“Everyone!” At this moment, the old man in a long white robe sitting on the high platform spoke loudly. This made everyone present fall silent at once.
The long white-robed elder continued. “I am Zhen Qian, the Ji family’s dedicated spirit controller. I have come to Dingjiang City this time to select spirit controllers for the Ji family.”
“The requirements for this selection are young spirit controllers under thirty years old. Their cultivation must reach the sixth-grade advanced spirit power realm. Their combat power must be at the medium level of this realm.”
“Of course, as long as you have enough power to fight across levels, even if your cultivation falls short, you can still join the selection.”
“If your cultivation reaches the seventh-grade initial spirit power realm, even if you are over thirty, you can take part as long as you are under forty.”
“If you reach the seventh-grade intermediate spirit power realm, even if you are over forty, you can take part as long as you are under forty-eight.”
Everyone understood at once.
The Continental Spirit Controller Grand Competition requires entrants under fifty years old. There is more than a year, nearly two years, left until it starts. So now, at least those under forty-eight qualify.
The Ji family selection is for the competition, but it mainly checks talent and strength. A sixth-grade advanced spirit controller under thirty shows rare talent. This means great potential for future growth.
Over thirty, the potential drops. So the required realm rises.
After all, the Ji family will not keep useless people.
That said, although the Ji family recruits from thirty to under forty-eight, in practice, almost no one over thirty shows up.
A seventh-grade intermediate spirit controller is rare. Even Linghuang Valley has only one.
Such a person hardly needs the Ji family selection. They can win a spot from the four valleys to go to Lingchi Island.
They can even use various ways to gather enough wealth to go.
Most who join the Ji family selection are young spirit controllers under thirty.
“I have a test stone here for spirit power cultivation and strength. Inject your spirit power into it. It will show your spirit power cultivation and power level.”
With that, Zhen Qian took out a stone block half a metre long and wide. He moved his spirit power. He controlled the stone to the ground ahead. Then he said loudly, “Now, any spirit controller who meets the test rules and wants to test, please step forward.”
As soon as he finished, the youths in the inner circle grew eager to try.
The seventh-grade initial spirit controller from Linghuang Valley glanced at a youth nearby. That youth caught on. He spoke first. “I’ll go first!”
With that, the youth stepped out from the Linghuang Valley group.
“That is Linghuang Valley’s sixth-grade advanced spirit controller, Qi Biao. He has beaten many ninth-layer Martial Monarch powerhouses, they say. His combat power is strong.”
“Beating many ninth-layer Martial Monarchs means his combat power is fierce among peers. With such strength, he should pass the test.”
The crowd murmured. The spirit controller youths on the inner side fixed their eyes on Qi Biao. They wanted to judge the test stone from his result.
Under everyone’s gaze, Qi Biao walked close to the test stone. He stirred his spirit power. He poured it into the stone with force.
“Sizzle!”
At that point, the test stone gave off an aura. Two rows of words appeared on its half-metre square surface.
First row: Sixth-grade advanced spirit power cultivation.
Second row: Same level low-grade.
“Same level power is low-grade. Does not meet the rules. Eliminated!” The words showed on the stone. Zhen Qian’s calm voice followed.
But shocked voices rose from the crowd around.
“What? Qi Biao, who beat many ninth-layer Martial Monarchs, has only low-grade combat power?”
“The Ji family selection sets the bar too high.”
“If Qi Biao cannot pass, how many from other forces can?”
Qi Biao himself looked stunned. He did not claim top combat power among peers. But he believed his was solid. How could it be low-grade?
In the end, Qi Biao said nothing. He shook his head in disappointment. He walked back.
He had failed. He had to accept it. He dared not question the Ji family’s test stone.
“Wen Zi, junior brother, you try!” At this time, the seventh-grade initial spirit controller youth from Linghuang Valley said to someone nearby.
“Good!”
The youth named Wen Zi stepped forward.
As soon as he did, the heated talk around started up again.
