Test

Early the next morning, Shangguan Xue, along with the other disciples, made their way to the testing grounds: the Pavilion Bridge spanning the Spirit River.

The Spirit River was merely an ordinary stream within the Grand Spirit Academy, yet its peculiarity lay in the ‘fish’ inhabiting it, which were all manifestations of spiritual energy.

‘There are good things buried beneath this river…’

‘Should I dig them up and take them?’

‘No, forget it. If Qingmei found out, she’d probably kill me.’

Shangguan Xue grumbled inwardly.

“One by one,” the Instructor announced. “Stand on the water’s surface. I will support you.”

Shangguan Xue surveyed the gathered disciples, and seeing no one step forward, she volunteered herself. She was the first to leap from the Pavilion Bridge, landing gracefully on the river’s surface.

She distinctly felt herself being supported by the Instructor’s spiritual sense.

‘How is she not falling…’ Luo Jin thought with a surge of malice, secretly hoping she would embarrass herself.

“Relax your mind and naturally release your spiritual energy,” the Instructor prompted her.

“Understood.”

Shangguan Xue nodded, complying with the instruction. Her spiritual energy subtly seeped out, dispersing along the river’s currents.

Ripples spread across the river’s surface, as small, glowing white fish swam in from the distance.

The Instructor clarified for the other disciples:

“These fish are drawn to your spiritual energy. The more that gather beneath you, the faster your cultivation progress.”

‘So that’s it. This test truly doesn’t require the disciples to do anything; simply standing is enough…’ Shangguan Xue realized with a flash of understanding.

“Then why aren’t there any fish beneath her?” Luo Jin sneered. “Could it be that she hasn’t cultivated at all, and that’s why they won’t approach?”

Before he could even finish speaking, a pale yellow fish swam over, following the ripples. This yellow fish was noticeably larger than the others, though it was unclear whether this was due to a good diet or a different species altogether.

“Oh?” The Instructor’s eyes lit up. “A yellow fish indicates reaching the Body Tempering Realm…”

‘What? Body Tempering Realm? Does she even qualify?’ Luo Jin’s expression froze, as if a fly had just flown into his mouth.

The plump, yellow-glowing fish swam directly beneath Shangguan Xue, where it wiggled its head and tail, displaying an endearing clumsiness.

“Excellent, excellent.” The Instructor nodded approvingly. “Since you have already advanced to the Body Tempering Realm, please return to the bridge and wait. Once the test concludes, I will take you to select your spiritual imprint.”

“Many thanks, Instructor.” Shangguan Xue performed her courtesies flawlessly.

“Come up now.”

Upon hearing this, the Martial Saint lightly tapped the river’s surface with her toes, and with a graceful leap, returned to the Pavilion Bridge.

“Next.”

The next person to descend was Qin Yueyan, a fellow member of the Martial Arts Society, just like Shangguan Xue.

‘Ah, this little girl…’ Shangguan Xue had exchanged a few words with her, learning that she came from an ordinary background. She had previously enrolled in another academy, but due to a lack of suitable spiritual techniques, she had been recommended to the Grand Spirit Academy.

Moreover, her joining the Martial Arts Society stemmed from genuine admiration for the Martial Saint.

Shangguan Xue felt a slight touch of awkwardness about this.

Qin Yueyan hovered above the water’s surface, causing ripples to spread across the river.

Just as before, a group of white fish remained unmoving, then suddenly darted away, flitting back and forth. In short, they simply refused to gather beneath her feet.

“Ha, could it be that her cultivation progress is too slow?” Luo Jin’s malicious voice rang out once more.

“Shut your mouth.”

Shangguan Xue let out a cold laugh. Had she not feared disrupting Qin Yueyan’s test, she would have long since kicked Luo Jin into the river.

Soon after, a yellow fish leaped out, swaying its head and tail beneath Qin Yueyan.

“Another Body Tempering Realm cultivator?” The Instructor revealed a satisfied smile.

‘No, this is impossible!’ ‘How can these two little girls advance to the Body Tempering Realm!’ ‘I refuse to accept this!’

Luo Jin screamed and cursed in his heart. Yet, objective reality remained unchanged, unmoved by his subjective desires.

Once Qin Yueyan returned to the bridge, the Instructor called out “Next” once more.

“You’re spouting so much nonsense; why don’t you go down yourself?” Shangguan Xue fixed her gaze on Luo Jin and spoke.

Someone else chimed in, echoing Shangguan Xue:

“Exactly! You were just talking this and that; why don’t you go down and show us your level?”

Qin Yueyan looked at him with an impassive expression:

“If your cultivation progress is too slow, and you’re afraid to go down, I can understand.”

These words immediately put Luo Jin on the spot. If he didn’t descend, he would implicitly admit that his progress was lagging.

“Fine, fine…” Luo Jin reluctantly jumped down.

His innate spiritual energy was already at the Body Tempering Realm level. After acquiring the Mahā Sutra, he had, due to sheer luck, skipped the ‘Tribulation Crossing’ step entirely and advanced directly to the Body Tempering Realm.

Thus, as Luo Jin activated his spiritual energy to spread, causing ripples across the water’s surface, a yellow fish swam closer.

“Body Tempering Realm, indeed…” The Instructor nodded almost imperceptibly. “Although Luo Jin was rather verbose, his cultivation hadn’t fallen behind.”

Shangguan Xue had long anticipated this outcome. She planned to contend with Luo Jin for items when they acquired their spiritual imprints later.

Next to descend was Sang Yuling, the girl who Shangguan Xue had slapped Luo Jin for, on the day of their enrollment, in an act of defending him.

The test revealed that she, too, had reached the Body Tempering Realm.

Afterward, none of the other disciples had advanced to the Body Tempering Realm.

Even those from families with inherited spiritual techniques, who had cultivated for some time before enrollment, had not made the breakthrough.

The Instructor and Shangguan Xue, of course, understood why:

Those from cultivator families, having personally witnessed the arduousness of tribulation crossing, were instead more fearful. Consequently, they deliberately slowed their cultivation.

‘Tribulations don’t weaken just because they arrive later…’ ‘Such hesitation is useless.’ Shangguan Xue sighed inwardly.

She suddenly thought of Ziyan.

Ziyan also came from a cultivator family, and had witnessed the agony of tribulation crossing.

Unlike Shangguan Xue, Shi Ledong, and Beigong Qingmei, Ziyan’s two mothers were still alive and loved her dearly. She bore no deep-seated grudges.

Even so, she still dared to face tribulation.

“Even if she were an ordinary person, it wouldn’t change anything,” Shangguan Xue murmured to herself.

Yet, she had chosen a perilous path fraught with mortal danger.

“Therefore, Yanzi is actually the craziest among us. We were compelled to walk this path, but she chose it purely of her own volition.”

Shangguan Xue mused silently.

“Alright,” the Instructor said, glancing at the disciples. “The four who have advanced to the Body Tempering Realm are to remain; the rest are dismissed.”

She then addressed Shangguan Xue, Qin Yueyan, Luo Jin, and Sang Yuling:

“Your cultivation progress is identical, but there are only two spots for assistant students.”

“After you obtain your spiritual imprints, I will conduct further tests. The winners will become assistant students.”

“Now, follow me.”