In a separate room in the large tower, dozens of Elders were gathered around a large formation. The formation projected the images of what was happening in each room, showing the Elders how each fighter was doing.
Most of the eyes were glued to one particular screen, including those of Elder Ragur. The group had just watched John easily defeat the early Qi Condensation lions, before defeating the mid Qi Condensation Lion in impressive fashion as well.
"This boy you found is truly not bad Elder Ragur. He was able to defeat that mid Qi Condensation Lion fairly easily, which is the limit for most of those who pass this test," one Elder commented.
"True, he shows quite some promise. His battle instincts are incredibly sharp, and he's able to grasp every opportunity without hesitation. Not only that, but his body is quite amazing as well. Just a single punch was able to crack the ribs of the lion," another Elder commented.
Many of the surrounding Elder's nodded their heads in agreement with the words just spoken. John had truly shown impressive battle instincts, such as when he dropped his scythe to land a fist blow on the lion.
Most cultivators throught that letting go of their weapon was suicide in battle, but John was able to land a vicious blow by doing just that, showing that his instincts triumphed over common logic.
"He's also able to dictate the flow of battle incredibly well, and never lets go of the initiative. This is something we normally have to beat into our disciples before they can fully understand it. I can see why he caught your eye, Elder Ragur."
Elder Ragur stood there watching the screen of John's room with a beaming smile. So far, John had met his expectations, and he was looking forward to how John was about to deal with the next trial.
"Hmph, so what," a voice suddenly spoke up, causing all those nearby to look towards its source. A frown appeared on his face as Elder Ragur looked towards the source of the voice as well, but already knew who it was before he looked.
"Elder Harn, do you have something to say?" Elder Ragur asked, keeping his tone as civil as possible.
"Sure his battle instincts are impressive, and his body is powerful, but he's shown nothing impressive other than that. He's shown no impressive battle arts yet, and his overall combat prowess caps out at this stage if you ask me. If that's all he has to go on, then I'm afraid he will fall during this next battle against the three mid Qi Condensation beasts," Elder Harn stated out loud in a confident tone.
The nearby Elder's remained silent on the matter, as they knew the antagonistic relationship Elder Ragur and Elder Harn had.
Elder Ragur frowned for a moment before a smile broke out on his face.
"Then, would you like to make a wager on John's performance?"
A smile appeared on Elder Harn's face as well, as if he had been expecting such a question. "Sure. Since you proposed the bet, you make the conditions."
Elder Ragur thought about it for a moment. The words of the Elder who had watched over John for three months echoed in his mind. "His battle prowess...is terrifying."
Although he had never seen John fight at full strength, he trusted the judgement of that Elder. Also, the attack John had sent out in the Enforcement Halls was incredibly powerful as well, and had not been used yet.
He smiled towards Elder Harn and spoke up. "I bet that John makes it to the next stage of this trial, and not only that, but lasts for at least five minutes. And I bet ten thousand spirit stones."
The Elders in the room all had looks of surprise appear on their faces. Clearly Elder Ragur had incredible confidence in John's battle prowess.
Elder Harn had a look of surprise appear on his face before he broke out in a hearty laughter.
"Five minutes? And ten thousand spirit stones? Are you serious? That would place him in the top five for talent out of the tens of thousands of juniors participating. Fine, I'll gladly take you up on that offer."
Elder Ragur smiled and paid Elder Harn gave him no more attention. His gaze returned to the formation, and watched the screen depicting John's battle.
…
Back in the room, John was in the midst of fighting the three Golden Mane Lions. Many small wounds were opened up on his body as he dashed in between the three lions, narrowly avoiding their attacks and lashing out with his own.
However, the damage to the lions was also superficial. Many of the watching Elder's noticed his struggle to inflict any damage, and figured this was the end of the road for him. Only Elder Ragur had a look of confidence on his face.
"I suppose fighting three mid Qi Condensation beasts with just the power of my body alone is a bit too much. I suppose it's time to kick it up a notch."
John suddenly stopped, causing many of the Elders to believe that he was about to give up. A smile appeared on Elder Harns face, and he was just about to speak up in a mocking tone, when…
Supreme Battle Art!
An incredibly powerful aura exploded off John's body, causing the nearby air to ripple under its power. John's robes violently fluttered about under the powerful aura, and all the Elder's watching had a stupefied look on their faces, Elder Ragur included.
"How..How does he know that technique? Is he a disciple of the Supreme Battle Sect?" one Elder asked in confusion? The Supreme Battle Art was the signature battle art of the Supreme Battle Sect, and only disciples could know it.
"He..He's a disciple of the Supreme Battle Sect. Do you want to explain what's going on here, Elder Ragur?" Elder Harn asked in a raised voice. Clearly this was outside of his expectations.
Elder Ragur remained silent for a moment, as he was just as surprised as the rest of them. However, he quickly maintained his composure.
"We've already done a thorough background check on John. He is from a small clan located at the coast, and is not a disciple of the Supreme Battle Sect. However, I am unsure of how he came to learn such a technique."
Heated discussions quickly broke out amongst the Elders, discussing this unforeseen event.
With the power of the Supreme Battle Art, John defeated the three mid Qi Condensation lions after several minutes of intense battle. His breathing was heavy, and there were a few small wounds on his body, but his power was still at its peak.
Their bodies dissipated, and John figured the test was at an end before another flash of light appeared in his vision.
Roar!
The roar echoed throughout the room, and John could feel his bones rattle from the power of the roar.
His stared at the newcomer, and eyes lit up in happiness.
"A late Qi Condensation Golden Lion? Finally, a good battle has arrived!"