, like that displayed by the petite girl earlier, was one such example. It was a far more volatile and powerful Element. Those born with Thunder affinity were often blessed with incredible speed and destructive potential, their Dao techniques capable of shattering mountains and splitting the heavens.

    Other rare Elements included Wind, which granted unparalleled agility and control over air currents; Ice, a derivative of Water Element that could freeze entire lakes in an instant — there were even rumors that Extreme Ice Element could even freeze air particles making it feel as if the flow of Time had stopped.

    And Darkness, a mysterious Element...

    At this moment, as the crimson flames danced around Lucian''s hand, he immediately thought of his [Child of Fire] Innate Fate.

    He had known, of course, that he possessed a strong affinity for fire because of this Fate Movement, but the intensity of this reaction surpassed even his wildest expectations.

    The heat emanating from the stone was so intense that the grass around Lucian''s feet began to burn and smoke!

    But it didn''t last long, after all this fire had no continuous Energy supply, so it soon died down.

    But the shock it had given to onlookers yet to subside.

    Nex, momentarily stunned, composed himself.

    "Cough!" After taking everyone''s attention, he continued, "G-good. We''ve a good seed this year. Your fire affinity is indeed good. Go, and stand with the others."

    Lucian nodded and and under the envious gazes of the other candidates, he made his way to join the group of those who had passed. As he walked, he could feel countless eyes upon him, a mixture of awe, jealousy, and curiosity, but he ignored them all.

    The recruitment process continued, with more participants stepping forward to test their fate against the Heavenly Stone. Some passed with varying degrees of elemental affinity, while others were turned away, their dreams of cultivation shattered in an instant.

    As Lucian stood among the successful candidates, he noticed two familiar faces approaching.

    Ardian and Rex, having just managed to pass the test, eagerly ran towards him, their eyes shining with excitement and a hint of caution.

    The successful candidates stood in silence, their hearts pounding with anticipation. The vast mountain stood before them, its peak shrouded in mist and clouds, as if hiding the secrets of cultivation that they all sought to uncover.

    In about the time it took to boil a pot of water, a shimmering streak of azure light suddenly appeared in the sky, startling the gathered youths.

    Even Lucian''s eyes widened, for this was the first time he had witnessed a human flying on a sword!!

    The azure light descended swiftly, revealing an old man standing atop a white longsword.

    His white hair and goat-like beard flowed in the wind. He wore an azure-colored elder''s robe, adorned with golden threads. Near his chest, a golden sword symbol indicated his status within the Azure Sword Sect.

    As the sword neared the ground, it slowed down, letting the old man step off smoothly, like he had done it many times before.

    As he landed, the old man waved his right hand in the air. In an instant, the white longsword shimmered and vanished, as if it had never existed!

    The candidates gasped in awe at this display of mystical prowess, their eyes wide with wonder and reverence.

    But they soon felt a pressure descend upon their shoulders, as if the heavens themselves were bearing down upon them, forcing them not to look at this old man''s face directly, and even Lucian was no exception. He felt as if he was standing in front of death, and any slight mistake could end his life!

    The old man''s piercing gaze swept over the gathered youths. When his gaze fell upon Lucian, it lingered for more than a few heartbeats, a flicker of interest passing across his weathered eyes.

    The intensity of his stare made Lucian feel a little uneasy, as if the air around him had grown heavier. This was the first time, he had felt something like this since coming into this world.

    Controlling the pressure that his body had unintentionally released, elder Feng''s voice carried across the field, gathering attention from all present, "I am Elder Feng of the Azure Sword sect, an outer elder in charge of Outer sect disciples. So all of you who pass this examination will be under my jurisdiction."

    He paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing, "From now on, the recruitments will be different from previous ones.

    Also as the Secret Realm is set to open soon, our sect has decided to expand our ranks. Instead of the usual ten, we will be accepting twenty new disciples."

    A wave of excited murmurs spread through the crowd. For them, the Secret Realm was legendary, a place full of Heavenly and Earthly treasures and countless opportunities. The chance to enter such a sacred ground made the competition even more enticing.

    Elder Feng raised a hand, silencing the whispers, "However, do not think this means the test will be any easier. In fact, it''ll be harder than simply to fight amongst each other."

    Elder Feng''s old eyes glinted with a fierce light as he continued, "The test will be simple, yet brutal. You will all enter a specially prepared array of Five Elements. This array will not only test your strength and spiritual energy, but also the very foundation of your cultivation."

    However, at this moment, before the old man could wave his hand to unveil the Five Elements array formation, an old feminine voice entered his ear, startling him.

    The voice, carried an unmistakable authority that made Elder Feng''s eyes widen in surprise.

    "Send that white-haired young man to my pavilion."