Chapter 46: The Seventh Peak

However, the opened eye of the partial divine face in the sky had a cross-shaped pupil.

This illusory eye, on the other hand, had a vertical pupil.

The difference in power, however, was like that between a scorching sun and a firefly. The former could instantly transform an entire area into a forbidden zone, while the latter could only create a psychological deterrence. Naturally, this was likely because the illusory eye was formed from just a single drop of blood, diluted countless times over. It was conceivable that pure blood would possess far more terrifying power.

Nevertheless, even if a true eye appeared, it would still be vastly inferior to the partial divine face.

Despite the disparity, the profound shock Xu Qing experienced was immense. While his physical reaction was significant, what truly unsettled him was how this encounter challenged his fundamental understanding.

“Could the Seven Blood Pupils organization already extract flesh and blood from deities?”

“That’s impossible... Both give me a similar feeling, but they are clearly not the same entity. So, it's highly probable that there are beings in this world similar to deities?”

This speculation quickened Xu Qing's breathing. As he stared at the illusory eye on the bluestone, a powerful thirst for knowledge about this world surged within him.

Simultaneously, as the oppressive force roared, many on the plaza began spitting blood, their bodies swaying precariously. Most could no longer endure and were sent out by a wave of the horse-faced cultivator's hand.

Soon, only three individuals remained standing.

Zhou Qingpeng was not among them. The three included Li Zimei and an unassuming youth. Although the youth's clothes were not those of a scavenger, they were plain, clearly indicating he was from a small town. At this point, even he was clearly reaching his limit; blood soon began to spill from his mouth, forcing him to give up. Li Zimei followed shortly after.

The last of the three, of course, was Xu Qing.

Willpower could be faked.

But this time, facing an existence that resembled a deity in its indifference, Xu Qing refused to feign anything. He instinctively refused to yield.

He stared at the illusory eye, his body rigid, his heart pounding with unprecedented ferocity. He channeled his will, pitting it against the ethereal gaze.

“Under the gaze of the partial divine face, I struggled and survived. How can the pressure from a single drop of blood, diluted countless times, make me yield now!”

Xu Qing's eyes gradually became bloodshot, and his body trembled. Every fiber of his being seemed to scream in protest, yet he maintained firm control, suppressing it with the powerful will he had forged in the slums and the forbidden jungles.

At this moment, he was the sole individual on the entire plaza still resisting. This sight sent a profound shock through all the other test-takers, who gazed at Xu Qing in utter astonishment. Even the horse-faced middle-aged man and the other two cultivators fixed their gazes on Xu Qing, their expressions filled with surprise.

Xu Qing had, by then, persisted for a remarkably long time. After a month of testing, only three individuals, including Xu Qing, had managed to persevere for so long this year.

“I wonder if this boy can withstand the final surge.”

“No one has yet succeeded at this stage of the test this year.”

As the three middle-aged cultivators exchanged whispers, the golden liquid on the bluestone had largely dissipated. However, just as it was about to vanish completely, the illusory eye manifested upon it suddenly stirred, its gaze shifting from diffuse to sharply focused on Xu Qing.

At that instant, an even more terrifying oppressive force converged entirely upon Xu Qing, crushing him with a thunderous roar, as if a deity intended to subjugate all creation.

Xu Qing's entire body trembled violently, and his head slowly lowered as if pressed down by a mountain.

This sight caused the three cultivators to narrow their eyes and watch intently. Yet, even as his head lowered, Xu Qing's body trembled with even greater intensity. Ultimately, he slowly raised his head again, his forehead veins bulging, and a wolf-like chill, filled with unyielding defiance, gleamed in his bloodshot eyes.

The moment he looked at the illusory eye, the seventh level of the Sea Mountain Art's body refinement erupted within him. A towering, dark phantom quickly materialized behind him. The phantom, several *zhang* tall, was entirely black, with spiral horns on its head and purple eyes. A gaping, blood-red maw suddenly opened, letting out a silent roar towards the illusory eye.

Roar!

Xu Qing let out a similar low growl, and at that moment, an invisible collision occurred between him and the ethereal eye on the bluestone.

The next moment, his entire body convulsed as if struck by a heavy hammer in his mind. Blood spurted from his mouth as the phantom behind him dissolved, and simultaneously, the illusory eye on the bluestone blurred and then vanished.

Everything ended.

Xu Qing breathed heavily, suppressing a throbbing headache. After a moment, he struggled to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, cupped his fist respectfully towards the three middle-aged cultivators who were watching him intently, and then quietly walked away from the plaza.

Around the plaza, all the individuals who had previously given up stared at Xu Qing as if he were a monster, their faces a mixture of disbelief and horror.

“Blood energy... blood energy forming a shadow? This only occurs at the Grand Completion of Body Refinement, comparable to the Grand Completion of Qi Condensation!” Someone's uncertain voice echoed through the air.

The next moment, gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

Only Xu Qing stood silently, his eyes closed, feeling the pain in his head slowly subside. He sensed a subtle increase in his perception, as if something stronger was being cultivated within him. It was akin to forging, where after countless strikes and refinements, a blade's true sharpness is revealed.

This second test, in reality, also contained a profound serendipity. However, only a rare few could ever grasp it.

