Yun Tianqi took a cyan medicinal pill from his sleeve and handed it to Ye Wuji. "This is the 'Condensing Essence Pill'. It can help you stabilize your cultivation in a short time and enhance the strength of your Spiritual Power. Taking it before the evaluation might increase your chances of winning."
Ye Wuji was pleasantly surprised and flustered. "Sect Master, this... this is too valuable, this disciple dares not accept it so rashly."
Yun Tianqi insisted, "Take it. Your Chaos Spiritual Root is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity for our Qingyun Sect, and the sect naturally must nurture you with all its might. Besides, I believe that in the near future, you will repay the sect with even greater achievements."
Ye Wuji had no choice but to respectfully accept the medicinal pill, once again expressing his gratitude and determination. After leaving the grand assembly hall, he immediately returned to his small courtyard and began preparing wholeheartedly for the upcoming evaluation.
During these three days, Ye Wuji hardly rested. He practiced various spells moment by moment, consolidating the circulation path of the Hunyuan Formula and studying the advanced applications of the Five Elements Unification Technique. He knew that compared with those senior brothers and sisters at Peak Layer 9 Qi Condensation, his own cultivation level was indeed on the lower side. Only by making up for the gap in technique and state of mind could he possibly stand out in the evaluation.
On the morning of the third day, Ye Wuji took the Condensing Essence Pill bestowed by the Sect Master. He immediately felt a surge of pure Spiritual Power circulating within his body, and his originally somewhat turbulent Spiritual Power became even more solid, as if his cultivation had advanced by half a layer.
"Time is up; it's time to go to the evaluation arena." Ye Wuji took a deep breath, tidied his robes, and strode out of the courtyard.
The first round of the evaluation was a spell competition, held at the Qingyun Sect's martial arts arena. The twenty disciples participating in the evaluation demonstrated their spell mastery in turn, according to the order determined by drawing lots. Each disciple could choose three basic spells and one self-created spell to demonstrate, which would be scored by five elders. The fifteen disciples with the highest total scores could advance to the second round.
Ye Wuji drew number thirteen, which meant he had enough time to observe the performance of the preceding contestants and draw experience from them.
Most of the preceding disciples chose single-attribute spells such as wind, fire, and water, and their demonstrations were standard. A few showed particularly outstanding strength, such as Lin Tianyu's exquisite swordsmanship with sweeping sword Qi, and Zhao Linger's profound mastery of talismans, where a single talisman could unleash power equivalent to a full-strength strike of a Peak Layer 9 Qi Condensation practitioner.
When it was Ye Wuji's turn to take the stage, many spectators had already gathered around the martial arts arena, among whom were quite a few core disciples and elders. Elder Xuanyang was also in the audience, nodding at Ye Wuji to signal his encouragement.
"Number thirteen, Ye Wuji, please begin your demonstration." The elder on the judging panel announced.
Ye Wuji walked to the center of the arena, took a deep breath, and began his demonstration.
First, he chose a basic water-type spell, the "Water Dragon Technique". He formed hand seals with both hands, and a stream of water surged from his palm, rapidly transforming into a lifelike water dragon that coiled and soared in the air with an astonishing momentum.
"Not bad water-type mastery; the control is quite delicate." A voice of praise came from the judging panel.
Next, Ye Wuji demonstrated the fire-type spell "Blazing Palm". He turned his right hand into a palm, and a ball of scorching flame condensed in his palm, instantly transforming into a pillar of fire that shot toward a distant target, shattering a stone target thirty feet away into pieces.
"He is equally proficient in the fire type; this kid is truly no ordinary person."
For the final basic spell, Ye Wuji chose the earth-type "Vajra Body Protection". A layer of earthy-yellow light appeared on his body, forming a sturdy protective shield. An attendant disciple holding a sharp sword stabbed at the shield with all his might, but the tip of the sword was actually bounced away and failed to pierce through it.
"To be able to execute spells of three different attributes so perfectly, the advantage of the Chaos Spiritual Root is indeed obvious." Discussions rose and fell among the judges.
When it was time to demonstrate his self-created spell, a confident smile appeared on Ye Wuji's face. He slowly raised both hands, and five different colors of Spiritual Power flowed from his fingertips, intertwining in the air into a complex pattern.
"This is..." Everyone watched this scene in surprise.
"Five Elements Unification!" Ye Wuji gave a low shout, and the five-colored Spiritual Power suddenly fused together, transforming into a dazzling white light that soared straight into the clouds and exploded high in the air, forming a gorgeous "spiritual flower" whose radiance illuminated the entire martial arts arena.
The whole audience fell silent, and then erupted into thunderous applause and exclamations.
"Too incredible! The Spiritual Power of five attributes can actually fuse so perfectly!"
"This is no longer an ordinary Qi Condensation stage spell; it is simply comparable to the Foundation Establishment stage's 'Five Elements Synthesis'!"
"No wonder the Sect Master values him so much; this talent is truly astonishing."
The five elders on the judging panel whispered to each other, obviously deeply impressed by Ye Wuji's performance. The gaze Elder Xuanyang cast toward Ye Wuji was filled with pride and gratification.
After the first round of evaluation ended, the results were soon announced. Ye Wuji successfully advanced with a total score of second place, second only to Lin Tianyu, who was already at Peak Layer 9 Qi Condensation.
"Junior Brother Wuji, congratulations!" Zhao Linger and the others gathered around to congratulate him.
Ye Wuji responded modestly, "I merely passed by a fluke. The second round's state-of-mind test is the real trial."
