Soul Emperor Awakening

Huang Qianyun was filled with rage, but he had no choice but to face reality. Lin Xuan’s performance had left a deep impression on everyone. No one had expected him to be in the lead, rather than the other two.

Shang Zhihao sneered from the side. "Someone was just mocking him for being unqualified. I wonder who the unqualified one is now?"

Huang Qianyun had succeeded, but failing once was still a failure. He had fallen a step behind Shang Zhihao, at the very least.

"He’s just more skilled at inscribing First Grade Patterns than I am!" Huang Qianyun couldn’t help but retort.

"But it’s a fact that you lost to me this time," Shang Zhihao said with a cold laugh, speaking the truth.

"You!" Huang Qianyun wanted to say something, but he couldn’t find the words. A loss was a loss. Since it was only for a First Grade Pattern, it didn’t really matter. The true competition was to see who could reach the rank of Third Grade Pattern Master first.

Luo Xiao said with satisfaction, "All three of you have successfully passed the assessment. Now, prepare to begin the assessment for Second Grade Pattern Master."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, signaling the assistants to collect the papers with the inscribed patterns. The finished pieces no longer belonged to the participants, but to the Pattern Master Association. This was effectively a way to reclaim their resources, as the Spirit Wood Liquid and the paper were quite expensive.

"The assessment for Second Grade Pattern Master. You still have two chances. You may begin now." After speaking, Luo Xiao announced the start of the assessment, his gaze turning to focus on Lin Xuan, wondering how he would perform this time.

It wasn’t just him; the surrounding audience was also staring intently at Lin Xuan, all of them wanting to see how he would perform this time.

Just as before, Lin Xuan poured a little Spirit Wood Liquid into his hand. He manipulated his Elemental Power and Spiritual Power, making his finger glow faintly. Then, he slowly began to inscribe a Second Grade Pattern onto the paper. There wasn’t the slightest hint of disorder in his process. Everything was under his perfect control. His superior memory and methods, honed by practice, made his movements seem even more flawless.

Pattern Masters usually fail at inscribing patterns due to poor control or unstable Spiritual Power. Thus, control over one’s Spiritual Power is crucial. No matter how immense your Spiritual Power might be, it’s worthless if you can’t control it—absolutely useless.

The Power Pattern was a Second Grade Pattern.

Lin Xuan’s own Dragon Cloud Rod was inscribed with a Power Pattern. That was why, when wielding it, he could unleash terrifyingly powerful strikes, far surpassing the strength someone at his level could normally muster. With the additional boost from the Treasure Artifact itself, this double enhancement made his attacks incredibly domineering.

"Form!"

After tracing the final stroke, Lin Xuan softly uttered a single word. The entire sheet of paper began to emit a faint glow, signifying the pattern’s success.

At this moment, Shang Zhihao and Huang Qianyun were still far from done, carefully controlling their Spiritual Power. They weren’t even halfway through. Lin Xuan had already finished when they had barely completed half of their work. The difference in their speed was simply staggering.

The gap between them was like that of a master and an apprentice. His work wasn’t just perfect, it was also fast. It was completed in one single, fluid motion!

The surrounding crowd collectively held its breath. ’Did he succeed? No, it can’t be real!’

’Lin Xuan is so much younger and faster than them. Could he be a peerless genius trained by some legendary Pattern Master?’

"Second Grade Pattern, Power Pattern, complete." Lin Xuan’s voice sounded like a death knell to Huang Qianyun and Shang Zhihao, causing their hands to tremble. Fortunately, they didn’t make any critical errors.

All eyes turned to Luo Xiao. His expression was solemn. After a moment, he nodded and announced, "Power Pattern. Executed perfectly. You pass the Second Grade assessment."

After Luo Xiao’s confirmation, a shiver ran through the crowd. This was a classic case of a wolf in sheep’s clothing!

They recalled Huang Qianyun’s earlier remarks about Lin Xuan being unqualified. Now, it was clear Lin Xuan was eminently qualified, which only made Huang Qianyun look like a complete fool.

He had acted so high and mighty just because he had a little skill, completely oblivious to the fact that there is always someone better and a heaven beyond the heavens.

"Does the Liu Family have a genius of this level?"

"I heard the Liu Family’s Miss Liu is the real prodigy. She’s already a Third Grade Pattern Master."

"But he’s not Miss Liu, he’s a man! Could it be the Liu Family has produced another genius? Truly worthy of their ancestor, who was a Sixth Grade Pattern Master!"

...

The crowd buzzed with discussion, and the talk was full of praise for Lin Xuan. Those who had belittled him earlier were now kicking themselves. ’If only we’d gotten on his good side,’ they thought, ’we could have asked him for some pointers!’

But there was no cure for regret. All they could do was stew in it.

"Finished."

At almost the same moment, Shang Zhihao and Huang Qianyun completed their Second Grade Patterns. Their work was quite good—not perfect, but it could be considered excellent. Unfortunately for them, when compared to Lin Xuan, their skill seemed merely average.

Huang Qianyun’s expression was ugly. The very boy he had mocked was not only faster than them, but his work was also more perfect.

’Is he really from the Liu Family?’ Huang Qianyun’s expression was grim. He considered his information on the Liu Family to be quite accurate, and he’d never heard of any young man with such exceptional talent.

’If such a person existed, I would have known long ago. Why would they hide him until now?’

It wasn’t just him; Shang Zhihao felt the same way. The Liu Family and the Shang Family were on such good terms; if someone this powerful existed, he should have known about him. ’Did the Liu Family intentionally keep Lin Xuan under wraps until this critical moment?’

The way Luo Xiao looked at Lin Xuan had changed. ’The Liu Family truly produces a stream of talent,’ he thought, and the idea of taking the boy as his disciple surfaced in his mind. With his status as a Fifth Grade Pattern Master, countless people would jump at the chance to study under him. But after a moment’s consideration, he abandoned the idea.

’They have the legacy of a Sixth Grade Pattern Master in their family,’ he mused. ’Why should I try to get involved? For all I know, he already has an even more powerful master backing him.’

After signaling an assistant to take the finished patterns away, Luo Xiao beamed. "All three of you have passed the assessment for Second Grade Pattern Master. Do you wish to continue with the assessment for Third Grade Pattern Master?"

"I’ll continue," Lin Xuan replied without a moment’s hesitation.

The crowd wasn’t surprised that he chose to take the Third Grade Pattern Master assessment. His performance had been exceptional, and he clearly had the ability to aim for the Third Grade. Whether he could actually pass was another question entirely—they would just have to wait and see. But if he succeeded, it would be nothing short of terrifying.

’The Liu Family would suddenly have two young Third Grade Pattern Masters! Their future would be boundless!’

"I’ll participate!" Huang Qianyun snorted coldly, unwilling to be left behind. He had planned to take the Third Grade Pattern Master assessment from the start.

Although Lin Xuan had shaken his confidence, his determination to become a Third Grade Pattern Master hadn’t weakened in the slightest.

"I’ll participate too!" Shang Zhihao said with a smile. He was in a good mood. So what if he couldn’t compare to Lin Xuan? They were on the same side, after all. Besides, he was enjoying watching Huang Qianyun’s frustration.

’Third Grade Pattern Master? That’s simple enough.’ Lin Xuan smiled faintly. He didn’t need to rely on Soul Possession at all; he was fully capable of creating a Third Grade Pattern by himself.

It was a foregone conclusion. With his own formidable Spiritual Power, combined with the memories of a Sixth Grade Pattern Master, it was as if he had divine aid!

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