Fate-Defying Demon Emperor

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Entry Level Three Challenges

As the entrance examination of the Seven Stars Sect drew closer, the whole of Qian Yuan City grew feverish with excitement, and news of Qian Xing’s challenge soon spread throughout the city.

Who was Qian Xing?

He was none other than the Third Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty, a Sixth Layer powerhouse of the Heavenly Human Realm. Possessing the Stellar Monarch Body, one of the legendary Three Thousand Physiques, he was a true prodigy. If not for his desire to prove himself, he likely would have been recruited directly as a disciple instead of appearing here. After all, both of his older brothers were already in the Seven Stars Sect, and both held considerable positions.

The one he challenged was also a renowned figure: Su Han, the recently ascendant dark horse. On his very first appearance on the Qingyun List, he had broken into the eighty-first rank. Rumor had it that he had even defeated the holder of the Dragon Phoenix Saint Body. At only sixteen years old, he had already reached the Heavenly Human Realm; his innate talent was even greater than Qian Xing’s.

Furthermore, Qian Xing was ranked eighty-second on the Qingyun List—right behind Su Han. This detail made their impending clash an even hotter topic.

Qian Xing versus Su Han. Who would win, and who would lose? All eyes were watching.

Finally, the day of the examination arrived. A tide of countless geniuses surged toward the mountain gate of the Seven Stars Sect.

”Su Han, I will let you know the consequences of offending me!” Qian Xing declared. Adorned in a Python Robe, with sharp eyebrows and starlit eyes, he exuded an extraordinary demeanor. He rode atop a flying beast, slicing through the sky to be the first to arrive at the sect’s mountain gate.

The Seven Stars Sect was situated within a massive mountain range. Deep beneath it lay an Intermediate Grade Spirit Vein, condensed from the essence of heaven and earth. The existence of this Spirit Vein made the Spiritual Energy in the mountains incredibly dense. From a distance, the landscape was shrouded in mist and robed in rainbow light, resembling a fantastical immortal realm.

In all of Qingzhou, there were many Spirit Veins, but the only one that could be called Intermediate Grade was this Seven Stars Spirit Vein. The Seven Stars Sect was established here, allowing it to dominate Qingzhou.

Gazing from afar, one could see the Seven Stars Sect bathed in thousands of dazzling rays and auspicious energy. Pavilions and towers stood amidst the landscape, and several grand palaces were perched atop the clouds, like the fabled Divine Palace Immortal Que.

”Truly worthy of the Seven Stars Sect! It’s so majestic and awe-inspiring.”

”This time, I carry the hopes of my entire clan. I must succeed in joining the Seven Stars Sect!”

”I thought my talent was extraordinary, truly deserving of the title ’genius.’ But it turns out I’ve been a frog at the bottom of a well. Compared to the other competitors, I’m merely average. There are simply too many geniuses here!”

Geniuses from all over Qingzhou congregated here, an extraordinary assembly of talent where each one was a dragon among men. However, in the eyes of the Seven Stars Sect, they were nothing more than novices. In the end, only about one in ten would succeed in joining the sect. This highlighted just how difficult it was to enter the Seven Stars Sect and the extraordinary talent of its disciples.

The Seven Stars Sect held recruitments every three years, so today, over ten thousand geniuses had gathered, forming a dense sea of heads as far as the eye could see.

DONG!

The resonant sound of a great bell emanated from within the Seven Stars Sect, instantly shaking the heavens and the earth. The sound caused all the examinees’ expressions to turn solemn and their hearts to tremble.

Seven rays of light flew out from within the sect, forming a seven-colored rainbow that stretched across the sky—a truly breathtaking sight.

Within each beam of light was an Outer Sect Elder from the Seven Stars Sect, every one of them a powerhouse of the Physique Realm. They stood with grave dignity, their presence making the very atmosphere turn heavy and solemn.

Among these seven Outer Sect Elders was Yan Liu. He had received an order from Elder Qin and had come specifically for his target, who was, of course, Su Han.

