Prose's Confusion

"The assessment begins now. First up, Mo Li!"

Jiang Yao saw a faint, subtle smile tug at the corners of Mo Li's calm, composed face before he walked straight toward the light screen.

It seems the order of appearance is based on those with superior talent.

The scene became lively, though most of the discussion was conducted through telepathic transmission.

"Is he Mo Li, the one with the highest talent among this batch of newcomers?"

"Breaking through the sixth layer is a given. The question is whether he can go further, say, to the seventh?"

"The seventh is possible, but can he reach the eighth?"

"What are you dreaming about? Increasing telepathic amplitude to 8 times within a year? The second turn of Seven Turns of Heaven's End? It takes a decade to produce a monster like that, doesn't it?"

"That's not necessarily true. Haven't you heard that Mo Li achieved a completely dominant score in the first round of talent assessment?"

While the discussion was still in full swing, the shuttle-shaped weapon, under the manipulation of Mo Li's telekinesis, pierced through the layers of light screens like a hot knife through butter.

Before others could even react, he had already pierced the eighth layer. After stalling for a few moments before the ninth layer, he struggled through the barrier and finally exhausted his strength before the tenth layer.

"9 times amplitude?!"

"Doesn't that mean he's close to mastering the third turn?"

"The last person to master more than two turns of Seven Turns of Heaven's End within a year was Lei Yi seven years ago, right?"

"Lei Yi only had an amplitude of 8 times, but this guy broke through the ninth layer!"

"Another monster?"

Listening to the gasps of amazement and feeling the gazes filled with shock, jealousy, and envy, Mo Li smiled silently.

He was destined to be one of the top geniuses in the history of the Lingtong Race, destined to become the most dazzling star of an era. Jiang Yao? He was already on a different level; even those seniors who were currently further ahead than him, he was confident he would surpass one by one.

Even the examiners showed approving smiles. Being able to cultivate Seven Turns of Heaven's End to such a realm within a year proved that, in addition to high telepathic talent, he must also possess equally astonishing comprehension.

With such talent, becoming a Stellar Level powerhouse was a high-probability event, so their attitude toward Mo Li was naturally different.

Prose also nodded slightly. Although it would be difficult for Mo Li to reach his level even with such talent—after all, a Stellar Level powerhouse possessing a domain cannot be achieved by talent alone—he was still extremely gratified that the race could have another dazzling genius.

Perhaps because Mo Li's impressive start had captured everyone's attention, the subsequent two superior-talent individuals, who both broke through the seventh layer, seemed unremarkable and failed to stir any waves.

It wasn't until Jiang Yao, the last of the superior-talent individuals, stepped up that the crowd turned their attention back.

"Is that the Jiang Yao?"

"Heh heh, if he's rated as superior talent but hasn't even mastered the first turn, it'll be a good show."

"With his telepathic talent, he's mediocre even among the inferior ones. It's unlikely he's mastered the first turn."

"Forget the sixth layer; he might not even pass the fifth."

"That's unlikely. Don't forget he has top-tier willpower and is rated as superior talent. He has one liter of Sangshi Liquid, which is a great help to spiritual telekinesis. Even with mediocre talent, there's a good chance he's mastered the first turn."

"Tsk tsk, Sangshi Liquid... this kid really got lucky."

Jiang Yao, the core figure of the discussion, had already manipulated his cone-shaped weapon to hover in mid-air. He did not use the power of the Xu Yuan Space to increase his telepathic amplitude—even his simulated first-layer domain ability could easily unleash a combat amplitude far exceeding 18 times.

Instead, he activated Seven Turns of Heaven's End, a telepathic amplitude secret technique he had only practiced for two and a half days. The cone-shaped weapon suddenly erupted with astonishing speed, shooting toward the light screen.

Prose suddenly let out a sound of surprise.

The sixth layer of the light screen, representing the mastery of the first turn, did not provide the slightest resistance to the cone-shaped weapon!

The seventh layer!

The eighth layer!

The ninth layer!

The light screens, manifested by the chief examiner—a Stellar Level powerhouse—using his own spiritual telekinesis, were pierced through one after another by the cone-shaped weapon as if they were thin sheets of paper!

In the blink of an eye, the weapon reached the tenth layer that had previously blocked Mo Li.

It did not encounter a trace of resistance, nor did it pause for even a split second!

Only after the weapon effortlessly pierced through the final layer—the twelfth layer—did it suddenly shift from motion to stillness, demonstrating extremely powerful control, and stopped right in front of the stunned chief examiner.

