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Chapter 142: The Peak Level
(Thank you to ‘Jiu Yu Mi Yu Don Yu Tian’ for the MVP donation)
Ye Lingshao stared at the man who had effortlessly blocked his Red Envelope Charm.
The newcomer was tall and slender—so thin, in fact, he seemed almost frail. But what drew the eye most was his eyes: dazzling, radiant, as if countless stars swirled within their depths, shimmering with celestial fire.
Beside him, Zhang Yu’s mind stirred with sudden realization: This… is Spirit Armor?
Spirit Armor—Zhang Yu remembered first seeing it on a Foundation Establishment-level cultivator from the Songyang City Xianyun Branch Headquarters. Back then, Zhao Tianxing had explained that implanting the armor required at least 100 units of Martial Energy. And among the high school students Zhang Yu had encountered so far, none had worn such armor.
Just then, Ye Lingshao asked, “Yun Jing, why did my Red Envelope Charm fail against you?”
The lean man before them, whose eyes glowed like stars, was Yun Jing.
A second-year top student at Xianyun High School—the strongest high school in Xian Du City—and a prodigy living in the Kunxu First Layer, Yun Jing had already conquered every opponent within his school, and even the entire high school circuit of Xian Du City.
The strongest high schooler in the Kunxu First Layer.
That was his self-perception?
No. That was the objective assessment issued by Ziyun Pharmaceutical’s Kunxu First Layer headquarters after testing him.
Hearing Ye Lingshao’s question, Yun Jing gave a faint smile.
“Because I’ve already been marked with an Anti-Fraud Charm.”
“My Red Envelope Charm hitting me is like a moth flying into flames—completely useless.”
He spread his arms wide, laughing aloud. “So now, I’m immune to such charms.”
At that moment, the onlookers felt as if a river of divine power surged forth from his presence—deflecting every trap, every distraction, every attempt at fraud.
Ye Lingshao nodded slightly. “Still, the Red Envelope Charm has too many limitations. Only Affinity Charm is truly impenetrable.”
Yun Jing shook his head. “Affinity Charm is impenetrable to the gods—but useless against humans.”
Ye Lingshao said nothing, but inside, he thought: Affinity Charm does work on humans. I’ve seen it used before.
And after witnessing that moment, he sensed a deeper secret lurking beneath the surface—an enigma that stirred both curiosity and a creeping sense of awe. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to uncover the truth behind these ancient charms.
But Ye Lingshao wasn’t about to hand such valuable knowledge to Yun Jing and the others for free.
Right now, most of the crowd—Ye Lingshao, Yun Jing, and the other elite high schoolers from Xian Du City—stood close together, making up nearly 90% of the participants. In contrast, those like Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Yu Xinghan, who came from other cities, stood scattered at a distance, vastly outnumbered.
Zhang Yu sighed. “Xian Du really does have it all. I wonder if they’ve monopolized the Foundation Establishment exam every year?”
Yu Xinghan nodded. “I heard the top schools here can hire executives from major companies to give lectures. Their Dao Arts teachers are actual deities. Every student even gets a personal Huangjin Warrior as a sparring partner…”
Zhang Yu’s eyes widened. The gap in cultivation resources is insane.
Bai Zhenzhen, listening nearby, felt a wave of envy. The Xian Du kids really are on another level compared to us from Songyang.
Just then, the metal gate before them trembled violently. A Light Screen beside it flickered to life, displaying the next round’s rules.
In short, the gate required three conditions to open: physical strength, Martial Energy, and martial skill.
The physical strength had to be enough to push the gate open.
Then, within three seconds, the participants had to strike the gate’s nine different spots with nine distinct palm techniques—each in a specific order.
Only after successfully completing all three steps could the gate be pushed open, allowing entry into the Dao Heart Test.
In other words, opening the gate and passing the Dao Heart Test meant official registration—and eligibility to take the Foundation Establishment exam.
Zhang Yu thought to himself: These nine palm techniques—along with their sequence—act like a code. Only the correct combination unlocks the door.
And according to the wall signs, the code changes every time someone opens it.
As Zhang Yu studied the nine palm techniques, the text on the wall shifted again—changing both the order and the techniques themselves.
At the same time, a timer appeared above the gate: 0.64 seconds.
Then—creak!—the gate exploded open as Yun Jing thrust it wide with a single, effortless motion, revealing a darkness so deep it seemed bottomless.
Without a second glance, Yun Jing stepped forward. The gate slammed shut behind him, and he vanished into the abyss.
Moments later, Ye Lingshao moved like lightning—so fast that Zhang Yu barely registered the motion. Nine thunderous cracks rang out in rapid succession, almost like one continuous impact.
The timer above the gate read: 0.65 seconds.
In an instant, Ye Lingshao stood before the gate, calmly pushing it open.
Zhang Yu was stunned. Less than a second… and he completed all nine palm strikes? And that wasn’t even his full power.
Watching Yun Jing and Ye Lingshao both open the gate so effortlessly, Zhang Yu felt an unprecedented pressure.
They’re both second-years… almost about to enter their final year.
