Chapter 7

"Five ranks..." A strong sense of disappointment surged in Jiang Wei's heart.

Originally, Jiang Wei had only participated in the test with a casual attitude; especially after witnessing thousands of ghosts being eliminated, he had even given up hope for himself. However, when the test stone lit up five levels in quick succession, Jiang Wei saw hope, and it was a great hope.

But just at that moment, the test stone seemed to be toying with him, as the sixth light refused to turn on.

Five ranks—this was Jiang Wei's talent rating; just one step away from the sixth rank, but this one step was like a chasm, severing Jiang Wei's hope of joining the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion.

Joining the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion meant access to various secret manuals and abundant resources, leading to great power in the ghost realm; not joining the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion meant being an ordinary, unknown ghost, worrying about virtue and sin, reincarnation, and the length of one's life.

"What, just five ranks?"

"This isn't scientific! The few ghosts with sixth rank lit up slower than him!"

"Pity, pity!"

Even the other ghosts began to feel sorry for Jiang Wei. These ghosts had been ready to cheer and scream, but the "five ranks" result choked their screams, turning them into sighs.

The tester was equally incredulous. When the five lights lit up in quick succession, he almost treated Jiang Wei as a world-class genius of seventh or eighth rank. But in the end, Jiang Wei stopped at five ranks.

"Perhaps..." The tester pondered, "you should try the test again?" The test stone was usually very accurate, but the tester couldn't help but suggest it.

"Thank you!" Jiang Wei said.

A soul could only be tested once, and Jiang Wei understood that if his performance hadn't been special, he wouldn't have gotten a second chance.

But the second test yielded the same result—another divine five lights in quick succession, followed by a complete failure to light the sixth light...

"Five ranks!" The tester announced again.

The test stone wouldn't make a mistake; a five-rank talent meant Jiang Wei had no chance of joining the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion. Moreover, talent was innate and couldn't be cultivated later in life. If Jiang Wei was a five-rank talent now, he would be a five-rank talent for life. To reach the sixth rank, he would need to reincarnate and hope for better in the next life—though there was no guarantee he would surpass five ranks in the next life; he might even be a first-rank talent.

Amidst the mixed discussions, no one noticed that the five lights above the fifth rank on the test stone, from the sixth to the tenth, were emitting faint, almost imperceptible glows. The light was so subtle that even if one stared closely, it was extremely hard to detect. At this moment, these five lights seemed to be struggling to light up, but were being suppressed by some force. They struggled desperately, but ultimately only emitted faint, invisible glows.

Jiang Wei, unable to hide his disappointment, pushed through the crowd and quietly left. Applause belonged to the victors; although Jiang Wei's performance was impressive, he was still a failure in the test.

"Ah Wei!" Li Hao, who couldn't enter the test hall, had seen the entire process from a distance. "Don't be discouraged, a five-rank talent is already very high; if we can gather a thousand hell coins, with your talent, you can definitely master a secret manual!" Li Hao consoled him.

Jiang Wei nodded indifferently. His expression was like that of a scholar who had failed the imperial exams, filled with a deep sorrow.

"Let's go!" Jiang Wei sighed deeply.

If he could join the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion, avenging his wrongs would be a simple matter; but now, Jiang Wei feared he might never have the chance to avenge himself in his lifetime!

Jiang Wei had also fantasized that the test stone had malfunctioned and that he actually had a sixth-rank talent. But he also understood that even if the test stone had malfunctioned, no one would replace it for an unknown ghost like him. After all, the test stone was extremely valuable, and there was probably only one in the entire Original Sin City.

Just as Jiang Wei was about to leave, a commotion erupted from the test hall behind him.

"Ten ranks!"

"What, actually ten ranks, how is that possible!?"

"Is there a ghost in the entire ghost realm with a ten-rank talent!?"

...

Jiang Wei and Li Hao turned to look, and saw that the test hall was in chaos.

