Chapter 126 – Profound Strength Assessment
The one examining the group that Yun Che belonged to was an elderly man with a dignified complexion. He stood in front of the Profound Assessment Stone, swept through the crowd with a glance, and spoke with a solemn tone: “The first stage of the examination is the assessment of Profound Strength. I’ll repeat it again, the minimum threshold to enter the Palace is: Nascent Profound Realm level one at the age of fifteen, Nascent Profound Realm level three at the age of sixteen, Nascent Profound Realm level five at the age of seventeen, and Nascent Profound Realm level six at the age of eighteen. For those who are younger than fifteen or over eighteen, as well as those whose profound strength are lower than the minimum standard, please leave out of your own free will; do not wishfully think that the Profound Assessment Stone will make any mistakes!”
Every single year, Blue Wind Profound Palace would repeat these words many times but quite a handful of people would still fail in the first round; because there were far too many young profound practitioners that were unresigned and unwilling, had a fluke mentality, didn’t want to come for nothing, or hoped that the Profound Assessment Stone would malfunction. Consequently, even though the extremely clear and strict standard was out there, more than half would still be brushed away by the first round.
But after the elderly man finished speaking, not a single person that was present had exited. He swung his hand, walked to the side of the Profound Assessment Stone and said: “Now, the first round of assessment shall start. If I call your name, come up and and press your hand onto the Profound Assessment Stone.” As he spoke, the elderly man lifted up the list of names that was in his hand, and shouted: “Number One: Han Chi!”
“It’s starting… Brother-in-law, you’re in the sixteen year old age group right now, and your current profound power is an entire seven ranks above the standard! When it’s your turn, everyone would surely be greatly shocked.” Xia Yuanba, who was following behind Yun Che, said that with excitement written all over his face. Since Qin Wuyou had settled him in the Profound Palace’s Outer Palace, the excitement inside his heart had never subsided, and he still felt that he was dreaming even now.
The one whose name that had been called was a youth that appeared to be sixteen or seventeen. He stood in front of the Profound Assessment Stone, and carefully pressed his hand onto the surface. A nervous expression emerged on his face.
Very quickly, the Profound Assessment Stone flashed for a while, and three lines of distinct words appeared on the surface.
First line: Age, seventeen.
Second line: Profound Strength, Nascent Profound Realm level four.
Third line: Unqualified.
Not only could this Profound Assessment Stone measure one’s Profound Strength, it could also assess the age! What made Yun Che lament emotionally, was that a seventeen year old fourth ranker of the Nascent Profound Realm would definitely be outstanding within New Moon Profound Palace’s disciples. However, at this Blue Wind Profound Palace, it couldn’t even reach the lowest standard. The Imperial City was, after all, the Imperial City.
“Unqualified, step down.” The elderly man spoke with a cold and stiff expression as he looked at the Profound Assessment Stone’s result.
The expression of the youth named Han Chi suddenly became panic-stricken; he made a deep bow to the elderly man, and said in an almost begging manner: “Senior, this junior is only one level under, and only millimeters of distance away from breaking through; perhaps I will break through by tomorrow. I hope Senior can accommodate slightly, and please let this junior pass. This junior will definitely be deeply grateful, and on another day will surely….”
“No!” The elderly man ferociously swung his hand. He had seen this type of situation too many times, and there wasn’t even the slightest hint of change in his complexion: “Where do you think the Blue Wind Profound Palace is? What accommodation is there! Step down right now.”
“Senior, I’m begging you.” Han Chi was already vexed to the point of almost tearing up, and bitterly pleaded: “Senior, this junior wishes to enter the Blue Wind Profound Palace even in his dreams. Furthermore, by coming here this time, I am even carrying the expectations of everyone in my family. I’m begging you, as long as you let me pass, I’ll do anything you say.”
