Chapter 7: The Azure Dragon's Gate
Two Weeks Later – Foot of the Heavenly Peak Mountain
The journey from Green Leaf City had been long and arduous, but for Chen Feng, it was merely a warm-up. With his meridians fully open and his *Void Body* trait active, he absorbed spiritual energy from the air with every breath, constantly refining his foundation.
Beside him, Lin Yue walked with a renewed vigor. The *Star Heart* orb she had retrieved from the Whispering Ruins now hung around her neck, emitting a soft golden glow that kept her curse at bay. Her skin, once pale and frail, now held a healthy flush, and her steps were light and confident.
Ahead of them, piercing through the clouds like a spear of jade, stood the **Heavenly Peak**. And atop that peak, surrounded by floating islands connected by bridges of light, lay the **Azure Dragon Academy**.
It was the most prestigious cultivation academy in the Eastern Continent. Only geniuses from noble families or those with terrifying talent were accepted. To enter here was to guarantee a future as a powerful cultivator. To fail meant remaining a mortal forever.
"We made it," Lin Yue whispered, looking up at the majestic gates carved into the mountain face. Two massive stone dragons flanked the entrance, their eyes glowing with ancient runes.
"Don't get too comfortable," Chen Feng said, his eyes scanning the crowd gathering at the base of the mountain. "The real challenge starts now."
Hundreds of young cultivators, dressed in silk robes and adorned with spiritual artifacts, were lining up. Some rode on flying swords; others summoned beasts of burden. They laughed, boasted, and formed cliques, ignoring the few scattered individuals who looked like Chen Feng and Lin Yue—wanderers with no backing.
"Look at them," a voice sneered nearby. "More trash thinking they can fly with eagles."
Chen Feng turned slightly. A group of five young men, all wearing the insignia of the **Golden Lion Clan**, were staring at them. The leader, a tall youth with arrogant eyes and a sword strapped to his back, stepped forward.
"I am Zhao Huo," the leader announced loudly, ensuring everyone heard. "Third son of the Golden Lion Clan. My cultivation is at *Qi Gathering Level 9*. I suggest you weaklings move aside before the testing begins. We don't need beggars blocking our path."
The crowd parted instinctively. Fear of powerful clans was ingrained in everyone.
Lin Yue frowned, stepping forward. "The test is open to everyone, regardless of background. Move aside yourself if you're afraid of competition."
Zhao Huo laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Competition? From you? A girl with a weird necklace and... him?" He pointed at Chen Feng, who stood silently with his hands in his sleeves. "He doesn't even emit any spiritual pressure. Is he a mortal?"
The crowd murmured.
*"Level 9? That's almost Foundation Establishment!"*
*"That girl is brave, but foolish."*
*"The boy looks dead inside. Maybe he's scared stiff."*
Chen Feng finally spoke, his voice calm and devoid of emotion. "Your noise is annoying. Save your breath for the test."
Zhao Huo's face twisted in rage. "You dare insult me? Do you know who my father is? I could crush you with one finger!"
He drew his sword. The blade shimmered with a fiery red aura. *Fire Element Technique: Blazing Strike.* The temperature around them spiked instantly.
"Apologize on your knees," Zhao Huo commanded, pointing the sword at Chen Feng's throat, "or I'll carve an apology into your skin."
Lin Yue reached for her dagger, but Chen Feng placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stay back."
He looked at Zhao Huo, not with fear, but with boredom. It was the look a lion gives to a barking puppy.
"One finger, you said?" Chen Feng asked softly.
"Yes!" Zhao Huo roared and thrust his sword forward. The blade shot a wave of fire straight at Chen Feng's chest.
The crowd gasped. Some looked away, expecting blood.
But Chen Feng didn't move. He simply raised one index finger.
*Snap.*
He flicked the air in front of him.
A ripple of distorted space—a tiny fragment of *Void Energy*—shot from his finger. It hit the fire wave and... erased it. Not blocked, not deflected. *Erased.* As if the fire had never existed.
The fire vanished inches from Chen Feng's robe.
Silence fell over the crowd. Even the wind seemed to stop.
Zhao Huo froze, his sword still extended. "W-what? How did you..."
"Your technique is sloppy," Chen Feng critiqued casually. "Your stance is unbalanced. And your fire lacks soul. Go back to training."
Before Zhao Huo could react, Chen Feng took a single step forward.
*Boom.*
An invisible pressure slammed into Zhao Huo, sending him flying backward ten meters. He crashed into a rock, dropping his sword, gasping for air as if the oxygen had been sucked out of his lungs.
"You..." Zhao Huo wheezed, unable to stand. "What level are you?! You feel like... nothing! But you're strong!"
Chen Feng didn't answer. He turned his back on the humiliated clan heir and walked toward the line. "Come, Lin Yue. The sun is setting."
Lin Yue followed, hiding a smile behind her hand. The crowd parted for them again, but this time, it wasn't out of pity. It was out of respect—and fear.
*"Who is that guy?"*
*"He defeated a Level 9 with a flick of his finger!"*
*"He must be a hidden monster from a super-clan!"*
Whispers chased them as they took their place at the front of the line.
