Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao

Chapter 1673: Three and a half Stars aptitude

Ding Xiaochen immediately walked over from the front, his expression filled with arrogance, as if there was no one important enough to garner his attention.

However, when he arrived in front of Mao Shuyu, he immediately cracked a smile, and said, “Shuyu, why do you have to line up with these lowly commoners? Come, I will bring you to the front.”

“Ding Xiaochen, who allowed you to directly address me by name?” Mao Shuyu did not appreciate his offer at all. “You can either call me Miss Mao or call me Mao Shuyu!”

Ding Xiaochen looked slightly embarrassed after getting the cold shoulder from her. His eyes swept over, and when he spotted Ling Han and the Empress, he involuntarily took out his anger on them, and shouted, “What are you two looking at?”

Ling Han was not the type that was willing to be bullied. He was just about to speak when he saw Mao Shuyu stretch out a hand in front of him. She asked, “What are you being so fierce to others for?”

Ding Xiaochen’s eyes were dark, and he glared fiercely at Ling Han because the Empress was a woman, after all. He smirked internally. When they went through the selection process, he would definitely target and kill this guy.

He humphed and strode off.

“This guy is very petty, and will definitely target the two of you,” Mao Shuyu said to Ling Han and the Empress. “Don’t worry. With me there, he will not dare do anything to the two of you! When the selection process begins later, the two of you just stay beside me, and I will ensure your safety!”

She was really quite confident.

Ling Han involuntarily laughed, and replied, “Then thank you!”

He made his decision. Later, if he was to encounter Ding Xiaochen, he would definitely let him know the true depth of his abilities.

The Empress, meanwhile, didn’t even pay him any regard. Her life philosophy was very simple: if anything made her unhappy, just kill it.

The line slowly advanced, and a few prodigies would occasionally appear, which would stun the masses. However, in the Celestial Realm, this city was really too small. It was really difficult for such freakish prodigies like Ling Han, the Empress, and the Rain Emperor to appear.

Lastly, it was finally Ling Han and the Empress’s turn, followed by Mao Shuyu, and there was no one else after.

The Empress went first.

This was the first test. According to the rules, only those who had reached the Eternal River Tier would be qualified to register, while the highest limit was Genesis Tier.

...Severing Mundane Tier? If there were any Severing Mundane Tiers that were willing to join the Dark Moon Army, then even Great Commander Mao Dai would gladly come out to receive them instead. What need was there for one to have to come here to register?

The test was very simple. There was only a stone, but there was a formation inscribed on it. One only had to deliver a full power strike against it, and it would reflect the candidate’s cultivation level and aptitude—the main deciding factor was battle prowess. Aside from that, the quality of their Origin Power and unique cultivation techniques would also be recorded by the formation, analyzed, integrated, and graded.

This could be considered to be quite accurate.

The Empress stretched out a slender hand as fair as snow, her fingers long and slender like spring onions. Even if she had concealed her appearance, and changed into loose robes, hiding her perfect figure, a great many people were still besotted when they saw her unadorned hand.

This was a great beauty and bewitching demoness that could conquer the whole world with her charms.

Under the attention of innumerable pairs of eyes, the Empress pressed lightly on the testing stone. Suddenly, the testing stone released a white halo, which swiftly disappeared. Soon after, a slim line appeared on the left and right of the testing stone.

That was two pillars of light, one red and the other purple. The red ray of light was only half as high as the purple one.

“High extreme of the Genesis Tier, Two and a Half Stars aptitude!” The examiner raised his head to look at the Empress, showing an expression of shock. This was an astonishing natural talent that was inferior only to Ding Xiaochen’s!

However, the Empress was not the only prodigy of this grade, but she definitely could be ranked among the top 10.

...This red line represented cultivation level, while the purple line represented aptitude, which was closely connected with battle prowess. If the purple line exceeded the red line, it meant that the candidate possessed tier-surpassing battle prowess, and the more it exceeded it, the higher his tier-surpassing battle prowess.

Of course, the majority of people here had two lines of equal height, while a very small number of people had red lines that exceeded their purple lines. This would mean immediate elimination.

