Chapter 400: Eliminate Them All, No Explanations Needed! |
"Your Sword Soul..." Lian Xi gaped at the 18 gleaming Sword Rings stacked together, her beautiful eyes wide, lips slightly parted, and tongue trembling lightly.
"Shush, keep it down." Yun Xiao, with a swift motion, removed those 18 Sword Rings.
Compared to the terrifying 300,000 layers of Sword Aura, these 18 Sword Rings weren't much use, unless Yun Xiao could get his hands on some stronger Demon Blood Crystals.
Lian Xi just stared blankly as he stowed away the Sword Rings, still quite dazed.
"We're off!" Yun Xiao pinched her cheek and gave it a shake.
"Oh, right." Lian Xi followed him, still looking bewildered.
"Once the test is over, I'm heading straight to challenge the Primordial Pagoda," Yun Xiao said as they walked.
"Okay," Lian Xi nodded.
"After that, you'll help me look for some sword techniques and daoist spells," Yun Xiao added.
"Okay."
Soon, they had crossed most of the Primordial Academy and arrived at a place known as the Enrollment Hall, the venue for the daoist exams.
Along the way, more people stood at a distance, watching Yun Xiao pass by. They didn't whisper or point, but their expressions were a tad serious as they silently watched him go by, not engaging in gossip or mockery. This showed the high caliber of most students at the Primordial Academy.
"Is he officially enrolling today?"
"Let's check it out."
Many students from the Primordial Academy quietly followed behind. Upon reaching the Enrollment Hall, Yun Xiao saw that ten examiners had already arrived, and atop a high seat, a bald middle-aged man was engrossed in a book.
It was Uncle River, Lian Xi's uncle master. He laid down his heavy book filled with the wisdom of the sages, glancing at Yun Xiao and Lian Xi. His thick eyebrows danced upwards as he quipped, "Heard you two made quite the spectacle last night."
Lian Xi, caught off guard, blinked. "You heard?"
"In a place as cozy as this, whispers fly faster than a demon on the prowl." Uncle River chuckled, the twinkle in his eye revealing a man who delighted in the ship's gossip—ship being his fond term for the sprawling expanse of the Primordial Ruins.
Yun Xiao couldn't help but smirk; the odd stares from the academy's cultivators now made perfect sense. His tangle with Huyan Luo had turned him into an overnight sensation, it seemed.
As the chatter died down, an expectant silence took its place, not for new recruits but for a different sort altogether. The academy disciples at the gate bowed their heads ever so slightly, parting to the sides to make a path, their eyes alight with respect.
Soon, a band of youths sauntered in, their aura alone speaking volumes of their unparalleled prowess. To Yun Xiao, this was the elite of the elite, a class apart from any he'd encountered since setting foot in the Primordial Ruins, save for Lian Xi. Each one a marvel of the cultivator's world, born of lineages so grand, they were the envy of the heavens themselves.
Yet, there was something distinct about them compared to the highborn brats Yun Xiao had bumped into before. These youths carried themselves with ease, their faces serene, their manners impeccable, devoid of any trace of arrogance. They exuded a vibe of positivity and grand ambition that was almost infectious.
"They're from the Pathseeker Society,'" Lian Xi whispered.
"What do they do?" Yun Xiao asked.
"It's a club of sorts run by the students. Their main goal is to secure the rights of disciples by keeping an eye on the teachers. They're also responsible for organizing events like demon hunting. But…"
"But what?"
"It's a mixed bag. Everyone belongs to different factions and backgrounds. Despite the noble intent, it's a big mess with everyone pushing their own agenda," Lian Xi concluded, her lips pursed into a slight frown.
"And you're not part of this merry band?" Yun Xiao asked, his grin widening, already knowing the answer.
Lian Xi shrugged, her eyes lingering on the new arrivals. "Those deep into the Pathseekers are from the lineages of the Three True Immortals, aiming to wield the reins of power in the future."
Yun Xiao summed it up, "So, the Pathseeker Society is like a mini Sky Source Ruins or Human Zenith Ruins."
"Exactly."
Having wandered the human realms and being of imperial descent, Yun Xiao had a keen sense for the machinations of power.
Among the Pathseekers, a refined young man in a white-gold robe stepped forward with a group, bowing with a smile, "Tian Zhixiu, at your service, Uncle River, and esteemed teachers."
Uncle River kept mum, but the other teachers stood to greet, "Primordial Son, as you were."
The title Primordial Son was clearly a mark of respect for the prodigies of the Three True Immortal lineages.
"Mystic Golden Dao Embryo!" Blue Star peeked out from Yun Xiao's embrace, his blue eyes fixed on the elegant youth named Tian Zhixiu.
"A top-tier human talent Seed of Creation?" Yun Xiao murmured.
"The best we've seen, better than Yuan Wu," Blue Star cackled.
Yun Xiao turned to Lian Xi, "And he is?"
"The president of the Pathseekers, Tian Zhixiu, a notable figure of the academy and a direct descendant of the Sky Source Ruins," Lian Xi explained.
"And his character?" Yun Xiao probed further.
