All eyes in the hall were focused on Xiao Yan as he slowly approached the stone tablet. While the previous few tests may have been eye-catching, the one everyone was most anticipating was Xiao Yan’s performance. His test would represent the Ye Clan, and it would determine their future fate – whether they could retain their title as one of the Five Great Clans depended entirely on his test results.
Cao Dan stared at Xiao Yan’s back with a malevolent gaze, a mocking smile playing on his lips. For the Ye Clan to pass this assessment, they needed to be in the top three for each test, and now, the top three spots for the soul force test had already been taken by Dan Xuan, Cao Xiu, and Bai Ying. These three competitors were no pushovers, and Cao Dan didn’t believe that Xiao Yan could surpass them.
Under the intense gaze of the crowd, Xiao Yan stopped in front of the stone tablet, raising his hand to lightly touch it. The stone tablet felt extremely cold, like a block of ice, and touching it brought a faint, tingling pain. This sensation seemed to penetrate deep into the soul, making it somewhat uncomfortable.
“Xiao Yan, the Ye Clan must be in the top three for this test if they want to pass. Right now, Bai Ying is in third place with a soul value of 785. You need to surpass him for the Ye Clan to have any hope,” Sheng Elder, standing beside the stone tablet, said in a solemn voice, his expression grave. If the Ye Clan failed again, they would surely be removed from the ranks of the Five Great Clans.
Xiao Yan slowly nodded; he was more aware than anyone else of the weight of the Ye Clan’s fate resting in his hands. Closing his eyes gently, Xiao Yan seemed to enter a state of complete stillness, even his breathing becoming increasingly weak…
Silence engulfed the great hall, not a single noise broke the air. A heavy, oppressive atmosphere hung over everything.
This silence lasted for about half a minute. As the people in the hall exchanged confused glances, an immense and powerful soul pressure surged out from the young figure in front of the stone tablet, like a mighty dragon awakening.
*Boom!*
A low, muffled sound erupted around Xiao Yan, and an invisible soul storm formed around him. As the storm formed, the space around him warped dramatically.
When the soul storm appeared, Sheng Elder, who was closest to Xiao Yan, was immediately startled. He quickly retreated, his eyes fixed on the distorted silhouette within the swirling aura. This phenomenon during soul testing was not unfamiliar to him. When Cao Ying tested her soul value years ago, she had also caused such a phenomenon. But it seemed that her soul storm was smaller compared to Xiao Yan’s…
Dan Xuan, Cao Xiu, Bai Ying, and the others also changed expressions due to this sudden change, retreating several steps. They all looked in shock at the figure, especially Bai Ying, who was profoundly stunned. He could hardly believe that Xiao Yan could reach such an astonishing level.
At the Cao family’s seats, Cao Ying ceased twirling the smooth jade beads in her hand. Her mesmerizing eyes focused on the blurred figure in front of the stone tablet. A look of astonishment finally crossed her face. She had underestimated this young man named Xiao Yan, and she hadn’t anticipated that he would hide such profound strength.
The invisible soul storm caused a commotion throughout the hall. After a long while, the storm gradually weakened and finally dissipated completely after several seconds.
As the soul storm faded, Xiao Yan slowly retracted his hand from the stone tablet. At the same time, the entire hall turned their gaze to the numerical display on the central mirror!
“1395!”
The blood-red number stopped dramatically on the mirror, leaving the entire hall in a silent shock. The number froze the gazes of all present, unable to move away.
After a moment of stunned silence, the hall was filled with the sound of gasps. Many looked at the slightly slender figure in front of the stone tablet with undisguised awe.
1395!
This number was over three hundred points higher than the record set by Cao Ying years ago. When Cao Ying first broke the record, she was dubbed the “Goddess of Temptation.” Now, Xiao Yan had broken her record, and by a considerable margin. It was an achievement that was almost unbelievable…
Cao Ying, upon seeing the blood-red number, was also momentarily shocked. Then, with a intrigued look, she gazed at Xiao Yan and smiled, “Interesting… This Central Region truly hides dragons and tigers. I never noticed such a person before. It seems this alchemy conference will be very interesting.”
