Chapter 8 Nine-Star Talent

The examination for Jiuyang Martial Institution was divided into three parts: talent, mental power and fighting skills.

On this day, the theme of the first exam was: talent.

For a martial artist, his talent was the most important thing, because it was the determining factor of his personal achievement in the future. And the so-called “talent”, to put it simply, was his ability to blend with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. If he was not gifted enough, then he was unable to absorb the energy well for cultivation, and thus his future achievement wouldn’t be great.

On the contrary, if the martial artist had the ability to blend well with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, then he could absorb enough energy for cultivation. In that case, not only would the cultivation speed be faster, but also his future martial achievement would be greater too. Just because of that, talent test was compulsory in the entry exam for Jiuyang Martial Institution each year.

There was a high platform in front of Jiuyang Martial institution. At this moment, an elderly man went up to the stage and said, “You all know the rules, but I have to say it again. Only those under 17 and at the second layer of body cultivation are qualified to take the examination. Those who don’t meet the requirements, please leave now, in case you interfere with the examination.”

“Examinees should be under 17 and at the second layer of body cultivation. What a rigorous standard.”

Lin Tian said to himself.

However, Lin Tian wasn’t worried at all since he was 16 this year, and totally qualified.

There were 50 booths for talent test in Jiuyang Martial Institution. When the exam started, the examinees formed 50 queues very quickly. In front of each queue, there was a stone tablet for talent testing, which was engraved with nine five-pointed stars from the bottom up. It was the prop especially for talent testing.

“Now the first test: talent test started. Examinees, put your right hand on the stone tablet, and let the energy in your body circulate. After that, the number of the lit stars on the stone tablet is your talent value. If one star lights up, then you have one-star talent; two stars, two-star talent, and so on. Those people who have three stars and above will pass this round.”

“Now the test began!”

The elderly man said.

The moment the elderly man finished his words, one examinee at the front of one queue made the move. He pressed his palm against the stone tablet carefully and let his inner energy flow. In an instant, the stone tablet started to shine. Two stars lit up from the bottom up one after the other.

“Two-star talent. Fail.”

The examiner in charge of this queue said faintly. Suddenly, the examinee looked disappointed, stepped out of the crowd and left alone.

Meanwhile, examinees from the other queues started to take the test one after another.

“Two-star talent. Fail.”

“One-star talent. Fail.”

“Two-star talent. Fail.”

“Three-star talent. Pass.”

“One-star talent. Fail.”

The voices of the examiners kept resounding above the square.

Before long, half a quarter passed.

Lin Tian was a little surprised. In half an hour, there were nearly 3,000 examinees taking the test, but less than 100 people actually passed.

“What a harsh test.”

Lin Tian exclaimed.

Actually, Lin Tian didn’t know about the reality. Although Beiyan Empire had a huge population, only less than 10% of people were suitable for martial cultivation, while Jiuyang Martial Institution’s standard for its disciples’ talent was much higher than the ordinary standard for those “suitable for martial cultivation”. Therefore, it was quite normal that almost 90% of the examinees were eliminated.

“Two-star talent. Fail.”

“Three-star talent. Pass.”

“Two-star talent. Fail.”

The voices of the examiners said constantly.

Just at this moment, sounds of amazement rose at the front of the queue next to him. Lin Tian tilted his head and looked out, only to see a man in purple at the front of that queue. It was exactly Mo Sen. He was pressing his palm against the stone tablet, on which there were five stars lighting up.

“Five-star talent! My god. Who’s that?”

“Mo Sen from Fengjian City, the younger brother of Mo Ji. Don’t you know him?”

“Mo Ji? The one who serves in the Imperial Expeditionary Force?”

“Exactly.”

“Wow!”

The examinees around started to talk. Many people gasped, not only because of Mo Sen’s five-star talent, but more because of his elder brother Mo Ji, who was a horrific existence.

The examiner stared at Mo Sen and said with a smile, “Great! You are indeed his younger brother.”

In Beiyan Empire, those with two-star talent were suitable for martial cultivation, those with three-star talent great, those with four-star talent excellent. However, those with five-star talent were geniuses, and they could be described as “one in a million”. The fact that Mo Sen had five-star talent amazed a lot of the examinees here.

“Go and have a rest. Get ready for the second test.”

The examiner smiled and said.

Mo Sen nodded and walked away proudly.

The test went on. The one after Mo Sen was Xiao Yun. Compared to Mo Sen, Xiao Yun had an inferior talent. She just got three stars, which was a narrow pass.

It’s time for Lin Tian now.

Before Mo Sen walked far away, he saw Lin Tian going up to the stone tablet. Mo Sen gave a cold smile and taunted, “As the last bastard from the Lin family, you’ve always been so weak before. How dare you take the test? Get back now. Do you really think you’re able to do martial cultivation since you beat up several minions? Stop embarrassing yourself.”

