Chapter 124: Chapter 123: The Spirit Fusion Test Begins

[Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven]

[71/1000]

Two days passed in a flash. Jiang Qiu had spent them exploring the Soldier Cultivation Academy on his own. After getting a general idea of the layout and buildings, he found a private training room and practiced [Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven] relentlessly.

Today was the day of the Spirit Fusion Test. He followed An Ling on a stroll into the academy’s ring-shaped testing building. They passed from the outer ring into a large, field-like atrium where sunlight poured down from above.

At a glance, students were clustered together like ants, gathered in noisy groups scattered across the second-floor viewing corridor.

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on a large, oval-shaped stone in the center of the open space. It stood two meters tall and was obsidian-black. In its center were nine inlaid rings of patterns that reflected the crimson glow of the sun.

"Martial Uncle, that’s the Test Stone. It was excavated from a Secret Realm decades ago. When you attack it with a technique that fuses your Spirit Charm, it activates the patterns on its surface. The number of rings that light up represents your Jade Sinew Rank. It’s very accurate."

An Ling explained as they walked, leading Jiang Qiu to the waiting area beneath the second-floor corridor where they stood with numerous students from the Spear System.

Discussions broke out behind them. "Is that Jiang Divine?"

"He killed a Transformed Great Demon during the college entrance exam. So badass. I heard the Dean even took him on as a personal disciple. The guy’s potential is limitless!"

"His potential is huge, no doubt, but to take the Spirit Fusion Test right after school started... If he doesn’t get first place, it’ll be a little... uh, it won’t quite live up to the Dean’s reputation, you know?"

"Sigh, in such a short amount of time, his degree of [Spirit Fusion] can’t possibly be high enough. Besides, that one guy from the Non-Spear Type faction is already at the freaking Third Step of Martial Cultivation. First place is a lock for him."

In the waiting area, several hundred senior students from the Spear System shook their heads and sighed. Jiang Qiu tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling upon the students on the opposite side. They were in a few scattered groups, all seemingly deferring to a burly young man in a black tank top who stood in their midst.

Aside from the peerless geniuses who had just reached the Spirit Body Realm, most participants in the Spirit Fusion Test were senior students who had been at the university for over a year. Yet this man, tall and imposing with arms like tree trunks crossed over his chest, managed to suppress the presence of everyone around him.

The Non-Spear Type faction was smaller and composed of a motley variety of weapon users who rarely deferred to one another. The fact that no one dared to stand in front of him spoke volumes.

Their gazes met at the edge of the Test Stone, neither willing to give an inch.

’He’s not far from the Bright Soul Realm,’ Jiang Qiu thought, silently activating [Dragon Eye] as his brow furrowed. ’How long did it take him to cultivate to this Realm? Can someone of his level even participate in the Spirit Fusion Test?’

A student could only participate in the Spirit Fusion Test once in their life. Usually, as soon as they entered the Spirit Body Realm, they would eagerly join if the test was being held. At the very least, they could claim a reward of Contribution Points.

Almost no one would delay it for two or three years to work on their Spirit Fusion, as that process was heavily dependent on one’s talent and affinity.

Thus, very few chose not to participate. Peerless geniuses, in particular, would never hold back. After all, most came from exceptional backgrounds; for them, the process of bonding with a Lifebound Weapon began long before they reached the Spirit Body Realm...

"His name is Liang Taiyue," An Ling said, his eyes narrowing to slits and his voice growing cold. "He was already an Axe Cultivator before enrolling last year. He learned how to use an axe from his father and has immense talent for the Axe Dao. During high school, he went to train near South Mountain and comprehended a Tier Two Axe Skill, [Thousand Forms Heaven-Treading], during a life-or-death battle against a herd of Profound Jade Elephants, a type of High Tier Demon Beast."

"He was also one of Yongjiang City’s top ten prodigies last year. The moment he entered Northwest Martial University, he caught the eye of the only axe-wielding mentor in the Non-Spear Type faction, who personally instructed him for a period of time."

"In just one short year, I’ve heard he’s already completed both [Weapon Forging and Spirit Fusion] and [Weapon Skill Fusion]. He’s currently comprehending [Soldier Body Integration]."

"Here at the Soldier Cultivation Academy, he’s a peerless genius of the Axe Dao, especially famous among the Non-Spear Type students. This Spirit Fusion Test is likely his public springboard to become that mentor’s personal disciple. He will absolutely be fighting for first place."

After a pause, he gave Jiang Qiu a long look. "Martial Uncle, the test is meant to measure everyone’s degree of Spirit Fusion. It’s primarily an assessment. But fighting for first place is a contest of strength, and the academy allows students to challenge one another."

