Chapter 146: Shiver In Fear (1)
Translator: Larbrestudio Editor: Larbrestudio
A voice that had a mocking intonation caused Wang Xian and Xiao Yu to frown slightly.
Xiao Yu turned around angrily and looked to the one who was speaking.
The voice came from a girl that was approximately 17-18 years old. She had a ponytail and looked extremely pretty. Her proud demeanor made her look just like a little swan.
“I’m talking to my brother and this has nothing to do with you. Moreover, as long as I work hard, I’ll be able to reach Martial Artist Level 4 quickly!”
Xiao Yu gave the girl a harsh stare as she spoke grumpily.
“You? Let’s see if you can even make it into Thistles and Thorns Sect!” The girl looked at Xiao Yu with contempt. She lifted her head proudly and said arrogantly, “I’m already a Level 2 Martial Artist and an expert has agreed to take me as her disciple.”
“Alright, Yan’er. After you become a Martial Artist, you’ve got to be aware of your identity!”
A middle-aged man beside the girl glanced at Xiao Yu as he spoke to his daughter.
“I understand, father. I’m not an ordinary woman from here on.” The girl nodded proudly, lifted her head high and ignored Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu pouted and said angrily, “Who said I can’t enter the Thistles and Thorns Sect. My master is an Elder!”
“What?” The girl beside her was slightly shocked and looked at Xiao Yu. “Your master is an Elder?”
Hmm!
Xiao Yu didn’t want to entertain her. She grabbed Wang Xian’s arm with both of her hands and put on an expression that seemed to suggest that she did not want to entertain her.
Wang Xian patted Xiao Yu’s head. This girl looked just like a young girl from a small family most of the time but she did have times when she was very competitive.
With regard to Xiao Yu’s decision to join the Thistles and Thorns Sect, Wang Xian had no objections and allowed her to do as she wished.
With Wang Xian’s current strength, it would be easy for him to find her a better sect or get her an Art of Cultivation to cultivate.
However, he did not do so. Since it was similar even if she cultivated in other places, it would be fine as long as his sister was happy.
“Lies!”
Seeing Xiao Yu chose to ignore her, the girl beside Xiao Yu grumbled.
Wang Xian glanced at that girl and his lips curved up slightly.
“The Elders of Thistles and Thorns Sect are coming!”
At this moment, a voice pierced the atmosphere. Wang Xian looked over and saw the higher management of Thistles and Thorns Sect walking over.
There were a total of seven people and they wore a common uniform with a logo in the shape of a “thorn” at the chest area. At the forefront of the group was an old lady.
Xiao Yu’s master, Elder Fang, was amongst the group too.
“The old man in the middle is the vice sect leader of Thistles and Thorns Sect, Old Lei. Ordinary matters of the sect were all handled by Old Lei.”
“The Elders are here. The one beside Old Lei is Zhao Qingshan, an elder of the Zhao Family.
Some people who were familiar with the higher management of Thistles and Thorns Sect commented softly.
As the seven of them approached, the entire training field also quietened down. Everyone looked respectfully towards the seven higher management members of the Thistles and Thorns Sect.
“Time’s up, those who aren’t here don’t have to come.”
Vice Sect Leader Lei of the Thistles and Thorns Sect looked at the crowd before speaking to another Elder beside her.
“Yes, Vice Sect Leader Lei. Everyone is present. Let’s start with their assessment!”
The other Elder nodded his head, looked at the crowd and announced, “The assessment of the Thistles and Thorns Sect would begin soon. Please get ready. Those who pass our assessment will become a member of the Thistles and Thorns Sect in the future while failures will have to leave. Now, come forward one by one!”
The Elder nodded his head in satisfaction as he saw everyone listening quietly and attentively. He signalled to a young man near him.
The young man nodded his head, brought a book with him and walked towards the transparent hexagon crystal.
“Come forward for the assessment when I call out your name.”
The young man looked at the crowd and shouted, “Zhang Xing, Pengzhou!”
“Here!” a juvenile answered anxiously.
“Come up!” the young man looked at the juvenile and instructed.
“Yes, yes!”
The juvenile walked to the young man and looked at him anxiously.
“Place your hands on the assessment crystal!” the young man said to the juvenile.
The juvenile nodded his head and placed his hands on the crystal.
A magical thing happened. To his surprise, a black and blurry human figure appeared within the crystal.
When the young man saw it, he shook his head. “Fail, you can go back!”
“Huh?” That juvenile was shocked. With a disappointed look, he lowered his head as he walked back.
“What just happened? How did he fail?”
“How does this assessment work? How do they determine success or failure?”
Below the platform, the crowd looked on with doubts.
“This is an assessment crystal. You can just see it as a piece of unique assessment equipment. When you place your hands on the crystal, dark spots will appear in the crystal. The greater the number of dark spots, the poorer one’s talents are.”
Below the platform, a middle-aged man from where the Song Family was standing explained to the crowd.
