Divide

In a world where talent and ambition collide, the story unfolded on a grand stage. A youth named Ning Feng, hailing from the prestigious Ning Clan, stepped forward with unwavering determination.

"Ning Feng, he's got this," whispered the hopeful onlookers as they observed with bated breath. With measured confidence, Ning Feng approached the stone mirror on the left, his hand fitting perfectly into the groove. Suddenly, darkened orbs at the mirror's base ignited, one by one, until all six glowed. His affinity with Heaven and Earth's Yuan Qi was rated at an impressive 6 stars.

Next, he moved to the mirror on the right, undergoing the same scrutiny. This time, his affinity with Astral Qi earned a 4-star rating. The audience gasped in awe. Today, Ning Feng had undoubtedly secured a chance to enroll in one of the prestigious academies.

Representatives on the stage nodded in agreement, signaling Ning Feng's eligibility for the next round. He smiled, his youthful exuberance evident as he stood triumphantly amidst the crowd.

Six more candidates followed, each impressing a few representatives but failing to secure unanimous approval. The first hurdle was for all representatives to concur, and the coveted slot at the Emperor Star Academy remained elusive.

"Chen Yu's affinity for sensing Heaven and Earth's Yuan Qi is a remarkable 7-star rating, even surpassing Ning Feng. Although his Astral Qi affinity is 3 stars, with his potential, all representatives, except the Emperor Star Academy, have given their nod. Getting into the Emperor Star Academy is no walk in the park," the crowd murmured.

The focus then shifted to the extraordinary Lin Yue, one of the four beauties, whose Astral Qi affinity reached 6 stars. She had condensed her first Astral Soul at just 13. But all eyes were on Autumn Snow, and Qin Wentian was nearly forgotten.

"Autumn Snow, it's your turn," Autumn Snow declared, casting a dismissive glance at Qin Wentian. She approached the Yuan Observing Mirror on the left and effortlessly achieved a 7-star rating for Heaven and Earth's Yuan Qi. Then, at the Astral Observing Mirror on the right, she outshone everyone, with an 8-star rating for Astral Qi.

The brilliance was blinding, like a starry sky on Earth. Autumn Snow had the audience in a collective gasp, and the representatives were left stunned.

"Autumn Snow, the Royal Academy welcomes you."

"The Seven Stars Academy extends an invitation."

"The Divine Wind Academy sincerely invites you."

However, the Emperor Star Academy's representative hesitated at Mustang's signal.

"What's the delay?" the puzzled representative asked.

"Let's wait a bit," Mustang replied with a sly grin.

Autumn Snow arrogantly looked at Qin Wentian, displaying her superiority. But then, it was Qin Wentian's turn.

Qin Wentian approached the mirror on the left, and five darkened orbs lit up. The audience was shocked by his 5-star rating for Heaven and Earth's Yuan Qi. Without hesitation, he moved to the mirror on the right, where seven orbs lit up one by one, leaving the spectators in disbelief. Qin Wentian's Astral Qi rating reached an astounding 8 stars.

"8-star talent, is it really that strong?" Qin Wentian calmly asked Autumn Snow as he spoke. The 9th and final orb of the Astral Observing Mirror began to glow, culminating in a brilliant explosion. The mirror shattered, but Qin Wentian remained composed.

Autumn Snow, the representatives, and the audience were left awestruck. Qin Wentian, born with crippled meridians and unable to cultivate, had just displayed a 9-star talent. Talon's shock was palpable, but he downplayed it, claiming Qin Wentian's talent was useless due to his inability to cultivate.

Autumn Snow couldn't help but look at Qin Wentian differently. She had underestimated him. The Astral Observing Mirror couldn't contain his immense talent.

The second round commenced, with nine candidates remaining. Autumn Snow, Lin Yue, and Chen Yu displayed their strengths. But it was Autumn Snow's 7th-level Body Refinement and her Astral Soul, the Golden Crane, that truly stole the show. She scored a staggering 70 bulls on the strength test, earning her invitations from multiple academies.

Qin Wentian was next, and he watched Autumn Snow's performance closely. He struck the drum with power equivalent to 50 bulls. Although impressive, it was nothing compared to Autumn Snow's might. However, when he released his Astral Soul, the result was nothing short of astonishing.

Seven reverberations equated to a strength level of 70 bulls, thanks to his Astral Soul. The drum nearly disintegrated under the pressure. Qin Wentian's display left the audience in awe, and Autumn Snow couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

In this second round, Qin Wentian showed that talent wasn't his only strength. The divide between him and Autumn Snow wasn't as wide as she had believed.