Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Xilun reached out and pressed the bottom of the notice.

A bolt of lightning merged into the paper.

This means he has been assessed.

The surrounding disciples erupted in uproar once again.

Some people initially thought he would go to Elder Swain to request a change in the terms, but to their surprise, he didn't even hesitate.

"The mission to subdue the seas was successfully completed in six months."

Xilun withdrew his hand, quickly calculating in his mind.

His strength has been tempered to over 70%, and the impurities of the evil god have been expelled.

Although six months is a tight timeframe, it is not impossible to complete.

As for the fifth and fourth inner courtyards...

The image of the mysterious gunslinger in the Linglong Tower resurfaced in his mind.

If he can't even defeat his own disciples, how will he condense the power of the Storm God and devour the power of the Eight-Armed Evil God in the future?

Xilun turned and left the crowd.

People consciously made way for each other.

He did not respond to any comments, but simply carried the materials he had just obtained from the treasure pavilion and returned to his cave on the cliff along the stone steps.

at the same time.

Top of Thunderclap Cliff.

Dark clouds rolled in, and streaks of silver lightning darted through them.

The dean sat cross-legged beside a charred black rock, with a low wooden table in front of him.

The tea on the table was boiling, but there was no flame; only tiny sparks of lightning danced at the bottom of the pot.

Swain was sitting opposite him.

The dean poured two cups of tea.

"The notice for prospective core disciples has been posted."

"The assessment you arranged for Xilun was quite a big deal."

Swain picked up his teacup and blew away the steam.

:

"It was just a normal assessment."

"normal?"

The dean glanced at him.

"Beat the fifth-place team in eight months, and beat the fourth-place team in one year."

"You weren't this strict when you accepted your disciples back then."

Swain smiled and did not deny it.

The dean took a sip of tea, his gaze passing over the clouds and landing on the layered buildings below.

"You specifically asked me to include him in the list of prospective core disciples, not just because he made it into the top ten of the Linglong Tower, right?"

"Of course not."

Swain put down his teacup.

"There's something special about this child."

"His cultivation time is not long, and his comprehension is not truly exceptional. But given enough time to practice, both his cultivation techniques and combat skills will steadily improve."

"He rarely encounters a real bottleneck."

The dean nodded slightly.

The lightning-summoning technique is like that.

Xilun's performance during his first practice session was only average.

However, after failing dozens of times, others' movements become distorted, their mood becomes irritable, and they even begin to doubt their cultivation methods.

Xilun will not.

He only remembers the last failure and makes extremely minor adjustments.

This progress was not immediately noticeable.

Once the time frame is extended, the accumulation becomes terrifying.

"Anything else?" the dean asked.

Swain remained silent for a moment.

"His combat talent is extraordinary."

"Every time he fought a powerful enemy, he learned something from them. The closer he got to death, the calmer he became."

:

"In the Blackwater Abyss, he was able to use the environment to force Tinos back, not just because of his water manipulation talent."

"From the moment he fell into the deep water, that child had been calculating the exhaustion of both sides, their physical endurance, and their escape route. Tinos lost because his strength was suppressed, and also because he was too confident."

The dean swished his teacup.

"Where's the thing in your right arm?"

Swain's expression turned slightly serious.

"Danger."

"But it could also be his opportunity."

"He didn't place all his hopes on others. He used the lightning-summoning technique you gave him to dispel the evil energy within him. This shows that he knows what he's facing and is willing to pay the price."

The dean nodded slightly.

"Worth observing."

"He's a promising talent."

A gust of wind blew across Thunderclap Cliff.

A crack appeared in the thundercloud, and golden sunlight fell between the two.

The dean looked up and glanced into the distance.

"Now that he has made it into the top ten of the inner court, he can be included in the observation list of seeded players in the next Star Ring Ranking Tournament."

Swain was not surprised.

The Star Ring Ranking Tournament brings together not only disciples of the Holy Light Monastery, but also young powerhouses from various extraordinary organizations and families in Star Ring City.

Becoming a seeded player means the monastery will invest more resources in the player in advance.

But the watch list is only the first step.

Siren must prove himself qualified to represent the monastery.

The dean looked at Swein again.

"Tell me about it."

"Why must we let him defeat the fourth-ranked student in the Inner Court a year later?"

Swain held the teacup, his fingertips slowly stroking the rim.

:

"The fourth one was my disciple back then."

"I taught him the techniques, gave him resources, and also helped him with a lot of trouble."

"But in the end, he felt that the path I offered was too slow and could not allow him to advance to the fourth level in the shortest time, so he betrayed my sect and joined another elder."

The dean remained calm.

"A disciple choosing a path that suits him better does not violate the academy's rules."

"It certainly doesn't violate the rules."

Swain smiled.

"So I didn't stop him, nor did I hate him."

