"Senior Brother Liu, are you familiar with this junior brother on the Third Demonstration Platform?"
At that moment, atop the enormous stone pillar, a purple-robed Inner Academy disciple spoke. He constrained his voice with Law Power, letting it sound only beside the ears of the other Inner Academy disciples.
"Of course. His name is Zhang Jing."
Senior Brother Liu answered without hesitation.
"Fellow brothers, did you notice the Law Techniques Junior Brother Zhang Jing just used? They seemed rather strange. In his hands, the utterly ordinary Ice Condensation Edge-Forming Technique had power far beyond his current cultivation. And there was something unusual about his Ice-Light Incantation, too."
"Moreover, Junior Brother Zhang Jing casts his Law Techniques remarkably quickly. None of these abilities should be within his reach at his current stage."
Another Inner Academy disciple added.
"You have a point, junior brothers. It seems Junior Brother Zhang Jing also possesses a special talent, much like Junior Brother Chen and Junior Sister Shen."
Senior Brother Liu spoke slowly, looking thoughtful.
"Exactly. That was what I meant. Junior Brother Chen's and Junior Sister Shen's talents primarily lie in cultivation and comprehension, whereas Junior Brother Zhang's talent clearly lies in Law Techniques."
"Ah, in that case, Junior Brother Zhang is at quite a disadvantage cultivating in the Outer Court. Take the middle-grade cultivation method he currently practices, compared with the high-grade methods Junior Brother Chen and Junior Sister Shen practice. What an enormous difference."
"By the way, senior brother, did Junior Brother Zhang Jing's compatibility with his cultivation method reach the supreme grade?"
Senior Brother Liu shook his head.
"Then there's no telling when Junior Brother Zhang Jing will enter our Inner Academy. It could take ten years, or even twenty."
The purple-robed disciple who had asked the question first nodded, then shook his head, regret coloring his words.
"Haha, in that case, why not have Junior Brother Zhang Jing join our Thousand Techniques Pavilion in the future? Since he has a special talent for Law Techniques, surely he'll excel at one of the many disciplines, such as arrays, pills, artifacts, talismans, beast taming, or puppetry. He would be perfectly suited to becoming an Inner Academy disciple of our Thousand Techniques Pavilion."
A purple-robed disciple at the outermost edge suddenly opened his eyes and spoke with keen interest.
"Don't be hasty, Junior Brother Qiu. Let Junior Brother Zhang Jing decide for himself when the time comes."
Senior Brother Liu said with a smile.
"Tsk, that man really doesn't hold back. It hurts just watching."
At that moment, Zhang Jing sat cross-legged in the center of the Third Demonstration Platform, his gaze fixed on the fierce magical battles on the other platforms.
Within his sight.
A refined-looking man was actually controlling two Flying Swords, thrusting them madly at the woman opposite him.
And the places he chose to attack were...
After a brief sigh of amazement, Zhang Jing turned his attention to the other Demonstration Platforms.
Following some careful observation.
He discovered that not a single person bold enough to compete for the top ten was weak.
Every one of them was at the qi refining second layer.
But that was only the foundation.
Those battling up there either possessed powerful Law Techniques or terrifying Law Artifacts. In short, each had their own strengths. Their abilities were extremely close, and almost no one could defeat an opponent easily.
On the Fourth Demonstration Platform alone, right before Zhang Jing, the defender had already changed twice in barely a quarter of an hour.
And as time went on.
The commotion on the remaining seven Demonstration Platforms grew increasingly intense, powerful fluctuations of Law Power never ceasing for a moment. To win, these people were even willing to trade injury for injury, their eyes nearly crazed.
Finally.
"The third stage is over. Congratulations, everyone!"
Senior Brother Liu's voice rang out.
Wild joy appeared on the faces of everyone still on the Demonstration Platforms. Some even sat straight down, wiping away tears in their excitement.
It had been so hard!
The difficulty of competing for the top ten this time had far exceeded their expectations, even going beyond what they had thought possible.
Cruel rules that left no retreat, a top three they could not even summon the will to challenge, opponents fighting almost to the death...
Every last thing had tested their limits.
Fortunately... they had won!
Below the Demonstration Platforms.
The other eight, who had fought to exhaustion and could barely stand, wore blank expressions and dim eyes, seemingly unable to accept this cruel outcome.
In the sky.
Ten streaks of light flashed past, becoming Identity Jade Pendants that floated quietly before the ten people on the Demonstration Platforms.
Seven were a deep blue-green, while the other three shimmered with a pale violet glow.
Senior Brother Liu's voice came again.
