Longevity: Starting with an infant's innate growth potential

Chapter 163 The Champion and the Reward (Please Subscribe)
On the assessment platform.

[You are drawing the Crimson Sun Inscription, Divine Soul Sun Blade +1, Divine Soul +3]

[You are drawing the Crimson Sun Inscription. Detail +1, Divine Soul +3, Spiritual Power +3]

Zhou Ling manipulated the spiritual flames, combining them with spiritual power and divine sense, and was rapidly drawing the Crimson Sun Inscription.

With the help of the beast flames and the control of divine sense by the [Divine Soul Like a Blade], the whole process was smooth and effortless.

Even drawing the main nodes did not consume much of his power.

This is thanks to the combination of Beast Flame and Crimson Sun Mark.

Of course, if it were other inscriptions, Zhou Ling would use the Five Elements Spirit Flame. Although the effect is not as good as the Beast Flame, it is still much better than an inscription master without a spirit flame.

At the same time, it saves on the consumption of spiritual energy and mental power.

Each inscription, though seemingly slow, contains an incredibly profound and solid spiritual power.

"The stronger one's divine soul, the greater one's control over the entire structure of the inscription."

"Spirit Flame is a better fusion of nodes and inscriptions, with a stabilizing effect."

"Now that my spiritual cultivation has improved, it is much easier to grasp the entire structure."

After drawing the nodes, Zhou Ling felt significantly more relaxed, as if he were in complete control.

The crafting of second-tier inscriptions.

The entire process requires the spirit and soul to be in perfect harmony.

The strokes of ink can be broken, but the connection of spirit cannot be broken; there is a principle of the idea that the brush may break but the thought remains connected.

Therefore, it requires an extremely high level of spiritual awareness.

If one's spiritual sense is not at the Foundation Establishment level, it is simply impossible to do so.

Zhou Ling's divine sense has now reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and he also has the assistance of [Divine Soul Like a Blade] and [Meticulous Attention to Detail].

Not only is the consumption of spiritual energy greatly reduced, but the power of the inscriptions drawn is also greater than that of ordinary second-grade inscription masters.

At the same time, Zhou Ling still had the energy to draw the Spirit Sealing Restriction.

This is also thanks to his [Meticulousness] talent, which allows him to consume less than one-third of the resources required for other inscription masters of the same level to draw inscriptions.

"This Crimson Sun Inscription is already a second-tier low-grade inscription. With the aid of beast flames to draw the inscription, its power has already increased several times. Now, with the addition of a spirit-sealing restriction that amplifies it, even if its power does not reach the second-tier mid-grade, it is definitely not bad among the second-tier low-grade inscriptions."

As each inscription successfully coalesced, Zhou Ling pondered in secret.

"This kid is so skilled at drawing inscriptions; just looking at his technique, he definitely has some ability!"

On the judges' panel, Zhang Daojian praised Zhou Ling's fluid and graceful brushstrokes in surprise.

At this moment, Zhou Ling was focused, and every stroke was extremely refined, just like a veteran who had been drawing seals for many years.

"Indeed, it's rare to see someone of this age with such precise control over their soul!"

Dean Zhong nodded as well.

With his powerful divine sense, he could naturally sense Zhou Ling's precise control over the inscription at this moment.

He was also very surprised that a child of about ten years old could control the entire imprint so precisely.

This was something he never expected.

Even Liu Yu, Ye Zhilan, and others' control over their souls was significantly weaker than Zhou Ling's.

This can be understood as a kind of talent.

"He looks experienced, but he's only at the seventh level of Qi Refining. He might not be able to last until the end!"

Instructor Lin shook his head with amusement.

The two instructors next to him nodded in agreement.

In their view, the seventh level of Qi Refining and a low-grade spiritual root are insurmountable bottlenecks.

With abundant spiritual energy and awareness, drawing becomes effortless.

If the consumption increases significantly later, then it's a completely different story.

If you lose control even slightly, the entire inscription will collapse, rendering all your efforts futile.

Therefore, the process of creating inscriptions should be done step by step.

It's simply unrealistic to draw a second-tier inscription at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Coach Hu remained calm, still holding Zhou Ling in high regard.

······.

"It's done."

A moment later, Zhou Ling's face lit up with joy.

Suddenly, a red flame seemed to flash on the sword, accompanied by a sharp and fierce aura.

Zhou Ling then carefully examined the area again, and under the guidance of [Intermediate Observation] and [Intermediate Analysis], confirmed that there were no problems.

"Now that this Crimson Sun Sword has been activated, its power is enough to reach the level of a mid-grade spiritual weapon."