“That Wen Zi is one of the top few sixth-grade advanced spirit controller youths in Linghuang Valley!”
“Yes. They say Wen Zi can sweep any ninth-layer Martial Monarch. He even beat a half-step Martial Emperor powerhouse. His combat power terrifies.”
“The test from a top sixth-grade advanced spirit controller. This should be high-grade, right?”
Amid the buzz of talk, the youth named Wen Zi poured his spirit power into the test stone.
At once, the test stone showed two rows of words.
First row: Sixth-grade advanced spirit power realm.
Second row: Same level medium.
“Sixth-grade advanced spirit power. Medium combat power. Passed!” Zhen Qian saw the words on the stone. He spoke at once in a flat tone.
“Medium? Wen Zi’s combat power is only medium?”
“Wen Zi stands near the peak for same level. He can beat half-step Martial Emperors. Yet only medium? Then high-grade combat power must be immense.”
“Same level high-grade would mean sweeping any peer. Even sweeping any half-step Martial Emperor.”
“The Ji family selection asks too much. Such power counts as same level medium. How many can pass the test?”
The crowd buzzed again. Everyone wore shocked looks.
They had guessed the Ji family test would demand much. They did not expect it to demand even more.
Even Wen Zi himself and the other Linghuang Valley disciples looked shocked.
“Qiu Qin, junior brother, you have cross-level combat strength. You try!” The Linghuang Valley seventh-grade initial spirit controller spoke again.
Clearly, he led these spirit controllers.
As he finished, a youth in green clothes stepped out. This youth seemed a bit younger than the first two. He looked about twenty-six.
But his cultivation lagged one grade behind theirs. He stood at sixth-grade intermediate.
After the green-clothed youth tested, two rows of words appeared.
First row: Sixth-grade intermediate spirit power cultivation.
Second row: Sixth-grade advanced spirit power low-grade combat power.
The crowd gasped in shock. One grade in spirit controlling equals three layers in primal power cultivation. So few spirit controllers fight across levels.
They did not expect this youth named Qiu Qin to have such power. He could fight a full grade higher.
For true talent, he likely topped the group. Except for that seventh-grade initial spirit controller, of course. No wonder he dared test at sixth-grade intermediate.
Sadly, the Ji family needed at least medium combat power at sixth-grade advanced spirit power realm. Qiu Qin still failed.
Next, other spirit controllers stepped up to test. About thirty or forty tested. They were the strongest young spirit controllers from far and wide. Most held sixth-grade advanced spirit controller cultivation.
In the end, only a small half passed.
Just fifteen passed in total.
That number felt very low.
Linghuang Valley had seven pass. That was nearly half their entrants.
It took almost half the total passes too.
This showed Linghuang Valley’s strength.
After all tested, Lin Xiao learned something. The Linghuang Valley seventh-grade initial spirit controller youth had not come to test or join. He came only to watch.
“Junior brothers, do not feel down. Those who failed, follow me to the Qulu Mountain Range for training. You might raise your strength soon. Then you can try other test points.” At this time, the Linghuang Valley seventh-grade initial spirit controller youth spoke to the half who failed.
The group nodded. Hope lit their dejected faces.
Now Zhen Qian on his seat spoke too. “Yes. The Ji family selection runs until next year, before the trip to Lingchi Island. If you improve in this time, you can test at other points.”
That said, in such a short span, few could boost their combat power by a grade.
Fewer still could raise their spirit power realm by a grade.
Other test points lay far off. Travel cost much. Most who failed once did not try again elsewhere.
Zhen Qian’s words served just to lift spirits.
“Now, anyone else to test?”
He asked. Then Zhen Qian said, “If not, those who passed, come with this old man to the next test point along the way.”
A Ji family dedicated spirit controller handled more than one point. After this test, he must leave fast for the next.
“Since that is the case…” He looked around. Zhen Qian rose to leave. But then a youth’s voice came from the crowd. “I want to try too!”
Right after, a black-clothed youth of just twenty walked out from the crowd. He moved slowly to the square’s centre.
