Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 776 - Ranked First, Yet Again

All eyes followed after Liu Wuxie stepped into the Gate of Heart. After all, his test would be deemed a failure if he couldn't light up six scales.

But barely half a breath after Liu Wuxie stepped in, an uproar rose from the crowd.

"Quick, look at the scale!" someone yelled, and a commotion erupted with countless gazes locked on the scales.

The first scale lit up brilliantly and surged upward with astonishing speed, reaching the fifth scale in the blink of an eye. Unlike the gradual progression seen in others, Liu Wuxie's levels soared at a pace never before witnessed, only slowing down after hitting the fifth.

The examiners stared in shock. Although they had held the recruitment test multiple times, this was the first time they had seen something like this.

"Could there be a malfunction with the Gate of Heart?" asked a female examiner in an uncertain voice.

"That's impossible! The gate connects directly to heaven and earth, and there would be spatial disturbances if it malfunctioned!" refuted another examiner.

This meant the gate was functioning normally; the anomaly was Liu Wuxie himself. It was a mystery how he could light up the scale so rapidly.

Amidst everyone's discussion, the scale continued to rise until the eighth scale was lit up. This instantly made Ning Hai feel uneasy as he was the first to light up the eighth scale, making him wonder if he would be surpassed by Liu Wuxie again.

The eighth level lit up swiftly, glowing brighter than anyone else's had before. The brightness of the levels reflected the stability of one's heart— the more radiant, the steadier and purer the heart.

The scales released a dazzling radiance that made no one dare to look at them directly. Shortly after, the ninth scale lit up, and the entire platform fell into a deathly silence.

Shortly after, a series of gasps echoed from the platform. The lit-up ninth scale meant that Liu Wuxie was a monstrous prodigy. Those who had mocked Liu Wuxie earlier were now left with bitter expressions. Their attempt to stir Liu Wuxie's heart with their mockery had failed.

It was as if a resounding slap had landed squarely across their faces. Even Miao Hanxuan's face became grim with disbelief. He also felt a burning sting on his cheek.

"How is it possible for him to light up the ninth level?!" The crowd struggled to grasp the reality before them. It would have been easier to accept if someone in the True Profound Realm had achieved it. After all, the ninth level had been lit during past recruitment tests, but without exception, those who succeeded had already reached the True Profound Realm.

Liu Xiucheng clenched his fist in triumph, his chest swelling with pride. His grandson's talent had far surpassed that of the other participants, and he was confident that the academy would never let go of such a prodigy.

Though Liu Wuxie's cultivation was relatively low, his young age was his greatest advantage. If he were given a few years, it wouldn't be an issue for him to surpass all the prodigies present.

Millions of people on the platform watched Liu Wuxie with mixed emotions—envy, admiration, resentment...

"Wait, something isn't right. The tenth scale is flickering!" Everyone was still shocked by the ninth scale and didn't notice the faint flashes from the tenth scale. This outcome even shocked the ten examiners. @@novelbin@@

The ninth scale was shocking enough, but that was only to it, as there would be prodigies who lit up the ninth scale every few batches. However, the tenth scale was on a whole new level, unprecedented since the academy's founding.

"It has lit up! The tenth scale has lit up!" All ten markers on the arc-shaped gate lit up, and the Gate of Heart began to revolve independently. The unexpected motion left the examiners stunned, as none of them had ever witnessed such a phenomenon before. They could only wonder what the Gate of Heart's rotation signified.

"Ten hearts perfection...he has achieved a flawless heart," Qu Su said with a wry smile. According to ancient texts, illuminating all ten levels indicated a dao heart free of flaws—a perfect, unshakable core. As his words hung in the air, the tenth level merged into a single radiant line.

The first nine scales were like nine divine dragons, coiling before the tenth scale like nine dragons surrounding a luminous moon.

"What a monster! Our academy has never seen such a prodigy, and we must bring him in no matter what!" Many examiners began to plot to accept Liu Wuxie as their disciple.

After all, such a prodigy would bring honor to any master's name, and most importantly, such a prodigy was destined to reach the Heavenly Profound Realm. After reaching the Heaven Profound Realm, he could share his experience with his master, helping him make a breakthrough.

"I must make him my disciple," said the man, fifth from the right.

"Elder Xue, you already have a horde of disciples under you, and such a prodigy would be wasted under you. I should be the one to teach him instead," countered the examiner on Qu Su's left. The next moment, an argument broke out among the examiners, and only Miao Hanxuan stood silent.

"Who would object to having more prodigies under their wing? If he's willing to become my disciple, he'll be my final one, and I won't accept any others!" declared Elder Xue, emphasizing that none of his current disciples could even compare to Liu Wuxie.

