C8 Soulspark Assessment

A figure stepped through the void, traversing miles in a single step, and suddenly appeared before the crowd—a man in his forties, with one hand casually resting behind his back, exuding an air of solitary pride.

This man was Sun Qingshan, an elder of the Qing Xuan Sect, who controlled the Heaven Stairway Array and oversaw the annual servant examination. The disembodied voice that had been heard belonged to him.

"Greetings, Elder Sun!"

"Greetings, Elder Sun!"

As Sun Qingshan touched down, the assembly bowed in reverence. Despite his youth, he had attained the status of a sect elder—a position even the sect master would regard with a measure of deference.

"Elder Sun, all those who have passed the Heaven Stairway are present," reported Li Muqing, his demeanor respectful. One could not afford to be anything but reverent in the presence of a sect elder.

"Mhm," acknowledged Sun Qingshan with a slight nod. His eyes swept over those who had succeeded this year. His gaze lingered on Wang Ye for a moment, hinting at unspoken significance.

Li Muqing caught this subtle interaction and was inwardly astonished, thinking, "Elder Sun truly takes an interest in that young man. It seems I should make an effort to forge a connection with him."

The appearance of Sun Qingshan stirred excitement among the successful candidates. They could sense that their destinies were, to some extent, in his hands.

After surveying the group, Sun Qingshan announced, "Congratulations on passing the Heaven Stairway trial. However, to join the Qing Xuan Sect, you must also pass the Soulspark test."

"What's the Soulspark test?" inquired someone.

Li Muqing clarified, "The Soulspark test determines whether you possess a Soulspark and the potency of your spiritual energy, which are crucial for becoming a martial cultivator."

"Oh, I see!"

The crowd nodded, some with understanding, others not quite grasping the concept.

Li Muqing wasn't concerned. Possessing a Soulspark was rare, and it was of little consequence if most didn't comprehend it—they were unlikely to become martial cultivators anyway.

Clearing his throat, Sun Qingshan addressed the crowd with clarity, "Now, please line up in the order you ascended the Heaven Stairway. I will proceed to conduct your Soulspark examination."

Everyone followed the instructions and formed a line. From a distance, they resembled a formidable dragon, its presence becoming more pronounced as it stretched out.

Wang Ye remained unconscious, but no one paid him any mind. After all, he was the last to ascend the Stairway to Heaven and the last in line for the Soulspark test. His position in the queue was inconsequential.

Zhang Hu, the stout fellow, was first in line for the Soulspark test, according to the order in which they had climbed the stairway. He approached Sun Qingshan, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Sun Qingshan, no stranger to the process, raised his hand in front of Zhang Hu and instructed, "Now, close your eyes and use your heart to sense the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth."

With a solemn expression, Sun Qingshan recited an incantation, and a milky white gas materialized around his palm. It transformed into wisps that slowly flowed toward Zhang Hu.

This milky-white gas was the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, made visible and concentrated by Sun Qingshan's efforts; otherwise, it would have been invisible.

"Spiritual energy is emerging. This fellow isn't half bad! He actually possesses a Soulspark! But what level could it be?"

"It's probably just a Profound Rank Soulspark. It's unlikely to be an Earth Rank. Of course, there's a chance it's a dud."

As the Spiritual Qi enveloped Zhang Hu, the onlooking servant disciples began to speculate. Given the strength of the Qi, it seemed likely to be a Profound Rank Soulspark.

"A Profound Rank Soulspark with fire and earth attributes; you've passed the test," Sun Qingshan confirmed with a nod. He gestured toward Li Muqing and directed, "Go register your information with him."

Zhang Hu stayed put, smiling cheekily. "Elder, I've heard that the first person to pass the trial receives a reward..."

Sun Qingshan chuckled, pulling out a small jade bottle and handing it to Zhang Hu. "This is a Body Tempering Pill. It was meant to be given to you after the test, but there's no harm in giving it to you now."

"Thank you, Elder Sun!" Zhang Hu exclaimed with delight, taking the bottle and popping it open. A distinctive, pleasant aroma wafted out, drawing the gazes of many.

With an audible gulp, he swallowed the Body Tempering Pill whole. It dissolved instantly upon entering his mouth. Patting his ample stomach, he looked around at the others with a smug expression. "Ah, that feels amazing!"

"Damn it! That reward was mine!" Lin Xing seethed, his teeth grinding audibly. He had fought for first place solely for the Body Tempering Pill that was up for grabs.

Zhang Hu seemed oblivious to Lin Xing's lethal glare as he approached Li Muqing with a sycophantic smile. "Senior Brother, I'm Zhang Hu. Thank you for looking out for me!"

"When have I ever looked out for you? You're quite the character!" Li Muqing's face twitched, feigning ignorance before asking sternly, "Name and age?"

"My name is Zhang Hu, and I'm sixteen," Zhang Hu responded. Li Muqing jotted down in the ledger: Zhang Hu, sixteen years old, fire and earth dual attribute Profound Rank Soulspark.

Zhang Hu grinned and inquired, "Senior Brother, what exactly does fire and earth dual attribute Profound Rank Soulspark mean? Is it something really powerful?"

Li Muqing wasn't inclined to respond, but considering Zhang Hu's potential, he relented, "It means you possess a Soulspark with inferior fire and earth attributes."

Zhang Hu pressed on, "If I'm this impressive with a low-grade attribute, what about the mid-grade or high-grade ones?"

"Mid-grade is the Earth Soulspark, and high-grade is the Heaven Soulspark," Li Muqing explained, "Don't even dream about the Heaven Soulspark. I myself only have an Earth Soulspark."

"Earth Soulspark! Senior Brother, you're incredible!" Zhang Hu exclaimed, doling out a timely compliment, while the other disciples sneered in disdain. This guy was utterly shameless!

The crowd shifted their attention away from Zhang Hu and turned to watch Sun Qingshan, where Lin Xing was now standing, ready to undergo the Soulspark test.

"Close your eyes and feel with your heart," Sun Qingshan instructed, as rich Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth materialized around his palm once more.

Lin Xing clenched his eyes shut, desperately trying to connect with the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth, hoping to detect an Earth Soulspark, or better yet, a Heaven Soulspark!

But as he tuned into the Spiritual Qi, it stirred only faintly. Sun Qingshan's brow furrowed as he declared, "A defective Soulspark. You fail the assessment."

"What? Impossible!" Lin Xing's eyes flew open in outrage as he demanded, "How could I possibly have a crippled Soulspark? There must be a mistake in your test!"

"How dare you!" came the icy rebuke from Li Mu Xing, "Elder Sun has been responsible for the servant assessments year-round, and he has never once erred in testing a Soulspark. You have no right to be so insolent!"

"This kid's got guts, actually daring to challenge Elder Sun."

"Over the years, many have disagreed with their test results, yet none have had the audacity to confront Elder Sun directly. This kid is the first."

Witnessing the scene, the onlooking servant disciples couldn't help but laugh, convinced that Lin Xing had just ruined any chance of joining the sect. One must never disrespect the sect elders!