138: Chapter 138 Nine Breaths Clear the Field and Suppress the Demons! The Heavenly Profound Sect's Foundation Shakes the Recruitment Platform!

[March 10th. Afternoon. Inn backyard.]

[You use charcoal to draw the layout of the beast nest on a stone slab.]

[Outer perimeter sentries, middle perimeter communal living, inner perimeter nest mother. A three-layer nesting.]

[Huo Quji and Ling Qingmeng squat on either side.]

[You press your fingertip on the outer perimeter.]

"The Talent Recruitment Platform doesn't test individual combat."

"The Xuantian Holy Sect has lost its own disciples in the western mineral veins. They are in need of experts to clear the nests."

[Ling Qingmeng's gaze falls on the drawing.]

"Where did you find out about this test method?"

"The Xuantian Holy Sect's annual assessments change according to their staffing needs."

[You toss away the charcoal.]

"This time, when you take the stage, you only need to do two things."

[You raise your index finger.]

"First. Lightning-style field clearing."

"The beast nest fears large-scale slaughter. The Thousand-Thread Thunder Net is the perfect tool for clearing the field."

"No matter what targets they put on the stage, use one round of coverage to achieve five times the efficiency of an average person."

[You raise your second finger.]

"Second. Crowd control."

"If the beasts in the nest escape, any that slip through will become a future threat."

"Use the Thunder-Binding Lock to seal their retreat, and the Thousand-Thread Thunder Net to close the net. Not a single one can escape."

[Ling Qingmeng stands still for two breaths.]

"Using the Thunder Net and Thunder-Binding Lock simultaneously will cause spiritual energy consumption to stack exponentially."

[You meet her gaze.]

"That is why Huo Quji needs to take the stage."

[Huo Quji looks up.]

"foundation establishment level 3 is nothing special among Central Province sect cultivators. Can I really do it?"

"You don't need to kill. You need to hold the line."

[You draw a shield-shaped mark on the diagram.]

"Ling Qingmeng has a three-breath gap when laying the net. You stand in front of her and use the mystic turtle spirit shield to push back any living creatures that slip through."

"No need to draw your sword, just hold your ground to the death."

[Huo Quji clenches his fists.]

"Blocking. I can do that."

[You stand up.]

"Remember. Register as a rogue cultivator, but display the foundation of a sect on stage."

"You must make everyone off-stage think the same thing."

"Where did these two come from?"

[Ling Qingmeng brushes the dust off her knees.]

"I've noted the tactics. My spiritual energy reserves are lacking."

"Central Province cultivators have 30% more dantian storage than those in the Eastern Region. I will be at a disadvantage in a war of attrition."

[You take a white jade bottle from your sleeve.]

"Fourth-grade Spirit-Storing Pill. Take one before going on stage. It will max out your spiritual energy peak in a short time."

[Ling Qingmeng takes the white jade bottle.]

"Is it enough?"

"Enough for you to cover the entire arena and unleash two rounds of the Thunder Net."

[Ling Qingmeng puts the bottle away.]

[You turn to Huo Quji.]

"The mystic turtle spirit shield has a delay in its passive rebound. You need to stack your fire-style combat techniques onto the shield. Practice three more times tonight."

[Huo Quji slaps the shield face heavily.]

"Practice!"

[Night falls. The backyard.]

[You watch Huo Quji repeatedly practice his shield footwork.]

[First time. The gap at his left rib is exposed for half a breath.]

[Second time. Stance moved forward two inches, center of gravity shifted to the right.]

[Third time. Center of gravity corrected. Shield strike, fire-style stacking, recovery—three steps in one fluid motion.]

[You pat the back of the mystic turtle spirit shield.]

"That's it. Don't make any mistakes tomorrow."

[March 11th. 7:00 AM.]

[North of Dongyang City. Martial Arts Plaza.]

[The Talent Recruitment Platform is set up in the center of the plaza. A six-zhang square platform with a black iron base, embedded with spiritual energy amplification arrays at the four corners.]

[Over three hundred people are gathered below the platform. Mostly rogue cultivators.]

[High seats on the platform.]

[Three Xuantian Holy Sect deacons sit side by side.]

[The one in the center has gray robes and tied-up hair, prominent brow bones, and the Xuantian Holy Sect's Azure Cloud pattern embroidered on his chest.]

