Chapter 41: The Competition Heats Up
Upon reaching the summit, the intense pressure vanished, and Mingyan felt lighter. He attributed this to the contrast with the previous pressure, unaware of the subtle changes occurring within his body.
He followed the male cultivator’s directions and reached the edge of a cliff, where a rope bridge, secured by four thick chains and with wooden planks as its walkway, stretched across the chasm. A strong wind howled, but the bridge remained motionless, as if anchored in place.
On the other side, Mingyan saw a plaque bearing the characters “Wind Spirit,” shimmering with light.
He stepped onto the bridge and looked down.
The climb had been surprisingly easy, and only now did he realize the summit’s height. The bottom of the chasm was shrouded in mist, creating a sense of mystery.
Mingyan crossed the bridge and reached the plaque.
Two young disciples stood guard. They nodded at him, allowing him to enter the courtyard without a word.
He stepped into the Wind Spirit Courtyard.
Passing the plaque, he felt like he had entered a different world. The dense spiritual energy was invigorating, far surpassing that of the Huang family’s outer courtyard. Even breathing felt easier here. For cultivators, spiritual energy was as essential as air. The purer and denser it was, the more beneficial.
Mingyan thought that if he had started cultivating here, he would have reached a much higher level by now.
At least within the Spring Opening Realm, where quantity led to quality, he would have progressed much faster.
But why was the difference in energy density so stark between the inside and outside of the courtyard? Was there a formation trapping the energy within?
Xia Yanming had used the formation left by their Rotating Core Realm ancestor to stall his enemies. Formations were truly powerful… Perhaps he should learn more about them.
He could have mentioned Huang Junru’s letter to Holy Master Yue Ying, but he hadn’t. He was curious about his own talent and believed the Holy Master would be informed of his arrival. Perhaps she wanted to assess his talent before making a decision.
He looked around but didn’t see any other disciples. Shortly after, a white-haired elder flew down and landed before him, his expression serious. “Are you the one who passed the first test?”
Mingyan nodded. “I’m here for the second test.”
“Follow me.” The elder grabbed him by the collar and lifted him into the air… Mingyan was slightly surprised by this rough method of transportation…
As they flew deeper into the Wind Spirit Courtyard, Mingyan saw more and more disciples. The lowest cultivation level he saw was his own, and most were imperceptible, meaning they were stronger than him…
As expected, a Sacred Land was filled with talented individuals… Even if he was talented, he couldn’t neglect hard work. He had to excel to achieve anything here.
Huang Feiyan had mentioned the Peach Banquet at Yaochi Sacred Land in a year and a half. The Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sacred Land would surely attend, but the number of participants would be limited. Mingyan had to secure a spot, not just to reunite with Huang Feiyan and Huang Junyi, but also to get closer to Ning Feixuan.
The elder landed with him in a plaza where many people were gathered. A beautiful, pale blue jade stone stood in the center.
“Stand in line here. The second test is simple. When it’s your turn, place your hand on the jade stone. It contains a special formation that will assess your cultivation talent based on your spiritual energy absorption and circulation speed. This complements the first test. The stone will glow, with ten levels of brightness. The brighter the glow, the better your adaptability to spiritual energy and the more suitable your physique is for cultivation.”
Mingyan nodded, and the elder continued, “However, this only tests your physical adaptability, not your overall cultivation talent. So, even if you achieve a high score, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a genius. Don’t become arrogant. Conversely, even if your score is low, don’t be discouraged. Perhaps your talent in other areas can compensate for your physical limitations… Of course, if your physique is too weak, you won’t pass the test. The consequences of that should be obvious.”
Mingyan cupped his hands respectfully. “Thank you for the reminder.”
The elder nodded and flew away.
Mingyan’s arrival didn’t attract much attention. Everyone had been brought here by the elder in the same manner.
He joined the line.
There were so many people ahead of him. They must have arrived earlier. So many people wanted to join the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sacred Land…
The competition was fierce.
He counted about forty or fifty cultivators ahead of him, most younger than him, some even appearing to be only seven or eight years old. Their cultivation levels were no lower than his. In terms of age and cultivation, he might be the weakest among them.