The chief examiner clearly had not considered that anyone would cultivate Seven Turns of Heaven's End to beyond the fourth turn during this assessment, so he had only set up the twelfth layer, which represented 12 times telepathic amplitude—which, under normal circumstances, was certainly not a problem.

Almost everyone in the trial grounds, whether they were the geniuses participating in the assessment, the onlookers on the sidelines, or the examiners, stared in astonishment at what was happening before them. For a moment, only silence remained in the air.

It took several breaths before the grounds erupted into an uproar.

"What just happened?"

"I don't quite understand... what is this situation?"

"Is it an illusion? It must be an illusion!"

"The twelfth layer... does that mean... he mastered the fourth turn?"

"Are you kidding me..."

"Has this ever happened before?"

"Never heard of it..."

The jeers and exclamations from the onlookers at the sidelines reached the ears of the youths participating in the assessment, leaving them with a sense of unreality.

Looking at the back of the youth standing calmly before the light screen, there had never been a moment that felt so unfamiliar.

Even Mo Li wore a somewhat dazed expression.

If it had been nine layers of light screens like his own, or even piercing through ten, he could have reacted with annoyance, shame, or jealousy.

But twelve layers... it left him with nothing but bewilderment, as if something that defied common sense had occurred right before his eyes.

Compared to the crowd, who were somewhat dazed and incredulous, the Stellar Level examiners and Prose reacted much faster.

Prose stepped forward, moving with such speed that it was as if he had teleported to stand before Jiang Yao, asking in a voice that barely managed to maintain its composure: "Have you practiced the Seven Turns of Heaven's End to the fourth turn?"

Jiang Yao shook his head.

After Prose let out a sigh of relief, an even greater question arose, only for him to hear the youth before him say: "I have practiced it to the fifth turn."

Prose and the three examiners were once again plunged into astonishment.

That was it; the reason he had only pierced through to the twelfth light screen was because there were only twelve light screens.

After Prose regained his senses, he immediately waved his hand to erect fourteen light screens, then "looked" at Jiang Yao, signaling him to try again.

Jiang Yao, unsurprised, began to manipulate the cone-shaped weapon once more. Just as he was about to launch it, he saw Prose make a stop gesture, then wave his hand to set up four more light screens behind the fourteenth one.

Jiang Yao: ...

Accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, the cone-shaped weapon once again burst through the screens in full view of everyone, piercing through fourteen layers without any resistance. It stalled for a few moments before the fifteenth layer, and after a difficult breakthrough, it finally ran out of power and stopped.

Fifteen layers!

15 times the amplitude!

The fifth turn of the Seven Turns of Heaven's End, and nearly reaching the sixth turn!

Prose and the other three Stellar Level powerhouses fell silent for a moment.

What kind of concept was this?

Among the Planetary Level geniuses of the last twenty sessions, the one with the highest attainment in the Seven Turns of Heaven's End was at roughly this same level.

And that person had spent nearly twenty years to get there.

Yet, this youth before them had achieved this level in only one year.

It was fortunate that Prose did not know Jiang Yao's actual cultivation time was only about two and a half days.

Prose suddenly spoke, giving an order: "Please contact Elder Luo immediately and report the situation in detail."

The three examiners were stunned for a moment, then looked at each other before the chief examiner darted away with speed that seemed like teleportation.

Although Prose was not an examiner, his status within the clan meant that the three Stellar Level powerhouses had to obey his orders obediently, not to mention that encountering a situation that had seemingly never happened in history made reporting to an elder the only logical course of action.

After giving the order, Prose looked deeply at Jiang Yao: "When did you break through to the fifth turn of the Seven Turns of Heaven's End?"

Jiang Yao replied obediently: "Just a short while ago."

He certainly dared not tell the truth—that he had only started practicing the Seven Turns of Heaven's End a few days ago.

"You..." Prose adjusted his tone and continued to ask: "Was it because you were... particularly gifted in the Seven Turns of Heaven's End and practiced very quickly that you stopped attending classes half a year ago?"

Jiang Yao scratched his head and recited the lines he had prepared long ago: "Reporting to you, my lord, I felt an opportunity for a breakthrough in my state of mind during the process of practicing the Seven Turns of Heaven's End, so I have been in seclusion in my room for the past six months, and I only just achieved a breakthrough a few days ago."

"Even if you truly have extraordinary talent and comprehension in the Seven Turns of Heaven's End, there is no need to work behind closed doors; asking your teachers for advice more often would also..." Prose suddenly paused, staring at Jiang Yao in a daze.

"What was that?"

"What do you mean by... an opportunity for a breakthrough in your state of mind?"

"And what exactly... do you mean by having just achieved a breakthrough?"