Library of Heaven’s Path 2: Eternal Destiny

Chapter 36: Another Assessment

Thanks to yesterday’s events, White Roc Academy was even more crowded today.

Before reaching the Nine Dragon Pillars, Zhang Xuan saw that the place was already packed with students and attendants, numbering over twenty thousand.

The news of a genius emerging during the assessment and impressing the dean had spread widely.

Many people wanted to witness firsthand what kind of genius could make Lu Mingrong, who rarely took students, break his rule.

"I heard that genius has three heads and a mouth as big as his waistband!"

"That's pure nonsense. That genius is actually my childhood friend. He got drunk last night and admitted it. Apparently, he even has three girlfriends."

"You're talking rubbish. That genius is actually my second aunt's brother-in-law's cousin's nephew..."

The crowd was filled with various rumors, most of them far from reliable.

Zhang Xuan's eyes were filled with envy.

Using Xuan World as his Source Pool required an unimaginable amount of Heaven's Fate Energy. If he could gain the favor of Dean Lu, he might have the opportunity to absorb more and stabilize his cultivation...

Of course, he knew this was impossible.

Yesterday, he didn't even know what a Source Pool was, and he still hadn't found it. How could he be the genius everyone was talking about?

Not only did he think this way, but Mo Yanxue, Yu Xiaoyu, and others did too. Among so many new students, who didn't want to be the most dazzling one?

Especially Yu Xiaoyu, who clenched her fists, her face flushed red. "This time, I must amaze everyone and surpass that genius!"

Although she didn't know how impressive the genius was, she had trained hard all night to stand out today.

Unlike her, Mo Yanxue looked around, seemingly trying to find where the genius was hiding. She was curious how someone could remain so low-key that even the dean couldn't identify them.

Zhang Xuan looked around too.

At this time, the nine dragon pillars on the stage had been rebuilt, towering and majestic, piercing the sky. Following City Lord Yu and the others, they hadn't reached the front when Vice-Principal Wu Yunzhou, Elder Ran Qingxu, Wu Liuyun, and several other elders came up to greet them.

"City Lord..."

"Greetings!" Yu Longqing nodded with a smile. "I also wanted to come and see where this genius who impressed you all so much is. By the way, where is Dean Lu? Why isn’t he here?"

"He’s over there on the viewing platform!" Wu Yunzhou pointed. "I'll take the City Lord over..."

Yu Longqing turned and saw Lu Mingrong sitting quietly in the stands, his eyes scanning the incoming students carefully, afraid of missing someone.

It seemed he wanted to lock onto his target in advance.

"No need. You go ahead and handle the students, get them assessed quickly! I'll go over myself..." Yu Longqing waved his hand, instructed his daughter, and strode towards the viewing platform.

"City Lord!"

Seeing his arrival, Lu Mingrong was also a bit surprised. Before he could stand up, Yu Longqing pressed his shoulder down. "I tamed the Cangback Eagle, but you don't have to be so polite and get up to greet me..."

"..."

Lu Mingrong twitched his mouth.

‘I was just getting up to say hello, not to greet you! Besides, if you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known you tamed the Cangback Eagle…’

Seeing his shocked expression, Yu Longqing was quite satisfied. "Alright, I came to ask about this person you're interested in. Who is he, to make you ask the City Lord's Mansion for cooperation? When I heard from Vice-Principal Wu, I had people block all the exits from the city. I can assure you, none of the students or attendants who came for the assessment yesterday have left."

"Thank you, City Lord!"

Knowing it would be difficult to hide such an existence, Lu Mingrong hesitated for a moment before saying, "According to the Source Pool grading, this genius should be able to reach Fourth Grade or higher. The exact grade hasn't been measured... because the Destiny Disk malfunctioned!"

Lu Mingrong didn't bat an eye as he spoke. Whether it was First Grade or Saint Grade, it was above Fourth Grade, so he wasn't exactly lying.

"I knew it!" Yu Longqing nodded.

He had suspected that this genius had to be more talented than himself; otherwise, such a commotion wouldn't have occurred...

