Chapter 478: Protest and Riot

The training hall was erupting with excitement, and the soul seed testing grounds were just as lively.

The soul seed test was conducted simultaneously with the soul power test. A transparent crystal ball, as tall as a person, was placed right in the center of the training ground. Participants only needed to place their hands on it and channel soul power, and their soul seed’s true form would naturally appear inside the crystal ball, emitting light corresponding to the strength of their soul power.

A soul seed was the clearest indicator of a Soul Cultivator's potential. Throughout the alliance, reaching Tiger Peak was no great feat, but the difference between Tiger Peak practitioners lay in their soul seeds.

The crystal ball was custom-made by Old Wang for measuring the potential of soul seeds.

About thirty to forty people had already been tested, all supposed elites from various Holy Sanctuaries. The best result so far came from Zhao Chun of the West Peak Holy Sanctuary, who filled close to half of the crystal ball’s interior with light.

"West Peak Holy Sanctuary, Zhao Chun, Tiger Seed, Specialty Score: Seven."

The key was the specialty score of five—five was considered excellent, and anything above five was a special seed.

He was an absolute elite temporarily transferred by Zhao Feiyuan from the Zhao Family. Did they really think this little Rose test could stump him? Since the Sky Summit wasn’t here and none of the top talents from the major Holy Sanctuaries had shown up, aside from the top contenders from Dragon Moon Duchy, Dark Demon Island, and Ice Spirit, who among the applicants here could even hold a candle to him?

Before he could finish his thoughts, the crystal ball beside him suddenly flared up, emitting a blazing red light. And the tester was smirking casually.

Zhao Chun was slightly startled and turned to see Retsun Chai Jing from Fire God Mountain.

"Fire God Mountain, Retsun Chai Jing, Ghost Seed, Specialty Score: 10."

What?

This guy was known, sure, but still—10??? What did that mean?

Not just the others, even Chai Jing himself was stunned. Though he always thought he was pretty awesome, he wasn’t delusional. Ten—the first ten?

The proctor ignored him because they didn’t understand either. The evaluation was designed by Old Wang, and only he truly knew the criteria. Li Sitan was aware but didn’t explain, just marveling at his junior brother’s brilliance—his constant display of outstanding talent and noble character. This overhaul of soul seed evaluation was destined to go down in history, yet he remained humble. That was the definition of greatness.

"Fire God Mountain, Nailuo Luo, Fire God Seed, Soul Power Score: Seven!"

"Fire God Mountain, Valaroca, Fire God Seed, Soul Power Score: Eight!"

"Quicksand Holy Sanctuary, Ao Tu, Tiger-Level Earth Seed, Soul Power Score: Five!"

"Dragon Moon Duchy, Xiao Wuyan, Tiger-Level Beast Seed, Soul Power Score: Six!"

"Dragon Moon Duchy, Thomas, Tiger-Level Beast Seed, Soul Power Score: Six!"

Earlier scores had mostly been twos and threes, with Zhao Chun’s five being the highest. But now, a whole slew of sixes and higher popped up, like a winning streak...

Zhao Chun was dumbfounded. Then, he saw Prince Xiao Bang of Dragon Moon Duchy step forward.

All eyes in the venue locked onto him. The buzz-cut prince gently placed his hand on the crystal ball—without even visibly trying—yet...

*Buzzzz!*

The light inside the crystal ball instantly maxed out. The searing white light bursting from its center was almost painful to look at, making it impossible to even discern the shape of the soul seed inside.

This... this...

The scoring instructor loudly announced, "Rose Holy Sanctuary, Xiao Bang, Divine Seed, Specialty Score: 10!"

The second ten had appeared, but this one wasn’t unexpected.

Why was someone like him even here?

The third prince of Dragon Moon Duchy, the first in line for succession, the face of Dragon Moon Holy Sanctuary—he could hit Ghost Level anywhere!

Many participants were feeling quite annoyed.

