Chapter 6: The Outer Sect Assessment
Yunhua Peak, one of the three hundred great peaks of the Ancient Spirit Mountain Range, towered into the heavens, piercing the clouds. Halfway up the mountain lay the martial arts training grounds for the Outer Sect Disciples.
The Outer Sect assessment was held at these training grounds.
Early in the morning, a sea of people had already gathered here, numbering over a thousand.
Among them were powerful Disciples at the Body Tempering Eighth Layer, though the majority had a Cultivation at the Body Tempering Fifth and Sixth Layers. For them, this assessment was actually stress-free.
The assessment was divided into two stages: the Outer Sect evaluation and the Inner Sect entrance examination.
The Outer Sect evaluation was meant to assess the Cultivation progress of the Outer Disciples.
The Inner Sect entrance examination, however, was for selecting elite Outer Disciples to enter the Inner Sect for Cultivation. Furthermore, those who passed could receive rewards like Elixirs or Combat Skills.
A Combat Skill was a type of offensive technique for Cultivators that could drastically increase their attack power. Generally, only Inner Sect Disciples could possess them. Outer Disciples couldn't even dream of it.
The prospect of a Combat Skill as a reward was a huge temptation for the Outer Disciples.
Those Disciples at the Body Tempering Fifth and Sixth Layers also wanted to try their luck. Even if they couldn't enter the Inner Sect, they might just snag a Combat Skill reward.
Of course, this had never happened before; most who tried ended in failure.
The Outer Sect evaluation was simple. Disciples just had to go to the Testing Stone on the east side of the training grounds and strike it with all their might. This would reveal the strength of their power.
BOOM!
Suddenly, as the crowd watched, a youthful-looking boy struck the Testing Stone with his fist. The stone buzzed and trembled, flashing eight times in succession.
"Heavens! Body Tempering Eighth Layer! Duan Yu is only fourteen, yet he's already reached the Body Tempering Eighth Layer! He truly is the genius of the Outer Sect. That's terrifying! His chances of taking first place in the Inner Sect exam this time are very high."
Gazing at the dazzling youth, the surrounding Disciples murmured amongst themselves in utter shock.
"It's not certain who'll take first. The Ancient Spirit Sect is full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Take him, for example. He's also at the Body Tempering Eighth Layer, and he reached it a long time ago."
A youth in the crowd retorted, pointing toward a cold, arrogant boy in the distance.
This boy was Yangg Hao, another of the Outer Sect's geniuses. He had once slain a Fierce Beast, making him a well-known figure in the Outer Sect.
When he saw all eyes turn to him, Yangg Hao turned his head away disdainfully, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"Hey, look! That waste actually came to the assessment!" Just then, a mocking voice rang out from the crowd, quickly spreading.
"Waste!"
Hearing that word, the crowd's gaze focused, and they immediately turned to look toward the edge of the gathering.
Even Duan Yu turned his head, his expression suddenly sour, as if Ye Wushuang had stolen the spotlight that rightfully belonged to him.
Nearby, Yangg Hao also looked over.
On the outskirts of the crowd, Ye Wushuang, dressed in clean clothes, walked forward under everyone's contemptuous stares. His expression was calm, unmoved by the commotion.
"Damn it, look at him. The guy's still so calm. Doesn't he know he'll be kicked out of the Ancient Spirit Sect if he fails the assessment today?"
"Yeah, what a shame. Half a month ago, the guy miraculously broke through to the Body Tempering Second Layer, but he probably knows there's no hope now, so he's just accepted his fate."
"What's there to be ashamed of? He's just a waste. There's nothing to pity."
"Hehe, you just don't get it. If Ye Waste is gone, we won't have a chance to bully him anymore."
"Holy shit, so that's what you were thinking!"
...
The crowd's chatter grew louder, and some couldn't resist bursting into laughter.
One of the youths looked Ye Wushuang up and down, then suddenly sneered, "Maybe this waste will actually pass the assessment today, huh?"
"Hahaha! If this waste passes the assessment today, I'll eat shit in front of everyone!"
A Disciple at the Body Tempering Sixth Layer immediately stepped forward and added his own taunt.
Going from the Body Tempering Second Layer to the Body Tempering Fourth Layer in just half a month was something even a genius couldn't do, let alone a waste.
"Eating shit in front of everyone? Now that's something I'd like to see!"
The corner of Ye Wushuang's mouth twitched into a smirk. He walked up to the boy and reminded him with a grin, "You said it. I hope you remember your own words!"
