As a 4-star pinnacle master teacher and a 4-star demonic tunist, his control over his strength had already reached an astonishing level. Since this was a fair competition, how could he possibly vary the intensity of his attacks for the candidates?
The words that Ruohuan gongzi said previously were clearly an attempt to shoot down Zhang shi’s confidence. This might be useful against someone who came from a remote area, but to him, Fu Xiaochen, it was completely futile.
“Since you understand that, you should know that I won’t compromise on anything I’ve decided upon!” Ruohuan gongzi said.
“I’m the same as well!” Fu Xiaochen replied.
Before the test had begun, the duo had already collided with one another.
“Oh? Since that’s the case, why don’t we compete to see who goes first then?” Ruohuan gongzi said.
“Sure! What do you want to compete on?” Fu Xiaochen nodded.
The two of them were equally matched, and they were both contenders for the championship.
Thus, they had been thinking of how they could suppress the other party right from the start so that it would be difficult for the other party to make a comeback later on.
“Let’s compete on…” After a moment of contemplation, Ruohuan gongzi was just about to say the content of the competition when a melody suddenly sounded.
Tzing!
Turning around, unknowingly, Feng Mosheng had already stepped forward, picked up a formation plate, and seated down on the floor, ready to take the test. Elder Wu’s hands were also on the ancient zither, and lightly plucking at it, a melodious tune sounded.
“What the heck?!”
Not expecting their slight moment of distraction would grant another an opportunity to go first, Fu Xiaochen and Jun Ruohuan’s faces steeled, and an urge to spurt blood welled up in them.
What the heck was this?!
He wanted to strike down on the other party’s confidence so as to affect his performance, only to end up giving away the initiative to someone else.
“Hmph!”
Knowing that there was no use arguing anymore, the duo flung their arms and returned back to where they were.
Weng weng weng!
Upon sitting down, Wu shi began plucking his zither, and a tune that seemed to strike deep within one’s heart gushed over as though a rampaging torrent.
“This music… Nothing seems to be wrong about it?”
The music sounded a little upbeat, but other than that, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong about it. Zhang Xuan didn’t feel any signs of him being controlled, and his mind didn’t seem to be breached by anything as well.
But taking a look at Feng Mosheng, he knew that it wasn’t as simple as he thought.
The latter, as a 3-star pinnacle master teacher, had a Soul Depth exceeding 11.0. Even so, upon hearing the melody of the zither, sweat began dripping down his forehead. He seemed to be under great pressure.
“It seems like there’s an area of effect to the zither melody. Beyond that area, even if one hears the melody, one won’t feel anything at all…”
A glint flashed across Zhang Xuan’s eyes.
Elder Wu had said previously that he would test the candidates one by one. From the looks of it now, it seemed like there was a limit to the attack range of the zither melody. Beyond that area, the melody would just be like normal music.
Hu!
While the other candidates couldn’t feel anything at all, Feng Mosheng, who was bearing the brunt of the impact of the Demonic Tune of Psychosis, went pale. With trembling hands, he took out a carving knife and ‘jiya!’, he started carving on the formation plate.
The Demonic Tune of Psychosis played by the demonic tunist resounded in his mind, leaving him faint-headed and unable to concentrate. As such, the carving knife in his hand was also slightly shaky.
“As expected, it isn’t as easy as I thought…”
Seeing how even a genius like the other party was facing such immense difficulty, Zhang Xuan’s expression turned grim.
As expected of a selection round conducted by the Myriad Kingdom City. Just the first round was sufficient to leave many in despair already.
Suddenly, a thought appeared in Zhang Xuan’s mind.
‘Does this Demonic Tune of Psychosis have a weakness?’
Since a cultivator executing a battle technique and a formation master setting up a formation could both compile a corresponding book on it, given that a demonic tunist was in the midst of playing a melody, a book should be able to be compiled on it as well!
Muttering ‘flaws’ softly, Zhang Xuan’s mind jolted and a book appeared before him.
