The Spiritual Orb shattered into pieces and fell to the ground. Looking at the empty stone platform, Lin Yun was startled awake. He immediately retracted his sword intent back into his body and closed the Iris Flower in his Dantian.
“The Spiritual Orb shattered?!”
“Just how ridiculously refined is his spiritual energy to shatter the orb?”
“I don't think it’s that simple. His cultivation technique must be a sword sutra!”
There were countless cultivation techniques. But there was one category that only swordsmen could practice. It was the sword sutras, tailored for swordsmen. Sword sutras were extremely rare and even a Xiantian Realm version would cause everyone to go crazy for it.
The spiritual energy produced from sword sutras were sharp and extremely compatible with sword technique. Spiritual energy could be refined, but it lacked the sharpness to match well with sword techniques. So it was practically impossible for ordinary spiritual energy to destroy the Spiritual Orb.
All the youths who came to register recovered from their shock and got back on their feet. They all looked at Lin Yun with amazement in their eyes.
Up on the stage, the Wang brothers weren't concerned with Lin Yun’s cultivation technique or how he managed to shatter the Spiritual Orb. They were more concerned with the seven halos that the Spiritual Orb released before it was destroyed! They were both surprised by Lin Yun’s Seventh Grade Spiritual Physique.
“Wang Yan, is there anything else that you’d like to add?” Xin Yan brought Lin Yun down and looked at Wang Yan with a sneer.
Listening to Xin Yan’s ridicule, Wang Yan gnashed his teeth. There was no way he could refute the facts laid before him.
“His aptitude might’ve been verified, but not his Martial Soul!” Wang Ning replied before Wang Yan could. “Back in the Azure Sun Realm, he had never used his Martial Soul when he fought. Who knows if his Martial Soul might be trash…”
But the moment he spoke, all the Elders had loathsome looks on their faces. Just a moment ago, Wang Ning spoke so confidently that Lin Yun’s physique was garbage. However, Lin Yun had a Seventh Grade Spiritual Physique! They had undeniable facts laid before their eyes. So who would believe Wang Ning’s words again?
“Enough!” The person in charge, Elder Luo Feng, suddenly spoke out after a brief silence. A sudden surge of aura released from his body, causing everyone’s face to change. Everyone could feel the immense pressure coming from him.
With a dark face, Luo Feng looked at Wang Yan, pointing his finger at Wang Ning, “He’s your younger brother?”
Wang Yan’s heart throbbed. He knew that they were in trouble. In the end, he nodded his head helplessly, “Yeah. He’s my younger brother. He just returned to the family and he’s still immature. Please forgive him.”
“I…” Wang Yan had no idea how to continue.
“Get him to join the queue. There’s no need for him to join the Sword Firmament Pavilion if he can’t get through the test.” Luo Feng spoke with a grim tone.
Luo Feng’s words were like a bomb that went off in Wang Ning’s mind. Did he hear that correctly? This old man demanded him, a direct descendant of the four major clans, to join the queue?”
“Big brother!” Wang Ning begged with a heart full of grievance.
“Why are you still here?!” Wang Yan barked with a gloomy expression. He couldn’t be bothered with his younger brother right now. Luo Feng was known for having a good temper in the Sword Firmament Pavilion. It was practically impossible for him to make things difficult on a young man. But Wang Yan could tell that he was genuinely furious since he ordered Wang Ning to join the queue. So, how would Wang Yan dare to beg for mercy on behalf of Wang Ning?
“I’ll go…” Wang Ning gnashed his teeth. He glared at Lin Yun when he walked past.
After Wang Ning left, Luo Feng looked at Lin Yun with a smile, “Seventh Grade Spiritual Physique. You might not be comparable to Xin Yan or Wang Yan, but your aptitude can still be ranked among the upper-tier in the pavilion. It would be a laughingstock if a talent like yourself were chased away.”
“You’ve done a good job, Xin Yan. He deserves the quota.”
“Thank you, Elder.” Xin Yan smiled.
“Elder Luo, these are elites from the various aristocratic clans. I chose them after several rounds of selection.” Wang Yan said nervously. It would be embarrassing if the candidates he chose couldn’t obtain the quota.
“Approved. The two of you have done well. I will definitely reward you two when this is all over. Bring them over to register. Let them come back three days later to report. As seeded candidates, they can skip to the last examination.”
“Thank you, Elder.” Wang Yan let out a sigh of relief. He raised his head and his eyes turned dark when he saw Lin Yun. He wanted to mess with Lin Yun when he saw him enter the capital. However, he was the one who had been messed with instead.
