Chapter 6

(New book uploaded, urgently needs favorites and recommendations!) Zhong Yue stood on the stage, visualizing the Totem of the Coiling Dragon, his spirit not yet dissipated, and a faint blue aura seemed to flow around his body, like a fierce dragon baring its fangs and claws.

The aura visible to the naked eye is a manifestation of a powerful spirit, harboring strength!

The spirit power of the Qi Cultivators in the Great Wasteland is extremely strong, capable of taking form. When the spirit power turns into a bird, it can fly; when it turns into a beast, it can leap; when it turns into a weapon, it can kill. When the spirit combines with true qi, it becomes an invincible divine ability.

However, that is for Qi Cultivators!

Zhong Yue's spirit power was faintly visible to the naked eye, though still far from matching the spirit power of Qi Cultivators. However, for outer disciples, Zhong Yue's overwhelmingly powerful spirit was extremely shocking!

"The Fire Age Palace's Suiren Visualization Technique, indeed, is domineering!"

Zhong Yue's heart was suddenly stirred. He had only practiced the Fire Age Palace's Suiren Visualization Technique twice, yet not only did he achieve soul separation, but the power of the Totem of the Coiling Dragon also increased significantly, far surpassing the visualization techniques of the Sword Sect!

The young men and women below were dumbfounded, staring at him in a daze. Only Shui Qingyan was overjoyed, clenching her fists and cheering for Zhong Yue as if she had passed the test herself.

However, the examiners were whispering to each other, continuously deliberating, and had not yet announced the results.

"The Sword Sect has never had such a case," a white-haired examiner suddenly said, "The purpose of our Azure Sky Hall's examination is to test the strength of the outer disciples' souls and their combat awareness. Zhong Yue used a body-strengthening method to kill the demon, which does not count as passing the test. In my opinion, he should be judged as a failure. What do you think, fellow disciples?"

"Senior Brother Tian is right," another examiner agreed, "If this is considered passing, it will disrupt the principles of our Sword Sect. We gather spirits to refine sword qi to protect the Great Wasteland. If other outer disciples all focus on body-strengthening methods and neglect the orthodox Sword Sect techniques, it will be a minor issue to disrupt our rules, but a major issue if it ruins our legacy. This test should be judged as a failure..."

Zhong Yue's heart sank. Suddenly, a young examiner stood up, his black hair fluttering, his aura bursting, and he shouted, "Enough! I've endured you all long enough! It is extremely difficult for poor disciples to pass the Azure Sky Hall's examination, with only one in ten thousand succeeding. The dead and injured are all poor disciples! The noble clans can use totem pillars, while poor disciples have nothing. Where is the fairness? Since there is no fairness, using a body-strengthening method to pass the test is not a violation. Today, Zhong Yue must be considered to have passed!"

The white-haired examiner frowned slightly, "Junior Brother Zuo, you are being too presumptuous..."

"I will be presumptuous this once!"

The young examiner's aura was wild, and a sword-shaped gate appeared above his head. The gate opened, and a fireball leaped out, like a sun. In the center of the sun was a bird-headed divine being about a foot tall, his totem, who coldly laughed, "Senior Brothers, you all come from prestigious families and control the Sword Sect. How can we poor disciples ever have a chance to rise? I also come from a poor family, and today I will stand up for the poor disciples!"

His totem spirit had a bird's head and human body, with wings and bird feet. As soon as it appeared, the entire Azure Sky Hall was like the arrival of the sun, dry and scorching, with raging flames in the air!

"Senior Brother Tian, you have been a Qi Cultivator for sixty years, while I have only been in the sect for ten years. Today, I challenge you to see if a Qi Cultivator from a prestigious family is stronger or if a Qi Cultivator from a poor family is stronger! Will Senior Brother Tian accept the challenge?"

"Zuo Xiangsheng, you are too overconfident!"

The white-haired elder coldly snorted, and a sword gate also appeared above his head, revealing his totem, which was only a foot tall but was a tree man without feet, with a dense network of roots for the lower body and a tree crown for the head, with lush branches and leaves!

The auras of the two Qi Cultivators burst forth, and suddenly, the tree man totem of the white-haired elder swayed, with countless roots flying in the air, like dragons and pythons, growing thicker and thicker, weaving through the air, and coiling around Zuo Xiangsheng!

In an instant, the tree man totem transformed into a towering tree, bursting with vitality, its crown enveloping the entire Azure Sky Hall!

Zuo Xiangsheng's totem also grew with the wind, the bird-headed divine being towering, wings spread, and a mouthful of flames igniting countless roots!

Suddenly, the tree man totem raised its hands, and massive trees appeared in the air, each weighing tens of thousands of pounds, raining down on Zuo Xiangsheng like a storm!

Using trees as swords, forming a wood-based sword array!

The bird-headed totem's eyes shot out sword qi, using fire as swords, sharp and scorching!

The two Qi Cultivators fought fiercely, their auras pressing down on the outer disciples of the Azure Sky Hall, causing them to groan. The other examiners quickly stepped in to protect the disciples, shouting, "Senior Brother Tian, Junior Brother Zuo, stop, stop quickly!"

With their protection, Zhong Yue, Shui Qingyan, and the other outer disciples finally breathed a sigh of relief. They looked up and saw the two Qi Cultivators fighting more intensely, leaving the audience dazzled.

The remaining examiners were at a loss, repeatedly trying to persuade them. One of them whispered, "Two esteemed Qi Cultivators actually fighting over an outer disciple. If this gets out, our Azure Sky Hall will lose face in the Sword Sect!"