Among the three assessment venues, the only one that seemed somewhat 'quiet' was the Willpower Assessment.

The martial arts arena, which had been arranged by Lao Wang, was marked with ten circles. The test was simple: ten disciples entered at a time, and the longer they endured, the better their score. Li Sitan led the team from the Rune Institute to oversee the process.

Of course, Lao Li couldn't help but marvel at his junior brother's talent and greatness—yet another groundbreaking innovation. This runic array even incorporated elements of forging and alchemy, truly a masterpiece. Ah, yet another selfless contribution to Rose Academy. Those who entered were brimming with confidence, while those who exited were dejected and silent. Most of the less outstanding ones were dissatisfied with their own performance, dispirited, while the truly clever elites remained silent, reflecting deeply on what they had just experienced in the Soul Refining Array.

The most frequently asked question here was always the same: "If we make it into the Ghost-Level Class in the end, will we still have the chance to use this Soul Refining Array?"

People weren’t fools—they could instantly tell the difference between something good and bad. Lao Wang had used this Soul Refining Array to help Fanteisi and the others reach the ghost level. After just one 'session' of 'enjoyment,' the benefits were immense, and those who reflected on it knew exactly how valuable it was. This thing was incredibly helpful for tempering one's willpower.

The assessments across the three venues went back and forth, starting at 1 PM and lasting until past 7 PM—already surprisingly fast.

Along the way, there were some minor incidents and jokes, such as the name everyone taking the Ghost-Level Class assessment remembered from the first day—Mo Tong.

This young prince of the Mahoraga tribe seemed to have had a screw loose. During the soul power assessment, he had already scored full marks, but apparently provoked by Ota, who had also scored full marks before him, he refused to let go of the crystal ball even after it was already maxed out by his soul power. In the end, he actually managed to shatter the crystal ball... Fortunately, Rose Academy had a spare, or the entire assessment might have been ruined by him.

But this display of overwhelming strength quickly spread throughout all the testing venues. Other top-tier performers like de Broglie, Momosang, Chopin, Gule, Xue Zhiyu, Jina, Ota, Dongbuluo, and Valaroca also scored full marks, along with a slew of impressive second-tier performances from the likes of Retsun Chai Jing, Nailuo Luo, and Thomas. There were even many previously unknown, unaffiliated Soul Cultivators, such as the fisherman Li Chunyang, who had caused a stir during registration. Not only did he score high in the physical assessment, but he also achieved a perfect ten in the soul seed test... These dazzling results left a heavy psychological shadow on the Temple disciples from various factions who had originally been brimming with confidence, thinking the assessment was just a formality—or even that registering at Rose Academy was doing Rose Academy a favor.

There was no more room for relaxation now—the competition was just too insane. But this clearly also meant that Rose Academy's Ghost-Level Class was truly something special. Coupled with the fact that the efficacy of the Soul Refining Array was further confirmed through post-assessment discussions, everyone's anticipation for the Ghost-Level Class grew even stronger.

After the assessment, there was still time for final ranking calculations. Although Rose Academy had announced a temporary dismissal, almost no one left the scene. Instead, they all gathered in the square, stomachs growling, nervously awaiting the final list.

The square buzzed with endless chatter, most of it revolving around the geniuses who had displayed extraordinary prowess during the assessment.

"That Mahoraga guy must be today's top scorer—full marks in everything, and he even shattered the crystal ball. Damn... just how insane is he?"

"Her Highness Xue Zhiyu is also incredibly strong. I used to think she was just a pretty princess with a halo, but who knew she’d score full marks in both the soul power and willpower tests? Only the physical assessment was slightly weaker."

"Chopin is even more impressive—full marks across the board!"

"What about Ota, Gule, de Broglie, and Momosang? Weren’t they all full marks too? Sigh, the top ten are the top ten—there’s just no competing with them."