Just you wait! He felt that Lin Yun messed with him on purpose. But in reality, even Lin Yun had no idea that he had a Seventh Grade Spiritual Physique aptitude.
“Let’s go.” Wang Yan led the youths behind him to register with a solemn face.
Looking at Lin Yun, Xin Yan smiled, “See? How would you know your aptitude if you don’t take the test?”
“Hehe. Lin Yun, you scared me back there. You’ve hidden well.” Li Wuyou smiled and bumped Lin Yun’s chest. He didn’t seem to be faking it at all.
“We’ll be fellow disciples in the future,” smiled Li Xiaotian. But his smile seemed fake in Lin Yun’s eyes. Just a moment ago, everyone had distanced themselves when Wang Ning said that he had a garbage physique. However, Lin Yun did not fall out with them.
“Let’s go and register!” Xin Yan’s face was covered in smiles. She was in a good mood. Waving her hand, she took everyone to complete their registration. It didn’t take long for everyone to complete their registration.
When they returned, they ran into Wang Ning, who was still in the queue with his head lowered. How comical. Just a moment ago, he was arrogantly demanding Lin Yun to get lost. But in the end, he was the one who had to join the queue.
“I’m afraid that this fellow will probably complete his registration at night. Hehe. It’ll be interesting if he can’t get through the test.” Li Wuyou smiled.
“I don’t think so. The Wang Clan is still one of the four major clans. As a direct descendant, there’s no way he’ll fail the test.” Xin Yan said, looking at Wang Ning with disdain.
“Oh, right,” spoke Xin Yan as they exited the Sword Firmament Pavilion’s branch, “I’ve already arranged a residence for Li Xiaotian and the rest because they came early. I believe that the two of you still don’t have a place to stay, right?”
“No, we don’t.” They’d just arrived at the capital. It would be weird if they already found a place to stay.
Xin Yan’s eyes flickered and she replied, “The test is only three days away. If you guys don’t mind, why don’t you two stay at my home?”
“I’m fine. This is my first time in the capital, so I would like to stroll around.” Lin Yun rejected Xin Yan’s offer just when Li Wuyou was about to agree.
“Then… I’m fine as well,” sighed Li Wuyou.
“Are you sure? I’ve never brought any guys to my home.” Xin Yan looked at Lin Yun and Li Wuyou. Her eyes were glowing with charm.
Li Wuyou gulped down a mouthful of saliva. However, Lin Yun’s expression told him that he wasn’t in any position to agree.
“Then I won’t force the two of you. But keep in mind that you need to report back here in three days. The final examination will take place three days from now.”
“Big Sister Xin Yan, given our relationship, why don’t you leak some insider information to us? At the very least, we can be well prepared.” Li Wuyou looked at Xin Yan.
“How is it a test if I leak anything to you guys? All I can tell you guys is that there’s an advantage to being a seeded candidate.” Xin Yan smiled and disappeared, only her silhouette was left behind.
Li Wuyou looked at Xin Yan’s disappearing silhouette with reluctance. “Lin Yun, why did you refuse Big Sister Xin Yan’s offer? It’s rude to refuse a lady’s offer… especially someone as gorgeous as Big Sister Xin Yan.”
Lin Yun waved his hand and called the Dragon-Blooded Horse over. Grabbing onto the leash, Lin Yun replied, “The Wang Clan is powerful in the capital. Who knows if they’ll try to do anything to me in the next few days. I don’t want to cause any trouble for Big Sister Xin Yan.”
“That makes sense,” said Li Wuyou.
“But that’s just me. Why didn’t you agree?” asked Lin Yun. He was baffled by Li Wuyou.
Li Wuyou patted on his chest, “Bros before hoes. I’m not someone who gets blinded by beauty.”
“Why is that so hard to believe?” smiled Lin Yun.
Li Wuyou felt awkward from Lin Yun’s gaze and smiled, embarrassedly, “Alright… Big Sister Xin Yan was clearly inviting you. I believe she wants to protect you. As for me, I’m just someone that’s tagging along. It would be awkward for me to go alone.”
Li Wuyou and Lin Yun strolled through the city, absorbing its novelties. It was an eye-opening experience for them.
“The inner city is up ahead. I heard that the outer and inner cities are completely different. If you’re not a Profound Martial Realm cultivator, you’re required to pay a certain amount of Spiritual Stones to enter.”
“Then, let’s go and take a look.”
Lin Yun felt that the inner city might be safer. They paid 100 Spiritual Stones each to enter the inner city. When they walked in, Lin Yun’s face changed. Lin Yun could feel a familiar fluctuation coming from the limestone floorings. It felt similar to the runes that he’d been practicing along the way to the capital.