I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 289 - 280: Total Collapse

Chapter 5: Curved Sword Qi vs. Curved Sword Qi

Chapter 6: Perfect

Chapter 7: Two-tailed Shadow Flood Dragon

Chapter 9: This Works Too?

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Wang Meng was stopped after taking just three steps.

No one knew what the Five Elements Sect’s test was even measuring. The laughter had long since died down. Hex Zui and Mu Ziqing could only look at each other in dismay. ’What did we miss?’

Shan Lin did his best to appear calm and beckoned to Wang Meng.

"What’s your name, and where are you from?"

"Wang Meng, a Holy Hall Disciple!" Whenever Wang Meng said these words, his voice was filled with power. It was just like the moment he had first laid eyes on the Holy Hall. No matter where he went, he was a Holy Hall Disciple, and he would always be proud of it.

Shan Lin gave Wang Meng a long, hard look but said nothing more. He clapped his hands. "The first test is complete. Now, follow me to the second location."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. No one had any idea what the Five Elements Sect’s test was supposed to mean, but a strange atmosphere settled over the group.

The Hundred Battles Pavilion had already been cleared out, obviously in preparation for this test.

"Mentor Shan Lin, everything is ready."

A Steward from the Hundred Battles Pavilion said respectfully.

Shan Lin nodded. He turned to the crowd with a faint smile. "This is the Soul Refining Array. Do your best to stay inside for as long as you can."

In the crowd, Jiangg Qingqing’s eyes were fixed on Wang Meng. The memory of his last battle was still deeply etched in her mind. The Soul Refining Array was, in essence, a test of one’s Heart Spirit, which was undoubtedly her greatest strength.

It was obvious that a test from the Cultivation Academy wouldn’t be a simple magic assessment. The first part was likely a test of some specific ability, while the second was more straightforward: a test of Heart Spirit strength.

They entered the eerie Soul Refining Array in groups of ten once again.

Everyone here knew about Heart Spirit Attacks. Whether they had trained to resist them or not, they had all braced themselves. This was a test of willpower.

The ten people in the first group stepped cautiously into the Soul Refining Array. Those outside could clearly see their expressions change. In an instant, all ten of their faces turned pale.

After just a minute, the first person was ejected. Within three minutes, all ten members of the first group had been thrown out. They were pale and panting, looking as if they had encountered something utterly terrifying inside. Fear still lingered in their eyes.

Shan Lin simply recorded the times, seemingly unconcerned. With a wave of his hand, the second group went in.

The results were much the same. Nearly everyone lasted less than three minutes; anyone who surpassed that mark was considered quite strong.

Li Tianyi went in. The moment he stepped into the array, the Hundred Battles Pavilion vanished. He found himself in what felt like an Ice Purgatory. Waves of bone-chilling cold assaulted him. Li Tianyi had a carefree and fearless personality and no particular weaknesses, but he still couldn’t escape the nightmare of the Five Elements Mutual Inhibition.

Li Tianyi lasted for four minutes. When he was ejected, he was frozen stiff.

Before long, it was Wang Meng’s group’s turn. Shan Lin suddenly beckoned to him. "Wang Meng, you wait a moment."

The others went in. The longest anyone lasted was just over four minutes.

When it was time for the final group, Shan Lin said, "Wang Meng, you go in with them."

Shan Lin’s instruction was simple. Ma Tian’Er wasn’t very good at hiding her emotions. Despite trying her best and thinking she was doing a good job of it, a heartfelt smile appeared on her face the moment she saw Wang Meng receive this special attention.

Yanm Yuyue also made space for Wang Meng. The others didn’t care about any of this; they were only worried about how long they themselves could last.

Eleven people walked in.

This group was clearly much stronger. It included Jiangg Qingqing, and Heart Spirit was her forte. Among this year’s class of Cultivators, her Heart Spirit Refinement was considered one of the very best. She was confident about this test; it was this skill, after all, that had earned her a place in the Dragon King Faction.

This group’s strength was truly impressive. Four minutes passed, and unbelievably, not a single person had been forced out.

As the five-minute mark approached, five people were ejected at once. They had been forcing themselves to hold on, but they had finally reached their limit.

At the five-minute mark, Yanm Yuyue and Ma Tian’Er were also ejected.

Only four people remained inside. To everyone’s astonishment... Wang Meng was still one of them.

Jiangg Qingqing gritted her teeth, forcing herself to endure. Her Heart Spirit was well-tempered, but she soon reached her breaking point. The array was terrifying, constantly pushing its occupants to their absolute limits.

Jiangg Qingqing was also ejected, but she was clearly in much better condition than the others.

Jiangg Qingqing’s gaze immediately fell upon Wang Meng, still inside the Soul Refining Array. Shan Lin was also watching him intently.

Only three people were left. One was Wang Meng. The other two, along with Yanm Yuyue and Ma Tian’Er, were considered two of the four most talented Cultivators in this year’s class.

’But where in the world did this Wang Meng come from???’

Mu Ziqing and Hex Zui craned their necks at the entrance to the Hundred Battles Pavilion, anxious to see what was happening. ’This is so nerve-wracking,’ they thought. ’I really hope they do well.’ One’s Sect was like a brand; unless you could join the Star Alliance, you always hoped your Sect’s ranking would climb a little higher.

Ning Zhiquan stared blankly at Wang Meng. Suddenly, he shook his head and smiled. ’This is the real Wang Meng. No one has ever truly understood him!’

’How ridiculous. I actually judged him by my own standards and nearly thought he had gotten discouraged and given up.’

’Wang Meng is just... Wang Meng.’

Six minutes. The other two were ejected.

