Soul Emperor Awakening

Lin Xuan’s lead left everyone dumbfounded, but no one knew what the final result would be.

"How could you be the first one done..." Sun Zhe frowned, clearly displeased with Lin Xuan’s lead. He was especially annoyed not knowing what kind of pattern Lin Xuan had inscribed.

"He finished so quickly. Could it be a First Grade Pattern?"

"It’s probably a First Grade Pattern. To finish that fast, a First Grade Pattern is the most likely explanation. After all, they’re much quicker to inscribe than higher Grades."

...

His incredible speed made everyone suspicious, and they began to assume he must have inscribed a First Grade Pattern; otherwise, it would be impossible to be so fast. Most people didn’t know Lin Xuan’s identity, which fueled their suspicion. While many rumors circulated about him, few knew he was Lin Yunlong.

Sun Zhe was a different story. Everyone had seen him disembark from that luxurious carriage, so it was hard not to know who he was.

Sun Zhe turned to look at the weapon beside Lin Xuan. It was impossible to tell the Grade of the pattern just by looking, as it was already inscribed on the weapon and required a proper inspection.

"What Grade is the pattern?" Sun Zhe asked.

"A First Grade Pattern, an acceleration pattern," Lin Xuan replied without hesitation.

This answer stunned the crowd for a moment, then they erupted in dissatisfied murmurs.

"It really is a First Grade Pattern! No wonder he was so fast. Even I could have done it that quickly!"

"And he’s supposed to be the Liu Family’s representative? This is an insult to the competition!"

"What good is being fast? A First Grade Pattern is basically suicide in this competition!"

...

His answer was met with scorn. No wonder he was so fast; it turned out he had just made a First Grade Pattern.

Sun Zhe snorted coldly and said with disdain, "A First Grade Pattern. You actually dare to inscribe that in this competition? How boring!" With a flick of his hand, he completed his own remaining procedures.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had inscribed a Third Grade Pattern. If Lin Xuan had also managed a Third Grade Pattern at that speed, it would have meant Sun Zhe was slightly inferior. Although speed had no bearing on the score, being both fast and stable was a demonstration of one’s true ability.

"So what if it’s a First Grade Pattern? Isn’t this competition a test of stability? Does that have anything to do with the Grade?" Lin Xuan said calmly.

These words left Liu Menghua and the others dumbfounded. ’That may be true in principle,’ they thought, ’but higher Grades *are* more stable!’

Sun Zhe’s face turned livid. ’Getting angry at this guy earlier was a mistake.’ The others were clutching their stomachs, laughing so hard they couldn’t speak while pointing at Lin Xuan. ’Just how idiotic does someone have to be to come to such a conclusion?’

When Luo Xiao said it wasn’t related to the Grade, he didn’t mean it literally. It was an indisputable fact that higher-Grade patterns were more stable. The only exception was if one was careless during the inscription process, resulting in poor stability. In short, under the same high intensity, a high-Grade pattern was definitely more stable—at least, far more stable than a low-Grade one!

It was only the first round of the competition, and Lin Xuan had already asked such an idiotic question. He wasn’t just embarrassing himself; he was embarrassing the Liu Family.

Lin Xuan’s expression was serene. He didn’t offer a single word in rebuttal. He had no response to their mockery, nor did he need one.

Luo Xiao cleared his throat. He hadn’t expected Lin Xuan to produce a First Grade Pattern. This was a bit awkward.

He then announced, "The judging criteria are as follows: a Second Grade Pattern Master will first attempt to erase the patterns. If they fail, a Third Grade Pattern Master will try, and so on. The longer a pattern holds, the higher the score. The maximum score is ten points. We will now begin in order, starting with the weapon that was completed first."

Several Second Grade Pattern Masters descended and walked directly over to Lin Xuan, Sun Zhe, and the others, preparing to begin erasing the patterns.

Everyone watched Lin Xuan with mocking expressions. They figured his pattern would be the first to be erased. ’So what if he was fast? In the end, wasn’t it just a suicidal move?’