"Liang Taiyue is perfectly suited for the Axe Dao. He’s resolute and decisive. In just one year, he not only gained the strength to join a Martial Arts Team but has also accompanied them to the Northern Wilderness to slay demons on multiple occasions. He loves to fight, excels at it, and will never back down."

"Be careful."

There are three steps for a Soldier Cultivator in the Spirit Body Realm, but not every step must be brought to Perfection. Some people’s innate talent prevents them from ever reaching Perfection, yet they can still advance to the next stage.

But not only was Liang Taiyue’s talent exceptional, he also had a solid one-year head start on Jiang Qiu. The gap between them was almost insurmountable.

An Ling sighed to himself.

’I can only hope my esteemed master prepared a trump card for Martial Uncle Jiang Qiu,’ An Ling thought. ’Otherwise, first place is hopeless, and the reputation of our grandmaster’s lineage will suffer...’

Soon, the Spirit Fusion Test officially began. The student moderator stood beside the Test Stone and, reading from a list, shouted, "From the Spear System, Zhong Zhichuan, step up for your test!"

Under the crowd’s focused gaze, Zhong Zhichuan stepped forward with a notched spear in hand, his eyes burning with intensity.

He had already been at Northwest Martial University for three years. His aptitude was painfully mediocre; he had only just barely entered the Spirit Body Realm this year. It was unlikely he would ever progress beyond the first step, [Weapon Forging and Spirit Fusion].

But it was enough. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Zhong Zhichuan took a deep breath, his brow furrowed, and he sank into a half-horse stance. He gathered all the Qi Blood and Spirit Charm in his body, veins bulging on his arm as he violently thrust the spear forward.

BANG!

The spear tip struck the smallest, central circle on the Test Stone. A Gale Spirit Charm erupted from his palm, blasting back the short sleeves of his shirt as it slammed into the Test Stone along with the point of the spear.

VMMMM—

A peculiar sound, like a dolphin’s call, emanated from the Test Stone. The innermost ring of patterns glowed with a faint red light, which then immediately extinguished.

"Foundation: First Rank Jade Sinews. Spirit Charm: Gale. Degree of Spirit Fusion: Extremely weak. Spirit Fusion Test complete. You may apply for a standard Martial Artist certification."

Zhai Song, seated to the right on the judges’ platform, delivered the verdict. His words stirred the three or four thousand spectating students on the second-floor corridor into a heated discussion. As for Zhong Zhichuan, he bowed respectfully to the judges before letting out a couple of joyous whoops and running off.

"Hey, senior, he only has First Rank Jade Sinews, and his Spirit Fusion was ’extremely weak.’ He’ll probably never reach the Bright Soul Realm in his entire life, right? Why did he seem so happy?"

Xue Zhang, who was leaning on the second-floor railing, glanced at the wide-eyed freshman beside him and snorted. "Just becoming a Martial Artist is enough to qualify for graduation. That’s why he’s happy. After all, not everyone is a genius destined to reach the higher Realms."

"In his case, it could also be that the conditions were poor when he first Cast his Jade Sinews, capping his potential at the First Rank. That would lead to inefficient Spirit Fusion and drag down his innate talent."

"So, if you guys want to soar in the future, you need to build a solid foundation. Cast Jade Sinews with the potential for the Third and Fourth Ranks. If you’re short on resources, hit me up. I’ve got connections. Good stuff, great prices..."

Amidst the murmuring of the crowd, the Spirit Fusion Test continued. The participants alternated between the Spear System and Non-Spear Types. The mentors announcing the names also took turns; after Zhai Song made a call, another mentor with a scar on his face would call the next.

"Senior, don’t both Spear System and Non-Spear Type students just apply for the same standard Martial Artist certification? Why is there another mentor on the judging panel?"

Xue Zhang curled his lip. "Of course not. The judge from the Non-Spear Type faction is Wu Daoqing. He’s also one of the ten most famous mentors in our Soldier Cultivation Academy. He uses an axe."

"See that one down there, standing with his arms crossed? That’s Liang Taiyue, the Axe Dao genius from the Non-Spear Type faction. As far as I know, he’s at the highest Realm of anyone in this Spirit Fusion Test. He’s poised to take first place and, as a matter of course, become Mentor Wu Daoqing’s personal disciple."

"Sigh. It’s a shame. All the geniuses in our Spear System have already advanced, and the new batch is too green. If the Non-Spear Type faction steals the show at this year’s Spirit Fusion Test, you can bet some people are going to get unbearably smug..."