Lin Xuan's words were truly arrogant. Only at the Seventh Layer of the Body Refining Stage and with a Fourth-class Talent, yet he wanted to challenge an Inner Hall Disciple—it was simply a fool's dream!
"This Lin Yunlong is a bit too arrogant. So what if he managed a two-thousand-jin strike? How can he be so cocky with just a mere Fourth-class Talent!"
"Exactly. Does he really think Inner Hall Disciples are a dime a dozen? The overall standard required is way too high. Three incense sticks? I bet he won't even last for two!"
...
Great strength didn't mean his Willpower was strong enough. Especially after making such a bold claim, it really rubbed them the wrong way. He was simply too arrogant.
"Challenging the record for Inner Hall Disciples? What an arrogant boast!" Huang Ming had just regained consciousness. He had only been out for a short while, which proved his Recovery Power was astonishing. He scrambled up from the ground and said with contempt, "Becoming an Inner Hall Disciple isn't just about passing the physical requirements; your Willpower has to pass, too. It's about your overall level! You think you can become an Inner Hall Disciple just by lasting for three incense sticks? Besides, do you really think you can last for three incense sticks?"
Lin Xuan's words had drawn no small amount of ridicule and sarcasm, all of it basically saying he was overestimating his own abilities. Although becoming an Inner Hall Disciple didn't necessarily require a Fifth-class Talent or higher, no one had ever seen it done by someone with less!
If Huang Ming had said it, it would have been one thing. But coming from Lin Xuan, it just earned him contempt.
"I think I can last," Lin Xuan said proudly.
"Is that so? Then I'm really looking forward to your performance!" Huang Ming sneered, clearly just waiting to watch Lin Xuan make a fool of himself.
"Ambitious. Go on up, let me see how you perform..." Elder Chen said, his eyes narrowed. "If you can really last for three incense sticks, I can report it to the Inner Hall and give you a benchmark. If you can meet that benchmark, you'll be able to join the Inner Hall!"
He was actually quite optimistic about Lin Xuan. Low talent didn't necessarily equate to weak Willpower, and the young man's previous performance had piqued his interest.
Needless to say, this benchmark would be terrifyingly high, but Lin Xuan didn't care. 'If it weren't difficult, how could the Inner Hall be so hard to enter?' Even Huang Ming hadn't been able to get in, which showed just how hard it was.
Lin Xuan followed the group into the Illusion Array, and they all sat down cross-legged. The people in the audience held no high hopes for Lin Xuan, guessing he would last two incense sticks at most.
"Illusion Array, activate!"
With a soft grunt, Elder Chen activated the Illusion Array. A halo of light instantly enveloped them, assailing their minds.
The moment it began, Lin Xuan could no longer see anyone around him. It was as if he was the only one left in the arena—this was the Illusion Array. With more people, there was a greater risk they might turn on one another, but since this wasn't a combat test, they were all simply instructed to sit and resist through meditation.
Soon, a terrifying Illusion assaulted him. One horrifying Demon Beast after another lunged forward, their massive bodies thundering toward him with heavy steps.
Everyone knew it was fake. But when the beasts pounced, one couldn't help but feel a flicker of fear from the sight. That single flicker was enough—enough to affect the soul within!
Lin Xuan, however, had already closed his eyes, entering a peculiar state where the outside world was completely blocked out. What one couldn't see wasn't nearly as frightening. When a Demon Beast crashed into him, it dissolved into countless motes of light, but this action only drew mockery from the crowd.
"Hmph. Does he think closing his eyes will actually work? The real test is yet to come!" Huang Ming said coldly.
Sure enough, after half an incense stick had burned, the Illusions began to emanate from within his own mind. Waves of fear surged up from the depths of his heart, but just as these feelings started to sprout, Lin Xuan snuffed them out.
'Demons born from the heart, are they? In all my years of blindness, how many Heart Demons have I faced? What is this little trick in comparison?' Lin Xuan's mind was a vast, clear emptiness, like a placid pool of water without the slightest ripple. Against this, the Illusion Array's effects collapsed on their own.
The time it took for one incense stick to burn passed in a flash. A large number of participants were eliminated, yet Lin Xuan's expression remained unchanged, as if nothing was wrong at all.
This wasn't particularly shocking; after all, this was merely the passing mark. Since Lin Xuan was challenging the Inner Hall standard of three incense sticks, he would be ridiculed even if his performance surpassed Huang Ming's.
Another incense stick burned away, and two had now passed in a flash. Eighty percent of the participants were eliminated, leaving only a dozen or so people in the arena. Among them, the one who looked the most at ease was Lin Xuan.
