C14 The Red Groove

The square fell into a profound silence, so deep that the heartbeat of every person present could be heard.

Gulp gulp!

The disciples stared at the jade tablet, transfixed by the faint black light emanating from it. Despite its dimness, it sent shockwaves through their hearts, leaving them unable to find peace for a long while. The sound of swallowing intermittently filled the air.

Elder Longbrow and Elder Chitong also quickly turned their attention to the sight. The black light shining from the groove captured their interest, and for a moment, they were lost in confusion. When they came to, a look of astonishment still lingered in their eyes, refusing to fade.

"Murong Meng, light black, pass... Pass," the instructor, clearly shaken, stuttered out the results. If the instructor was this affected, the other disciples were even more so, their minds buzzing, still struggling to grasp the reality of the situation.

The young woman in the black dress took small, measured steps to stand behind the instructor. Her expression was serene, betraying no hint of emotion, as if the achievement was of no consequence to her. Yet, her quiet presence drew innumerable gazes, eclipsing the accomplishments of the two men and two women before her.

"Elder, may I proceed with the test?" Ye Xuan approached Elder Chitong and inquired softly.

"Ah... Ah... Yes, of course," Elder Chitong, as if snapping out of a trance, responded somewhat awkwardly. Upon recognizing Ye Xuan, his piercing gaze fixed on the young man like a hawk. Ye Xuan, feeling uneasy under such scrutiny, subtly averted his eyes to avoid direct contact.

After adjusting his attire, he spoke with a voice resonant as thunder, "Begin!"

At Elder Chitong's command, Ye Xuan's vital force surged through his body like a sprinting cheetah, accompanied by a whooshing sound.

"Now is the time to test the twofold art, the Prismatic Force," Ye Xuan murmured to himself.

Inside his meridians, the Prismatic Force began to gather, slowly making its way to his palm. Upon arrival, the vital force violently churned and writhed. It eventually formed into a long needle, akin to a tailor's, its tip radiating a fierce, icy gleam, rhythmically extending and retracting within Ye Xuan's hand.

Elder Chitong suddenly sensed something and quickly turned his gaze toward Ye Xuan's palm. But before Elder Chitong's eyes could meet his, Ye Xuan swiftly raised his palm and struck down toward the jade tablet before him. Accompanied by a whooshing sound, his palm swept through the air and, in the blink of an eye, stopped just short of the jade tablet.

Bang!

A loud, explosive noise erupted, causing the table to shake violently as if it were on the brink of collapse.

The grooves on the jade tablet began to flicker intensely with light: white, gray, blue, deep blue. The momentum of the advance seemed to slow, teetering on the edge of halting.

Ha!

Ye Xuan internally roared, unleashing the full power of the Prismatic Force from his palm, which surged like a long needle. Elder Chitong's eyes narrowed sharply as he noticed the once dim light in the grooves brighten rapidly, growing more and more dazzling. It surged into the black grooves, making them glow with an intensity that surpassed the light previously emitted by Murong Meng. The brilliance showed no signs of fading, and Elder Chitong's lips quivered, his aged hands clasped tightly together, beads of sweat seeping out from between them.

Elder Longbrow, too, fixed his gaze on the jade tablet with an intensity matching Elder Chitong's. He seemed to be hoping for something, his facial expressions shifting continuously while he murmured under his breath. His voice was so faint that the instructors nearby could only catch snippets, barely making out the words, "Red... color... can... breakthrough?"

The disciples in the plaza also witnessed Ye Xuan's actions, falling silent as if they were ducks caught by the neck, their faces a mix of eagerness and hesitation, a rather amusing sight.

As the light from the black groove shone as brightly as the sun, the red groove began to emit a faint glimmer. Though dim and subtle, it cast an enchanting aura. Over time, the glimmer grew brighter, eventually illuminating the entire red groove.

The light from the red groove cast a haunting glow across the square, reflecting the disciples' faces, each one etched with terror as if they had witnessed a monstrous demon. Their expressions were a mix of horror and disbelief, their eyes wide with incredulity.

Crack, crack, crack!

As the red light reached its peak brilliance, fine cracks began to spiderweb across the jade tablet. Initially confined to a small area, the cracks rapidly expanded until they covered the entire surface.

Bang!

The sound of an explosion reverberated in everyone's ears as the jade tablet shattered along with the table, scattering fragments across the ground in disarray.

Murong Meng, who had been standing with serene composure, now cast her gaze over, her clear eyes reflecting shock. Her flawless, pale face mirrored the surprise of the moment.

Elder Longbrow and Chitong, two esteemed elders of the Astral Conclave, stood frozen in astonishment.

"Elder, does this mean I've passed the test?" Ye Xuan cautiously inquired, looking at the dazed Chitong before him. He hadn't anticipated the Prismatic Force being so potent and overwhelming that it would destroy both the jade tablet and the table. His face now bore an awkward expression, the thought of potential compensation hanging over him like a dark cloud.

Ye Xuan's heart was tinged with regret; this was certainly not intentional.

"Ah... Ah... Passed, passed, passed!" Elder Chitong, jolted back to reality by Ye Xuan's voice, blushed with embarrassment as he stammered out his response.

If such a display didn't qualify as a pass, then surely no one else's efforts would even merit the chance to advance to the next test.

"And this broken..." Ye Xuan gestured towards the shattered jade tablets on the ground, his voice laced with unease.

Elder Chitong's gaze fell upon the fragments, his eyelids twitching imperceptibly, a pang of loss striking his heart. The table was inconsequential, but the jade tablets held considerable value.

Yet, in comparison to Ye Xuan, these losses were trivial.

He was the one who had illuminated the red groove. Throughout the Astral Conclave's storied history, aside from the venerable founder, no one else had managed to light up the red groove. This had led many to believe it was an impossible feat. Even lighting up the black groove was a rarity. The difficulty of igniting the red groove was evident, and the individual who could do so was undoubtedly endowed with extraordinary talent.

"It's fine, they're just trinkets. No harm done if they break." Elder Chitong dismissed the concern with a casual wave of his hand, seemingly unfazed. Elder Longbrow was momentarily taken aback by his nonchalance but quickly regained his composure. After all, in comparison to Ye Xuan, this little marvel, it was trivial.

"Oh, then I can stop worrying." Ye Xuan responded with a smile, then turned his attention to Chitong before making his way to stand beside Mu Hua.

Seeing Ye Xuan approach, Mu Hua couldn't contain his excitement. "Ye Xuan, you're incredibly impressive. You really keep your light under a bushel."

Ye Xuan simply shook his head and replied modestly, "Not at all, it was just a stroke of luck."

"Ye Xuan, have you ever heard a certain phrase?" Mu Hua inquired further.

"Hmm? Which one?" Ye Xuan asked, his face a picture of curiosity.

"Excessive humility is just pretense," Mu Hua said with a sly grin.

Ye Xuan gave him an exasperated look and decided not to engage any further.