Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Re-evaluation [Thanks to alliance head Decay2017]
Due to yesterday’s events, Baiyan Academy saw an even larger influx of people. Before even reaching the Nine Dragons Pillar, it was clear the area was packed. Students, attendants… a dense crowd, numbering over twenty thousand.
During the evaluation process, the emergence of a genius that moved the School Head had thoroughly spread. Many wanted to see for themselves what kind of genius could make the usually student-averse Lu Mingrong make an exception.
“I heard that genius has three heads, and a mouth as big as a waist!”
“You’re simply talking nonsense. That genius is actually my childhood friend. He admitted last night when he was drunk that he has three girlfriends.”
“Nonsense, this genius is actually my uncle’s wife’s cousin’s nephew…”
The crowd was filled with all sorts of discussions, mostly unreliable ones.
“How good it would be if I were that genius. Once acknowledged, I could avoid so much trouble…”
Zhang Xuan’s eyes filled with envy.
Using the Suspended Realm as the Source Pool, to practice required an unimaginable amount of Heavenly Mandate Vitality. If he could catch the favor of School Head Lu, perhaps he could absorb more and successfully solidify his cultivation…
Of course, he knew that was absolutely impossible.
When he arrived yesterday, he didn’t even know what a Source Pool was, and he hadn’t found it even until now. How could he possibly be the genius the other was so eagerly thinking of?
In fact, not only did he think this way, Mo Yanxue, Yu Xiaoyu, and others felt the same. With so many newcomers, who wouldn’t want to be the most dazzling one in the crowd!
Especially Yu Xiaoyu, who clenched her fists and turned noticeably red: “This time I must make a name for myself and surpass that genius!”
Although she didn’t know how powerful that genius was, she had practiced an entire night just for today, aiming to stand out.
Different from her thoughts, Mo Yanxue’s eyes surveyed their surroundings, seemingly trying to find where the genius was hiding and curious about how one could be so low-key that even the School Head couldn’t detect him…
Zhang Xuan looked around.
At this moment, the nine Dragon Pillars on the platform had been rebuilt, majestic and towering, piercing The Firmament. Following behind City Lord Yu and others, they hadn’t yet approached when vice dean Wu Yunzhou, Ran Qingxu, Wu Liuyun, and a few elders came to meet them.
“City Lord…”
“Hmm!” Yu Longqing smiled and nodded, “I also wanted to come and see the genius who made you treat them so specially. Where exactly are they? By the way, where’s School Head Lu? Why hasn’t he come over?”
“In that grandstand there!”
Wu Yunzhou pointed, “I’ll take the city lord over…”
Yu Longqing turned his head and indeed saw Lu Mingrong quietly sitting in the grandstand, his eyes slowly scanning the approaching students, afraid of missing any detail.
It seemed he was planning to lock onto a target early.
“No need, you guys quickly handle the students and get them evaluated. I’ll go over by myself…”
Waving his hand, Yu Longqing instructed his daughter, then strode toward the grandstand.
“City Lord!”
Seeing him approach in person, Lu Mingrong was also somewhat astonished and hadn’t yet risen when Yu Longqing pressed his shoulder, “Although I have tamed the Cangbai Eagle, you don’t need to be so formal as to stand up to greet me…”
“…”
Lu Mingrong’s mouth twitched.
I was just getting up to say hello, not to formally greet you!
Besides, you didn’t mention anything, how the hell would I know that you had tamed the Cangbai Eagle…
Seeing his bewildered face, Yu Longqing was very satisfied, saying, “Alright, I came over to ask about the one you’re interested in. Who exactly are they, to make you cooperate with my City Lord Residence? I heard from Dean Wu and had people take action; I blocked all the exits from the city to ensure that no student or attendant from yesterday’s test has left.”
“Thank you, City Lord!”
Knowing it would be very difficult to hide such an existence, Lu Mingrong hesitated then said, “Based on the tier of the Source Pool, this genius should be able to reach the fourth level or higher. Exactly which tier, we haven’t accurately figured out yet… the Destiny Plate malfunctioned!”
Lu Mingrong’s face didn’t blush, nor did his heart skip a beat.
No matter if it’s grade-1 or Saint-tier, it’s all above the fourth level, so it’s not really a lie.
“Indeed!”
Yu Longqing nodded.