"These are your Identity Jade Pendants, proof that you are disciples of the Dao Academy. They bind to your spiritual sense and also record important information such as Dao Merit. Of course, these pendants are also fine spirit artifacts. When using them for the first time, you must imprint your spiritual sense upon them."
"Thank you, senior brother!"
Zhang Jing and the others picked up the pendants before them and called out to Senior Brother Liu in the air.
Then, following Senior Brother Liu's instructions, he extended his spiritual sense into the pendant.
In an instant, Zhang Jing sensed a tiny imprint appear within the pendant, closely linked to his spiritual sense, as though connected by blood.
At the same time.
Spiritual light flickered across the pendant's surface, and several lines of small writing slowly appeared.
Name: Zhang Jing Status: Outer Court disciple Dao Merit: fifty
And-
A trace of surprise suddenly flashed through Zhang Jing's eyes.
There was actually a storage space inside the pendant, so vast that it seemed capable of holding a small mountain.
This inevitably reminded Zhang Jing of his Storage Bag.
Compared to this, it was simply too wretched to look at.
Besides that, a defensive Law Technique was inscribed within the pendant. Familiar with the Dao patterns of Law Techniques, Zhang Jing could tell at a glance that it was at least middle-grade.
Unfortunately, he could not activate it himself.
Is this the hidden reward for placing in the top three?
Zhang Jing was inwardly startled.
When the Identity Jade Pendants had flown down just now, he had keenly noticed that his, Chen Xiandao's, and Shen Qingqing's pendants differed in color from those the others received.
And it was not just theirs.
If he had seen correctly, the pendants for the top twenty and the top thirty also differed somewhat.
"The pendants really are different!"
Chu Lingyun placed her newly received Identity Jade Pendant beside Deng An's and examined them carefully before exclaiming.
"Of course. Lingyun, didn't you notice just now that Brother Zhang's and the other two's pendants were pale violet?"
"When I saw them, I wondered whether these things differed according to rank."
Deng An explained with a smile.
But when his gaze shifted to Zhang Jing on the platform, the smile slowly faded from his face, replaced by profound disbelief.
Back on the Spirit Crane.
The sight of this man following behind Ji Bochang was still vivid in his mind.
Yet who could have imagined that in just one short month, he would grow to this extent, leaving them far behind?
And, foreseeably, the gap between them would only grow wider.
At this thought.
Deng An could not help recalling the advice he had given Zhang Jing in Wu Mingyuan's Courtyard. Looking back now, how embarrassing it was.
Perhaps back on the Azure Firmament Spirit Crane, Brother Zhang watched our antics as though watching a farce.
Honestly, why didn't Brother Ji remind us back then? Though, heh, he probably couldn't have foreseen today's scene either, could he?
Deng An murmured inwardly, his eyes filled with desolation.
Beside him.
Seemingly sensing the change in atmosphere, Chu Lingyun also fell silent.
Of course she knew what Deng An was thinking at that moment.
Before long.
Chu Lingyun lightly bit her lip and said softly:
"Brother Deng, stop thinking about it. Brother Zhang, who placed third, already lives... in a different world from ours."
"Yes..."
Meanwhile.
On a certain stone platform.
"Senior brother, are we still going to try recruiting Junior Brother Zhang Jing into our Hundred Rivers Squad?"
The man who had initially tried recruiting Zhang Jing turned and asked the person behind him timidly.
"If only you could have recruited Junior Brother Zhang into our squad back then. The captain would probably wake up laughing from his dreams."
"As for now, even if we wanted to, would those behemoths agree?"
A trace of regret crossed the speaker's face as he pointed straight ahead and answered gloomily.
Looking in the direction of his finger.
The ten stone platforms at the very front of the outer area had long since lost their earlier quiet.
"Everyone, I think our Coiling Dragon Squad could-"
The burly bald man on the far left grinned, only to be immediately interrupted by the Gentleman sitting in the third seat:
"Senior Brother Lu, please know when to stop!"
"Your Coiling Dragon Squad has already recruited a first-grade prodigy. How can you still have the nerve to lay a finger on that junior brother? Look, even Senior Sister Liu Nanshu of the Mistglow Squad hasn't said anything."
No sooner had he spoken.
Than Liu Nanshu's lovely face flushed, and she said softly:
"Junior Brother Zhang, actually, I also want-"
"No, senior sister, you don't!"
The Gentleman countered without the slightest courtesy, then turned toward the seven stone platforms to his right and asked gravely:
"Everyone, how about allowing our Luodu Squad first contact with that junior brother, while all the others in the top ten are yours to divide?"
Silence fell.
