Lin Yun's mind was in chaos. A torrent of panic and self-recrimination flooded his thoughts. This is bad. This is really bad. I've drawn too much attention. How do I explain this?
He could feel the weight of the scrutiny from the elder standing by the stele. The man's previously kind eyes were now sharp and analytical, sweeping over Lin Yun as if trying to peel back his skin and see the secret hidden within.
I have to say something. I need an excuse, Lin Yun thought frantically. But what? He couldn't reveal the Heavenly Eyes. Claiming it was pure luck was flimsy. Saying he had a hidden treasure would invite even more trouble.
He had no choice but to brazen it out. He forced his breathing to steady. He unclenched his fist and let his arms hang loosely at his sides, projecting an outward calm he was far from feeling. He met the elder's gaze, his own expression neutral, almost confused, as if he too was surprised by the result.
On the stands, Wang Kun was not finished. His face was a blotchy red, his finger still pointing accusingly.
"Cheat! He's definitely cheating! Elder, you saw it! A 3rd Level Qi Condensation scoring 938? It's a joke! He must have used some forbidden artifact! This result cannot stand!"
His shouts fueled the murmurs of agreement from the Ji and Wang Clan disciples. The atmosphere was turning ugly, filled with suspicion and hostility.
"ENOUGH!"
The single word, infused with the immense spiritual pressure of Elder Kong, slammed down on the avenue like a physical weight.
The chaotic noise was instantly crushed into silence. Wang Kun flinched, his mouth snapping shut, though the outrage remained clear on his face.
Ji Xuan, Nangong Qing'er, and the others also fell silent, but their expressions were equally distrustful.
Elder Kong's stern gaze swept over the assembled students. "The Prowess Stele is an ancient treasure of the academy," he declared, his voice ringing with authority. "Its formation was laid down by founders whose comprehension of the Dao far surpasses any of ours. It measures the true essence of a strike—the purity of spiritual energy, the depth of comprehension, the synergy of technique and power. It is absolutely impossible to cheat its assessment with any known artifact or trickery."
His words carried the weight of finality. If Elder Kong said it was impossible, then it was impossible. The accusation of using a forbidden artifact was effectively dismissed.
It was at this moment that Ji Xuan spoke up. His voice was calm, a stark contrast to Wang Kun's hysterics, but it was laced with a cold, sharp logic that was far more dangerous.
"Respected Elder Kong," Ji Xuan began, standing up and offering a respectful bow. "This student does not doubt the infallibility of the stele. However, as everyone present can clearly perceive, Lin Yun's cultivation base is undeniably at the 3rd Level of the Qi Condensation Realm."
He paused, letting the obvious fact sink in. "For a 3rd Level cultivator to achieve a score of 938... it defies all known principles of cultivation. Unless..."
He let the word hang in the air, his eyes narrowing slightly as they turned to Lin Yun. "Unless he possesses a method to perfectly conceal his true cultivation base from all the teachers and elders here. Is that a possibility we should consider?"
The implication was a masterstroke. Ji Xuan wasn't accusing Lin Yun of cheating the stele; he was suggesting Lin Yun was cheating them. He was proposing that Lin Yun wasn't actually at the 3rd Level, but was using some profound art to appear weaker than he truly was. This was a more subtle and plausible accusation.
A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd. It made a twisted kind of sense. How else could such a score be explained?
Elder Kong's brow furrowed. Ji Xuan's point was valid. He turned his gaze fully onto Lin Yun, his spiritual sense pressing down, not as an attack, but as a deep, probing scan.
Lin Yun felt it—an immense, invisible pressure trying to pierce through his dantian, to discern the true depth of his cultivation. He held his breath, his heart pounding. He wasn't hiding his cultivation; he really was at the 3rd Level. But would they believe that? Or would they assume his method of concealment was simply too powerful for them to detect?
The scrutiny from Elder Kong and several other teachers felt like an eternity. The entire avenue waited with bated breath.
Finally, Elder Kong's probing spiritual sense receded. A look of profound confusion crossed his aged face. He exchanged a glance with the other elders, who gave slight, almost imperceptible shakes of their heads.
They had found nothing. Lin Yun's cultivation was, by all their senses and techniques, genuinely at the 3rd Level of Qi Condensation.
"This..." Elder Kong began, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "His cultivation base... it is indeed at the 3rd Level. We can detect no art of concealment."
The admission caused another wave of shock. If he wasn't hiding his power, and he didn't cheat the stele... then what was the explanation?
The silence that followed Elder Kong's admission was thick with bewilderment. The impossible had been confirmed by the highest authority present. Lin Yun was truly at the 3rd Level, and the stele had truly registered 938.
It was at this moment of stunned confusion that Nangong Qing'er elegantly rose to her feet. Her voice, clear and melodious, cut through the quiet.
"Respected Elders," she began, her tone respectful yet insistent. "While we do not doubt the elders' spiritual sense, to completely clear any lingering doubt from the minds of all the students present, would it not be best to use a more... tangible method?"
She gestured gracefully. "The Academy possesses the Spirit-Revealing Mirror, does it not? It is an instrument that displays one's cultivation level in clear, numerical tiers, leaving no room for subjective interpretation. If Young Master Lin Yun is willing, let him place his hand upon it. This will provide undeniable proof and silence all whispers once and for all."