Testing

The car sped along for more than ten minutes. The buildings lining both sides of the Superconducting Highway grew denser and taller, with three- and four-hundred-meter skyscrapers rising everywhere in an unbroken stretch. Several even exceeded a thousand meters in height! As they drew closer to the city center, traffic on the Superconducting Highway thickened. The highway gained more levels, and the lanes doubled in width.

As the capital of the Asia-Pacific Community, Chang'an was one of the largest megacities on Earth. The entire Guanzhong Plain, nearly forty thousand square kilometers, had been incorporated into the capital region. Its permanent population exceeded three hundred million, and its population density ranked among the world's top five.

Although the government had repeatedly introduced policies over the years and encouraged citizens not to flock to the capital, the results had been minimal.

There were both human nature's drive to rise and historical factors at play, making the situation exceedingly complex.

The difficulty of managing such an enormous city was easy to imagine.

Chang'an was divided into thirty-six administrative districts. Qishan District, where Ji Xinghuo lived, was in the west, over a hundred kilometers from the city center.

After speeding along for another twenty minutes, the car left the Superconducting Highway. Their destination was not far from the exit ramp.

Ji Xinghuo got out and looked up at the building before him.

It was a stadium.

Located on the north bank of the Wei River, the stadium had a highly distinctive design. Its main structure resembled a diamond-shaped spaceship speeding through space, its edges sharp and angular. Its exterior walls were covered in silvery-gray glass that glittered under the sunlight, making it one of the capital's landmark buildings.

Tian Qin National Stadium covered more than 150,000 square meters, yet it was only twenty stories tall. In Chang'an's incredibly valuable city center, that was an extravagance.

This stadium was sacred ground in the hearts of countless people across the nation and even the world.

That was because it served as the home venue for several teams in the Asian Commonwealth's Super League and League A.

Every week, multiple competitions and entertainment performances were held here. It had hosted several International Invitational Tournaments as well as two Super World Cups, witnessed many thrilling battles still talked about to this day, and produced numerous world champions of immense renown.

Ji Xinghuo had come here to watch matches before.

But today, he had come for a physical fitness test. Tianqin Stadium was a public facility, and the Astral Department had established an Esper Service Center inside it.

Ji Xinghuo entered through the main gate. The first through fifth floors on the stadium's west side belonged to the Esper Service Center. The place bustled with people, most of them young and, like him, there for physical fitness tests. Some were nervous, some calm, but all of them had anticipation in their eyes.

He had booked the service the night before and followed the signs to the second floor.

Before long, Ji Xinghuo arrived at a service window.

"Ji Xinghuo."

A female staff member in a white uniform called out his name. When she saw the photo on her screen, she instinctively looked up and discreetly gave Ji Xinghuo a quick once-over. A smile appeared on her face as she asked, "Mr. Ji, are you applying for a physical fitness test?"

"Yes." Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"Please verify your identity." The staff member displayed unusual enthusiasm.

Following her instructions, Ji Xinghuo stepped into a designated area on the floor. A ring-shaped device scanned him from head to toe and collected several milliliters of blood for anti-doping and genetic testing.

"Please rest in the waiting area, Mr. Ji. The results will be ready shortly."

Ji Xinghuo went to sit in the waiting area. He looked composed and calm, but his emotions could not help fluctuating inside.

The scan just now had been a crucial step, confirming the applicant's information to prevent anyone from stealing a citizen's identity and fraudulently claiming an Ability Seed.

Biotechnology was now so advanced that impersonating someone else could be nearly flawless.

Disguising one's appearance and physique was the simplest part. Facial recognition, fingerprints, voiceprints, and even irises could all be forged. Even genetic sequences, the most reliable safeguard, could be perfectly replicated if someone was willing to pay a sufficient price.

Such cases had happened in history. One criminal group had used genetic technology to deceive an Esper Service Center and fraudulently claim a series of high-quality Ability Seeds.

Since then, identity verification had become much stricter.

There was naturally no issue with Ji Xinghuo's identity. What worried him was the influence of the Myriad Stellar Eye, especially the iris data from his right eye. It would be troublesome if it did not match. He had observed it for a long time the previous night. Unless he deliberately revealed it, the ring of light over his right pupil would not appear—but there was always the possibility of something going wrong.

Fortunately, he received a notification a few minutes later.

Verification passed!

Ji Xinghuo quietly breathed a sigh of relief, rose to his feet, and headed for the testing area.

The Astral Department's tests consisted of four categories: strength, speed, endurance, and willpower. In truth, only the first three were directly related to physical fitness. While a strong body could nurture stronger willpower, there were exceptions.

The passing standards differed for each test.

Passing just one test counted as meeting the requirement and qualified a person to apply for an Ability Seed.

The better the test results, the higher the score. The more categories one passed, the higher the overall evaluation, allowing one to apply for higher-grade Ability Seeds.

