Chapter 12

"Let me give it a try." At this moment, a young figure stepped forward, it was Ning Feng from the Ning family.

"Ning Feng, he should be able to pass, right?" The crowd's eyes flickered. Ning Feng first approached the Yuan Mirror on the left, placed his palm in the indentation, and suddenly, the two lowest rings of light lit up simultaneously. Then, the third, fourth, and soon the sixth ring of light illuminated, indicating a six-star affinity for the elemental forces of heaven and earth.

He then moved to the Star Mirror on the right and tested again, with four rings of light illuminating, indicating a four-star affinity for stellar forces. This amazed many people, as Ning Feng was one of the four most hopeful candidates to enter the Wu Fu Academy today.

The representatives from the four major forces on the viewing platform all nodded, indicating he had passed and could proceed to the next round of assessments.

Ning Feng smiled smugly, a hint of youthful arrogance in his demeanor, and walked to the other side of the crowd.

Soon, the crowd began to step forward one by one to test their abilities. Some managed to satisfy a few of the four Wu Fu Academies, while others could only satisfy one. However, as long as they were not completely rejected, they had the资格 to participate in the next round of assessments.

"Chen Yu's affinity for the elemental forces of heaven and earth is even seven stars, higher than Ning Feng's. Although his stellar affinity is only three stars, it still earned nods from three of the four major forces, excluding the Imperial Star Academy. It seems that entering the Imperial Star Academy is indeed difficult, as they only accept those with the Wu Ming cultivation."

The crowd whispered among themselves. Entering the Imperial Star Academy was extremely difficult; it was a cradle for geniuses.

"Lin Yue is truly remarkable. Not only is she one of the four beauties, but her talent is also outstanding. Her stellar affinity is a six-star talent, befitting a beauty genius who condensed her Star Soul at the age of thirteen."

"What does it matter? Next, we'll see Bai Qiuxue's performance." The crowd's eyes turned to the two who had yet to test on the martial arts platform: Bai Qiuxue and Qin Wentian. However, Qin Wentian was largely ignored.

"Qin Wentian, watch carefully." Bai Qiuxue turned her gaze and gave Qin Wentian a faint look. Then, she stepped forward to the Yuan Mirror on the left, placing her delicate hand in the indentation. Three rings of light immediately shone, and in an instant, seven rings of light illuminated, indicating a seven-star talent.

"If it weren't for my meditation to enhance my affinity for stellar forces, I would have already surpassed my current cultivation level," Bai Qiuxue said coolly, without even glancing at Qin Wentian. She then moved to the right and repeated the same action. Instantly, rings of light shone like stars.

"The light is blinding." The crowd felt a sharp pain in their eyes. Soon, eight rings of light shone, emitting stellar light, causing many on the viewing platform to stand up in excitement.

"Seven-star affinity for the elemental forces of heaven and earth, eight-star affinity for stellar forces, a prodigy."

The space fell silent, and many people drew in sharp breaths.

"Bai Qiuxue, the Royal Academy welcomes your joining," Tang Lin said with a smile, extending an olive branch even in the first round of assessments.

"Seven-star Wu Fu, welcome your joining."

"Shenfeng Academy sincerely invites you to become one of us."

Mo Shang's companion wanted to speak but saw Mo Shang whisper, "Wait."

This made the person pause, looking at Mo Shang with a puzzled expression and whispering, "What do you mean?"

"No rush," Mo Shang smiled but did not respond.

Bai Qiuxue walked to the other side, then turned to look at Qin Wentian with a haughty gaze, as if a proud princess was looking down on a presumptuous suitor.

Qin Wentian calmly approached the Yuan Mirror on the left, placing his palm on it. Five rings of light shone, surprising many, as Qin Wentian had a five-star talent.

Then, Qin Wentian moved to the right, placing his palm on the Star Mirror again. Instantly, rings of light shone, and seven rings of light illuminated, shocking everyone.

"Seven-star talent!" The crowd's pupils contracted. At that moment, the eighth ring of light also illuminated, stellar light sweeping across the martial arts platform. Everyone's pupils contracted in disbelief. How could this be possible?

Qin Wentian looked at Bai Qiuxue and said calmly, "Eight-star talent, is that strong?"

As he spoke, the last ring of light on the Star Mirror shone.

"Buzz!" Brilliant stellar light seemed to pour down from the sky, rivaling the sun. Nine rings of light on the Star Mirror all illuminated.

"Crack!" A crisp sound echoed as the stone mirror developed cracks. Suddenly, a beam of stellar light shot up, and with a crack, the Star Mirror shattered. Qin Wentian remained standing, his palm in the air, looking at Bai Qiuxue. Is an eight-star talent really that impressive?

"Phew..." Mo Shang took a deep breath. The Star Mirror could not withstand it; this was a talent beyond nine stars. His eyes shone like stars.

"What's going on?" Tang Lin's senior brother, Xing Feng, frowned. A talent beyond nine stars at under sixteen years old, if he became a Wu Ming cultivator, his path would be smooth.

Tang Lin's expression stiffened upon hearing Xing Feng's question and whispered, "Senior brother, this person has a congenital blockage and cannot cultivate. He was expelled by the Bai family, and today, the Bai family is preparing to break the engagement. Even with a talent beyond nine stars, he is still useless, better off not having it."

Xing Feng nodded in agreement, thinking that the Tianyong City and the Bai family must not have made a mistake. It was a pity for such talent.

Bai Qiuxue also looked at Qin Wentian, her beautiful eyes flickering. No wonder he could teach her; his talent was indeed strong. But what use was it? Ye Wuxie was the true genius, one of the ten outstanding figures in the capital.

