Chapter 41: Disqualification!

The scene at the Outer Sect gate was already crowded when Dustin Li and his group arrived. As members of the Martial Palace, they were not given any special treatment and were left standing outside as the eighteen hall masters proceeded into the Outer Sect to supervise the assessment. The chief examiner, an outer sect deacon, would lead the process, with the eighteen hall masters watching.

Among the crowd, murmurs filled the air.

"Outer Sect only accepts three candidates a year. Even though we know the chances are slim, so many still come to take the assessment."

"Yeah, I heard some of the participants this time are really strong. The guys from the Martial Palace are all at the second level of Energy Gathering!"

"What's so special about the second level of Energy Gathering? The royal family of Jade Mountain City has a genius. He's only fifteen and already at the third level of Energy Gathering!"

"Isn't that insane? To be at the third level of Energy Gathering before eighteen, and only fifteen years old! It's unbelievable."

"Look over there! I think those are members from the Eighteenth City Martial Hall. Several are at the second level of Energy Gathering. They have a good chance of passing."

Many eyes turned to Dustin Li and his group. Not everyone had entered the Martial Hall for training by the age of ten. Some came from families with their own methods of martial cultivation. Those who entered the Martial Hall were often from common backgrounds or smaller families.

Just then, the gate to the Outer Sect opened, and an elderly man with a white beard stepped out, announcing loudly, "I am Pablo Zhang, the deacon in charge of the entrance examination. Please queue up in an orderly fashion for the assessment!"

"Wow!" The crowd erupted as the examination was about to begin. People surged forward in an attempt to be among the first to take the test.

The tension in the air increased as a burly young man, with strong muscles, pushed his way to the front, knocking several participants aside. His strength was intimidating, and anyone who stood in his way was quickly shoved to the ground. The other participants, all Energy Gathering martial artists, hesitated, unsure whether to challenge him.

Dustin Li stood near him, and the wind from the young man's brute strength ruffled his hair as the burly man reached for him, intending to toss him aside.

"Um?" Dustin Li's expression tightened. With a slight sidestep, he avoided the young man's grip.

"Don't dodge!" the burly youth sneered, his fingers glowing with faint blue light. He was using a martial skill, his Energy Gathering powers flowing through his hand to form a claw-like strike.

"Roll!" Dustin Li's eyes turned cold. In an instant, before the young man's attack could land, he spun around and struck with his right leg.

Bang!

The burly youth was sent flying, crashing into several others behind him. Dustin Li's strike, fast and unrelenting, knocked the wind out of the young man. Despite his considerable size, he was completely overwhelmed by Dustin Li's skill and speed.

The nearby participants stood in stunned silence, some secretly relieved they hadn't provoked this black-clad boy.

"You're asking for death!" the young man shouted, glaring furiously as he rose to his feet. His temper flared, but he wasn't foolish enough to charge again.

Dustin Li didn't make any more moves but simply stood still, unfazed by the angry young man.

The burly youth, now nursing his bruised pride, spat angrily, "I'll remember you, black-clothed boy. Don't think you've seen the last of me!" Then he hurriedly shuffled to the back of the line.

Dustin Li, though, remained unmoved. He wasn't interested in making a scene or fighting for a better position in line. In the world of martial arts, everything was a competition. Strength defined everything, and those who could stand tall did so without fear.

There were hundreds of participants in the assessment, all of whom were Energy Gathering martial artists below the age of eighteen. In the larger scope of things, a fourteen-year-old at the second level of Energy Gathering was nothing special. In the grand sects like Salmoris, he was practically invisible.

But Dustin Li had confidence in his abilities. He knew that his journey from the second level of body training to where he stood now had taken less than a year. No one in Salmoris could match his rapid advancement. That was why Novaridge Palace Master had taken such an interest in him.

Dustin Li's goal wasn't just to pass this test—he aimed to dominate. The Master's actions, like killing the head of the Zhang family, had been motivated by a desire to see Dustin Li rise, for the higher his achievements, the more rewards Novaridge would reap.

The first test in the Outer Sect assessment was straightforward: it was a measure of cultivation level, similar to the black stone tablets used by Novaridge Martial Hal.

The second test would assess martial skills, evaluating both comprehension and talent. The third would test one's will, as determination was vital to a martial artist's success. Finally, the fourth test would involve a competition where the top three would earn bonus points.

The highest achiever would receive three Qi-Refining Pills and a fifth-grade martial art.

Dustin Li wasn't concerned with the martial arts prize; he already possessed numerous fifth-grade martial arts, along with some sixth- and seventh-grade techniques from the treasure troves deep in the Eight Wonders Mountains. But he did value the Qi-Refining Pills, which could help him break through small cultivation levels.

"Sixteen years old, second-level Energy Gathering, 6 points!"

"Eighteen years old, second-level Energy Gathering, 3 points!"

The scores were being announced one by one. As expected, no one under the second level of Energy Gathering stood a chance of getting in, but there was an exception for those who had already reached the third level.

"Fifteen years old, third-level Energy Gathering, 9 points!" A teenager from the Xu family in Water Rhythm City, Rocco Xu, performed admirably.

The crowd buzzed with excitement. Another fifteen-year-old, DenCan from the Yushan royal family, also earned 9 points for his third-level Energy Gathering.

Soon, the test continued, and there were two more third-level Energy Gathering martial artists. However, the most shocking was a fourteen-year-old named Morry Mo, who managed a perfect score of 10 points, the first in the test.

Finally, it was Dustin Li's turn.

He approached the stone tablet and placed his palm on it, channeling his Energy. The stone immediately began to glow.

However, unlike the usual glow of a second-level Energy Gathering, Dustin Li's energy caused the light to blaze as bright as a third-level's.

The crowd gasped.

"Isn't this boy at the second level of Energy Gathering? Why is the light so bright? Did something go wrong with the stone tablet?"

As the chief examiner, Pablo Zhang scrutinized the result. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the name on the list—Dustin Li.

His gaze hardened. Just over two months ago, he had dispatched three disciples to kill Dustin Li, yet they had never reported back. Could this be the same boy who had survived? The thought filled Pablo Zhang with unease and rage.

He glanced toward the Novaridge Palace Master sitting nearby, then sneered. "This child is clearly at the second level of Energy Gathering, but he's manipulating the test stone to show results that mimic a third level's strength. A mere child, and already using such means. Deprive him of his qualification!"

The shockwaves from Pablo Zhang's announcement reverberated throughout the crowd. Whispers began to spread rapidly, and doubts over Dustin Li's integrity started to surface.