However, for today’s Entry Level examination, Yan Liu was not the chief examiner. That role fell to an old man with white hair and a beard, who carried himself with the air of an immortal sage.

”I am Duanmu Yun, and I have been tasked with presiding over today’s Entry Level examination,” the old man announced. ”May you all find the success you seek.”

After his simple opening remarks, Duanmu Yun manipulated a corner of the Sect Protection Array.

RUMBLE!

Three strange sights manifested between heaven and earth.

A celestial ladder!

A copper bell!

A mirror!

These were the famous three entry trials of the Seven Stars Sect.

Duanmu Yun explained the three entry trials. ”The Celestial Ladder has a hundred steps. Reaching the sixtieth step is considered a pass. This trial tests your physical body! The Soul Bell tests your spiritual power; you pass by striking it with your spiritual power to produce three tolls! The Human Mirror tests your combat power. You must surpass the self it reflects to pass!”

These three trials respectively tested one’s physical body, spiritual power, and combat power, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of a person’s innate talent and potential. This assessment method had been used by the Seven Stars Sect for thousands of years and was extremely effective.

One had to pass all three trials to join the Seven Stars Sect. However, the sect would make an exception for anyone who exhibited exceptional talent and achieved an astonishing result in a single trial.

Everything depended on the individual.

”This prince will go first!”

Qian Xing was here to prove himself, so as soon as Duanmu Yun finished his explanation, he stepped forward to be the first to take the test.

He stepped onto the Celestial Ladder, which was inscribed with endless runes. It exerted a tremendous pressure, as if one were carrying a mountain on their back. Those with a weak physical body even risked their bodies exploding from the strain. But Qian Xing possessed the Stellar Monarch Body, and his physique was incredibly formidable. In the blink of an eye, he surpassed the sixty-step qualification mark.

However, his goal was not merely to pass. He continued to ascend. At the seventieth step, he began to feel the pressure. After passing the eightieth step, his feet grew heavy, and the climb became arduous. He finally stopped at the eighty-ninth step, unable to advance any further.

Even so, this result caused a huge stir among the crowd. The pressure from the ninetieth step onward increased exponentially, creating a barrier that was simply insurmountable for an ordinary person.

Stepping off the Celestial Ladder, Qian Xing snorted coldly, clearly not satisfied with his performance. But he knew he had reached his limit, so he turned his attention to the second trial, the Soul Bell.

Spiritual power as vast as a starry sea surged forth from him and struck the Soul Bell fiercely. Immediately, the bell tolled, its chimes ringing out one after another.

The Soul Bell was unique. Not only did one need to strike it with spiritual power, but it also inflicted intense spiritual agony on the striker. With each toll, the pain doubled. The all-time record for the bell was eighteen tolls.

Qian Xing gritted his teeth and exerted his full power, but in the end, he could only produce eleven tolls. Although this performance was enough to stand above all others present, he was still somewhat displeased.

The final trial was the Human Mirror. As he faced it, another Qian Xing stepped out from its surface, a perfect copy in terms of innate realm and strength.

This last trial was also the most difficult. The only way to pass was to surpass your past self by growing stronger during the fight. This was possible because the duplicate created by the mirror was a copy of the challenger at the moment the trial began; it could not grow stronger, even if the challenger did.

Qian Xing gave his all, bursting with stellar brilliance, and managed to defeat the first duplicate by achieving a breakthrough in their battle. Immediately, a second duplicate appeared, a perfect copy of the newly empowered Qian Xing. The Human Mirror could create duplicates indefinitely; whenever a challenger defeated a copy and grew stronger, the mirror would produce a new one matching that higher level of power, creating a theoretically endless cycle.

The record for the Human Mirror was five duplicates. Qian Xing, giving it his all, could only defeat two. Still, this result was enough to awe the entire crowd.

In the end, Qian Xing concluded his trials with the splendid achievements of reaching the eighty-ninth step on the Celestial Ladder, striking the Soul Bell eleven times, and defeating two duplicates from the Human Mirror.