The final stage of the Righteous Annihilation Sect's outer sect examination was the Test of Spirit, held on the radiant summit of Righteous Peak, where a massive qi pressure array tested the candidates' resolve and hearts. Alex and Jin Hao, now inseparable after their labyrinth antics, stood among the twenty remaining hopefuls, their "Chaos Duo" nickname echoing in whispers. The other test-takers, from haughty Wei to scarred Mei, eyed them with a mix of envy and disbelief, still reeling from their ability to turn tests into disasters yet come out ahead.
Senior Sister Shui Bing, the terrifying yet warm-hearted Valley Master of Flood Redemption Valley, oversaw the test with her icy glare, her Nascent Soul aura making the air heavy. Even Sect Leader Duan Renyi, a youthful Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator with a manic yet righteous grin, seemed wary of her. Her Shui Clan background, rumored to wield influence in the Immortal Realms, made her strictness legendary. Yet, Alex couldn't forget her small kindnesses—like the protective talisman she'd slipped him after the labyrinth, muttering, "Don't die, fool," her cold face betraying a flicker of care.
Duan Renyi stood on a floating platform, his white robes billowing. "Welcome, future heroes!" he boomed. "The Test of Spirit will reveal your righteous hearts! Withstand the qi pressure array, and join our mission to purify the heavens!" He glanced at Shui Bing, who stood like a frozen statue, and his voice wavered. "Uh, Senior Sister's in charge, so… behave!"
Shui Bing's eyes narrowed. "Begin, Sect Leader, or I'll flood the summit." Duan Renyi gulped, activating the array with a nervous wave. The examiners—Elder Lin, the frowning scribe, and Elder Zhao, a stout woman with a perpetual scowl—braced themselves, clearly dreading another Chaos Duo disaster.
The array hummed, a dome of qi pressure descending like a mountain. Alex's dantian, still sluggish from his curse, trembled under the weight, while Jin Hao hummed a merchant tune, unfazed. "This is nothing," he whispered. "My dad's accountants exert more pressure."
Then, as expected, Alex's bad luck struck. The array sparked, a rune misfiring with a crackle that sent a qi bolt straight at him. He dove, crashing into Jin Hao, who stumbled into Wei, who knocked over a rune pillar. The array went berserk, blasting erratic pressure waves across the summit. Candidates screamed, some collapsing, others flailing like drunken dancers. Mei ducked behind a rock, muttering, "Those idiots again!"
"Control it!" Shui Bing shouted, her water qi surging in a tidal wave that stabilized the array but turned the summit into a muddy swamp. The candidates, now soaked for the third time, glared at Alex and Jin Hao. Wei sputtered, "They're cursed!" Mei, wiping mud from her face, snorted, "Cursed or blessed, they're stealing the show."
Elder Zhao's scowl deepened. "This is a disgrace!" she snapped, but Elder Lin, scribbling notes, muttered, "Their chaos exposes flaws in the array. Fascinating."
Alex, knee-deep in mud, groaned. "Why is it always me?" But the array's misfire had loosened a glowing orb from its core—a Spirit Heart Crystal, pulsing with qi that could strengthen spiritual resolve. The candidates gasped, and Wei lunged for it, only for Shui Bing's water whip to snatch it away. "Earn it," she said coldly, tossing it to Alex. "Your chaos reveals truth."
Alex caught it, his dantian surging to Middle Qi Condensation. The crowd's jaws dropped. "He gets treasures for screwing up?" a villager candidate whined. Jin Hao grinned, slapping Alex's back. "Cheat code, brother!"
The array stabilized, but the test wasn't over. The pressure intensified, testing the candidates' spirits. Alex and Jin Hao stood side by side, bantering to keep their morale high. "Bet I can last longer," Jin Hao teased, fanning himself. "My spirit's gold-plated."
"Bet I trip and break the array first," Alex shot back, half-serious. Their laughter drew glares from Wei, who was sweating under the pressure, and a nod from Mei, who seemed amused despite herself.
A new challenge emerged: the array projected illusions of each candidate's fears. For Alex, it was a storm of lightning bolts, mocking his curse. He froze, heart pounding, but Jin Hao grabbed his arm. "Fake, brother! Laugh at it!" Jin Hao's illusion was a pile of debt ledgers, which he dismissed with a dramatic, "I'd buy those debts and burn them!" Their defiance weakened the illusions, inspiring other candidates to fight back.
Wei, however, succumbed to his illusion—a mocking crowd calling him a failure—and collapsed, weeping. Mei faced a vision of her scarred past but gritted her teeth, enduring. "Not bad, Chaos Duo," she muttered, earning a wink from Jin Hao.
Then, a candidate named Chen, a sneaky clan heir, tossed a qi-disrupting talisman at Alex, hoping to sabotage him. Alex's bad luck made it backfire, exploding in Chen's face and knocking him out. The crowd gasped, and Elder Zhao roared, "Disqualified for cheating!" Elder Lin, however, scribbled, "The orphan's curse is a natural defense. Noted."
Shui Bing's water orb hovered closer, her face cold but her eyes warm. "You two inspire others, even through chaos," she said softly, tossing Jin Hao a qi pill. "Don't waste my faith." Alex blinked, stunned by her kindness, while Jin Hao whispered, "She's scary, but she's got a soft spot for us."
As the test ended, only twelve candidates remained, including Alex, Jin Hao, and Mei. Duan Renyi clapped, his grin wide. "Your spirits shine with righteousness! Welcome to the Righteous Annihilation Sect!" He glanced at Shui Bing, adding, "Right, Senior Sister?"
She nodded, her face icy but her voice gentle. "Alex, Jin Hao, your chaos is righteous. Prove me right." She slipped them each a protective talisman, her warm heart clear despite her strict demeanor.
The summit buzzed with new disciples, and Alex felt a spark of hope. With Jin Hao's wit, Shui Bing's guidance, and a sect that embraced his chaos, maybe he could turn his curse into a weapon. Jin Hao elbowed him, grinning. "Ready to blow up some injustice, brother?"
Alex clutched the Spirit Heart Crystal, smiling despite himself.