The War of the Gods in the Great Void God King

The carriage traveled north for two days, bumping along the road, before finally leaving the territory of Wutan City, which was surrounded by mountains.

As the roads widened and the flow of people increased, the air was no longer filled with the scent of local plants and trees, but with a unique aroma that blended various spiritual energies, incense, and dust from carriages and horses—a "fusion of the mortal and the divine."

At noon on the third day, they arrived at Tianyuan City.

From afar, this ancient city, perched at the foot of the Tianmo Mountains, appears far more magnificent than Wutan City.

The towering city walls resembled the spine of a giant beast, and one could vaguely see cultivators riding flying swords across the sky atop the walls, leaving behind a faint trail of light.

The city gate was bustling with people, including not only ordinary merchants and travelers, but also many cultivators dressed in various Taoist robes and carrying weapons. Each of them exuded a long and deep aura, clearly having already stepped into the threshold of cultivation.

Jiang Fan suppressed his excitement and got off the carriage at the post station ten miles away from the Taoist sect's mountain gate.

Ahead, a wide, long staircase paved with white jade winds its way up the mountain like a ladder to heaven, piercing the depths of the clouds.

Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, the majestic palaces and pavilions are faintly visible.

This is the Taoist sect of Tianyuan City, a righteous immortal sect.

Before the mountain gate, a number of young men and women from various factions had already gathered.

Jiang Fan's appearance went unnoticed by anyone.

He was dressed in faded black clothes, his aura almost imperceptible, making him stand out from the group of privileged individuals, as ordinary as a speck of dust.

"Oh, isn't that the young patriarch of the Jiang family from Wutan City?"

A slightly mocking voice suddenly rang out.

Jiang Fan raised an eyebrow and looked in the direction of the sound. Not far away, a young man dressed in brocade robes was leaning against a blue stone, playing with a jade pendant in his hand, with an undisguised sneer on his lips.

This man's name is Zhao Mang, the young master of the Zhao family in Wutan City, and he is the same age as Jiang Fan.

Back then, during the spiritual root test, Zhao Mang was a third-grade spiritual root. He always thought highly of himself, but was always compared to Liu Ruyan.

Therefore, he never had a good impression of Jiang Fan, who "highlighted" Liu Ruyan's worthlessness.

"Zhao Mang, I didn't expect you to be here too."

Jiang Fan spoke softly, his voice clear and calm.

Zhao Mang was stunned for a moment, then laughed exaggeratedly as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world:

"What? The mute can talk now?"

"You piece of trash! Not only do you lack spiritual roots, but even the heavens are too lazy to take you away! They've even allowed you to speak."

"You think you can join the Taoist sect?"

Several young men from prominent families gathered around upon hearing the commotion, looking at Jiang Fan as if he were a clown.

"I heard you made a one-year agreement with the eldest daughter of the Liu family? Haha, that's like an ant trying to shake a tree!"

"No spiritual root and you want to turn things around? You've probably been driven mad by the annulment of the engagement, haven't you?"

"Brother Zhao, why waste words with him? We'll see how he makes a fool of himself when the assessment begins."

The mocking voices came like a tidal wave.

Jiang Fan remained expressionless, simply watching Zhao Mang quietly. Now that he possessed the power of the Golden Dragon King of the Void, Zhao Mang was nothing more than a clown in his eyes.

Jiang Fan showed no anger at being humiliated, but rather a hint of pity.

"Zhao Mang," Jiang Fan said slowly.

"A year ago, you took advantage of my unpreparedness at the martial arts arena in Wutan City and broke three fingers on my left hand. I've remembered that."

Zhao Mang's face stiffened, then he flew into a rage: "You dare threaten me? You piece of trash! You think you can turn your life around just by joining the Taoist sect? Here, you're still a dog!"

Jiang Fan stopped looking at him, turned to face the towering mountain gate, and said calmly:

"It's only a matter of time. Then you'll see who the real dog is."

Having said that, he ignored the shouts behind him and stepped onto the long white jade staircase.

"Hmph, putting on an act! Let's see how long you can keep this up!" Zhao Mang muttered resentfully from behind, a shadow of gloom flashing in his eyes.

……

Inside the mountain gate lies a hidden paradise.

The assessment was not held on the main peak, but in a huge plaza halfway up the mountain.

At this time, several huge stone tablets, each ten feet tall, had already been erected around the square, each inscribed with one of the three characters: "Root," "Heart," and "Strength."

