We quickly went after the ones that remained. If they got too far, they might attract attention from 9th Realm beasts, and those I wasn't confident about at all. Once we finished the last one, we headed back in the direction of the safe zone, occasionally breaking off to go after 7th Realm beasts we sensed. "It's barely been an hour and we both have 80 points," said Shokoya, "I don't think we need to go after more of those big lizard things. Let's just move in a circle and keep hunting those giant wasps."
It turned out to be a fateful suggestion. For a while, we didn't run into any of them, and I was just about to suggest pressing deeper for 8th Realm beasts again, when suddenly we both sensed a large number of them.
"Did someone disturb a nest?"
"Either that," I said, "or the ones we've been killing are scouts and they're sick of losing them. But the direction they're moving…they'll come upon part of the main group of examinees soon!"
As I ran off, Shokoya followed, saying, "so we're going to try to save them?"
"Well, that and rally people to actually win against that group. We both only need four kills each, I'm sure we can get that many kills in a pitched battle even if there's a lot more examinees involved."
The first five people we ran into balked at first, but fortunately one of them was able to confirm what we were saying with Aura Sense. From there, we kept going inward, just keeping pace with the swarm's advance, and gathered about two dozen people willing to fight by the time we reached the safe zone.
"Do you think they'll break off since we're in the safe zone?" someone said.
"The warding formation is weak, it just makes beasts unconsciously avoid this place," said someone else, "they'll come."
In just a few more seconds, they did. The Spikebarb Wasps outnumbered the cultivators roughly 2 to 1, but we met them with a vicious surprise attack as they emerged into the clearing. Happily, there were two other archers supporting my own efforts to weaken as much of the swarm as I could before they reached the rest, plus one guy who threw a spear which magically returned to him with each throw who could one-shot them.
The battle ended after several frenetic minutes. Ten of the cultivators were badly wounded, but no one had died. Just as I was mentally patting myself on the back, someone shouted "Don't put away your weapons! There's an Ascended Wasp Queen on the way!"
I kicked myself for not checking for that kind of thing right away, and sure enough, at the rate it was moving it would reach us in another minute. After fifteen seconds, I also sensed another, someone much more powerful moving toward it like a freight train.
The Wasp Queen's spiritual energy stopped in its tracks when it met the other—and began weakening rapidly. "It's Jue Zhu," I said, grinning, "has to be. Looks like our work's done after all. You have enough points right Shok?"
"Yeah Z," he said, "I focused on the ones you already shot and got about 12 of them. I actually have a few more points than I need."
"I didn't finish many off, come to think of it. Let me make sure…"
I took out my exam token, and when I focused on it, it showed me that I was at 105 points. "Yep, let's go. I mean, after we confirm the queen is dead."
Really though, it was almost dead by the time I said that. As I approached the gate, I saw Elder Shin was nearby. "This err, aspirant greets Elder Shin," I said, bowing, then once he'd replied, "I'm about to move on, but I thought I should ask…the examinees who were wounded by the swarm…"
"What about them?"
"Are they going to be treated?"
Elder Shin's eyebrows raised briefly, but he hid it quickly. "If they possess healing pills, but cannot retrieve them themselves due to their injury, we'll assist them since they're in the safe zone. Otherwise, they'll have to either trust in their own regeneration, or wait until the 72 hours are over.
If it wasn't for you two, there would likely have been a lot more injured. You've impressed me a little."
"Thank you, elder. By your leave, we'll proceed to the second stage now."
"By all means."
On the other side of the portal, I saw only four people: Two elders of the Rising Sun Monastery, Kunlun Jong, and another examinee wearing a uniform from one of the subordinate sects. I saw very little other than that. Instead of a sky with stars or a sun, we were surrounded by a white void, which led me to believe this was another pocket dimension. The only thing here, besides the portal doorway I'd come through, was a tranquil, round pool filled not with water, but with a liquid silver like mercury. Whatever it was, I had to hope it was less toxic than that.
"Congratulations on your excellent result in the first stage," said one of the elders, "feel free to rest for now. The second stage will commence once the deadline for the first stage has passed."
More arrivals would be happening very soon. Jue Zhu came through less than two minutes after I did, and several more trickled in soon after that. "So, what do you guys think the next test is?"
"I'm trying to remember," I said, "I don't think we've had a lesson, but I could swear I read something about this in the Diklon library…I think it's a more detailed way of measuring talent, and with a wider range than the crystals."
"That's not quite correct," said the elder who had spoke before. I was a little surprised they took an interest. "the Crystal of Aptitude measures talent alone. It does have an upper limit, but anyone who could reach it would be beyond an ordinary genius. The Pond of Evaluation does measure talent more precisely as you said, but it also accounts for how great effort can bridge the gap of talent, to a small extent."
"A very small extent," said the other elder. They had a deeper voice, and sounded annoyed. "most tested don't take a single extra step beyond what their talents allow, and most who do are already talented. Don't poison them with your crackpot ideals."
I backed away hastily as the two elders got into a shouting match. In less than a minute, Elder Shin came through the portal, his face like a thunderbolt. "I thought I told you two that if there was any of your bickering this year, neither of you would be permitted to oversee this test again. Perhaps my memory is beginning to fail me?"
"N…no, great elder, I was wrong!" said the first elder.
"I too was wrong," said the deep-voiced elder, "please forgive us!"
"Forgive you?" said Elder Shin, "Perhaps. You're lucky I'm in a good mood. Run back to the Monastery, and as long as I never see your faces again, we will not need to speak of this."
"Great elder is indeed merciful, we will take our leave now!"
"Huh," said Jong, "I guess even elders of an elite sect still have those they must kowtow to."
"Everyone does," said Elder Shin, though he was looking not at us but at the portal door, "even those who harbor ambitions of being the strongest are not born the strongest, and such ambitions require millions of years even for the few for which it might be possible, which an ant cannot attain if they provoke a boot. Not many cultivators live long enough to become a Sect Elder without realizing that.
Of course, even in a heated argument, those two had sense enough not to release their spiritual pressure with a bunch of Earth Realm examinees around. If they had, I really would have brought consequences to the entire Rising Sun Monastery."
Clearly, Elder Shin is not one to cross. Fortunately, it looks like I'm on his good side for now—for a moment there I was worried those two would try to blame me for starting their argument.