Upon the white expanse, two figures intertwined like streams of light, only to separate in an instant.
A thirty-second countdown flowed quietly through an electronic voice, and a flash of realization crossed Arthur's eyes.
This was only the first trial of the assessment; the "Bei Bei" determined by the System used the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track very crudely.
Because of this, Arthur was instead better able to control the rhythm and savor it carefully.
In the several exchanges just now, the opponent's footwork seemed erratic, but in reality, every step followed a specific rhythm, both evading attacks and concealing the strength for a counterattack.
"Thirty seconds reached. First trial passed."
The two intertwined figures came to an abrupt halt.
"Second trial beginning. Defeat your opponent, or hold out for another thirty seconds."
Bei Bei charged again.
Shaking his head, Arthur felt there was no longer any need to drag this out.
The Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track was not suitable for him; it could be used as a reference, but further study was unnecessary.
He raised his hand for an unremarkable punch, colliding with the opponent's Dragon Claw.
In an instant, the charging Bei Bei flew back at an even faster speed and vanished.
The electronic voice seemed to stutter for a moment before continuing: "Second trial passed."
"Advanced Assessment, First Trial, prepare."
With a flash of light, Bei Bei appeared again, though this time he was clearly several years older. His build was more mature, and his aura was several times stronger.
But facing Arthur, the outcome did not change.
With the same simple punch, Bei Bei dissipated upon impact, completely powerless to fight back.
"First trial passed... Second trial..."
In the following stages, no matter how the difficulty increased, none could withstand a single move from Arthur.
Excluding the condition of Battle Armor, Arthur's strength had already reached the Spirit Emperor level; at this stage, he was a total stat monster... Once the assessment ended, everyone gathered together to discuss.
Tang Wulin's Face was covered in bruises; he hurriedly asked his good buddy Xie Xie, "How many trials did you pass?"
Xie Xie was equally disheveled, responding with an extremely ugly expression: "Just one! The opponent's speed and explosive power were both stronger than mine, and his close-combat style completely countered me. I got beaten miserably. How about you?"
Tang Wulin smiled bitterly. "Count it as two, I guess. I only got through the second one by enduring it; I'm pretty good at taking a beating."
Xie Xie went silent instantly, staring at Tang Wulin with an unfriendly gaze.
Wait, brother, you passed two trials, so what are you barking about?!
After an exam, you'd think your good friend would be in the same boat as you, but it turns out he did better than you and is still complaining in front of you—who could stand that?
Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi were also huddling together for warmth, asking each other about their results.
Gu Yue and Naer exchanged a look, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes. They had both fallen at the final trial, facing a black-haired youth whose pupils flickered with a strange light. Gu Yue looked at Arthur as if asking a question.
"I also fell at the final trial. Don't worry, no one can actually pass this stage," Arthur explained to them, noticing the shock Gu Yue and Naer felt.
At the same time, he felt somewhat helpless in his heart.
The Tang Sect really has no shame left.
When he recognized the opponent in the final trial as Huo Yuhao, Arthur had wanted to try the pleasure of bullying the Child of Luck. In the early stages, Huo Yuhao's actual combat ability was truly average.
But the result was that Huo Yuhao instakilled him with a single Mental Shock.
No, wait, you can instakill me?
It was obvious that the Tang Sect never intended for anyone to pass the final trial.
Arthur admitted that 'Huo the Cheat' was indeed very strong, and his Spiritual Power was in a league of its own, but he fundamentally didn't know how to use it yet. Let alone instakilling him.
It would only make sense if Electrolux had logged onto the account.
In the early stages, Huo Yuhao's true strength could only be called 'decent'; he mainly relied on the group of old grandfathers inside his body.
When he couldn't win, he'd use a Heaven Rank battle technique to let a ghost possess him.
The Tang Sect didn't know this at all; they just blindly stacked stats onto the simulated Huo Yuhao.
Encountering a 'cheat engine' user during a final exam—no matter how hard you try, you can't win.
Actually, thinking carefully, it's understandable why the Tang Sect set the final trial this way.
After all, the subjects of the assessment were all the Ancestors of the Tang Sect's restoration.
If someone passed every trial, it would prove that person had slaughtered their way through the Tang Sect's ancestors.
Doesn't the Tang Sect want to keep their Face?
Even if someone could pass, it would only be by crushing them with Soul Power Rank.
The Tang Sect would not allow someone to fight from a lower position and pass by jumping Ranks. This was a matter of Face.
Wu Zhangkong stood quietly to the side, waiting for them to finish their discussion.
Seeing that everyone had recovered, Wu Zhangkong beckoned them forward.
Just as they approached, a strong spatial fluctuation occurred, and everyone was instantly transported into an office.
Wu Zhangkong gestured for them to sit and spoke slowly: "In the assessment, you encountered opponents of the same Rank, and they were all Soul Masters who once truly existed. Because it's a simulation, this was only seventy percent of their strength. How do you feel you compare to them?"
They truly existed?
Tang Wulin and the others were shocked.
But Arthur was an honest child and bravely retorted: "Really? I don't believe it."
Did a simulated body have any connection to how much of its strength it exerted?
The data was filled in by the Tang Sect themselves; couldn't they just dial it up a bit?
And... "Seventy percent strength? If you said seven hundred percent, I might barely believe it."
Times are progressing; the current Tang Sect has no idea what the ancestors from ten thousand years ago were like. They can only use the geniuses of this era as a reference.
But can the geniuses of ten thousand years ago be the same as the geniuses of today?
So, putting aside the final 'Huo the Cheat,' the other simulated opponents were also much stronger than their true selves from ten thousand years ago.
If not for the fact that the God Realm no longer exists, who knows how many people in this era could have become gods.
"Cough, cough..." Looking at the protesting Arthur, this was a question Wu Zhangkong found hard to answer.
Because he didn't believe it either.
Back when he took the assessment, Wu Zhangkong had also been beaten to the point of doubting his life.
But that was what the Seniors said at the time, so Wu Zhangkong could only accept that explanation.
He hurriedly skipped the question. Wu Zhangkong continued: "There are two reasons I brought you here. First, for you, the Spirit Ascension Platform no longer serves as a place for tempering, other than increasing the years of your spirit rings."
"The Hall of Heroes is a higher-level practical training ground. Compared to Spirit Beasts which are extinct in reality, combat with Soul Masters is more useful to you. This place also has automatic protection, making it safer than the Spirit Ascension Platform."
"Second, passing the assessments here means you are qualified to join the organization behind it, which will be very helpful for your future."
The second point was mainly directed at Tang Wulin and the others by Wu Zhangkong.
Knowing that Arthur's uncle was the Dragon Sparrow Douluo, Wu Zhangkong was well aware that the boy was already considered a core member of the Spirit Conduction Tower and could not possibly join the Tang Sect.
"What organization is it?" Xie Xie, coming from a large Family, had reservations about joining any organization.
"The Tang Sect."
As soon as the words "Tang Sect" were spoken, Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Wang Jinxi, and Zhang Yangzi felt a shock in their hearts.
The Tang Sect was a legendary organization known to every household on the Douluo Continent. It spanned tens of thousands of years of the continent's history, and several major historical events were related to it.
Arthur and Na'er remained unmoved, watching quietly; they were already part of the Spirit Conduction Tower.
Gu Yue, however, fell into deep thought after learning that this was an assessment for joining the Tang Sect.
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