Thinking this, he instinctively turned to look at Zhang Xuan.

If it really was this guy... Could it be that after absorbing 32 streams of Heaven's Fate Energy at White Roc Academy, he then absorbed over two thousand streams at his place?

That seemed unlikely!

Forget it, whether it's him or not, if he dares to continue absorbing, he will definitely reveal himself!

As more students gathered, the assessment time quickly arrived. Vice-Principal Wu Yunzhou walked onto the stage and looked around.

"Now, those whose names are called, please come up..."

Just like yesterday, three thousand names were called out.

Nearly eighty percent of those who were on stage yesterday didn't go up this time. Instead, those who had been below the stage went up, causing everyone to look at each other in surprise.

"Everyone, rest assured. The academy has prepared three Destiny Disks this time. There will be enough Heaven's Fate Energy. It's just a matter of the order of assessment, and we are accommodating those who didn't get a chance to go up yesterday..." Wu Yunzhou's explanation reassured the crowd.

Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu were not among the eighty percent and remained on stage. Given their reputation and status, they deserved special treatment.

Glancing around, Yu Longqing's eyes fell on Zhang Xuan.

Although he was no longer a servant, he wasn't a new student either, so he wasn't eligible to go on stage and remained seated to the north of the Nine Dragon Pillars.

Yu Longqing considered making a request for him to go up, but hesitated and stopped.

He was the only one who knew about Zhang Xuan possibly absorbing over two thousand streams of Heaven's Fate Energy. If he gave him special treatment and startled him, this already cautious young man might choose to lay low again, making it impossible to confirm.

Last time, as a servant, he couldn't go on stage yet was still discovered. This time, he could be too.

With that thought, Yu Longqing decided to stay silent and watch quietly.

"The assessment begins!"

With Wu Yunzhou's loud announcement, the Nine Dragon Array activated once again, and the Destiny Disks emitted a gentle light, enveloping the entire stage.

In an instant, countless refined streams of Heaven's Fate Energy descended, drifting toward those on stage.

"It's here!" Yu Xiaoyu's eyes lit up. She quickly closed her eyes and began to frantically absorb as much as she could.

The other new students didn't dare slack off, and even the crowd below surrounded the platform tightly, hoping to better sense and stabilize their Source Pools in advance.

Zhang Xuan wasn't in a hurry to absorb the energy. Instead, he carefully observed his surroundings.

Once he confirmed that everyone had their eyes closed in cultivation, he focused his mind and began "grabbing" the scattered Heaven's Fate Energy from the platform.

He grabbed cautiously, not daring to absorb too much at once, fearing he might cause another disturbance.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

As he absorbed, streams of Heaven's Fate Energy flowed into Xuan World.

Entering it, the energy operated the Source Pool nurturing technique, transforming into gigantic pillars that supported the sky, reaching so high they were out of sight.

The previously narrow world expanded instantly with the appearance of the pillars, becoming broader and higher.

The Source Pool was like a newly dug tunnel, and the Heaven's Fate Energy acted as the supporting cement piles, expanding the space and ensuring it wouldn't collapse.

"It really works..."

Seeing that the Heaven's Fate Energy could indeed be absorbed by the newly born space in Xuan World, Zhang Xuan felt a bit excited.

With such a large space, even without a Source Pool, it didn't matter. The amount of energy it could hold would surely surpass any cultivator.

After cautiously absorbing eight streams, Zhang Xuan stopped.

Judging by Xuankai's state, fully stabilizing it would require tens of thousands of streams of Heaven's Fate Energy, which would be difficult to achieve while keeping a low profile.

As Zhang Xuan paused, a line of characters kept flashing on the Nine Dragon Pillar, ready to appear at any moment.

Name: Mo Yanxue...

"Oh, is Yanxue going to be the first to finish this time?"

Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing exchanged glances. Just as they were about to speak, the northern pillar suddenly shone brightly. Though the characters appeared later, they surpassed the others, emerging as if stamped onto the pillar.

Name: Not Recorded.

Refined: 8 streams.