Chapter 416 - 343: Peerless Talent
In the Observatory Pavilion of Yuan Huang Palace.
In the light screen, Chen Sheng was using the Yin Yang Black Hole to devour the patterns of the Star-devouring Primordial Magnetic Beast, the intertwined Black and White Sword Light fully displaying its annihilation might.
Taiyuan lightly pinched his fingertips, and the image within the light screen slightly zoomed in, clearly enlarging the Yin Yang Five Elements Dao Principle within Chen Sheng’s Sword Light.
His hair and beard slightly moved, and a faint golden mark of time and space flickered between his brows, as he nodded gently:
"The Path of Yin Yang Five Elements Annihilation Sword is progressing in the right direction. With this as his foundation, it will be logical for it to eventually transform into his master’s Great Dao of End."
Beside him, Cold Monarch slightly raised his sword-like eyebrows, his eyes full of amazement:
"Senior Brother, with such power, he still doesn’t rank in the state competition?"
"I remember back when I participated in the Yun State competition, anyone who could withstand thirty moves from me could stabilize in the top hundred. The power of Junior Brother’s Yin Yang Annihilation Sword Light is much stronger than those mediocrities."
Taiyuan raised his hand, brushing over the light screen, switching the scene to Chen Sheng slaying the illusion beast on the fourth level, the image of the nine-headed illusion beast crumbling under the Sword Light was clearly visible.
A trace of recollection flashed in his eyes as he slowly said:
"The Nine Refining Dharma Master first took charge of Yun State nearly three thousand years ago, and in that time, he accepted several direct disciples, personally instructing them with his ’Nine Refinements Return to Truth’ method."
"Under him, the number of Inner Sect Disciples is also not small, so the overall strength this time around is much stronger than your cohort."
Hearing this, Cold Monarch understood immediately: "I see, where does Junior Brother rank in this state competition?"
Taiyuan replied: "Around three hundredth place."
"Three hundredth?!"
Cold Monarch suddenly put down his teacup, the warm jade teacup colliding with the cold jade chess table, making a crisp sound:
"This... this cohort is actually this strong? Passing the fifth level can only rank around one hundred and fiftieth?"
Seeing this, Taiyuan’s lips curled into a slight smile:
"It’s not quite that exaggerated. I am in charge of teaching at the Daoist Palace, and I have a fair understanding of the named disciples’ abilities."
"In this state competition, six disciples have passed the fifth level of the Star Tower, and they can indeed stabilize in the top one hundred and fifty."
"However, if we talk about actual combat strength, Junior Brother’s Path of Yin Yang Five Elements Annihilation Sword is more condensed than half of them. He should be able to rank just over the top hundred now."
"One can just say, Junior Brother’s talent is outstanding, and he has progressed rapidly since being bestowed with the method by his master."
As the two talked, in the light screen, Chen Sheng’s Sword Light grew increasingly sharp, the Black and White Qi forming into a Black Hole that had already swallowed most of the illusion beast’s star particles, reducing the beast’s size by nearly half and significantly diminishing its might.
Hearing his Senior Brother’s explanation, Cold Monarch said loudly:
"So, our Junior Brother is truly an uncut gem?"
"Given time, when he fully masters his cultivation technique and integrates Sword Dao with the Great Dao of End, in a few millennia, his master’s sect might indeed have a fourth direct disciple!"
Hearing this, Taiyuan’s eyes held a flicker of expectation, and he gently nodded:
"Hopefully so!"
...
On the fifth level of the Star Tower, the star particles of the Star-devouring Primordial Magnetic Beast were almost transparent but still tenaciously reorganizing — this was the sixty-seventh time.
"Yin Yang Annihilation, Five Elements Return to the Void!"
Chen Sheng shouted lowly, a black-and-white Sword Pattern brightened between his brows, and the black hole around him suddenly expanded threefold, swallowing all the remaining star particles.
Immediately, he twisted his wrist, and his sword traced a perfect Tai Chi arc, the Black and White Sword Light weaving into a net of destruction, thoroughly crushing the star fragments attempting to reorganize.
This time, the core Magnetic Crystal of the illusion beast finally emitted a tiny crisp sound, turning into streams of light that merged into the tower wall.
The mark of passing the fifth level embedded itself in Chen Sheng’s brow like a star, connecting with the marks from the first four levels into a miniature star track.
Chen Sheng inwardly marveled: "What an amazing life-saving Secret Technique!"
...
Outside the Star Rights Hall, a ten-foot-tall black stone stele stood on the plaza, its body inscribed with flowing Star Patterns, which recorded the results of Star Tower challenges for all disciples of the Daoist Palace, the "Star Chart".
