The Cyan Nether Sword Sect's entry test was divided into two parts.
The first part was the Strength Test.
At the entrance to the Sword Sect's Mountain Gate stood ten massive, pitch-black steles lined up in a row. Ten markings were engraved on each stele, running from bottom to top. Right now, the markings were all dim; one only needed to channel their Elental Power into a stele to reveal their strength.
The first nine markings corresponded to the nine layers of the Essence Realm, while the tenth marking represented the Earth Soul Realm.
The second part was a test of talent and potential.
This stage of the test was located a hundred ters behind the Strength Test, where ten more identical steles stood.
Through Liu Liyun's explanation, Hong Yu learned that the ten markings on these steles represented ten levels of talent.
Ever since the Cyan Nether Sword Sect's founding, it seed no one had ever managed to reach ten markings. The highest record in the last hundred years belonged to Hong Renjie, who had reached a talent potential of seven markings.
'I wonder how many markings I'll be able to reach?' Hong Yu thought to himself.
"Next!"
The indifferent voice of a Sword Sect disciple called from ahead.
Hong Yu felt a poke in his side and saw Liu Liyun giving him a look. Only then did he realize it was his turn for the Strength Test. The Outer Sect Disciple in charge of testing was already looking impatient.
"My apologies, I was lost in thought," Hong Yu said with a sheepish chuckle.
"Take out your Sword Order."
The Sword Sect disciple snorted coldly and spoke with indifference.
Feeling snubbed, Hong Yu rubbed his nose in frustration and handed the Sword Order that Feng Xue Xin had given him to the disciple. The Sword Sect disciple took the order, and his expression paused for a mont. When he looked at Hong Yu again, his gaze had softened considerably, and a stiff smile appeared on his numb face. "So it's Junior Brother Hong from Shishui City. Please, channel your Elental Power into the stele!"
Shishui City, and the surna Hong... It inevitably made the disciple wonder if Hong Yu was connected to the Four Kings, so his attitude naturally improved quite a bit.
Hong Yu paid it no mind. He simply nodded and pressed his palm against the stele.
The stele was cool to the touch and incredibly smooth, like pressing one's hand against a young maiden's fair, tender skin.
"Hmph!"
Hong Yu grunted as he circulated his Profound Skill, and a torrent of Elental Power surged into the stele.
ZING! ZING! ZING!
The dim markings on the stele suddenly burst forth with a dazzling golden light.
One marking, two, three...
The light shot all the way up to the ninth marking, even faintly approaching the tenth before slowly coming to a halt.
"Half-Step Earth Soul Realm? Who is this kid? With his strength, he's definitely strong enough to rank in the top hundred new disciples!"
"He looks sixteen or seventeen. He might be another genius who can break through to the Earth Soul Realm before turning eighteen."
"Brother Hong, you're that strong?" Liu Liyun's handso face was flushed with excitent.
Hong Yu retrieved his Sword Order, cupped his hands in a brief salute to the disciple, and then clapped Liu Liyun on the shoulder. "Stop gawking. Hurry up and finish your test so we can move to the next stage!"
"Right!"
Liu Liyun passed the first stage with his strength at the Ninth Layer of the Essence Realm, and the two of them headed for the second stage together.
Just as they reached the second stage, a wave of gasps erupted from up ahead...
"My heavens, six markings! Duan Hong actually reached six talent markings!"
"Dongfang Lang also has six markings! Those two are just too incredible, aren't they? Sigh... I only got three, dammit. Is this the gap between and a genius?"
"Screw you, I only got two..."
Hong Yu narrowed his eyes and looked ahead.
Duan Hong and Dongfang Lang both wore indifferent expressions as they retrieved their Sword Orders under the respectful gaze of the disciple in charge of talent testing. No matter how amazed the crowd was, their expressions didn't change in the slightest. They stood completely still, their four eyes fixed on the slender figure standing beside the central Talent Stele.
Ling Tian. Undefeated since his debut, he had never failed to defeat an opponent in three moves or less.
The acknowledged Newcor King!
"Please!"
The Sword Sect disciple was obsequious and fawning, yet felt not the slightest sha.
Ling Tian gave him a cool glance before reaching out and pressing his hand on the Talent Stele.
BOOM!
A golden light as brilliant as a blazing sun erupted, shooting up past one marking, two... all the way to seven golden markings before its speed finally began to slow. The sight drew a collective gasp from the crowd, and the thousands of prodigies from all over the Fengyue Kingdom couldn't help but turn to stare.
Watching the youth bathed in golden light, who looked like a true son of heaven, the crowd felt no jealousy—only deep awe and reverence.
"Wait, it's not over!"
A startled cry broke the silence.
Above the seventh marking, the eighth one began to faintly stir.
BUZZ!
The golden light surged forth dazzlingly. A full eight talent markings!
"My heavens, Eight Talent Markings! A genius like this hasn't appeared in our Fengyue Kingdom for a thousand years..."
"Ling Tian... you can't even describe him as a genius anymore. He's simply a Demon Fiend!"
The cries of shock ca one after another like waves, each one louder than the last.
Back then, Hong Renjie, with his seven talent markings, was already considered a prodigy the Cyan Nether Sword Sect hadn't seen in a century. Now, Ling Tian had appeared with a dazzling eight markings. One could only imagine that once Ling Tian entered the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, he would surely beco its most brilliant star. At that point, not only would the Elders fight to beco his master, but even the reclusive Sect Leader would likely be tempted!
"Senior Brother Ling Tian, please take your Sword Order!" The Sword Sect disciple beca even more subservient, bowing fawningly, almost to the point of licking Ling Tian's boots.
And yet, no one looked down on him for it. Instead, they felt a hint of envy.
