On the elevated platform, dense purple light surged out of the stone stele. The sight left everyone dumbstruck, their hearts unable to settle.
This meant that Xia Wuji's state of mind had withstood the strongest eruption of pressure within the stone stele.
Purple light shot into the sky—the best result of today's assessment.
Before this, only Chu Yang, the first member of the Great Chu Imperial Family to take the test, had managed to trigger blue light within the stone stele.
There was still one level of light between Chu Yang's state-of-mind assessment and Xia Wuji's: blue light.
Of course, the purple light filling the stone stele merely represented the limit it could detect, not Xia Wuji's limit.
If he wished, his spiritual will could even easily crush the pressure within the stone stele outright!
But there was no need for that. Securing first place steadily was enough.
When Xia Wuji withdrew his palm from the stone stele, the purple light filling the sky slowly faded.
The young disciple of Azure Star Academy in charge of the first state-of-mind assessment nodded at Xia Wuji and said, "Not bad. With a state of mind like this, if you can pass the next two assessments as well, you will surely achieve something in the future after joining Azure Star Academy."
"Looks like first place in this first state-of-mind assessment belongs to you. This Earth Origin Spirit Pill will be yours."
Once these words were spoken,
everyone heard them clearly.
The crowd finally recovered from their shock, and one exclamation after another immediately rang out.
As for the Su brothers, their expressions were hideous.
They had just been mocking Xia Wuji, yet in the blink of an eye, it was as though countless invisible slaps had landed viciously across their faces.
Apart from them, there was also the prodigy of the Great Chu Imperial Family, Chu Yang. His eyelids drooped slightly. Though he said nothing, his expression looked somewhat gloomy.
He had originally believed that taking the best result in the first assessment was a certainty.
Yet just as the first assessment was about to end, Xia Wuji had suddenly emerged!
Compared to Xia Wuji's purple light, Chu Yang's blue light seemed dim and utterly eclipsed!
On the elevated platform, Xia Wuji cupped his hands toward the young disciple of Azure Star Academy. Without saying anything, he turned and walked down.
"Wait!"
Suddenly, Su Xin shouted loudly.
Xia Wuji glanced at him.
Su Xin snorted and said, "I don't believe your state of mind and spiritual will are truly so steadfast!"
"There must be something wrong!"
Then Su Xin looked toward the young disciple of Azure Star Academy and cupped his hands. "Senior Brother, may I ask whether, after this state-of-mind testing stele has been used so frequently today, the pressure contained within it has already weakened?"
"For Xia Wuji to trigger purple light is simply absurd!"
"After all, even His Highness the Sixth Prince only triggered blue light. What right does Xia Wuji have to trigger purple light?"
"Could it be that Xia Wuji is more outstanding than His Highness the Sixth Prince? That is utter nonsense!"
The Sixth Prince Su Xin referred to was precisely Chu Yang.
At once, many gazes turned toward Chu Yang.
Chu Yang's expression was indifferent as he said, "The Great Chu Dynasty is blessed with outstanding people and fertile lands. I, Chu Yang, would not dare presume myself superior. Even if someone is more outstanding than me, that is perfectly normal."
"However, what Su Xin said does have some merit. Why not inspect the stele and see whether something has gone wrong?"
"That would also be fair to everyone participating in the assessment!"
Immediately, several more members of the imperial family spoke up. Then, a group of children from influential families chimed in one after another.
The young disciple of Azure Star Academy in charge of the first state-of-mind assessment showed hesitation. "This matter is rather difficult. We will have to summon someone here..."
"Why make it so troublesome?" Xia Wuji said indifferently.
"Whoever has doubts can come up themselves!"
"Senior Brother, simply adjust the stele's pressure to its strongest state. If those who were previously unable to illuminate its purple light can do so now, that will prove their analysis is reasonable, and my result will not count."
"But if they cannot do it, that will prove there is nothing wrong with the stele!"
The young disciple of Azure Star Academy immediately nodded, then stared straight at Su Xin. "Since you have doubts, you come up!"
Su Xin: "..."
But when he thought of how this would win the favor of His Highness the Sixth Prince Chu Yang, suppress Xia Wuji, and invalidate Xia Wuji's assessment result, he no longer hesitated.
He was certain that something had gone wrong with the stele.
If Xia Wuji could do it,
surely he could too!
"Hmph, then watch closely. Your assessment result is completely meaningless!" Su Xin glared furiously at Xia Wuji, then strode back up onto the elevated platform and stood before the stone stele.
He extended one hand and pressed his palm against the stele's surface.
