"The assessment begins now. First up, Mo Li!"
Jiang Yao saw the faint smile tug at the corner of Mo Li's composed face. Then Mo Li strode straight to the light screen.
It seemed the candidates would go in order, starting with those who had top-tier talent.
The crowd grew lively, though most of the discussion was carried out through mental messages.
"Is he the Mo Li with the highest talent among this batch of newcomers?"
"He's sure to break through the sixth layer. The question is whether he can go further—maybe reach the seventh?"
"The seventh is possible. Could he make it to the eighth?"
"What are you talking about? Increase his Mental Power Amplitude to eight times in one year? The second turn of the Seven Turns of Heaven's End? A monster like that appears once every ten years!"
"Not necessarily. Haven't you heard that Mo Li got a completely outstanding score in the first round's talent assessment?"
The discussion continued in full swing as the shuttle-shaped weapon, controlled by Mo Li's mental power, punched through layer after layer of light screens.
Before the others could react, it had already pierced the eighth layer. It struggled for a few moments against the ninth, finally breaking through, then ran out of force in front of the tenth.
"Ninefold amplitude?!"
"Doesn't that mean he's close to completing the third turn?"
"The last person to master more than two turns of the Seven Turns of Heaven's End within a year was Lei Yi, seven years ago, right?"
"Lei Yi had only just reached eightfold amplitude. This guy broke through the ninth light screen!"
"Another monster?"
As Mo Li listened to the repeated gasps of astonishment and felt the shocked, jealous, and envious gazes on him, he smiled silently.
He was destined to become one of the greatest geniuses in the history of the Lingtong Race, destined to shine as the brightest star of his era. Jiang Yao? He was already on a different level. Even the veterans who had currently advanced farther than him would eventually be surpassed.
Even the examiners smiled approvingly. To cultivate the Seven Turns of Heaven's End to such a level in a single year proved that, alongside his extraordinary talent for mental power, he must possess equally astonishing comprehension.
With talent like his, becoming a Stellar-level warrior was already highly likely, so it was only natural that Mo Li was treated differently.
Prose gave a slight nod as well. Even with such talent, Mo Li would have a hard time reaching his level. After all, becoming Stellar-level and possessing a Domain couldn't be achieved through talent alone. Still, Prose was delighted that his race might have another dazzling genius.
Perhaps Mo Li's spectacular opening had drawn everyone's attention, because the next two candidates with top-tier talent also broke through seven light screens, yet their results seemed insignificant and barely caused a ripple.
Only when Jiang Yao, the last candidate with top-tier talent, stepped forward did the crowd turn its attention back to him.
"Is that Jiang Yao?"
"Heh. If someone rated top-tier hasn't even mastered the first turn, this'll be amusing."
"With talent for mental power that's mediocre even among those rated low-tier, he probably won't master the first turn."
"Forget six light screens. He might not even get past five."
"Come on, it won't be that bad. Don't forget, he has top-tier willpower, a top-tier rating, and a liter of Sangshi Liquid, which greatly benefits Spiritual Force. Even with mediocre talent, he still has a decent chance of mastering the first turn."
"Tsk, Sangshi Liquid... That kid really got lucky."
Jiang Yao, the center of everyone's discussion, had already suspended his cone-shaped weapon in midair. He didn't use Xu Yuan Space to increase his Mental Power Amplitude—even the ability to simulate a first-level Domain could unleash a Combat Power Amplitude far beyond eighteenfold.
Instead, he activated the mental power amplification secret technique he'd spent only two and a half days cultivating: the Seven Turns of Heaven's End. The cone-shaped weapon suddenly surged forward at an astonishing speed, shooting toward the light screens.
Prose let out a startled exclamation.
The sixth light screen, which marked mastery of the first turn, did nothing to slow the cone-shaped weapon!
The seventh layer!
The eighth!
The ninth!
The light screens, formed from the Spiritual Force of the Stellar-level chief examiner, were like thin sheets of paper, pierced one after another by the cone-shaped weapon!
In the blink of an eye, the weapon reached the tenth light screen, the one that had stopped Mo Li.
It met no resistance. It didn't pause for even an instant!
The cone-shaped weapon pierced the final screen—the twelfth—without the slightest effort, then abruptly went from motion to stillness, displaying remarkable control as it stopped in front of the stunned chief examiner.