The second round's state-of-mind test was conducted in the Qingyun Sect's "Hall of Reflecting Hearts". This was a grand hall filled with peculiar formations that could generate illusions based on the entrant's inner world, testing whether a cultivator's mind was firm.
The fifteen advanced disciples entered the Hall of Reflecting Hearts one by one, with each person's testing time being one hour. After the preceding disciples came out, some had normal expressions, some looked utterly exhausted, and some even had tears in their eyes, evidently having experienced considerable torment within the illusion.
"The Hall of Reflecting Hearts generates illusions based on everyone's deepest fears, desires, or regrets," explained a disciple who had already passed the test. "In the illusion, you must remain sober and recognize the truth in order to pass the trial."
Finally, it was Ye Wuji's turn. He stood in front of the door of the Hall of Reflecting Hearts, took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and entered.
As soon as he entered the hall, the surrounding scenery began to distort and change. When everything stabilized again, Ye Wuji found himself standing on a street in Qingshan Village.
"This is... Qingshan Village?" Ye Wuji looked around. The village looked exactly the same as when he left, but for some reason, the street was deserted.
"Dad? Mom?" Ye Wuji called out, his voice echoing in the empty village without any response.
He walked toward the direction of the blacksmith's shop, only to find that the blacksmith's shop had been restored to its original state, and the charcoal in the stove was still burning, as if someone had just used it.
"Strange, where did Mom and Dad go?" Ye Wuji was puzzled and continued to search the village.
Suddenly, a series of screams came from afar. Ye Wuji's heart tightened, and he immediately sprinted toward the direction of the sound.
After turning several streets, Ye Wuji saw a hair-raising sight—in the village square, dozens of villagers were tied to wooden stakes, and his parents were among them. Several mysterious figures in black robes stood in the center of the square, and the leader held a blood-red long saber, slaughtering the villagers one by one.
"Dad! Mom!" Ye Wuji screamed in terror, drew his Qingfeng Sword, and rushed forward.
The leading black-robed man slowly turned around, lifted his hood, and revealed a face that shocked Ye Wuji—it turned out to be an older version of himself!
"You... who are you?" Ye Wuji was so shocked that he could barely speak.
That "Ye Wuji" sneered, "I am you, just you from several decades later. What, don't you recognize yourself?"
"Impossible! I would never harm my own family and fellow villagers!" Ye Wuji sternly shouted.
"Is that so?" The older version of "Ye Wuji" mocked. "When you pursue the supreme Dao and yearn to break through the shackles of heaven and earth, these mortals are nothing more than a burden. Their lifespans are short, and they will eventually grow old, while you will live forever. Severing the ties of the mortal world is the only way to become a powerhouse!"
Ye Wuji gripped his Qingfeng Sword and shouted angrily, "Nonsense! The purpose of my cultivation is to protect my family and innocent people. If cultivating immortals means harming them, then I would rather give up cultivating immortals!"
The older version of "Ye Wuji" sneered and shook his head. "Naive. Then, prove it to me." With that, the blood saber in his hand pointed at Ye Tieshan and the Lin family. "If you can take one move from me, I will spare their lives."
"Stop!" Ye Wuji roared, unleashing all the Spiritual Power within his body. The Qingfeng Sword was entwined with five-colored spiritual light as it went straight for that "Ye Wuji"'s throat.
The two exchanged dozens of moves in an instant, and Ye Wuji found that the strength of that "Ye Wuji" was terrifyingly strong, far exceeding the level of the Foundation Establishment stage, and possibly even reaching the Golden Core stage. Every single one of his moves was easily resolved, while the opponent's attacks were like a landslide and tsunami, leaving him only the ability to parry without any power to counterattack.
Seeing that he was about to not hold on, Ye Wuji suddenly remembered that this was the state-of-mind test of the Hall of Reflecting Hearts, and everything before him might be an illusion!
"This is not real!" Ye Wuji shouted in his heart. "My parents are still in Qingshan Village, living well. This is just testing my willpower!"
Realizing this, Ye Wuji no longer paid attention to the attack of that "Ye Wuji", but closed his eyes, ran the mental cultivation method in the Hunyuan Formula, and tried hard to calm his mind.
"Clear the mind and set the ambition, forget both self and objects. The heart is like a bright mirror, illuminating and shattering falsehoods." Ye Wuji silently recited the mental formula, feeling the Spiritual Power within his body become even purer.
When he opened his eyes again, the scenery before him had disappeared, and he had returned to the hall of the Hall of Reflecting Hearts. A bronze mirror floated in the air, and four large characters were displayed on the mirror surface: "State of Mind Passed."
"So that's how it is." Ye Wuji let out a long breath. "The Hall of Reflecting Hearts tested my understanding of the essence of cultivating immortals and my steadfast adherence to my original intention."
Walking out of the Hall of Reflecting Hearts, Ye Wuji found that his forehead was already covered in cold sweat, and his clothes were soaked through with sweat. Although he knew it was an illusion, the feeling of his family being threatened still lingered in his mind.
"How was it?" Elder Xuanyang appeared outside the hall at some point and asked with concern.
Ye Wuji took a deep breath. "This disciple has understood that the true meaning of cultivating immortals does not lie in pursuing power, but in maintaining one's original heart. No matter how high the cultivation level is, if one loses the initial kind intent, one will eventually go astray."
Elder Xuanyang nodded in gratification. "To have this insight, you have more than completed this state-of-mind test. Go get a good rest; there is still the final round of evaluation tomorrow."