The Dark Moon Army did not need trash, not even for their reserve troops.

They would only show Two Star aptitude. This was the conclusion that she and Ling Han had come to after discussion. They did not want to attract too much attention. Their knowledge of the Celestial Realm and Dark Moon City was truly too limited. However, the Empress had not undergone such a test before, so in a moment of carelessness, her grade showed two and a half stars.

“Passed, your serial number is 5572.” The examiner registered the Empress, and gave her a plaque. Without having been officially recruited, they would not even bother to record the actual names of the candidates.

The Empress took the plaque, and still did not speak. She only stepped back a bit and waited for Ling Han.

Ling Han smiled at Mao Shuyu, and said, “Miss Mao, you can go first.” As a man, he was still quite gentlemanly. He would just be the last to take his turn.

Mao Shuyu did not refuse his kind offer, and walked forwards. After concentrating slightly, she struck a heavy blow on the testing stone. White light surged, and immediately disappeared. The red and purple line appeared once more.

“Consummate level of the Genesis Tier, Three Star aptitude!” the examiner exclaimed in shock. Finally, another super genius had appeared, not allowing Ding Xiaochen to be the only excellent one there.

However, this was very normal. One was a prodigy from the Ding Clan, while the other was the only daughter of the great commander. From birth, they were already at a higher level than others, so wasn’t it absolutely normal for them to be far ahead in the lead?

“Miss Mao, your serial number is 5573.” The examiner even stood up deliberately to hand over the plaque to Mao Shuyu.

It couldn’t be helped. Her old man was the superior of the superior of his superior. How could he not be extra polite?

Mao Shuyu was very energetic. She was about to leave after taking the plaque, but she had just taken two steps when she stopped and turned to look at Ling Han.

Clearly, Ling Han had allowed her to be tested first, so she, too, wanted to give Ling Han some face. At least, she would watch as he completed his test. Furthermore, she still remembered her promise to protect Ling Han and his companion.

In the distance, Ding Xiaochen crossed his arms over his chest, a smug look on his face.

At first, Ling Han had planned to keep a low profile, but when he saw this expression on Ding Xiaochen’s face, he couldn’t help but feel angered. He also looked back at Ding Xiaochen, and tapped a finger on the testing stone.

Xiu, a flash of sword light swept out, and the testing stone suddenly surged with white light. Then, the red and purple lines appeared.

“High extreme of the Genesis Tier, Three and a half Stars aptitude!” The examiner looked at the testing stone, bearing the expression of an idiot.

Had this thing broken down?

Three and a half Stars? This had to be a joke.

“What!?” Ding Xiaochen, too, could no longer maintain his calm bearing. He immediately leaped over. He looked at the testing stone, his face slightly green.

He had actually been surpassed by another!

A Three and a half Stars prodigy had actually appeared here?

Hiss, the last time a Three and a half Stars prodigy appeared, it was still three eras ago, when Mao Dai showed his outstanding talent, and before that, it was the strongest prodigy of the Ding Clan, Ding Yaolong.

Such prodigies were all capable of becoming fourth severance consummate level in the end, without exception!

One era was 100,000,000 years. There were really too many people with long lives in the Celestial Realm. The usual way of recording by years was too inconvenient, and additionally, one epoch would be 12 trillion years. There were not many elites that could live that long, though, because there was still the Immortal’s Tribulation[1]. If one could not continue becoming stronger, there would ultimately come a day when even Celestial Kings would die.

...Once one had advanced into the Severing Mundane Tier, one could gain an unlimited lifespan, but why was it that most elites had all ultimately died at the first severance because of their Immortal’s Tribulation through these countless eras?

It was too hard to break through!

Everyone said that there were nine levels for Celestial King Tier, and reaching each level was as difficult as ascending the heavens, but how was it not the same for the Severing Mundane Tier and Ascending Origin Tier?

The Severing Mundane Tier meant striking oneself with the Heaven’s Will Saber. If one was the slightest bit careless, what would be severed would not be one’s mortal bonds, but his fruits of cultivation!

[1] I think it was called Celestial Decline before, but not sure if that’s the same thing.