“Wu Xu, an elder of Myriad Kingdom Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion. 4-star master teacher, demonic tunist, formation master, painter, and tea master. Specializes in using offense via demonic tunes, of which, the Demonic Tune of Psychosis…”
“Flaws: …”
Flipping through pages, Zhang Xuan swiftly found some content concerning the Demonic Tune of Psychosis.
“I see!”
A gleam flashed across Zhang Xuan’s eyes as he chuckled.
This Demonic Tune of Psychosis may seem extremely fearsome but it had its flaws too. As long as Zhang Xuan used it properly, it wouldn’t be too difficult to break it.
Soon, after reading through the book, an idea appeared in Zhang Xuan’s mind.
‘I’ll try it later on!’
Knowing that it wasn’t the time for him to try out his idea yet, Zhang Xuan placed the thought aside and turned his attention back to the test. At this moment, the Demonic Tune of Psychosis was already reaching its end, and Feng Mosheng seemed as though he was completely intoxicated. His body wobbled violently even though he was already seated down.
He seemed to have inscribed quite a bit on the formation plate in his hands, but from Zhang Xuan’s current position, it was hard to see what the other party had inscribed clearly.
Weng!
With a light pluck, the zither melody finally came to an end.
“Wu shi, thank you for going easy on me!”
Shaking his head, Feng Mosheng stood up, clasped his fists and bowed before passing the formation plate over.
He could tell that the other party didn’t give it his all. Otherwise, given his current level of Soul Depth, it would have been impossible for him to withstand the entire tune.
“Un!” Nodding his head, Wu shi passed the formation plate to a master teacher standing beside him.
After grabbing over the formation plate, the master teacher began counting and reported the result, “A total of 432 strokes, and every stroke is of equal depth!”
“More than 400 strokes?”
“Impressive! Even though he was clearly at his limit, he was still able to leave so many strokes behind. Not to mention, they are all of the equal depth as well. As expected of a genius qualified to participate in the selection round!”
“If it was me, I would surely be unable to inscribe even a single stroke…”
“Don’t worry. Given your qualifications, Elder Wu probably couldn’t even be bothered to lay his hands on you!”
“You…”
…
Upon hearing the results, a huge uproar spread across the crowd.
The Demonic Tune of Psychosis had only lasted for three minutes. Even though there was no specific rule dictating what one should inscribe, to be able to inscribe more than 400 strokes within such a short period of time was indeed impressive, not to mention, one had to do it while warding off the offense of the melody.
“More than four hundred strokes?”
“It seems like I underestimated this fellow. To think that he would achieve such impressive results!”
Ruohuan gongzi and Fu Xiaochen frowned.
Even they couldn’t help but feel pressured by Feng Mosheng’s result.
“Alright, the next one!”
After announcing Feng Mosheng’s result, Wu shi conditioned his physical state for a few breaths, and after recovering, he turned to look at the crowd.
Given his current capability, it would have been difficult for him to use the Demonic Tune of Psychosis to subdue a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan expert in a real battle. However, given that there was no battle involved in this test, he was still able to keep up.
“Allow me!” Fu Xiaochen walked over.
This time, Ruohuan gongzi didn’t vie with him. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go but that Feng Mosheng’s result had exerted some pressure on him. He wanted to condition himself to be in his best state before challenging it.
Tzing!
The zither began playing once more, and the sound of a carving knife cutting a formation plate sounded as well.
Soon, the test came to an end, and Fu Xiaochen retreated back.
The master teacher reported the result.
“A total of 427 strokes. The strokes are clear and there’s no repetitions.”
“Such a pity…” Shaking his head, Fu Xiaochen’s complexion wasn’t too good.
He thought that, given his ability, winning the selection round shouldn’t be a problem at all. He didn’t expect that he would lost out to this Feng Mosheng at the very first round.
A difference of five strokes!