Ji Xinghuo chose two tests: strength and speed.

He went to the strength hall first.

It was like an enormous gym, with rows of barbells and racks. Several people were already undergoing tests under examiners' supervision, while others watched or warmed up nearby. Everyone around him, male and female alike, had sturdy physiques and obvious signs of training.

The strength test was simple: unequipped bench press, squats, and deadlifts. Ten repetitions of each movement counted as completion.

Then, the weights from all three lifts were added together. A total of 500 kilograms for men or 350 kilograms for women meant passing the strength test.

The rules sounded simple, but they were actually difficult.

This standard sat right on the boundary between having talent and having none. Someone with even a little talent could reach a total of 500 kilograms after several years of proper training, enough hard work, and the aid of modern fitness technology.

Unfortunately, most people could not keep up their training. Their effort never even reached the point where talent became necessary.

Those who dared come for the test were generally confident they could pass.

Ji Xinghuo was the same.

He did not go watch the others test. Instead, he picked a corner, took off his clothes, and silently began warming up.

He first went through a set of stretches to get his blood flowing, then picked up two five-kilogram dumbbells and lay on an incline bench to do several sets of dumbbell flyes, lateral raises, and rows. He switched to heavier dumbbells afterward, and only then moved on to the barbell, gradually increasing the weight.

More than ten minutes later, Ji Xinghuo's entire body was warm, and he had begun to sweat lightly.

"Ji Xinghuo." The examiner over there called out loudly. "Is Ji Xinghuo here?"

"I'm here."

Ji Xinghuo hurried over.

The examiner was a man in his thirties, tall and powerfully built, standing over two meters tall. His trapezius muscles bulged high above his neck, stretching his stringer tank top taut. He was built like a bear, and simply standing there made people feel intimidated. He was clearly an esper.

He should be a Giant General, an Intermediate Esper, Ji Xinghuo thought. A textbook muscle monster.

The examiner was also looking at Ji Xinghuo. He first confirmed his identity, then gave him a once-over and nodded slightly. "Your limb proportions are excellent. You've trained well too, and your muscle definition is very standard. But looking good is useless on its own. You'll need to work harder if you want to meet the strength requirement. Try to outperform yourself."

Ji Xinghuo was rather surprised. The examiner had a sharp eye.

His strength truly was not particularly outstanding. He had only begun reliably meeting the standard at the start of the year. Back when he trained at the gym, he would fail to pass once or twice out of every ten attempts.

The men and women waiting around for their tests were also observing Ji Xinghuo.

The men's gazes were straightforward—they were simply looking at whether his muscles were big enough. The women's gazes were different; they paid more attention to Ji Xinghuo's face.

"How much are you lifting?" the examiner asked.

"130 kilograms."

Ji Xinghuo loaded the barbell plates, adjusted the incline bench angle according to his body measurements, and then lay down. He gripped the bar and waited for the examiner's start signal. After taking a deep breath, he exerted force and pushed the barbell slightly upward off the rack. Then he lowered his arms until the bar touched his chest before pushing it back up.

He repeated the bench press ten times to complete one set in a single smooth motion.

From beginning to end, Ji Xinghuo's expression remained calm. There was no pained grimace on his face.

The examiner was somewhat surprised by how easily he did it, but immediately announced, "Movement completed. Result valid. Bench press weight: 130 kilograms."

Ji Xinghuo himself was actually quite surprised as well.

Although he had already fused with the Myriad Stellar Eye, it had not increased his physical strength beyond its visual sensory functions.

It should be the effect of See the Minute and Precision. He nodded inwardly. These two similar functions possessed by the Myriad Stellar Eye allowed him to precisely control his own strength, and his movements had become more standard as well, effectively increasing his strength.

I can lift a higher weight now.

However, Ji Xinghuo did not rashly increase his planned weight. Passing the test was enough.

For the following squat and deadlift, Ji Xinghuo smoothly completed a set for each. His results were 181 kilograms and 195 kilograms respectively, for a total of 506 kilograms. He had passed the strength test.

Seeing how relaxed Ji Xinghuo looked, the examiner could not help saying, "Your strength limit is far beyond 506 kilograms. Go back and train harder. You can improve by at least another 100 kilograms and earn a higher rating. Do you want to consider it?"

Ji Xinghuo understood what he meant: he was asking him to give up this test and come back another time.

A higher rating meant a better Ability Seed.

But he already had a plan.

"No need. Please help me register my results. Thank you." Ji Xinghuo politely declined.

"What a pity..." The examiner shook his head, regret on his face. He had seen plenty of talented people like Ji Xinghuo, but most lacked patience. The moment they trained enough to pass the test, they hurriedly applied for an Ability Seed, unwilling to wait another year or two.

In the future, they would understand just how difficult it was to obtain a high-grade Ability Seed.

