"What the hell!?!?!"
"…"
"What just happened?!"
"Im..Impossible!!"
Those were the reactions of the disciples that were overtaken by Li Tian. If Li Tian had done that during the first 400 steps of this array, the people taking the test with him would've called Li Tian foolish. However, the boy wearing a straw hat had leaped over steps while being over 400 steps! That was simply courting death! If anyone of these onlookers had attempted that, any misstep would've resulted in a severe injury.
The craziest part about all of this was that Li Tian treated this as his daily training. Every morning for four years, Li Tian would have to ascend the slope to the top of Deathwater Mountain to collect two buckets of water from the lake above. His master, Mu Zhi Xuan had installed the Pressure Array along his route of ascension. There were many times his trip that should normally take the time for an incense stick to burn, had tripled or even quadrupled in time!
500, 600, 700. Wang Li Tian was now very close to Jiang Rou Xuan. Her brother, Jiang Rou Lang and his lackeys were tagging along from behind. Seeing how there was a mad man approaching them at a crazy pace, Jiang Rou Lang immediately asked his lackeys to make way for this expert. After all, his family had warned him that there were many Dragons and Tigers in this world and he should do his best to not offend anyone that was stronger than him.
What Rou Lang did not realise was that Li Tian paid no heed to what they were doing. Instead, the straw hat boy put more pressure on his right leg, springing upwards into the sky. Wang Li Tian had directly hopped over Rou Lang and his group of lackeys. It had even caught the eye of his childhood friend, Rou Xuan.
Too overpowering! That was the only way Rou Lang and his lackeys could describe their current situation. Who would have thought that this expert that was passing through this test did not even need them to make way for him. Instead, he had carved his own path for himself.
Landing lightly on the steps besides Rou Xuan, Li Tian did not show his face to the same-age girl. Li Tian only gave a cryptic smile to Rou Xuan before running up the steps again. The little beauty did not understand what was up for that mysterious youth. Yet, she felt like the back of the boy was really familiar. Where had she seen him before?
In a Pagoda of Southern Wind Academy, the Elders of their respective schools sat by an octagon table. These Elders were Prime Elders, second only to the Great Elders of each school. In the center of the table, was a Surveillance Array that showed the annual selection test. They were all watching out for potential disciples that they could take under their belt directly.
"This year's examinees are definitely better than previous years! Take a look at this burly boy, Luo Zhang Yang. At the age of 13, he was already in Mid Body Enhancement Stage. Not only that, he was born with the Earth Spiritual Root, which would definitely make his defences even stronger in the future!" The elder of the school of Fist Arts, Tie Bo Yun exclaimed with praises.
"I call dibs on recruiting him into our school of Fist Arts! If anyone of you wants him, you would have to fight with me first!"
"Haha! Why would I want that fat kid? Unlike my precious Liu Fei Ling who moved with such elegance, that Zhang Yang of yours is nothing! My handsome boy is only 11 years old, imagine how he would turn out when he is older! Fei Ling's cultivation level is even the same as that fat boy!" The female elder of the school of Hidden Weapons, Hong Wei Lin scoffed at Tie Bo Yun, while marking her own prey.
"It is funny how you talk about his looks when the only thing you, hidden weapons Cultivator do was hiding behind a mask. Seeing how he is holding a sword by his waist, Liu Fei Ling belongs in our school of Sword and Sabre arts." This time it was from Elder Lan You Tian that also wanted the talented individual. His brother Elder Lan Xin Tian agreed to the side.
These weren't the only debate happening in the pagoda. The Elders of Spear arts and Rod arts were also fighting for the martial cultivators. There was only one school elder that did not fight for anyone. The older-looking elder, Long Tang Yun from the school of Artificing sat quietly and choose to observe the first test. He had always been like this when it came to the annual selection test.
It was only when he had switched screens to watch the climb between steps 400 to 700, did his eyebrows start to raise in surprise.
"This boy! I.. I call dibs on him!" When Long Tang Yun shouted out in excitement, the room went completely silent. Weird! Truly weird! Who had caught the eye of the Elder Artificer that was always mute.
Everyone instantly switched their screens in their surveillance array to see the boy that they were looking at. The boy wore a Straw Hat over his head, his movements were extremely smooth and fluid. There were no signs of stopping, his breathing was slow and constant, obviously unaffected by the spiritual pressure.
Just like how Long Tang Yun had reacted, everyone too, shouted out in disarray! That boy's performance was simply too shocking that it floored all the elders. The boy was obviously Wang Li Tian.