“Without reaching the standard, even if you kneel until you die on the ground, there still won’t be anyone that would accommodate you! Leave; you are only seventeen this year, and there’s still one last chance next year, so grasp your last chance well. If you keep on pestering me, I’ll deprive you of your last qualifying chance in entering the Blue Wind Profound Palace.”
The elderly person’s last sentence instantly turned Han Chi’s face pale. He didn’t dare to say another word, and left with a sullen look.
Something like this had already enacted with just the first examinee; all of the Palace’s instructors was accustomed and didn’t feel that it was odd, but quite a lot of young profound practitioners that were waiting to be examined started to sweat from their foreheads.
“Next, Liu Changqing.”
“Age sixteen, Nascent Profound Realm level two, unqualified! Next…”
“Age eighteen, Nascent Profound Realm level five, unqualified! Next…”
“Age fifteen, Nascent Profound Realm level two… Qualified! Mn, at such a young age, very good. You’ve passed the first stage of the examination. Next.”
On average, only one out of three or four were able to pass during the examination. The passing rate was low enough to make Yun Che click his tongue. With the first failure as an example, all of the young profound practitioners that failed the examination left with their heads drooped, and no one dared to beg. The young profound practitioners who passed were naturally overjoyed; some were so emotional that they covered their faces and started wailing.
These young profound practitioners came from various places throughout the entire nation, it was unknown exactly how many came here with their greatest dreams, or how many came here carrying their entire family’s hopes. With the identity as a Blue Moon Profound Palace disciple, they would be an extremely dazzling presence no matter where they went.
“Age seventeen, Nascent Profound Realm level nine, qualified!”
Seeing the numbers that appeared on the Profound Assessment Stone, a burst of exclamation sounded from the crowd. Lines after lines of gazes containing admiration and envy locked onto the youth who stood in front of the Profound Assessment Stone. Even the elderly man who was responsible for the examination nodded as a hint of smile emerged on his face: “Very good, before you graduate from the palace, there’s a very high chance for you to enter the Middle Palace. Work hard.”
Hearing the two words “Middle Palace” almost all of the young profound practitioners’ faces revealed an expression of incomparable longing and yearning. If one was able to enter the Middle Palace, one would possess an extremely high position even in this Blue Wind Imperial City, let alone other places; it was something enough to bring honor to one’s family.
That young man removed his hand from the Profound Assessment Stone as a faint smile of pride and confidence hung on his face. He pridefully looked at the young profound practitioners who had already passed the examination as well as the ones waiting to be examined, and said: “This lowly one here is Ao Yan, I’d like to receive lots of advice from everyone that’ll be under the same wing from now on. However, in regards to the number one seat in this group, this lowly one is getting it for sure.”
This Ao Yan’s demeanor was extremely prideful. However, as a ninth ranker of the Nascent Profound Realm that was only seventeen years old, he had every right to be proud. Some discussion about him had also started below; everyone was then finally aware that this Ao Yan came from the Enormous Desert City in the west. The family he belonged to was fully worthy of the number one title in the Enormous Desert City, and were stronger than any one of the local sects.
“Next, Yun Che,” The elderly man’s voice sounded once again.
“Brother-in-law, it’s your turn!” Hearing Yun Che’s name, Xia Yuanba immediately became excited.
Yun Che stood in front of the Profound Assessment Stone, extended out his right palm and pressed onto the Profound Assessment Stone while slightly rousing his profound energy.
The Profound Assessment Stone instantly revealed a light.
“Age sixteen, Nascent Profound Realm level ten, qualified.”
As the elderly man shouted out this result, a large burst of exclaim instantly sounded from the surroundings. Lines of gazes that contained amazement many times more intense than earlier focused onto Yun Che’s body. Ao Yan’s result from earlier was already enough to make everyone exclaim and envious, yet the youth that came right after, possessed a profound strength that was actually one rank higher than Ao Yan. And their difference was even more than that; his age was actually even younger than Ao Yan by one year. If Yun Che had also reached seventeen years of age, his advantage over this Ao Yan would certainly not be just one simple level.