Just one more year of cultivation… and they’ve already surpassed me so far?
Is this truly the peak level of a Kunxu First Layer high school prodigy?
Zhang Yu knew one thing clearly: at this moment, he was far behind these two.
To earn the Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate, he would have to catch up—catch up to their level.
Beside him, Bai Zhenzhen took a deep breath, her Spirit Root stirring violently within her.
So strong… she thought. Can I really pass this year?
She’d been pushing herself nonstop, constantly reminding herself to keep going.
But now, standing in Xian Du—seeing the floating city, the exorbitant prices at the train station, the sheer power of these Xian Du elites—each revelation felt like a hammer strike, slowly bending her spine, making her feel the crushing weight of the gap between her and them.
A whisper of doubt crept in: Maybe I can just try again next year…
But before she could dwell on it, she silenced the thought. No. I have to give it my all.
Yu Xinghan, meanwhile, felt pressure—but not as overwhelming as Zhang Yu or Bai Zhenzhen.
This is just a chance to experience the exam atmosphere, and maybe clear some expenses. My real shot is next year.
Over the next few minutes, more candidates stepped forward, one by one, pushing open the gate.
Zhang Yu stayed put, observing the others carefully.
Most of them are second-years. The first two finished in under a second. The rest mostly made it in under two seconds.
Those who took longer than two seconds? Probably first-years. Most managed 2 to 4 seconds.
Anyone over three seconds? They’re instantly dropped—swallowed by a sudden hole beneath their feet. Eliminated.
After a pause, Zhang Yu stepped forward.
He studied the nine palm techniques displayed on the wall, then began striking the gate—each palm technique precise, controlled.
With his exceptional Martial Energy and body control, he moved like a storm, circling the gate in a blur. In 2.3 seconds, he delivered all nine strikes to their correct positions.
He paused, then thrust both hands forward—pushing the gate open with a single, powerful motion.
He stepped into the darkness.
…
A cacophony of growls and roars echoed from the depths—hundreds, perhaps thousands of monsters surged forward: zombies, fox spirits, ghosts—ravenous, relentless, determined to tear him apart.
But when Zhang Yu summoned his courage and fought back, he found the creatures laughably weak. He cut through them three times, carving a path through the chaos. At the end of the tunnel, he pushed open a final door—and found himself back in the restroom stall of the train station.
So the final Dao Heart Test was… courage?
Zhang Yu pulled out his phone, logged into the registration website, and confirmed: Passed. Registered. Officially in.
He exhaled, finally at ease.
But as he shook his head, a nagging feeling lingered—something he’d forgotten, something important.
He tried to focus, but the thought slipped away.
Just as he stepped out of the restroom, a hand struck him hard across the back of the head.
He collapsed unconscious.
…
Meanwhile, in the registration office.
Deng Bingding, a middle-aged woman seated behind her desk, watched silently. On the four Light Screens beside her, four other figures appeared.
She was a Fourth-Class Divine Spirit, one of the higher-tier gods—far above the Ninth-Class Gongcao Minor Spirits. But she never felt pride in her rank.
Everyone thought being a god was glorious, that divine power was supreme. But Deng Bingding had been to the Heavenly Court. She knew how high the steps were. She knew how distant she was from the great deities. She knew how insignificant her power was in the Kunxu realm. And she knew—deep down—that to the immortal beings, she was nothing more than a useful tool.
Right now, she was forced to pause her own work, diverting massive amounts of divine energy to assist in the temporary, unscheduled duties of the Foundation Establishment Exam—maintaining order, protecting student data.
She glanced at the four Light Screens—the four minor spirits assigned to help her.
“Due to the Supreme Immortal’s decree and the God Lord’s approval,” Deng Bingding said, “this year’s exam reform is critical. I’ll need your full attention.”
“Oh, of course, Elder Deng—whatever you say,” came the chorus of polite replies.
As the small talk ended, four Affinity Charms appeared in her inbox.
It was normal—lower-tier spirits offering Affinity Charms to curry favor with their superiors. But this practice had quietly spread across the Kunxu divine realm.
Deng Bingding scoffed. She despised the ritual.
She glanced at the amounts: All others sent over 10,000. But you… only 5,000?
Her brow furrowed.
Huang Zichou.
You took a perfectly good Affinity Charm… and twisted it into a resentment charm. Truly talented. No wonder you’re still Ninth-Class.
She sighed inwardly. This is why it’s hard to work together. No real cooperation—just petty games, poisoned relationships before the work even begins. How can we serve the great gods properly like this?
She missed the old days—when you could just say the number aloud and transfer funds, no questions asked.
With a flick of her fingers, she summoned a series of Light Screens—each showing a student’s trial after passing through the gate.
She spoke calmly.
“Four of you know how it is—eight departments, countless mouths, endless demands. This year’s added test isn’t just about filtering out the weak. It’s about saving costs—screening out first-years using Martial Energy, physical strength, and martial skill.”
She paused.
“But the real purpose? To use the Dao Heart Test to identify the truly capable. To weed out those who climb up only to crumble under pressure—fake prodigies, hollow shells.”
(End of Chapter)
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