Dual Cultivation

"You may now begin to approach the stage." Fang Zhelan, who was standing on the first stage with the totems said to the crowd.

Immediately after hearing her words, the crowd began approaching the first stage.

"18 years old. Elementary Spirit Realm."

"23 years old. Profound Spirit Realm."

After the participants got their age and cultivation checked, they were allowed to enter the second stage.

"We will begin the exam once there are thirty people on this stage," said Sun Jingjing, who was on the second stage and standing right beside the pill.

Once there were 30 people on the stage, it got awfully quiet, almost like they were suddenly cut from the rest of the world, and Sun Jingjing began to explain the process for the second exam.

"For the second exam, we will be testing your Dao Heart using this Demon Heart Pill."

"Demon Heart Pill? What kind of pill is that?"

The people there have never heard of such a pill before.

"The Demon Heart Pill is a pill that will release the demon within your heart, which is the weakness of your heart. No matter how deep it is hidden within your conscious — even if you are unaware of it, the Demon Heart Pill will find it and reveal it to you."

"In order to pass the second exam, you must withstand the Demon Heart Pill for 30 seconds. If you leave the stage before 30 seconds have passed, you will automatically fail the exam," said Sun Jingjing.

"Only 30 seconds? This will be a piece of cake."

The people there thought to themselves.

"If you are all ready, I want you to sit down and close your eyes."

A few moments later, once all of the participants were sitting on the stage, Sun Jingjing pinched the Demon Heart Pill with her fingers, causing the pill to explode into a red mist that quickly surrounded the entire stage.

And in order to prevent leaking, there was a formation built around the formation, forcing the mist to remain inside. Furthermore, it was preventing the noises outside from entering the formation so that the participants would not be disturbed by the crowd outside.

The place remained silent as the 30 participants were unaware of what was happening.

However, a few seconds later, half of the participants on the second stage began screaming in horror, almost as though they were being slaughtered.

Within 10 seconds, almost everyone on the stage was screaming with a few of them even running out of the stage with fearful expressions on their face.

After 20 seconds into the exam, all of the participants had rushed out of the stage, automatically failing the exam.

"W-What did the participants experience for them to express such fear? They ran out of the stage as though their lives depended on it!"

The people watching the scene were shocked by the situation.

"Even though only a few seconds have passed in the real world, for those affected by the Heart Demon Pill, it would feel as though hours had passed." Sun Jingjing said to the thirty participants that had just failed.

'This Demon Heart Pill… what an interesting pill!' Wang Shuren thought to herself as she watched the second stage with her interest piqued. 'I must ask Su Yang about it during our next lecture!'

After the first batch of participants failed, another group of participants entered the second stage, and the scene repeated itself.

Within 20 seconds, all thirty participants ran off the stage with frightful expressions, almost like they were being chased by demons and ghosts.

"As expected, this disciple examination may appear to be simple, but it's actually quite difficult! I wonder how many people out of these thousands of people will pass the second stage, much less all four!" Divine Sword Master Zhong mumbled to himself as multiple groups have failed the second stage.

However, after failing over 300 people, someone finally managed to remain on the stage for 30 full seconds, passing the second test!

"Congratulations, you are the first one to have passed the second stage." Sun Jingjing said to the handsome young man as she waved her sleeves, dispersing the red mist on the stage.

"Thank you, Senior Sun." The handsome young man bowed to her before walking to the third stage.

"Look! Someone has finally passed the second stage!"

The spectators immediately took notice of the handsome young man after he approached the third stage.

"That's Wei Lihuang, a genius from the Wei Family who'd managed to reach the True Spirit Realm at 20 years old!"

A few people there recognized this handsome young man.

Once Wei Lihuang walked onto the third stage, Su Liqing said to him, "All you need to do for the third exam is simply to mix a single drop of your blood into the water."

"If the water turns red, you will pass the third exam," she instructed him.

"What kind of exam is this? If he drops his blood into the water, of course, it'll turn red!"

The spectators were dumbfounded by the third exam, which seemed pointless.

However, Wei Lihuang did not question the exam and merely nodded his head. He then poked a small hole in his finger, causing a single drop of his blood to fall into the bowl of water underneath him.

When the drop of blood entered the bowl of water, the people there expected it to immediately turn red. However, even after many seconds of waiting, the blood in the water did not mix with the water, almost like it was a drop of oil in water.

After a few more seconds, as though the clear water had consumed it, the drop of blood disappeared inside the bowl of water without leaving a trace behind.

"I'm sorry, but you have failed the third exam." Su Liqing announced the results once the blood disappeared from the bowl of water.

"What?! How is that possible?!" Wei Lihuang could no longer remain calm and exclaimed his disbelief.