First Assessment: Chi Xiu Crosses the River in Style with a Beauty! Two Chapters Combined

Five days later.

Spirit City, Central Street.

Numerous formations began making their way toward Spirit Hall. Among them were renowned Advanced Soul Master Academies and major sects from the Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire. Thousands of talented young people were like scholars rushing to the capital for imperial examinations, both nervous and expectant.

Song Ming was still the lead teacher for Purple Star Academy.

Chi Xiu stood in Purple Star Academy's ranks wearing a mask, dressed in the same Purple Star Academy uniform as everyone else.

"Look, look! The social mixer hasn't even started, and this guy's already wearing a mask! Is he too ugly to show his face?"

Someone from a nearby formation pointed at Chi Xiu and laughed loudly.

Chi Xiu turned to look. The uniforms worn by that group bore the words Dragon Lizard Sect.

He smiled faintly as several iridescent scales appeared on his cheeks.

"Roar—"

A short, resounding dragon roar rang out from Purple Star Academy's formation.

Xiao Wu, standing beside Chi Xiu, trembled in fright at the sound. She silently turned to look at the Dragon Lizard Sect formation beside them.

Good lord, the sight before her left Xiao Wu frozen on the spot.

Every disciple in the Dragon Lizard Sect formation had collapsed to the ground in unison, their bodies convulsing and foam spilling from their mouths. Each of them writhed on the ground as though frightened out of their wits, unable to get back up no matter how they struggled. Not even the teacher leading them was spared.

"Hey! What's wrong with the sect up ahead?! Did they all suddenly get sick?! Keep moving, don't block the road!"

The formation behind the Dragon Lizard Sect shouted. Chi Xiu smiled slightly at this and followed his team away as though nothing had happened.

Xiao Wu and Zhuqing were completely dumbfounded. Only Ning Rongrong, who had witnessed this kind of scene in the Star Dou Great Forest, had little reaction.

Very soon, every team arrived at the gates of Spirit Hall.

A young man seemed to have been waiting for them for a long time. Seeing the arriving groups, he smiled broadly and spread his arms in welcome.

"Welcome, young Soul Masters who have come from afar!"

"First, let me introduce this event. It is a friendly exchange social gathering organized by Spirit Hall! You may eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves to your hearts' content, but at the same time, please do not hesitate to display your talents and strengths!"

"Spirit Hall cherishes talent, values talent, and thirsts for talent!"

"You are all elite Soul Masters from every corner of the continent. With you, the continent has a future! Thus, Spirit Hall will also generously share resources with all of you. After the banquet, any outstanding Soul Masters interested in joining Spirit Hall are welcome at any time!"

Chi Xiu yawned.

Damn it, quit talking nonsense. Hurry up and tell us what the rewards are for performing well.

"Enough nonsense! I will now announce the rewards available to the top ten Soul Masters by score!"

At these words, all the Soul Masters perked up.

"First place: three soul bones—one left Arm Bone, one right Arm Bone, and one Head Soul Bone—as well as three ten-thousand-year immortal herbs of your choice!"

"Whoa—"

A wave of astonished cries erupted. Spirit Hall was really going all out!

The rewards for the lower rankings were far inferior. Only the top three received relatively generous prizes, especially the winner.

"Next, the rules!"

"First, after entering the gates, each Soul Master will be taken to change into formal attire and a mask for the banquet. The masks have been specially treated to conceal your voices, so once you enter Spirit Hall, even familiar people will become strangers."

"Second, each person will randomly draw a number tag. From then on, the number on your tag will represent your identity!"

"Your score will also be assigned to your number!"

"Third, an unspecified number of experts at the Soul Douluo level and above will mingle among the banquet guests. They will wear the same clothes and masks as you. During the banquet, they will randomly create challenges for everyone to solve. Solving those challenges will also be an important scoring category!"

"Ninth, I'd like to ask: during this social gathering, besides looking forward to rewards, what else are you looking forward to?"

The young man abruptly paused here and smiled as he looked over the crowd.

"An unexpected romance!"

Someone suddenly shouted from the crowd.

The young man revealed an amused smile. "The space inside is vast, and there are plenty of rooms. The mystery between strangers can create limitless possibilities. I won't say more. Please, everyone, make the most of it."

The young man took a deep breath.

"One final rule! The banquet encourages healthy competition, but any malicious fighting is forbidden!"

"That concludes the rules."

"Now, open the gates! Welcome them inside!"

The enormous, heavy metal gates slowly opened with a rumbling sound, and those standing at the front began entering.

When it was Chi Xiu's turn, a soldier led him through a long, narrow passage into a changing room.

The formal attire was a golden tailcoat decorated with elaborate, luxurious patterns. Different sizes were available in the changing room, so Chi Xiu selected one that fit him and then looked at the mask placed to one side.

The mask was entirely gold and much larger than the black mask on his face.

