Chapter 678 - 284: Taking the Lead
BONG!
Suddenly, the toll of a bell shattered the tense atmosphere.
A young girl in a floral dress stared blankly at the great bell above her. Its melodious toll had rung out just for her.
BONG!
As she stood beneath the great bell, it rang three consecutive times.
The little boy in the lead looked at the girl with a pleased surprise. "Not bad, little one," he said. "A level-three Spiritual Root. Take her to be tested for a Dual Spiritual Root."
"Yes!"
A young man from behind him led the girl away.
The girl glanced back at the crowd, a confused look on her face as she followed the young man. It seemed she didn’t yet understand what a level-three Spiritual Root meant, let alone the significance of the little boy’s praise.
After hearing the bell, the crowd grew even more eager amidst their nervousness.
Most of those who had traveled thousands of miles to join the Profound Celestial Sect had a realistic sense of their own abilities. While the majority failed, a good number possessed enough talent to pass the first trial.
Soon, it was Chu Lingguang’s turn.
BONG!
The bell rang twice in succession.
The sound was deep and powerful, as if rung by brute force. The little boy gave Chu Lingguang a cursory glance before turning his attention to the others walking up to the great black bell.
Chu Lingguang sighed in relief. ’At least I passed the first trial, no matter what.’
He looked at Guo Wei expectantly.
’If Guo Wei can’t enter the Profound Celestial Sect with me, what’s the point of me staying here?’
After he stepped away, it was immediately Guo Wei’s turn.
BONG!
A single, muffled toll rang out.
Smiles appeared on both Chu Lingguang’s and Guo Wei’s faces.
Master and disciple had both successfully passed the first trial.
"My Spirit Root Attribute must have been strengthened by the Vine Demon’s power," Guo Wei remarked. "Otherwise, I would have never passed the Profound Celestial Sect’s first trial."
"No matter what, we have to enter the Profound Celestial Sect together," Chu Lingguang said.
"That would be for the best, of course. But if we really do enter the Profound Celestial Sect together, won’t we have to call each other ’martial brothers’ from now on?" Guo Wei said with a smile.
"That... No matter when or where, Master, you will always be my master. Nothing can change that," Chu Lingguang said, momentarily stunned, his voice firm with conviction.
"I was just joking with you, my boy."
「Two hours later.」
Only a small fraction of the cultivators remained in the Martial Arts Arena to continue with the Profound Celestial Sect’s assessment.
"Spirit Root Level is the foundation of cultivation, but it doesn’t entirely determine one’s achievements. To become a disciple of the Profound Celestial Sect, you not only need a qualifying Spirit Root Level but also a certain degree of Sea of Consciousness Power. Only those who meet the standards for both have a chance to join us," the little boy announced.
The crowd stared at him. Most could already sense that an ancient soul resided within the little boy’s body. They just didn’t know what kind of Magical Techniques and Divine Abilities he had cultivated to achieve this state of rejuvenation.
"Sea of Consciousness Power?"
"Spirit Root Level is closely related to one’s future Spiritual Power, while Sea of Consciousness Power is related to Telekinesis. Rumor has it that the disciples of the Profound Celestial Sect not only have powerful Spirit Root Levels but also terrifyingly strong Sea of Consciousness Power. It’s said that one in ten people in the sect can manifest Telekinesis. It seems those rumors are true."
"What method will the Profound Celestial Sect use to test our Sea of Consciousness Power?"
...
The crowd whispered amongst themselves, discussing animatedly.
’I never expected that even the Profound Celestial Sect would place such a high value on Sea of Consciousness Power. I’ve already developed Telekinesis, so passing the test and entering the sect shouldn’t be a problem for me. But my master... he...’ Chu Lingguang hesitated.
He and Guo Wei had crossed the vast ocean to reach the Great Qin Territory and had finally made it to the Profound Celestial Sect’s assessment together. If he was the only one to remain, leaving Guo Wei to become a lone Loose Cultivator, Chu Lingguang couldn’t just stand by and watch.
"Before you is a Void Mirror. As long as you can walk through it, you will be qualified to take the Profound Celestial Sect’s final trial," the little boy said again.
He pointed to an empty space in the Martial Arts Arena.
At some point, an oval mirror had appeared there.
The mirror was not a solid object.
Ripples of light shimmered across its surface. When people gazed into it, they felt dizzy and disoriented, as if their very Divine Soul was being turned upside down.
THUD!
Some people were immediately drawn in.
Before they could even get close to the mirror, they collapsed to the ground. They were immediately carried away by the black-clothed youths in the Martial Arts Arena and vanished from sight, clearly ejected from the sect and stripped of their chance to be assessed.
For a moment, no one dared to look at the mirror carelessly; those who did were struggling to hold on.
"You have the time it takes for one incense stick to burn."
"After one incense stick burns out, regardless of your Sea of Consciousness Power, anyone who has not taken the test will be considered disqualified," the little boy stated.
A commotion stirred through the crowd.
Unable to wait any longer, someone started walking toward the mirror. But before he could pass through it, he collapsed five meters away and fell unconscious on the spot.
THUD! THUD!
Six people in a row collapsed to the ground.
The one who got closest only made it halfway through the mirror before falling.
At that moment, the girl in the floral dress who had been led away reappeared in the Martial Arts Arena. She passed through the mirror with ease and returned to her original spot as if nothing had happened.
Seeing this, the little boy couldn’t help but reveal a satisfied smile. He gestured for the young man beside him to lead the girl away again.
It seemed the girl in the floral dress had already passed all the trials and earned the opportunity to become a disciple of the Profound Celestial Sect.
Chu Lingguang frowned.
Having practiced both the basic Telekinesis cultivation method and the basic Sea of Consciousness Power cultivation method, his Sea of Consciousness Power had been far beyond that of an ordinary person from the very beginning. Faced with the strange mirror before him, his competitive spirit was stirred.