With observation and analysis, Zhou Ling was able to accurately judge the power of the Crimson Sun Sword in his hand.

"But given the quality of this Crimson Sun Sword, can it even make it into the top three?"

Zhou Ling was also unsure.

"of course."

"With the quality of this Crimson Sun Sword, it should be able to make it into the top eight!"

Zhou Ling thought to himself.

This was originally his goal.

He was quite confident about making it into the top eight, enough to ensure he would become a Foundation Establishment seed.

However, he wasn't very confident about making it into the top three and receiving the academy's reward.

After all, Liu Yu, Ye Zhilan, and others not only possess spiritual bodies, but also have a significant advantage in terms of cultivation.

"We've done our best now; the rest we can only wait and see."

Zhou Ling put the beast flame back into his body, and his heart was at peace.

Now that they've used all their methods, they've gone all out.

As for the rest, we'll just have to leave it to fate!
"As long as I can become a Foundation Establishment seed and exchange it for a refined residence containing spiritual energy of the four elements, then I will have achieved my goal!"

Zhou Ling immediately stood up, holding the Crimson Sun Sword in both hands, and walked towards the judges' table.

Looking at the assessment platform, the first person to walk towards the judges' table was actually Zhou Ling, who had the lowest cultivation level among all the disciples.

The square fell silent; the disciples were completely stunned by what they saw.

"What's going on? Zhou Ling, who is at the seventh level of Qi Refining, actually forged a treasure weapon the fastest?"

"Good heavens, what he's holding is a low-grade spirit sword! A mere Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator has actually forged a spirit sword! That's terrifying!"

"And at this speed!"

"Being able to condense a second-grade spirit flame, they must have the strength."

"Otherwise, how could someone at the seventh level of Qi Refining possibly obtain a Foundation Establishment seed position?"

······.

The disciples watching from the sidelines immediately began to murmur in shock.

On the judges' bench.

The six judges were stunned as they watched Zhou Ling walk slowly towards them.

No one expected that Zhou Ling would be the first to complete the assessment, and that he would even refine a low-grade spiritual weapon.

Is this kid really at the seventh level of Qi Refining?
However, the aura emanating from Zhou Ling at this moment was indeed that of the seventh level of Qi Refining.

As expected, being able to stand on the competition stage shows that one must have the ability!

At this point, the instructors realized that they had underestimated Zhou Ling.

Even Instructor Hu, who thought he knew Zhou Ling quite well, was horrified.

Just a few days ago, Zhou Ling had consulted him about second-tier low-grade inscriptions and spirit-sealing restrictions.

He was certain that Zhou Ling had not yet mastered the second-tier inscription and spirit sealing techniques at that time.

In just ten days, he has already become so skilled at drawing second-tier low-grade inscriptions.

This talent for cultivation is truly astonishing!

"Zhou Ling, are you sure you've completed the assessment?"

Upon seeing Zhou Ling approach, Instructor Hu asked a question.

"Yes, instructor!"

Zhou Ling nodded, then placed the Crimson Sun Sword on the jade plate on the table in front of the judges' panel with both hands.

Zhang Daojian glanced at Zhou Ling, then reached out and picked up the Crimson Sun Sword.

After observing it carefully, he then made a hand seal with his right hand, and a stream of spiritual power flowed into the spirit sword.

Instantly, a scorching, sharp aura emanated from the Crimson Sun Sword.

The light flashed, like the whistling of a sharp blade, sending chills down one's spine.

The instructors all showed surprise, their eyes fixed on the spirit sword in Zhang Daojian's hand.

The power of this spirit sword made them realize that it was no longer within the scope of ordinary low-grade spirit weapons.

As Zhang Daojian's spiritual power dissipated, the spiritual sword returned to calm.

"This is a second-tier low-grade Crimson Sun Inscription combined with an amplified Spirit Sealing Restriction. The design is ingenious, the drawing is exquisite and the inscription is perfectly natural. Once activated, its power is no less than that of an ordinary mid-grade spirit sword."

"It's definitely a top-quality product; I'd give it a first-class grade!"

Zhang Daojian put down his spirit sword and said in a praising tone.

The other instructors standing nearby also looked surprised upon hearing this.

Everyone knows that Supervisor Zhang is famous for being meticulous and striving for perfection.

But this spirit sword actually received such a high evaluation, and was even given the highest score.

This clearly demonstrates that the quality of this spirit sword is indeed extraordinary.

"Zhou Ling, please go down and wait. We will announce the results of the assessment on the spot after it is over!"

Instructor Hu said to Zhou Ling with a smile.

His eyes were full of praise; he hadn't expected Zhou Ling to perform so well this time.

