"Clang!" came a sound.
Fan Shaoyang was startled, and quickly swung his sword to block the incoming attack from the Flying Sword. The opponent's Sword Control Technique was quite skilled, and the Flying Sword was fast and urgent, almost catching him off guard.
The Mystic Iron Sword was struck away, but Li Mu's Sword Control Technique hand seal changed again, remotely controlling the Mystic Iron Sword to continue its attack.
The Mystic Iron Sword drew an arc in the air, attacking Fan Shaoyang from another side…
Fan Shaoyang hastily retreated, swinging his sword to deflect the Mystic Iron Sword once more.
However, before Fan Shaoyang could change his move and launch an attack on Li Mu, the Mystic Iron Sword quickly stabilized itself in the air and, in the blink of an eye, flew back, attacking from another direction.
Fan Shaoyang had no choice but to swing his sword to block again.
"Clang, clang, clang…" The sound of swords clashing was incessant.
Fan Shaoyang, holding his spirit sword, chopped, hacked, parried, and slashed… repeatedly deflecting the Mystic Iron Sword's attacks, unable to counterattack Li Mu, who was controlling the sword.
Because every time Fan Shaoyang struck the Mystic Iron Sword away, it would quickly fly back to him and attack, like sticky candy. The Mystic Iron Sword clung to him, constantly attacking from left and right, up and down, making it impossible for him to break free for a long time!
"Wow! No. 5 Challenger is amazing, his defense is impenetrable!"
"Is No. 5 Challenger intentionally going easy? Why isn't he counterattacking!"
"Do you think he doesn't want to? He can't counterattack, he's been entangled by the opponent's Sword Control Technique!"
"Too powerful! This Sword Control Technique is so flexible, it can even be operated like this!"
...
Below the stage, the eyes of the Utility Disciple were all drawn to this exciting fight, discussing animatedly, not expecting the battle to unfold in such a way.
"Senior Brother, I concede!"
Just as everyone was anticipating the continuation of this exciting battle, Li Mu, having timed it perfectly, suddenly recalled the Mystic Iron Sword, bowed to Fan Shaoyang, and conceded.
"How can this be? The fight isn't over yet!" Fan Shaoyang frowned, looking at Li Mu with dissatisfaction.
Throughout this match, Fan Shaoyang had been in a state of passive defense, with no opportunity to counterattack. Yet, he had won, winning inexplicably, which infuriated him.
"Senior Brother, your sword skills are excellent. I cannot break through your defense. However, this Sword Control Technique consumes a lot of Divine Sense, and I cannot continue," Li Mu explained apologetically, looking at the Disciple in charge of the examination below the stage.
"Zhao Huairen, you lasted 32 breaths, examination passed. Liao Yanchong, prepare to enter No. 5 arena!" The Disciple in charge of the examination gave Li Mu a meaningful look, then announced.
Li Mu quickly descended from the arena and, like the other Utility Disciple who had passed the examination, headed to the skill assessment area.
Li Mu had registered as a spirit rice farmer, so he went to the spirit rice farmer skill assessment area.
"Old Zhong, that kid's Sword Control Technique is very proficient! He's a good combat prospect, should we recruit him into the hunting team!" An Outer Sect Disciple looked at Li Mu's retreating figure and gestured to the Foundation Establishment elder.
"Hmm! After the assessment, go talk to him and see if he's willing to join," Zhong Hongdao nodded in agreement.
That battle just now indeed made Zhong Hongdao's eyes light up. However, thinking of that kid's Aptitude, which was only a Five Elements lower-tier Spiritual Root, he no longer paid as much attention and continued to focus on the battles on the five arenas.
...
In the spirit rice farmer skill assessment area, a dark-skinned, farmer-like Disciple in charge of the examination was frowning at Li Mu, unable to understand how he became a spirit rice farmer.
"You only learned the Qingfeng Huanyu Technique? You didn't learn the Kurong Technique? Then how do you usually remove weeds?" The spirit rice farmer examiner asked Li Mu, puzzled.
"I usually go to the fields and remove them manually with a hoe," Li Mu replied, a little embarrassed.
"Alright! Perform the Qingfeng Huanyu Technique once first!" The spirit rice farmer examiner sighed helplessly and gestured.
Unlike the Cultivation Techniques learned by other professions, the spirit rice farmer is a profession with lower skill requirements, and the assessment requirements are the lowest. This is because there are the fewest Outer Sect Disciple in this profession, and even if one doesn't learn the Kurong Technique, being skilled in farm work is acceptable. The main skill tested is only one: the Qingfeng Huanyu Technique, for irrigating spirit plants with spirit rain.
"Senior Brother, how large should the spirit rain's coverage area be?" Li Mu looked at the spirit rice farmer examiner, asking awkwardly.
The spirit rice farmer's assessment area was deserted, with few participants. Li Mu had no reference template and didn't know how to perform the technique.
"How you usually use the Qingfeng Huanyu Technique to water the fields, that's how you perform it. Do I still need to teach you this?" The spirit rice farmer examiner glared at Li Mu, speaking impatiently.
"Understood!" Li Mu nodded. After thinking for a moment, he still reduced his magical power output by fifty percent, skillfully formed the hand seals for the Qingfeng Huanyu Technique, gathered a stream of spiritual power, and released it towards the sky.
The next moment, a strong wind responded, appearing out of thin air above the spirit fields in the assessment area, drawing a rain cloud that rapidly gathered. Before long, soybean-sized raindrops pattered down, starting a sudden downpour.
"Wow! Why is it suddenly raining so heavily?"
"Why is it raining? My talismans are all soaked!"
"It's the spirit rain summoned by the spirit rice farmer assessment area! Damn! Why is it coming over to our side!"
...
From the adjacent assessment area, angry shouts from other Disciple could be heard. They were in the middle of their assessment! Suddenly, they were drenched by a heavy rain, and they all cursed loudly.
Approximately two hundred breaths later, this sudden downpour finally tapered off. The one-mu spirit field in the assessment area was soaked with wet soil, and the spirit plants were covered in Spiritual Qi-rich water droplets.
The spirit rice farmer examiner stared at Li Mu, dumbfounded, astonished by the amount of rain and its duration.
"Senior Brother, is that enough? Have I passed the assessment!" Li Mu asked the dazed spirit rice farmer examiner.
"You passed, you passed! However, if you want to continue being a spirit rice farmer in the future, you'd best learn the Kurong Technique, the Spirit Transformation Technique, the Seedling Cultivation Technique for cultivating spirit seedlings, and also the Soil Testing Technique for managing the fertility of spirit fields. There's a lot to learn to be a qualified spirit rice farmer!" The spirit rice farmer examiner looked at Li Mu, offering advice.
"Thank you, Senior Brother, for your guidance. No one taught me these spirit plant techniques, I didn't know!" Li Mu thanked the spirit rice farmer examiner gratefully.
"Hmm, once you pass the Outer Sect Disciple assessment, you can learn these Cultivation Technique in the Sect's Hall of Dharma Transmission. Take your token and go to the next stage!" The spirit rice farmer examiner returned the token to Li Mu and gestured.
"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Li Mu accepted the token, expressing his gratitude again.
Li Mu, holding the token, arrived at the third stage, the Seeking Heart and Asking Dao checkpoint. After handing the token to the Disciple guarding the Formation, he walked directly into the Formation.
The Five-level Formation allowed Li Mu to instantly understand the operating principle of this illusion Formation. Combined with the Soul-Loss Incense, it had the effect of confusing the mind and generating dreams.
Li Mu did not resist, suppressing his Divine Soul, and began to accept the illusion Formation's test.