The first Wizard rose from the circular ripple on the surface of the Spirit Lake, surrounded by glowing crystals in purple, red, and blue.
Then the second, the third...
More and more wizards participating in this selection trial emerged from the Three Towers, with more or less of the tri-color crystals floating around each of them, either bright or dim.
Soon, above the vast Spirit Lake, countless lights blossomed, as if an expansive sea of stars was slowly rising from the lake.
At this moment, the Spirit Lake Wizard, who was responsible for hosting this trial selection, stepped forward, and a voice, majestic with the addition of spells, echoed in the space.
"Those with a soul quality rating of five stars and a total rating of over ten stars... you may enter our Spirit Lake."
As the words fell, he waved his Magic Wand, and the patterns of some rune formations appeared in the void. A vast and invisible force quickly descended to conduct the selection.
In an instant, the magnificent sea of stars was scattered, and many wizards were filtered out.
Blue cracks appeared in the void around the lake, opening like eyes, just as when they were initially brought in. Each wizard filtered out quickly fell into the cracks, being teleported out.
Some continued to float upwards, each surrounded by more than ten tri-color crystals.
The larger the number, the more brilliant the light of each crystal, as if stars clustered around them, continuously rising.
The sea of stars separated above and below, with many Spirit Lake Wizards above silently watching this scene. However, everyone’s gaze eventually fell upon the surface of the lake below, as if waiting for something in tacit agreement.
As time passed, the number of people surrounded by "stars" above the Spirit Lake increased, and at a certain moment, the once calm lake surface suddenly surged with turbulent waves!
A gigantic vortex formed in the center of the Spirit Lake, and as the waters broke open, indescribably dazzling lights burst forth from it.
The watching Spirit Lake Wizards’ eyes moved in unison, their gaze fixed on the location of the emerging phenomenon.
Even the three Grey Robed individuals standing at the top cast their eyes downwards, containing a certain expectation within their calmness.
The light within the vortex fully bloomed.
In an instant, it was as if brilliant and dazzling suns arose.
Nine purple suns, nine crimson suns, and seven deep blue suns.
In total, twenty-five "Great Suns" encircled an exceptionally graceful and slender figure, stepping out of the Spirit Lake.
High in the sky, waves of intense spiritual power fluctuations erupted, and numerous wizard figures standing in the void, the backbone of the three major schools, remained silent, yet appeared as if having just experienced a massive uproar.
The spectacular scene of twenty-five "Great Suns" rising together made the entire "Sea of Stars" appear dim and dull.
The figure surrounded by the twenty-five "Great Suns" seemed to carry a magnificent radiance, rendering everyone participating in this trial mere foils highlighting his brilliance.
"No wonder the Black Witch King holds such high hopes for him..."
Atop the sky, a Grey Robed man holding a Magic Wand higher than himself spoke with deep emotion, "Juventus is even more stunning than the Black Witch King was back then. With his current foundation, the Grade of his Elemental Spirit should reach eight stars.
Even striving for the legendary Supreme Nine-star Primordial Spirit is not out of the question..."
The wand-wielding Grey Robed man glanced to the sides, and one of the individuals standing parallel with him let out a light snort, "Ultimately, it’s still the advantage of bloodline empowerment..."
The wand-wielding Grey Robed man did not respond, his gaze calm as he mildly said, "Since we are here, we might as well watch till the end before leaving."
At this moment, beneath the three of them, the wizards from the three major schools of Spirit Lake, after a brief moment of shock, also calmed down and refocused their attention on the trial selection itself.
Gradually, figures began to change.
Those who ascended from the Spirit Lake, after a round of selection, and were deemed notable for their surrounding "stars" were chosen by wizards descending from the sky, from the three major schools, and entered the respective schools with joy.
Those with distinguished Talent were continuously "guided" upwards, waiting under the corresponding areas of the schools.
The ascending sea of stars gradually dispersed, the number of people continuously decreasing, akin to a star river diverging into three directions. The rightful source is novel⸺fire.net
Only Juventus, standing at the highest point of the sea of stars, surrounded by the twenty-five Great Suns, remained undisturbed, like a solitary king sitting alone on his throne.
This process of selection and diversion continued for a long time, with an extraordinary tacit understanding among the wizards of the three major schools, everything proceeded methodically.
Until another vortex rose from the Spirit Lake, finally breaking the fragile harmony.
Everyone’s eyes snapped towards the position where this second vortex appeared.
Compared to Juventus’s entrance earlier, this vortex was evidently smaller by more than a circle, but on the lake surface filled with circular ripples, it still appeared extremely prominent.
A woman with long emerald-green hair stepped out of the vortex.
She wasn’t particularly beautiful, nor was she as young as a maiden, but with eight purple "stars", denoting soul quality, surrounding her, she seemed to possess an unparalleled radiance that no other female wizard in this space had.
After a brief pause, several figures in the sky simultaneously descended like meteors, all rushing towards the woman’s position.
It’s not unprecedented for wizards from different schools to simultaneously take interest in a trialist, but such situations were typically resolved quickly and amicably; this time, however, it resulted in a "stalemate."