Chapter 116: Assessment, Scheming for the Profound Yuan Skill, Superior Comprehension

Soon, the group arrived at a large courtyard. After entering, the gaunt man stopped in his tracks.

He turned to face them, his gaze sweeping over each person before speaking. “The assessment will begin momentarily. Anyone who has taken medicinal enhancements must leave now. If you are caught later, you will implicate your sponsor.”

No one spoke. They all remained standing where they were, looking completely calm and composed.

The gaunt man was merely going through the motions. Having said his piece, he instructed everyone to wait in the courtyard.

A short while later, he reappeared, this time holding a box. He placed it on a stone table and announced, “You will go in three at a time. Take a pill from me before entering.”

With that, he had everyone line up. Familiar with the process, the crowd complied without a word. Su Chen took a spot in the middle of the line.

Su Chen observed from within the ranks. With three people going in at a time and roughly fifteen minutes between each group, it would only take four rounds before it was his turn.

Round after round passed. Those who came out were entirely expressionless, which only made the people waiting outside feel all the more anxious.

Soon, it was Su Chen’s turn. He walked up to the gaunt man, received a pill, and headed inside.

“Swallow the pill, then sit.”

Inside the hall, three middle-aged men sat side by side. One of them had spoken.

Su Chen did as instructed, found a seat, and swallowed the pill. The moment it entered his mouth, he felt a faint throbbing ache deep within his bones.

Fifteen minutes later, a voice rang out. “All right. Drop a single drop of blood into the bowl in front of you.”

Su Chen opened his eyes and looked at the murky water in the bowl. He picked up the provided dagger and slashed hard against his skin, only to frown—the blade didn’t even leave a scratch.

Left with no other choice, he bit his finger. A drop of blood fell into the bowl. In less than a breath, it rippled outward, dispersing the murkiness like ink dropped into clear water.

Under Su Chen’s watchful gaze, the single drop of blood rapidly split into six smaller drops.

In the courtyard.

Aside from Su Chen, everyone else stared nervously at the gaunt man, like prisoners awaiting their sentences.

The gaunt man held a slip of paper. His calm eyes swept over the crowd once more before withdrawing. His apathetic voice broke the silence. “Which of you is Bi Kui?”

“To answer Steward Yu, I am Bi Kui!” An elegant young master, visibly moved, cupped his fists respectfully.

Everyone’s gaze instantly landed on Bi Kui. Though their expressions varied, they were all laced with envy.

Su Chen also looked at the man, a realization dawning in his mind. He had failed the Profound Water Sect’s bone aptitude test.

During the blood test just moments ago, his drop of blood had only split into six smaller drops. While he didn’t know where that ranked him among the rest of the candidates, it clearly didn’t meet the Profound Water Sect’s recruitment standards.

He had learned from Qin Xue that the number of drops the blood split into represented the quality of one’s bone aptitude. Six small drops indicated that Su Chen’s bone aptitude was above average. Such an aptitude might easily gain him entry into other sects, but it fell short for a massive organization like the Profound Water Sect.

The Profound Water Sect only wanted geniuses; they exclusively recruited disciples with top-tier bone aptitudes!

“Hmm, you’ve passed the assessment.” Steward Yu glanced at Bi Kui and nodded.

“Thank you, Steward Yu!” Bi Kui hurriedly replied, unable to hide his delight. Although he tried to suppress his smile, his brow completely relaxed with relief.

Steward Yu returned the cupped-fist salute. “You are too polite, Junior Brother Bi. We will be fellow disciples from now on; this is merely a trivial matter.”

Pausing for a moment, he beckoned a man over and instructed, “Hai, take Junior Brother Bi to the Brocade Pavilion.”

“Yes, sir!”

Once Bi Kui left, Steward Yu dropped his smile and turned his gaze back to the crowd. “Since you are all standing here, I assume you know the rules. I won’t repeat them. Hand over one thousand taels each.”

As his words fell, several people produced silver notes and handed them to Steward Yu. Su Chen hesitated for a split second before following suit and paying the fee.

Although the Profound Water Sect highly valued bone aptitude, they did not completely overlook comprehension. Therefore, after the bone aptitude test, those who were confident in themselves could undergo a comprehension test. If their comprehension met the standard, there was still a chance to enter the Profound Water Sect.

Su Chen didn’t care much about the so-called test itself, but he was quite interested in its contents.

Qin Xue had once mentioned that the Cultivation Technique used in the Profound Water Sect’s comprehension test was their very own core technique—the Profound Yuan Technique. This was a Cultivation Technique that offered a direct path to the Blood Movement Realm.

On the path of cultivation, the realms were divided into: Strength Training, Energy Refining, Organ Refining, Bone Forging, and Blood Movement. A Cultivation Technique that could take one from Strength Training all the way to Blood Movement was likely possessed only by the Profound Water Sect in all of Qinzhou. Its rarity and value were self-evident.

Of course, the Profound Water Sect wouldn’t just hand out the complete Profound Yuan Technique. They only provided the foundational Entry-level Technique for the crowd to practice and comprehend.

Before long, everyone had finished paying. Steward Yu handed each person a small booklet. Recorded within these pages were the Cultivation Technique Essentials for the Entry-level Technique of the Profound Yuan Technique.

“Remember, you only have two hours. If you haven’t comprehended and mastered it within two hours, then give up,” Steward Yu said flatly, taking in everyone’s eager expressions.

The crowd nodded and eagerly opened their booklets. Steward Yu sat silently to the side, watching them, entirely unfazed by their enthusiasm.

He mused, “There’s always a group of obstinate fools like this every time. What a pity that they’re so full of themselves. They don’t even weigh their own worth. Do they really think the Profound Yuan Technique is so easy to comprehend?”

In the entire history of the Profound Water Sect, the number of disciples who had actually gained entry solely through comprehension was exceedingly rare. He certainly didn’t believe anyone in this current batch could pass the test.

However, he was still quite fond of these idiots. After all, they brought him a handsome profit every time. Who wouldn’t like someone who freely handed over their money?