Chapter 4: Talent 2
The elder, dressed in flowing Daoist robes, nodded at the clan leader's command and moved to carry out his task.
Wang Ming and the other thirty-nine candidates were soon led to a shallow pool filled with shimmering, clear water. The elder gestured toward the pool and spoke with a steady, authoritative tone.
"Enter the pool together. Stay as long as you can endure, but do not overestimate your limits, or you risk crippling your foundation."
The candidates bowed respectfully before stepping into the pool, their movements synchronized yet hesitant. Wang Ming, without any hesitation, waded into the water, which barely reached a meter in depth. He lowered himself into it, lying back with only his face above the surface. Closing his eyes, he allowed his thoughts to drift.
**"This is the third test, one that measures innate talent.
There are five ranks, from the lowest, Rank One, to the highest, Rank Five. The higher one's talent rank, the greater their potential for absorbing spiritual energy.
Rank One: ten breaths.
Rank Two: twenty breaths.
Rank Three: thirty breaths.