“That’s right. Anyone who touches the assessment crystal will cause the crystal to be tainted. The level of pollution determines one’s talents. The greater the black spots, the poorer one’s talents are. If an image of a black man appeared, it would mean that the person has zero cultivation talents!”
The young man nodded his head and explained to the crowd.
The crowd nodded their heads slightly. The juveniles who were here for the assessment looked anxiously at the assessment crystal.
“Next, Lu Yun!”
Another juvenile walked forward. When he placed his hands on the crystal, a black man figure appeared.
The juvenile was embarrassed.
“Fail, next!”
“Fail, next!”
After four consecutive juveniles failing, the remaining crowd got nervous.
It’s so hard to get into Thistles and Thorns Sect and become a Martial Artist.
“Next, Zi Yan’er”
“Tsk, I’ll definitely pass.”
Beside Wang Xian and Xiao Yu, that juvenile girl with a ponytail lifted her head, walked forward confidently and placed her hands on the crystal.
Some black spots appeared on the crystal gradually. However, the black spots were clearly much lesser than the previous four candidates.
When the young man saw the black spots in the crystals, he smiled and announced, “Middle-class talents, pass!”
Mm!
Zi Yan’er lifted her head proudly and walked down the platform.
“That juvenile girl actually passed! She’s really lucky.”
“Middle-class talents are considered to be really great talents for cultivation.”
The crowd sighed emotionally and looked at the juvenile girl in envy.
The higher management members of Thistles and Thorns Sect also revealed faint smiles while watching from above.
Middle-class talents could be considered as great!
Hmm! When Zi Yan’er walked passed Xiao Yu, she lifted her head proudly and sneered.
Xiao Yu pouted.
“Next!”
The assessment carried on. There was a total of 40 plus juveniles and the assessment was carried out at a quick pace.
Approximately one out of five or six would pass. Moreover, most of them only had ordinary talents.
“Next, Song Aowen!”
When reading out this name, the young man raised his voice and looked to where the Song Family was with a radiant smile.
“Junior brother, you are still taking the assessment? With your strength, it’s a done deal that you can enter our Thistles and Thorns Sect,” the young man said to the approaching Song Aowen with the intention of getting on his good books.
“I have not assessed my own talents previously. Therefore, I would like to give it a try.”
Song Aowen smiled radiantly and nodded his head as he walked up to the platform.
“Elder Song, your grandson is really talented to reach Martial Artist Level 4 at such a young age. I’m afraid even our disciples aren’t as talented.” Where the higher management members stood, a middle-aged Elder spoke to Elder Song.
“Haha, he’s still fine!” Elder Song smiled. Although he might have sounded humble, his face was filled with pride.
“Elder Song’s grandson’s talents are at least middle-class. In fact, he might even be better!” Vice Sect Leader smiled and commented.
“At least middle-class and might be even better! Congratulations, Elder Song!” the remaining members congratulated.
“Hehe, let’s take a look. Let’s take a look!” Elder Song said with smiles.
On the platform, Song Aowen walked towards the assessment crystal confidently and placed his hands on it.
Tiny black spots appeared. They were few, even fewer than Zi Yan’er!
The young man was shocked and exclaimed, “High-class talents! High-class talents!”
Upon hearing the exclamations of the young man, Song Aowen smiled proudly. “Not too far-off from what I expected!”
“Junior brother Song, you might be able to reach the heights of Elder Song or even higher in the future!” the young man said with envy.
“Haha, great!” Seeing his grandson’s performance, Elder Song revealed a proud look.
“Congratulations, congratulations!”
Beside him, the other Elders congratulated Elder Song.
Elder Song waved his hand and remarked, “I had not expected this from my grandson either!”
“We are really lucky to recruit a disciple of high-class talents this year,” Vice Sect Leader Lei commented joyously.
“Didn’t junior sister Fang recruit a new disciple? This is Junior sister Fang’s first disciple! I believe her talents should be exceptional too!”
Among the seven people, there were only two female members. Suddenly, the middle-aged lady looked to Elder Fang and asked this jokingly.
“What? Are you thinking of snatching my disciple away again?” Elder Fang asked coldly, glancing emotionlessly at the middle-aged woman.
“Haha, Junior sister Fang, you are reading too much into it. My disciple also has high-class talents. She isn’t much inferior to Elder Song’s disciple. Why would I snatch your disciples?” the middle-aged woman said nonchalantly.
“Tsk! Would the disciple I found last month run over to you suddenly for no reason?” Elder Fang replied coldly.
“That’s her own decision. New things wouldn’t come if the old things aren’t gone! Perhaps this disciple of yours would have top-class talents! Hehe!”
The middle-aged man mocked and embarrassed Elder Fang.
“Alright, let’s carry on!”
Seeing the two female Elders quarrelling, Vice Sect Leader Lei waved his hands helplessly and interrupted.