This was the first time in the Azure Sky Hall's examination that a demon was killed bare-handed, and also the first time that the examiners fought instead of the disciples.

"Do we need to help?"

"Help who?"

"Of course, Senior Brother Tian! Senior Brother Tian comes from a prestigious family, and the Tianfeng Clan has considerable influence in the Sword Sect..."

Just as the examiners finished their discussion, the white-haired elder suddenly grunted and fell from the air, landing with a thud, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He struggled but could not get up.

The examiners were shocked and looked up to see Zuo Xiangsheng standing in the air, surrounded by raging flames, transformed into a bird-headed divine being with bird feet and wings, looking majestic like a god of fire, with his totem already vanished!

"Have you reached the level of human and totem unity?"

The white-haired elder's face was ashen, looking up at Zuo Xiangsheng in the air, his eyes filled with both envy and fear, coughing up blood, "You and your totem have merged, and I admit defeat. I have no objections to you taking charge of the Azure Sky Hall. However, rules are rules. Zhong Yue did not use his soul to defeat the demon, which violates the rules of the Sword Sect. I will report this to the higher-ups and argue with you!"

Zuo Xiangsheng stepped down from the air, laughing heartily, "Senior Brother Tian, there's no need to involve the higher-ups. Zhong Yue can defeat the demon bare-handed, and using his soul to defeat the demon would be easy. Since you have objections, let him try again! Zhong Yue!"

On the stage, Zhong Yue bowed, "Disciple is here."

"Take the test again, but do not use the body-strengthening method to kill the demon. Use only your soul."

Zuo Xiangsheng pointed, and the gate of the Sword Sect on the stage opened again, and a demon leaped out. Zuo Xiangsheng said solemnly, "I want you to find a way for poor disciples to pass the test without relying on totem pillars!"

"Coiling Dragon!"

Zhong Yue shouted, visualizing the Totem of the Coiling Dragon, his spirit power turning into a faint blue aura flowing around his body, as if a dragon were coiling around him. He raised his hand to seal the demon's arms!

The collision between man and demon, muscles clashing, made a loud sound!

"Out of the body!"

The demon's arms were sealed, slowing it down. Zhong Yue's third eye flashed, and his soul leaped out, piercing the demon's brain like lightning. In the demon's mind, the Sword Sect appeared, and a sword qi shot out from the gate, slicing the demon's soul!

Zuo Xiangsheng showed approval, looking at the white-haired elder, and smiled, "Zhong Yue's body is strong, and the demon cannot harm him at all. As long as his soul can leave his body, he can easily kill the demon. Senior Brother Tian, do you have any objections now?"

The white-haired elder coldly snorted, remaining silent.

Zuo Xiangsheng took out an upper academy token and handed it to Zhong Yue, "From today on, you are an out-of-body disciple. You can receive ten Feather Spirit Pills from the upper academy's medicinal valley each month. You did well. It is difficult for poor disciples to become Qi Cultivators, and if there are more poor Qi Cultivators in the Sword Sect in the future, you will have made a great contribution!"

His words were not exaggerated. The Sword Sect did not value body-strengthening, and poor disciples from the Great Wasteland often failed at the soul test. Zhong Yue's success with a body-strengthening method would likely spark a trend among poor disciples, leading to more passing the test in the future!

The number of Qi Cultivators from poor families in the Sword Sect would inevitably increase!

"Are you fifteen years old this year?"

Zuo Xiangsheng pondered for a moment, "At your age, achieving the spirit at sixteen is risky. If you have any difficulties in the future, come to me."

Zhong Yue thanked him, thinking, "This Junior Uncle Zuo is a hero."

He did not leave immediately but stood below the stage to watch Shui Qingyan's battle. On the stage, Shui Qingyan's clothes fluttered, her feet seemingly supported by waves, not touching the ground, engaging the demon in a fierce battle.

She did not use the totem pillar, but it was clear that she had practiced a very advanced visualization technique, matching the demon's speed. However, she was weaker in strength.

Zhong Yue's method of defeating the demon was simple and brutal, maximizing the explosive power of his muscles, while her movements were graceful and light, like a dancing elf.

Soon, Shui Qingyan found the demon's weakness, her soul leaped out, and she visualized the Sword Sect to cut the demon!

"Is the little girl from the Shui Tu Clan only in the sect for a year?"

The examiners exchanged glances, and one of them whispered, "Although she is protected by a Qi Cultivator from the Shui Tu Clan, her cultivation speed is indeed astonishing. Passing the test without using the totem pillar is rare in recent years."

As for Zhong Yue not using the totem pillar, they overlooked it.

In their eyes, Shui Qingyan followed the orthodox path of the Sword Sect, while Zhong Yue's victory with a body-strengthening method seemed somewhat unorthodox.

Shui Qingyan received the upper academy token and left the Azure Sky Hall with Zhong Yue, heading to the upper academy of the Sword Sect.

The upper academy has separate female and male sections to avoid improper relationships between male and female outer disciples. After all, the outer disciples of the upper academy are the Sword Sect's key cultivation targets, and a chaotic environment would affect their cultivation progress.

Shui Qingyan and Zhong Yue parted ways, saying, "Brother Yue, remember to visit the female section often!"

Zhong Yue nodded, carrying his medicine basket through the upper academy, attracting many gazes. He thought, "I wonder if male disciples are allowed to enter the female section... I should go to the medicinal valley first and get ten Feather Spirit Pills to strengthen my body, otherwise, I won't be able to continue practicing the Suiren Visualization Technique if I become too thin!"

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