Coincidentally, Chu Lingguang had also mastered such a skill.
He had used the Heaven and Earth Skill when resisting the Fist Seals just moments ago. Unfortunately, Zhang Xuan and Li Mao were too strong. Their Fist Force was so fast and fierce that the amount Chu Lingguang managed to divert underground was minuscule.
Hu Yanlin, on the other hand, had clearly managed to divert most of the force underground. Chu Lingguang was a little curious. ’Is his ability the result of some Divine Ability, or has he mastered an even more profound force-diversion skill?’
In any case, he was the only one who had taken a punch from both Zhang Xuan and Li Mao and remained standing firm. He hadn’t retreated a single step, and even his aura was undisturbed.
He posed an immense threat to everyone else.
"Congratulations to the thirteen of you for making it this far. The top three of the Palace Examination will be chosen from among you."
A Duke and Minister offered his congratulations.
After speaking to the group, he scurried up to the imperial dais to receive a command from the Emperor of Great Yuan. He then returned to the steps and addressed the thirteen contestants. "His Majesty has decreed that the selection of talent depends not only on your gifts and skills, but more importantly, on your character and loyalty. His Majesty hopes you will lead by example and serve as role models for the people. Therefore, the criteria for selecting the top three of the Palace Examination are martial prowess and loyalty."
Hearing this, the thirteen contestants looked at each other in confusion.
Martial prowess was easy to understand.
Everyone would just have to rely on their own abilities.
’But what about loyalty? Are they going to make us all swear some kind of solemn oath?’
Just as the thirteen were feeling puzzled, a rockery behind them began to tremble violently before splitting apart like a set of doors. Within it, they saw a massive black stone altar with an Iron Sword embedded in its surface.
"You have thirty minutes. The final victor will be determined by who gets closest to that sword. If anyone can pull that sword from the stone altar, they will be the one-in-a-million Martial Champion Scholar."
The Duke and Minister announced again.
"There’s a strange fluctuation."
"There’s definitely a catch."
The thirteen contestants whispered among themselves.
Chu Lingguang was reminded of the stone tablet on the back mountain of the Northern Territory Trial Ground. Everyone’s eyes were also fixed on the stone altar.
"Begin!"
The Duke and Minister declared.
WHOOSH!
The moment he finished speaking, all thirteen contestants shot forward simultaneously. Being in the top three of the Palace Examination brought indescribable honor and made future promotions incredibly easy. Not even Chu Lingguang was willing to miss this opportunity.
They all unleashed their full power, desperate to leap directly onto the stone altar and pull out the Iron Sword.
However, as they entered the area of the rockery, the space around them seemed to transform into a quagmire, trapping them and making every step a struggle.
Unlike the stone tablet on the back mountain of the Northern Territory Trial Ground, which could emit a field of gravity, this altar seemed to project an invisible, viscous resistance. It blocked their path and could even repel them.
Three contestants, who had barely made it to this stage, were repelled almost the instant they set foot in the area. They suffered internal injuries and lost their chance to press on.
"AHHH!"
Meng Xiaochuan let out a strange cry.
He unleashed his Dharma Aspect, his Qi Power surging as veins bulged across his body. He took the first step forward. His eyes were crimson as he vowed to be the first to reach the stone altar, pull out the Iron Sword, and become the one-in-a-million Martial Champion Scholar.
CRACK!
But before he could bring his back foot forward, the sole of his front shoe shattered. A stream of blue flames suddenly shot up from the ground, engulfing his right leg.
In that instant, excruciating pain wracked his body. The flames shot upward, burning ever more intensely. He felt as if he had been transported to a battlefield, surrounded by a sea of fire. Ahead of him, a tattered flag was planted in the ground, on the verge of falling.
It was the war banner of the Great Yuan Dynasty, a symbol of the imperial family’s dignity. It was about to be swallowed by the inferno. Chunks of charcoal were flaking off the flagpole; if it continued to burn, the banner would fall and be consumed by the flames.
This scene appeared not only in Meng Xiaochuan’s vision, but also in the visions of Chu Lingguang, Yan Zhen, and the others.
In that instant, the stone altar emitted waves of energy that surged like the ocean tide. They seeped into everyone’s bodies, rushing straight for their Seas of Consciousness.
VMMMM!
Chu Lingguang’s Sea of Consciousness was protected by three rings of light, making its defenses even stronger than Yun Hong’s.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, he had also awakened his Divine Wisdom Power, which manifested as a soft glow in the small ocean. Sensing the invasion, the three rings of light protecting his Sea of Consciousness flared brilliantly. The glow within the small ocean—his Divine Wisdom Power—also began to shine more brightly.
Everything in Chu Lingguang’s vision began to recede. He could see his own body, enveloped by a strange energy, struggling to move through the quagmire. The searing pain of the fire was gone, and the flag of the Great Yuan Dynasty had vanished. All that remained was the sword embedded in the stone altar.
Relying on his powerful Sea of Consciousness Power, he had broken free from the illusion.
But the immense resistance still required martial prowess to overcome. He stirred his Black Tortoise Divine Power and slowly shuffled forward, inching his way past Meng Xiaochuan.
"AHHH!"
Suddenly, Meng Xiaochuan let out a wretched scream.
His body was flung backward.
In the world of his illusion, his hand had failed to reach the banner. As he watched the fire rage, the thought of retreat took hold. He decided to ignore the flag and instead search through the sea of flames for the Iron Sword in the altar—the key to becoming the Martial Champion Scholar.
As a result, the pain from the burning flames skyrocketed.
In the end, he couldn’t withstand it and was repelled by that force.
When he finally regained his senses, he found no trace of burns on his body, but he had lost his chance to continue dashing for the Iron Sword.
VMMMM!
Three more tremors sounded out.
Yan Zhen, Qin Yu, and Hu Yanlin finally broke through the Illusion Realm on the strength of their immense Combat Power. When they saw that Chu Lingguang was already nearing the stone altar, they all quickened their pace in unison.