"There are quite a few impressive ones among those commoners too. I think they might take some slots from us Temple disciples... Of course, someone like Senior Brother Zhao is definitely secure. Aside from the top ten, Senior Brother Zhao could definitely challenge for the top ten!"

Zhao Chun smiled faintly, ignoring the flattery from his junior brother beside him.

Top ten? It felt a bit uncertain. The people from Longyue, Ice Spirit, and Fire God Mountain were all too ruthless—everyone sent was a core disciple. Add in Darkmoon Island and the Eight Great Tribes, and this group alone could probably monopolize the top twenty. Forget top ten—even top twenty seemed uncertain! But making it into the top thirty shouldn’t be a problem. He wasn’t the flagship disciple of West Peak Holy Sanctuary, and breaking into the top thirty among so many elites wouldn’t disgrace West Peak Holy Sanctuary. The real issue was the two junior brothers who had come with him—their situation wasn’t looking good. Compared to the average level here, they were indeed a bit lacking. If they ended up in the eighties or nineties... well, that would truly be a slap in the face for the prestigious West Peak Holy Sanctuary.

But... if only Senior Brothers Ziyue, Ziliang, and Ma Suo had come, how could these other factions have stolen the spotlight?

As he was lost in thought, a sudden commotion erupted at the front of the square: "It’s out! The list is out!"

Though night had fallen, the bright glow of the Soul Crystal Lanterns illuminated the square as if it were daytime. The chief examiner, Wang Feng, led a few Rose disciples to a white wall nearby and posted a large red notice with about a dozen or so names written on it.

Before Zhao Chun could move, his two junior brothers had already excitedly rushed over to squeeze into a good spot. After just one glance, they shouted excitedly, "Senior Brother Zhao! Senior Brother Zhao! You made it—your name’s on here!"

Zhao Chun’s slightly anxious heart instantly settled, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Kids these days, so easily excited..." He suppressed the slight thrill in his heart and walked over calmly. Wasn’t it perfectly normal for him, Zhao Chun, to pass? But judging by the dozen or so names on the notice, his ranking seemed higher than expected. Could he actually be in the top ten?

Then again, he had only seen the performances of those from Fire God Mountain and Longyue during the soul power test. He wasn’t entirely clear on their physical or willpower assessments—maybe they did poorly in other areas? As for the other Temple disciples, he hadn’t seen many familiar elites, and those unaffiliated Soul Cultivators weren’t even worth mentioning.

By now, he had reached the notice and glanced at it, only to find his name in the third from the bottom position.

Seventeenth place? How should he feel about this? It wasn’t unacceptable, but failing to climb higher was still a bit disappointing.

Just as Zhao Chun was thinking this, his gaze drifted upward along the list—and his eyes bulged.

Above his name were not the familiar second-tier members like Retsun Chai Jing, Nailuo Luo, or Valaroca, nor the first-tier figures he had anticipated—Xiao Bang, Gule, Aota, or de Broglie. Instead, there was a list of completely unfamiliar names.

Kama, from Quisha Holy Sanctuary, 59 points? Li Chunyang, a Rose disciple, 59 points? What kind of bullshit is this? He only scored 54 points!

Zhao Chun was dumbfounded. How could these randoms outrank him and make it into the top ten? Wait… Could this be the bottom twenty out of a hundred spots?

Sure enough, amid the murmurs of the crowd, a second notice was quickly posted.

On this list, Zhao Chun spotted a familiar name—Jiao Canyue from the Moon Worship Sect, the junior sister of Jiaoxi. She had visited Western Peak Holy Sanctuary a few times and was a long-standing core member of the Moon Worship Sect, always stronger than him. Yet, she was only ranked near the end of the second notice, around the seventieth spot.

Then came the third, fourth, fifth notices…

They were posting the rankings from the bottom up! He was third from last! A fucking elite from Western Peak Holy Sanctuary, coming to Rose to take this damn test, only to rank third from the bottom?!