"Qin Wentian, you cannot cultivate, so you can meditate and focus your mind without distractions. I didn't expect this to result in such affinity. For you, this is tragic," Bai Qiuxue said calmly, her face expressionless. "In the next round of assessments, I will show you the vast gap between us."

"Ha ha!" Tang Lin laughed and said, "You passed the first round, but the second round is a strength test. Qin Wentian, if you do not meet the assessment criteria, you will be deceiving the four Wu Fu Academies. I will make you understand the consequences of deception. Bring out the strength drum!"

As he spoke, someone carried a large drum onto the martial arts platform. The drum stood upright, facing those who had passed the first round. The demon bull skin drum could measure strength.

Qin Wentian calmly looked at Tang Lin. A talent beyond nine stars, and he passed?

Ridiculous.

He glanced around. After the first round, only nine people remained on the martial arts platform. This round of assessments would likely eliminate most of them. Thirty-six bull strength was the minimum requirement for the assessment, but not everyone with thirty-six bull strength would be accepted by the four academies.

"The drum will sound once for ten bull strength. Try your best to make it sound multiple times. Each person has three attempts," a voice said. Someone stepped forward to the strength drum, bending his body like a drawn bow. Suddenly, he roared and lunged forward, his fist carrying a gust of wind, striking the drum.

"Boom..." The drum resonated, echoing through the sky, one sound for ten bull strength.

"Boom, boom!" The second and third sounds echoed, the aftertones lingering. Then, the drum sounds gradually faded, not reaching the fourth sound. The representatives from the four academies shook their heads; this person's strength was insufficient to make the drum sound four times, and he lacked the talent to become a Wu Ming cultivator, so he was eliminated.

"I'll give it a try." Lin Yue stepped forward, feeling depressed after being overshadowed by Bai Qiuxue. She focused her mind, and suddenly, a stellar rabbit appeared above her head, her Star Soul.

The rabbit Star Soul made her agile and quick, with fast movements and sensitive hearing. As Lin Yue lunged forward like a whirlwind, her straight punch struck the drum.

"Boom, boom, boom..." Six drum sounds echoed, lingering in the air. Lin Yue possessed over sixty bull strength, and her small frame could easily kill a fierce beast.

She used her full strength on her first attempt.

"Welcome to our Seven-star Wu Fu," the representative from the Seven-star Wu Fu said, extending an olive branch. Lin Yue's talent was indeed excellent and worth cultivating.

"Shenfeng Academy welcomes your joining," the representative from Shenfeng Academy said simultaneously, making Lin Yue smile. However, her gaze turned to the Royal Academy and the Imperial Star Academy, but neither spoke.

Lin Yue was slightly disappointed and said, "I will join Shenfeng Academy."

In the subsequent assessments, only Chen Yu and Ning Feng received invitations, joining the Seven-star Wu Fu and Shenfeng Academy, respectively. However, the Royal Academy and the Imperial Star Academy did not extend any invitations, seemingly only interested in Bai Qiuxue. Even with the talents of Lin Yue and the others, they did not impress the two academies.

After that, only Bai Qiuxue and Qin Wentian remained.

"Qin Wentian, watch carefully," Bai Qiuxue said coolly. She then stepped forward to the strength drum and delivered a simple punch. The drum sounded five times, resonating through the sky.

"Seventh level of the Body Tempering Realm, Bai Qiuxue, a casual punch has fifty bull strength. This indicates she has reached the seventh level of the Body Tempering Realm, which is terrifying. It's said she spent a lot of time meditating, delaying her cultivation, to awaken her Star Soul at the third level. Otherwise, her realm would be even higher."

For martial cultivators of the elemental forces of heaven and earth, the nine levels of the Body Tempering Realm correspond to the following strengths: one bull, four bulls, nine bulls, sixteen bulls, twenty-five bulls... the seventh level is forty-nine bull strength.

For Wu Ming cultivators, their strength is even greater, as their Star Souls significantly enhance their power. Different types and levels of Star Souls provide different enhancements, so there is no standard definition of strength, but it is certainly much stronger than ordinary martial cultivators.

Bai Qiuxue looked at Qin Wentian calmly. She stepped back, and her brilliant Star Soul, a golden crane, shone, with the golden halo around it almost solid, indicating her Star Soul came from the third level.

"Crane's Cry in the Wilderness!" Bai Qiuxue shouted coldly, lunging forward like a predatory crane, her claw striking with the speed of lightning and thunder. The sky seemed to rumble, shaking the crowd's eardrums as if they were about to go deaf.

"Boom, boom, boom..." Instantly, five drum sounds echoed, but the sounds did not subside.

"Boom..." The drum resonated through the sky, already sounding six times. The crowd on the viewing platform stood up, solemn and silent, recognizing a true genius.

The aftertones lingered, and with another "boom," the seventh drum sound echoed, as if a hurricane swept through the sky.

Seven sounds, seventy bull super strength. This was the terrifying enhancement brought by her Star Soul and skilled techniques, making the demon bull skin drum tremble.

Moreover, Bai Qiuxue had reached the seventh level of the Body Tempering Realm by cultivating the elemental forces of heaven and earth. If she had cultivated stellar forces after condensing her Star Soul, her strength would be even greater with her third-level Star Soul.

The crowd was captivated by the beauty on the martial arts platform, while Qin Wentian beside her seemed insignificant.

Just as she had said, in the second round of assessments, she would show Qin Wentian the vast gap between them.

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