Chapter 28: Second Test

Once a cultivator cultivated a Cultivation Art, it was almost impossible to change into another art.

If Kyrell were to 'revised' his art and it deviated from the original, it would be hard for him to change it. He either has to continue modifying the original path he had taken or use extraordinary means to start over again.

If for example, Kyrell focused on the 'poison' attribute of the Jade Serpent and later on decided to focus on the nature attribute, it would be harder for him to 'revise' his 'progress'. If that happens, he might need to modify the art to not only enhanced the poison attribute but the nature attribute as well.

The difficulty of doing that does not need to be stated. At the very least, while Kyrell is still weak, he cannot randomly modify his art as it would determine his future path.

Once he achieved success only then would he start improving his Cultivation Art in all directions. After all, isn't it better if his art gave him a comprehensive boost in power rather than being one directional?

At this point, Kyrell can actually already modify his cultivation art. Of course, the modification he can do is limited and the increase in quality wouldn't be much and might as well be ignored.

He just hasn't found the right direction he wants to take and in the Royal Academy, surrounded by high quality cultivation arts and knowledge more than what the Evander Family can provide, he hope to improve.

While gathering his composure, Kyrell waited for the first test to finish. Overall, he estimated that there were a few thousand youths like him that took the test but in just the first round, only over 700 people passed.

The remaining examinees were less than one-third in just the first test!

The passing rate was simply too low. As expected of the top Academy!

"Rank 289: Kyrell Evander (30 points)"

After all the examinees were done, a scoreboard was projected onto multiple screens and the side of Kyrell's lips twitched. He was only slightly above average!

"It can't be helped. Although the Evander Family is now a 'Nobility' after gaining its Spirit Nourisher Cultivator, our Cultivation Arts haven't improved much"

"The Spirit Serpent Art is still roughly at the same level as the clans with only Genetic Strengthener Cultivators"

"Not to mention, with the diverse path that we have depending on what type our Spirit Serpent is, it was overall hard for the Evander Family to improve"

While Kyrell doesn't have hope of becoming a top scorer, it still felt a bit uncomfortable to be ranked so low.

He is a transmigrator and he also has his cheat yet breaching the gap in the quality of cultivation arts was really hard!

After the scoreboard appeared, the examinees started to become noisier. The center of their topics is those that got perfect scores in the first test.

Despite the fact that over 700 people passed, only the top ten got a perfect score. It showcased just how hard it was to get a hundred points.

"Hmm, most of the top 10 seems to come from powerful factions but there are still three people that seem to be commoners but are talented" Kyrell judged after seeing three unfamiliar surnames.

They are the top 6; Renzo West. The top 8: Ursula Teve. And the top 10: Loide Erize. Their surnames do not match the notable factions from Kyrell's memory and he judged that they do not have a powerful background.

While it was hard to breach the gap caused by the quality of cultivation arts, it's not like it was impossible. There are still those who can break the imposed limitations with overwhelming talent.

The three 'commoners' might be these monstrous geniuses who can do something that not even Kyrell with his golden finger can do.

"I wonder how they are able to reach the top 10"

While Kyrell was thinking of the possible ways those people reached the top 10, a middle-aged man with a beard suddenly appeared in front of the students.

He was biting on a piece of cigarette while showing a bored and uninterested look on his face which caused some examinees to frown.

Who is this? And how is he able to appear out of nowhere?

"Alright, alright, pipe down now. I don't really like a noisy crowd" the middle-aged man said while picking his ear.

Many of these examinees are domineering Young Masters and Mistresses. They are people used to others bowing at them. As such, the middle age man's attitude irked some.

"Who the fuck are you?!" One of the youths with a short temper asked angrily and in the next second, his body trembled.

No one was able to see how he moved but the middle-aged man suddenly appeared in front of the hotblooded youth.

One of his fingers was placed in front of the youth's throat as if one finger was enough to poke a hole in that delicate organ.

"S-so fast?! Is he a Spirit Nourisher Cultivator?" Kyrell gasped. Even Zero was not able to catch the movement of that middle-aged man.

In the past, whether it be the evil cultivators or the assassins from the Evander Family, Kyrell has been able to see the movement of even Genetic Strengther cultivators.

However, that slouchy middle-aged man was different. Even Zero was not powerful enough to catch his movement! That leads to Kyrell wondering if that man is a Spirit Nourisher.

On a second note though, that seems to be impossible. Just what kind of position do Spirit Nourisher cultivators have? If that man is an academy staff then even if it is the Royal Academy, they wouldn't send such a cultivator for such a simple task.

"He must only be a Genetic Strengther but his speed... even the Wind Breather does not move that fast!"

"Could such a gap really appear even in the same realm?"

Kyrell felt troubled. In his eyes, Herrick Ashton, the Wind Breather is a formidable Genetic Strengther and there should not be many people that can match him.

Yet, just the entrance examination of the Royal Academy alone is shattering his misconception. Maybe, he was a frog at the bottom of the well. What he thinks is powerful is relative to his environment.

After all, Kyrell rarely went outside the clan's residence and there wasn't a chance for him to see high-ranking cultivators fight.

What if... what if the Wind Breather is only a powerful cultivator within minor clans but in reality his strength was on the low end? Just how powerful are these high-ranking cultivators with high-quality cultivation art?!

"I don't really like repeating myself nor do I like any unnecessary work. Why can't you just be quiet for a second" the middle-aged man said with an irritated tone and before the hotblooded youth could speak, the former already moved back to his original location.

"Look, I'm not here because I like to be here. I am paid by the Academy and as much as I hate it, I need to work"

"My name is Serrod Smoker, I am a teacher of the Royal Academy and I am here to unwillingly conduct the second test"

A teacher of the Royal Academy!

The examinees are immediately moved. To be one of the teachers of the Royal Academy, the teacher must not only be good at well, teaching, but they must also possess great strength!

Those who are weak are not qualified to teach the future generation of pillars of the Everbright Kingdom!

Each of the teachers in the Academy are powerful figure, not weaker than many clan leaders of the small clans.

They also have a high chance of becoming a Spirit Nourisher and reaching the peak power of the world.

They are not the type of people that any Tom, Dick, and Harry can afford to offend! Many of these teachers also came from powerful factions as they are mostly the ones that can raise such powerful cultivators.

"Now, without any delay so that I can sleep again, let us start"

There was no long speech that happened before the second test started.

Using a lighter, Serrod lit his cigarette and inhaled the smoke through his mouth. He lazily removed the cigarette from his mouth and he blew clouds of smoke.

Those clouds of smoke turned into twenty figures that looked the same as Serrod. In terms of appearance alone, these figures look no different than this teacher!

"[Core Skill: Multiple Smoke Clones!]"

Each individual clones are weaker compared to the original body but there are twenty of them.

"The second test is that for every 5 people, they will attack one of my clones. The clones have necklaces with three white beads and the goal is for you to get one bead"

"Those that can obtain a bead will pass the test and those that are not able to secure a bead will be eliminated. It is as simple as that"