Based on the quality of this spirit sword, it's more than enough to guarantee a place in the top three.

It's even possible to win the championship.

After all, according to the annual evaluation criteria, as long as one can reach the level of a mid-grade second-tier treasure, the probability of becoming the champion is very high.

"Yes, instructor!"

After bowing to everyone, Zhou Ling left the judges' panel.

We soon arrived at the rest area.

"Zhou Ling, you're amazing! You're the first to finish the assessment!"

In the rest area, Sun Dajie gave Zhou Ling a thumbs-up and praised him. "Brother Ling, how did it go?"

Wang Xin also asked with concern.

At the same time, he handed a bottle of pills to Zhou Ling.

"good!"

Zhou Ling took the elixir bottle and smiled.

I feel like making it into the top eight is a sure thing!
"Zhou Ling, regardless of your results, after this assessment, you will definitely be a celebrity in the academy!"

Sun Dajie said with an envious look.

"Celebrities? What's the use?"

Zhou Ling poured out the Soul Nourishing Pill from the pill bottle and immediately put it into his mouth.

"Once you gain fame, people will naturally come to you to forge magical artifacts, and the price will definitely be higher than others!"

"If you can get into the top three this time, the price of refining inscriptions will double in the future."

Sun Dajie explained.

"Top three! Maybe we have a chance!"

Zhou Ling sat cross-legged and began to refine the medicinal power of the Soul Nourishing Pill.

Meanwhile, other disciples on the field gradually completed their assessments.

First, the beautiful Ye Zhilan completed the refining of a second-grade low-level pill.

Next was Liu Yu, who also forged a low-grade spirit sword.

However, what was drawn was not the Crimson Sun Inscription, but a Golden Rainbow Inscription.

After nearly half an hour, all the disciples had completed the assessment and stood below the assessment platform, patiently waiting for the scoring results.

Zhou Ling's depleted spiritual energy and mental power have almost fully recovered.

at last.

After a round of deliberations by the judges, the most important part of the assessment arrived.

"The Foundation Establishment Seed Assessment has been completed. Of the twenty-four disciples who have qualified, eight will receive their spots."

"These eight disciples who have become the Foundation Establishment Seeds of the Dao Academy will receive ten Dao Points from the Dao Academy every month, as well as other resources and support."

"Such as discounted prices for spiritual items, and the option to stay in a boutique residence, etc."

On the judges' panel, Dean Zhong's gaze swept over the twenty-four disciples, and he spoke with great delight.

The people in the audience also had expectant looks on their faces.

Everyone knows that in the path of cultivating immortality, wealth, companions, methods, and location are all indispensable.

Being able to become a foundation-building seed for the Dao Academy and receive its support undoubtedly greatly increases the success rate of foundation building.

"Alright, now I will announce the top three disciples in this assessment!"

"Third place, Liu Yu, forged the low-grade spiritual weapon Golden Rainbow Spirit Sword. Its power is considerable, enough to break through the defense of a second-tier mid-grade magic weapon."

"Second place: Ye Zhilan and Wang Qian. Ye Zhilan refined a mid-grade second-tier Spirit Essence Pill."

"Wang Qian then forged the mid-grade spiritual weapon, the Azure Light Sword."

"And the champion this time is Zhou Ling, who forged the low-grade spiritual weapon Crimson Sun Sword, whose power is slightly superior to that of Azure Light Sword!"

"On behalf of the instructors of the academy, I would like to extend my congratulations to the four of them. All other disciples should learn from them!"

Dean Zhong's words were passionate and inspiring.

His gaze swept over the four disciples who were ranked in the top three of the academy, and his eyes revealed admiration.

Especially when looking at Zhou Ling, there was a hint of surprise.

boom!
The entire plaza erupted in chaos as all the disciples stared at Zhou Ling with astonished expressions.

Some people even doubted that they had misheard.

Keep in mind that these are all second-tier treasures that have been refined this time.

Zhou Ling actually succeeded in forging a low-grade spirit sword, which even surpassed Wang Qian's mid-grade spirit sword?

You must understand that these are spiritual artifacts; the difference in power between artifacts of one grade and another is like heaven and earth.

Doesn't this mean that Zhou Ling is also capable of forging mid-grade spirit swords?

He was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, which was simply too exaggerated.

"How could this be? I didn't hear wrong, did I?!"

"Zhou Ling, at the seventh level of Qi Refining, actually defeated Liu Yu and the others, the pride of heaven?"

"This is truly unbelievable!"

"His Crimson Sun Sword is only a low-grade spiritual weapon, yet it can surpass the mid-grade spiritual weapon Azure Light Sword. Doesn't this mean that the level of his inscription is astonishing!"

