The Bells' Test

Celestial Square was immersed in an almost mystical silence, as if time had stopped. Under Viresta's scorching sky, the last echoes of the Spirit Treasure's bells still danced among the stones of the platform. The gazes of those present were fixed on a young man who, strangely, no longer showed the usual signs of sleep.

From the top of the audience, Elder Zhao watched with wide eyes. Knowing Ermin since childhood.

After all, Ermin's parents were herb gatherers who used to sell their precious herbs to Elder Zhao.

Elder Zhao could not believe what he saw.

Surprise was etched on every feature of the elder's face.

Ermin, the sleepy young man whom Elder Zhao had seen grow up, had now reached twenty bells. It was such an extraordinary feat that Elder Zhao was left speechless, his mouth agape and his heart racing.

Soon, the atmosphere transformed into a whirlwind of murmurs and applause. The crowd could hardly contain their admiration.

Ascending the platform with firm steps, Elder Xuan Bei raised his voice:

"Young Ermin, with twenty bells, you are officially a Direct Disciple of the Celestial Dragon Sect!"

In a whisper that only Ermin could hear, Xuan Bei continued:

"When you enter the sect, I will personally accompany you so that you may choose one of the core Elders as your master."

Xuan Bei exchanged a smile with Ermin. A talent of twenty bells was so rare that it had been hundreds of years since the last talent of twenty bells had sounded in the city of Viresta.

It should be known that hundreds of years ago, Xuan Bei himself had reached only thirteen bells.

The news spread like wildfire among those present.

Murmurs came to life, some candidates, who had not even managed to make a bell sound, remained silent; others, frustrated by reaching only one bell, exchanged looks of dejection.

Among the whispers, several discreet voices echoed messages from the cultivation clans:

"We need to find out which clan this young man belongs to."

"Recruit him now!"

Plans and strategies to attract the prodigy began to be drawn.

While Ermin shone in the center of attention, the other candidates remained on stage with expressions of resignation.

With the test nearly concluded and most of the audience dispersing, only one young man remained who had not yet had his talent tested.

Kaelen remained alone in the queue, contrasting with the dusk, while the few spectators who still insisted on watching the exam slowly approached the platform and murmured in anticipation, wondering if there would be any final surprise.

It was then that Jiang Kai, still stunned by what had occurred, slowly recovered from the shock of the previous test. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of incredulity and disdain as he observed the scene.

The environment fell even quieter, as if time itself wanted to savor the climax. The curious gazes were fixed on the Spirit Treasure, glistening under the last rays of the sun, waiting for the touch that would decide Kaelen's talent.

With his hand slightly trembling, Kaelen approached the sacred artifact. Even though he was aware of his [Radiant Sun] talent granted by the system, he could not help but feel the typical nervousness of an adolescent under so much pressure.

Upon touching the cold, smooth surface of the object, a single bell resonated – clear, promising.

Then, the sound intensified:

two...

three...

four...

Each ring vibrated with precision, filling the environment with a melody that seemed to announce his destiny. The tension increased with each bell, as the few remaining in the square watched, their eyes widening as more and more bells rang.

The number of bells continued to rise. When the tenth ring echoed, a brief silence hung in the air, as if time had slowed down to savor the next moment.

Then, suddenly, energy took over.

the eleventh.

the twelfth…

Each bell vibrated with more force and intensity. Finally, the twentieth bell broke the air with a roar so powerful that it seemed to shake even the foundations of Viresta.

The final sound was of such magnitude that it made those present tremble from head to toe. Waves of energy spread, causing people to press against each other, in a mixture of astonishment and reverence.

When the thunderous echo ceased, the crowd remained in profound silence.

In the next moment, various murmurs arose.

Among the debates and whispers that emerged around the square, the faces of the frustrated candidates contrasted with the serene expression of Ermin and the firm countenance of Kaelen.

Elder Xuan Bei was visibly stunned. Twenty bells had sounded twice in less than thirty minutes.

Just the fact that he had recruited such a talent was enough for him to boast for years among the inner circle of elders.

"Now we have two prodigies," Xuan Bei thought, with a rare glimmer of surprise in his eyes.