"Since he dared to leave, he must be quite confident in his own path."

"It's just that as a teacher, I'm a bit willful."

"If even the disciples I later took in cannot defeat him, then Xilun's status as a core disciple is unworthy."

The dean looked at him for a moment.

"What kind of logic is that?"

"That doesn't make sense."

Swain stated frankly:

"Consider this a small request."

Thunderbolts struck again in the distance.

The roar echoed for a long time among the cliffs.

The dean picked up the teapot and refilled the teapot for the two of them.

Do you think Xilun can accomplish this?

Swain looked down.

Despite the great distance, the figure in front of the cliffside cave had already sat down cross-legged again.

Xilun placed the newly purchased deep-sea blue marrow in front of him, and gradually infused it with the power of the Overturning Sea Technique, beginning a new round of tempering.

Having just undergone a rigorous assessment, he showed no anger, no doubt, and did not waste time trying to prove anything to others.

He simply continued his cultivation.

:

It was as if those three tests, which were enough to make other inner court disciples despair, had simply made the path for the next year clearer.

Swain looked away and picked up his teacup.

"It might be difficult for others."

"But he..."

He chuckled softly.

"It's not impossible."

At the cave entrance on the cliff, Xilun was unaware of the conversation that had taken place on Thunderclap Cliff.

He placed the deep-sea blue marrow in front of his knees, and the power of the Overturning Sea Technique seeped into it like a tide.

The icy blue marrow rippled slightly, reflecting on his calm face.

After a short while, Xilun slowly withdrew his strength.

He did not begin refining it immediately.

He had already seen the assessment details on the notice, but he had only glanced at the specific rewards for core disciples.

Since you've decided to accept the assessment, you should first figure out what you can gain from each step and what risks you need to take.

Siren rose again and returned to the central square of the inner courtyard.

At this moment, the number of people in the square did not decrease, but rather increased.

The nomination of candidates for core disciples is only held once a year, and for most inner disciples, this is one of the most important events in the monastery.

Moreover, among the three nominated this year, there is an anomaly like Xilun, who has not yet reached the third-tier extreme realm, but has already broken into the top ten of the inner academy.

A crowd formed several layers around the notice board.

Seeing that Xilun had returned, the previously noisy voice immediately quieted down.

Some disciples quietly made way.

Ignoring the stares directed at him, Xilun walked up to the notice and carefully read the supplementary text below the three assessments.

The first test is to cultivate the third level of the Overturning Sea Technique to perfection within six months.

Completion reward: One top-grade Thunder Source Pearl.

Xilun's gaze narrowed slightly.

He had just seen this item in the treasure pavilion, so he naturally wouldn't mistake it.

:

The top-grade Thunder Source Pearl on the third floor of the Treasure Pavilion was placed separately in a Thunder Pattern Wooden Box. The mere wisp of thunder energy emitted by it caused his fourth thunder pattern to respond noticeably.

This treasure was formed from the depths of a thunderstorm and contains extremely pure thunder energy.

If someone practicing the Golden Thunder Vortex Scripture were to obtain it, the first time they took it, it would be enough to greatly accelerate their cultivation to the next level.

Especially since Westren has just completed its fourth transition.

The fifth advancement is far more difficult than the first four, and requires a much greater amount of lightning power.

Even with his mastery of lightning-summoning techniques, he still needs to spend a lot of time repeatedly refining his skills using the natural lightning on Thunderclap Cliff.

The top-grade Thunder Source Pearl can save him this time.

Of course, the same type of treasure cannot be effective indefinitely.

The physical bodies of extraordinary individuals gradually adapt to external objects.

The first use is the most effective, the second use will be much less effective, and by the third use, it may only be used as a regular lightning-attribute material.

But for Xilun, once is enough.

His gaze continued downwards.

The second test, eight months later, was to defeat Tuoyuan, the fifth-ranked student in the Inner Court, in a head-on confrontation, witnessed by the elders.

Upon completion, you will receive a 500-year-old Blood Ganoderma lucidum.

A small note was attached below the notice.

Blood Ganoderma must grow in the burial ground of powerful alien species, nourished by the essence of blood and flesh, and take a hundred years to mature.

The 500-year-old Blood Lingzhi can not only quickly replenish the lost Qi and blood, but also nourish the internal organs and repair hidden injuries. It has a strong effect on extraordinary individuals below the fourth level.

Xilun paused for a moment.

The cultivation of the flawless golden body requires constant refinement of the physique.

The Golden Thunder Vortex, which tempers the body with lightning, also places a huge burden on the flesh and internal organs.

Blood Spirit Mushroom cannot directly increase his strength, but it can repair those minor damages, allowing him to recover faster after extreme training.

Such a treasure, capable of stabilizing one's foundation, may be no less valuable than a top-grade Thunder Source Pearl, and could even be more valuable.

