Chapter 153
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These twenty-eight individuals who had reached the third stage were, without exception, prodigies renowned in their respective cities. However, even with such talent, mastering a spiritual technique was no small feat. From the moment of first contact to achieving proficiency, it typically required at least a month of diligent practice. To wield it with true mastery and ease, one would need at least two, if not three, months. Now, they were expected to observe a technique being performed just three times, without any incantations or mental methods, and then reproduce it themselves for evaluation. How could this be possible?
It was only at this moment that everyone realized why Baiyi had said that the results of the third stage would carry the greatest weight. This stage was more challenging than the first two combined! At this moment, not only the twenty-eight participants but also the onlookers around them were left agape. If this was the criterion, how many of the twenty-eight would achieve the genius rating? Perhaps none at all.
Baiyi continued, “Alright, now prepare yourselves. The third stage of the assessment is about to begin.” At this moment, Wang Xueqi looked at Xiao Yuan and Ye Wushuang beside her and couldn’t help but give a bitter smile. “I think I have no hope…” She had thought that reaching the second stage meant the third would be manageable. But who could have imagined that the third stage would be like this? Out of the twenty-eight, perhaps only eight would make it through in the end.
“Don’t undervalue yourself,” Ye Wushuang said with a smile. “Learning a martial technique perfectly after just three observations is something most people can’t achieve. This Jiu Tian Yuan Yang Mirror must be testing how much control you can exert over the technique after watching it being performed three times.”
Hearing this, Wang Xueqi’s eyes showed a hint of surprise. Ye Wushuang was right. Looking at Ye Wushuang again, Wang Xueqi said with a smile, “The majority you mentioned probably doesn’t include you, right?”
“Er…”
At this moment, the ten disciples of Qingyun Academy had already prepared themselves. All ten were at the Condensation Meridian stage, standing in front of the twenty-eight participants. Baiyi said again, “From left to right, these ten will perform boxing, palm techniques, swordsmanship, knife skills, spear techniques, and finger techniques… Choose the one you are most comfortable with.”
“Remember, if you watch the boxing and then decide you can’t learn it and switch to the palm technique, you might end up learning neither after the three observations.” Baiyi’s message was clear: once you chose a technique, stick with it.
At this moment, the twenty-eight participants all became nervous. Yun Qingyue, looking at Qin Hao beside her, was quite confident. “Brother Hao will definitely achieve the rating of the Son of Destiny. The first place in all three stages will be his.”
“Yeah,” Qin Hao clenched his fist and said with a smile, “The first place in this third stage is definitely mine.”
At this moment, Yun Qingyue subtly raised her eyebrows. Qin Hao seemed unusually confident about this stage… She glanced at the high platform where the Qin family members were seated and saw Qin Yongda, Qin Shanming, and Qin Haixiao all looking very relaxed and comfortable. It seemed that Qin Hao’s lagging behind in the first two stages was not a concern at all. There must be something fishy going on.
At this moment, inside the pavilion on the high platform where the Qin family members were seated, Qin Yongda said with a chuckle, “Thanks to the teachings of Senior Yan Song and Senior Fang Bai, otherwise, Hao might not have been able to secure the first place today.”
The two elders remained silent, but Qin Yuan, who was standing by and was from the Qin clan, said with a smile, “Although Qin Hao has awakened his bloodline power and his talent and strength have greatly improved, this time, it was my grandfather who used the academy’s authority to specially set up an examination venue in Liuyue City, naturally to ensure everything goes smoothly.”
“Absolutely,” Qin Yongda quickly nodded in agreement. This young master Qin Yuan’s grandfather was none other than Qin Yuanzun, a highly influential elder in Qingyun Academy and also one of the seven elders of the Qin clan.
The ten martial techniques being tested today had already been passed on to Qin Hao by Qin Yuanzun when Qin Hao went to the Qin clan for bloodline tempering. Qin Hao was asked to choose one and start practicing in the following months. At that time, Qin Hao had chosen swordsmanship. Today, all he needed to do was to demonstrate that same sword technique, and he would undoubtedly receive a high rating.
As for the other candidates who were learning these techniques for the first time, how could they compare with Qin Hao? Not to mention that they were only observing the techniques being performed three times, while Qin Hao had been given the incantations and mental methods of the technique!