Du Ziyu of the Yunxiao Sect from the Lingyun Small Thousand Realm, ranked thirty-second.

Gong Yunluo of the Jiuling Sect from the Jifeng Small Thousand Realm, ranked twenty-first.

In this place, sects with such high rankings were considered major powerhouses. Both of them were also members of the Celestial King Faction. It wasn’t arrogance on their part; they were genuinely, incredibly strong.

The Jiuling Sect in particular was known for its expertise in Heart Spirit Refinement, and Gong Yunluo felt he had already reached his absolute limit.

When he emerged, he managed to maintain his composure; at least his complexion wasn’t too terrible. Du Ziyu, on the other hand, who had lasted about the same amount of time, was not nearly as composed, though that was to be expected, as this wasn’t his area of expertise.

But what neither of them could have possibly imagined was that someone was *still* inside!

’How is that possible!’

Shan Lin had no time to spare for the others. Seven minutes. He was too strong!

This was an absolute windfall!

The entire Hundred Battles Pavilion fell completely silent. The seconds ticked by.

Eight minutes. Inside, Wang Meng’s expression was as calm as ever.

Shan Lin felt his heart begin to race, and his palms grew sweaty. ’This is a terrifying level of endurance. This young man’s Heart Spirit is either absurdly powerful, or he has an innate talent for resisting Heart Spirit Attacks.’

The more powerful a Cultivator becomes, the more they understand the importance of a strong Heart Spirit. Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter how much Elemental Power you possessed; if you were controlled by a single Heart Spirit magic, it would all be for naught.

Nine minutes...

The onlookers were about to lose their minds.

"He couldn’t be dead in there, could he?"

Inside the Soul Refining Array, Wang Meng was motionless with his eyes slightly closed, but his complexion showed no change.

A new wave of murmurs erupted. But some, with a sense of relief, thought, ’That’s more like it. How could someone like that possibly exist?’

Shan Lin was also startled...

It was too noisy outside. Wang Meng couldn’t help but open his eyes. ’I was attacked the moment I came in, but... damn it, why a Heart Spirit Attack? Isn’t this just asking for trouble?’

...There was no one else around. He couldn’t see outside; the Soul Refining Array was just an endless void.

"Is the test over?"

The moment Wang Meng opened his eyes, the noisy Hundred Battles Pavilion fell silent. When he spoke, his voice tinged with impatience, jaws dropped all over the floor.

There was no point in continuing the test. It was obvious an array of this level had no effect on him.

Shan Lin deactivated the Soul Refining Array and walked up to Wang Meng. "Come with me, Wang Meng. The test is over."

This was a Cultivation Academy test. The results would be recorded for each individual Cultivator, and the corresponding points would be credited to their respective Sects.

But no one moved. Everyone was staring at Wang Meng, especially those who knew him.

Ma Tian’Er was so excited she wanted to pump her fist. ’I knew it! I knew it! I always believed! Wang Meng is just... Wang Meng!’

But she never raised her fist. Her elation was quickly replaced by a pang of sadness. ’What am I to him?’

’Before, we were at least friends. Now, we’re nothing.’

"Sister Yue, I think we should recruit Wang Meng into our faction, no matter the cost," Jiangg Qingqing said, inwardly marveling at Yanm Yuyue’s insight. ’How did she see that this unassuming-looking guy was actually so formidable?’

Yanm Yuyue watched Wang Meng. She hadn’t interacted with him much—once at the Holy Hall’s Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting, once in Tongming City, and once at Celestial Heart Castle—but he was truly an unforgettable person.

"It will be difficult. Very difficult," Yanm Yuyue sighed softly.

Wang Meng followed Shan Lin to the Mentor Tower. It was his first time in this part of the campus. The Cultivation Academy was enormous, and one entire section was the exclusive domain of the soul mentors.

Soul mentors were not official members of the Star Alliance, but they had close ties to it. Generally, they were masters at the Minor Perfection realm or higher who were seeking to join the Star Alliance themselves. They were affiliated with the Star Alliance, but they weren’t considered recognized members. A true "Star Alliance member" was effectively one of its authority figures.

As soul mentors, one of their duties was to scout for Cultivators with high potential.

Shan Lin was responsible for the current class of new arrivals, and his attention had been focused on four individuals: Ma Tian’Er, Yanm Yuyue, Du Ziyu, and Gong Yunluo.

Every year, the various members of the Star Alliance sent their most outstanding disciples, but the number who truly flourished were few and far between. Shan Lin had overseen several classes without ever finding a true prodigy. Frankly, talents like Yanm Yuyue appeared in every class; talent was one thing, but how much of it they could actually realize was another matter entirely. That required time to see.

There were many factors that could affect one’s Cultivation. A single moment of carelessness could cause even a genius to perish.

"Have a seat. Make yourself comfortable," Shan Lin said, sizing up Wang Meng. ’To think that a kid like this would pop up after just one year...’ It was true: Shan Lin was interested.

He desperately needed a powerful genius to redeem his failures as a soul mentor. If he continued to be unable to discover any exceptionally strong young Cultivators, his status as a soul mentor would be revoked, and his dream of joining the Star Alliance would become impossibly distant.

Wang Meng smiled, taking in the room’s decor. The walls were covered with all sorts of weapons, each one emitting a faint aura of Elemental Power. They were all masterfully crafted items, some of which Wang Meng didn’t even recognize.

"Wang Meng, from the Four Directions Small Thousand World, Holy Hall Sect. Entered the Cultivation Academy with Twenty Layers of Elemental Power... Heh, these results are rather average, aren’t they?" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian.com and show your support with recommendation tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)