As Dean Zhong finished speaking, the disciples on the field couldn't help but gasp and discuss among themselves.

In their view, it was already a miracle that Zhou Ling was able to enter the top eight.

No one expected that Zhou Ling, who was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, would directly crush all the geniuses of the Dao Academy and become the champion of the assessment by a wide margin.

This is truly astonishing!

"Brother Ling, you're actually the leader!" Sun Dajie couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

It was already quite unexpected that Zhou Ling was able to obtain a Foundation Establishment seed.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Ling has now become the top candidate in the Foundation Establishment Seed Assessment.

The current batch of disciples at the Dao Academy are the pride of heaven from many immortal cities in the Northwest Region of Qingyang Domain.

It's unbelievable that Zhou Ling is just a rogue cultivator from the remote border town of Lingxia Immortal City.

On the contrary, Wang Xin's expression was relatively calm. In her eyes, whatever achievements Zhou Ling made seemed to be taken for granted.

"You performed exceptionally well this time!"

Zhou Ling also said with a happy expression.

I never expected the refining of the Crimson Sun Seal to be so effective.

Becoming the top performer in the assessment was much better than he had expected.

It seems that the beast flame also played a crucial role in drawing the inscription.

Otherwise, the power of the Crimson Sun Spirit Sword could never surpass that of the mid-grade spirit sword, Azure Light Sword.

"Alright, disciples who ranked in the top three, come up and receive your rewards for this assessment!"

Dean Zhong waved his hand and continued speaking.

Zhou Ling then stepped onto the jade platform.

He was accompanied by three other disciples, namely Liu Yu, Ye Zhilan, and Wang Qian.

The three of them looked at Zhou Ling with surprise in their eyes.

"Zhou Ling, this is your reward for winning the championship this time. In addition, you will receive fifty points every month, a fine residence with a third-tier spiritual vein, and a small spiritual space."

Dean Zhong smiled and, as he spoke, handed Zhou Ling a storage bag and a spatial ring.

"A spatial ring!" Zhou Ling was slightly surprised, but also excited.

He did know about the fifty points and the rewards from the Taoist academy.

I never expected there would be such a treasure as a spatial ring.

The internal space of a spatial ring is much larger than that of a storage ring.

If there is a sacred land inside, then it is possible to grow sacred herbs, sacred rice, and other sacred things.

Worth a fortune.

As for the other three, the rewards were relatively less; the second place winner received thirty points per month.

There is also a reward of a refined residence, but instead of a spatial ring, a second-tier spiritual artifact is given.

The third place winner receives 20 points, plus other rewards.

After receiving their rewards, the dean gave them some more instructions, urging them to cultivate diligently and strive to reach the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible.

He especially spoke earnestly to Zhou Ling, telling him not to slack off because of the problem with his spiritual root.

After all, there are quite a few examples in the history of the Dao Alliance of cultivators who achieved the Golden Core despite having low-grade spiritual roots.

Zhou Ling repeatedly bowed and agreed.

Next, as long as we find a way to condense the Five Elements Thunder Body, we can greatly solve the problem of spiritual roots.

Zhou Ling and the others then descended from the jade platform.

Meanwhile, many disciples came over to greet them and get to know each other.

Those disciples who had previously ignored Zhou Ling during the Foundation Establishment test are now taking the initiative to greet him.

Zhou Ling, also hoping to gain more connections and opportunities, politely nodded in response to each person.

However, they were eager to go back and check their rewards.

They quickly squeezed out of the crowd.

I took Xin'er to the dormitory.

······.

Go back to dorms.

Wang Xin poured Zhou Ling a cup of spiritual tea.

Zhou Ling used his divine sense to enter the storage bag and retrieved all the items inside.

Ten shiny, mid-grade spirit stones.

Two pieces of each of the five elements.

A bottle of pills, a top-grade Qi-harmonizing pill.

Five pieces of second-grade low-grade ore.

Sixteen second-grade low-level spiritual herbs.

Three second-tier runes.

There are also two jade slips.

A jade plaque.

Zhou Ling's eyes lit up; he hadn't expected such generous rewards in addition to Dao Points, the Abode, and the Spatial Ring.

The items here are worth about 16,000 or 17,000 spirit stones.

Of course, the biggest reward is undoubtedly the fixed bonus of fifty points per month.

After all, these fifty points are available every month and can be exchanged for various other items.

You should know that the hermitage where I live now only costs three Dao Points a month if converted to Dao Points.

Then, his divine sense entered the spatial ring.

(End of this chapter)