Chapter 82: Innate Spiritual Awareness

Donghe King's standards were exceptionally high; only Meng Chuan, Zong Sha, and Ji Yuantong, who survived six rounds, truly satisfied him.

"Those three who made it through six rounds will definitely be in the top ten," the disheveled man whispered. "Who do you think will rank first among them?"

"Ji Yuantong gives me a very unique feeling," the woman in green said. "I'm betting on him."

"I'm also most optimistic about him. His initial three assessments were excellent, and he dodged the hail just now with ease," the disheveled man agreed. "It feels like he hasn't reached his limit yet. However, Zong Sha and Meng Chuan are also very impressive. Zong Sha is a master archer with a boundless future. Meng Chuan's speed is extraordinary, and I believe he'll live a long time, and with a long life, anything is possible."

Seeing such outstanding talents filled them with joy. Yuanchu Mountain's purpose was to select and cultivate the most exceptional geniuses.

"Only three left," Meng Dajiang watched, his blood boiling. No matter what, Meng Chuan was sure to be in the top three of the third assessment, and as a father, Meng Dajiang was extremely pleased. After all, this was a gathering of geniuses from the entire Great Zhou Dynasty! What more could a father ask for when his son achieved such a feat?

A fleeting thought had crossed his mind: his son ranking first in Yuanchu Mountain's entrance examination, receiving the most dedicated cultivation. But this idea quickly vanished. Firstly, he didn't want to put too much pressure on his son. Secondly, the geniuses from ancient aristocratic families had access to natural treasures no less than Meng Chuan's, and were taught by powerful demon gods, giving them far superior conditions than Meng Chuan.

"This is already excellent," Meng Dajiang watched with delight, his eyes welling up. "I'm very satisfied just knowing he can enter Yuanchu Mountain."

Everyone in the audience focused their attention on Meng Chuan, Zong Sha, and Ji Yuantong.

Donghe King smiled. A large mass of hail suspended in mid-air immediately began to furiously pelt down, moving even faster than before.

Meng Chuan, Zong Sha, and Ji Yuantong all stood poised, dodging the ultra-high-speed hailstones within a mere one-zhang circle. The hailstones had long since blurred into phantoms, and they were launched from a distance of only fifteen zhang – too short a distance, too fast a speed!

"Whoosh, whoosh!"

Zong Sha, though ordinary in appearance, was the strongest archer in this Yuanchu Mountain entrance examination. He cultivated a Wind God Body, allowing him to perceive the 'breathing' of wind in the world. With each hailstone that fell, he could clearly sense its trajectory through the 'wind's breathing,' naturally moving to avoid it. Because the distance was too short and the speed too fast, his eyes were too slow; he relied entirely on his perception for natural dodging. This was how he reached the seventh round.

However, the hailstones were now too fast. While the 'wind's breathing' could sense them, by the time his instincts reacted, the hailstones were already upon him. He narrowly dodged five hailstones, but the sixth one struck his abdomen before he could react. There was no time to dodge, and he was hit with a thud.

"I still failed," Zong Sha sighed softly.

He was enveloped by an invisible force and lifted into the air. As he ascended, he looked towards the other two. Meng Chuan and Ji Yuantong were still dodging. Their styles differed. Meng Chuan was more agile and natural, while Ji Yuantong dodged with his eyes closed.

In an instant, the seventh round ended. Zong Sha was eliminated, but Meng Chuan and Ji Yuantong both passed the seventh round.

"They're monsters! We only survived the fifth round, but Meng Chuan and Ji Yuantong actually made it through the seventh!" Princess Li Ying was stunned. The hailstones were now so fast they made her heart tremble, yet those two could still dodge them. Their reactions were incredibly swift.

"That powerful?" Chu Yong fell silent. As the capital's top genius, famous seven years ago, he had expected to dominate this time. Instead, he was thoroughly outmatched in every aspect. He was clearly a level below Meng Chuan and Ji Yuantong, and even Zong Sha, on average, outperformed him. Zong Sha was stronger than Chu Yong in both the second and third assessments. And in the first assessment, while Chu Yong's attacks were powerful enough, Zong Sha was an archer whose arrows were extremely fast, and his deterrent force was actually on par with Ji Yuantong's. Chu Yong inwardly admitted that 'Yan Feng,' who had previously been unknown but now burst into prominence, was comparable to him.

"There's always someone better out there," Chu Yong thought with complex emotions.

"I still have a long way to go," Yan Jin watched the scene calmly. He took his father as his goal and always felt a significant gap. His close friend, Meng Chuan, had always suppressed him, and he had constantly been striving to catch up! Chasing Meng Chuan, and even more so, his father, Anhai King. He had the patience to keep pursuing.

"These two young lads, to last this long, their spiritual senses are incredibly high," a group of powerful demon gods exclaimed with emotion.

"Their spiritual senses are so strong even before becoming demon gods! It seems they are naturally gifted."

"They're worth cultivating well."

