Chapter 3628: Ten Stars Assessment
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In the past, Duan Ling Tian would be filled with jealousy when seeing these scenes. However, he was content now. In this life, he had his parents, wives, and children. He had a happy family. He only felt regretful that his wife, Ke’er, was not with the family.
Ke’er was the reason he had risked his life to travel through the Realm Battlefield from the Nine Serenities Battlefield to get to the Profound Energy Land, a Realm of Gods. He wanted to bring Ke’er back so their family would be reunited.
Duan Ling Tian shook his head, clearing the thoughts in his mind, as he walked toward the bone age testing area. There were quite a few people in the area, and they were all dressed in silver and white uniforms with emblems on their chests that read ‘Hidden Fog’. Stars could also be seen around the words ‘Hidden Fog’.
A row of tables and chairs had been neatly arranged. Based on their numbers, five people could be tested for their bone ages at the same time.
Duan Ling Tian took a closer look at the people around him. Among the twenty or so people, the highest number of stars he had seen on an emblem was seven stars while the lowest number of stars was four stars. With their uniforms and emblems, it was clear they were students of the Hidden Fog Academy. Judging from their emblems, they were Four to Seven Stars students.
As Duan Ling Tian drew closer to the bone age testing area, he heard another elder encouraging his child.
“Look at them. Their students of the Hidden Fog Academy. If you’re able to don that uniform, your name will be forever famous in the clan!”
At this time, five long lines had already formed.
Duan Ling Tian randomly picked a line and stood at the back, waiting for his turn. After getting their bone ages verified, the participants were allowed to walk past the gates of the academy.
It did not take long for the number of people in front of the line to decrease. After all, it was a simple process to test one’s bone age. One would only need to place one’s hand on a square formation compass. After activating the formation, one’s bone age would be revealed.
“Next.”
It was finally Duan Ling Tian’s turn.
“Put your hand there,” the student said brusquely without asking for Duan Ling Tian’s name. When Duan Ling Tian’s bone age was revealed, he glanced at Duan Ling Tian and said, “Since you’re almost 2,700 years old, you can only participate in the Ten Star assessment.”
“I understand.” Duan Ling Tian nodded. He had long known about this.
In the Hidden Fog Academy, when nearing the age of 3,000, the students would either successfully graduate or they would be expelled depending on their ranks. There were also students who were expelled before the time was up due to them not rising in the star ranking.
When Nine Stars students reached the age of 2,800, it was compulsory for them to take the Ten Stars assessment. If they failed the assessment, they would be expelled from the Hidden Fog Academy.
Students were divided into ten star rankings, from one star to ten stars. One Star students’ requirements were the lowest while Ten Stars students’ requirements were the highest.
One Stars student could not be older than 1,000 years old. Their cultivation bases had to be that of a Six Combos Celestial Emperor, at least. They must also comprehend two profundities of a law to the mastery stage.
Two Stars students could not be older than 1,200 years old. Their cultivation bases’ requirements were naturally higher than that of One Star students. The requirements would progressively become higher. For example, Three Stars students could not be older than 1,400 years old, Nine Stars students could not be older than 2,600 years old, and Ten Stars students could not be older than 2,800 years old.
With the effect of the Bone Aging Pills, Duan Ling Tian’s bone age was now close to 2,700 years old. For this reason, he could only participate in the Ten Stars assessment.
The Ten Star assessment was naturally the most difficult. The requirements were high as well. One had to be a god and comprehend all profundities from a law to the mastery stage. Apart from that, one must have also fused at least two double Fused Profundities. However, if one comprehended one of the Four Supreme Laws, an exception would be made: one only had to comprehend one double Fused Profundity.
The Ten Stars assessment was the same for new recruits and Nine Stars students taking the test to become Ten Stars students.
The number of Ten Stars students in the Hidden Fog Academy had always been small. In the past ten years, Nine Stars students aside, no one had taken the Ten Star assessment to join the academy.
For this reason, the student verifying Duan Ling Tian’s bone age was slightly surprised when he saw Duan Ling Tian was nearly 2,700 years old.
When word of this spread, it generated a small amount of interest. After all, the Nine Stars students notwithstanding, there had been no one who had taken the Ten Stars assessment to join the academy.
