Chapter 1903: Passing the Assessment

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Fan Xiaoxing's eyes were red with excitement after consecutively defeating and eliminating over a dozen descendants of ancient sages who had teamed up.

After less than an hour of learning from Xiao Xu, he had already eliminated no fewer than three hundred people on his own!

Such a rapid pace of improvement was once unimaginable, even in his dreams, but now it had truly been achieved.

However, he still lagged considerably behind Fan Xiaofeng, who had already eliminated no fewer than seven hundred individuals!

As for Xiao Xu, he hadn't intervened at all, simply following behind them. He would immediately scold them whenever either of them made the slightest mistake, and it was precisely this constant correction that enabled such significant progress in a short period.

“Now they're looking good. With a bit more refinement, once their cultivation is truly stable, they should be able to achieve a breakthrough…”

Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction as the two defeated the final group.

Though the two were somewhat clumsy, Zhang Xuan's guidance successfully allowed their strength to soar considerably.

After this assessment, both their mindset and mental fortitude, as well as their strength, were bound to undergo a qualitative leap. What ultimate realm they might reach, however, was beyond his control.

“Only one hundred participants remain in the elimination round; the assessment concludes early!”

As the booming voice resonated, everyone felt enveloped by a peculiar force. The next moment, they all simultaneously appeared in the plaza before the mountain peak.

Zhang Xuan surveyed his surroundings, noting precisely one hundred individuals. Aside from the three of them, nearly everyone else bore injuries and appeared quite disheveled.

To survive an elimination round of over two thousand participants, these individuals, though seemingly ordinary, each possessed unique capabilities—that is, assuming they hadn't crossed paths with the three of them.

“Congratulations to all of you on becoming this year’s new students of the Grand Confucian Hall!”

Zhong Qing’s gaze swept over Zhang Xuan and the others, his face twitching involuntarily. Though a strong urge to confront them arose, he ultimately restrained himself.

Being eliminated simply indicated that his juniors were outmatched. To harass the victors would be beneath him, despite his esteemed position in the Grand Confucian Hall.

Zhong Qing continued, “Shortly, each of you will exchange your jade token for a storage ring. This ring contains the route and method for entering the Grand Confucian Hall, along with cultivation techniques and resources for achieving the Unbreakable Divinity realm. Within three days, successfully entering the Grand Confucian Hall using your own abilities will qualify you as official students. This part is not an assessment and should be quite easy for you. However, I must inform you that the earlier you enter, the better teachers you will be able to choose, which will greatly benefit your future cultivation.”

As the Grand Confucian Hall functioned as an academy, it likely operated similarly to others: while teachers selected students, students also had the opportunity to choose their teachers.

The number of students each teacher could accept was limited. Those who entered first would have the opportunity to choose superior teachers and would undoubtedly receive different resources.

“Alright, please hand over your jade tokens!”

Following the command, the jade tokens affixed to everyone’s chests simultaneously levitated. The next moment, one hundred storage rings soared towards them.

Zhang Xuan lightly pinched the ring, letting it settle into his palm. With a thought, its contents instantly imprinted themselves upon his mind.

It was indeed a cultivation technique for breaking through to the Unbreakable Divinity realm. Just as there were no unified cultivation methods on the Master Teacher Continent, none existed here either. However, this technique clearly indicated the path, making breakthroughs significantly easier with diligent practice.

Aside from the cultivation technique, there was also a smooth, round pill: a Level Nine Power Sculpting Pill.

Upon consumption, it could re-temper one’s physical body and true qi, thereby allowing one to perceive the Unbreakable Divinity realm and increasing the chance of a breakthrough by ten percent.

Lastly, there was another jade token.

He retrieved it and tapped it lightly, yet sensed nothing.

“This jade token has a formation inscribed upon it. To view its contents, you must first decipher the formation. In essence, it’s another form of assessment by the Grand Confucian Hall!”

Observing his actions, Fan Xiaofeng, who appeared to have prior knowledge, offered an explanation.

“An assessment? But what if some individuals aren’t proficient in formations?”

Zhang Xuan turned to him.

While some are adept at formations, others are not. Using this type of assessment seems somewhat unfair to those who lack proficiency, doesn’t it?

“The formation on the jade token isn’t overly complex; its challenge lies in its intricate precision. Even those proficient in formations won’t have a significant advantage. It requires meticulous control of true qi to slowly dismantle it, bit by bit, through painstaking effort. While it’s termed an assessment, its true purpose is to impress upon future Grand Confucian Hall students that not only is the quantity of true qi important, but its precise control is also highly valued!”

Fan Xiaofeng continued.

Zhang Xuan understood.

Since entering the mountain peak, neither Fan Xiaofeng nor Fan Xiaoxing had seen an increase in their cultivation or true qi reserves. However, their combat power had more than doubled, leading to losses for countless formidable cultivators. The crucial factor was their precise control over their strength, down to the minutest detail.

With no wasted power and flawless attacks, their combat capabilities naturally doubled.

His divine sense swept across the jade token, and he indeed perceived countless secret patterns etched upon it, one after another. To unravel them, he would need to control his true qi with a finesse as delicate as these very patterns.

While extremely challenging for others, it was trivial for him. He gently ran his palm over the token.

Whoosh!

The seal immediately opened, and its contents flowed into his mind.

It was precisely the exact location of the Grand Confucian Hall and its entry method.

The Grand Confucian Hall was indeed not in the vicinity; instead, it was situated in a desert approximately ten thousand li away. To enter, one needed to utilize the jade token and follow a specific route.

“Alright, you may now begin deciphering the formation within your jade tokens…”

Observing everyone retrieve their jade tokens, Zhong Qing, floating in the air, surveyed the group and announced, “Throughout the history of the Grand Confucian Hall, the fastest ancestor to break the seal and successfully enter took three hours. In the past century, the quickest was Kong Shiyao, a descendant of Master Kong, who completed the deciphering in three and a half hours. Following her was Yan Xue, a descendant of Ancient Sage Ziyuan, at four hours. Among you, anyone who can complete it within a day will be considered to have surpassed all limits!”

The formation within the jade token appeared simple, yet in practice, it was exceedingly challenging. Without a tranquil mind and exceptional control over true qi, success was nearly impossible.

Even Kong Shiyao, currently the foremost genius of the Grand Confucian Hall, required a full three and a half hours.

“Allow me to offer a word of advice: do not rush for quick success. Otherwise, if you become overly anxious and fail to complete it within three days, you will not be able to become a disciple of the Grand Confucian Hall, even if you pass the current selection!”

Zhong Qing snorted and gently waved his palm.

Whoosh!

A mirror-like barrier materialized before their eyes.

“This is a special teleportation array. As soon as you decipher the seal within your jade token, you will be drawn into it and then enter the Grand Confucian Hall via a specific method. Now, begin deciphering the seal. I am eager to see how long the quickest among you will take…”

With a cold snort, before his words had even fully resonated, Zhong Qing suddenly witnessed the barrier tremble.

Immediately afterward, a figure slowly ascended, lightly stepped onto the barrier, and soared directly through it.

“Already deciphered?”

A hush fell over the surroundings.