Soul Emperor Awakening

All three volunteered for the Third Grade Pattern Master examination. To the crowd, this was only natural. They all possessed the ability to reach the rank of Third Grade Pattern Master, so of course they wouldn’t pass up the chance.

"For the Third Grade Pattern Master examination, you will be given three chances. You only need to succeed once to pass," Luo Xiao said with a smile as he looked at the three of them. ’Judging by their skill, achieving the rank of Third Grade Pattern Master shouldn’t be too difficult. But whether they’ll succeed on the first try, or who will fail once or twice before passing... we’ll just have to wait and see.’

He signaled an assistant to distribute more Spirit Wood Liquid and specially made paper. Paper came in different qualities as well. The higher the quality, the longer a pattern could be preserved, and it could even increase the success rate of the inscription. Of course, the same applied to the liquid used for inscribing; it didn’t have to be Spirit Wood Liquid, other substances worked too.

It was just that Spirit Wood Liquid was relatively inexpensive and easy to acquire, making it the common choice. The paper was made from Spirit Wood, so to put it simply, both materials were from the same source, and their prices were quite reasonable.

’I’ve been planning to use Spirit Wood for a Soul Carving for a while now,’ Lin Xuan thought. ’This paper is infused with Elemental Power, so a statue carved from the raw wood would be immensely powerful!’

’I’ll set that aside for now. I’m broke. Where would I even get the money to buy a giant Spirit Wood tree?’

Third Grade Patterns generally involved Attribute Patterns, meaning they could imbue a Weapon with a Water Attribute or a Fire Attribute. Such patterns were naturally more valuable and had a lower success rate, which was why the examiners offered three attempts.

No one would laugh even if someone failed; the test for Third Grade Pattern Master wasn’t that easy. In fact, for candidates this young, failure was perfectly normal.

’I’ll just inscribe a Fire Attribute Pattern.’

Lin Xuan poured the Spirit Wood Liquid into his hand. A considerably larger amount was needed this time. In addition to more Spirit Wood Liquid, a Third Grade Pattern also demanded greater Spiritual Power and Elemental Power.

This time, even he had to be cautious. He couldn’t move as quickly as before. His goal was utmost stability, not speed.

POOF!

A puff of smoke drifted up from Huang Qianyun’s hands. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his body swayed slightly. The Spirit Wood Paper in his hands had turned to a pile of ash. A single misplaced stroke, and he had failed instantly.

It seemed Lin Xuan’s earlier performance had influenced him, making him try to speed up his inscription and thereby drastically increasing his chance of failure.

Shang Zhihao was not so reckless. His focus was unshakable, his expression calm, showing not a hint of carelessness. Years of training came to the forefront now, his hand moving with steady, powerful strokes.

Lin Xuan, in contrast, was completely composed. His technique was like Flowing Clouds and Water, without the slightest hesitation. He had slowed down, but the execution was still flawless, as if he had practiced it countless times, each movement perfectly attuned.

Everyone stared with wide eyes. While the others were struggling with all their might, Lin Xuan looked as leisurely as if he were sipping tea. He resembled a calligrapher slowly tracing out characters, appearing so relaxed and effortlessly graceful.

No one needed to guess the outcome. They knew Lin Xuan would come out on top. With such a fluid technique, like Flowing Clouds and Water, his success was a foregone conclusion.

And indeed, a moment later, he had effortlessly inscribed the Fire Attribute Pattern onto the Spirit Wood Paper. It pulsed with a faint red glow, signifying his success.

"Finished," Lin Xuan said in a level voice, uttering a word that sent a tremor through everyone’s hearts.

"Finished? Already?!" Huang Qianyun’s lips paled. He risked a single glance before quickly refocusing on his own pattern, which he had almost just ruined.

"What a monster... finishing so fast. He’s an absolute freak!" Shang Zhihao couldn’t help but blurt out.

Everyone was stunned into silence. It had happened so quickly that it created the illusion that inscribing a Third Grade Pattern was easy. In reality, that was just a trick of the mind. If any of them tried, they would fail in an instant. It was only Lin Xuan’s performance that made it look so deceptively simple.

A moment later, Luo Xiao let out a soft cough, shaking himself from his shock. He walked over to Lin Xuan, picked up the pattern, and examined it for a moment before nodding. "The inscription is perfect. A Fire Attribute Pattern. You have passed the examination for Third Grade Pattern Master."

Just like that, Lin Xuan had easily obtained the rank of Third Grade Pattern Master, leaving everyone sighing in admiration. Seeing his confident and easy manner, it seemed he could just as easily achieve the rank of Fourth Grade Pattern Master.

If he could really become a Fourth Grade Pattern Master, that would be truly Heaven-Defying.

Shortly after, Shang Zhihao also succeeded, becoming a Third Grade Pattern Master. Huang Qianyun was the last to pass the examination. This meant Huang Qianyun had been thoroughly defeated—by two people!

It was all thanks to Lin Xuan’s participation, which had disturbed his Heart Spirit and caused him to be a beat slower than Shang Zhihao. Originally, their skill levels were nearly identical, but with his Heart Spirit in disarray, the outcome was completely different.

"Very good. You have all passed the Third Grade Pattern Master examination. Now, does anyone wish to attempt the examination for Fourth Grade Pattern Master?" Luo Xiao’s gaze swept over the three of them, finally resting on Lin Xuan.

He believed Lin Xuan was the one most likely to become a Fourth Grade Pattern Master. If Lin Xuan truly managed it, it would be an incredible, simply Heaven-Defying achievement.

All eyes turned to Lin Xuan, waiting to hear his answer.

"I’m not capable of that yet. The difficulty is simply too high. I’ll come back and take this examination after I’ve improved some more," Lin Xuan said with a calm smile, declining to continue.

This answer made Huang Qianyun and Shang Zhihao heave a sigh of relief, as did the surrounding crowd. Still, they couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment, having wanted to witness the birth of a true prodigy.

A sixteen or seventeen-year-old Fourth Grade Pattern Master would be a truly Heaven-Defying existence. Even in the Soaring Dragon Empire’s greatest Divine Rune Sect, there were no Fourth Grade Pattern Masters of that age! If one ever appeared, they would absolutely be given top-priority training.

"I’m not capable either. Maybe after a few more years of Cultivation," Shang Zhihao added.

"I’m withdrawing as well. I’m not skilled enough yet," Huang Qianyun said, his expression grim. Having lost the contest, anyone in his position would have looked just as sour.

"Very well. Then I will award you the badges for Third Grade Pattern Master." Luo Xiao’s eyes crinkled as he took out three badges and handed one to each of them.

Lin Xuan accepted his. It was only about the size of two thumbs side-by-side, but it was surprisingly heavy. The engravings on it were incredibly exquisite, making it look like a work of art. On top of that, it even had a Spatial Pattern!

A Spatial Pattern was what gave an item storage capabilities. Storage Pouches and Storage Rings all had to be inscribed with Spatial Patterns to function. This badge now possessed the same effect. However, this wasn’t anything new to him; the Identity Token he received upon joining the Inner Hall already had a storage function.

He didn’t have that much to carry, so he usually just stored everything in his Identity Token.

With the badges awarded, there was nothing left to see. The spectacle was over, and it was time for the crowd to disperse.

Just then, Shang Zhihao stepped forward and said with a cold smile, "Huang Qianyun, you lost the bet this time, didn’t you?"

What goes around, comes around. Huang Qianyun had indeed lost the bet, and it was time for him to face the humiliation.

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