For more than ninety percent of espers, national benefits were the only opportunity in their lives to acquire high-grade abilities relatively easily.

The examiner did not try to persuade him further and registered Ji Xinghuo's results.

Ji Xinghuo left the strength hall and went to the Speed Test area next door. There were even fewer people here, with over a dozen treadmills specifically designed for testing.

The Speed Test consisted of a 400-meter run. Men had to finish within 52 seconds, while women had to finish within 60 seconds.

The shorter the time, the higher the score.

Since he had already warmed up, Ji Xinghuo only performed a few loosening exercises before stepping onto a treadmill. These treadmills were specially designed for speed testing. Their belts had been widened, and the faster the tester ran, the faster the belt turned, keeping pace with them. Wind also blew from directly ahead to simulate air resistance.

Once the examiner had confirmed his identity, Ji Xinghuo immediately stretched out his long legs and sprinted at full speed.

Bang, bang, bang...

His footsteps were fast and steady.

For the first three hundred meters, Ji Xinghuo ran easily. But during the final hundred-meter sprint, as he approached the limits of anaerobic exercise, large amounts of lactic acid accumulated in his body, and his face began to twist.

"Test complete!"

The treadmill slowed to a stop. Ji Xinghuo jumped down, braced his hands on his knees, and gasped for air. He was completely exhausted and even felt like vomiting.

Those final dozen seconds of sprinting had felt as long as an hour.

That was why so few people took the Speed Test. For ordinary people, a 400-meter run was almost the most painful and exhausting event possible. Moreover, running demanded more natural talent than strength. No matter how they trained, many people simply could not run fast.

"45.8 seconds!"

Ji Xinghuo looked at the time displayed on the treadmill. It was nearly a second faster than his previous best, far exceeding the testing standard.

The examiner beside him looked stunned. It had been a long time since such an excellent result had appeared.

Once Ji Xinghuo had steadied his breathing, he left.

Earlier, the strength test examiner had said that his strength training was not good enough, but that had been intentional on Ji Xinghuo's part. What he truly excelled at was speed and explosiveness. If he focused on strength training and put on weight and muscle, his speed would not improve and might even be held back.

Of the remaining two tests, the Endurance Test was a 10,000-Meter Run, requiring men to finish within 33 minutes and women within 40 minutes.

The Willpower Test required enduring Level 7 Electric Shock Pain for ten minutes, with the same standard for both men and women.

Ji Xinghuo could pass both tests.

He often tested himself during training. He could run 10,000 meters in under 29 minutes and endure electric shock pain for more than ten minutes.

In fact, four years ago, when Ji Xinghuo was eighteen, he had already met the standard for the Speed Test. But he had not taken the tests, waiting until after graduating from university so he could pass all four tests, earn a higher score, and apply for a Super-Limit Ability Seed.

But now, after obtaining the Myriad Stellar Eye, he had changed his plans. He gave up on striving for a Super-Limit Ability Seed and instead chose an Outstanding Ability Seed, one tier lower.

There were two reasons.

First, Ji Xinghuo wanted to keep a low profile in the short term.

Applying for a Super-Limit Ability Seed required an independent evaluation and Political Review by the Astral Department. It was far more than just scans and blood tests.

The Astral Department would investigate his entire life history from childhood to the present, conduct multiple physical examinations, arrange several interviews, and have him assessed by officials who were at least Super Espers, perhaps even Legends. Ji Xinghuo was not confident that the Myriad Stellar Eye would remain undiscovered.

Moreover, based on his test results, he was not guaranteed to obtain a Super-Limit Ability Seed.

Among the Asia-Pacific Community's population of 5.6 billion, there were simply too many geniuses!

Every year, several hundred people passed all four tests with perfect scores. Many of them were even younger, and there was no shortage of fifteen- or sixteen-year-old minors.

At twenty-two this year, he did not have much of an advantage.

Ji Xinghuo estimated that his odds of obtaining a Super-Limit Ability Seed were only one in three. It was not worth risking exposure of the Myriad Stellar Eye for such a modest possibility.

The second reason was that Ji Xinghuo had already planned out the path he wanted to take over the next few years.

Based on the Myriad Stellar Eye's functions, he needed to fuse compatible abilities and quickly build combat power. None of the Super-Limit Ability Seeds available for application matched the Myriad Stellar Eye.

As Ji Xinghuo considered his future plans, he arrived at the first floor of the Esper Service Center.

"Hello, I've already passed the physical fitness tests. I'd now like to apply for an Ability Seed." He entered the application room on the first floor of the service center and spoke to the staff member there.

"Please wait a moment."

The staff member was a young woman. After quickly confirming Ji Xinghuo's test results, she asked, "Mr. Ji Xinghuo, which Ability Seed would you like to apply for?"

"Thousand Spirit Dexterous Hands."

Ji Xinghuo answered without hesitation, "The Ranger's Thousand Spirit Dexterous Hands."