Chapter 60: Combat Assessment Begins!
*Gong!*
The bell rang across the Four Symbols Sect compound, signaling the end of the rest period. Xian Tiandi stood from where he’d been sitting, his body loose and ready. Beside him, Xian Long bounced on his feet nervously while Ying Yue maintained her composed demeanor.
"Time to move," Xian Tiandi said.
They joined the stream of applicants heading toward the western training grounds. The area was even larger than where the talent assessment had been held. Multiple combat arenas were set up in neat rows, each one surrounded by protective barrier formations that shimmered faintly in the afternoon light.
Elder Zhang stood on a central platform again, flanked by the other Golden Core examiners. His voice carried clearly across the assembled crowd, enhanced by a simple spiritual technique.
"The combat evaluation will test your fighting ability," he announced. "Each applicant will face demonic beasts appropriate to their cultivation level. These beasts are created through advanced formation arrays that perfectly simulate real combat encounters."
He gestured to the various arenas. "Rank one demonic beasts for those at Qi Refinement realm. Rank two beasts for Qi Condensation cultivators. The beasts you face will match your cultivation stage, but remember that demonic beasts are naturally fiercer and possess stronger bodies than human cultivators of equivalent level."
A nervous murmur rippled through the crowd. Fighting demonic beasts was significantly more dangerous than sparring with fellow cultivators. Beasts fought with pure instinct and savagery, showing no mercy or restraint.
"You will be judged on technique, adaptability, and combat awareness," Elder Zhang continued. "Killing the beast is not required. Demonstrating that you can survive and fight effectively is sufficient. The barriers will protect you from fatal injury, but pain is real. Treat this as genuine combat."
He paused, his sharp eyes scanning the assembled applicants. "Excessive recklessness will result in disqualification. We seek disciples who can fight intelligently, not fools who throw their lives away. Is this understood?"
"Yes, Elder!" the crowd responded in unison.
"Then we begin," Elder Zhang said. "Lower cultivation applicants will go first. Those at Qi Refinement realm, prepare yourselves."
Xian Long swallowed nervously. As a Qi Refinement cultivator, he’d be among the first tested.
"You’ll do fine," Xian Tiandi said quietly. "Remember what I taught you. Stay calm. Observe your opponent. Strike when opportunities appear."
"Demonic beasts are different from people though," Xian Long muttered. "They don’t think. They just attack."
"Which makes them predictable in their own way," Xian Tiandi replied. "Beasts follow instinct. Learn to read their body language and you’ll know what’s coming."
"And if I get desperate?" Xian Long asked.
"Use the technique I taught you," Xian Tiandi said. "But only if you truly need it. Don’t reveal all your cards unless necessary."
Xian Long nodded, taking a deep breath to center himself.
The first group of applicants was called forward. They were directed to different arenas based on their token numbers. Formation arrays flared to life, and demonic beasts materialized within the protective barriers.
In arena three, a young man faced an Iron Hide Boar. The beast was massive, easily twice the size of a normal pig, with tusks like curved daggers and hide that gleamed like polished metal. It pawed the ground, snorting clouds of steam from its nostrils.
The boar charged without warning.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
Its hooves pounded the arena floor, gathering momentum. The applicant barely managed to dodge, throwing himself to the side at the last second. The boar crashed into the barrier behind where he’d been standing, and the impact sent visible ripples through the protective formation.
"By the heavens, that thing hits hard!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.
The applicant scrambled to his feet and drew his sword. He attempted a basic slashing technique, aiming for the boar’s flank. The blade struck true but bounced off the iron-like hide without penetrating.
*Clang!*
The sound of metal on metal rang out. The boar wheeled around and charged again, forcing the applicant into panicked retreat.
"His technique is too weak!" a spectator observed. "He needs to target the vital points, not just swing randomly!"
"Easy to say from out here," another replied. "Try facing a rank one beast yourself!"
The fight continued for nearly three minutes. The applicant was clearly outmatched but showed enough survival instinct to avoid fatal injury. Finally, he managed a desperate thrust that caught the boar’s eye. The beast bellowed in pain and dissipated into spiritual energy as the formation registered a killing blow.
The applicant collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. His robes were torn and dirty, and bruises were already forming where the boar had clipped him during its charges.
"Adequate," the examiner announced neutrally, making notes on a jade slip. "Next applicant."
In arena seven, a young woman faced a Shadow Cat, a predatory feline known for its speed and stealth. The beast was sleek and black, with eyes that glowed amber in the light.
The cat didn’t charge like the boar. It circled slowly, looking for weaknesses. The applicant turned with it, trying to keep the beast in her line of sight.
"It’s testing her," someone murmured. "Shadow Cats are smart. They wait for mistakes."
The cat suddenly darted forward, moving so fast it was barely visible. The applicant reacted with a fire technique, creating a wall of flames between herself and the predator.
*Whoosh!*
The cat veered away from the heat, circling to attack from a different angle. The applicant adjusted her defensive position, maintaining the flame barrier.
"Good adaptation," a sect disciple watching from the sidelines commented. "She’s using her element advantage properly."
The battle became a war of attrition. The cat probed for openings while the applicant maintained her defenses. Neither side gained clear advantage for nearly two minutes.
Then the cat made its move. It feinted left, drawing the applicant’s attention, then darted right at impossible speed. Claws raked across the woman’s shoulder before she could react.
She cried out in pain but didn’t panic. Instead, she channeled spiritual energy into a close-range technique. "Flame Burst!"
*Boom!*