Chapter 224: Win or Lose

The first test round was designed to determine whose physique, Zhang Yu's or Ye Lingxiao's, was stronger and held more potential, using the Xuanjia Spiritual Root Test Mode.

Originally, the ranking was meant to be based on the maximum power output achieved with the Xuanjia Spiritual Root. However, to everyone's surprise, both Zhang Yu and Ye Lingxiao managed to raise the Divine Spiritual Root's power output to 100 in the test mode.

The internal communication network of the five True God examiners instantly buzzed with activity.

One minor god remarked, "We initially thought the Heavenly Spiritual Root's limit was too low to properly assess their capabilities, which is why we introduced the Divine Spiritual Root test. I never expected both of them to be able to push the Xuanjia Spiritual Root's power output to 100."

Another minor god asked, "Both of them achieved 100 power on the Xuanjia Spiritual Root. How should we determine the winner of this round?"

"Surely, we can't bring out the Immortal Spiritual Root, can we? That's reserved for members of the Ten Great Sects, and I doubt higher-ups would approve its use for a Foundation Establishment examination..."

Just as several minor gods were feeling indecisive, one of them mused, "Based on Ye Lingxiao's performance in the previous round, I thought that even with further improvement, he would at most elevate the Divine Spiritual Root's power to 80 or 90 percent."

"Who would have thought that three months later, he could still advance so significantly, developing his physique to such an extent."

Huang Zichou nodded slightly upon hearing this, analyzing, "To develop the physique to Ye Lingxiao's level in the Qi Refining stage, theoretically... even the slightest further advancement, pushing beyond this, would be incredibly difficult."

Just then, the chief examiner, Deng Bingding, calmly stated, "If it were merely about developing muscles, fascia, bones, and internal organs, then indeed, the closer one gets to the Qi Refining limit, the harder it becomes to progress."

"However, this kid Ye Lingxiao... his improvement this time is in his brain."

Huang Zichou exclaimed, astonished, "His brain?"

He recalled how Ye Lingxiao used to speak incoherently, thinking to himself, "This is an improvement in his *brain*?"

Deng Bingding looked in Ye Lingxiao's direction and continued on the internal network, "Ye Lingxiao possesses a Perfect Bloodline, allowing him to learn any cultivation technique exceptionally quickly."

"But no matter how many techniques one knows, the number of them a person can utilize simultaneously is limited."

"Yet just now, the number of techniques he deployed simultaneously far surpassed his previous attempts, roughly doubling."

"This indicates that his mental capacity and thought processes have undergone further development, leading to an increase in the number of techniques he can activate at once."

"It's precisely because the majority of his mental energy was dedicated to activating techniques that his other faculties declined, such as his ability to organize language..."

Upon hearing this, the other True Gods' expressions shifted. The term 'physique,' of course, naturally includes the brain.

However, individuals capable of developing their brain and improving cognitive function during the Qi Refining stage are exceedingly rare on Kunxu's first layer, and they hadn't expected it to occur with Ye Lingxiao.

A minor god commented, "Although both achieved 100 power, Ye Lingxiao's ability to enhance his mental and cognitive functions during the Qi Refining stage clearly demonstrates a more profound development of his physique. He has a more promising future for Foundation Establishment."

Another minor god chimed in, "I believe this round should be counted as his victory."

Huang Zichou, however, had a different opinion: "Didn't you notice Ye Lingxiao achieved this with the aid of medication?"

"And Zhang Yu's consecutive bursts just now—can you not see the true value in them?"

Recalling Zhang Yu's process of increasing his height from 2.8 meters to 3.3 meters, Huang Zichou sighed with emotion, "What he just performed was clearly the Whale Sinew Nine Transformations technique."

"Given his body type and physical strength, the first sudden surge in his stature should have been his limit."

"But then he broke through that limit. What does that indicate?"

"Look at several other techniques he employed; it was the same for all of them."

"Clearly, the same cultivation techniques have a higher upper limit when used by him."

As True Gods, having lived for extended periods, the examiners present had either heard of or witnessed similar situations before.

Some cultivation techniques, when wielded by certain individuals, can indeed defy convention, exhibiting greater power and more potent effects than when used by others.

And Zhang Yu evidently possesses this extremely rare physical talent.

Huang Zichou continued, "Furthermore, from Zhang Yu's first registration to this final round of examinations, you can all see how much he has progressed."

"With such talent and potential, I believe that if he successfully establishes his foundation, his future prospects will be even greater than Ye Lingxiao's."

Someone immediately retorted, "It's merely innate physical talent. Are students who can establish their foundation at a higher level lacking in talent? Instead, it's Ye Lingxiao's intelligence, his ability to discover methods to improve his mental capacity even on the first layer, that holds greater potential."

Another True God added, "Zhang Yu can still take the exam next year, but this is Ye Lingxiao's last chance."

While the True Gods debated the outcome of this round, numerous university representatives in the audience were also observing Zhang Yu and Ye Lingxiao, offering their own comments.

A vocational college teacher said, "Note down both of these students. As soon as the Foundation Establishment examination concludes, we must find a way to contact them. If we can recruit either of them, our college will gain another Foundation Establishment graduate!"

His colleague, however, spoke without hope: "How could students like them possibly enroll in a vocational college?"