[You bring the two of them to the registration desk.]

[You hand over the temporary rogue cultivator jade tokens.]

"Registering for two."

[The disciple holding the brush looks over the jade tokens.]

"Report your cultivation levels."

"Foundation establishment level 7. foundation establishment level 3."

[The disciple next to him stops writing.]

"foundation establishment level 3 applying for the cleanup squad? Going to the western mineral veins is just throwing your life away."

[Huo Quji grips the hilt of his sword.]

[You press down on his shoulder and look at the disciple behind the table.]

"He is in a support position. It's a paired selection."

[The disciple holding the brush writes it down.]

"Number thirty-seven. Number thirty-eight. Wait for your turn."

[You lead the two of them back to the west side.]

[Ling Qingmeng leans against a stone pillar.]

"The one in the center is at Foundation Establishment Level 9."

[You nod.]

"Deacon Zhao of the Xuantian Holy Sect. He is responsible for screening guest elders and has the authority to make direct recommendations."

[Dozens of groups of rogue cultivators take the stage one after another.]

[The martial arts array activates, and the pre-set beast puppets rise and fall.]

[Fourth-grade Iron-Armored Scorpion, third-grade Red-Maned Wolf, third-grade Poison Spider.]

[The twelfth group of sword cultivators takes the stage and clears eight puppets in fifteen breaths. Two Poison Spiders were missed, but they were finished off after a three-breath chase.]

[Deacon Zhao writes down the record.]

"Usable. Keep for observation."

[The nineteenth group of rogue cultivators joins forces. Their coordination is clumsy, and one Red-Maned Wolf puppet rushes out of the martial arts array, only to be bounced back by the protective array.]

[Deacon Zhao's hand hovers over the jade slip.]

"Get off."

[The twentieth group fails.]

[Deacon Zhao whispers to the female cultivator beside him.]

"The standard is mediocre. The western mineral veins will still need our own disciples to fill the gap."

[Your lips press into a flat line.]

[The groundwork is done.]

"Number thirty-seven. Number thirty-eight. Take the stage."

[Ling Qingmeng pushes off the stone pillar.]

[Huo Quji follows with his shield.]

[You step back twice and blend into the crowd.]

[On the high platform.]

[Deacon Zhao sweeps his gaze over Ling Qingmeng and pauses for half a breath. He sweeps over Huo Quji, and his gaze stays fixed.]

[The female cultivator beside him whispers in his ear.]

"This group has one main and one support, and they brought a foundation establishment level 3."

[Deacon Zhao flips the jade slip.]

"Begin."

[The martial arts array glows brightly.]

[Twelve beast puppets rise from the ground mechanisms.]

[Four Iron-Armored Scorpions. Six Red-Maned Wolves. Two Poison Spiders.]

[A chaotic conversation breaks out among the rogue cultivators below.]

"Twelve targets for a foundation establishment level 7? That's just making things difficult."

"And that foundation establishment level 3 is holding a broken shield. He'll be swatted into meat paste in a moment."

[Ling Qingmeng stands still.]

[Her left hand takes the white jade bottle from her bosom. Her thumb flicks the cork open.]

[A Spirit-Storing Pill enters her throat.]

[Violent spiritual energy pours into her meridians, and her dantian is filled.]

[She closes her eyes.]

[Her ten fingers suddenly spread open.]

[First move. Thousand-Thread Thunder Net.]

[Purple lightning bursts from the tips of her ten fingers.]

[Dozens of lightning threads weave through the air; each one is as thin as a spider silk, with extremely high purity of spiritual energy.]

[The Thunder Net takes shape in mid-air.]

[The coverage reaches the entire arena.]

[Four Iron-Armored Scorpions, six Red-Maned Wolves, and two Poison Spiders are all enveloped within it.]

[Deacon Zhao leans forward, his hands pressing down on the armrests of his chair.]

"Full-area coverage?"

[The Thunder Net falls fiercely.]

[Three Red-Maned Wolf bodies disintegrate. Two Poison Spiders are sliced into segments on the spot.]

[The four Iron-Armored Scorpions take the first round of slaughter head-on, their shells charred and cracked, and they rush frantically toward the edges of the Thunder Net.]

[Ling Qingmeng turns her right hand.]

[Second move. Thunder-Binding Lock.]

[Four thick lightning chains branch out from the net, tightly locking onto the tails of the four Iron-Armored Scorpions.]