Chi Xiu did not remove his own mask. It was used to conceal his aura and could not be taken off. He put the Golden Mask over the Black Mask. After looking in the mirror, it did not seem out of place at all.

He looked quite handsome in this outfit. Chi Xiu had never deliberately trained his physique, but ever since awakening his cheat ability, his body had steadily improved, approaching perfection. That alone was probably enough to make many people jealous.

Next came drawing a number tag.

The number tags rolled through a tube, which appeared to be connected to all the rooms to prevent duplicate numbers.

Chi Xiu closed his eyes and felt for a number.

"0000."

Four zeroes?

This has to be the first number tag, right? Damn, what kind of luck is this?

Chi Xiu smiled self-deprecatingly and pinned the number tag on himself.

After opening the changing room door, he was again led by a soldier through a passage, followed by a silent corridor. Spirit Hall's internal layout was truly complicated. He had been here once before, but the scene he saw today was completely different.

It seemed that what he had seen last time had only been the tip of the iceberg. Spirit Hall's foundation was even deeper than he had imagined.

Three minutes later, the soldier opened a door for Chi Xiu.

The moment he passed through it, the view before him suddenly opened up.

Blue skies, white clouds, fragrant flowers, singing birds—and before him was even a long azure river!

On the other side of the river stood several grand European-style buildings...

This no longer looked like Spirit Hall. Had they been transported straight into some rural countryside?!

No wonder Chi Xiu had felt like the soldier had led him through countless twists and turns. He had even wondered how Spirit Hall's internal structure could possibly be so complex.

Along the riverbank, many Soul Masters who had just changed into their formal attire stood gathered there. Unlike the male Soul Masters, the women wore gorgeous golden evening gowns.

Their delicate arms and necks were exposed, while low-cut golden bodices revealed broad swathes of creamy skin. Some particularly well-endowed girls even showed deep cleavage. Their golden gauze skirts were very short, and the sight of so many long, fair, slender legs was simply dazzlingly beautiful.

Chi Xiu suddenly understood how a banquet supposedly meant for winning rewards could inspire thoughts of an unexpected romance...

Ignoring the competition, the atmosphere and surroundings before them were truly elegant and romantic. No one knew anyone else, but that sense of mystery stirred in everyone the desire to do something exciting with the opposite sex nearby.

Before long, Soul Masters gradually entered one after another. Everyone gathered along this side of the river, each group keeping to itself. Some remained vigilant, while others admired the scenery.

A woman stood to Chi Xiu's right. Her figure was so stunning that she nearly outshone every girl around her. Her side profile was especially seductive, with legs that were white, tender, and long. Her chest was also so ample that she could not see her toes when looking down.

However, she had been sizing up everyone around her, as though searching for someone with a specific purpose.

A moment later, the woman actually turned to look at Chi Xiu and walked toward him.

Her number was 0030.

0030 leaned her head closer and lightly sniffed Chi Xiu.

"What did you smell? Manly scent?"

Chi Xiu looked at her strangely.

"...No. Of course I can tell you're a man. It's just that your scent feels like something I've smelled somewhere before. It's somewhat familiar."

"Is this some new kind of pickup technique?"

Both of their voices had been filtered through their masks, making it impossible to discern their original tones.

However, after Chi Xiu spoke, he could clearly tell that the girl rolled her eyes. Even that eye roll was incredibly charming. Her eyes, like her outfit, were a beautiful gold.

0030 lost interest in Chi Xiu and moved farther away.

"Looks like everyone is here!"

A voice came from the sky. It was actually the young man from outside Spirit Hall. A pair of white wings extended from his back—likely a flight-type martial soul.

"Do you see those beautiful buildings across the river? That is where the banquet will be held! First, you must find a way to cross this river, which is five hundred meters wide!"

So we have to cross the river... There's no need to think about it. The method of crossing will definitely be part of the scoring.

After the guide finished speaking, some flying Soul Masters began summoning their martial souls. Wings sprouted from their backs as they rushed to fly toward the opposite shore.

In their eyes, whoever crossed the river first would definitely have a chance of receiving a high score.

Chi Xiu did not think so. Crossing the river already favored those with flying martial souls. If they could get high scores from this alone, would that not be unfair?

Just then, an accident occurred.

Those Soul Masters flying through the air suddenly fell uncontrollably!

Waves of shocked cries rang out as nearly everyone stared at the scene before them in confusion.

Chi Xiu looked around and quickly spotted the clue.

This was a gravity soul skill!

A soul skill like Zhao Wuji's that imposed gravity. It seemed the Soul Douluos or Titled Douluos mixed into the crowd had begun causing trouble.

Now this is interesting.

The flying Soul Masters who had fallen struggled in the water, their formal attire drenched and leaving them in an utterly miserable state.

"A reminder: getting your beautiful formal attire wet will also cost you points!"

The guide spoke with obvious delight at their misfortune.

Personal image counts toward the score too... Chi Xiu could not help complaining inwardly.

Still, judging from the situation, there were probably only a few Soul Masters capable of using gravity soul skills. Not every flying Soul Master had fallen. Some were still steadily flying through the sky.

But then, Chi Xiu spotted someone unusual.

He was a slightly chubby boy. A pair of fiery red wings spread from his back, and he quickly took off from the spot. Due to the uniqueness of his martial soul, he immediately drew countless gazes.

The next second, another boy suddenly stepped out from the crowd. He seemed to recognize the chubby boy, so he promptly released a blue vine and tied it around the chubby boy's ankles.

The two began crossing the river together.

What the hell... Isn't that Ma Hongjun and Tang San?

Chi Xiu's temper flared instantly. You think I'm just going to stand here and watch you two cross the river so stylishly?!

He extended his right hand in a sword-finger gesture and raised it upward.

"Water Element Control!"

"Bang!"

A thick pillar of water suddenly shot up from the river and swept toward Ma Hongjun and Tang San, instantly swallowing them both.

The two fell into the river.

Chi Xiu smiled and continued manipulating the water. One mighty water dragon after another sprang from the river and pressed down upon Tang San and Ma Hongjun's heads, forcing the two unlucky fools to plunge back into the water.

"Help! Save... glug..."

Tang San and Ma Hongjun desperately cried for help, utterly helpless as the water dragons toyed with them.

At the same time...

Two black-robed people secretly scoring the event stared blankly at the sight before them.

Was this really something a Soul Master between the ages of twelve and twenty could achieve?

The water dragons erupting from the river were incomparably spectacular, and the visual impact was beyond description.

"By the way, none of the Soul Douluos or Titled Douluos mixed in among them have water attributes, right?"

"None..."

"Quick! Find out who did that. Their control over water is actually this powerful!"

The two scanned the crowd and finally spotted Chi Xiu.

"It's number 0000! That kid!"

"Damn... Is he from Skywater Academy? But I've never heard of Skywater Academy having any boys!"

"Never mind that. Keep an eye on him. Has he been scored yet?"

"Yes. He's currently the highest."

"Continue watching him!"

At that moment, Bibi Dong was observing from one of the buildings across the river. She had originally intended to watch for Soul Masters who would reveal Sword Martial Souls, but the sight of the water dragons suddenly seized all of her attention.

"You did that?"

0030 suddenly turned back to look at Chi Xiu, making him pause his movements.

"Uh... Healthy competition, you know. How could I let them cross so easily?"

Chi Xiu smiled awkwardly.

0030 tilted her head slightly and curled her red lips, seemingly becoming interested in Chi Xiu again.

She walked over on two long, fair legs. The pair of pale, voluptuous weapons on her chest trembled slightly as she walked in high heels, making Chi Xiu stare dumbly.

Steady, steady. It's not like I've never seen them before. Chi Xiu quickly took a deep breath and looked away.

"A water-attribute Soul Master? Your control is exceptionally strong."

"Of course. I just twitch a finger and the water comes. Easy stuff!"

0030 gave a soft snort, knowing Chi Xiu was being flippant. She continued, "So how do you plan to cross the river?"

Chi Xiu asked in return, "What about you?"

0030 smiled. "I'm not in a hurry."

By then, some people had already reached the opposite shore, while others were struggling to cross. Some sought help from others, and a few even swam across themselves.

Chi Xiu smiled at the sight and looked at 0030. "I'm heading across too. Since we've just met, how about I give you a ride?"

"Sure."

0030 studied Chi Xiu carefully, but from beginning to end, she could not determine his cultivation level.

"Come, beautiful lady. Allow me to escort you across the river."

Chi Xiu extended his hand like a gentleman.

0030 was briefly stunned. Her fair, slender fingers hesitated for a moment before settling into Chi Xiu's palm.

The two made their way to the river together.

Chi Xiu raised his sword fingers again, and a water dragon shot up from the riverbed, knocking Tang San and Ma Hongjun back onto the bank where they had started. All their previous effort had been for nothing.

0030 couldn't help twitching the corner of her mouth at the sight. Did this guy have some kind of grudge against those two?

Immediately after, Chi Xiu crouched halfway down.

He pressed his palm against the water's surface and softly murmured something.

"Buzz—"

At that instant, something incredible happened.

The entire river surface rapidly cooled. Starting from where Chi Xiu's palm pressed down, it froze over, thick ice spreading wildly toward the opposite bank at a surging speed.

And that wasn't all.

The next second, a massive water dragon burst forth from the riverbank where Chi Xiu stood.

"Roar—"

The water dragon threw back its head and roared. Its enormous dragon head rushed toward the opposite side, while its entire body transformed into a crystal-clear bridge of ice that reached straight to the far bank.

Everyone was stunned.

0030 included.

Chi Xiu turned his head, smiled, and extended a gentlemanly hand once more. "All right, let's go over."