Ling Tian was destined to be a dazzling new star. If one could build a connection with him, their own future would surely be bright!
Ling Tian took his Sword Order, walked forward indifferently, found an empty spot, and sat down cross-legged, completely unmoved by the commotion around him.
In contrast, Duan Hong and Dongfang Lang glanced at each other, and both saw a trace of unwillingness in the other's eyes...
"This Ling Tian is too powerful. Eight Talent Markings..." Liu Liyun said with a sigh.
Hong Yu narrowed his eyes and asked inwardly, 'Little One, what do you think of this Ling Tian?'
'He's quite good!'
Little One praised, a rare occurrence.
Hong Yu asked again, 'How do I compare to him?' It was human nature to make comparisons, not to ntion Hong Yu was soone who loved a challenge.
Little One was silent for a mont before replying, 'If we don't count the Star River Spirit Bone, there's a significant gap between you and him.' After a pause, Little One continued, 'By the way, Hong Yu, I have a suggestion for you!'
'What is it?'
'It's best not to use the Star River Spirit Bone to interfere with the talent test!'
Little One's voice carried an unprecedented gravity as it slowly said, 'I know you want to attract the attention of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect's upper echelons as quickly as possible, but you've only just rged with the Star River Spirit Bone. Ordinary people can't detect the Spirit Bone's aura. However, if there are Primordial Core Realm experts within the Sword Sect, they might be able to sense a trace of the Spirit Bone's aura upon close contact. You should understand the principle that possessing a treasure can bring you ruin!'
'When will I reach a point where I don't have to fear the Spirit Bone's aura being discovered?' Hong Yu asked with a frown.
'If it takes a year or two, how can I possibly wait that long?'
Fortunately, Little One's lazy voice resolved his worries. 'You just need to break through to the Earth Soul Realm. The Star River Spirit Bone will naturally fuse completely with your body. At that point, forget the Primordial Core Realm, even a Venerable Realm expert wouldn't be able to detect it.'
Hong Yu fell into thought.
'Xue Butong said he can still suppress the eruption of Yaoyao's constitution, but only for about another year. What I need to do now is get in touch with Master Zhu as soon as possible, but the biggest problem is that Elder Level figures are high and mighty. I'd have to beco an Inner Sect Disciple just to get a eting.'
'If I want to persuade her to act, I'll have to reach the level of a True Disciple to even have a chance.'
'One year to beco a True Disciple... is that really enough ti?'
Hong Yu gritted his teeth. 'Fine, I'll take the risk!'
Soon, it was Hong Yu's turn to test his talent.
Without using the Star River Spirit Bone, his talent reached the Fifth Talent Marking before stopping. Even so, this level of talent was enough to rank him in the top twenty among the thousands of new disciples. He accepted his Sword Order from the now-pleasant Sword Sect disciple and stepped through the Mountain Gate.
On the spacious, flat ground, several thousand new disciples sat with their eyes closed, resting and quietly waiting for the test to conclude.
By noon, the test was finally complete.
The twenty Sword Sect disciples in charge of the test left with the records of the new disciples' results. They needed to compile the data, create a ranking, and then assign the new disciples to different levels based on that ranking.
"This Ling Tian is truly incredible! A Mid-Stage Earth Soul Realm Cultivation, and Eight Talent Markings on top of that. Good heavens, with his aptitude, I'm afraid the Elders are going to be fighting over him soon!"
The n responsible for compiling the results were Outer Sect Stewards. Logically, they should have seen plenty of geniuses over the years, but they still couldn't help but look shocked after seeing Ling Tian's results.
Another said, "Duan Hong and Dongfang Lang aren't bad either. Both have six talent markings."
"There are a few with Five Talent Markings, but they're all already famous geniuses, so no real surprises there... Huh? This guy here is quite unfamiliar!"
"Where?"
"This guy nad Hong Yu. Sixteen years old and already at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm—that's a fast cultivation speed. And even though he only has five talent markings, it's still enough to qualify him to enter the Inner Sect as a Core Disciple!"
After so discussion, the Stewards divided this batch of new disciples into three levels.
The first level naturally consisted of Ling Tian, Duan Hong, and Dongfang Lang. These three were prodigies who could directly enter the Inner Sect and beco Direct Disciples of an Elder.
The second level was composed of the remaining thirteen Earth Soul Realm experts, as well as Hong Yu, who was at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm with five talent markings. These fourteen were qualified to enter the Inner Sect and beco Core Disciples.
The rest were placed in the third level, assigned to the Outer Sect!
"The tally is finished. We can go announce the results!"
Just as the Stewards were about to take the list to the Mountain Gate to announce the results, an imposing figure suddenly appeared at the doorway. The man wore a silver Sword Robe with a large character for "Nether" embroidered in gold thread on the chest—an outfit only Inner Sect Disciples were permitted to wear.
The Stewards were stunned for a mont, then bowed to the newcor in salute. "Greetings, Senior Brother!"
The imposing figure nodded indifferently, took the list from the hands of an Outer Sect Steward, and swept his gaze over it. He then pointed to a na and said coolly, "This one's no good. Remove him from the Second Level and demote him to the Third Level."
"Him? Senior Brother, this person's talent isn't weak..." the Steward said, hesitating.
"Hmph!"
The imposing figure snorted coldly. His powerful aura pressed down on the Steward, making his legs tremble. His indifferent voice carried an authority that permitted no defiance. "This is the Alliance Leader's will. You can decide for yourself how to proceed." After speaking, he turned and left, not at all worried that the Steward would disobey him.
"The... the Alliance Leader? C-Could it be *him*?"
The Steward's legs went weak with fright, and he collapsed to the ground. He shook his head with a bitter smile and crossed the na off the list. "To have offended the Alliance Leader... what an unlucky fellow..."
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