But only when experiencing the Demonic Tune of Psychosis itself did he realize how fearsome it was. If not for the desire of victory pushing him on, he would have surely succumbed halfway through.
Fu Xiaochen quickly calmed down.
‘Even though my results aren’t as good as Feng shi’s, it isn’t too far as compared to him. It’ll depend on Ruohuan gongzi’s result now. If his result is worse than mine, I’ll still stand a very good chance in earning one of the two slots!’
Two people were to be selected in the selection round, and this was only the first round. As long as he didn’t make any errors later on, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him to get one of the slots.
“Allow me!”
The third one to challenge wasn’t Ruohuan gongzi but the beautiful female master teacher, Luo Xi!
In terms of appearance, this lady could only be said to be decent. She was a far match from Princess Mo Yu and Zhao Feiwu, needless to say, Zhao Ya.
However, as a 3-star pinnacle master teacher, a Transcendent Mortal 3-dan expert, she had a unique disposition that accentuated her beauty.
This beautiful lady may seem weak, but her Soul Depth was exceptionally strong. She also managed to survive through the entirety of Elder Wu’s Demonic Tune of Psychosis.
After Luo Xi, the other foreign master teacher, Du Hu, went up.
The duo managed to achieve a result exceeding four hundred strokes, but they were still a distance away from matching up to Fu Xiaochen, let alone Feng Mosheng.
“A dark horse!”
“Indeed. Who could have known that this Feng shi would be so formidable!”
“Even Fu shi’s result is unable to match up to him… I truly never expected this to happen!”
“I told you all that Feng shi is a strong contender as well, you all just refused to believe me.”
…
Even after four candidates had challenged the test, Feng Mosheng was still ranked in first place. This result had left all of the master teachers shocked.
Initially, they thought that the slots would surely go to Ruohuan gongzi and Fu shi. Who could have thought that Feng Mosheng would be so formidable as well?
It seemed like Feng shi’s low profile had indeed made a lot of people underestimate him.
“Look, it’s Ruohuan gongzi’s turn!”
Just as everyone was astounded by the previous results, someone shouted out and everyone immediately turned their attention back to the stage.
At that moment, Ruohuan gongzi was already seated down with the formation plate right before him. He held onto a carving knife in his hands.
Tzing! Tzing!
The melody of a zither sounded.
Frowning, Ruohuan gongzi swiped the carving knife across the formation plate swiftly.
“Fast!”
“As expected of Ruohuan gongzi, it seems like the zither is ineffective on him!”
“Looks like the champion of this test will surely be Ruohuan gongzi!”
…
Seeing Ruohuan gongzi’s actions, everyone clenched their fists tightly.
To be capable of moving so swiftly under the influence of the Demonic Tune of Psychosis, as expected of the most popular candidate, one of the Four Gentlemen of Myriad Kingdom City!
Hu!
Soon, the melody came to an end.
Ruohuan gongzi came to a stop. After keeping the carving knife in his storage ring, he passed the formation plate forward.
“A total of 431 strokes!” The master teacher counted for several times before announcing in disbelief.
“A stroke less than Feng shi?”
“How is that possible?”
“That can’t be, his hands moved so quickly then!”
…
Upon hearing the result, a huge commotion broke out among the crowd.
Everyone had seen Ruohuan gongzi’s carving speed previously… How could his result possibly be inferior to Feng shi?
But the invigilator checking on the formation plate was extremely well-known in the Master Teacher Pavilion for being impartial. It was impossible for him to be biased.
“Ruohuan gongzi doesn’t seem to be too disappointed…”
Just as everyone was perplexed by the situation before them, someone amidst the crowd suddenly muttered in disbelief. Everyone turned their gazes over, and as expected, they noticed that something was amiss.
When Fu shi’s result was worse than Feng shi’s, he was clearly depressed. On the other hand, not only did Ruohuan gongzi not seem defeated at all, he even had a faint smile hanging on his face.
A smile?
What was going on?
Did he not care whether he won or lost?
