Seeing Liu Bai standing all alone, many of the small groups scattered around began whispering among themselves.
These people were all companions or friends from the same Spiritual Academy. For so many individuals to have obtained a quota from the Five Great Academies at once, it was clear they were not from a minor Spiritual Academy like Northern Spiritual Academy.
Yet even so, in terms of cultivation, they had been surpassed by Liu Bai. No wonder their gazes toward him carried all kinds of mixed emotions.
"Looks like there are no Heaven's Chosen who returned from the Spiritual Road here, otherwise there wouldn't be a lack of true elites," Liu Bai thought to himself.
After all, those who completed the Spiritual Road would receive an Spiritual Energy Empowerment at the end. So regardless of their original talent, just that opportunity alone would allow them to possess cultivation levels far beyond that of ordinary students.
Dong!
Just as everyone was silently sizing up their surroundings, a low humming suddenly rang out from the center of the platform.
All eyes turned to look, only to see a stone tablet in the center suddenly erupt with radiant light.
The light gathered atop the tablet before forming into an elderly figure made of light and shadow.
"You little ones, I am one of the monitors of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy's trial grounds," said the elderly shadow with a smiling expression as he looked over the many youths on the platform.
"I will now explain the rules to you."
The platform fell completely silent as everyone fixed their attention on the elderly projection.
Liu Bai was no exception, listening intently to the explanation.
"This space we are currently in is called the Northern heavens Realm. It is a domain specifically created by Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy for student trials. As for the platform beneath your feet, it is called the Guidance Platform…
There are over a hundred such Guidance Platforms scattered throughout the Northern Heavens Realm. You are currently only standing on one of them."
Hearing this, many people were secretly shocked.
Didn't that mean there were tens of thousands or perhaps even close to a hundred thousand participants in this trial within the Northern Heavens Realm?
That number was simply terrifying.
Perhaps sensing everyone's astonishment, the old figure dropped another bombshell: "Hehe, and because there are simply too many participants, there are actually a total of four such Northern Heavens Realms… Of course, the other three realms are currently conducting the same trial as yours, but that doesn't really concern us."
Liu Bai felt speechless. If it doesn't concern us, why did you bother mentioning it? You're just trying to make everyone nervous on purpose.
Still, just one Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy enrollment could involve tens of thousands of candidates. Back when he read the original work, Liu Bai had thought the academy wasn't that impressive but now it seemed he had seriously underestimated it.
"The Northern Heavens Realm is extremely vast, filled with danger zones and various powerful spiritual beasts. Your task is to pass through these threats and reach the Northern Heaven Hall at the center of the realm. Only there can you find the teleportation array leading to the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy. That is also where we will be waiting to receive you."
If that was all, then the trial wouldn't be too difficult. Although the realm was filled with powerful spiritual beasts and perilous areas, as long as the participants exercised caution avoiding what they could and retreating when necessary they could still reach the central region safely.
But the fear was that there might be additional requirements...
To that, Liu Bai merely chuckled inwardly. Of course there are. Even something like the Chunin Exams required snatching scrolls. So how could a force of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy's level not have more complex selection criteria?
"Of course, that's not all. First, each of you will step forward and touch this stone tablet. You will then be assigned a grade. There are nine grades in total. Generally, students who received standard quotas will be evaluated as Grade One. Those with seeded quotas will start at Grade Three. Core quotas will be Grade Five."
Upon hearing this, after a brief moment of hesitation, students began stepping forward one after another to touch the stone tablet.
As each student placed their hand on it, the stone tablet released a beam of light that shot directly toward the person's forehead.
Once the light dissipated, a glowing mark appeared on the person's forehead.
For now, all the marks were dark yellow in color, and within each of them was a visible number "1."
Clearly, these students had all been evaluated as Grade One.
As they looked at the dark yellow symbols on one another's foreheads, most of them felt disgruntled but powerless. After all, they had been top students at their original academies who would want to suddenly be branded as the lowest tier?
Buzz!
While everyone was still reacting, the stone tablet suddenly released a strong beam of light.
This light was deep crimson in color and ultimately landed on the forehead of one of the youths in front of the tablet.
A crimson mark appeared, faintly displaying the number "3."
"Grade Three? He's one of the seeded quota students!"
That deep crimson glow stood out far too much, drawing countless surprised gazes. Many looked at him with envy.
The youth in white gave the crowd a quick glance, slightly raised his chin, and revealed a trace of arrogance on his face.
To receive a seeded quota was enough to allow him to look down on all those who had only received standard quotas.
Of course, that kind of attitude instantly made others uncomfortable. After all, in their previous academies, it had been they who looked at others like that. Now that the tables had turned, it was hard to accept.
Still, no one did anything drastic.
After all, those who had made it here weren't fools. Even ignoring whether causing trouble might affect their trial, the simple fact that the other party was stronger than them was enough to keep them in check.
Although they were young, they already understood the law of the jungle.
Liu Bai took a glance and saw that the boy who had been evaluated as a seeded quota student was in the late phase of the Spiritual Wheel Realm—one of the few late-phase Spiritual Wheel cultivators on this platform.
"Could it be that the stone tablet uses spiritual cultivation level as its grading standard? If so, then I should also be evaluated as Grade Three, right?"
As for Grade Five core quotas, if the original novel was accurate, then it probably required a title like Spirit Road King to qualify…
Soon enough, Liu Bai stepped forward and, unsurprisingly, also received a Grade Three evaluation. As one of the "genius youths" with a seeded quota, he too received a round of admiring gazes from the crowd.
On this particular Guidance Platform alone, there were six students who received seeded quotas...
Hmm, six out of a thousand not bad at all. This platform's batch seemed to be quite strong.
