Chapter 60: Chapter 59: Innate Perfection, Dazzling
The great hall fell silent. Many of the young men and women watched the thin, white-robed figure in the center of the hall with eyes full of pity and sympathy.
’So reckless, to directly talk back to Master Liu!’ a young Mystic Master in a black robe thought, shaking his head with indifference.
’Youthful arrogance!’ Many of the Martial Artists sighed, glancing at Qin Feng with a hint of regret.
In their eyes, the words from Liu Xi and his disciple had undoubtedly severed Qin Feng’s path to becoming a Mystic Master.
Without a mentor to guide him in the way of Profound Arrays, even a genius could forget about truly walking the path of a Mystic Master.
Having offended a major figure like Liu Xi, it was uncertain whether Qin Feng could even establish a foothold in Mountain and River City in the future.
However, to everyone’s surprise, Qin Feng merely met the pressure from Liu Xi and his disciple with a faint smile. He seemed completely unconcerned by Liu Xi’s words, as if he didn’t care at all. He said lightly, "Master Liu, I’m just here for the test. Please activate the Profound Array and let me proceed. As for taking a master..."
After a slight pause, Qin Feng added coolly, "Not just anyone is qualified to be my, Qin Feng’s, mentor!"
HISS! ’What an arrogant kid!’ Many in the crowd drew in a sharp breath. All eyes were on the young man in the center of the hall, feeling he was far too conceited.
"Just as I thought—all youthful bravado, completely unaware of the immensity of heaven and earth. Master Liu is one of the few Second Grade Great Profound Masters in Mountain and River City. With a status like that, he’s the center of attention wherever he goes. Many exceptionally talented Martial Artists beg for his tutelage and are denied. Who does this Qin Feng think he is?" a dignified, black-robed Mystic Master who had just arrived said with disdain.
Many of the black-robed Mystic Masters who had rushed over to see the commotion also shook their heads, their faces showing disgust. They had already passed a ’death sentence’ on Qin Feng, deciding they absolutely had to ostracize this boy who had offended the dignity of Mystic Masters.
In the crowd, two old men coming down from the second floor happened to witness this scene.
Someone among the arriving Martial Artists recognized one of the old men. It was none other than Zuo Song, the president of the Mountain and River City’s Mystic Master Guild.
The other man was also an elder, and the fact that he could stand beside Zuo Song, the president of the Mystic Master Guild, meant he was certainly no nobody.
The two old men also looked displeased. ’Where did this brat come from, spouting such nonsense? He truly doesn’t know his place!’ they thought.
Liu Xi’s face was grim, his fists clenched tightly within his wide sleeves. He caught the expressions of some of the Mystic Masters who had arrived outside the hall, and his heart relaxed. He sneered, thinking to himself...
’This kid is simply courting death, daring to say something like that. He’s already incurred public wrath. All the better. After the testing ceremony, I’ll have to let you have a taste of my methods!’
Seeing the staff reactivate the testing Profound Array, Liu Xi shot Qin Feng a glacial look and sneered, "Qin Feng, since you’re so eager to be tested, then begin. But I’ll say it again: what isn’t yours, you will never obtain!"
Song Kun strode up to Qin Feng and said with a soft laugh, "The most pathetic thing in this world is struggling forward when you already know the outcome! Qin Feng, remember my words!"
Qin Feng chuckled. Ignoring Song Kun’s gloomy expression, he walked right past him and approached the testing platform, step by step.
In the great hall, all eyes were fixed on the slender, handsome figure on the testing platform.
Qin Feng took a deep breath, his eyes as still and deep as an old well. Gazing at the testing Crystal Ball on the crystal pillar before him, he slowly extended a hand and placed it on the Crystal Ball in the center of the platform.
Although Qin Feng was fairly confident, he still felt his nerves tense at this critical moment. ’I really pissed everyone off just now. If I end up testing at Level Zero Innate Spiritual Power, I’m completely screwed.’
The Crystal Ball was warm and smooth to the touch. Qin Feng closed his eyes, his mind turning inward as he entered a state of meditation. As his eyes closed, a faint light quickly appeared on the Crystal Ball.
"Look! The first halo of light has appeared on the ball! He has at least Level One Innate Spiritual Power!" a young woman exclaimed in a low voice.
"It’s just one halo, nothing to get excited about. Level One Innate Spiritual Power is pretty useless. Qin Feng has already offended every Mystic Master in Mountain and River City. There’s no coming back from this," someone said, shaking their head.