"If you pass the assessment, forget eating shit! I'll even lick your damn shoes for you!"
The boy was stunned for a moment, then burst into wild laughter, his expression clearly betting on Ye Wushuang's failure.
"Excellent. You all heard him. I hope you don't try to back out later," Ye Wushuang said with a smile, his eyes narrowing.
"We can all bear witness!"
Those who wanted to see Ye Wushuang make a fool of himself immediately chimed in.
However, upon seeing Ye Wushuang's meaningful smile, the boy's own grin faltered. A trace of unease crept into his heart.
'Damn it, why am I feeling this way? Could that waste really break through to the Body Tempering Sixth Layer in half a month?'
'To hell with that!'
The boy shook his head, casting aside the unrealistic thought, and looked back at Ye Wushuang.
On a high platform overlooking the grand square, Ye Wei watched Ye Wushuang being surrounded by the crowd. The corner of his mouth curled into a cold sneer as he, too, waited for the joke to unfold.
Ye Wushuang followed a path that had opened in the crowd and walked up to the Testing Stone.
Behind him, the crowd of Disciples pressed in, their faces plastered with mocking smiles.
"Hurry up! We're all waiting!"
The crowd jeered and roared with laughter.
Even Duan Yu and Yangg Hao found their curiosity piqued. They stood at the edge of the crowd, quietly watching this "famous" individual.
HUUH!
Ye Wushuang let out a light breath, secretly adjusted his stance, and rolled his fist. Then, his gaze hardened. His fist, like a lump of Refined Iron, slammed viciously into the Testing Stone.
BOOM!
The Testing Stone shuddered violently, drawing everyone's eyes to it.
Once!
Twice!
After the second flash, the light stopped. It didn't continue. The mockery on the faces of the crowd began to bloom.
The curtain fell on a farce whose ending was known from the start.
"Well? What do you say?"
The boy sneered, seizing the chance to mock him. "Did you really think you were some peerless genius? That you could really def—"
But before the boy could finish his sentence, the smile suddenly froze on his face.
The Testing Stone, as if stunned stupid by the blow, paused for a beat before it unexpectedly began to flash again.
A third time!
A fourth time!
As the Testing Stone flashed for a fourth time, the entire audience fell silent.
A... fifth time!
A six—!
At the sixth flash, everyone, including Duan Yu and Yangg Hao, stared blankly. They turned mechanically toward Ye Wushuang, their eyes flashing with disbelief.
"Body Tempering Sixth Layer. Ye Wushuang's assessment: Pass!"
A mechanical voice echoed from within the Testing Stone, pulling the crowd sharply back to reality.
Everyone rubbed their eyes furiously and looked again, but there was no mistake. The result was real.
"Really... Body Tempering Sixth Layer?"
A heavy sense of disbelief compelled the crowd to stare at Ye Wushuang with a strange new light, all of their previous contempt gone.
Impossible! How could anyone break through from the Body Tempering Second Layer to the Body Tempering Sixth Layer in just half a month? Absolutely impossible!
It's fake! It must be fake!
In the distance, Ye Wei also stared intently at Ye Wushuang, his eyes filled with thick shock, disbelief, and fear...
'No, no, no,' he denied it furiously in his heart, but the reality was right in front of him. No matter how many times he rubbed his eyes, the outcome remained the same.
Ye Wushuang had reached the Body Tempering Sixth Layer, the Blood Refining Realm.
Ye Wushuang dusted off his hands and walked away from the Testing Stone. As if sensing something, he turned his head and looked toward Ye Wei in the distance, his eyes meeting Ye Wei's gaze.
Ye Wei's face flushed red with anger. He had lost the bet. Under the watchful eyes of the entire crowd, he knew it was a foregone conclusion. He turned and left in a hurry.
"Ye Wei! You saw that, didn't you? Get my Cultivation Resources ready!"
Ye Wushuang sneered.
Then, he turned with a grinning smile and walked back to the boy he'd made the bet with. "Remember what you said? Eat shit in front of everyone, or lick my shoes."
"Impossible! Not even a genius could advance four layers in half a month! You... you must have hidden your Cultivation before!"
"That's right, that has to be it! You must have hidden your Cultivation to deliberately screw me over!" The boy's body trembled as he pointed at Ye Wushuang, roaring in a crazed, furious state, as if he'd been deceived.
'Eat shit? Lick his shoes? How could I possibly do that!'