"Junior Brother Zhang, you make it sound as though your Luodu Squad gave up two first-grade prodigies for nothing. Didn't our two squads trade you the right to approach the assessment's first-place finisher first for the next thirty years?"
The burly bald man said coldly.
Beside him, Liu Nanshu nodded in agreement.
"In that case, our Luodu Squad will relinquish that condition. From now on, we'll all rely on our own abilities to recruit the assessment's first-place finisher."
The Gentleman said decisively.
"Haha, Junior Brother Zhang, why didn't you just say so earlier? In that case, I have no objection."
"Neither do I."
Hearing this, the Gentleman immediately understood.
The Coiling Dragon and Mistglow squads must have guessed that he would not give up. Without the resolve to compete to the end themselves, they had seized this opportunity to force the Luodu Squad to relinquish its thirty years of priority contact with the assessment's first-place finisher.
But though he understood, the Gentleman had no regrets.
Although that junior brother fell a little short of a first-grade prodigy, overall, the strength and talent of this assessment's top three far exceeded normal standards.
The chances of talents like these continuing to appear among the next ten batches of newcomers were truly slim.
Worth it!
At that thought, the Gentleman rose and stepped out, flying straight toward the Third Demonstration Platform.
His movement was like a signal.
Dozens of figures rose together, following closely behind the Gentleman.
Here they come!
Standing on the Demonstration Platform, Zhang Jing felt slightly exhilarated, though his expression remained calm.
"Junior brother, how should I address you?" The Gentleman walked slowly up to Zhang Jing and asked with a smile.
"I am Zhang Jing. Greetings, senior brother."
Zhang Jing likewise smiled and replied, neither servile nor overbearing.
Noticing the junior brother's bearing, the Gentleman nodded in satisfaction.
Exceptional talent and excellent temperament-a seed for the Inner Academy!
The next moment.
"So you're Junior Brother Zhang Jing. What a coincidence! My surname is Zhang as well, and my given name is Yangchu. Just call me Senior Brother Yangchu."
"So it's Senior Brother Yangchu."
Zhang Jing cupped his hands.
"Ha, there's no need for such formalities between us, junior brother. Let me ask you: have you already agreed to join any Mission Team?"
Getting to the matter at hand, Zhang Yangchu's expression turned serious.
"Senior brother, I haven't joined a Mission Team yet."
Zhang Jing answered frankly.
"Oh?" Zhang Yangchu first froze, then looked at Zhang Jing strangely. "So, junior brother, before this, you actually hadn't received any funding from another squad?"
Zhang Jing nodded.
In that instant.
What a windfall! This was a huge windfall!
Zhang Yangchu cried out inwardly, somewhat excited.
How could he have imagined that Junior Brother Zhang Jing, who had performed so stunningly on the Demonstration Platform, had never received cultivation resources from a squad?
What a monster!
After a pause, Zhang Yangchu asked expectantly:
"Then some mission teams must have approached you before, Junior Brother? Why didn't you agree?"
Hearing this, Zhang Jing was just about to answer.
An instant later, he heard Zhang Yangchu speak again. "Wait, don't tell me, Junior Brother. Let me guess. It must have been-the thirty-percent cut of your Dao Merit?"
Huh? How did he know?
Zhang Jing looked at him in puzzlement.
"Haha, I knew that would be it." Zhang Yangchu laughed, then said, "No genius would accept that sort of thing."
"Then, Senior Brother Yangchu, you...?" Zhang Jing trailed off.
"Junior Brother Zhang Jing, let me give you an introduction first."
Zhang Yangchu said confidently:
"The mission team I belong to is the Luodu Squad, the third-ranked squad in the Outer Court."
"As long as you're willing to join, Junior Brother Zhang Jing, starting today, we'll provide one bottle of Purple Spirit Pills each month to assist your cultivation. Besides that, we can also offer you one opportunity to redeem a middle-grade inheritance."
"Uh, let me think."
"Right, there's also a vacant cave abode on our Luodu Island. We might as well give it to you, Junior Brother. As for taking a cut of your Dao Merit, naturally, there'll be none of that."
"Junior Brother Zhang Jing, would you be willing to join the Luodu Squad?"
Zhang Yangchu looked at Zhang Jing, all smiles.
Hearing this string of terms, Zhang Jing could not help inwardly clicking his tongue.
Was this the lavish extravagance of the Outer Court's third-ranked squad? He admitted that the other man had won.
"I'm willing, Senior Brother!"
I drove my younger sister to university to register today and spent the whole day on the road. I'll make up the extra 4,000-word update the day after tomorrow. I'm terribly sorry, QAQ!