Above the jade stone, known as the Wind Spirit Stone, several elderly cultivators levitated, observing the applicants below. Mingyan assumed they were elders of the Sacred Land…
Many disciples in uniform, green with the characters “Wind Spirit” embroidered on their chests, were also present, likely from the Wind Spirit Branch, here to watch. They were whispering amongst themselves.
“There don’t seem to be any exceptionally talented disciples today. Eh? Why is there a Great Brook Realm cultivator so old?” One disciple noticed Mingyan, his tone dismissive.
“Passing the first test isn’t easy. Don’t underestimate him. He might achieve a ten-level glow on the Wind Spirit Stone and turn out to be a hidden genius. Wouldn’t you be embarrassed then?”
“Hmph, if he gets ten levels, I’ll confess my feelings to Senior Brother Le.”
“…Do you have… unusual preferences?”
Mingyan, with his sharp hearing, had initially been unfazed by their dismissive comments, but their conversation took a strange turn. Confessing to a senior brother… There were so many strange people in the outside world. It was unsettling.
He looked towards the front of the line. A seven-year-old boy placed his hand on the Wind Spirit Stone.
The stone had ten distinct levels, clearly marked…
It didn’t react immediately, but after a moment, it began to glow from the bottom.
The first level lit up, a faint blue glow.
Then the second, third, and fourth.
The blue light intensified, illuminating the area around the stone, giving the boy a divine aura. He kept his eyes closed. The glow reached the fourth level, then slowed down, reaching the fifth… sixth… and finally, barely reaching the seventh level.
“Seven levels?!” A disciple exclaimed in surprise. “Even Senior Brother Le only achieved eight levels…”
“It’s just seven levels. Nothing to be surprised about. It’s a far cry from eight levels. Besides, a suitable physique doesn’t guarantee he’s a genius.” The disciple who had sneered at Mingyan earlier snorted.
“Senior Brother Zhang… You also achieved seven levels, so of course you’re not surprised… But most disciples can’t reach this level…”
The boy opened his eyes, relieved and smiling, seeing the seven-level glow.
Several elders descended from the sky, eager to recruit him.
“Lin Zhongdao! How many disciples have you taken in already? I haven’t accepted any new disciples in years, and you’re still competing with me?!” A middle-aged, balding cultivator glared at an elderly-looking elder, his voice filled with annoyance.
“Hmph… This child will achieve greatness under my guidance. Following you? He’ll starve to death! You abandoned your disciple in the Savage Forest for a trial a hundred years ago, and he disappeared. Everyone panicked and left your tutelage. Do you really think anyone likes your hands-off approach?”
“The Holy Master also trains the Holy Maiden this way. Why can’t I?”
“Do you think everyone has the Holy Maiden’s talent and intelligence?” Lin Zhongdao snorted, unfazed by the mention of Holy Master Yue Ying.
“Although Brother Zhen’s methods are questionable, Elder Lin, you’ve already accepted seven or eight disciples these past few years. You shouldn’t be competing with us.” Another, younger-looking elder spoke up.
“…Hmph.” Lin Zhongdao waved his hand dismissively and left. The boy seemed to have chosen the younger elder and was led away.
Seeing the elders competing for disciples, the other applicants became excited, hoping to attract their attention as well.
The next person stepped forward for the test.
He looked to be about twelve years old, his cultivation level similar to Mingyan’s. He placed his hand on the Wind Spirit Stone, and it began to glow. One… two… three… The glow stopped at the third level.
The elders’ expressions remained neutral. The boy opened his eyes, his face falling when he saw the three-level glow. No one offered to take him in. A disciple approached and spoke to him, and the boy burst into tears.
It was understandable for a young boy to be so distraught… Mingyan overheard the disciple telling him that the minimum requirement was four levels. Those who didn’t reach it were considered unqualified and wouldn’t be accepted.
Mingyan’s eyes flickered. So, four levels was the minimum, five was average, six was good, seven was enough to attract the elders’ attention, eight would be highly valued, and anything above that would likely cause a sensation.
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