Chapter 496 - Food Slaying Demon.

Yang Dao placed down his foot on the ninety-first step and was about to climb up, a figure appeared in front of him. Elder Chime had flown over from the view pedestal. He said, "Dao if you took a step further, it will damage your foundation. Can you wait till you grow strong enough?" 

Yang Dao said with great effort, "But I want to be the first to climb to the top. What if some senior brother or sister got to do it before me?" 

This was his childish side coming under the spot. Elder Chime said, "If they did it, then they did it. Child, what matters most is that you get to reach the top. In life, luck and fate also have an influential role you know? Do not waste the efforts of your past for this mere glory. Also, the higher your cultivation realm, the bigger the pressure will be on this staircase." 

Yang Dao raised his head and blinked his eyes, only now did Elder Chime catch sight of his multicolored pupil and he was surprised. However, before he could ask him anything, the boy said, "Can you take me down, Elder? My legs are numb." 

With that said, his body wobbled. Elder Chime hurriedly waved his hand and by manipulating the spirit energy, he lifted the boy in the void. Then he said, "The rest of you also, climb to the ninetieth step only. Do not go ahead to harm your foundation." 

Then he flew back to the viewing pedestal with the fainted boy. 

...

Elder Chime looked at the ladies on the pedestal, Yue Jing stepped forward and said, "Elder, may I hold him." 

The old man nodded and the boy gently floated down from the void in Yue Jing's embrace. She held him face-to-face. The boy had his head resting on her shoulder. She did not mind him being wet in sweat, she just knew that he worked head and deserved rest. Elder Jing Shui said, "This kid is a good one." 

Yue Jing did not say anything and just held him in her arms gently. She could sense his circulating spirit energy, she was aware that his energy will circulate even if he did not wish for it too. 

...

The four other people also climbed the top of the heavenly staircase and then they came down exhausted. They all sat down under the tree to replenish their energy. The spirit energy inside them was sealed earlier and thus they had to use their physical strength and only with resting can they replenish it. They were different from Yang Dao, his body also had the vitality of earth. 

Athena said, "I wonder what the next task will be." 

Daina said while panting, "Demon slaying. Elder Jing said it earlier." 

The boys did not speak, they focused on replenishing their energy. 

...

Elder Jing said, "Congratulations to all those who passed the assessment. The next round will begin shortly. You all will be asked to step inside an array and display your combat efficiency. Your opponents will be demons. I remind you not to think of this assessment lightly, the attacks performed by the demons will be spirit attacks, and you might suffer injuries if you are not careful. 

Now, the general disciples and the true disciples can act in teams. One team cannot have any more than five members, also, general disciples must kill fifty demons, the true disciple teams must deal with hundred demons. Although teaming up will make your strength higher, it will have a drawback as well, if one member of your team is unable to keep up and forfeits, the rest will forfeit too.

Other than that, if one member of the team is injured seriously, then the whole team is disqualified. So, be very mindful of your actions inside the array. Now the general disciples step up first." 

The disciples and everyone else who heard these rules were shocked, they thought it was very harsh on them. Also, Elder Jing did not mention anything about the prime disciples. This was fishy. A disciple raised her hand and bravely asked, "Elder, Can I ask something?" 

Elder Jing Shui, being her usual, magnanimous smiling self, nodded to the girl. The disciple asked, "Elder, what are the criteria to pass for the prime disciples?" 

The lady was waiting for someone to ask this. She said, "They will have to take down a hundred demons each, and they are not allowed to do it in teams. They will be fighting in the arrays alone." 

The words sent a shock to the audience. Some people who were spectating this whole thing at different locations called out that the sect administration was being too hard on the prime disciples. After all, Yang Dao had just won a lot of goodwill for himself, and many people felt bad for his condition. 

Some of the examinee disciples did not understand what to say at this moment, Yang Dao who had woken up a few moments ago heard all this and said, "Big sister, can you let me down. I am fine now." 

Yue Jing nodded to his soft voice and gently let him down. The movement caught hold of everyone. Yang Dao walked over to stand beside Elder Jing Shui and said, "Elder, can I say something here?" 

Jing Shui gave him a sweet smile and nodded, the boy smiled at her and then turned to face his fellow disciples and said after infusing his spirit energy inside his throat, "You all may think that the sect is crueler on us, right? But if you look at how a lot of cultivators do not survive the heavenly tribulations when they reach the peak of the golden core realm, do you think heavens is crueler too? 

The hardship we face now will cultivate not only our strength but also our future. Do not shirk from hardships, climb over them and break past your limits. Endure sufferings to emerge stronger." 

His voice was tender but his words really left the people speechless. They were enthralled to hear such awe-inspiring words. They did not expect this kid to come forward and fan the flames of advancement in their hearts. There was something about him that made them feel the rush. 

They wished to be like him. After a short silence, someone amidst the crowd cheered, "Yang Dao." 

Then the chanted intensified and the people all began to call his name loudly. The boy was shocked. He did not notice this when he was climbing the staircase because he was tired and had no time to pay attention to the crowd. He was embarrassed and hid behind Elder Jing Shui. The lady let out a chuckle and said, "Okay, boys and girls, you have made our star blush, get on with the assessment now." 

Her words made the people all form up teams and they moved to the area where a formation hall deacon was standing. This place was not very far from the staircase. There was no order, just the first come first serve. 

...

Yang Dao pouted and mumbled, "You are bad Elder Jing, you tease me too." 

Elder Jing chuckled again. She was about to say something when a growling noise was heard from Yang Dao's stomach. The boy said, "Senior sister Alisha, can you get me something to eat. I prefer chicken rolls and lots of them." 

Alisha chuckled and said, "I had someone made them already, they will be sending it over in a bit." 

Yang Dao nodded and said, "I will be going back to sit down with the others." 

Then he greeted everyone and ran away to regroup with his fellow disciples. 

...

Trent asked when he noticed the boy rushing over, "Dao, what do you is the purpose of this assessment? Why is it that everyone will be disqualified if one of them failed?" 

The boy sat down on the ground with his head looking in the direction of the array, where disciples were taking the test. He said, "When you face enemies, and they come in waves or armies, you deal with them as an army too. If one of the people in the team makes a slip-up the rest of them will pay the price. The aim of this assessment is to promote teamwork and a spirit of kinship among the disciples. 

If the disciples gave up their spirit of brotherhood, for the sake of getting ahead in the competition and status, then the sect will lose its meaning. Do you understand that?" 

His analysis shocked everyone and they looked at him in surprise. What he said, maybe an exaggeration, but it did make sense. Athena was about to ask something when they sensed a flying sword approaching them. 

Yang Dao raised his head to find a serving disciple from his palace had come over. The person was a middle-aged man, he got down the sword and bowed to Yang Dao, he said, "Young Master, the food you asked for." 

He stood out a box from his space ring, it was filled with chicken rolls to the brim. The boy smiled as he accepted it. With a thank you he sent the man away and asked him to thank everyone who prepared this food. 

Then he began to grogge it down like a wolf. He did not even bother to ask if the others would care for a bite. Daina said, "I do not know much about demons, but I know a particular food-slaying demon." 

Athena and the other two could not help but chuckle and her remark while Yang Dao, coughed as he choked.