Chapter 163: The Freshman Assessment
"Brother Feng is pushing himself way too hard," Bai Ziyue sighed, hoisting the unconscious Mu Feng onto his back.
"The burden on him is immense," Mu Kuang remarked solemnly. "The hope of the entire Mu family rests on his shoulders."
"We can't afford to slack off either."
Mu Feng slept soundly through the night, only waking up the next morning to sunlight streaming through the windows of his dormitory. When he opened his eyes, he realized Bai Ziyue had carried him back.
Stretching and yawning, Mu Feng got up, his muscles sore but his spirit rejuvenated. He moved around to loosen up, then asked, "Yue'er, have I finally met your requirements for control?"
"You've barely scratched the surface," Xi Yue replied, unimpressed. "What you've achieved is only the entry level of the 'Entry to Precision' stage. True mastery requires threading a hundred pearls simultaneously in ten breaths. You're not even close."
Mu Feng laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Alright, alright. At least I can start learning the Hundred Blades Convergence now, right?"
Xi Yue nodded. "Yes, you're ready to start exploring that battle rune."
Eager to begin, Mu Feng quickly finished breakfast at the academy canteen and returned to his quarters to delve into the secrets of the Hundred Blades Convergence.
Exploring the Ancient Rune
Opening the scroll, Mu Feng was greeted with an overwhelming wave of sword energy. The illustrations on the scroll seemed to come alive, depicting hundreds of swords slashing through the air, exuding a fearsome and cutting aura.
Focusing his spiritual strength, Mu Feng entered the mysterious space within the scroll. He studied the structure of the sword runes intently, committing every intricate detail to memory. Despite his strong soul, the sheer complexity of the runes forced him to take frequent breaks.
Fortunately, Xi Yue lent her own spiritual power to support him, helping him prolong his sessions inside the scroll. Together, they dissected the profound patterns and broke down the rune's mysteries step by step.
It took two full days for Mu Feng to memorize the structure of a single sword rune.
Returning to his training room, Mu Feng focused his energy. He summoned a thread of his exceptionally pure, near-energy-level yuan qi and began weaving it into the shape of a sword hilt.
"Boom!"
A slight error in the rune's composition caused the entire construct to explode, sending a shockwave that forced Mu Feng back several steps. He gritted his teeth and started over, undeterred by the setback.
Failure after failure followed, but each misstep honed his understanding. With Xi Yue providing insights and guidance, his progress was faster than it would have been alone. As days turned into weeks, Mu Feng steadily advanced in his mastery of the Hundred Blades Convergence.
The Freshman Assessment Begins
A month passed in the blink of an eye. The day of the freshman assessment finally arrived, and over a thousand new students gathered in the academy's main square. Mu Feng, Bai Ziyue, and Mu Kuang stood among them, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Standing at the forefront of the crowd, Instructor Zheng Yuecheng addressed the assembly.
"You've all been here for three months now. I'm sure you've adjusted to life at the academy," he began. "Today marks the start of your freshman assessment, a tradition every cohort must complete."
His next words stirred the crowd.
"The rewards for the top three are as follows: the opportunity to learn mystic-level techniques, and a hefty academic credit bonus. First place will receive 30,000 credits, second place 20,000 credits, and third place 10,000 credits. Additionally, those who make it into the top ten will also receive credit rewards."
The square erupted into a cacophony of excitement.
"30,000 credits? That's enough to train in the Tianyun Pavilion for nearly a year!"
"And mystic-level techniques? My family couldn't even dream of getting me one of those."
"This is insane! I've got to fight for first place no matter what!"
The freshmen were visibly fired up. By now, they all understood how precious credits were in the academy. A mystic technique, meanwhile, was an even rarer prize, normally reserved for inner court disciples and costing a fortune in credits.
Even Mu Feng, despite having access to the profound techniques stored in the Asura Divine Jade, felt a flicker of excitement. The prospect of earning credits and mystic techniques was too enticing to ignore.
Seeing the fervor in the crowd, Instructor Zheng raised his hand for silence.
"Don't celebrate just yet," he said with a sly grin. "Let me explain what this assessment entails. You may find it's not as easy as you think."
The murmurs quieted, and all eyes focused on him.
"The assessment will take place in the Tianyun Mountain Range, a vast wilderness spanning thousands of miles. It is one of the most treacherous regions in the North Origin Domain, teeming with ferocious beasts and even demon clans."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"The Tianyun Mountain Range?" one student exclaimed. "That place is crawling with danger! Even seasoned adventurers tread carefully there."
"Exactly," Zheng Yuecheng said. "Do you think credits and mystic techniques are handed out for free? If you lack the courage to participate, you're welcome to withdraw now."
His cold, commanding tone silenced any dissent. While the risk was high, the rewards were too great to ignore. Most students resolved to face whatever dangers lay ahead.
Mu Feng exchanged a glance with Bai Ziyue and Mu Kuang. They nodded in unspoken agreement—there was no turning back.
"Let the assessment begin," Zheng Yuecheng declared, setting the stage for what would be an unforgettable trial.