Chapter 96

Zhang Kuang was the first to step onto the stage, naturally drawing the attention of many people. However, when they saw that he was only at the first level of the Pulse Channeling Realm, many people laughed. No wonder he dared to rush up; his own cultivation was only at the first level of the Pulse Channeling Realm, so the beasts he faced were naturally very weak.

Of course, many people also countered, saying that no matter what, he was facing six beasts of the same level, and the difficulty was the same. "You say six low-grade three-star beasts are nothing? If you were at the first level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, would you dare to face six low-grade one-star beasts?"

This statement immediately silenced many people. Indeed, the difficulty of the first test seemed to decrease as the participants' strength decreased, but for all the disciples participating in the assessment, the difficulty was the same.

Seeing Zhang Kuang jump onto the stage, the middle-aged man in charge of the assessment showed a hint of surprise on his face. He took the assessment certificate Zhang Kuang handed over, nodded, and with a look of appreciation in his eyes, said, "Not bad. Although your cultivation is only at the first level of the Pulse Channeling Realm, it is quite remarkable for your age. More importantly, your courage is commendable. I hope to see you on the Floating Mountain in the future."

"Thank you, Senior Brother. Let's begin," Zhang Kuang said. Despite the praise from the middle-aged man, his mindset remained unchanged. He tightly gripped his long spear, focused, and his red hair and eyes danced wildly.

The middle-aged man nodded silently. With a wave of his hand, six talismans shot out and landed on the ground, immediately transforming into six low-grade three-star beasts. From their aura, they were on par with Zhang Kuang, who was at the first level of the Pulse Channeling Realm. The six beasts roared and exuded a fierce aura, making it hard to believe they were talisman beasts.

"Come on!" Zhang Kuang's spear trembled, and his fighting spirit was high. He did not choose a defensive strategy, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack, but instead launched an attack from the start.

Regardless, this was the first round of the selection assessment for Xiaozhufeng Peak, and everyone watched in silence. Although the six low-grade three-star beasts were not much to some disciples at the seventh or eighth level of the Pulse Channeling Realm, the disciples on the stage were only at the first level of the Pulse Channeling Realm.

Zhang Kuang's spear moved like a dragon, and although his cultivation was only at the Pulse Channeling Realm, his aura suddenly rose significantly. From the fluctuations in his aura, it seemed he had reached the second level of the Pulse Channeling Realm. Combined with his specialized spear techniques, Zhang Kuang's spear was indeed formidable.

"Fluctuations of the second level of the Pulse Channeling Realm? Did he break through during the battle?" Many people began to speculate upon sensing the sudden rise in Zhang Kuang's aura.

Breaking through during a battle? How easy is that? Many knowledgeable people shook their heads and said, "This is not a breakthrough, but the use of a secret technique to dramatically increase his attack power in a short time. Although it is not as powerful as the Bloodlust Technique, it is still a good ability. However, the downside is the large consumption of qi."

Attack! Attack! Attack again!

After several duels, Zhuge Xiang knew Zhang Kuang very well. Zhang Kuang was a complete battle maniac, and all his martial arts skills were aimed at enhancing his combat power. He adhered to the principle that offense is the best defense. Indeed, by focusing on offensive techniques, Zhang Kuang's attack power was very strong, far surpassing his peers. However, due to his single-minded focus, his weaknesses were also evident.

The spear is the dragon among weapons, and this is indeed true. With the secret technique to boost his aura, his attack power was formidable. The battle only lasted a short while, and in the end, Zhang Kuang used a backstab to kill the last beast, completing his assessment.

With a smile on his face, the middle-aged man, who appreciated such battle maniacs, announced that Zhang Kuang had passed the assessment and then asked if anyone else wanted to step up.

Initially, no one dared to step up due to the content of the first assessment. However, with Zhang Kuang's success, many people gained confidence. If others could succeed, why couldn't they? Since they had dared to sign up for the inner gate selection assessment, they were naturally people with high self-esteem.

Soon, more than a dozen people stepped up, but the harsh reality was that defeating six beasts equivalent to their own cultivation level was not easy. Out of the dozen who stepped up, only two disciples at the ninth level of the Pulse Channeling Realm passed the assessment.

The harsh reality and high elimination rate made many people reassess the difficulty of the first assessment. The courage to step up had diminished.

"Is there anyone else who wants to step up?" The middle-aged man asked again, after announcing the failure of the sixth disciple on the stage.

