"Today marks your comprehensive assessment," Elder Kong began, his sharp eyes scanning the sea of young faces. "Your performance will determine your ranking, your access to resources, and, most importantly, it will decide who earns the right to enter the Deep Sky Valley this year."
A wave of excited murmurs rippled through the crowd. The Deep Sky Valley! It was essentially a beginner's secret realm, meticulously managed by the academy. It was rich with spiritual herbs, rare ores, and other resources, yet the dangers—while real—were controlled.
It was a perfect training and resource-gathering ground for promising disciples, a significant opportunity that could accelerate one's cultivation by months.
"Only the top ten disciples will earn entry," Elder Kong declared, dashing the hopes of many. "The assessment will be divided into three categories, testing the core pillars of a cultivator's strength. You will all participate in all three."
He raised a finger. "First, Martial Arts. This will test your combat prowess, your mastery of techniques, and your raw power."
He raised a second finger. "Second, Alchemy. This will test your control, your precision, and your understanding of spiritual herbs. You will be required to refine a pill on the spot."
He raised a third and final finger. "Third, Formations. This will test your intellect, your perception, and your comprehension of the Dao of Arrays. You will be required to analyze and solve formation puzzles."
"Points will be awarded in each category. Your final score will be the sum of all three. The top ten scorers will be our representatives to the Deep Sky Valley."
As Elder Kong explained the rules, Lin Yun's mind worked quickly.
Martial Arts. He wasn't worried. His cultivation was still low, but his Fleeing Cloud Step and Fire Fist, combined with his Heavenly Eyes' predictive ability, gave him a significant edge against most peers at his level. He could hold his own.
Alchemy. This was his forte. This was where he would shine and score the majority of his points. He was confident he could achieve a near-perfect score.
Formations. This was the problem. A knot of tension formed in his stomach. In his frantic focus on alchemy and basic combat, he had completely neglected the study of formations. The original owner of his body had also paid it little mind, leaving him with almost no foundational knowledge.
Formations involved using spiritual energy to inscribe patterns that could attack, defend, trap, or gather energy. It required immense theoretical knowledge and spatial reasoning.
He had nothing.
This is bad, he thought, a flicker of panic rising. I might score high in two categories, but if I get a zero in formations, I'll never make the top ten.
He watched as the other disciples, especially those from major clans like the Nangong and Bai, who were known for their formation expertise, looked calm and confident. Ji Xuan also wore a smirk, likely confident in this area.
Then, an idea sparked in his mind. A desperate, untested idea.
The Heavenly Eyes.
They allowed him to see the flow of spiritual energy, to perceive the essence of things. Formations were, at their core, complex networks of spiritual energy. What if he couldn't solve the formation through knowledge, but he could see its structure? What if he could perceive its energy pathways, its nodes, its weaknesses?
It was a long shot. He had never tried to use his Eyes for this purpose. But it was the only card he had to play.
He took a deep breath, forcing the panic down. Although he didn't know how much he would gain from the Deep Sky Valley, it was definitely a good opportunity to fight for. Otherwise, Ji Xuan and the others wouldn't have tried to kill him.
Elder Kong gave a short, sharp nod. "You have one incense stick's time to prepare yourselves. Gather your focus. We will reconvene at the Martial Practice Avenue."
The hall erupted into a flurry of movement and nervous chatter. Students formed small groups, discussing strategies or simply trying to calm their nerves.
Lin Yun found a quiet corner, closing his eyes to center himself. He ran through the sequences of the Fire Fist and the footwork of the Fleeing Cloud Step in his mind, ensuring they were fresh.
Soon, the mass of students was herded out of the main hall and towards a vast, open-air training ground known as the Martial Practice Avenue. It was a wide expanse of packed earth, surrounded by tiered stone seating for observers. At the very center stood a single, imposing object.
It was a stele, about three meters tall, made of a dark, polished stone that seemed to absorb the sunlight. Intricate, glowing lines were carved into its surface, pulsing with a faint blue light. Above it, floating in mid-air, was a large, blank jade screen.
"This is the Prowess Stele," Elder Kong announced, his voice carrying across the avenue. "It measures the true potency of a single strike, factoring in your cultivation base, the grade of your technique, and your mastery over it."
"The test is simple. You will step forward one by one. Use any technique you wish to strike the stele. The stele will analyze the impact and display your score on the screen. The maximum score is one thousand."
A wave of excitement, mixed with anxiety, swept through the students. For many, this was more than just a test for the Deep Sky Valley. It was a public stage.
A high score here could attract the attention of a powerful teacher, leading to them being taken in as a direct disciple—a life-changing opportunity. Even those who knew they had no chance at the top ten saw this as a chance to change their fate.
Everyone found their assigned seats in the stands. Lin Yun found himself sitting next to Hua Mengyan, who offered him an encouraging smile.
The test began. The elder in charge of the stele, a kind-faced man with a gentle demeanor, unrolled a scroll and called out the first name.
"First, Zhang Li from Class Four!"