"Let's not be hasty. He might not have flaws in his dao heart, but we don't know his character. It's too early to make decisions now," Miao Hanxuan said, winning everyone's acknowledgment.

They were still unaware of Liu Wuxie's character, and they naturally wouldn't accept him if he were sinful. However, many people decided to take Liu Wuxie in even if his character was a little lacking, as they could take the time to guide him to the right path.

After a minute of rotation, the ten scales returned to their original state, and Liu Wuxie emerged from the Gate of Heart. When he walked out, he exuded an otherworldly aura as if he had achieved ascension.

His gaze had become sharper, and his facial features looked more refined. The female participants on the platform couldn't help but feel their hearts racing after seeing him.

When Liu Wuxie landed on the ground, his expression was calm and composed.

"What's wrong?" Liu Xin'er asked. Shouldn't you be happy that you lit up the tenth scale? But why do you have such a solemn expression?

"It's nothing," Liu Wuxie replied as he exhaled. His expression returned to normal, and he hid what he saw inside the Gate of Heart at the bottom of his heart.

He had seen an endless corridor of destiny when he stepped through the Gate of Heart. Stretching into the infinite unknown, the corridor was shrouded in pitch-black darkness, filling him with an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

His flawless dao heart meant he was free from attachment, making him wonder if he would lose everyone close to him the further he went. He didn't wish to lose those dear to him.

After all, no one could describe fate as undeniably real despite being intangible.

The excitement from the ongoing test faded into obscurity when compared to Liu Wuxie. No one cared anymore if someone could light up the eighth scale—what did it matter when Liu Wuxie had achieved the unprecedented tenth scale?

A true genius stood above all, using others as stepping stones. By dusk, the recruitment test had concluded, and Liu Wuxie emerged as the undisputed top performer once again.

The ten examiners departed after finalizing arrangements for the disciples who had successfully completed the second stage. Nearly forty thousand participants had passed, but more than half would soon be dismissed from the academy.

A mysterious palace lay concealed within the depths of the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy, where Qu Su delivered his report for the day.

"I have witnessed everything today!" declared an old man with snow-white hair, seated in a high chair. His eyes shone with a brilliance and sharpness that surpassed even the keenest youth.

"Grandmaster," Qu Su began, frowning, "should we halt the assessment? I fear Liu Wuxie may become the target of malicious intent from other participants.".

"There's no need," the grandmaster replied. "Every chosen one must face trials and tribulations to earn the recognition of the heavens. We won't shield him from trouble—in fact, we'll create obstacles to temper him." Judging from this man's appearance, he was the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy's ruler and had lived for at least a millennia.

"This..." Qu Su stammered. He couldn't comprehend what the grandmaster was trying to do. Shouldn't such a prodigy be protected and nurtured? So, why should they create obstacles for him?

"You'll understand in time," the academy master said, waving his hand and dismissing Qu Su.

While alone in the palace, his gaze pierced through the void and reached the platform.

At that moment, Liu Wuxie's eyes shot open as he felt an invisible force scanning his body.

"What's that aura?" The mysterious force had come and left swiftly.

"Interesting...he managed to detect my presence," said the grandmaster with a smile rising on his lips.

"For the first time in ten millennia, the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy has finally produced a chosen one. We have to open the Astral Domain Path before the Dragon Emperor Academy," muttered the old man. He had recently received news from the Dragon Emperor Academy that a chosen one had emerged among their ranks, but that individual's talent paled compared to Liu Wuxie.

Though that individual had also managed to cross the Bridge of Heaven and light up all ten scales on the Gate of Heart, he also had a much higher cultivation than Liu Wuxie. By contrast, this proved that Liu Wuxie's potential was much higher.

Liu Wuxie was utterly unaware that someone had scanned through him.

The night passed in the blink of an eye, and a new day arrived. Today's assessment would put the participant's talent to the test with a slight touch on cultivation. However, these were merely preliminary tests, and the final test would be the actual test of strength.

When everyone awakened from their meditation, they were more motivated by Liu Wuxie's performance. After all, Liu Wuxie had been meditating or cultivating since they first saw him.

The ten examiners also arrived on time when the first gleam of sunlight shone on the platform. They rode the clouds as they hovered mid-air.

"Today, we will assess your innate talent, and those who score below six stars will be eliminated," Qu Su announced, his voice echoing across the platform. The innate talent assessment was ranked from one to ten stars, and only those who obtained six or more would pass.

In most sects, achieving five stars would be sufficient to qualify, but the academy's standards were far more demanding. The test would measure a combination of cultivation potential, physical constitution, and inherent talent.

Once they had finished explaining the details, the ten examiners began forming seals.

This time, a large crack appeared on the ground, and a stone pillar emerged from the depths, reaching a towering height of fifty feet.