"First, Zhang Li from Class Four!"
A young man Lin Yun had seen around but didn't know by name nervously stepped forward. He walked up to the stele, his steps hesitant.
The elder smiled kindly. "Relax, young man. Take a deep breath. Just do your best."
Zhang Li nodded, his Adam's apple bobbing. He took a deep, shuddering breath, then his expression firmed. He took two quick steps forward, spun on his back foot, and launched a powerful kick at the center of the stele.
THUMP!
The impact was solid. The glowing lines on the stele flared brightly.
All eyes, including Lin Yun's, shot to the floating jade screen. A number appeared and began rapidly climbing.
100... 300... 500...
The climb slowed dramatically as it passed 600, inching upwards before finally grinding to a halt.
621!
The elder in charge announced in a clear voice, "Zhang Li! Score: Six hundred and twenty-one!"
A look of pure relief and happiness spread across Zhang Li's face. He bowed deeply to the elder and practically skipped back to his seat, receiving pats on the back from his friends. It was a solid, above-average score.
Lin Yun watched, filing the information away. He leaned slightly towards Hua Mengyan.
"Sister Mengyan," he asked quietly, "what is the average score for this test? For those in the Qi Condensation Realm like us?"
Hua Mengyan turned to him, her beautiful eyes wide with surprise. "The average is around 450. A score above 600 is considered very good for our level."
She then looked at him strangely, a puzzled expression on her face. "Haven't you asked your elder brother about this? He would know all the details."
Lin Yun shook his head. "No, I didn't know about this test, so I didn't think to ask him."
Hua Mengyan's puzzlement only deepened. "You really didn't know? But... your elder brother... he's the current record holder for the Qi Condensation Realm on this very stele."
Lin Yun's eyes widened. "He is?"
"Of course!" Hua Mengyan said, as if stating a universal truth. "It's famous in the academy. When he was at the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm, just before he broke through to Foundation Establishment, he struck the stele and scored nine hundred and seventy-three! It's the highest score anyone at the Qi Condensation level has ever achieved. No one has even come close since."
973.
The number echoed in Lin Yun's mind, a testament to the monstrous gap between him and his legendary elder brother. He was struggling to break 400, maybe 500, and his brother had been knocking on the door of perfection. It was both daunting and inspiring.
The test continued. Disciples went up one after another. Scores varied widely. Most clustered between 400 and 650. A disciple from the Wang Clan scored a 688, puffing out his chest with pride. A quiet disciple from a minor family surprised everyone with a 701, causing a stir.
Then, a familiar name was called.
"Next, Nangong Qing'er from Class One!"
A hush fell over the crowd. All eyes were on the elegant figure as she glided towards the stele. She didn't look nervous at all. Her expression was one of serene confidence.
She didn't use a flashy technique. She simply stood before the stele, her delicate hand glowing with a soft, blue water-attribute energy. She placed her palm flat against the stone's surface.
It wasn't a violent strike, but a push. A wave of condensed, powerful energy flowed from her palm into the stele.
The lines on the stele flared a brilliant blue.
The number on the screen shot up.
500... 700... 800...
It slowed past 850, then climbed steadily.
891
The crowd erupted in murmurs. "891! Incredible!"
"That's the highest so far!"
"Nangong Qing'er is truly a genius!"
She accepted the praise with a slight, proud tilt of her head before returning to her seat.
Lin Yun watched calmly. It was a high score, but he knew it wasn't untouchable. He began to calculate. His cultivation was lower, but his Fire Fist was at Level 3, and its explosive power was its greatest asset. If he could land a perfect hit...
The names kept coming.
"Wang Kun from Class Two!"
The bulky youth stomped forward. With a roar, he executed a brutish, powerful fist technique, slamming his fist into the stele.
BOOM!
The impact was loud and violent.
The number climbed aggressively but burned out quickly.
882
A respectable score, but lower than Nangong Qing'er's. Wang Kun's face darkened with displeasure as he walked back.
"Bai Chenfeng from Class One!"
The scholarly young man from the Bai Clan stepped forward calmly. He didn't use a palm or a fist. He formed a sword finger and thrust it at the stele. A sharp, piercing energy, like a needle, shot into the stone.
The number rose steadily, not as fast as others, but it didn't slow down much either.
845
Another excellent score. He had used precision over brute force.
Then, the name Lin Yun had been anticipating was called.
"Ji Xuan from Class One!"
A wave of anticipation, mixed with curiosity, swept through the students. Everyone knew the history between the Ji and Lin Clans. All eyes flickered between Ji Xuan and Lin Yun.
Ji Xuan walked up with a cold, confident stride. He stopped before the stele, his eyes narrowing. He gathered his spiritual energy, his hands moving in a complex pattern. A grey, corrosive aura gathered around his right palm—a signature technique of the Ji Clan.
"Corrosive Palm!" someone whispered.
He thrust his palm forward. It wasn't a loud impact, but a sizzling sound could be heard as his palm made contact, as if the energy was eating away at the stele's own defensive field.
The number on the screen skyrocketed.
600... 750... 850... 900!
It passed Nangong Qing'er's score and kept climbing, finally slowing to a stop at…
923!
Silence.
Then, an uproar. "923! He broke 900!"
"That's the new highest score!"
"The Ji Clan's techniques are truly formidable!"
Ji Xuan turned and stared straight at Lin Yun before he returned to his seat.
The message was clear… This is the difference between us.