Neil stood before the massive pillar that towered in the center of the courtyard, cursing his luck internally. "Is this some kind of joke? How could this test be real?" The task seemed designed to break his spirit, but he knew that giving up was not an option.
As Neil tried to comprehend what was happening, the mocking whispers around him grew louder. He didn't need to hear every word to understand; the tone alone was enough.
One of the students said loudly, his voice dripping with contempt, "Who is this trash? How dare he stand here?"
Another chimed in, laughing mockingly, "Ha! This is the first time I've seen someone with such a pathetic talent! Does he really think he can pass this test?"
Neil listened silently, ignoring the voices, which to him were nothing more than meaningless noise. He had lived long enough to understand that empty words wouldn't deter him from his path. However, Elder Hong, who was standing nearby, couldn't overlook the situation. How could the Heavenly Palace allow someone with such low talent to participate in this critical test? Anger surged within him, and he was about to expel Neil from the courtyard permanently.
But before he could take any action, a clear voice echoed in his mind, a voice he couldn't mistake: "Do not interfere, let this boy pass the first test."
These words were enough to freeze Elder Hong in place. He knew this voice well, "The Sect Master?" he thought in shock and confusion. "How could this boy be connected to the Sect Master?" He quickly recalled a conversation he had with one of the elders a month ago, when he was informed that the Sect Master would take a special interest in this test. At the time, he didn't know the reason, but now the picture was becoming clear. Neil was the reason.
As the responsible disciple prepared to announce Neil's disqualification, Elder Hong quickly intervened, his voice filled with authority: "Qualified. You are qualified to proceed to the second test."
These words struck the courtyard like a bolt of lightning. The mocking smiles vanished from the children's faces, replaced by expressions of shock and disbelief. How could someone with such low talent be qualified? The students exchanged confused and questioning glances, their eyes filled with doubt and suspicion.
But the chaos didn't last long. Suddenly, a crushing aura emanated from Elder Hong, the aura of a Heavenly World cultivator, released with enough force to shake hearts and make the air in the courtyard heavy. "Does anyone object?" he asked, his voice laced with hidden anger, displaying his power in a way that could not be ignored.
Everyone froze in place, and the noise dropped to absolute silence. No one dared to object after feeling the overwhelming aura that clearly demonstrated the gap in strength between Elder Hong and the rest of those present. However, the doubts and questions did not disappear from the eyes of the students, who continued to look at Neil with puzzled and confused expressions.
After all those who failed the test were expelled, about 1200 people remained. One of the responsible disciples approached Elder Hong with reverence and said, "Elder, over 1200 people have passed this test successfully."
Elder Hong felt a sense of optimism. In previous years, the number of qualifiers was much lower, which caused the palace to suffer from a shortage of talented disciples. But this year was different, and there was a new glimmer of hope. However, he quickly remembered the major crisis threatening the Heavenly Palace, and couldn't hide his annoyance. But he quickly concealed those feelings; it was not the right time to think about these problems now. He needed to focus on the upcoming tests and on those candidates who were waiting eagerly.
Elder Hong took one last look at the candidates, then turned and headed toward the inner part of the sect, signaling the students to follow him. Neil started moving with the group, feeling their eyes on him, their gazes filled with surprise, envy, disgust, and confusion.
But Neil was completely indifferent. How could such looks affect him? He had lived two lives, gone through enough experiences to know that these moments were just another obstacle in his path.
The students followed Elder Hong through the corridors leading to the inner part of the sect, passing by many majestic buildings, until they reached a remote area away from the Heavenly Palace. There, in that distant spot, a towering mountain loomed in the distance, with a grand palace at its peak. Carved into its entrance were the words "Heavenly Killing Palace." This place was the next stage of the test.