Tang Xiao Qi's words, imbued with Spirit Transformation pressure and irrefutable resolve, thundered like nine heavens within the Supreme Council Chamber, instantly sweeping away all the noise and arguing born with personal interests. The faction representatives who had been fightingfiercely for the primary positions now cowered like ducks with their necks wrung, faces flushed red or pale, barely daring to speak. The air was filled with a nearly congealed solemnity and a faint, intangible fear.
They finally thoroughly recognized a reality—in the face of the ultimate threat to the Three Realms' survival, this young Alliance Master possessed the power and will to settle the universe. Any attempt to play political tricks or calculate personal gain at this moment was no different from seeking one's own destruction.
Xiao Qi's gaze calmly swept the entire hall, taking in everyone's reactions, and said nothing more. Some words needed only be said once. He turned to Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng, his tone returning to his usual steadiness: "Senior Brother, specific assessment matters shall be under your full authority. Working with the formation masters at the 'Myriad Phenomena Formation Derivation Platform,' you must formulate a fair, just, and truly talent-selecting plan in the shortest time possible."
"Yes, Alliance Master!" Senior Brother accepted his orders solemnly, a weight lifting from his heart. With Xiao Qi's clear stance and strong backing, the resistance to his subsequent work would be greatly reduced.
The Alliance Master's orders, through the alliance's communication network, proclaimed to the Three Realms at the fastest speed.
"The three hundred and sixty-five primary formation positions of the Zhou Tian Star Formation shall select by merit, without asking origin!"
This news, like a massive stone dropped into a calm lake,stirred waves far more surging than the earlier power struggles throughout the Three Realms!
Countless medium and small sects, cultivation families, and even manyindependent cultivators without powerful backgrounds, upon hearing this news, first found it unbelievable, then erupted intriumphant cheers and unprecedented enthusiasm!
This meant they had a chance! A chance to participate in this destiny-deciding battle, to stand on that glorious and responsible primary formation position through their own strength and talent—rather than, as in many previous major events, being mere onlookers or insignificant supporting characters!
For a time, everywhere in the Three Realms, all Nascent Soul stage cultivators, regardless of background, began rolling up their sleeves and preparing actively. Previously closely-guarded techniques and secret arts, encouraged by the alliance's new rules allowing contribution points to exchange for reference access, also began circulating to a limited extent. The overall vitality and ambition of the cultivation world were stimulated to an unprecedented height.
And Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng, responsible for formulating specific assessment standards, and the over a hundred formation masters at the "Myriad Phenomena Formation Derivation Platform," plunged into even busier work.
On the "Trial Peak," specially opened behind Qingxu Temple, assessment sites—temporary yet fully functional—were rapidly constructed. According to the three core principles Xiao Qi set: "cultivation level, understanding of formation dao, and adaptability to purification cultivation methods," the assessment was subdivided into several stages:
**First Trial, Star Resonance and Spiritual Energy Purity.** Examinees needed to enter an "Induction Palace" simulating Zhou Tian star movements, and within the specified time, draw upon and communicate with as many star phantoms matching their attributes as possible, while maintaining the purity and stability of their spiritual energy. This aimed to screen cultivators with high affinity for stellar power and solid foundations.
**Second Trial, Formation Deduction and Adaptability.** Examinees would face complex and changeable formation problems designed jointly by the formation masters. These could include completing fragmentary formation diagrams, adjusting formations under sudden conditions, or thoroughly explaining specific formation principles. This tested not only knowledge reserves in formation dao, but also logical thinking, deduction ability, and on-the-spot adaptability.
**Third Trial, Demonic Energy Resistance and Purification Assistance.** This was a stage Xiao Qi especially emphasized adding. Examinees needed to enter a sealed "Demonic Purification Chamber" filled with processed demonic energy—its erosive nature weakened but retaining its disruptive characteristics. Examinees needed to maintain clear minds in the demonic energy environment, operate cultivation methods to resist erosion, and also attempt to control preset simple magical artifacts or talismans based on purification principles to perform limited dispelling or suppression of demonic energy. This stage directly related to whether one could effectively resist the demonic entity's possible spiritual erosion and demonic energy interference at the primary formation position, and whether one could cooperate with any purification power the formation might contain.
The assessment standards were extremely strict, with detailed scoring rules for each item, evaluated jointly by multiple masters to ensure the utmost fairness.
News spread, and applicants came like a river of fish. Below the Trial Peak, crowds pressed together, spiritual light soaring. There were white-haired old cultivators who had been stuck at early Nascent Soul for hundreds of years, hoping this would be an opportunity to break through their mental obstacles; there were sharp-edged, born-of-great-sect heaven's favored sons and daughters, wanting to prove their worth; and there were many from remote places, with undistinguished reputations, but firm gazes and solid foundations—independent cultivators. They might not have top-tier techniques, but they possessed resilient will honed at the edge of life and death and unique understanding of power.
The assessment process was not smooth sailing. Some failed due to impure spiritual energy at the Star Induction stage; others were at a loss during the deduction stage due to rigid understanding of formation dao; still others, in the Demonic Purification Chamber, nearly lost control when the demonic energy stirred their inner demons due to weak will or cultivation method characteristics, saved just in time by guards.
But more showed astonishing potential and unique talent.
An old monk from Western Desert places of hardship, whose spiritual energy was not particularly abundant but exceedingly pure, had star induction with the "Arhat Seat" far beyond others, and in the Demonic Purification Chamber, with merely a Buddhist utterance, caused surrounding demonic energy to retreat.
A young girl from a small East Sea island, though not of dragon clan, due to years of companionship with ocean tides, had extremely profound insight into the "Ji Shui Bao" star mansion, her water-element purification assistance method original and innovative, causing assessment masters to take notice.
A body-cultivator from a small Northern Wastes tribe, with little knowledge of formation theory, but relying on beast-like instincts and powerful physique, withstood several times the normal pressure in simulated formation impact stages, displaying the stability of a formation eye cornerstone.
These people's emergence proved the correctness of Xiao Qi's "merit is paramount" policy. Many truly talented people previously limited by their origins were able to stand out.
Xiao Qi did not excessively interfere with the specific assessment process, but his spiritual sense constantly enveloped the entire Trial Peak. He silently watched those cultivators displaying resilience, wisdom, and potential in the assessments. In his heart, the heavy pressure brought by the demonic entity seemed slightly lessened by seeing this vibrant vitality emerging from the Three Realms' foundations.
The alliance's war machine, after clearing out the impurity of internal power struggles, was operating in a healthier, more efficient manner. What gathered was no longer fragmented private forces, but truly elite power striving for a common goal, rigorously selected.
Merit is paramount—not empty talk. It was gathering the scattered power of the Three Realms into a sharp blade pointed at the Void Demon Nest! And this very process of forging the blade was enhancing the entire Three Realms' foundation and resilience.