The stone stele was different from before. Previously, the participants had increased the intensity little by little, but now, the pressure within the stele had been raised directly to its strongest level!
The instant Su Xin's palm touched the stele's surface, a shriek escaped his mouth. His arm recoiled as though he had been shocked by electricity, and his entire body collapsed onto the ground.
Blood streamed from his seven orifices!
Clutching his head with both hands, he let out a heartrending howl.
This was the result of his spiritual will suffering severe impact and injury!
"Second Brother!" Su Guang shouted worriedly and hurriedly rushed onto the elevated platform.
The Sixth Prince Chu Yang knitted his brows, then remained silent without showing anything on his face.
"Looks like there really was nothing wrong with my assessment result," Xia Wuji said indifferently. "Of course, if anyone still has doubts, you can come up and try it yourself, just like Su Xin!"
As he spoke, Xia Wuji's gaze swept over the areas from which the most questioning voices had come.
The children of influential families from the Great Chu Dynasty all turned their heads away, not daring to meet Xia Wuji's eyes.
Su Xin's miserable state was right before them. They had no desire to leap into the fiery pit themselves.
"Since no one else is coming up to try, the assessment will continue!" the young disciple of Azure Star Academy announced loudly.
Su Guang carried Su Xin, blood streaming from his seven orifices, off the elevated platform while glaring viciously at Xia Wuji.
Xia Wuji returned to Huang Hu and Xu Lan's side.
Both Huang Hu and Xu Lan were extremely excited and congratulated Xia Wuji.
Quite a few commoner disciples around them also spoke up, congratulating Chu Yang on obtaining such an eye-catching result in the first assessment.
Before long, the first assessment officially ended!
On the elevated platform, the young disciple of Azure Star Academy announced loudly:
"The first state-of-mind assessment had nine hundred and eighty-one participants!"
"A total of five hundred and twenty-six people passed the first state-of-mind assessment!"
"First place in the state-of-mind assessment, Xia Wuji—step forward to receive your reward!"
Under countless envious, jealous, and resentful gazes, Xia Wuji returned to the elevated platform and received that First-tier Peak-grade Earth Origin Spirit Pill before returning to Huang Hu and Xu Lan's side.
"It is already dark today. The second assessment, the comprehension assessment, will be held tomorrow!"
The crowd dispersed from the square.
At Huang Hu's invitation, Xia Wuji no longer stayed at an inn but went to a manor within Qingyun City.
This manor belonged to Huang Hu's Lineage. It had been purchased in advance in Qingyun City and was an industry of the Huang household.
In the manor's courtyard,
Huang Hu had people prepare wine and food to host Xia Wuji. After eating and drinking his fill, Huang Hu's face glowed red as he said, "Brother Xia, you must take good care of that Earth Origin Spirit Pill."
"This pill is extremely precious—not only because it can increase a martial artist's chances of forming a core, but also because it can improve the quality of that core!"
"But you absolutely must not take it now. Only after reaching the Primal Energy Realm will taking the Earth Origin Spirit Pill avoid wasting its medicinal effects."
Xia Wuji nodded and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Huang."
After chatting for a while, Huang Hu said, "Brother Xia, we still have the comprehension assessment tomorrow. Let's both return to our rooms and get a good rest."
"Good!"
Xia Wuji entered a guest room in the manor, then took out the Earth Origin Spirit Pill. Completely disregarding Huang Hu's warning, he swallowed it directly!
A First-tier Peak-grade spirit pill had pure medicinal properties and abundant energy. Xia Wuji immediately circulated his cultivation art and rapidly refined it!
Meanwhile,
a member of the imperial family found Su Guang.
"Greetings, Twelfth Prince!" Su Guang cupped his hands in salute toward him.
Twelfth Prince Chu Jue nodded and said, "Su Guang, this is a Clear Heart Spirit Pill, a First-tier Low-grade pill. Hurry and take it to your younger brother Su Xin. Make sure he can still participate normally in the second round of the assessment tomorrow."
Su Guang accepted the pill with both hands. "Thank you, Twelfth Prince!"
Chu Jue waved his hand, then changed the subject. "Today, that Xia Wuji made my Sixth Brother very unhappy. So I intend to vent this anger on his behalf. Tomorrow's assessment... I don't want to see that Xia Wuji appear on the field again. Do you understand what I mean?"
Light flickered in Su Guang's eyes. "But... the assessment has already begun. I'm just worried about the people from Azure Star Academy..."
Chu Jue let out a cold laugh. "Don't worry. Everything has already been arranged. Besides, I already have a foolproof plan. You only need to follow my arrangements!"
Before you continue