“He’s almost 2,700 years old… With his age, he can only participate in the Ten Stars assessment. There’s no way for him to join the academy if he fails the assessment.”
“It’s been more than ten years since someone had taken the Ten Stars assessment to join the academy, right?”
“Do you think he’ll be able to pass the assessment?”
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Duan Ling Tian walked past the gates of the Hidden Fog Academy, slowly vanishing from everyone’s sight.
Duan Ling Tian could see students holding up signs, guiding them to the assessment area when he stepped into the academy ground.
In fact, generally, the Hidden Fog Academy’s assessments were not impossibly difficult to pass. As long as one met the requirements according to one’s star ranking, one should be able to pass the corresponding assessment.
Apart from that, the Hidden Fog Academy was not rigid or inflexible as well. If one was talented, if one was very close to meeting the requirements but did not completely meet all the requirements, one would also be admitted into the academy. There were also cases where one was only required to show one’s comprehension of the law and one’s cultivation base before being admitted without the need of taking any tests. For cases like that, it was when participants were obviously very strong.
Duan Ling Tian followed the signs and soon arrived at the testing ground.
Many people were gathered at an open space. There were ten paths leading to ten different directions. These paths clearly led to the different test grounds for the assessment. They were marked accordingly with signs such as One Star Assessment’s Testing Ground, Two Stars Assessment’s Testing Ground, Three Stars Assessment’s Testing Ground, and so on.
As soon as Duan Ling Tian arrived, he heard a young man talking.
“Does this mean we’re allowed to choose which assessment we want to take? I hope that’s the case! I’m not sure if I can pass the Seven Stars assessment, but I’m sure I’ll be able to pass the Six Stars assessment. I wonder if our bone ages will be verified again before the assessment?”
“Keep dreaming! Your bone age will be tested again later. If you’re not the right age, you won’t be able to take the assessment.”
“That’s right. So many people want to join the academy. Do you think there’ll be a loophole like this for people like you to exploit?”
“You should be honest. I heard that there are people like you who wanted to cheat or cheated in the past. They were all blacklisted by the Hidden Fog Academy. With that, they can never participate in the Hidden Fog Academy’s recruitment.”
The dreams of those with the intention to cheat were ruthlessly crushed by some of the more well-informed people.
Duan Ling Tian did not dally. He directly walked onto the path that led to the Ten Stars assessment’s testing ground.
Many people had also begun to make their way to the testing grounds, but Duan Ling Tian was the only one who took the path that led to the Ten Stars assessment’s testing. For this reason, he caught many people’s attention.
“Look! Someone’s taking the Ten Stars assessment!”
“Over the past ten years, barring the Nine Stars students, no one has taken the Ten Stars assessment to join the academy! I didn’t expect there to be someone taking the Ten Stars assessment this time!”
“I don’t know if he’s strong enough to pass the assessment, but he’s definitely very brave!”
“I heard that the Ten Stars assessment is so dangerous that one risks losing one’s life!”
Although Duan Ling Tian heard the discussions behind him, he paid them no mind. After all, he could easily pass the Ten Stars assessment half a month ago before he had obtained the three divine pills, let alone now that he had broken through.
‘Although the resources I can get from the Hidden Fog Academy aren’t bad, they can’t compare to the Hidden Fog Sect. After I’m admitted to the academy, my next step is to join the Hidden Fog Sect.’
Duan Ling Tian began to think of his next step as he made his way to the testing ground. Everything he was doing was to ensure he grew stronger as quickly as possible. Naturally, he knew to maintain a low profile. After all, he would only attract disaster if he stood out too much. Moreover, he was alone without help in the Profound Energy Land.
Perhaps, he might be able to ask for help from a girl he had met half a month ago who had mistaken him for her brother. The girl clearly had an extraordinary background based on the fact that she was protected by a Lord of Gods. However, he was not sure if they would meet again. Moreover, he rather relied on himself.
At this time, Duan Ling Tian was so immersed in his thoughts that he failed to discover the presence of two figures that were hovering high in the sky.
“Young Miss, we should go…”
If Duan Ling Tian had seen the duo, he would have recognized them immediately. They were none other than Duan Qiao Yu and Yu Qiu Xuan whom he had met half a month ago.
“Aunt Xuan, are we really not going to do anything?” Duan Qiao Yu looked at the purple figure on the ground with a strange expression on her face.