"I'll give it a try," said Lu Yuling, her white dress fluttering, her steps light and graceful, like a gazelle's hooves, leaving no trace. She appeared on the stage, her cold aura like a solitary moon in the sky, making many disciples stare in awe. At sixteen, Lu Yuling's beauty had only grown more enchanting.

Even the middle-aged man on the stage was slightly taken aback by Lu Yuling. Zhang Kuang had already impressed him, but Lu Yuling was even more surprising. She was younger than Zhang Kuang but had already reached the second level of the Pulse Channeling Realm. Her demeanor gave the impression of a prodigy.

Seeing Lu Yuling step up, Zhuge Xiang's expression became more serious. Throughout their journey, only Lu Yuling's cultivation speed had made Zhuge Xiang feel a heavy pressure. Lu Yuling thought Zhuge Xiang was strong, and Zhuge Xiang felt the same way. Though they were good friends, they also saw each other as competitors, perhaps a mutual admiration.

"Second level of the Pulse Channeling Realm? Be careful," the middle-aged man said after reviewing Lu Yuling's assessment certificate, and he summoned six talisman beasts again.

After six consecutive failures, could this beautiful female disciple succeed? This inner gate assessment was already attracting a lot of attention, and Lu Yuling's beauty alone was enough to draw the crowd. Many disciples secretly hoped that such a beautiful disciple would not be hurt.

The six beasts were all low-grade three-star, but their auras were slightly stronger than those Zhang Kuang faced. Facing the six beasts, Lu Yuling remained calm. She flipped her hand, and a black long sword appeared. With the sword in hand, a faint sound of dripping water could be heard, refreshing the soul.

"Is that a Dharma sword?" Zhuge Xiang became even more interested when he saw Lu Yuling take out a weapon. After so long, this was the first time he had seen her use such a proper weapon. Her gloves were only for the Qingbo Palm technique.

The battle was about to begin. Facing the six beasts, Lu Yuling's steps were like the Lingbo Step, leaving no trace. In her clear and calm state of mind, she could perceive the speed and attacks of the beasts.

Whether it was the beasts' claws or fangs, whether they pounced or ambushed, Lu Yuling's Lingbo Step allowed her to narrowly avoid their attacks. The beasts' attacks often missed her by just a hair's breadth, but that tiny gap was like an insurmountable chasm.

Her black Dharma sword moved gracefully. In her clear and calm state of mind, Lu Yuling could perceive all the beasts' movements. Her sword struck from unimaginable angles, injuring the beasts even if they did not die. A layer of sky-blue ice covered their bodies, slowing them down. This ice sword was clearly a magical weapon that reduced the speed of its targets.

Zhang Kuang's battle was a relentless offense, like a battle maniac, crushing everything in his path, a life-or-death struggle that stirred the blood. Lu Yuling's battle, on the other hand, was like a graceful dance, like a butterfly among flowers, giving a unique sense of beauty, almost like art. Even after the battle ended, the crowd was still immersed in it, as if they had heard a timeless masterpiece. It was only when the middle-aged man announced her victory that they snapped back to reality.

"Lu Yuling, please step down and rest for a moment," the middle-aged man said, his eyes filled with admiration.

In her clear and calm state of mind, the middle-aged man could not help but notice. This was a natural ability, far surpassing ordinary people. The clear and calm state of mind and sword intent were similar in essence. However, while sword intent and spear intent fused one's mind with their weapon to enhance combat power, the clear and calm state of mind used mental power to clear all distractions, enhancing one's perception and other abilities.

First, Zhang Kuang, who gave people hope, and then Lu Yuling, who left them in awe. The middle-aged man felt incredibly lucky. Lu Yuling's natural mental power was so strong that it was no wonder her demeanor was different. Such a person would almost certainly become a middle-aged man in the future, and naturally, his attitude towards Lu Yuling was more amiable.

"Next, is there anyone else who wants to step up?" After Lu Yuling stepped down, the middle-aged man asked again.

"I'll go..." Zhuge Xiang leaped onto the stage, his back carrying the Slaughter Sword, a dense aura of killing intent spreading around him.

"Another second-level Pulse Channeling Realm disciple? So young," the middle-aged man's eyes flashed as he saw Zhuge Xiang.

As young and as cultivated as Lu Yuling, the middle-aged man had high hopes for him as well.