"Ling Muchen, have you reached Lv 7 Spiritual Martial Realm?"
In the invigilating hall, Su Mo walked up to Ling Muchen and asked him with a smile.
Ling Muchen nodded and smiled, "I have just made a breakthrough the day before!"
Having said that, Ling Muchen sized Su Mo up and asked him, "Don't tell me you have also reached Lv 7?"
He was uncertain about that. Since Su Mo was in the invigilating hall, he could join the Inner Examination.
Two weeks ago, when they met at Imperial City, Su Mo was only at Lv 5 Spiritual Martial Realm.
Even if he had a lot of Spiritual Stones as a reward, jumping two levels within two weeks was impossible!
"Yes. I have just made a breakthrough!"
Su Mo nodded.
Ling Muchen was stunned upon hearing this. He sighed inwardly. Su Mo was indeed the strongman who had won 151 rounds of combat at Four Seas Arena!
Ling Muchen was initially elated with the breakthrough of his cultivation. However, this joy had disappeared.
As compared to Su Mo, there was nothing to be happy in regards to a one level breakthrough.
"Elder, I'm here for the Inner Examination!"
Su Mo walked toward the invigilating elder, cupping his fist and greeting him.
The elder was a short, middle-aged man. He had an aquiline nose, thin lips, and a sharp chin. He gave one a ruthless impression.
The elder was sitting cross-legged on a mat and was meditating.
Having heard Su Mo, he opened his eyes. A light flashed across his eyes and disappeared.
"Are you Su Mo?"
The invigilating elder looked at Su Mo and asked him nonchalantly.
"Yes!" Su Mo nodded and said.
The invigilating elder slightly nodded his head, looked at Ling Muchen and the other person and said, "The three of you are here. Let's start the examination!"
Having said that, the invigilating elder pointed to the center of the hall. A huge stele, about three meters high, was standing there.
"That stele for ATK test was specially made for the Inner Examination. Each of you shall take turns to attack. No weapon and martial arts techniques should be used. You pass the examination and officially become an Inner Disciple as long as you can light up 10 crystals," the invigilating elder said.
Su Mo was shocked to learn that the Inner Examination was so simple.
He had heard that there was no Inner Examination in Gale Island previously.
As long as the disciples' cultivation had reached Lv 7 Spiritual Martial Realm, they would enter the inner gate and become Inner Disciples.
However, many Outer Disciples, who were at the Peak Lv 6 Spiritual Martial Realm, had used special means or elixir to reach Lv 7 Spiritual Martial Realm in order to enter the inner gate. This was because their talent was mediocre, and they were unable to breakthrough over a long period of time. However, by doing so, they were putting themselves at risk.
Although these people had reached Lv 7, their strength was much weaker than the martial artists who had advanced through the proper means.
Their cultivation was unstable and could fall below the Realm.
When this happened, it would pull down the standard of the Inner Disciples.
Gale Island had then come up with this examination. If the disciples had not advanced through the proper means, it would be difficult for them to pass the examination.
The other disciple who had come for the examination stepped forward to the stele for ATK test.
That was a burly youth. Su Mo remembered seeing him at the Outer Disciple Competition. Moreover, this youth seemed to have entered the top 100.
"Ho!"
The burly youth stood before the stele and took a deep breath. With a shout, he punched the stele.
Boom!
The huge stele shook and immediately, 11 crystals were lit up.
"12 crystals. Pass!" the invigilating elder said aloud.
The burly youth was elated and walked back with a proud look.
Ling Muchen then stepped forward and threw a palm blow to the stele.
Purple light shone out from the stele and 14 rays of light lit up.
"14 crystals. Pass!"
The invigilating elder sat on the mat and shouted out again.
Su Mo nodded his head. As one of the top 10 Outer Disciples, Ling Muchen ranked number three. As compared to his peers, his strength was way beyond theirs. To have such an attack was of no surprise.
After Ling Muchen had returned, Su Mo stepped forward.
The Inner Examination was of no big deal to Su Mo. It was too easy for him.
As Su Mo was about to throw out a punch, the invigilating elder suddenly spoke.
"Su Mo, 20 crystals is your standard to pass!" the invigilating elder said flatly, looking expressionless.
Su Mo was stunned. He frowned and asked, "Elder, why do the others need to light up only 10 crystals, but I have to light up 20 in order to pass the examination?"
Upon hearing Su Mo's question, the invigilating elder just glanced coldly at him and said, "This is because your cultivation is higher than theirs. You have reached the Middle-stage at the Lv 7 Spiritual Martial Realm!"
The cultivation of the invigilating elder was profound enough to see through Su Mo's cultivation level.
Su Mo looked pale. "Isn't it good to have higher cultivation? Why must he increase the standard just because my cultivation is high?"
Moreover, Su Mo's cultivation was only slightly higher, but the level of difficulty had been raised many times more!
It looked as though there was an increase of merely 10 additional crystals. However, to light up every additional crystal, the attack had been multiplied.
This was an examination of cultivation. It was to test whether the disciple had advanced to Lv 7 through the proper means, rather than an examination of the individual's strength!
If the level of difficulty had been increased to such a high standard due to a slightly higher cultivation; then few people would be able to pass the examination.
Take the burly youth for example. He had only lit up 12 crystals. Su Mo was certain that the burly youth would not have lit up 20 crystals even if he had reached the Peak Lv 7 Spiritual Martial Realm.
Su Mo's face darkened. The invigilating elder was obviously trying to make things difficult for him.
"Elder, my cultivation is only slightly higher than theirs. You have raised the standard to such a high level, is this right?" Su Mo asked coldly.
Although it was easy for Su Mo to light up an additional 10 crystals, he could not accept such unreasonable treatment.
"How dare you!"
Upon hearing what Su Mo had said, the invigilating elder shouted. He looked coldly at Su Mo and said, "You have no right to question me. Are you doubting me?"
"You..."
Su Mo was enraged. He had never expected this elder to be so unreasonable.
As he was about to speak out, he heard a small voice in his ear.
"Su Mo, the invigilating elder is from the Sky Alliance. Don't go head-on with him!"
Ling Muchen's voice had reached Su Mo's ear.
He was using the sound transmission technique.
Having heard this, Su Mo raised his brows. No wonder the invigilating elder was making things difficult for him! He was from the Sky Alliance!
In this case, it was no surprise.
"Is the Sky Alliance so powerful now?"
"Any of the elders could be from the Sky Alliance."
Su Mo sneered. Duan Jingtian had yet to become the owner, but these elders could not wait to show their loyalty toward him!
Su Mo suppressed his anger and looked at the stele.
There were 25 purple crystals on the stele. Even a martial artist at the Peak Lv 8 Spiritual Martial Realm could not light up all of them up.
After pondering for a while, Su Mo curled up his lips and said to the invigilating elder, "Elder, there are only 25 crystals on the stele. What if my attack surpasses 25?"
"Hahaha!!"
Upon hearing this, the invigilating broke into laughter as though he had heard a joke.
After a while, he said in disdain, "Even a martial artist at the Peak Lv 8 Spiritual Martial Realm could not light up 25 crystals, let alone surpassing 25. You can?"
The invigilating elder looked mockingly at Su Mo.
"Oh? Really?"
Su Mo casually asked, "Can this stele be blown up?"