At that moment, the corner of the old figure's mouth lifted into what looked like a sly grin.
"Now that all of you have been graded, I'll continue. According to the rules, any student who is below Grade Four will ultimately be eliminated. In other words, they will lose their eligibility to enter Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy."
Boom!
The entire platform erupted in shock. Every student was left speechless didn't that mean nearly all of them had no chance?
"However, you little ones don't need to panic just yet. Your current grades aren't fixed and can still be raised. The method is simple by killing spiritual beasts or collecting spiritual treasures infused with spiritual energy, the mark on your forehead will automatically absorb some of the energy. In doing so, it will gradually level up."
Only then did the crowd breathe a sigh of relief. So grades could be increased through slaying spiritual beasts and collecting spiritual treasures—then there was nothing to worry about.
"Of course, this isn't the fastest way to improve. The fastest method is to seize the spiritual energy within other people's seals. This allows you to increase your grade rapidly."
"Especially if you seize high-level seals. For instance, if you are currently Grade One, but you defeat a student with a seeded quota and take the spiritual energy within their seal, then you will immediately be promoted from Grade One to Grade Three."
That elderly figure smiled like an old fox luring others into crime.
Upon hearing this, the crowd's expressions all shifted slightly. This kind of rule was clearly encouraging students to fight and plunder one another...
As expected, the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy's trial was no simple matter.
"A ranking-based elimination system. Quite suitable for a selection trial," Liu Bai chuckled inwardly.
Unfortunately, this was a formal assessment and wouldn't encourage overly brutal behavior, like outright killing. But that didn't mean there wouldn't be casualties. After all, in a wilderness like this, there were plenty of ways for someone to die without needing direct action.
Just like how Mu Chen once stirred up a bloodbath on the Spiritual Road. That proved how rules could be used as weapons. But in the end, the results still depended on those who made the rules just like how Mu Chen was eventually expelled from the Spiritual Road…
At this moment, Liu Bai could already feel several malicious gazes directed his way. His crimson seal stood out too much amidst the sea of yellow seals. Who knew how many greedy eyes would be watching him?
The other five students with Grade Three seals would surely feel the same. But they were all surrounded by companions, which served as a form of deterrent. Some of them were even likely eyeing other people's seals—perhaps even the solitary Liu Bai…
"Alright, finally, one last reminder. If anyone wishes to forfeit, simply shatter the seal on your forehead. A monitor will immediately appear and escort you away. However, forfeiting the seal means you are eliminated."
"With that said, I now solemnly declare the trial grounds of the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy officially open!"
As the voice faded, the elderly light projection quickly dimmed and vanished.
At that moment, everyone immediately became alert. Quite a few people even leapt off the Guidance Platform without hesitation.
Liu Bai exchanged glances with the other five students who had received seeded quotas. Within each of their eyes, a hint of wariness could be seen.
Suddenly, a youth dressed in embroidered robes smiled and said to the others who were also preparing to leave, "My five friends, I have a proposal. Would you be willing to hear me out?"
The others paused in curiosity, even Liu Bai couldn't help glancing over.
At the embroidered youth's gesture, Liu Bai and the others hesitated slightly but still stepped forward, willing to hear what this person had to say.
Many people around them were also watching curiously. Some couldn't resist trying to eavesdrop, while others seemed to have thought of something and quickened their departure instead.
Just like that, the six seeded students on this platform all gathered together. They stood in a loose circle about ten meters apart, silently waiting for the embroidered youth to speak.
The youth's mouth curled up slightly in a nearly imperceptible smirk. Though others didn't notice, Liu Bai caught it clearly. With a smirk like that harder to suppress than recoil on a heavy rifle he was clearly up to no good.
"What do you want to say?" asked the first white-robed youth who had been graded as a seeded student, arms crossed, chin raised arrogantly.
"Heh, nothing much," the embroidered youth finally let go of the "trigger" and said with a cold smile, "I just want to ask all of you to hand over your seals to me…"
Whoosh!
The platform exploded in a wave of shock. Several youths' eyes lit up with fury. They had never expected someone to say something so outrageous.
Even Liu Bai was stunned. Just what did this guy rely on to make such a bold claim? Do you think you're Luo Li or something?
"What did you say?"
"You're looking for death!"
"I think you're the one who should be handing over your seal!"
The group of youths erupted in anger. One after another, powerful spirit energy surged from their bodies as they advanced toward the embroidered youth.
Liu Bai, however, remained calm. In fact, he suddenly found this youth's proposal rather clever… There were five other Grade Three seals here besides his own. If he could obtain them all, wouldn't he instantly reach Grade Four?
Why didn't I think of this sooner?
The embroidered youth remained unfazed. With a wave of his hand, a green longsword appeared in his grasp.
A wisp of verdant spiritual wind twined around the blade. Even without being infused with spiritual energy, the sword itself exuded a sharp aura that made the others feel a sense of danger.
"A Spirit Artifact?!" the white-robed youth exclaimed in surprise.
Others from prestigious backgrounds recognized it as well. The sword in the youth's hand was a Spiritual Artifact…
"No, that's not an ordinary Spiritual Artifact. It's a mid-grade wind-element Spiritual Sword," another black-robed youth said solemnly.
No wonder this embroidered youth dared to make such a bold statement. Clearly, his confidence had long been prepared.
"A Spiritual Sword… this is the first time I've ever seen one," Liu Bai thought to himself silently.
The reason he had always practiced fist and palm techniques for offense was mainly because he lacked a suitable weapon. He had originally planned to wait until he arrived at Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy before acquiring a proper Spiritual Artifact and then choosing a matching battle art. But someone had already casually brought out a mid-grade Spiritual Sword…
As expected, being rich really is impressive!
...
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