Chapter 169: Passing the Examination
Meanwhile, Yu Xinghan on the other side merely glanced at Zhang Yu’s departing back before paying it no more mind.
This was because he had more important matters to attend to at that moment.
After a great god from the Ministry of Health descended with their divine power to reverse his sterilization surgery, Yu Xinghan had not felt any different at first.
He returned to the examination hall and began to cultivate the Astral Qi Art.
But as he began this cultivation, with the circulation of his magic power and the condensation of strands of pure yang astral qi, Yu Xinghan gradually started to feel hot all over, his mind growing restless.
And what bewildered Yu Xinghan even more was that beautiful figures began to uncontrollably appear in his mind.
There was Bai Zhenzhen, Le Mulan, Zhang Pianpian, and various female classmates he had seen at White Dragon High School, and even the girls from the Immortal Capital present today.
These graceful figures appeared one after another like endless distracting thoughts, gradually causing Yu Xinghan’s mind to wander and his control over his astral qi to weaken slightly.
Until finally, all the beautiful figures vanished, leaving only one person.
It was none other than True Person Starfire’s daughter, Yu Xinghan’s senior sister, Li Xuelian.
As Li Xuelian’s figure appeared, Yu Xinghan suddenly realized that this senior sister of his was actually very beautiful, and her body exuded a mature attraction that made his breathing a bit heavier.
The century-long age gap, as well as her identity as True Person Starfire’s daughter… the mere thought of it sent a small thrill of excitement through him.
Seeing that his pure yang astral qi was about to go out of control, Yu Xinghan snapped back to his senses. “No!”
How can I be defeated by Li Xuelian?
He bit his tongue and began to picture Zhang Yu, Song Hailong, Chu Qiuhe, and Xiong Wenwu in his mind.
Especially Song Hailong; Yu Xinghan found that every time he thought of the boy, the heat in his body would lessen slightly, allowing him to endure and continue cultivating the Astral Qi Art.
Bai Zhenzhen, on the other hand, had completely immersed herself in practicing the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art in her mind; she had not even heard that Zhang Yu had finished the exam.
Her face was flushed, and her rapidly processing brain emitted waves of heat, letting off puffs of white steam.
And in Bai Zhenzhen’s mind, there was another version of Zhang Yu that she had imagined, who, wielding boundless Formless Cloud-Astral Qi, was locked in battle with her.
As the sword forms of the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art were executed one by one, Bai Zhenzhen’s figure became faster and more elusive, weaving through the Formless Cloud-Astral Qi with layers of electric light, like a bolt of lightning tearing through the clouds, gradually ripping an opening in Zhang Yu’s defense.
Finally, with a deafening clap of thunder, Bai Zhenzhen defeated the Zhang Yu in her mind.
And at that moment, she understood that it was because she could no longer find any flaws in her own sword strikes that her simulated ‘Zhang Yu’ had been defeated.
At the same time, a surge of sword intent rose from her mind, and the various sword forms of the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art flowed through her heart as if she had practiced them thousands upon thousands of times.
The intent precedes the thought, the sword follows the intent… this is the true mystery of the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art.
The sword forms themselves are not important; what is important is the condensed Everlasting Sword Intent.
Bai Zhenzhen felt that with the condensation of this Everlasting Sword Intent, she could graft any sword form into the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art, and could even create new sword forms on the spot to counter an opponent’s techniques.
The forms of the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art… can actually be infinite.
As long as it is enhanced by the Everlasting Sword Intent, one can freely use and graft sword forms, and even create new ones to break through an opponent’s techniques.
The Everlasting Sword Intent is the key. It’s just that mediocre people need to repeatedly practice tens of thousands of sword forms, drilling all sorts of possibilities into their instincts, to be able to have their intent precede their thought and their sword follow their intent.
But a genius like me only needs to comprehend the sword intent within, and I will naturally learn the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art.
Bai Zhenzhen smiled confidently. When she looked around, she found that many of the students present had disappeared; only later did she learn that they had all mastered their chosen cultivation techniques and gone to the rest area.
“Hmm? Yu Xinghan hasn’t succeeded yet?”
Bai Zhenzhen looked towards Yu Xinghan, only to see his face flush red as he quickly turned his head away, looking as if he were afraid of her.
What the hell is going on?
Just then, Huang Zichou approached Bai Zhenzhen and said, “I have already sensed your Everlasting Sword Intent. The exam is over. Go rest in the room to the side.”
As time passed and the two-hour mark approached, fewer and fewer students remained on the floor.
When Yu Xinghan, his face pale and looking utterly drained, finally completed his cultivation of the Astral Qi Art.
At that moment, only a few students were left in the entire hall.
Huang Zichou glanced at the time, then at Li Tongyun who was still trying, and said flatly, “One minute left.”
Li Tongyun began to practice even more desperately, but she was still unable to master the technique.
When the examination time was over, she quickly said, “I’ve mastered it, Examiner, I really have…”
Huang Zichou ignored her and, with a sweep of his divine power, prepared to drag the ashen-faced Li Tongyun and the few other unsuccessful candidates out of the hall.
And Li Tongyun understood that with the complete failure of the Foundation Establishment examination, it would not be long before she became company property.
A moment later, the remaining candidates all returned to the examination hall.
Yun Jing walked up to Ye Lingxiao and asked, “Are you cultivating a ten-star difficulty technique?”
Ye Lingxiao replied flatly, “Myriad Sword Everlasting Art.”
Yun Jing pursed his lips; the other boy had left the floor five minutes earlier than him. It was clear that Ye Lingxiao had won this round.
Ye Lingxiao was not surprised by this. The moment he mastered the Myriad Sword Everlasting Art in an hour and a half, he was certain he would be first in this round.