Inside the test hall, the test stone had all ten segments lit, glowing brightly. The ghost being tested looked at his result in disbelief, while the tester and the surrounding ghosts, both big and small, wore expressions of shock.

Ten-rank talent!?

Is there a ghost in the entire ghost realm with a ten-rank talent?

A ghost with a ten-rank talent could probably achieve ghost immortality with just a casual effort, reading any secret manual!

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" The ghost with the ten-rank talent, after a moment of shock, suddenly burst into laughter, exuding boundless confidence.

"This... genius! Our Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion sincerely invites you to join us!" Faced with such a world-class genius, even the disciples of the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion involuntarily bowed their noble heads.

"Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion?" The "ten-rank ghost" sneered. "Your Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion is a bit too small, isn't it?"

Anger flashed across the faces of the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion members, but they had no words to refute him.

Indeed, a mere Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion was too small to accommodate a ghost with a ten-rank talent. Only the most prestigious major sects would have the qualifications to compete for such a rare genius!

Faced with such a genius, the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion felt ashamed and dared not forcibly detain or kill him, fearing the wrath of the top major sects.

The sudden appearance of a ten-rank talent instantly caused a commotion at the test site; the testing process naturally could not continue.

However, some nearby ghosts cautiously approached and touched the test stone. After all, this was a test stone touched by a ten-rank talent, and being able to touch it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

But this touch immediately terrified these ghosts.

"This, this, this, this!"

The first ghost to touch the test stone saw in horror that the test stone lit up all ten segments again!

Rustle!

The already noisy crowd of ghosts exploded like a bomb.

"Another ten ranks!"

"Another ten ranks!"

Two ten-rank talents in a row?—How could this be possible!

The surrounding ghosts were not fools; seeing this, they immediately understood what was happening—the test stone was broken!

To confirm this suspicion, another ghost placed his hand on the test stone. Indeed, no matter which ghost touched the test stone, it immediately lit up all ten segments; even those who had previously tested at two or three ranks now tested at ten ranks.

"Damn, I knew it, how could a ten-rank talent appear!"

"Scared the hell out of me, really scared the hell out of me!"

...

The first ghost to test at ten ranks, who had not yet fully basked in his newfound glory, was stunned: "What? The test stone is broken!" Immediately, this "ten-rank ghost," who had just been acting arrogantly, collapsed to the ground.

"Brother, brother... spare my life!" The "ten-rank ghost" begged on the ground.

An ordinary ghost daring to act arrogantly in front of the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion was simply asking for death. If he truly had a ten-rank talent, the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion would have been cautious and hesitant to act; but the fact proved that the test stone was broken, and any ghost who tested would show a ten-rank talent. In such a situation, the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion would not spare him.

"Too late!"

A Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion disciple shouted, and with a light flick of his hand, the small ghost was blown into nothingness. Although killing a fellow ghost incurred sin, the disciple of the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion could bear the sin of killing one or two ghosts.

"The ghost who acted was definitely a Soul Condensation-stage big ghost!" Li Hao whispered.

Jiang Wei nodded.

Ghosts like Jiang Wei and Li Hao, whose forms were not yet fully condensed, appeared somewhat ethereal. As their strength increased and their forms became more solid, this ethereal feeling would gradually fade. If their forms could be fully condensed, they would be at the Soul Condensation stage.

Reaching the Soul Condensation stage made one a notable figure in Original Sin City.

The chaotic scene was quickly stabilized by the Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion, but they faced a new problem—the test stone was broken, how could the testing continue?

The Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion disciples in charge of the testing looked at each other for a long time, and finally seemed to receive instructions—change the testing method!

"Everyone, quiet down, listen up!" The voice of the Soul Condensation-stage big ghost was loud, and his shout silenced the noisy crowd. "Due to the damage to the test stone, this year's test content is changed to: any ghost who hunts a pair of tiger horns can join our Heavenly Wasteland Pavilion!"

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