Stage Three: Spiritual Perception Test
The stone pillar sank back into the ground.
The field shifted again—
Rising in its place was a circular stone ring,
Etched with intricate spiritual glyphs.
At its center floated a bronze handle.
An examiner called out loudly—
"This array tests the strength of spiritual awareness.
There are nine rings.
The stronger your perception,
The more rings will light up!"
Candidates stepped forward one by one.
Most triggered only two or three rings.
One managed five—
Prompting murmurs of surprise.
Xiǎo Chén stepped up.
He placed two fingers on the bronze ring,
Calmed his breath,
Focused his mind.
Moments later,
Light spread from within the stone ring—
Six rings flared in succession.
The seventh flickered faintly,
But failed to stabilize.
"Six and a half rings…
Matches his strength test.
This one has the potential for dual cultivation of body and spirit."
One examiner whispered.
Xuán Chén ascended the platform.
He focused briefly,
Placed his left palm on the ring,
A subtle movement between his brows.
No light appeared.
No rings lit.
But beneath the array,
In its hidden layer,
A pattern of reverse glyphs began to rotate—
Only Du Jīn noticed.
His expression turned strange,
But he said nothing.
He simply handed the result plate to the inner officials.
The trial field remained calm.
Yet in Moonwatch Tower,
At the exact moment Xuán Chén's spirit entered the array,
A faint ripple of energy surged backward from the test site—
Brushing against Gǔ Líng's mind.
His brow twitched.
He slowly opened his eyes.
Staring at the mirror image of Xuán Chén's profile,
He murmured—
"This boy…
He's looking at me."
On the platform,
Xuán Chén tilted his head slightly.
Xiǎo Chén whispered,
"What's wrong?"
Xuán Chén replied calmly,
"Nothing.
Just… an audience."
Xiǎo Chén blinked.
He sensed nothing.
Only felt—
This test was growing more and more intriguing.
—
As the array's glow faded,
Examiner Du Jīn prepared to announce the trial's conclusion.
But just then,
A silver-gray transmission talisman
Drifted down from the sky—
Suspending itself above his palm.
His brow furrowed.
He sent his mind into the talisman.
Moments later, his face stiffened.
His fingers trembled slightly.
The transmission talisman dissolved into light.
He hesitated—
Then swallowed hard,
Forcing composure.
"The original three-stage trial has concluded.
However…
The Inner Court has issued a temporary directive—
A fourth trial will be added."
"It will be personally overseen by the Sword Hall's master—
Xuān Yuán Dié.
A live combat assessment.
Each candidate will face her in turn,
To test their adaptability in battle."
The crowd erupted.
"What?! Xuān Yuán Dié?!
Isn't she one of the legendary Seven Swords of the Central Plains?"
"She's actually testing us herself?!"
Rǎn Píng turned pale,
Collapsed onto the ground.
"This…
This isn't a test—
It's a death sentence…"
Xiǎo Chén narrowed his eyes,
Slowly gripping Dragon Soul.
He whispered—
"Perfect timing."
Xuán Chén spoke calmly.
"She's not here to kill.
She's here to observe."
The wind swept down the long steps.
The air turned cold.
—
The trial ground was restructured.
The stone platform widened by ten meters.
At its center stood an incense burner,
Blue smoke curling upward.
Du Jīn announced loudly—
"This is the live combat trial,
Personally overseen by Sword Hall Master Xuān Yuán Dié!"
"Master Xuān Yuán will use a Limit-Seal Wooden Sword,
And suppress her cultivation to match each candidate's level.
No lives will be taken.
Victory or defeat will not determine success."
"There are two ways to pass:
First—endure for the duration of one incense stick.
Second—receive a direct pass from Master Xuān Yuán herself."
"This trial focuses on adaptability,
Combat strategy,
And mental resilience—
Regardless of cultivation strength."
The crowd relaxed slightly—
But unease lingered.
Even with suppressed power,
How many could last a moment
Against a sword master renowned across the Central Plains?
—
The first candidate stepped up.
A four-mark cultivator from an outer sword sect.
Facing Xuān Yuán Dié's fierce sword aura,
He faltered within five moves.
By the seventh,
He was knocked off the platform.
The second candidate was a body cultivator with full inner energy.
He barely lasted eighteen moves.
Though not defeated,
Xuān Yuán Dié dismissed him coldly—
"Too reckless.
You fail."
The third relied on footwork,
Managing to circle her for a while.
But his breath faltered,
His rhythm broke—
And one sword tapped his shoulder.