Below, dozens of teenagers participating in the assessment stood in neat rows, the atmosphere solemn.

As soon as Jiang Fan entered the arena, he felt countless gazes converge upon him.

There was curiosity, scrutiny, but mostly, disdain.

"Is that the mute good-for-nothing from Wutan City? He looks quite ordinary." A young man pointed at Jiang Fan and began to discuss.

"Shh, keep your voice down. They say he's gone mad and boasts that he'll defeat Liu Ruyan in a year," a female Taoist disciple whispered.

"Liu Ruyan possesses a sixth-grade spiritual root and is a designated elder disciple of the Yuntian Sect! This person must be insane..."

Rumors and gossip were everywhere, but Jiang Fan turned a deaf ear to them.

At this moment, a middle-aged cultivator dressed in the inner sect attire of the Tianyuan City Daoist sect strode onto the high platform, his voice booming like a bell, resounding throughout the entire arena:

"Silence! The Tianyuan City Daoist Sect's disciple-acceptance ceremony officially begins!"

"The assessment consists of three parts: testing spiritual roots, passing the mental formation, and ascending the heavenly staircase!"

"First item: Testing spiritual roots! All examinees, step forward one by one and place your hands on the testing stone! Those below Grade One will proceed directly to the next round! Only those above Grade One are qualified to enter the outer sect!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a huge black crystal on one side of the square emitted a faint glow.

The assessment begins.

One by one, the young men stepped forward, and the spirit-testing stones lit up with different colored lights.

"Wang Hu, second-grade spiritual root! Pass!"

"Li Shiyao, third-grade spiritual root! Good! Pass!"

"Zhao Mang, third-grade fire spirit root! Pass!"

After Zhao Mang finished his test, he glanced smugly at Jiang Fan, then stood tall and proud in the line of those who passed.

Soon, it was Jiang Fan's turn.

The middle-aged cultivator who was presiding over the assessment glanced at Jiang Fan, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Jiang Fan from the Jiang family of Wutan City? Put your hand up here."

Jiang Fan took a deep breath, extremely nervous, and silently prayed, his mind filled with the expectant gazes of the family elders.

"I'm sure I'll be chosen!" Jiang Fan thought firmly.

Although the Ancient Dragon of the Void and the Golden Dragon King of the Void have already transformed, he is still afraid that something might happen, and that they might be found to have no spiritual root again, just like before.

Jiang Fan gradually calmed down and walked to the huge spirit-testing stone.

He stretched out his right hand and gently pressed it against the cool stone surface.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

The spirit stone showed no reaction.

It remained a deathly darkness, devoid of any spiritual energy.

A burst of laughter erupted in the square.

"As expected, he has no spiritual root! Hahaha!"

"I knew it! Trash is trash!"

"They can't even be bothered to show their spirit-testing stones, how embarrassing!"

On the high platform, the middle-aged cultivator shook his head and waved his hand, saying, "Unqualified!"

Jiang Fan felt as if thunder was booming in his ears, echoing and surging, all revolving around those three words.

Before long, everyone had been tested. Six people, including Zhao Mang, passed. In the eyes of the losers, these six were like the chosen ones, incredibly tall and proud.

Zhao Mang looked at Wang Lin with utter contempt, his eyes revealing undisguised sarcasm.

"In cultivating immortality, while aptitude is important, perseverance is even more crucial. You ordinary youths, if you possess perseverance, can also become nominal disciples! The following tests are all about perseverance!" The middle-aged man said expressionlessly, paused for a moment, and then continued, "The second test is in the main hall to the side. Only those who can maintain their inner peace and guard their true nature will pass. The final test is to climb the steps on the back mountain. Those who reach the top are considered qualified. If you haven't completed it by the third day, you have failed and will be sent back to your respective families. If you can't persevere halfway or encounter danger, just shout 'I give up,' and someone will take you away."

After saying this, the middle-aged man smiled and looked at the six people who had passed by, saying, "Come with me to see the sect leader. I will arrange for your master there."

After giving his instructions, the middle-aged man led the six men up the mountain and disappeared without a trace.

Jiang Fan took a deep breath, his gaze firm, and without hesitation strode towards the main hall of the Heart-Breaking Array to begin the second test.

Apart from the six selected disciples, there are 32 people remaining.

Among these 32 people, some were dejected, some had resolute expressions, and some were hesitant and afraid; their expressions varied.