The Ten Heroines are Insane! - Chapter 128:

Chapter 128: The Assessment Begins, With Undercurrents Surging

The Holy Land disciple assessment was divided into three stages. The first two stages tested mysterious strength and physical fitness, typically held within each respective palace. 

The third stage involved a competition between the top performers from the initial rounds. This assessment directly influenced the disciples’ future rankings and positions within the Holy Land, making it something no disciple dared to take lightly. In order to secure a better outcome, many had already begun their own careful calculations.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Inside the Heavenly Cold Palace, the testing field was alive with activity. Amidst the array of wooden stakes, a figure dressed in emerald green moved gracefully, her body flashing like a butterfly. Wielding a simple bamboo sword, she sliced calmly and swiftly through the wooden stakes that spun rapidly around her.

“What incredible swordsmanship.”

“Lu Qingqing’s sword skills are astonishing. She can dismantle the wooden stake array with just a bamboo sword.”

“Senior sister, what should we do? I don’t feel confident anymore…”

Under the amazed gazes of her senior sisters, Lu Qingqing’s magnificent swordplay instantly shattered hundreds of wooden stakes around her.

“The assessment is over!” The deacons and senior sisters hurriedly recorded her results as Lu Qingqing sheathed her bamboo sword and calmly walked toward a corner of the field, her face indifferent despite the shock and admiration she attracted.

“Junior Sister Lu, you’re amazing!”

“Junior Sister Lu, what kind of sword technique was that? I could only catch glimpses of your afterimages!”

“Junior Sister Lu, we must look out for each other in the future!”

The once deserted space around Lu Qingqing was now bustling with enthusiasm. However, she ignored the crowd, clutching her bamboo sword with a slight blush on her face, as if already envisioning herself snuggling in Xu Ze’s arms, acting coy.

As Lu Qingqing departed, the senior sisters exchanged dissatisfied and jealous looks.

“Bah, she acts like she can’t hear us. So arrogant.”

“Such a freak. All lively in front of the Holy Son, but so cold in front of us.”

“I heard someone saw her shopping under the Holy Mountain with the Holy Son recently. How could the Holy Son have such a good relationship with her…”

“Lu Qingqing scored a perfect mark in the assessment. Sixteen years old, suspected to be in the 1st stage Condensed Profound Realm, weapon is a bamboo sword, and she’s skilled in a secret sword technique.”

“High threat level. Try not to encounter her in the competition…”

However, what the Heavenly Cold Palace disciples didn’t notice was that not far away, behind a wall, a man dressed in a purple-bottomed white-patterned robe from the Jiuxing Palace was scribbling notes into a book.

Soon, the next group of Heavenly Cold Palace disciples began their tests. The man observed closely, recording the mysterious skills and cultivation realms each disciple used.

“Cough.”

A sudden cough startled him. He turned hastily and was met with the sight of a man with an indifferent aura and handsome features, as ethereal as an immortal, standing behind him.

“Holy Son?” The man was stunned. Flustered, he hid the pen and paper behind his back, stammering, “Holy Son, greetings…”

Xu Ze looked at the Jiuxing Palace disciple with amusement, a gentle smile curving his lips. “Is the Jiuxing Palace assessment already over?”

Although Xu Ze’s smile seemed gentle, the disciple felt no warmth from it. Instead, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his whole body trembling.

“Holy Son, I’m ranked near the bottom… our group hasn’t started yet.”

“Then go back and prepare properly. Don’t loiter around here.” Xu Ze patted his shoulder, urging him to leave.

Watching the disciple flee in panic, Xu Ze shook his head helplessly. He vaguely remembered this disciple—Zhang Heng, an ordinary disciple from the Jiuxing Palace, often ranking near the bottom. Even though all Holy Land disciples were geniuses, there were degrees of talent. Some were considered geniuses in the lower realms but found themselves ordinary in the upper realms, gradually losing their drive and turning to underhanded tactics.

Still, Xu Ze didn’t punish them. After all, those disciples weren’t collecting information for themselves but because they were being coerced.

Jingle—

Just as Xu Ze was about to leave, a crisp bell sound came from the foot of the Holy Mountain. His expression brightened, and with a flash, he arrived there.

At the base of the mountain, a girl in a white robe and hood stood, gently shaking a small bell. A white gemstone pendant swayed at her chest.

“Yun’er, why are you here?”

Seeing her, Xu Ze couldn’t help but smile and ask.

The girl was none other than Nalan Yun, the second lady of the Nalan Merchant Guild.

Nalan Yun lifted her hood, revealing her face as she raised her head to meet Xu Ze’s eyes. “Reading.”

Before leaving the Nalan Merchant Guild, Xu Ze had told Nalan Yun that she was always welcome to come to the Holy Land to study. Now, after a month, she had come with that very reason. But Xu Ze clearly knew her real intention.

Still, he didn’t point it out. Smiling, he took Nalan Yun’s small hand and led her into the Holy Land.

“Where’s your sister?”

“Busy with business.”

“Oh, the Nalan Merchant Guild must be thriving these days.”

“Mm.”

“Then your sister must be happily counting money.”

“Mm.”

“You girl…” Xu Ze smiled wryly and rubbed Nalan Yun’s head. It seemed her quiet and reserved personality was something that couldn’t be changed.

Inside the Holy Fire Palace, the assessment was proceeding in full swing.

“Drink!”

Ye Fan roared, slamming his palm wrapped in profound Qi against the massive black iron block in front of him. With a thunderous rumble, the black iron, weighing tens of thousands of kilograms, was pushed dozens of meters, leaving a deep trench in the ground.

The deacon brothers were stunned, momentarily forgetting to record the results.

“Damn, Senior Brother Ye is incredible!”

“Such strength! That palm strike is almost at the level of the Divine Transformation Realm!”

“It’s terrifying. With Junior Brother Ye participating in this assessment, no one else stands a chance.”

Praise and exclamations echoed throughout the field. Ye Fan’s strength was clearly the strongest among the younger generation of disciples.

Ye Fan simply smiled humbly, cupping his fists in thanks. He knew that while his strength now could match that of a real master, it was still far from being comparable to the Holy Son.

In the past, Ye Fan might have been proud, but now, he only held awe and respect for the profound Dao.

“Disciple of the Holy Fire Palace, Ye Fan, achieved a perfect score in the assessment. He’s a major threat. Senior Brother Bai must be cautious.”

Not far away, a Jiuxing Palace disciple scribbled notes silently, then quickly disappeared from the scene.