Lin Tian threw a sideways look at Mo Sen and didn’t bother to talk back.

Actually, Lin Tian couldn’t care less about the first test. In the past few days, he had absorbed star power to practice Siji Scriptures every night. He knew from the information flooding in his brain that star power was much stronger than the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Since he was able to attract star power, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was simply a piece of cake to him.

Mo Sen saw that Lin Tian actually ignored him, and his face grew grimmer.

“Humph! Martial talent is a born gift. It’s something you can never have!” Mo Sen stared arrogantly at Lin Tian and said, “At the very least, even if you have some martial talent, it means nothing. Can you light up five stars? I have five-star talent, and I’m a genius! I’m someone within your sight but beyond your reach for your whole life!”

Xiao Yun held Mo Sen’s arm and looked at Lin Tian with contempt. “Lin Tian, with your frail body, you’re even no match for me, let alone Mo Sen. You will have two-star talent, at most. You won’t pass the first test. Just give up, before it’s too late. Don’t embarrass yourself.”

Many examinees nearby looked in their direction.

“Let’s not talk about whether he’ll pass or not. It’s definitely impossible for him to have five-star talent.”

“Nonsense. It’s so obvious.”

People were talking.

Mo Sen put his arm around Xiao Yun’s tiny waist and gave an evil smile. “Yun, did you forget that you have something to tell Lin?”

“Well, I almost forgot that.” Xiao Yun nodded, looked down at Lin Tian like a proud princess and said, “Lin Tian, I know you feel bitter, and that’s why you contradicted what Mo Sen and I said on purpose, so that you could save face in front of everyone. However, no matter how bitter you are, I still have to tell you something. Now listen carefully. You and I are not on the same level. You don’t deserve me from the beginning. Only the one with great talent like Mo Sen can be with me, so I will only marry Mo Sen!”

Lin Tian looked calm, as if he didn’t hear the two of them at all.

He raised his right hand and placed it on the stone tablet.

The stone tablet started to shake slightly. In a moment, four stars lit up.

“Four-star talent!”

Everyone around Lin Tian was shocked.

Lin Tian stared at Xiao Yun in disdain. “I still remember two years ago someone stuck with me all the time and kept calling me ‘Brother Tian’. She was so sweet and lovely. Look at you now, just like a clown. I feel sick when I think of the moments when I was called ‘Brother Tian’ by someone like you.”

“You...”

Xiao Yun’s face darkened instantly.

Mo Sen snorted with a sullen face, “Only four stars. You’re not even approaching me. You can never match me!”

Lin Tian tilted his head, looked sidelong at Mo Sen and gave a wicked smile suddenly.

“Hum!”

The stone tablet, which his right hand was pressed against, started to shake again. Six stars lit up.

“Six... Six-star talent!”

People’s pupils began to contract.

At this moment, even the examiners of Jiuyang Martial Institution were shocked, looking astonished.

Since the establishment of Jiuyang Martial Institution, there was only one disciple with six-star talent in history!

Lin Tian watched Mo Sen and said, “And you think five-star talent is great? And you think you’re a genius? And you think you’re someone within my sight but beyond my reach for my whole life?”

His tone was peaceful, but full of irony.

Mo Sen was livid. Before Lin Tian took the test, he kept calling himself a genius. He said Lin Tian was no match for him. He called himself someone within Lin Tian’s sight but beyond Lin Tian’s reach for his whole life. But now, Lin Tian’s martial talent value showed, and it was just like a hard slap across his face.

“Six-star talent. This can’t be happening. The stone tablet must have gone wrong!”

Mo Sen said sullenly.

Hearing Mo Sen’s words, many examinees became skeptical. After all, six-star talent was something rare.

“The stone tablet must have gone wrong?” Lin Tian stared at Mo Sen and said faintly, “This man just refuses to acknowledge failure. How ridiculous you are!”

Lin Tian’s right hand remained on the stone tablet. His eyes darkened, and the energy surged through his body quickly.

Hum!

The stone tablet shook, and the seventh star lit up.

“How is this possible!”

People exclaimed.

What did seven-star talent mean anyway?

“What...”

Many people felt that they were getting numb.

However, it didn’t stop here. The next moment, the eighth star on the stone tablet lit up.

“Eight, eight...”

People were dumbfounded. They stared rigidly ahead as if they were having a dream.

Just at this moment, the whole site resounded with a man’s roar.

“The ninth star. Light up for me!”

Lin Tian’s eyes brightened, the energy rushing inside his body. His right hand, which was sticking on the stone tablet, started to glow silver faintly all of a sudden. Then, the stone tablet shook more severely.

Finally, the ninth star lit up.