Upon hearing Ma Liang's words, Bai Weiwei became even more determined to become stronger.
Her father had said that the more difficult the situation was, the braver she must be. So long as she charged forward without fear, she'd have a long path of immortal cultivation before her.
Thus, when it was her turn to test, she looked very calm.
She strode forward and took a deep breath.
Then, she mobilized her spirit energy and injected it into the stone tablet.
A number slowly rose from the stone tablet.
As Bai Weiwei waited nervously, the stone tablet finally gave a number.
"Bai Weiwei, the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm, age 15, third level, passed."
Bai Weiwei widened her eyes as she looked at the number in front of her.
There wasn't any joy after hearing that she had passed. She only felt endless disappointment.
Back then, she had been a genius who was half a step into the Foundation Establishment Realm at the age of ten and was the focus of everyone's attention. Now she was fifteen years old but her cultivation strength had dropped to the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm.
Fortunately, she had gradually accepted the reality over the years.
"Tsk, you just have the advantage of young age. Don't forget that there are two more tests after this," Ma Liang mocked her.
Most of the outer sect disciples were at the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm at the age of fifteen.
Bai Weiwei was able to pass because she was young.
If she was still at the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm at the age of twenty, she would be kicked out of the sect.
After that, it was Ma Liang's turn to test his talent.
After Ma Liang injected his spirit energy into the stone tablet, a trace of emotion appeared in the pockmarked elder's calm eyes.
He smiled and said, "Ma Liang, the peak of the ninth level of the Qi Condensation Realm, age 18, fourth level, passed!"
Instantly, other disciples cast envious and admiring gazes at him.
The first test was half way through, and although Ma Liang wasn't the most talented disciple, he was in the top tire.
He was only behind Yang Mu, who was at the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, and He Long, who was at the eighth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, but both of them were inner sect disciples after all.
Among the outer sect disciples, Ma Liang was the best.
"Well, how come he's so much more talented than us?"
"Yeah, some people are born geniuses. We must do better in the second test."
...
Bai Weiwei discovered that these people had all passed the first test.
Disciples like her who relied on the advantage of age to past the first test would face the tests of spirt energy purity and combat ability with their own cultivation strength.
How could she pass those two tests with weak cultivation strength?
Thinking of this, the joy of passing the first test vanished completely.
Bai Weiwei looked around and realized that there were about one thousand people who had passed the first test. But there were more than 30,000 disciples participating in the Sword Worship Assembly.
It did not mean that those eliminated disciples were not strong enough. Many of them were powerful inner sect disciples. However, they failed either because of age or other reasons. In short, their talent was not good enough.
It showed how much the cultivation world valued talent.
The first test soon ended, and it was time for the second test.
Under the guidance of the pockmarked elder, the disciples formed a long line and began the next test.
A solemn-looking inner sect disciple was holding a black sword in his hand, trying to show off.
He shouted, "Rainbow Piercing the Sun!"
A red sword light shot towards the seven-colored black stone tablet.
Just when everyone thought that the stone tablet would be cut in half, it let out a buzzing sound.
Absorbing the energy from the sword, the black stone tablet slowly turned scarlet.
A trace of disappointment flashed in the pockmarked elder's eyes. Although this guy was an inner sect disciple, his spirit energy was not pure enough. He was not as good as he looked.
The elder shook his head and shouted, "Wang Yun, the spirit energy purity is at level one. You failed. The red color or level three is the passing line. Next!"
The elder's words caused a huge uproar among the disciples.
This was an inner sect disciple and he got only level one, but they must get a level three or above to pass the test. In other words, only the red, green, blue, and purple colors could be considered as passing.
For a moment, the disciples were deep in thought.
Not long after, the pockmarked elder's voice sounded once again. This time, it sounded a little surprised.
"Yang Mu, blue, sixth level of spiritual energy purity, passed!"
Everyone looked at the youth in the center. He raised his head arrogantly, as if he was the king of the world.
He enjoyed the admiration of the audience.
Then He Long also passed the test, and the purity of his spirit energy was actually on par with Yang Mu's.
After more than half of the disciples finished testing, it was finally Bai Weiwei's turn.
She had already mentally prepared herself for this moment before the assembly began.
She had changed the black sword to the Spirit Nurturing Pill.
She knew her cultivation strength was not stable. She only hoped to slow down her cultivation strength decline.
However, reality slapped her in the face. Without the black sword, the strength of her sword energy would be greatly reduced.
And the sword in her hand was the wooden sword that she had used when she was little.
No one would lower the threshold because of her hard work.
Bai Weiwei walked up to the stone tablet with her head lowered.
The moment she took out the wooden sword, it caused quite a stir.
After all those who dared to use a wooden sword were either extremely confident in their own strength, or fools who overestimated themselves.
When Ma Liang saw this, he was amused.
He shouted, "Hahaha, look here. Isn't she the genius Bai Weiwei? As a Qi Condensation Realm disciple, she dares to bring a wooden sword to do the test. She's really amazing."
Hearing Ma Liang's ridicule, those who didn't pass and those who had passed but looked down on her joined the mocking team.
"Do you still think you're a genius?"
"This girl was kicked by a donkey in the head, right? Or is she just a donkey?"
"Hehe, if she can pass, I'll stand on my head and eat sh*t!"
...
Hearing the mocking words, she remembered her parents' expectations for her. On the stage, people from other sects were waiting to enjoy the show.
Bai Weiwei had no way out.
Hence, she smiled resolutely.
It was just a test, nothing much!
At the elder's nod, she raised the wooden sword.
White spirit energy covered the wooden sword, resonating with it.
Her eyes gradually became firm.
Bai Weiwei squeezed out every bit of the spirit energy in her body, adding it to the sword again and again.
It was as if she couldn't feel the depletion of the spirit energy in her body.
Towards the end, she still crazily squeezed out the spirit energy from her body.
However, it was far from enough!
She formed a seal in the void and tapped it on her chest.
She forced out a mouthful of blood from her heart!
"Do you want to die?" The pockmarked elder shouted angrily.
He knew this secret technique. The blood essence would increase the strength of the spirit energy in the sword.
And this disciple in front of him actually forced out the blood from her heart.
If she wasn't careful, she would be crippled at best and die on the spot at worst!
Just as the elder was about to stop her from doing something stupid, a cool voice sounded in his head.
Then, the pockmarked elder stopped.
He looked in Xuan Yi's direction with a puzzled expression.
"Huh? Why does Elder Xuan want me to leave the disciple be? If she died, it would be a disgrace in front of the other sect masters."