Gradually, the halo on the Crystal Ball grew brighter, and slowly, another one emerged.
Two halos!
BOOM!
After a brief pause, the light of the Crystal Ball erupted in a brilliant flare, like a miniature sun.
The third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh... Halos of light burst forth one after another!
In the hall, pairs of eyes stared intently at the halos erupting from the central Crystal Ball one after another, each gaze filled with disbelief.
"One, two, three, four... it shot straight to seven halos! And it’s still not over!" someone shouted. But no one paid any mind to his outburst; they just kept their eyes glued to the ever-brightening Crystal Ball.
On the Crystal Ball, the tenth halo soon appeared, immediately followed by the eleventh!
CRUNCH! Song Kun nearly shattered his teeth from clenching them so hard. He could scarcely believe his eyes.
’That bastard has Level Eleven Spiritual Power too!’ Song Kun’s eyes were blood-red, his mind completely blank.
But to Song Kun’s horror, the dazzling radiance from the Crystal Ball didn’t dim. It was still climbing!
The twelfth, the thirteenth... the fifteenth, the sixteenth, the seventeenth, the eighteenth!!!!
’Eighteen halos! Innate Spiritual Power of Level Eighteen Great Perfection!’ Song Kun’s mind went completely numb.
The hall was dead silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Pairs of eyes stared blankly at the dazzling Crystal Ball, which radiated an intense brilliance.
Eighteen halos? Heavens, Innate Spiritual Power of Level Eighteen Great Perfection! Many of the young men and women craned their necks stiffly, staring in shock at the splendid halos on the Crystal Ball, counting them over and over again.
Qin Feng opened his eyes. The Crystal Ball had become a miniature sun, surrounded by rings of magnificent, beautiful light. Looking at the halos, a smile appeared on his face, and he breathed a sigh of relief. ’Innate Spiritual Power of Level Eighteen Great Perfection. This result isn’t unexpected.’ He was originally a Great Emperor at the Half-Step God-Sealing Realm. Although eighty to ninety percent of his immense Spiritual Power had been wiped away, the small fraction that remained was still extraordinarily vast.
But the people in the hall were not nearly as calm as he was.
"A monster! This Qin Feng is an absolute monster!" a normally composed, black-robed Mystic Master muttered, losing his composure.
"Unbelievable! Simply unbelievable!" An elderly Mystic Master who loved his drink more than life itself was so agitated that he crushed the Wine Gourd in his hand, not even noticing as the fine wine he usually treasured like his own life spilled all over the floor.
"No wonder he was so confident. Level Eighteen Innate Spiritual Power of Great Perfection! Liu Xi really isn’t qualified to teach him!" a short, elderly Mystic Master in a corner lamented. He wore a black Mystic Master Robe with two conspicuous golden stripes on the sleeves, indicating he was also a Second Grade Xuan Master. But a mocking, gloating smile quickly appeared at the corners of his eyes.
"But now, it seems our dear Master Liu is in quite an awkward position!"
In the crowd, Zuo Song had torn out one of his whiskers without even noticing. After a long moment, he turned to his stunned old friend with a wry smile. "Old friend, do you think we’re really getting old?"
The other vigorous elder snapped out of his daze at these words and shot his friend of several decades an exasperated look. "Old Ghost Zuo, just admit you’re gloating. You’re about to end your term, and you stumble upon a treasure like this! I’m afraid your transfer orders might have to be changed now!"
Zuo Song just chuckled without replying, but his eyes were brighter than ever. His excitement was palpable.
For a Mystic Master Guild president tasked with selecting talent, discovering a sapling with such extraordinary potential and nurturing them into an Official Xuan Master would bring immense benefits to his performance evaluation, greatly aiding his promotion.
He knew that a sapling with the talent of Level Eighteen Great Perfection Spiritual Power was far beyond what a Mystic Master of his level could handle. The real powerhouses would never allow him to lay a hand on such a prospect. However, the reward for simply discovering such a top-tier genius would be enough to get him promoted several ranks at once.
In stark contrast to Zuo Song and his friend’s joy, Liu Xi’s expression could no longer be described as merely ugly. Shock, fury, regret—none of these words were enough to capture what he was feeling.
Innate Spiritual Power of Level Eighteen Great Perfection! Liu Xi understood what this level of qualification meant better than anyone. When he recalled the words he had spoken earlier, his face turned the color of pig’s liver.