Yun Jing thought to himself, Hmph, when it comes to martial arts cultivation, I am indeed inferior to him.
If only this round tested actual combat.
Looking at Ye Lingxiao’s indifferent expression, the unhappiness Yun Jing felt from not securing first place seemed to deepen.
Just then, Yun Jing suddenly saw Zhang Yu not far away. A faint smile touched his lips, and he asked again, “If it were you, what star-level difficulty technique could you master in 32 minutes?”
Ye Lingxiao was slightly taken aback. A figure flashed through his mind, and he asked, puzzled, “32 minutes?”
He thought for a moment and said, “A seven-star difficulty technique should be no problem.”
“For an eight-star one, it would depend on the specific technique.”
Ye Lingxiao looked at Yun Jing. “So… what exactly are you trying to say?”
Yun Jing gestured towards Zhang Yu and said, “That number 55 mastered the eight-star difficulty Spring and Autumn Endless Zen. It took him 32 minutes.”
Ye Lingxiao was slightly stunned and looked in Zhang Yu’s direction.
At the same time, the rankings for this third Martial Arts Examination appeared on the light screen.
First Place: No. 23 (Ye Lingxiao)
Second Place: No. 11 (Yun Jing)
Third Place: No. 56 (Bai Zhenzhen)
Fourth Place: No. 55 (Zhang Yu)
Seeing this ranking, Ye Lingxiao instantly realized that Yun Jing had not been lying.
He looked at Zhang Yu, utterly shocked. 32 minutes to master the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen?
The first thing Ye Lingxiao wondered was whether he could do it himself.
The answer was probably yes, but the timeframe would be extremely tight.
So… Ye Lingxiao thought to himself, this number 55’s aptitude and ability for cultivating techniques are in no way inferior to my own?
This was the first time, outside of his own Ye Clan, that Ye Lingxiao had encountered an opponent who could be his equal in this regard.
Yun Jing smiled beside him. “If it weren’t for the fact that this person, for some reason, chose an eight-star technique this time, his score might have been even higher than yours.”
As a genius in the practice of cultivation techniques, someone who understood after one look and mastered after one try, Ye Lingxiao felt he could guess some of the reasons.
This number 55… could it be that he has already learned most of the ten-star and nine-star techniques? The ones he hasn’t mastered are simply ones he dislikes, so he chose an eight-star technique instead?
Recalling number 55’s performance in the previous two exams on magic power and physical body, Ye Lingxiao suddenly felt this was highly plausible.
This guy doesn’t care about rankings at all.
Damn it, I’m only fourth in this round? Was an eight-star difficulty not hard enough?
Zhang Yu looked at the rankings above and thought to himself, A bunch of filthy rich people. If I weren’t so poor, I’d definitely surpass all of you.
Then Zhang Yu looked at Yu Xinghan behind him and asked, “What are you doing hiding behind me, kid?”
Yu Xinghan pressed on Zhang Yu’s shoulder and said, “Don’t move, just help block for me.”
Bai Zhenzhen leaned her head over and said curiously, “Why are you looking at me so strangely? Like those underachievers in a regular high school.”
Yu Xinghan said with a pained expression, “Leave me alone.”
He pointed at Bai Zhenzhen and said, “Stay away from me!”
Yu Xinghan had never realized before just how beautiful Bai Zhenzhen was.
Although in his heart she was still not a match for Li Xuelian, the sight of her was enough to make him flustered, especially as the pure yang astral qi in his body grew increasingly agitated.
This feeling was very uncomfortable for him, someone who had always been extremely self-controlled.
Yu Xinghan sighed inwardly. If I had known the reversal surgery had such a major side effect, creating this huge weakness out of thin air, I never would have chosen the Astral Qi Art.
Bai Zhenzhen, however, said curiously, “Oh? You’re afraid of me getting close to you?”
Yu Xinghan nodded repeatedly. “Don’t come near me.”
Bai Zhenzhen extended her hand. “500 for a do-not-disturb fee.”
Yu Xinghan’s breathing grew heavier with anger. “Fine, fine, I’ll pay you when we get back.”
As the light screen appeared and displayed the rankings for the third exam, the eyes of many people in the hall converged on Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.
Dai Xingzhi looked at Zhang Yu and thought, Finished in 32 minutes and ranked fourth? Does that mean what he finished in 32 minutes… was actually a high-star difficulty technique? It probably wasn’t ten-star, otherwise he would have been first.
But even so, Dai Xingzhi realized that Zhang Yu must possess an unbelievably terrifying ability to learn cultivation techniques.
Someone with this kind of ability who can grow to the point of participating in the Foundation Establishment examination must be incredibly wealthy.
As expected… this is just a rich person who doesn’t care about the ranking in this round and is just casually showing off.
And that woman.
Dai Xingzhi looked at Bai Zhenzhen. To be able to rank third in this round also demonstrates her ability.
And this woman seems to be very familiar with number 55. They must be rich people who run in the same circles.
At this thought, Dai Xingzhi’s expression also became serious. The true strength of these two is probably not much less than that of Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing.
More strong contenders for the Foundation Establishment qualification certificates.
As the rankings for the third round appeared, the overall score rankings for the day were announced a moment later.
First place Ye Lingxiao and second place Yun Jing came as no surprise.
Following them were Bai Zhenzhen in 14th place and Zhang Yu in 15th.
Although Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s rankings were not high, in the eyes of many students, these two were wealthy outsiders who had not used their full strength, their true abilities unfathomable.
Deng Bingding looked at the students and said, “The top 20 will stay. The rest are eliminated and can prepare to leave.”
Looking at the remaining 20 students, Deng Bingding nodded with satisfaction. According to her grading standard of ants, cattle, and humans, the level of these twenty could be considered to have one foot across the threshold into being human.