King-grade Aptitude

The Enlightenment Stone aptitude test continued. Most disciples who could come to the True Martial Sacred Sect possessed third-grade or fourth-grade aptitude, while many others had first-grade or second-grade aptitude.

The aptitude test was nearing its end when a black-robed Young Man placed his hand on the Enlightenment Stone.

Lines of Dao patterns suddenly appeared across the Enlightenment Stone, reflecting golden light that soared ten thousand zhang into the sky.

"King-grade aptitude!" the Outer Sect Elder beside it said excitedly.

"The last time King-grade aptitude appeared was ten years ago, wasn't it?" an Inner Sect Elder nearby said with a smile.

King-grade aptitude was not considered rare within the True Martial Sacred Sect, but it was certainly worth cultivating and indicated exceptionally high talent.

King-grade aptitude stood a whole level above first-grade aptitude.

The youth seemed to have known his own aptitude long ago. Rather than being surprised, he proudly enjoyed the envious gazes of the surrounding youths.

"What is your name?" the Inner Sect Elder stepped forward and asked.

"This disciple is Yu Bo," the youth hurriedly replied respectfully.

"Are you willing to become my Personal disciple?" the Inner Sect Elder asked. "As long as you agree, even if you fail this trial, I can still take you under my wing."

"Thank you, Master. This disciple is willing," Yu Bo answered without ceremony, immediately kneeling and kowtowing.

The youths nearby were filled with envy. "Yu Bo has only just arrived at the True Martial Sacred Sect and has already entered an Inner Sect Elder's tutelage. His future is boundless!"

"Senior Brother Yu's talent towers above all others. How could you mortals possibly compare?" A sharp-eyed disciple nearby had already begun buttering him up.

"Brother Zimo, should we recruit him?" Lin Ruhu looked at Yu Bo and asked.

"Just a clown jumping on the stage," Xu Zimo shook his head. In his Previous Life, Yu Bo had indeed basked in glory for a time, but he merely possessed high talent and an unstable Dao heart. In the end, he faded into the common crowd.

As a martial artist, low talent could be improved little by little. There would always be a way.

But if there was a problem with one's Dao heart, then it would be impossible to achieve anything great in this lifetime.

Thus, a saying had always circulated among martial artists: "If you possess an invincible Dao heart, then you have the qualifications to become a powerhouse."

After the second aptitude-testing round ended, everyone rested for half a quarter-hour before proceeding to the third round.

The third round tested one's Dao heart.

The True Martial Sacred Sect would create an illusion. Whoever entered it and maintained mental clarity for the longest would receive the highest score in this round.

If one could remain clear-minded until the illusion ended, one would receive full marks.

There were generally two ways to remain clear-minded. The first was to enter the illusion without one's mind ever falling into it, remaining lucid from beginning to end. Such a person's Dao heart could be called resolute.

The other was to fall into the illusion after entering it, yet break free from its temptations at the final moment and emerge from oneself. Such a person's Dao heart might have some flaws, but their potential was limitless, and they could also receive full marks.

After everyone rested for half a quarter-hour, a Young Man walked out from within the Sacred Sect.

He wore the True Martial Sacred Sect's specially made blue robe. His face was steadfast, and his eyes seemed to possess some kind of magic—stare at them for too long, and one's whole self would become lost.

The True Martial Sacred Sect's Seventh Elder was a Formation Master. He had five Personal disciples, known throughout the martial world as the Five Sons of Ten Thousand Formations.

Each of the Five Sons of Ten Thousand Formations specialized in different formations. Some excelled at killing formations, some at defensive formations, and some at support formations.

The Young Man before them was called Qi Shan, and among the Five Sons of Ten Thousand Formations, he was the most skilled in illusion arrays.

"I will set the questions for the third round," Qi Shan said calmly as he looked at the youths before him. "I will lay down a Seven Emotions and Six Desires Array. From its name, you should be able to guess its purpose, so I will not explain further."

Spiritual energy surged around Qi Shan's hands as he began forming seals. Formation Seals no larger than thumbnails were condensed from spiritual energy one after another.

His seal-forming speed was exceedingly fast. In less than a few breaths, one hundred Formation Seals had been condensed.

Formations actually had strict rank divisions, just like the realms of Meridian Practitioners.

Judging by the number of Formation Seals, ten seals constituted a first-level formation, while one hundred seals constituted a second-level formation.

Once those hundred Formation Seals landed according to the formation's positions, arranged themselves in order, and merged into the spiritual energy,

spiritual energy surged from Qi Shan's hands again, transforming into a beam of aurora that fell into the formation. In the next instant, the entire formation was activated.

The inside of the formation was shrouded in a thin layer of mist, and no one could see what lay within it.

Outside the formation, streams of white spiritual energy formed a circle. Light was drawn inward, while mist billowed upward.

"The assessment will last one quarter-hour. After that, I will remove the formation," Qi Shan said.

The new disciples began entering the formation one by one. They sat cross-legged and relaxed their minds, wishing to meet the assessment in their best condition.

"Come on, let's join the fun," Xu Zimo said to Lin Ruhu.

He brought Lin Ruhu into the formation as well. Just after they sat down, they saw the formation begin to operate.

Layer upon layer of mist blanketed everyone.

The surrounding youths instantly entered the illusion, but Xu Zimo remained unmoved as he examined the formation.

In his eyes, it was riddled with flaws, but by the standards required of a second-level Formation Master, it was already fairly good.

Xu Zimo emptied his mind and allowed the mist to draw him into the illusion.

If he had not been willing, such a low-level formation could never have caused his mind to fall.

The surroundings were a vast expanse of white, and silver-bell laughter rang beside Xu Zimo's ears.

Several scantily clad women slowly walked toward him, their soft breasts, long shapely legs, and luxuriant black hair draped behind them as though they had just finished bathing.

Yet before the women could reach him, Xu Zimo struck out with his palm, scattering all the illusions.

"No imagination. Same old routine. Beautiful women in the end cannot escape the passage of time—nothing but a pile of white bones."

The next moment, deafening cheers suddenly erupted beside Xu Zimo's ears.

He stood atop the firmament, the Heavenly Mandate circling around him. He was imposing and magnificent in a purple robe, his momentum vast and unstoppable, like a great emperor ruling the world.

No, he was now a great emperor—the strongest being of this age. Countless living creatures below knelt upon the ground and worshipped him.

"Since I have returned for another life, I will surely ascend to the vault of heaven and reach the throne of a great emperor. Why would I need to indulge in fantasies within this illusion?" Xu Zimo shook his head and shattered the illusions with a single punch.

The next instant, the scene before Xu Zimo suddenly changed.

He became an ant crawling between heaven and earth. At the peak of the firmament, ten great emperors strode through the air. Their Imperial Might was vast and boundless, purple qi came from the east for ninety thousand li, and they held the sun and moon in their hands as they plucked stars from the sky.

"Xu Zimo, do you know your crime?" The ten great emperors attacked at once. Their gazes were like gods', their figures towering, their shoulders bearing the sky and their feet treading clouds. Their pressure seemed like the collapse of the nine heavens, crushing Xu Zimo until he could barely breathe.