Without wasting time, the elder ascended the platform once again and, with a powerful voice, announced:

"Young Kaelen, with twenty bells, you are also qualified to accept a core Elder as your master! You are officially a Direct Disciple of the sect!"

Just as he had done a short time ago, Elder Xuan Bei spoke in a tone that only Kaelen could hear.

"When you enter the sect, I will guide you and your friend in choosing one of the core Elders as your master."

It should be known that Elder Xuan Bei was not trying to flatter the boys. Even though he did not fear offending a direct disciple, unnecessary friendships are better than unnecessary enmities.

Kaelen nodded, casting a knowing look at Ermin, who was barely recovering from the previous shock.

Meanwhile, Elder Zhao, who had known the two boys since childhood, was left with his jaw on the floor.

His surprise was almost palpable.

But, the most surprised of all was Jiang Kai, the ever-arrogant young man, with wide eyes and a jaw nearly falling off.

The scene seemed like something out of a dream, or a celestial joke.

After all, Jiang Kai had despised both boys just a few minutes earlier.

If the news were spread, I fear that lines would form all over the city of Viresta to be despised by Jiang Kai, only to awaken a talent of twenty bells.

Among the murmurs from the clans, messages and plans continued to be sent.

"My God, we haven't even discovered the previous genius and now there's another!"

"Find out which clan this other prodigy comes from!"

"We need to have him in our ranks!"

The whispered words formed a web of ambition that threatened to change the balance of power in the sect.

That day's test had turned into a true marathon of talents, with Ermin and Kaelen emerging as the great winners.

The other candidates, who did not manage to ring any bells, dispersed with dejected faces, some still clinging to the false hope that, by testing again next year, many bells would ring and they would soar to the heavens.

When the crowd finally began to disperse, the young ones who had passed the exam seemed extremely happy.

Jiang Kai, still trying to recover, muttered something audibly, but his voice was drowned out by discreet chuckles from some of the candidates.

Kaelen felt his heart pounding intensely. At that moment, an acute BEEP from the system sounded, and several letters began to shine before him:

[Mission Completed]

[Mission Evaluation: Class S]

[For dragging him to the sect exam, Ermin feels grateful.]

[Ermin's Favorability increased by 1 star.]

[Current Favorability: 5 stars]

[System update opportunity issued]

[Do you wish to update?]

[Yes] [No]

Kaelen hesitated for a second, while his eyes scanned the shimmering interface. With an almost imperceptible nod, he decided to click [No]. It was not the right moment to update the system; he still remembered when he clicked [Yes] to alter his talent.

With the decision made, Kaelen slowly descended from the platform, his steps firm, but his heart still beating in an accelerated rhythm. As he approached his friend Ermin, excitement overflowed in every word.

"Kaelen, what was that? My God, we have talent – and excellent talent, too!" exclaimed Ermin, his eyes shining with emotion.

Kaelen laughed, the sound blending with the gentle breeze of the late afternoon.

"Ermin, how on earth do you have so much talent?"

Ermin appeared shocked for a second, then replied:

"Me? Kaelen, answer me – how on earth do you have so much talent?"

---------------------

In the void above the testing platform, a young man with a keen gaze hovered in the shadows, observing every detail with an almost palpable interest. The young man was returning to the sect when, by coincidence, the resonating sound of the bells caught his attention.

Driven by curiosity, he decided to stay and check out the talents of the young ones below.

"My God!" he murmured, almost in an inaudible whisper.

"One of them possesses the constitution of laziness… while another, even without showing any trace of constitution, demonstrates a shocking talent to emerge in this mortal world."

As his eyes fixed on the platform where the young ones were testing, the young man reflected internally, evaluating every detail, mentally measuring the vibrations of the bells and the traits that would define the talents of those candidates.

"Frankly, the constitution of laziness doesn't interest me much," he thought with an ironic smile.

His gaze fixed especially on one of the young men.

"The force with which the last bell resonated… that is a portent. It is not his limit; on the contrary, it seems merely the tip of an iceberg of unexplored potential," he murmured to himself, as the gleam of insatiable curiosity shimmered in his eyes.