The candidates moved on to the next segment — The Trial of Heart. The space suddenly dimmed.
The arena transformed into a silent illusion, like a mountain valley deep in the wilderness. A bell resounded within each candidate's mind:
"Calm your mind. Face your inner demon. If you fear, you will lose points."
Duong Minh closed his eyes. In an instant, he found himself standing upon a vast wasteland. The earth split apart. From within the fissure, a dark figure crawled upward, shaped like him, but with burning red eyes.
It whispered:
"You are not a Dao Cultivator. You are merely an impostor."
"Your father died for this path. Do you still wish to continue?"
Duong Minh simply circulated his energy in silence. The Fire Serpent flowed quietly through his body along the Microcosmic Orbit, expelling the remaining white Spiritual Energy. His body instinctively absorbed the surrounding Spiritual Energy, gradually nourishing and strengthening the regions through which the current passed. He felt the flow clearly. He knew little about the Path of Dao and had only recently begun experiencing Spiritual Energy moving within him.
At this moment, the inner demon had no effect. For a fleeting instant, he reached a state free of desire and craving. The surrounding Spiritual Energy gathered, shimmering at his brow. Within that radiant glow, the inner demon dissolved, and the Spiritual Energy around him became clear — like strands of violet mist drifting through the air.
"A sign of the Heavenly Eye opening!!!" Venerable Lieu Chan exclaimed in shock. "Has he not never studied the Path of Dao?"
The bell rang. The Heart Inquiry ended.
Duong Minh opened his eyes — sweat dampened his forehead, but his gaze was steady.
Beside him, Thanh Cuong knelt on one knee, face pale. Arjun, like Duong Minh, sat in meditation posture, breathing evenly, mind tranquil.
Several other candidates looked as though they had endured a brutal battle. Some wept. Some collapsed.
The inner demon is born from desire. The more greed, anger, and delusion one carries, the stronger the inner demon becomes — more seductive, more capable of crushing one's reason and spirit.
Duong Minh glanced around. He did not harbor many obsessions. Reviving Quoc Trung, living peacefully with his mother and sister, continuing his father's Path of Dao — these were his wishes now.
Yes, they were things he wanted to do. But they were not desperate attachments his soul clung to. It was as though he had lost a fragment of emotion — or perhaps become more rational. Or perhaps it was simply the mark of one who had already walked through death.
Lyra sensed the fluctuation in his thoughts and spoke gently:
"You are still you. You are still Duong Minh. You have only grown stronger. You still cherish those you love. That is why you remain Duong Minh."
He listened and smiled quietly. He understood. Lyra was his compass, keeping him from losing himself between the Path of Intellect and the Path of Dao, ensuring that no matter how far his power advanced, he would remain human.
After a short rest, the candidates advanced to the final trial: Force Measurement — testing the impact strength of Spiritual Energy.
A massive stone pillar rose from the arena floor. Ancient symbols covered its surface, designed to measure "spiritual impact force." Each candidate would circulate energy and strike the pillar to gauge power.
Several candidates stepped forward. Among them were those from long-established sects and families who had trained in qigong for years, confident in their strength. The majority, however, were newcomers who had only recently come into contact with Spiritual Energy and had been discovered by government organizations for their talent and sent here for training.
"Most of them reach only two or three marks — early-stage Qi Refinement," one Dao mentor serving as judge shook his head toward Venerable Lieu Chan.
"There are a few promising ones. They have not taken their turn yet. I am waiting to see how far they can go," Lieu Chan replied.
When it was Thanh Cuong's turn, he stepped toward the pillar. His large, powerful frame beside the stone made spectators unconsciously draw sharp breaths in anticipation.
He inhaled deeply. His body swelled with muscle. Blue Spiritual Energy erupted from him like flame, gathering in his palm before surging into the pillar with a heavy punch.
BOOM.
The pillar illuminated to the fourth mark.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"Truly imposing!" someone flattered.
"Four marks — that's mid-stage Qi Refinement strength! And he hasn't even enrolled yet?" another exclaimed in shock.
The girl beside Thanh Cuong smiled proudly, as though she herself had achieved the result.
Arjun was next. He appeared small and lean, dark-skinned, almost mismatched against the towering pillar. The crowd fell silent. They knew he was strong — his performance in the previous two trials had been exceptional — but beside the massive stone, he did not look formidable.
Arjun circulated his technique calmly. Heat rose like flame. Spiritual Energy from the surroundings rushed toward him like a torrent, seeping through his pores, twisting into a blue flame of pure energy before condensing into his fist.
BAM.
A thunderous explosion followed his strike.
The pillar lit to the fifth mark.
"Outstanding!" a judge exclaimed. The crowd roared. Venerable Lieu Chan smiled faintly.
"He must be the strongest candidate this year!" someone shouted.
Duong Minh inhaled sharply.
He had seen it clearly — when Arjun circulated, Spiritual Energy surged toward him like a waterfall, entering through his pores, gathering at his fist before releasing a tremendous impact into the pillar.
"His method of cultivation and usage of Spiritual Energy is completely different from mine," Duong Minh thought. "Perhaps I should try."
Then it was his turn.
He stepped forward slowly. Closing his eyes, he calmed his mind and began circulating the Microcosmic Orbit. His chakras opened wide, absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Energy. The fresh current entered his body, merging with the remaining white strands from the previous formation, forming a white-red vortex within each chakra.
The white-red current blended, then flowed gradually through his meridians into his arm, condensing in his fist. His hand grew taut, burning hot.
"It's time. Let's see."
He swung his fist with all his strength and struck the pillar.
BOOM.
The impact shook the entire arena.
The pillar lit up to the sixth mark — then burst into a flare of white light.
The entire arena froze in stunned silence. No one spoke.
Venerable Lieu Chan stared at the pillar, stammering, "No… impossible. Has he not just begun cultivation?"
Master Tinh Khong stood at a distance, smiling faintly, though even he was surprised. He knew Duong Minh's talent in controlling Spiritual Energy, but he had not expected him to take such a risk.
Thanh Cuong clenched his fists. Arjun looked at Duong Minh with genuine respect. "You truly are a monster."
Duong Minh smiled lightly. Perhaps he had been fortunate. The white Spiritual Energy absorbed during the Endurance trial had allowed him to unleash explosive strength in the final round.
As someone who had only practiced basic Path of Dao cultivation for three days, he could not compare in raw Spiritual Energy to those trained for years.
He understood this clearly. The three-part results of the Talent round were not something to be proud of. But he also understood the difference — he possessed a clear advantage in sensing and controlling Spiritual Energy.
And in the rounds ahead, he would have to make full use of that advantage.