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"With that out of the way, the first test...begins now!"
As soon as the man finished speaking, a mighty pressure descended upon every one that was present. The pressure was more on their minds than their bodies, and some of them failed on the spot.
"A pressure on the mind, huh..." Arthur didn't even feel it and just shrugged off the pressure and looked around at his fellow participants.
Luke that was beside him was trembling, but not so much. A few around him had passed out from the pressure, making the total number of this still standing to be less than a thousand.
When it seemed like they were getting used to the pressure, Elder Londes harumphed and the pressure doubled.
"Hmph!"
"Argh!"
Arthur still didn't feel anything, his mind was not shaken in the least and his body was steady as his foundation was solid.
"Hmm?" Elder Londes noticed Arthur and thought, 'A good seedling...is he the one?'
Every few seconds, Elder Londes will increase the pressure on them and more and more people gave in. And soon there were no more than three hundred people left standing, and Luke was also one of them.
"Hah, hah..." Luke panted heavily as his entire body was soaked with sweat. His body was shaking intensely and he looked like he would drop down anytime soon.
Just as Luke was about to fall down the pressure stopped and Elder Londes spoke, "Congratulations to all who still remain standing, you have passed the first test!"
*thud!*
Luke fell to one knee and Arthur brought out a pill and gave it to him.
As for Arthur, the first test was a breeze for him, and he didn't even sweat. His soul was countless times stronger than the old man and so was his mind. So soul pressure will never work on him unless you had a stronger soul.
Aside from Arthur, there were a few others that he noticed didn't struggle. They were a young boy with black long hair and red-colored eyes. He had cold look in his eyes and Arthur could sense a strong killing intent from him.
The other person was a girl milky-white dress. She has silver-colored straight hair tied to a bun, with bangs on both sides Of her face. She had her hands behind her back and a very calm look on her face, which was extremely beautiful.
As the last person whom Arthur found to be the most peculiar was a boy who stood bare-footed with his finger in his ear. His hair was haggard, and his clothes baggy on his lean body. He had short brown hair and bright yellow eyes.
The reason why Arthur found him interested was the look in his eyes...bored. He looked bored and it was as though whatever was happening here did not concern him.
Aside from this, there was another reason why Arthur paid the haggard-looking young man more attention.
'My fate sense tingles like never before when I look at him...'
"Thanks, Master," Luke said to Arthur as he regained his strength and managed to stand by himself.
Elder Londes told those who failed to leave and the rest to follow him.
Behind the platform where he stood was a gigantic gate with a giant sword carving in the middle. The gate opened at Elder Londes's command and he disappeared from everyone's view.
After that, the other three disciples came forward and led them passed the gate. There were a few people who failed that tried to mingle amongst those that passed, but they were picked out by two guards at the gate.
As to how those guards knew that they had failed the test earlier, they had no idea.
After passing through the gate, Arthur and the rest were led to stand in an open space that had its floor tiled with shiny stones.
In front of them was a flight of stairs with one hundred steps in total, and had a sword scabbard pierced at the top.
Arthur could sense a special type of intent around those stairs.
"Sword Intent..." Luke muttered.
"Huh, you can sense it too?" Arthur asked in mild surprise.
To be able to sense what kind of intent was three required experience and great perception.
Luke nodded to Arthur's question, "Yes, my father had comprehended sword intent back then, and he showed it to me when I was still but a child."
"The intense feeling it left in my mind left me shaken for days..."
Arthur raised an eyebrow at that, "Your father released his sword intent on a kid?... He is a hard man."
While they were talking, another Elder stepped forward and began to tell them of the next test. And unlike Elder Londes, he didn't bother to introduce himself and just started speaking.
"The next test that we will be having, is a test of talent. Before you are a treasure of our sect, called the Enlightened Sword Stairs," The elder examining the test said with all seriousness.
"The test of talent is divided into two parts, one tests your comprehension in the way of the sword. And the other tests your martial spirit grade. All participants could choose to take either of the two, based on which he or she is more confident in."
"Are confident in your comprehension of the way of the sword? Then step forward and climb the flight of stairs before you. As long as you arrive at the eleventh step, you will become a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect."
"But if you have more confidence in Martial Spirit instead then go over to the Pavillion at my right where you Martial Spirit will be examined and if you are good enough, you will become a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect," the examiner said pointing to a building beside him close by.
'First test was a test of will, as no cultivator will go far on his or her cultivation journey without a strong will. And aside from that, you need to have talent too...' Arthur thought to himself.
'I can not reveal my martial spirit. As both of them need to be kept a secret for now. But if I don't do that, I need to climb the stairs and I have no understanding of the sword...'
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