He had already guessed that this genius must be higher than his own talent; otherwise, they wouldn’t have caused such a stir…
With that thought, he couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Zhang Xuan.
If it really was this guy… could it be that after absorbing 32 Heavenly Mandate Vitalities at Baiyan Academy, he ran off to his own place and absorbed more than two thousand?
That seems unlikely!
Whatever the case, as long as this guy dares to continue absorbing, he will definitely give himself away!
As more students gathered, the time for evaluations arrived soon, and Vice Dean Wu from Wu Yunzhou stepped onto the high stage once again, looking around.
“Now please, those whose names are called, come to the stage…”
Just like yesterday’s procedure, three thousand names were soon called.
Of those who were on stage yesterday, nearly 80 percent wasn’t there today; instead, those who had been below the stage walked up, causing everyone to look at each other and stir uproar.
“Everyone, be assured, this time the academy has prepared three Destiny Plates, there’s definitely enough Heavenly Mandate Vitality, it’s only a matter of evaluation time. We’re also accommodating those students who didn’t get on stage yesterday…”
After hearing Dean Wu’s explanation, the crowd no longer spoke out.
Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu were not among the 80 percent; they were still sitting on the stage, and of course, both in terms of fame and status, they deserved to be treated differently.
Looking around, Yu Longqing’s eyes landed on Zhang Xuan.
Although he was no longer a subordinate, he was not a newcomer either, having no right to be on stage, still sitting due north of the Nine Dragons Pillar.
He thought about asking for a favor to let him in but hesitated for a while and eventually stopped.
The affair of this fellow possibly absorbing over two thousand Heavenly Mandate Vitalities was known only to him; if he treated him specially and alarmed the target, causing this inherently modest youth to choose a low profile again, it might make it impossible to confirm forever.
Last time, being a subordinate, he could not get on stage but was still discovered; this time it must be possible too.
Thinking this, he said no more and quietly watched without uttering a word.
“The evaluation begins!”
Accompanied by Dean Wu’s loud shout, the Nine Dragons Great Array started operating again, and the Destiny Plate released a gentle light that enveloped the whole platform.
In an instant, countless forged Heavenly Mandate Vitalities descended and drifted towards the people on the platform.
“Here they come!”
Yu Xiaoyu’s eyes sparkled; she quickly closed her eyes and eagerly felt and tried to absorb as much as possible.
The other newcomers did not dare to slack off either, and even those below the platform packed tightly around it, hoping to feel more and stabilize their Source Pools in advance.
Zhang Xuan was not in a hurry to devour; instead, he carefully looked around to ensure that everyone was closing their eyes practicing, then focused his mind and “grabbed” the Heavenly Mandate Vitalities that had leaked out onto the platform.
He was very careful while “grabbing,” not daring to devour extensively, afraid of causing any disturbance.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
With his absorption, strands of Heavenly Mandate Vitality immediately surged towards the Suspended Realm.
Entering it and operating the cultivation technique that nourished the Source Pool, the former immediately transformed into giant stone pillars supporting the sky, each stretching up to The Firmament, without visible endpoints.
The world, originally somewhat narrow, became broader and more distant in an instant when the stone pillars appeared.
The Source Pool is akin to a newly excavated tunnel, and the Heavenly Mandate Vitality acts as supporting pillars of concrete, both expanding the space and ensuring it doesn’t collapse.
“It really can…”
Seeing that the Heavenly Mandate Vitality could indeed be absorbed by the newly formed space in the Suspended Realm, Zhang Xuan was slightly excited.
With such a vast space, even if there were no Source Pool, it wouldn’t matter, as it could accommodate an amount of Origin qi far beyond any cultivator.
After carefully absorbing eight paths, Zhang Xuan stopped.
Looking at the situation in the Suspended Realm, to completely stabilize it would require tens of thousands of Heavenly Mandate Vitalities. It would be difficult to absorb them covertly!
As Zhang Xuan paused, the Nine Dragons Pillar above flickered with text, ready to appear at any moment.
Name: Mo Yanxue…
“Oh, it looks like Xiaoyu is going to be the first to finish this time?”
School Head Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing looked at each other, just about to speak when suddenly, a stone pillar in the due north, burst into brilliant light. Although the text appeared later, it moved faster, materializing as if stamped on it.
Name: Unrecorded.
Forge: 8 paths.