The incense hadn't burned out,
Yet he was still denied.
The crowd grew silent.
This was no ordinary assessment—
It was a true elimination trial.
Du Jīn spoke flatly.
"Next."
A gray-robed youth stepped forward.
The crowd recognized him—
The "markless one" from earlier.
Several glanced over.
Some even chuckled.
But at that moment,
Xuān Yuán Dié raised her wooden sword.
Her aura shifted instantly.
Xuán Chén stepped forward,
Bowed politely.
"Please guide me."
Du Jīn called out—
"Begin."
Xuán Chén moved like wind.
His sleeve flicked—
Three talismans shot forth,
Carving sharp arcs toward Xuān Yuán Dié.
"Oh?"
Her brow lifted.
She didn't move her feet—
Simply twisted her wrist.
The wooden sword sliced through all three talismans.
She glanced at the burning scraps.
"Tricks?"
Before the words faded,
A fourth black talisman slid from Xuán Chén's sleeve—
Flying straight for her face.
A glint of coldness flashed in her eyes.
She prepared to strike downward—
But in that instant,
She caught the faintest smile
At the corner of Xuán Chén's lips.
Her gaze sharpened.
She changed tactics.
With a reverse sweep,
Her sword arced upward,
Sending a gust of wind
That forced the talisman into the sky.
"Trying to blind me?"
The black talisman exploded midair—
Unleashing a cloud of thick smoke,
Dark as coal dust,
Blanketing the entire platform.
Before the smoke settled,
Xuán Chén flipped his palm—
Silently tossing an explosive talisman
Toward Xuān Yuán Dié's feet.
"Break,"
He whispered.
Boom!
A deep explosion erupted from the ground.
The shockwave rippled outward.
Smoke billowed in all directions.
Gasps echoed from the viewing stands.
As the haze cleared,
Xuān Yuán Dié still stood in place—
Her robes untouched,
Her expression unchanged.
But her Limit-Seal Wooden Sword
Was broken.
Only two-thirds remained.
The rest had turned to ash.
Xuán Chén stepped back three paces,
Bowed silently.
Xuān Yuán Dié stared at the shattered blade,
Silent for a moment.
Then spoke softly—
"Pass."
Xuán Chén bowed again,
And left the stage.
Finally, Xuān Yuán Dié lowered her sword,
Her voice calm.
"That will do."
The crowd fell silent—
Then erupted in hushed awe.
"That markless one…
He broke her sword?"
"Who is he?
Did anyone catch his name?"
An Inner Court disciple murmured—
"That level of control…
Doesn't feel like a newcomer."
Amid the murmurs,
Xiǎo Chén clapped first,
His laughter bright.
"Brilliant!
Brother, that was a beautiful move!"
His eyes were clear,
His tone held no envy—
Only pride and anticipation.
Rǎn Píng stared wide-eyed.
"I didn't understand a single move…
But damn, that was cool!"
Before the crowd could fully process,
Du Jīn's voice rang out again.
"Next."
—
Xiǎo Chén stepped onto the platform.
He leapt up,
Dragon Soul in hand.
Its tip touched the ground,
Its shaft aligned with his brow.
Across from him,
Xuān Yuán Dié had replaced her sword—
Still a sealed wooden blade.
She raised it gently,
Pointing at Xiǎo Chén.
Her gaze was sharp,
Her aura like frost.
Their energies intertwined—
Like sky and stars gazing at each other,
Light and shadow drawn together.
Du Jīn opened his mouth to speak—
But fell silent.
The pressure between them—
The faint yet rising battle intent—
Shook his spirit,
And made him forget his role.
The entire arena
Held its breath.
—
A single petal drifted from the sky,
Falling gently between the two.
—The petal touched the ground.
Instantly, both moved.
Xuān Yuán Dié flashed forward like lightning,
Her sword thrusting straight ahead.
Xiǎo Chén raised his spear,
Tilting and guiding—
Redirecting the force,
Then swept horizontally with a reverse grip.
Xuān Yuán Dié blocked the strike,
Twisting her wrist,
Pressing down on the spear shaft.
Xiǎo Chén held his ground,
Spun with the momentum,
And stabbed forward—
It was a move from the Star-Dominating Spear Technique:
"Ask Back to the Stars."
Sword petals bloomed.
Spear shadows scattered like stars.
Xuān Yuán Dié leapt into the air,
Drawing three sword flowers in succession.
Xiǎo Chén responded,
Spinning his spear—
Matching with three spear blossoms.
