Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 951 - 951 0571 Princesss Test_2

Chapter 951: Chapter 0571: Princess’s Test_2 Chapter 951: Chapter 0571: Princess’s Test_2 He Yingying, as a Princess, ranked only second to Zhao Ninglu in status during this banquet, and she was also one of the main organizers. One of the primary purposes of the banquet was to curry favor with and please Zhao Ninglu. At this moment, He Yingying stood at the very front of the crowd waiting to welcome Zhao Ninglu. As Zhao Ninglu approached, He Yingying greeted her with a smile and said, “Sister Ninglu, I was worried you wouldn’t come and nearly died of concern.”

Zhao Ninglu responded with a smile, “How could I bear not to come when you have invited me so warmly, sister? Moreover, I’ve heard there will be many talented youngsters at this banquet—all outstanding descendants of our Imperial Family Secret Territory’s princes, ministers, and nobility. They represent the future of the Imperial Family Secret Territory and the pillars the royal family relies on. Even if I didn’t come for sister’s sake, I would have to attend for their sakes, don’t you agree, sister?”

He Yingying replied with a smile, “What you said is very true, sister. If it weren’t for your influence, I wouldn’t have been able to invite so many people. Since we’ve mentioned them, let me play the host and introduce a few students whom, after my observation, I think are noteworthy.”

Hearing this, the individuals who had been notified by He Yingying in advance all stepped forward, standing tall and proud, brimming with energy like soldiers awaiting inspection on the drill ground.

He Yingying introduced each of their names and basic information to Zhao Ninglu, who nodded repeatedly to indicate she had taken note. Those few individuals were instantly thrilled and cast grateful glances at He Yingying.

Everyone surrounded Zhao Ninglu and entered the Quadrangle Courtyard. Originally, they intended to invite Zhao Ninglu to the VIP room, but Zhao Ninglu waved her hand and said, “I have matters to deal with today, so I won’t be going to the VIP room. I’d like to share a few heartfelt words here with everyone instead. Many of you should be aware that at present, our Imperial Family Secret Territory is facing an unprecedented crisis. Now is the time when we need everyone’s effort. So I won’t beat around the bush and will get straight to the point. I know you’ve prepared many little programs for this banquet. I used to enjoy these kinds of diversions, but now, they are no longer suitable. They are only for entertainment and cannot meet the challenges we currently face. Thus, today I want to change the rules for you and use a different method to select the best among you. If any of you passes my selection, I can assure you, you’ve hit the jackpot. You will receive special training from our royal lineage, and if you perform exceptionally well, you might even be promoted to become a close retainer of our line.”

At this point, Zhao Ninglu picked up a wine cup, raised it high, and said, “Before we begin the official selection, let me first toast to everyone. Let’s drink to a better future for the Imperial Family Secret Territory.”

Having said that, Zhao Ninglu was the first to down her drink. Then, with a wave of her hand, someone took something resembling a Lotus Seat out of a Storage Bag and placed it in the center of the Quadrangle Courtyard.

Zhao Ninglu continued, “This is a device our royal family uses to measure aptitude. I requested it especially from the royal treasury to use on everyone here. Please enter it one by one to test your respective aptitudes. Whether your aptitude is excellent or lacking, the same standard applies to all. To make sure everyone understands how it works, I will have someone demonstrate it for you first.”

Zhao Ninglu waved her hand, and immediately someone stepped into the center of the Lotus Platform, then stood there with her head bowed, eyes closed, awaiting the test. Aside from that, they made no other movements.

Zhao Ninglu waved her hand again, and another person stepped forward to embed a middle-grade, attribute-less spirit stone into the Lotus Platform. The platform activated, a bright light arose from it, enveloping the person standing on it. Finally, the originally colorless Lotus Platform began to change. There were many petals on the Lotus Platform, all transparent, but now some of the petals slowly turned fiery red, beginning from the bottom and spreading upwards layer by layer, until several layers were covered, then it stopped.

Approaching, Zhao Ninglu pointed at the petals and explained, “The Lotus Platform changes according to the different body constitutions of those being tested. Like now, the lotus petals turning red indicates that this person’s constitution is suitable for practicing fire attribute cultivation techniques. If the petals change one layer, it means this person is suited for the most basic training; changing two layers means their constitution is fairly good; three layers signify that their constitution is quite good. If they can change four layers, that indicates their constitution is quite remarkable. If five layers change, then the person qualifies for key training by the royal family; if it extends to six layers, then they qualify to be summoned by the Prince and personally trained by him. Of course, if you can change seven layers, that’s even more incredible—the Prince might even take you in as his godson and confer upon you the title of Prince. Well, that’s all I have to say. The specific results of the test will depend on each individual’s fate. Hehe, who would like to go first?”

No sooner had Zhao Ninglu finished speaking than those who had been informed in advance by He Yingying rushed forward, vying to be the first to be tested. Each one of them was very confident in themselves, believing they would not lose to anyone else. They understood very well that at this moment, if they could set off a strong first impression by showcasing their superior talents for Princess Zhao Ninglu to see firsthand, they would leave a deep impression on her, which would be highly beneficial for their future development.

They were clear on this point, as was Zhao Minglu. With a smile, Zhao Ninglu looked towards He Yingying and asked, “Who do you think should be the first to test among them? You know them far better than I do; it’s up to you to decide.”

At that moment, everyone’s gaze turned towards He Yingying, who suddenly felt like she was on pins and needles. Zhao Ninglu mentioning her name at this time might not necessarily be a good thing, but it was impossible for her to refuse now. Zhao Ninglu was the Princess, with a status a notch higher than her own, and a strength that she couldn’t hope to compare with—she could only obey.

Indeed, as Zhao Ninglu had said, He Yingying did have some understanding of these people. Frankly, their talents were mediocre, at a level where they were not extraordinary but definitely better than average. However, the families behind them were willing to invest a substantial amount of resources into them. Thus, their cultivation levels appeared decent, at the very least stronger than their peers of the same age, which gave those who were not in the know an illusion that they possessed excellent talents—including the individuals themselves.

However, this situation could not fool He Yingying. If these people’s talents were to be exposed in front of Zhao Ninglu, what would Zhao Ninglu think? Would she feel as if He Yingying was intentionally introducing her to trash, trying to disgust her? If Zhao Ninglu got that impression, then He Yingying’s plans to use this banquet to curry favor with and befriend Zhao Ninglu might well go down the drain. Worse still, it could severely damage He Yingying’s relationship with Zhao Ninglu, which would be highly disadvantageous for her. He Yingying would definitely not make such a mistake.

Just then, He Yingying turned her head and saw Xiang Bo; her eyes lit up with a plan forming in her heart. Since those who were notified ahead of time by her weren’t reliable, why not let Xiang Bo go first? She might not dare to claim a thorough understanding of others, but she Knew Xiang Bo very well. After numerous days together, she had a clear grasp of Xiang Bo’s situation; she even knew the age when Xiang Bo had stopped wetting the bed.