Translator: CinderTL
"It seems this Martial Will Assessment is just like the first level of the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder."
"They're testing us with illusions?"
Jiang Ye gazed at the exquisitely beautiful girl with snow-white feet, his expression peculiar.
Is this all they're using to test me?
What high school student could possibly fail this?
"We'll have to try it to know if it's really an illusion."
Jiang Ye immediately stepped forward.
Meanwhile, other participants were also entering the illusionary realm.
Li Zhichao found himself sitting in a classroom.
On the blackboard at the front, the results of the recent monthly exam were displayed:
1st Place: Jiang Ye
2nd Place: Xu Sisi
3rd Place: Li Zhichao
"I actually dropped to third place this time!" Li Zhichao trembled, staring at the blackboard in disbelief.
"Not only did Jiang Ye surpass me, but even Xu Sisi beat me," he muttered, gritting his teeth.
On the podium, Chen Zilu said coldly, "Li Zhichao's decline is obvious. He has no chance of entering the Elite Class now. I'll inform your parents of this situation. Consider yourself warned."
Li Zhichao's entire body shuddered violently at the words.
He had fallen to third place.
His chance to enter the Elite Class was gone!
Visions of his future flashed before his eyes: the disappointment in his parents' eyes, Lin Xuan's merciless mockery, and being branded the shame of Tianlong Community by his peers.
"No, no!" Li Zhichao shook his head frantically, his eyes wide with terror.
Meanwhile, in a classroom at Ancheng No. 1 High School, Lin Xuan stared in disbelief at the grade rankings.
"My score dropped out of the top hundred in the grade?"
"If my grades keep falling, I might even be kicked out of the Elite Class and thrown into the regular class with all the rejects?"
Lin Xuan glared at the report card, future scenarios playing out in his mind: Li Zhichao's relentless taunts, his parents' crushing disappointment, and being nailed to the pillar of shame in Tianlong Community.
"So what if you're a nascent talent? In the end, you're no better than someone with a low-grade aptitude like me," Li Zhichao had sneered mercilessly.
"No! I refuse to be stuck with those trash in the regular class!" Lin Xuan clutched his head, howling in anguish.
At the same time, in the main hall outside...
All the students had entered the Martial Dao Will Trial.
The vast majority of them wore expressions of agony, as if enduring immense torment.
In the stands, Zhang Jianwu chuckled. "It seems the students have fully immersed themselves in the trial."
"This Martial Dao Will Trial is designed to evoke the deepest emotions within one's heart and manifest them as an illusionary realm."
As he spoke, he glanced in Lin Xuan's direction.
"Who would have thought that even this top ten student from Ancheng No. 1 High School would have something he fears so deeply?"
"Truly intriguing."
The other teachers followed his gaze, turning to look at Lin Xuan.
Lin Xuan was drenched in sweat, his face contorted with terror, as if experiencing something utterly horrifying.
Chen Zilu wasn't surprised. "Humans all possess the seven emotions and six desires. Fear is the emotion most likely to drive one to lose their reason."
"Therefore, in the Martial Dao Will Trial, everyone must confront their innermost fears."
Hearing this, Zhang Jianwu shook his head with a smile. "Not necessarily. Look over there."
He pointed toward Jiang Ye.
Chen Zilu followed his gaze and turned to look at Jiang Ye.
The next moment, she paused, slightly startled.
Jiang Ye sat in his virtual seat, a faint, contented smile on his face, standing out sharply amidst the grimacing students around him.
"That guy's having a sweet dream," Chen Zilu murmured, covering her mouth with a soft laugh.
A teacher exclaimed in surprise, "In the Martial Dao Will Trial, most people see their greatest fears. How is he having a sweet dream? That's extremely rare!"
Zhang Jianwu nodded. "This suggests he has nothing in his heart that truly terrifies him. That's indeed highly unusual."
"Either he's never experienced fear in his life..."
"Or his personality is exceptionally resilient, making it nearly impossible for even the greatest storms to instill fear in him."
The crowd's expressions grew solemn.
The former seemed almost impossible.
But the latter... often indicated extraordinary strength of martial dao will.
Zhang Jianwu shook his head. "Pleasant illusions are often more seductive than terrifying ones. Breaking free from them is far more challenging than escaping fear."
Chen Zilu nodded slightly, her beautiful eyes fixed on Jiang Ye.
She understood his martial dao will better than anyone.
After so many days, Chen Zilu had long recognized Jiang Ye's unwavering dedication to martial arts and his relentless determination to advance along the martial dao.
Such individuals often possess an exceptionally strong Martial Dao Will.
"Still dreaming? Will he ever wake up?" Chen Zilu's clear, autumn-like eyes fixed on Jiang Ye.
Just as she was thinking this, a notification chimed through the hall.
"Someone has completed the first trial!"
"What? How is that possible? It's been less than a minute!"
"Who is it?"
The teachers present turned to the large silver screen at the front of the hall.
The screen displayed the scores of the hundred participants.
The first trial was worth 300 points, the second 200 points, and the third 500 points, for a total of 1000 points.
Since the trials had just begun, nearly everyone's score remained at zero.
Chen Zilu quickly scanned the list, her bright eyes suddenly lighting up.
"It's Jiang Ye," she announced in her sweet voice.
Zhang Jianwu focused his gaze on the screen as well.
Jiang Ye: 300 points
Jiang Ye had achieved a perfect score on the first trial!
He was also the first to break free from the illusionary realm and pass the Martial Dao Will Trial!
"This kid completed the first trial in less than a minute?"
Zhang Jianwu glanced at the timer, his face betraying his astonishment.
In truth, passing the trial within three minutes would have earned a perfect score.
Completing it in just one minute?
This meant Jiang Ye's Martial Dao Will had already surpassed the standards of this trial!
"This student has an incredibly strong Martial Dao Will."
"He even woke up from the dream so quickly?"
"With such unwavering Martial Dao Will, if he didn't have low-grade aptitude, he'd undoubtedly be a prodigy."
Many teachers murmured in admiration.
On the distant platform, Wang Zi'ang's eyes flashed with a glint of interest.
"So Class Nine actually produced someone remarkable?" Wang Zi'ang nodded slightly, his hands clasped behind his back. "He reminds me a bit of my younger self."
In the stands, Chen Zilu smiled brightly at Zhang Jianwu. "Director, what do you think Jiang Ye's chances are of securing a top-three spot now?"
Zhang Jianwu shot her a helpless look.
This girl is just waiting for me to eat my words.
But as the grade director, he maintained his composure and remained confident in his judgment.
Zhang Jianwu shook his head. "The trials have only just begun. It's too early to draw any conclusions."
"Starting with the second trial, they'll be testing real martial skill."
Chen Zilu nodded, falling silent as she turned her gaze toward the main hall.
Zhang Jianwu was right.
From the second trial onward, the focus would shift to martial prowess. In this aspect, Jiang Ye was clearly weaker than Zeng Xueqing, Xu Lei, and others.
What would the outcome be? Even Chen Zilu couldn't predict.
Within the virtual space, Jiang Ye watched as the surrounding environment slowly faded, signaling his completion of the first trial.
"Is that all?"
Jiang Ye recalled the girl with the snow-white feet and shook his head. "The illusionary realms in the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder were far more realistic."
(End of the Chapter)
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