Their techniques collided—
Cold light clashing,
Sharp echoes ringing.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
After three resounding strikes,
Both retreated.
Xiǎo Chén's breath was uneven.
He thought to himself—
"Three blossoms…
That's my limit.
If she'd drawn one more—
I might've lost."
Xuān Yuán Dié's expression remained calm,
But a faint glimmer of admiration flickered in her eyes.
"His sword holds spear,
His spear hides stars…
Who taught him?
This boy…
Is no mere sect disciple.
His refinement is lacking—
But…"
She narrowed her gaze.
"He's far from done."
Before she could think further,
Xiǎo Chén had already leapt again,
Gripping the tail of his spear with both hands.
He unleashed a move:
"Spear Breaks the Star River."
The strike swept downward—
Its force like a dragon tearing through the heavens,
Targeting her sword directly.
Xuān Yuán Dié's eyes flashed.
She raised her blade,
Curved her arm,
Redirected the force with precision,
And sidestepped the blow.
Boom!
Dragon Soul slammed into the stone platform.
Dust erupted.
A crater formed.
Xuān Yuán Dié stood at its edge,
Staring at the pit and the lingering tremors.
Her brow furrowed.
"That power…
His spiritual energy is rising like a hidden star piercing clouds.
Is he… breaking through mid-battle?"
A spark of battle intent lit her eyes.
She called out—
"Take one more from me!"
Xuān Yuán Dié
soared into the air.
Her sword stance shifted—
A fierce, downward strike.
Xiǎo Chén's pupils contracted.
He sensed a familiar rhythm—
This move echoed the essence of his own Celestial Scar Sword Technique.
His thoughts raced.
He raised his spear horizontally,
Bracing with both hands.
—Clang!!!
A deafening crash.
Xiǎo Chén staggered back three steps,
Blood spilling three feet.
His palms split open.
Dragon Soul flew from his grip,
Clattering to the ground.
Xuān Yuán Dié's wooden sword—
Shattered.
Fragments scattered midair like dust.
The air froze.
Rǎn Píng's knees buckled.
He muttered—
"What kind of monster is that…
Why did I ever think I could compete with him…"
Xuān Yuán Dié stared at the broken sword.
Silent for a moment.
Then spoke softly—
"Pass."
As Du Jīn stepped up to announce,
The crowd erupted—
Shocked by Xiǎo Chén's strength,
Moved by the shattered blade.
Xiǎo Chén took a slow breath,
Staring at his nearly numb hands.
He whispered inwardly—
"So I…
Can shake this world too."
Xuán Chén never moved.
He simply lifted his gaze,
Watching the boy's labored breathing.
A spectator whispered—
"That's his companion?
He didn't cheer…
Does he think he lost?"
Xuán Chén didn't clap.
Didn't speak.
His fingers tapped his knee—
Thoughtful.
"That strike…
Wasn't his full power.
But it was enough to make a mark here."
In his eyes,
Dark stars swirled—
Calculating,
Or perhaps foretelling a future tremor.
A faint curve touched his lips,
Then vanished without trace.
The tension on the field faded.
But some gazes—
Still burned quietly.
—
Atop Moonwatch Tower,
A figure who had stood silently for some time
Finally opened his eyes.
Gǔ Líng,
Current Headmaster of Ao Tian Academy,
Stood at the highest point—
Watching the entire trial unfold.
His gaze passed through the crowd,
Falling upon two figures in the arena.
One was Xuán Chén.
The other—Xiǎo Chén.
"One bears no imprint,
Yet uses technique to bind the sword,
Break it without malice.
The other, newly marked,
Already shows signs of swallowing momentum and shaping stars…"
He paused in thought.
Then tapped a transmission talisman with his fingertip.
A flash of light—
And it descended toward the Inner Court steward.
"Record those two
In the Special Registry.
Prioritize core academy resources for them."
He knew—
This step was not just the start of a breakthrough,
But the prelude to a storm among the Five Sects.
The steward caught the talisman,
His heart jolted.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
That command—
Was nothing less than the academy's highest recognition
For incoming disciples.
—
Elsewhere,
Xuān Yuán Dié quietly stared at the fragments of her broken sword.
The battle intent in her eyes had not faded.
Her lips curved slightly.
She murmured—
"If that boy had one more year…
Even I might have to draw my real blade."
With that,
She turned from the platform,
Her robe flowing behind her.
This trial was complete.
But it had not merely been a test—
It was a selection.
And those who had been chosen
Were no longer "newcomers."