The chief examiner clearly hadn't expected anyone at this assessment to master more than four turns of the Seven Turns of Heaven's End, so he'd only set up twelve light screens, representing a twelvefold Mental Power Amplitude. Under normal circumstances, that was certainly enough.
Almost everyone in the testing arena—whether the young geniuses taking the assessment, the onlookers by the sidelines, or the examiners—stared at what had just happened, dumbfounded. For a moment, silence filled the air.
Only after several breaths did the arena erupt into an uproar.
"What just happened?"
"I don't quite understand... What was that?"
"Was it an illusion? It had to be an illusion!"
"Twelve layers... Does that mean he mastered the fourth turn?"
"You've got to be kidding..."
"Has anything like this happened before?"
"Never heard of it..."
The spectators' incredulous remarks and exclamations reached the young candidates, making the whole thing feel unreal.
As they looked at the boy standing calmly before the light screens, they had never felt so unfamiliar with anyone.
Even Mo Li looked bewildered.
If Jiang Yao had broken through nine screens like him, or even pierced ten, Mo Li could have understood. He would have felt humiliated or jealous.
But twelve layers... That left him completely at a loss, as though something that defied common sense had just happened right in front of him.
While the others were still bewildered and unable to believe it, the Stellar-level examiners and Prose reacted more quickly.
Prose stepped forward and appeared in front of Jiang Yao at a speed that seemed like Teleportation. In a voice that was only just managing to stay calm, he asked, "Have you mastered the fourth turn of the Seven Turns of Heaven's End?"
Jiang Yao shook his head.
Prose breathed a sigh of relief, only to be seized by an even greater question. Then the boy before him spoke: "I've mastered the fifth turn."
Prose and the three examiners were stunned all over again.
Of course. The only reason the weapon had pierced just twelve screens was that there had only been twelve.
Once Prose recovered, he immediately waved his hand and set up fourteen light screens. Then he looked at Jiang Yao, signaling him to try again.
Jiang Yao, unsurprised, took control of the cone-shaped weapon once more. Just as it was about to shoot forward, Prose made a stopping gesture, then waved his hand and set up four more light screens beyond the fourteenth.
Jiang Yao: ...
With a sharp whistle, the cone-shaped weapon once again blasted through screen after screen in full view of everyone. It pierced the first fourteen without resistance, struggled for a few moments in front of the fifteenth, then broke through with difficulty before running out of force.
Fifteen layers!
Fifteenfold amplitude!
The fifth turn of the Seven Turns of Heaven's End, and close to mastering the sixth!
Prose and the other three Stellar-level warriors fell silent.
What did this mean?
Among the Planetary Level geniuses of nearly twenty cohorts, the one who had reached the highest level in the Seven Turns of Heaven's End had only reached about this point.
And it had taken him nearly twenty years.
Yet the boy before them had done the same in just one year.
Fortunately, Prose didn't know that Jiang Yao had actually spent only about two and a half days cultivating.
Prose suddenly ordered, "Contact Elder Luo immediately and report the situation in detail."
The three examiners froze for a moment and exchanged glances. Then the chief examiner rushed out at a speed that seemed like Teleportation.
Though Prose wasn't an examiner, his standing in the race meant that even the three Stellar-level warriors had to obey his orders. Besides, this seemed to be something that had never happened before, so reporting it to an elder was only right.
After giving the order, Prose stared intently at Jiang Yao. "When did you break through to the fifth turn of the Seven Turns of Heaven's End?"
Jiang Yao obediently replied, "Just recently."
He'd only started cultivating the Seven Turns of Heaven's End a few days ago, but of course he couldn't tell the truth.
"You..." Prose adjusted his tone and continued, "Were you unusually talented and quick to comprehend the Seven Turns of Heaven's End, and that's why you stopped attending classes half a year ago?"
Jiang Yao scratched his head and recited the excuse he'd prepared in advance. "My lord, while cultivating the Seven Turns of Heaven's End, I felt I was on the verge of a breakthrough in my Domain. So I spent the past six months in seclusion in my room, and only made a breakthrough a few days ago."
"Even if you do have extraordinary talent and comprehension when it comes to the Seven Turns of Heaven's End, there's no need to shut yourself away. You could have asked your teachers for guidance..." Prose suddenly stopped and stared at Jiang Yao, bewildered.
"What?"
"What do you mean... a breakthrough in your Domain?"
"And what do you mean by 'only made a breakthrough a few days ago'?"
Before you continue