This made Xu Qing pause. Upon closer inspection, he realized his perception had indeed become significantly sharper than before, and his will felt more resilient. While he couldn't objectively verify the latter, the sensation felt undeniably real.

“Very good!”

On the plaza, the three middle-aged cultivators overseeing the test now looked at Xu Qing with eyes full of admiration. The horse-faced cultivator, in particular, nodded at him.

“You are Xu Qing, aren't you? One who endures the final suppression of the second test will experience a significant increase in their mental power. Using the blood of a divine creature as a whetstone will forge an incomparably resilient will!”

“Divine creature?” Xu Qing questioned, looking at the horse-faced cultivator.

The cultivator offered no explanation, withdrawing his gaze and remaining silent. At that moment, the third test commenced.

The last of the three cultivators presided over this third assessment. This individual had a round face and small eyes, yet his gaze was remarkably sharp. Stepping forward, he scanned the crowd and spoke calmly.

“The third test is practical combat: fighting mutated beasts within an illusion array.”

At this point, the round-faced middle-aged man pointed at Xu Qing. “Xu Qing, you are exempt from this test. Your body refinement has surprisingly reached the stage where your blood energy can form a shadow, granting you Grand Completion combat power. Your participation or absence in this third test makes no difference. You are granted a direct pass to the first rank.”

As soon as he spoke, the other test-takers around them looked on with envy, yet had nothing to say. The phantom that had appeared behind Xu Qing had thoroughly awed them.

“Thank you, Senior,” Xu Qing replied, bowing his head and offering a deep, cupped-fist salute. He was not a man of many words, but he knew the importance of politeness when met with kindness.

The third test soon began. As others entered the plaza one by one, Xu Qing simply sat cross-legged, recuperating his spirit. By the time the third test concluded, his mental state had largely recovered. Through this recovery, Xu Qing profoundly realized that his perception seemed to have doubled compared to before. Specifically, any rustle or movement within a certain radius around him would instantly register in his mind. This realization made his heart race and his eyes gleam with intensity.

“The tempering of my will has such a profound effect... I should try controlling my shadow when I return; it should be much more agile now.”

While Xu Qing was deep in thought, the third test quickly concluded.

Everyone returned to their original positions, nervously awaiting the results. Xu Qing also stood up, observing the three middle-aged cultivators as they conferred with each other.

“Too bad the First Peak requires a specific token...” Xu Qing murmured, looking down at the token in his hand. He had no idea which peak he would be assigned to next.

Shortly after, the announcement began. A significant portion of the sixty-plus participants were eliminated. The faces of the eliminated individuals turned pale. Having failed the entrance test, they were informed that they must leave the Seven Blood Pupils within one hour, or they would be obliterated by the array formation. The phrase “obliterated by the array formation” caused Xu Qing’s eyes to narrow, and the eliminated individuals' expressions turned utterly grim.

However, leaving was not their only option. They were told that with enough spirit stones to purchase contribution points, they could also reside in the main city. However, the cost would be the same as for commoners: thirty spirit coins or thirty contribution points per day. Disciples who passed the test, while also consuming thirty contribution points per day, gained the additional right to purchase cultivation resources from the Seven Blood Pupils.

Xu Qing felt a bit bewildered by this, not fully grasping the details, but he was confident he would soon understand everything.

Shortly after, the horse-faced cultivator began to announce the assigned peaks for the remaining successful candidates.

“Zhen Han, First Peak.”

“Zhao Chungang, Third Peak.”

“Zhou Qingpeng, Seventh Peak.”

...

Five individuals were selected for the First Peak, and three for the Seventh Peak. Most of the other five peaks had six or seven new disciples.

As the horse-faced cultivator's voice rose and fell, Xu Qing waited in silence, not hearing his name called.

Moments later, Xu Qing lifted his head, his gaze sharpening.

“Xu Qing, Seventh Peak.”

After finally calling Xu Qing's name, the horse-faced cultivator scanned the young men and women before him and spoke calmly. “All of you who passed the test will be rewarded one thousand contribution points each. Xu Qing, who achieved the top rank this time, will receive ten thousand contribution points.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing let out a breath of relief. He felt that the Seventh Peak was perfectly acceptable, and he was also taken aback by the reward amount. He quickly calculated: contribution points were equivalent to spirit coins, meaning ten thousand contribution points were ten thousand spirit coins, or ten spirit stones.

“That much!” Xu Qing exclaimed, slightly surprised.

After speaking, the horse-faced cultivator took out a jade slip and performed some operations. Soon, Xu Qing felt his token vibrate. He looked down to see the pattern on its face subtly shifting, transforming into the ancient script for ten thousand. However, the number quickly changed to nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine—one short.

Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed.

The other successful test-takers present also gradually noticed the changes in their own tokens, each wearing a look of mixed emotions as they were called forward by the horse-faced cultivator and led away in groups.

The round-faced cultivator beside him walked towards Xu Qing. Upon approaching, he scanned Xu Qing's token and smiled slightly.

“Stop looking,” he said. “I’ll explain everything to you all in a moment.”

With that, he summoned the other disciples who had been assigned to the Seventh Peak, called Xu Qing, and led them towards the mountain path winding up to the Seventh Peak.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you through the Seventh Peak’s mountain gate. Cherish this moment, as it might be your only chance to ever ascend this mountain!”