Many named disciples had been keeping an eye on the rankings, waiting for the inner sect’s Prince Life-Annihilating to challenge.
On this day, a green light point suddenly appeared on the Star Chart.
When the green light first appeared, it was on the bottommost first-level scale, and before the crowd could exclaim, it shot up like a meteor, instantly jumping to the second-level scale, with the words "Life-Annihilating" appearing alongside!
"The challenge has begun! So fast!"
"Only ranked over two hundred and ninety in the state competition, even Brother Pang Xu, who ranks at two hundred and seventy-eight, only reached the fifth level. Prince Life-Annihilating at most only has the fifth level’s level of strength."
"Why rush, the first few levels are just appetizers."
"Back then, Brother Pang Xu took only half an incense stick’s time for the first three levels, Prince Life-Annihilating’s state competition ranking is even lower, going fast at the start doesn’t mean much; the fifth level is the real hurdle."
Just as he finished speaking, the green light on the Star Chart moved again.
Third level, fourth level, the green light jumped upwards almost without pause, and each leap caused a burst of star-like gleaming on the stone stele, as if applauding that astonishing speed.
When the green light fell on the fifth-level scale, it finally paused, and the words "Life-Annihilating" shone brightly at the fifth level.
"As expected, it slows down at the fifth level."
"I told you, the fifth level’s Star-devouring Primordial Magnetic Beast is at the top hundred in state competition strength, those within the top three hundred cannot pass."
Many disciples around nodded, and the expressions in their eyes directed at the Star Chart held more relief—although it was fast, it still didn’t exceed expectations.
"It can’t be said like that."
Among the crowd, a red-faced named disciple stroked his beard, familiar with the difficulty of the Star Tower:
"Back then, Brother Pang Xu only stayed for half an incense stick on the fifth level before withdrawing, while now Prince Life-Annihilating has been at the fifth level for a full incense stick length without a sound—this shows that his present strength significantly surpasses Brother Pang Xu’s."
Only then did everyone react, lowering their heads to look at the time-counting Star Pattern beside the stone stele.
The pattern representing the fifth-level’s stay time indeed had burned an incense stick’s length and remained bright, without the slightest sign of dimming.
The plaza fell silent again, everyone holding their breath, focusing on that point of green light.
The time of two incense sticks quietly passed, and when the timing Star Pattern burned to the length of three incense sticks, finally someone in the crowd couldn’t hold back:
"It’s been three sticks of incense! What on earth is happening inside? I really want to peek inside the Star Tower!"
This was what everyone felt, many standing on their toes, looking toward the Star Tower with eyes full of curiosity and urgency.
Just then, the Star Chart suddenly erupted with a blinding green light!
The green light halted at the fifth level soared up like a sharp sword piercing the void, instantly landing on the sixth-level scale!
The words "Life-Annihilating" flickered thrice at the sixth level’s position. The star patterns on the stele flowed like tides, emitting a "buzz" sound, as if announcing this historic moment.
A robust disciple exclaimed in astonishment:
"The sixth level! Terrifying as such! The best performance among the younger generation in our Star Rights Hall is only up to the sixth level!"
The Star Rights Hall is a palace for all named disciples to listen to the Dao, above it is the Star Pearl Hall for inner sect disciples, and further above is the Star Xuan Hall, the assembly point for the three main direct disciples.
Beside him, a disciple quickly followed up:
"Not just the best! In the entire younger generation of the Star Rights Hall, only six named disciples have reached the sixth level. Among these, two have entered the top hundred in the state competition, and the other four are all within one hundred fifty!"
"My heavens! How long has it been from a state ranking of three hundred to a level comparable to over one hundred — this progress speed is simply heaven-defying!"
"No wonder he was directly accepted into the Inner Sect by the Palace Master, truly a peerless genius!"
In the crowd, the older named disciple’s eyes glittered as he slowly spoke:
"Do you know the promotion rules of the Palace? Named disciples who pass the seventh level before three thousand years old can enter the Inner Sect’s Star Pearl Hall."
"With Prince Life-Annihilating’s rate of progress, even as a named disciple, he will enter the Star Pearl in a few hundred years."
"No, you’re wrong. Prince Life-Annihilating isn’t under three thousand years; he’s under a thousand years, and according to the rules of the Daoist Palace, that’s enough to enter the Inner Sect."
These words caused a greater intake of breath.
The sixth level within a millennium and the seventh level within three thousand years are both standards for named disciples to rise to the Inner Sect. Without a doubt, the former is more difficult, requiring exceptional innate talent.
Very few can achieve it; it’s almost forgotten.
"Truly a peerless genius!"
Someone shouted, immediately drawing agreement from the crowd, their eyes on the Star Chart now filled with awe.