Finally, two and a half incense sticks had burned. Now, Lin Xuan was the only one left, the scene identical to when Huang Ming had been tested. Everyone watched to see if Lin Xuan could endure.
"Good lad. His expression still hasn't changed in the slightest. Lasting for two and a half incense sticks is no problem for him." Elder Chen stroked his beard in satisfaction, a smile on his face as he watched Lin Xuan.
Now it was Huang Ming's turn to look grim. 'Lin Xuan is completely fine? Is he really going to reach the three-incense-stick mark?'
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the burning incense. The real test was just beginning.
"The third... the third incense stick has burned out..."
"Heavens, he made it past three incense sticks!"
...
When the third incense stick finally burned out, the crowd looked up at Lin Xuan. They saw the same calm and composed figure, his demeanor completely unchanged.
Huang Ming's expression grew even uglier. This was undoubtedly a slap in the face. Lin Xuan had passed the three-incense-stick mark with ease, seemingly without any effort! 'That Willpower... just how was it forged?'
Lin Xuan's mind remained a tranquil, empty space, a state of clarity that made it difficult for any Illusion to invade. He had been blind for many years, living all alone. How much Willpower had it taken to endure that? On top of it all, he possessed a level of Cultivation far beyond his peers in the clan. None of it would have been possible without terrifying Willpower.
Therefore, to him, three incense sticks were nothing! How could mere Illusions compare to years of darkness and solitude?
Three and a half incense sticks! Lin Xuan was still fine.
Four incense sticks! A slight change finally appeared on Lin Xuan's face.
"Th-that's four incense sticks... Even if he fails now, he has more than enough to be proud of..."
"I can't believe we all misjudged him. Could he be the disciple of some powerful expert?"
...
The crowd's comments immediately changed. Their earlier mockery stemmed from the belief that Lin Xuan had no real ability, but now that he had surpassed the three-incense-stick mark, they were completely convinced. They all knew just how terrifying the Illusion Array was.
"Incredible. Four incense sticks. He's already stronger than some of the Inner Hall Disciples!" Elder Chen's eyes lit up, but he could tell that this still wasn't Lin Xuan's limit.
'Could he really reach the five-incense-stick mark, rivaling the absolute limit for the Inner Hall?'
Four and a half incense sticks!
The fourth stick was halfway gone. The crowd gasped in unison. 'Isn't this a little too monstrous?'
At that moment, Lin Xuan opened his eyes. A flash of Divine Light burst forth from them. The instant he did, he saw hellish Illusions swirling all around. The thick stench of blood washed over him; it all felt so real. Meanwhile, the inner illusions continued to assault his nerves and batter his will.
Even with his formidable Willpower, he was about to collapse. Terrifying roars and low sobs echoed in his ears, grating on his nerves and making him feel like he was on the verge of fainting.
The Illusion had changed drastically. The Demon Beasts' attacks now seemed tangible, causing him no small amount of pain when they struck! Everything was horrifyingly real.
'In truth, I have a feeling that if I use the Soul Pearl, these Illusions would be nothing but smoke, completely unable to affect me.' But he didn't use it. He refused to become overly reliant on the treasure and wanted to resist with his own power! He believed his years of training made him second to no one!
'Am I finally reaching my limit?' Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lin Xuan slowly rose to his feet.
Everyone was stunned. Lin Xuan still had the strength to stand up!
"Wh-what is he trying to do? Has his mind finally snapped?"
"It's almost been five incense sticks. If it were me, I would've passed out long ago. It'd be normal for him to be a little mentally unstable at this point."
...
Everyone suspected that Lin Xuan's mind had broken, but a person in that state shouldn't be able to walk. And yet, he was slowly walking toward them, each step a struggle, as if he were wading through a swamp.
When Lin Xuan lifted his eyes to look at them, the crowd clearly saw that they were as clear as a mirror, with no sign of confusion whatsoever!
At that very moment, the fifth incense stick finally burned out. Lin Xuan had just walked out of the Illusion Array. His body swayed slightly, but he didn't fall. He glanced to the side and said nonchalantly, "Five incense sticks... Elder Chen, I wonder how this result fares?"
His mind was clear, he could still speak, and he showed no signs of confusion!
This result left even Elder Chen stunned; for a moment, he couldn't answer Lin Xuan's question. Forget Elder Chen—everyone else was completely dumbfounded. Was he even human?
Everyone else had to be carried out unconscious, but Lin Xuan had walked out on his own two feet! He didn't have a trace of arrogance, but he possessed a backbone of unbreakable pride.