Chapter 878: Excellent Acting

"I possess a dual spirit root!" Fang Ting declared, excitedly raising her hand. Bouncing to the front of the crowd, she looked at Cultivator Chen amidst a chorus of surprised and envious gazes. Just then, she heard a voice transmission and quickly swallowed the word 'master' she was about to utter. She then saluted formally, saying, "Revered Senior, my name is Fang Ting. I possess a water and earth dual spirit root. Please verify it."

The onlookers couldn't help but secretly complain about the obvious favoritism. The young girl's acting was simply too poor; it was clear the two knew each other, and she might have even been accepted as a disciple long ago. However, no one could fault the girl; as a dual-spirit root, she could gain direct admission to the Landou Sect without any test.

Cultivator Chen nodded with a smile. "Indeed, it's a dual spirit root. Come up here. The rest of you may now ascend the Cloud Bridge. Remember to perform well." He beckoned Fang Ting to his side and turned to leave.

At this moment, Fang Ting's lips moved slightly, seemingly transmitting a message. Cultivator Chen paused slightly, his gaze shifting to the avatar. Without changing his expression or saying anything, he flew back to the island with Fang Ting. Fang Ting pouted slightly, giving the avatar a helpless look before she left.

The avatar gave a wry smile. He had guessed Fang Ting's talent was good, but he never expected her to be connected to a Golden Core cultivator from the Misty Cloud Pavilion. He regretted trying to get close to her. Fang Ting mentioning him to Cultivator Chen might have been well-intentioned, but for him, it was a gamble with uncertain consequences. He knew clearly that after such a brief acquaintance, Fang Ting couldn't possibly have developed any feelings for him. But what if the cultivator valued her greatly and sought to eliminate anything that might hinder her cultivation, thereby expelling him? That would be a grave injustice. The avatar felt helpless in this situation and could only wait and see how things unfolded.

After Cultivator Chen left, the three remaining individuals continued to set up the Cloud Bridge. The man in green began testing everyone's talent and bone age, eventually selecting over thirty people. "Fellow cultivators," he announced, "you do not meet the requirements of my Misty Cloud Pavilion. Please return." These individuals all possessed four or five spirit roots and were already quite old, yet remained stuck at the sixth level of the Qi Condensation stage. Their faces fell. They had known their chances were slim and had merely come to try their luck, but they never expected to be dismissed before the test even began.

The Cloud Bridge was quickly ready. The cultivators simply instructed everyone to keep walking on the bridge without stopping and forbade the use of any magical artifacts, then urged them to ascend. The crowd exchanged glances. No one knew what kind of test the Cloud Bridge held, and no one wanted to be the first to go.

At this moment, the avatar stepped out from the crowd. With a composed expression, he looked at the Cloud Bridge, slowly walked to its edge, and ascended without hesitation.

The four Misty Cloud Pavilion cultivators exchanged glances, and the swordsman secretly nodded, a look of appreciation on his face. Seeing this, the others suddenly realized their mistake, silently cursing themselves as fools. The swordsman had already indicated that passing the test wasn't the only criteria. Daring to be the first to ascend the bridge demonstrated sufficient courage, easily leaving an impression on the Misty Cloud Pavilion cultivators and gaining an advantage. Tests were everywhere.

The crowd no longer hesitated and surged onto the Cloud Bridge.

The avatar walked at the very front. The cloud beneath his feet felt soft and elastic, but he had to channel spiritual energy to stand on it. When he first stepped onto the Cloud Bridge, nothing seemed unusual, but after a few steps, he felt an inexplicable wind appear, whistling from both sides of the bridge. At the same time, the scenery before him changed. Both ends of the Cloud Bridge vanished, leaving only a group of people and an endless white bridge stretching as if into the horizon. The lake below was also stretched infinitely, its surface shimmering and its depths unfathomable.

The Celestial Eye Butterfly was still dormant. The avatar was unsure if any Golden Core cultivators were observing, so he did not rashly awaken it. From the moment the Cloud Bridge appeared, the Celestial Eye Butterfly had discerned that it was an extension of the Lake Island's formation power. The avatar calmly observed the changes on the Cloud Bridge, his face showing no sign of panic. If the Cloud Bridge tested strength, his Ninth-level Qi Condensation cultivation was sufficient to handle most variables. If it tested temperament or perseverance, he had even less to worry about; in fact, he needed to be careful not to overperform.

As he continued forward, the wind on the bridge grew stronger, forcing him to channel spiritual energy to protect himself. At this point, the avatar deliberately slowed his pace. Others caught up and unceremoniously passed him, moving to the front.

The avatar, still channeling spiritual energy for protection, was passed by one person after another. He walked unhurriedly, secretly observing the changes in those ahead of him. The illusions on the Cloud Bridge surely wouldn't be too powerful. If it was a test of temperament, he might be able to directly resist them with the power of the jade Buddha. It would all depend on his acting.

As they tried to move forward, the wind intensified, lashing at their bodies like whips. Everyone had to slow their pace. Simultaneously, the water below subtly changed, as if something was luring them, whispering repeatedly in their ears: "Jump down! Jump down!"

Still, there was no end in sight. The Cloud Bridge seemed impossibly long, instilling despair. The distance between them grew, and those at either end could no longer see each other. It was easy to imagine that eventually, one would see only oneself, walking alone on the bridge. These changes subtly altered their mental states. This Cloud Bridge was a dual test of both temperament and strength.

Someone suddenly realized, "This isn't just a Cloud Bridge; it's clearly derived from some of the power of the Landou Sect's Path of Heart-Questioning." Suddenly, a young man screamed, clutching his head, his face contorted with various expressions. Then, his feet lost their footing, and he fell. The crowd gasped, turning to look at the young man. Just as he was about to hit the water, a spiritual sword appeared out of thin air, caught him, and carried him away.

On the dock, the four cultivators stood together, observing the changes among the people on the bridge. "Such poor temperament?" The swordsman frowned. The man in green replied, "He has a triple spirit root and is only fifteen years old." The middle-aged cultivator nodded slightly. "He has potential, but needs some tempering. He can be sent to the Cauldron Forging Hall."

The spiritual sword flew back, carrying the young man. The swordsman pointed to the left. The young man was exhausted and still shaken, slumping to the ground to recover, unsure of what fate awaited him. Starting with that young man, more and more people fell from the bridge. Under the guidance of the four cultivators, some were directed to the right, others to the left.

The avatar continued to walk on the Cloud Bridge, unable to see anyone else ahead or behind him. He didn't know how many were left. A profound sense of loneliness enveloped him, and the temptation from the water below intensified. The illusions couldn't disturb his mental state, but his spiritual energy was rapidly depleting in the escalating winds. He displayed superb acting, his expression at times contorted, at times bewildered, as if struggling against the Cloud Bridge. The spiritual energy around him also fluctuated with his changing expressions. "Almost time..." The avatar sensed his spiritual energy was nearing exhaustion. His face suddenly contorted into a look of profound panic, unable to maintain his spiritual energy, and then he fell from the Cloud Bridge.