As for the third item...

A year later, they defeated the fourth-ranked player in the inner court, Celtic, in a head-on confrontation.

Completion reward: one purification potion.

:

Upon seeing this name, Xilun's eyes turned serious.

The explanation of the purification potion below the notice was extremely brief, yet the breathing of the surrounding disciples noticeably quickened.

Purifying agents can remove long-term accumulated drug toxins, foreign impurities, and pollution left by different types of energy from the bodies of extraordinary individuals.

For those preparing to break through to the fourth tier, its most important function is to perform a near-complete internal purification before the energy invades the bones.

Fourth-stage bone regeneration.

Once the energy enters the bone marrow, any impurities that have not been expelled will be carried into it as well.

At best, it will hinder bone tempering; at worst, it will cause several forces to clash deep within the bone marrow, causing the person to become deformed on the spot.

Xilun absorbed the ancient water essence in the Blackwater Abyss and borrowed the power of the remnants of the eight-armed evil god several times.

Even if he used the thunder of heaven and earth to burn away the dark red impurities in his energy, he could not guarantee that there would be no residue left in his body.

This purifying agent was extremely important to him.

"It really is a purifying potion..."

One of the inner court disciples standing nearby couldn't help but speak in a low voice.

"Wasn't this kind of thing stopped being available to ordinary disciples a long time ago?"

"There might still be some on the fifth floor of the Treasure Pavilion, but even ordinary elders don't have the authority to exchange them. I've heard that the main ingredients for refining purification potions are extinct; once one is used, there's one less left."

The other person stared at the notice with a complicated expression.

"Not to mention purification potions, the value of a top-grade Thunder Source Pearl and a five-hundred-year-old Blood Spirit Mushroom alone is higher than the total assessment rewards of many core disciples in previous years."

"The higher the reward, the more difficult the assessment."

"The hospital won't give these things away for free."

The murmurs among the crowd gradually grew louder.

Someone focused on the first assessment item and analyzed it carefully:

"Completing the third level of the Overturning Sea Technique in half a year is almost impossible for others, but it may not be the most difficult for Xilun."

"How long has it been since he joined the inner academy? His Qi tempering has already exceeded 70%. At his cultivation speed, as long as nothing unexpected happens and he cultivates diligently, he should be able to reach perfection in half a year."

"Moreover, Xilun has already completed the fourth transformation of the Golden Thunder Vortex Scripture. If he obtains a top-grade Thunder Source Pearl, he might be able to complete the fifth transformation very soon."

"Six months? I think four months at most."

Some people spoke with such certainty, as if they knew his cultivation speed better than Xilun himself.

:

Someone nearby immediately shook their head.

"The more you cultivate your strength, the harder it becomes. After reaching 70%, each step forward requires repeated compression. Moreover, to achieve perfection, you need to make your strength a unified whole and operate without any hindrance."

"Besides, he cultivates the Overturning Sea Technique. The third level, Abyss Submersion, requires strength as vast as the ocean and deep as the abyss. It's not enough to just have enough strength."

"Six months is six months. It's not as easy as you make it out to be."

Regarding the first test, although opinions differed, most believed that Xilun had a good chance of completing it.

But when the second item was mentioned, the voice gradually became more cautious.

"He is thirty-nine years old this year, and it is indeed almost impossible for him to become a core disciple, but that does not mean he is weak."

"The fifth-place ranking in the Inner Court is something we earned through hard work."

A disciple who seemed to be familiar with Tuoyuan said in a deep voice:

"Tuoyuan's strength has been tempered to more than 80%, and he is only one step away from perfection. His cultivation method is known for its fierce and powerful nature, and he has been practicing basic combat techniques for more than 20 years."

"He specializes in the long staff, but it is said that he also practiced the spear in his early years. Staff and spear have similarities, and his spear skills are already close to the extraordinary level."

"Xilun's greatest strength is his marksmanship, but he might not have the advantage against Tuoyuan in that respect."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

In the third stage, age is not simply a disadvantage.

Tuo Yuan's potential is limited, and his hope of advancing to the fourth rank is extremely slim, but his extra ten years of combat experience will not disappear into thin air.

He participated in several naval raids and had at least dozens of extraordinary lives on his hands.

Xilun's growth rate far surpasses his, but whether he can overcome this high wall built by experience and strength eight months later is something no one dares to say for sure.

"I think there's a 30% chance."

"Thirty percent is too little. Xilun defeated Tinos."

"That's in the Blackwater Abyss!"

Someone immediately objected.

"The deep-water environment suppressed most of Tinos's strength, and Siren happened to possess the ability to control water. If they were on a normal arena, their strength would be on completely different levels."

"The Linglong Tower wouldn't lie, would it? Xilun is already tenth in the inner courtyard."

There are four people between the tenth and fifth places.

: