Dawn had barely broken, and the morning light had yet to pierce the clouds, but the Training Ground of Ziyang Sect's outer sect was already packed wall to wall with people.
Several thousand Outer Sect Disciples, clad in identical Gray Disciple Robes, stood in neat ranks across the vast square, every face bearing a mixture of tension and anticipation. On the elevated platform sat dozens of Deacon Elders. At their head was the outer sect's Chief Deacon Elder, dressed in a Green Daoist Robe. His stern gaze swept over the disciples below, and the clamorous square fell silent in an instant.
Shen Hao and Zhang Shan stood in the middle of the crowd, a faint sheen of sweat seeping into both their palms.
As soon as the hour of the dragon arrived, the Chief Deacon Elder rose to his feet and announced in a resounding voice, "Outer Sect Disciples, today's Inner Sect Preliminary Assessment consists of three parts—the Cultivation Level Test, the Sword Art Assessment, and the Combat Competition. The top one hundred in combined scores across all three assessments will be promoted to the inner sect! Now, the first assessment, the Cultivation Level Test, officially begins!"
As his words fell, the ground at the center of the square slowly split apart, and a Spirit Testing Pillar, gleaming white from top to bottom, rose from beneath the earth. Mysterious patterns covered its surface, and it gave off a faint spiritual glow. One glance was enough to tell that it was no ordinary object.
"Disciples, come forward in order and place your palms upon the Spirit Testing Pillar. The First Layer of Qi Condensation produces white light, the second layer yellow light, the third layer green light, and the fourth layer blue light. The brighter the light, the deeper your cultivation!" Empowered by spiritual energy, the Chief Deacon Elder's voice carried clearly to every corner of the square.
The disciples immediately formed a long line and stepped forward one after another for testing. Before long, the elders' voices rang out in unbroken succession.
"Wang Hu, Early Qi Refining Third Layer!" "Li Qing, late Qi Refining Second Layer!" "Zhang Shan, Early Qi Refining Second Layer!"
After completing his test, Zhang Shan jogged back to Shen Hao's side, rubbing his hands uneasily. "Senior Brother Shen, I'm only at the Early Qi Refining Second Layer. I wonder if I can pull back a city in the later assessments."
"Don't worry. There are still two more assessments. Just do your best." Shen Hao patted his shoulder and comforted him gently.
Very soon, it was Shen Hao's turn.
He took a deep breath and slowly walked up to the Spirit Testing Pillar, gently pressing his palm against it. In an instant, a surge of pure spiritual energy poured from his palm into the pillar. A dazzling green light abruptly erupted from its surface, so brilliant it outshone every disciple tested before him. It even showed faint signs of condensing into substance, bathing the surrounding disciples in green.
On the elevated platform, a trace of surprise flashed through the Chief Deacon Elder's eyes. Then he declared loudly, "Shen Hao, Perfected Qi Refining Third Layer!"
The moment those words fell, the square exploded into an uproar. The disciples all turned to look, their discussions rising one after another. "What? Perfected Qi Refining Third Layer! What is Shen Hao's background? How have I never heard his name before?" "I remember he only entered the outer sect three months ago. That cultivation speed is too heaven-defying! He's practically a monster!" "This time, he's definitely secured an Inner Sect Disciple slot! He might even make the top ten!"
Shen Hao bowed to the elders, then returned calmly to the ranks. Zhang Shan looked at him with eyes full of admiration and could not help whispering, "Senior Brother Shen, you're incredible!"
Shen Hao smiled but said nothing more. Only he knew that behind that dazzling green light lay countless days and nights of bitter cultivation and sweat, the aid of the Companion Jade Pendant and the Spirit Devouring Art, and the persistence of breaking through bottlenecks time and again.
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