"What an idiot. And he even boasted he’d take first place. I’ve seen fools, but never one this foolish! Brother Huang, how did you lose to this moron?" Fang Qingyu was extremely displeased. Seeing Lin Xuan’s earlier confidence, he had assumed he was at least a Fourth Grade Pattern Master.

But now it seemed he wasn’t a Fourth Grade Pattern Master, but a fourth-rate idiot!

"I have a feeling it’s not that simple," Huang Qianyun said, his expression grim. If Lin Xuan really was an idiot, then his loss had been truly unjust.

This scene played out differently in the eyes of the influential figures in the audience. Fang Feng and Lin Feng were both watching. Fang Feng sneered and turned to Liu Qing, who was seated beside him. "I think the Liu Family is tarnishing its own reputation," he said. "To even recruit someone like this for the competition... In my opinion, he’s a mere Martial Artist at best!"

"Martial Artist" was a derogatory term many Pattern Masters used for people with decent Cultivation. Of course, they only dared say it to those with Low Cultivation. A single slap from a high-Cultivation expert could kill even a Fifth Grade Pattern Master.

Of course, powerful experts with high Cultivation generally wouldn’t provoke a Fifth Grade Pattern Master. A Fifth Grade Pattern Master’s network was terrifying; with a single beckon, they could summon a host of powerful allies. No one dared make an enemy of a Fifth Grade Pattern Master. The only exception was if one was truly Heaven-Defying in their strength.

"Is that so? I don’t see it that way." The one who retorted was not Liu Qing, but Lin Feng, who was sitting nearby.

He refused to believe Lin Xuan was just fooling around. Someone who could achieve so much couldn’t possibly be acting so frivolously! But if he really was, it would be a great disappointment.

"So what if he is fooling around? What does that have to do with any of you?" Liu Qing said calmly.

"We’ll find out soon enough, won’t we!" Fang Feng snorted, annoyed at being rebuffed.

The Second Grade Pattern Master picked up Lin Xuan’s weapon and began to release his Spiritual Power to erase the pattern on it. He poured his formidable Spiritual Power into the weapon, but no matter how he assailed it, the pattern remained as steady as a mountain, completely unbreakable!

The Second Grade Pattern Master wore a shocked expression. ’Is this really a First Grade Pattern?’

After a short while, the Second Grade Pattern Masters all put down the weapons at nearly the same time. They all shook their heads, indicating that the patterns could not be erased.

It was one thing for other people’s patterns to survive, but how was it that Lin Xuan’s weapon also hadn’t been erased? This was a First Grade Pattern, not a Third Grade Pattern!

Could it be that Lin Xuan was bluffing, and the pattern he inscribed was actually a Third Grade?

Regardless of whether it was a First Grade or not, it had survived the first round. The crowd couldn’t laugh anymore.

Next, the Third Grade Pattern Masters came forward, picked up the weapons, and began to erase the patterns. After this second round of erasure, some of the contestants’ patterns were wiped away, but the patterns on both Sun Zhe’s and Lin Xuan’s weapons remained.

A moment later, both Pattern Masters put down the weapons and shook their heads, indicating they were unable to erase the patterns on Lin Xuan’s and Sun Zhe’s weapons.

When this happened, the crowd was dumbstruck. ’Is that really a First Grade Pattern?’ A Third Grade Pattern Master had just tried to erase it. It would be normal for a Third Grade Pattern to survive, but for a First Grade Pattern to also remain unerased? That was just too absurd!

"Damn it, is that really a First Grade Pattern? I bet it’s a Third Grade Pattern!"

"Exactly! How could a First Grade Pattern last this long! He must have been lying. It’s definitely a Third Grade Pattern!"

...

The crowd grew noisy, convinced that Lin Xuan was deceiving everyone just for the attention.

"I can guarantee that this is a First Grade Pattern, and just as he said, it’s an acceleration pattern. There is absolutely no deception. Anyone who doesn’t believe it can come down and inspect it themselves!" the Third Grade Pattern Master serving as a Steward announced, his face stern.

As soon as he said this, everyone was shocked on the spot. The result was a heavy slap in the face to all those who had been mocking the First Grade Pattern—even a low-Grade pattern could possess astonishing stability!

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