My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

Chapter 255 On Innate Talent, Who Will Stand Out?

A moment later, Chu Lengyu retrieved the array flags.

Only then did the old man Merlin awaken from his reverie, snapping out of the mysterious world revealed by the array of flags.

However, what followed was a violent feeling of weakness, which surged like a tidal wave, making it almost impossible for him to stand.

Old Man Meilin felt as if all his strength had been drained from his body, as if he hadn't slept for days and nights, and was utterly exhausted.

He knew in his heart that this was because he had pushed himself too hard.

Drawn by the banners, he became so engrossed in them that he lost track of time and the limits of his physical endurance.

Thinking of the infinite mysteries revealed by those flags, an old man named Merlin gave a bitter smile.

He felt like a tiny insect, soaring into the sky for the first time and glimpsing the vast and boundless world. The feeling of awe and reverence mixed with excitement made him both excited and helpless.

The thought that he had little time left to live filled him with sorrow.

Looking at the six people who finally passed the test, a hint of regret flashed in the eyes of the old man Merlin.

If he is in good health and full of energy, he will at least choose two or three of them to take with him and teach them carefully, imparting all his knowledge and experience to them.

However, he is currently too exhausted to take on too many teaching duties, so he can only choose one of these six people as his personal disciple and devote all his efforts to teaching him patiently.

Old Man Meilin sighed deeply in his heart.

He summoned the six men before him and said, "Because I presumptuously peeked into the secrets of heaven, my lifespan is nearing its end. Therefore, I can only choose one of you to take as my disciple and patiently teach him."

Upon hearing this, the six people, including Yi Xiaoqi, exchanged glances, secretly assessing their competitors.

Yi Xiaoqi's heart was pounding with anxiety.

She originally participated in this test with a try-it-out mentality, but unexpectedly she made it to the final stage. Now that she has reached this point, she is even more unwilling to be eliminated.

She racked her brains trying to figure out her competitive advantage, but couldn't come up with anything for the time being.

Just as she was filled with anxiety, the old man Merlin in front of her slowly spoke, breaking the silence: "Come forward one by one, so that I may test your aptitude."

These words shattered Yi Xiaoqi's last hope and wishful thinking, and her face turned pale instantly.

She suffered from a congenital deficiency and was in poor health from birth. Most of her family's savings were spent on her medical treatment and recuperation when she was young, but they were never able to cure her completely.

Her parents even died on the way to find a miraculous medicine that could improve her health.

It was this experience that shaped Yi Xiaoqi's resilient character.

The more others doubted her, the more stubborn she became. So what if she was born with disadvantages? So what if her cultivation was slower? She believed that as long as she could endure and persevere, she would be no worse than others.

However, when the old man Merlin proposed to compare their physical constitution, her defenses crumbled instantly.

She had just been praying in her heart that the final test, no matter what it was, would not be about physical constitution, because in this one thing, she was certain to lose.

This is her destiny, ordained by God; she cannot change it, nor can she escape it.

Yi Xiaoqi stood frozen in place, her palms sweating profusely.

The other five people had already lined up and stepped forward one by one, nervously accepting the bone-touching test from Elder Merlin.

The old man Meilin gently placed his palm on Song Yi's head, closed his eyes and concentrated. After a moment, he smiled and nodded, saying, "Not bad, you have extraordinary talent and are a good candidate for cultivation."

Upon hearing this, Song Yi was overjoyed and stepped aside.

The old man Meilin then examined the bones of his other disciples in turn. Their reactions varied; some were nervous, while others were confident. However, without exception, they all received positive feedback from the old man Meilin.

Finally, it was Yi Xiaoqi's turn. She took a deep breath, tried to calm herself down, and walked up to Elder Meilin.

Old Man Merlin gently placed his palm on the top of her head, and his expression gradually became serious.

Yi Xiaoqi's heart sank.

She knew that her natural talent and aptitude probably wouldn't satisfy Elder Merlin, and she was prepared to be eliminated. She just hoped that this moment would pass quickly so that she wouldn't have to endure this torment anymore.

However, the old man Merlin did not immediately offer his opinion. Instead, he frowned and fell into deep thought, as if pondering some difficult decision.

Yi Xiaoqi's heart was in her throat. She looked nervously at the old man Merlin, waiting for his evaluation, but he just smiled and nodded, leaving her puzzled.

He looked at everyone and said, "Alright, now everyone has completed the test. I will decide on the final disciple selection based on your performance."

Everyone watched Merlin with bated breath, awaiting his final decision.

"I declare..." Elder Merlin said slowly, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Yi Xiaoqi.

In fact, in the heart of the old man Merlin, he already had a clear judgment on the qualifications of the six people.

Overall, none of them are particularly outstanding in terms of talent. Among them, only Song Yi has relatively good potential, but he is older and his personality is basically set, so his future potential is relatively small.

Actually, innate talent is important, but not that important, because with the resources accumulated through the plum veins, one can easily reach the Innate Realm by simply piling on the resources.

After reaching the Innate Realm, resources become scarce, cultivation progresses extremely slowly, and each person's comprehension becomes even more important.

After much deliberation, Elder Merlin was torn between taking on the relatively ordinary Song Yi and teaching her properly, or accepting the extraordinary Yi Xiaoqi and seeing if she would give him a pleasant surprise.

This is tantamount to gambling.

If the thirteen plum blossom divination slips hadn't been damaged, he would definitely have cast a divination for the two of them to ensure everything went smoothly.

However, it broke down and hasn't been repaired yet.

Faced with this dilemma, old man Merlin suddenly felt the allure of the unknown in destiny.

In the past, he always relied on divination and ritual implements to judge good or bad fortune. This time, he would not rely on divination or ritual implements, but would make this crucial decision solely on his own.

Yi Xiaoqi blinked, confirming that Elder Merlin was indeed looking at her, and was immediately filled with disbelief. She pointed at herself as if asking, "Me?"

The old man, Meilin, smiled and nodded, then asked, "Your name is Yi Xiaoqi?"

"Mmm." She nodded repeatedly, her excitement beyond words.

I never expected that after being so unlucky for so long, I would have such an opportunity.

“Hmm, Yi… the seventh hexagram of the I Ching, 'The Army'.” Old Man Meilin subconsciously recalled this hexagram, muttering to himself, “The Army hexagram is the hexagram of a heavenly horse breaking through the herd, symbolizing the few subduing the many. By following the circumstances, the army has a just cause, thus turning misfortune into good fortune.” (Note)

Yi Xiaoqi had never heard of the "I Ching" before, and although she was completely confused, she could tell that this was a compliment to her.

She especially liked the last part, "turning misfortune into good fortune."

She never expected that her extremely ordinary name could be interpreted with such a good meaning, and her eyes crinkled with laughter.

She quickly bowed to Elder Meilin and said gratefully, "Thank you for your guidance, senior."

"It's time to change your tune."

"Thank you so much for your guidance, Master!"

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Note: This explanation, found on Baidu, is very one-sided and incomplete.