The vocational college teacher responded, "What's wrong with vocational colleges? They offer pathways to bachelor's degrees! It wouldn't prevent them from attending a good university later!"

The colleague thought to himself, "If they entered our college, their academic record would be tarnished, wouldn't it? It would affect their future studies and job prospects."

The vocational college teacher continued, "Especially Zhang Yu, have you seen his profile? He's poor, so he should be easier to win over than Ye Lingxiao."

"Our college does have some shortcomings compared to other universities, but we can offer him better terms: a scholarship of 10 Spirit Coins per year during his enrollment, with all majors open for selection."

"We should stake all our recruitment budget to get him. Recruiting one like him is surely more cost-effective than recruiting a hundred academic underachievers, isn't it?"

Meanwhile, at Ten Thousand Laws University, the 'Husky Head' said, "Excellent, excellent. If you don't want these two, our Civil Engineering department plans to take them. It would be a waste for such promising physiques not to come and manage geomantic veins."

The 'Cat Head' calmly stated, "While they aren't yet qualified for the Finance Department, they are certainly qualified to enter our university."

Although Zhang Yu and Ye Lingxiao had displayed extraordinary aptitude, in the 'Cat Head's' view, Ye Lingxiao was still somewhat poor, and Zhang Yu was practically a super-pauper. Poverty, in turn, signified a lack of potential and foundation in the path of cultivation.

He thought to himself, "How can poor people be worthy of entering Ten Thousand Laws University's Finance Department?"

The 'Cat Head' continued, "However, I see that other universities also have considerable interest in them. What terms do you plan to offer?"

The 'Husky Head' replied, "A scholarship of 1.25 Spirit Coins per year should be sufficient to allow them to focus on their studies for a period after enrollment, without needing to lend out their spiritual power to mine for Spirit Coins."

The 'Cat Head' nodded slightly: "1.25 Spirit Coins is indeed enough for daily life at university."

At the other end of the audience stands.

'Crying-Laughing Face' looked at the examination arena and said, "Mom, this Zhang Yu is quite talented. After I descend, I'd like to take him in as well, to assist me alongside Ye Lingxiao."

'Smiling Face' frowned slightly upon hearing this, and warned with the tone of someone with experience, "Son, I was young once too, and I also appreciated and promoted some poor individuals."

"You can take in and use this Zhang Yu, but remember one thing: these people below are fundamentally different from us. If you treat them too much like individuals, you will only end up harming them."

"Spoiling a dog is like killing it. If you truly want to make good use of such poor people, you must properly temper them; you cannot be too good to them from the start..."

'Crying-Laughing Face' was unconcerned by this. He had his own principles for employing people: showering them with money. He didn't believe there was any good subordinate in this world that couldn't be obtained with enough money. If they couldn't be obtained, it simply meant not enough money had been thrown at them.

While the various representatives in the audience were each assessing the two contestants in the arena, on the internal network, the four minor gods continued their heated debate, eventually all turning their attention to Deng Bingding, the chief examiner.

Deng Bingding calmly stated, "For now, let's consider it a draw."

"After all, neither of these two lads has used their full strength yet."

Upon hearing Deng Bingding's words, the four minor gods were slightly startled, a look of surprise appearing in their eyes as they gazed at Zhang Yu and Ye Lingxiao.

Huang Zichou thought to himself, "This isn't even their full power?"

The five True Gods' thoughts exchanged rapidly within the internal network. Although a large amount of information was exchanged, from an external perspective, it seemed to happen in an instant.

Soon after, Huang Zichou announced the result of the first round: neither participant had a clear victory, and their scores were temporarily tied.

The ultimate recipient of the Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate would ultimately be determined by adding the scores from the second and third rounds, calculating based on the total sum.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu and Ye Lingxiao, standing in the center of the examination arena, exchanged glances, both sensing an increasingly intense fighting spirit emanating from the other.

Zhang Yu licked his lips as his swollen muscles slowly began to retract, returning to his regular physique.

His incredibly high body temperature gradually subsided, and under the effects of the Kan-Bing Li-Huo Body Forging Great Method, his body slowly entered a low-temperature state, resolving inflammation and swelling, and aiding in recovery.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "At the very last moment just now, I still had a poison burst technique from Spring Autumn Endless Zen that I didn't unleash. That wasn't my true full power."

"I wonder how much strength my opponent is still holding back?"

A moment later, feeling that the damage from his previous burst was mostly self-healed, Zhang Yu focused his consciousness on the Linked Spell Diagram in his Feather Scroll. He began replacing the techniques listed there with basic high school techniques, switching the effects of his Martial Dao Sacred Embryo to the High School Sacred Body.

This process of changing techniques and switching Sacred Bodies took Zhang Yu about 2 to 3 seconds.

After the switch, the enhancements previously provided by the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo were entirely replaced by the High School Sacred Body's abilities: digestion of Qi Refining limits and enhanced drug absorption and metabolism.

This brought a wave of comfort to Zhang Yu, who had just ingested a large quantity of medication.

Feeling the medicinal toxins converge towards the 'Zen' character on his chest, Zhang Yu felt a surge of satisfaction.

The reason he had ingested so many medications just now was, of course, not merely to take advantage of them, but more importantly, to increase his chances of winning in this Foundation Establishment examination.