The expression on Ao Yan’s face, who was extremely pleased with himself while standing on the side, immediately froze. His two eyes stared firmly at the Profound Assessment Stone’s result, and he simply did not dare to believe his own eyes. Immediately, his face started to gradually turn hot… Just a moment ago, he had arrogantly declared that the number one seat of this group would definitely be his; but right after, someone who was even younger than him, immediately overtook him. The words he spoke earlier, was as if he had slapped his own face.
“Haha, to only be half a step away from the True Profound Realm at the mere age of sixteen, very good!” The elderly man slowly nodded as he revealed a heartfelt smile of approval on his face: “You are the most outstanding of all the examinees I’ve received today. If you can retain your aptitude, perhaps with only two years of time, you would be able to enter the Middle Palace. Work hard.”
Yun Che nodded, and walked into the group who passed with an extremely calm demeanor. Yet innumerable gazes still continued to follow him, and whispers continuously resounded from the surroundings.
“Who is this person? He is certainly also a son of some great family, right?”
“Do you even need to ask! People from large sects would never enter the Profound Palace, and other than those large sects, the only ones who could bring up this kind of super genius would be those great families with extremely abundant heritage and resources…. This instructor said that it is possible for him to enter the Middle Palace in just two years. That is honestly enviable to the point of wanting to die.”
“This big brother here, you are really too amazing. You are only sixteen, yet you had already almost reached the True Profound Realm! I… I wonder what big brother’s name is?”
Right after Yun Che stood in the group, the fifteen year-old youth who was the first one that passed the examination had already approached and looked at him with a face brimming with admiration. When the elderly man had shouted out Yun Che’s name earlier, he did not hear it clearly.
Yun Che remembered that this fifteen year old youth was named Yun Xiaofan, who had the same surname as him, Yun. His gaze was also very pure and he looked to be very simple. He smiled and said: “My name is Yun Che. As I remember, your name is Yun Xiaofan, right?”
“Right right!” Seeing that Yun Che had actually remembered his name, Yun Xiaofan’s face was full of excitement as he spoke with a tone of pleasant surprise: “Ah? Your last name is also Yun? How coincidental!”
“It is fate.” Yun Che said while smiling, and had a very good impression toward this Yun Xiaofan.
“Hehe,” He had originally thought that someone with such a frightening result would be an arrogant and aloof person. He didn’t expect him to be so amiable. The inside of Yun Xiaofan’s heart was also very warm; his nervousness lessened quite a bit, and the reverence in his gaze had instead increased by a little bit more: “Big brother Yun, where are you from? Since you are so incredible, you are surely the son of some extremely great family, right?”
Yun Che shook his head while smiling: “I am not some son of a great family, and is just an ordinary person. Oh right, I come from Floating Cloud City?”
“Eh, Floating Cloud City?” Yun Xiaofan froze and then thought hard for a while, to then reveal an embarrassed expression: “I am still young and have very little experience. It seems that I haven’t even heard of this city’s name before.”
“Hmph! It’s merely a small city in the north that’s not even much larger than a town. There aren’t even a few who are aware of that kind of place where even birds would not poop on; and people who doesn’t know of it, are more so innumerable.”
A cynical voice came from their side. Ao Yan looked at Yun Che with a sidelong glance. After hearing Yun Che say that he wasn’t some great family’s son but an ordinary person, and even came from Blue Wind Empire’s so-called smallest city, disdain immediately budded in his heart. He said while coldly snorting: “Yun Che, don’t think that you are great just because your profound strength rank is higher than mine. Profound Strength does not represent combat strength; only profound practitioners with strong profound arts and profound skills are worthy to be called true profound practitioners. But unfortunately, that is impossible for a profound practitioner like you who comes from a small place to understand. Although your profound strength is one rank higher than mine, but let alone one rank; even if it’s three ranks higher, it would still be impossible for you to be my match.”