---
**The Testing Grounds**
An hour later, the massive stone gates groaned open. An elder in blue robes floated down from the sky, landing gracefully on a platform above the crowd. His presence was overwhelming—*Foundation Establishment Level 8*.
"I am Elder Wu," he announced, his voice booming without effort. "Welcome to the Azure Dragon Academy entrance exam. Many of you will fail. Most of you will be sent home. Only those with true potential shall walk these halls."
He waved his hand, and a massive crystal pillar rose from the ground. It was translucent, filled with swirling mist.
"This is the **Spirit Resonance Pillar**," Elder Wu explained. "Place your hand on it. It will measure your age, cultivation level, and most importantly, your **Talent Grade**."
He listed the grades:
- **Grade F:** Mortal Talent (Rejected)
- **Grade D:** Low Talent (Accepted as Outer Disciple)
- **Grade C:** Average Talent (Accepted as Outer Disciple)
- **Grade B:** High Talent (Accepted as Inner Disciple)
- **Grade A:** Genius Talent (Direct Entry to Core Disciple)
- **Grade S:** Heaven-Defying Talent (Immediate acceptance as Prodigy, resources guaranteed)
"Begin," Elder Wu commanded.
One by one, candidates stepped forward.
Most touched the pillar, and it glowed a dull grey or faint green. *Grade F. Grade D.* They were ushered aside, faces filled with disappointment.
Then came Zhao Huo, still limping but determined. He slapped his hand on the pillar.
It glowed bright orange.
**"Zhao Huo. Age 17. Qi Gathering Level 9. Talent Grade: B+."**
"Not bad," Elder Wu nodded. "Inner Disciple."
Zhao Huo smirked, shooting a hateful glance at Chen Feng. "Wait until I see what the trash gets."
Finally, it was Lin Yue's turn.
She stepped forward, placing her slender hand on the crystal.
Immediately, the pillar shook. A brilliant golden light erupted, shooting high into the sky. Stars seemed to dance within the mist.
**"Lin Yue. Age 16. Qi Gathering Level 5. Talent Grade: A+ (Special Attribute: Starlight)."**
The crowd gasped. An A+? At level 5?
Elder Wu's eyes widened. "Excellent! Direct entry to Core Disciples. Welcome, Lin Yue."
Lin Yue bowed and stepped aside, looking proudly at Chen Feng.
"And now," Elder Wu called out, "the next candidate. Chen Feng."
Chen Feng stepped forward. The crowd went silent. Everyone remembered how he handled Zhao Huo. What grade would a monster like him get?
He placed his palm on the pillar.
For a second, nothing happened.
Zhao Huo snickered. "Maybe he's a fraud after all."
Then, the pillar turned black.
Not a dull grey. A deep, abyssal black.
The mist inside didn't swirl; it vanished, sucked into the darkness. The ground trembled. The runes on the pillar flickered wildly, as if struggling to process the reading.
*Crack.*
A small fissure appeared on the surface of the crystal.
Elder Wu jumped down from his platform, his face pale. "Impossible... The pillar is rejecting the measurement? Or is it absorbing the energy?"
The black light intensified, then suddenly imploded, collapsing into a single point before exploding outward in a silent shockwave that knocked everyone except Chen Feng off their feet.
When the dust settled, the pillar displayed text in jagged, ancient runes that slowly translated:
**"Name: Chen Feng."**
**"Age: 16."**
**"Cultivation: Qi Gathering Level 1."**
**"Talent Grade: ??? (Error: Energy Signature Unrecognized)"**
**"Assessment: Threat Level - Unknown. Potential - Infinite."**
Silence. Absolute silence.
"Infinite?" Elder Wu whispered, staring at Chen Feng with a mix of awe and terror. "I have never seen this in thirty years of testing."
Zhao Huo looked ready to vomit. "Level 1? He's only Level 1 and he broke the machine?!"
Chen Feng withdrew his hand. The black fade from his palm. "Is this a pass?" he asked dryly.
Elder Wu swallowed hard, regaining his composure. "Y-yes. More than a pass. By the rules of the Academy, any candidate with an 'Unknown' rating is automatically granted the status of **Supreme Prodigy**. You will have access to all resources, including the Forbidden Library."
He bowed deeply, something he hadn't done for anyone. "Welcome, Senior Brother Chen."
The crowd erupted into chaos.
*"Supreme Prodigy?!"*
*"He skipped Core Disciple straight to the top!"*
*"Who IS he?!"*
Chen Feng ignored the uproar. He walked over to Lin Yue, who was staring at him with wide, sparkling eyes.
"Told you," he whispered softly. "Levels are just numbers."
As they walked through the great gates into the academy grounds, Chen Feng felt a familiar tingling in his dantian. The Void Flame pulsed happily.
*Step one complete,* he thought. *Now, let the games begin.*
But high above, on a distant peak, a pair of ancient eyes opened, watching the black flare of the testing pillar.
"So," a voice echoed in the wind, cold and calculating. "The Void has returned. Interesting."
To be continued...