Zhao Chun’s jaw dropped, and he nearly collapsed. His two junior sect brothers quickly steadied him, looking even more devastated. At least Zhao Chun had a ranking—they didn’t even make the list!

If Zhao Chun barely made it, the other Holy Sanctuary disciples who had traveled from afar were even more disheartened. Most scanned the entire list without finding their names, cursing in frustration. What kind of sham test and ranking was this? There had to be foul play!

The top of the list was no surprise—Xiao Bang, Gule, Aota, de Broglie, and Momosang were all part of the Holy Sanctuary Top Ten, so their strength was expected. Xue Zhiyu, Valaroca, Jina, and Retsun Chai Jing were also familiar faces from major tournaments, their abilities well-known.

But what was with that long string of Rose names? Ning Zhiyuan? Never heard of him! Su Yue? Famier? Who the hell are these clowns? Just ordinary Rose disciples—how could they pass the test? Sure, Old Wang Squad was strong, but since when were these Rose weaklings so impressive? Fine, even if Rose wanted to sneak in a few connections, that was normal—but not this blatantly!

And what about Li Chunyang, Tolei, Zhang Sangang…? These were clearly Unregistered Soul Cultivators who had just arrived at Rose today, lacking even basic training. How could they possibly outperform the elites from major Holy Sanctuaries? Just because they slapped Rose’s name on them, Wang Feng and his crew could pull strings to push them through? Total horseshit! Nobody’s buying this crap, especially when many in the crowd had been sent by their families or Holy Sanctuaries to stir trouble. Now that they hadn’t even made the list, if they didn’t cause a scene now, they’d never get another chance!

The courtyard erupted into chaos. Rose’s rep was nowhere near giants like Zenith, and tensions flared easily. Hundreds roared curses and protests.

"This ranking is rigged! There’s something fishy about Rose’s test standards! I suspect foul play!"

"Exactly! That so-called willpower test—throwing random illusions at everyone, with no way to compare what each person faced. It’s way too easy to manipulate behind the scenes!"

"This shitty Ghost Level Class isn’t worth it! If Rose can’t handle admissions properly, just say so! Why pull this garbage to humiliate us?!"

"Even Zhao Chun, a top-tier fighter, ranked lower than some fisherman? Hah! Might as well quit Soul Cultivation and go fishing!"

"Right! Shoving these dirtbags over us is an insult—to us and to every Holy Sanctuary! Rose owes all Holy Sanctuaries an explanation today!"

The crowd’s fury grew. A few Unregistered Soul Cultivators who had miraculously made the list grew nervous. Being grassroots nobodies, they had always revered Holy Sanctuaries. Now, they weren’t sure if they’d been dragged into some scandal, becoming unwitting beneficiaries—or victims.

Li Chunyang’s face flushed red—first from joy, then from humiliation. He didn’t know his own level, but to him, Rose was like the heavens.

"Stop lying about them! Squad Leader Wang Feng wouldn’t make a mistake," Li Chunyang protested weakly.

"Wouldn’t? Your very existence is an insult to Holy Sanctuaries!" A scornful voice rang out. Zhao Chun, standing beside Li Chunyang, suddenly struck—so fast Li Chunyang barely saw it. A fist slammed into his chest with a heavy thud.

Li Chunyang staggered back seven or eight steps but managed to plant his feet and hold his ground.

Zhao Chun blinked in surprise. That punch had been no light hit.

"A trash peasant like you dares resist?" Zhao Chun sneered. This bottom-tier rank was insult enough. His Soul Force erupted. "Today, I’ll demand justice for all our brother Holy Sanctuaries—"

Before he could finish, a meaty hand locked his wrist like a steel trap, crushing his bones and dispersing his gathered Soul Force. A cheerful voice cut in, "What justice do you want?"

Zhao Chun jolted, looking up to see Wang Feng, dressed in Black Rose gear, grinning down at him.