These marquis demon gods, who usually guarded the various states of the Great Zhou Dynasty, watched Meng Chuan and Ji Yuantong with admiration. This third assessment, ostensibly testing 'reaction,' was actually testing the spiritual senses of these geniuses! It was also the most important of the three assessments, personally overseen by Anhai King.

Meng Chuan and Ji Yuantong exchanged glances. The competition was now solely between them.

"Eighth round, you two must persevere, the longer you last, the better," Donghe King rarely advised. Following his words, the suspended hailstones in the sky once again rained down.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!

Each hailstone became even faster. The supremely confident Ji Yuantong also felt the strain. With his eyes closed, his perception of his surroundings became clearer, allowing him to vaguely sense the incoming hailstones. He dodged purely on instinct, again and again. However, these hailstones were getting faster and faster, reaching the limit of his instinctive reactions.

"Thump." Finally, a hailstone struck his shoulder. He couldn't dodge it. He opened his eyes, and his entire body was enveloped by an invisible force, lifting him into the air. He saw Meng Chuan in the distance, still dodging amidst the furious onslaught of hailstones.

"He's stronger than me again?" Ji Yuantong frowned. Since childhood, he had always considered himself superior to his peers. However, he preferred not to flaunt it for the whole world to know. The so-called geniuses in Yuanchu City, he had easily surpassed them long ago. Even the occasional display of his abilities led him to be recognized as Yuanchu City's top genius. When 'Yan Chitong,' who comprehended 'Dao' at thirteen, later appeared in Yuanchu City, Ji Yuantong didn't take him seriously. He was confident that Yan Chitong could not catch up to him. For so many years, no one had ever caught up to him; he had only ever grown stronger.

This Yuanchu Mountain assessment was his chance to astound everyone! While it was fine to be low-key in normal times, during the Yuanchu Mountain assessment, he had to display his strongest abilities to receive the full cultivation of Yuanchu Mountain. Yet, he never expected to be significantly surpassed by one person in the second and third preliminary assessments.

"Meng Chuan of Wuzhou? Reportedly a descendant of a demon god family from a remote, small place in Wuzhou," Ji Yuantong mused.

As he pondered, the hail stopped. Meng Chuan, in his deep green robe with a saber at his waist, still stood silently.

"He made it?" Ji Yuantong landed and watched from a distance.

"Meng Chuan passed the eighth round, he's the only one!" Everyone watched.

"Chuan'er!"

Meng Dajiang looked at the distant area, where only Meng Chuan stood alone. In front of Meng Chuan, Donghe King stood alone. This scene filled Meng Dajiang with immense pride; that was his son!

"He can dodge even that? Extraordinary spiritual sense."

"His innate spiritual sense is incredibly high."

The demon gods also watched closely, curious as to how long Meng Chuan, now the sole survivor, could endure.

"Very good," Donghe King smiled at Meng Chuan. "Persevere, the longer you last, the better. The ninth round begins now."

"Understood," Meng Chuan nodded. He understood the principle: in the Yuanchu Mountain entrance examination, one must display their full capabilities. However, his 'mind space' was too unique. Even Meng Xian姑, who had been a demon god for nearly eighty years and had a group of demon god friends, long serving under Anhai King, had never heard of anything like his 'mind space.' This filled Meng Xian姑 with both surprise and worry. It was either a great fortune or a great disaster. Therefore, she had to investigate it thoroughly herself before deciding whether to reveal it. Meng Chuan naturally listened to Meng Xian姑; his grandaunt would not harm him.

"Persevere, push to the absolute limit."

Meng Chuan's saber force domain sensed each falling hailstone, as did his ten-zhang domain. The saber force domain was vague, but the ten-zhang domain was incredibly clear.

"Dodge, avoid them." Meng Chuan dodged very naturally, accustomed to evading after long-term training under arrow rain.

As time passed, the watching demon gods' expressions grew serious.

"Whoosh, whoosh!"

The disheveled man and the woman in green both moved to Donghe King's side.

"It seems he hasn't reached his limit even in the ninth round," the woman in green couldn't help but say.

"Not at his limit," Donghe King stared at Meng Chuan, his eyes sparkling.

"His spiritual sense is that strong?" The disheveled man could hardly believe it.

Whoosh, the hail ceased. Meng Chuan still stood there, having survived the hail once again.

"Ji Yuantong only survived the seventh round, but Meng Chuan has already passed the ninth!" The disheveled man exclaimed in disbelief. "Ji Yuantong is already amazing, but he's so much higher than Ji Yuantong?"

"His spiritual sense is incredibly strong," the woman in green softly added. "With such strong spiritual sense, refining a primordial spirit in the future... shouldn't be difficult, right?"

Donghe King's smile grew even wider. He stared at Meng Chuan and then announced loudly, "Meng Chuan, keep going, the longer you last, the better. The tenth round begins now."

With that, the hailstones in the sky once again pelted down at high speed, their velocity increasing even further. The tenth round had begun! Nan Yunhou, Xihaihou, and other marquis demon gods watched Meng Chuan intently, as if observing a peerless treasure.