Behind her, Cao Dan stared at the stone tablet, dumbfounded. Regaining his composure, he heard the hint of admiration and recognition in Cao Ying’s words, and a flash of jealousy crossed his eyes. He knew Cao Ying well; she rarely showed respect to her peers. And he was acutely aware that he himself had not yet reached the level to be recognized by her.
But now, Xiao Yan, whom he had repeatedly mocked, had surpassed him and gained that recognition, which was a bitter pill for him to swallow.
At the Ye Clan’s seats, Ye Chong and Xin Lan, who had been on edge, sighed in relief. Xiao Yan’s achievement was dazzling, almost dreamlike. They had never doubted his strength but had never imagined he could break Cao Ying’s record in the first test.
“The Ye Clan has hope…” Ye Chong’s hands trembled with excitement. His worries of the past days finally dissipated. He believed that with Xiao Yan’s extraordinary ability, securing a top-three spot in the remaining two tests should not be difficult.
Beside the stone tablet, Sheng Elder stared at the blood-red number, nodding slowly. His gaze on Xiao Yan became intensely heated…
1395. Others might not understand the meaning of this number, but he did. It meant that Xiao Yan’s soul strength had reached the advanced seventh grade!
And what was even more precious was Xiao Yan’s age. To reach the advanced seventh grade at such a young age, only Cao Ying could compare in the current generation. This meant that the Alchemist Tower had found another prodigy after Cao Ying!
Of course, Sheng Elder wouldn’t think that Xiao Yan could truly stand shoulder to shoulder with Cao Ying. Cao Ying’s record was set a couple of years ago, and she had surely reached an even more terrifying level since then. Considering their similar ages, Cao Ying was likely still a notch ahead.
Logically, that was the case, but how could he know that the displayed number was Xia Yan’s full effort? Keeping a reserve and not showing all his cards was Xiao Yan’s usual tactic. Moreover, the result was something even Xiao Yan hadn’t anticipated.
Though unexpected, he understood that the high soul value was related to the spirit energy within his soul. Spirit energy, while not as powerful as Battle Qi, could make the soul undergo a qualitative change. In the same level, an alchemist with spirit energy in their soul would have vastly different test results compared to one without.
When the soul storm appeared earlier, Xiao Yan had secretly suppressed his soul strength, preventing a full release. He always believed in keeping some of his capabilities hidden to ensure his safety.
“Heh, not bad, not bad…” Sheng Elder stroked his beard, laughing loudly. His excitement was evident. Reporting this to the higher-ups would surely cause a significant stir.
“The soul test is over. The first place, naturally, goes to Xiao Yan representing the Ye Clan. Also, congratulations on breaking the record. This record, I’m sure, won’t be broken anytime soon…”
Hearing Sheng Elder’s announcement, the people in the hall sighed inwardly. The Ye Clan, indeed, was like a centipede that remained tenacious even in death. At the brink of elimination, they had found such a formidable ally. Based on his performance, there was no doubt that he would secure a top-three spot in the next two tests, ensuring the survival of the Ye Clan.
“Next, there are the final two assessments. Once these are over, the results of this year’s Five Great Clans assessment will be revealed.”
Sheng Elder smiled at Xiao Yan, his smile warmer and more amiable than before. In response, Xiao Yan also smiled and stepped back. Suddenly, he felt a presence that stirred his soul. Turning his head, his gaze met that of the woman in black robes at the Cao family’s seat.
Cao Ying, noticing Xiao Yan’s gaze, curved her lips into a bewitching smile. Her seductive aura was like that of a fallen fairy, radiating temptation.
In response to her allure, Xiao Yan quietly tightened his guard. This woman was not to be trifled with.
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