bayedsolid Chapter 423: The Assessment begins!
Chapter 423: The Assessment begins!
"Now, if I drive these ten Violet Shadow Swords with the Soul Sword Control Art using the Violet Shadow Sword Array, their power already far surpasses the first move of the Thunderflame Gale Sword Art. Although it is still slightly weaker than the second and third moves of the Thunderflame Gale Sword Art, this method is far more unpredictable. In some ways, it will be even harder for enemies to defend against."
Li Yun nodded slightly, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
After mastering the second realm of the Soul Sword Control Art, he had gained another powerful trump card. At a critical moment, this technique might even be able to save his life.
"Calculating the time, the Heavenly Sword Sect assessment should be about to begin."
With that thought in mind, Li Yun left the remote valley and returned to his residence.
After returning, he regrouped with Su Fengyan, Huang Chen, Li Hao, and Qin Baoluo.
Soon after, the five of them were led by Jian Wuchen and Mo Qingren toward a vast plaza.
The plaza was extremely spacious, and it was already packed with people. Geniuses from different places had gathered around the square, and every one of them wore an expression filled with anticipation, nervousness, or confidence.
Rumble!
Suddenly, the open ground at the center of the plaza trembled violently and began to sink.
A moment later, a massive emerald pillar rose from beneath the ground with a thunderous roar. The pillar towered upward, and mysterious patterns flickered across its surface, releasing an ancient and solemn aura.
Swish, swish, swish!
Immediately after, a white-robed elder with silver hair swept over from the distance.
His movements did not seem fast. He appeared to be taking ordinary steps, calm and unhurried, yet for some reason, he crossed several thousand meters in a single breath and appeared before everyone.
"Everyone, I am the chief examiner for the first stage of this assessment."
The silver-haired elder in a white robe had a lean and refined face. His voice was not loud, but it carried clearly across the entire plaza and entered everyone’s ears. "The first stage of the assessment is a test of aptitude and innate talent. The rules are very simple. Each of you will step forward and place your palm on the Spirit Talent Pillar. The pillar will then reveal the level of your talent."
"The Spirit Talent Pillar has ten rings of light. Anyone who triggers fewer than six rings will fail the assessment and be eliminated on the spot. Such a person will not even have the qualifications to become a Preparatory Disciple."
The silver-haired elder’s tone was cold and strict, causing the hearts of many young geniuses to tighten. His gaze swept across the crowd before he continued, "Six to seven rings is considered passing. Seven to eight rings is considered good. Eight to nine rings is considered excellent. As for those who can surpass nine rings, they can be considered transcendent."
"Of course, among the five hundred people here, I do not expect any genius with transcendent aptitude to appear. In fact, the vast majority of you will likely only reach the passing level. If anyone can obtain a good result, that will already be rather impressive."
When these words fell, many people in the crowd showed faint dissatisfaction, but the silver-haired elder ignored their expressions completely. He merely continued in an indifferent voice, "In addition, if you possess special abilities such as secret arts, they can be counted as bonus points. As for how many points will be added, that will be decided by me. These are the rules. Do all of you understand?"
"We understand."
The crowd answered in unison.
"Good."
The silver-haired elder nodded slightly. "In that case, the assessment will now begin. According to the order, the Preparatory Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect will go first. First participant, Lin Chen."
When these words were spoken, Lin Chen and the other Preparatory Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect all revealed proud expressions.
As Preparatory Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, they considered themselves part of the sect’s direct line. In their eyes, people like Li Yun, who had been selected from distant regions and small places, were merely outsiders brought in from branch territories. Because of this, they naturally carried an instinctive sense of superiority.
With a proud expression, Lin Chen walked straight toward the Spirit Talent Pillar and pressed his palm against it.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Light immediately surged up from the Spirit Talent Pillar, winding upward like a luminous serpent. One ring after another lit up in succession, and everyone watched closely as the glow continued to climb.
In the end, the light stopped slightly above the sixth ring.
It had only gone a quarter past the sixth ring.
How could this be?
The arrogant smile on Lin Chen’s face froze instantly. He stood there in a daze, staring at the Spirit Talent Pillar with disbelief in his eyes.
His talent had only reached a quarter past six rings?
That meant he had barely passed the minimum requirement.
How was that possible?
The confidence he had carried moments earlier shattered at once, and he walked back with a pale face, his spirit clearly dampened.
"Pass. Next, Lu Yanfeng."
The silver-haired elder’s expression did not change in the slightest. His gaze did not remain on Lin Chen for even a moment longer, because someone who had barely crossed the sixth ring was not worth his attention.
The next person to step forward was Lu Yanfeng. His result was slightly better than Lin Chen’s, but not by much. The light on the Spirit Talent Pillar stopped at exactly one-third past the sixth ring.
One-third past six rings.
Such a result could only be called mediocre.
Just like Lin Chen, Lu Yanfeng had walked forward with great confidence, but when he returned, disappointment was written all over his face. The following candidates were mostly the same. More than a dozen people tested one after another, yet not a single one managed to reach seven rings.
Among those dozen participants, the best result only reached two-thirds past the sixth ring, still a clear distance away from the seventh ring.
"Next, Xue Wuyan."
At that moment, the silver-haired elder’s voice rang out once again.