"Exemplary. Humble, polite, graceful, and learned… the dream of many a young maiden in the ruins," Lian Xi shared.
At the mention of dream lovers, their eyes met.
Lian Xi bit her lip, her cheeks flushing.
Suddenly, Yun Xiao caught a cold gaze from the ranks of the Pathseekers, one from Song Bomei, and another from a fierce young woman in black armor, her slender waist and legs visible.
"Who's that?" Yun Xiao inquired.
"Huyan Pin."
Hearing the surname, Yun Xiao got the picture.
More students gathered around, sensing the tension between Yun Xiao and Huyan Pin.
"Your sister Yingying is here too," Yun Xiao nudged Lian Xi as a girl in a pink dress entered, searching the crowd until Song Bomei greeted her with a smile, beckoning her to his side.
Liu Yingying couldn't muster the courage to defy him and meekly complied.
"Last night's hurried farewell left me wondering, is Miss Liu faring well?" Song Bomei with a gentle voice.
"I'm fine," Liu Yingying replied, a touch of nervousness in her voice.
"Let's enjoy the view together," Yun Xiao suggested, his gaze lingering on her.
"Alright."
In truth, Liu Yingying was wary of the figure beside Song Bomei, but feeling trapped, she had no choice but to say, "About yesterday, it all happened so suddenly, causing some discomfort. After leaving, I gave Yun Xiao an earful, hoping Master Song would..."
"Oh, look, the newcomers have arrived," Song Bomei cut her off, pointing outside.
"So many of them!" Liu Yingying awkwardly changed the subject, no longer daring to mention the previous night.
"Indeed, many are fresh from the lower worlds, nearing twenty, aren't they? In our world, that's almost graduation age," Song Bomei remarked wistfully.
Clearly, out of the 130-plus newcomers, those from the Primordial Ruins were generally younger.
"Altogether, there must be five or six at the Establishment Genesis Spirit Realm," Song Bomei added, sounding quite pleased.
"That strong?" Liu Yingying felt a bit embarrassed; these newcomers were even stronger than her.
Under her watchful eye, Song Ze led all the newcomers into the arena.
"Quite the crowd today..."
Song Ze was well aware of whom they were all there to see.
On a normal day, who would bother with the newcomers?
"Everyone's here?" Uncle River asked Song Ze.
"All here!" Song Ze confirmed. "This month has brought some promising talents."
"We'll see after the test," Uncle River waved off, seemingly uninterested in laying out the rules.
It appeared that the newcomers were mostly confident, a sign that Song Ze had drilled the rules into them numerous times.
Yun Xiao was the only one out of the loop.
"I forgot to tell you about the rules. Getting into the Primordial Academy is a serious affair. There are a hundred points up for grabs, and you need at least sixty to start cultivating in the halls," Lian Xi began, only to be cut off by Yun Xiao's dismissive wave.
"Don't bother with the details. I'll ace it without breaking a sweat," he declared with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. "If I can't breeze through something as simple as this, I might as well hang up my hat."
Lian Xi bit her lip, watching this man's overbearing confidence with a mix of admiration and concern.
"But it's not just about martial prowess," she tried to explain. "The academy tests your temperament, innate talent, ability to work with others, and so on..."
Yun Xiao wasn't listening anymore. He'd already merged with the crowd, eager to get this over with.
Ahead, he saw a platform with over a hundred desks, each piled high with stacks of paper.
"What's the test? Drawing inscriptions?"
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than Song Ze announced from the front, "There are three parts to the test. The first part: Test of the Dao Heart, worth thirty points."
"Test of the Dao Heart? What in the world is that?"
As Song Ze finished speaking, the newcomers approached the desks, and Yun Xiao nonchalantly picked one to sit at.
"Begin the test. You have half an hour," declared Song Ze.
"A written test?" Yun Xiao paused for a moment, then picked up the stack of papers in front of him.
Each sheet bore a question, thirty in total, covering a range of topics that would test far more than just his martial skills.
Yun Xiao glanced over the questions and was utterly baffled.
"Me, a free-spirited cultivator, sitting here taking a test?"
It was nauseating. He took a closer look at the questions, and his disgust deepened. Take the first question, for example!
It asked—during a mission to slay demons, you can only eliminate two out of the following four beings. Who would you choose and why?
The choices were as follows:
A: A kind-hearted demon that accidentally killed civilians.
B: A human cultivator who betrayed his teammates.
C: A teammate who gave up on himself and messed up the team's morale, leading to the mission's failure.
D: A civilian who actively provided information to the demons, causing heavy losses to your team.
At first glance, Yun Xiao didn't think much of it, but upon closer inspection, he felt dizzy.
"Only two options and I need to justify my choices?"
He was annoyed. But not for long.
"Forget it, this won't stump me."
After some thought, he mused, "The one who made this test is trying to test my decisiveness in killing. Those who answer honestly lack a direct approach and surely won't score high."
With that in mind, he was quite pleased with himself and, with a flourish, wrote on his answer sheet:
"Eliminate them all, no explanations needed!"
JustLivingJL's Thoughts