[Both arrays are used simultaneously. Sweat beads on Ling Qingmeng's forehead as her spiritual energy output approaches its peak.]

[Three damaged Red-Maned Wolves drill half their bodies out of a hole in the Thunder Net.]

[Huo Quji moves.]

[His fire-style heavenly spiritual root operates wildly, crimson flames surging along his arms to cover the mystic turtle spirit shield.]

[Flames become a shield. He faces the direction of the breakout.]

[The first wolf head hits the shield face. Turtle patterns light up, and the fire shield erupts with flames.]

[The rebounding wave of fire knocks the wolf puppet directly over, smashing it back into the center of the Thunder Net, its outer skin charred and peeling.]

[The second one pounces from the left flank. Huo Quji grinds his left foot into the ground, and the flame-wrapped shield edge sweeps across. The wolf puppet's neck is melted through.]

[The third one circles to his back.]

[Huo Quji does not turn around.]

[He kicks back with his right foot, his body pushing backward with the shield.]

[The high-temperature shield back slams into the wolf puppet's chest.]

[The wolf's skeletal structure shatters, and it is forcibly pushed back into the net.]

[All three are blocked. Not one escapes.]

[Ling Qingmeng tightens her hands.]

[The Thousand-Thread Thunder Net closes rapidly.]

[Four locked Iron-Armored Scorpions and three damaged Red-Maned Wolves.]

[They all shatter amidst the contracting lightning.]

[All twelve targets are annihilated.]

[Time taken: nine breaths.]

[The crowd below is silent.]

[Deacon Zhao's hand holding the jade slip freezes in mid-air.]

[Two breaths later, he places the jade slip on the desk.]

[The female cultivator beside him checks the timing array.]

"Nine breaths. All killed."

[Deacon Zhao stands up.]

[He paces to the edge of the platform and looks down at Ling Qingmeng.]

"What is your name."

[Ling Qingmeng withdraws her hands. Her fingers are numb.]

"Ling Qingmeng."

"Where did you learn your techniques?"

"I have no sect or faction."

[Deacon Zhao scrutinizes her for a few breaths.]

"A rogue cultivator would never have such a foundation in lightning techniques."

[Ling Qingmeng does not answer.]

[Deacon Zhao turns his head, his gaze falling on Huo Quji.]

"You, foundation establishment level 3. You perfectly integrated fire-style combat techniques into the shield defense just now. Who taught you?"

[Huo Quji holds the shield with one arm.]

"I practiced it myself."

[Deacon Zhao says nothing. He walks back to his main seat and writes on the jade slip with a brush.]

"Ling Qingmeng. Selected. Immediately be assigned to the western cleanup squad and enjoy the treatment of a guest elder."

[The rogue cultivators below dare not speak, all looking up at the high platform.]

[Ling Qingmeng does not step off the platform.]

"I have one condition."

[Deacon Zhao rests his fingers on the table.]

"Speak."

[Ling Qingmeng turns sideways and points to Huo Quji.]

"He goes with me."

[Deacon Zhao looks at Huo Quji.]

"In a fourth-grade beast nest, a foundation establishment level 3 isn't even cannon fodder."

"Just now, three targets broke through, and he blocked every single one of them back."

[Ling Qingmeng's tone is steady.]

"My Thunder Net has a three-breath closing period. Without him sealing the outer perimeter, they would have definitely slipped out."

"If you want efficiency, he must go."

[Deacon Zhao taps the table.]

[The female cultivator beside him whispers a suggestion.]

"This kid has solid shield techniques, and his reaction and footwork are comparable to the late stage of foundation establishment. He can be used in a support position."

[Deacon Zhao gives the order.]

"Granted. Assign him to the support squad. If anything goes wrong, you will be held responsible."

[Ling Qingmeng accepts.]

[The two walk off the Talent Recruitment Platform side by side.]

[The crowd below automatically clears a path for them.]

[You stand at the end of the crowd, hands in your sleeves.]

[Ling Qingmeng and Huo Quji stop in front of you.]

"It's done."

[You look past the crowd and gaze at the high platform.]

[Deacon Zhao is handing the jade slip with the recorded list to a messenger disciple. That disciple rides his sword into the sky, heading straight for the main mountain of the Xuantian Holy Sect.]

[That jade slip will be presented to the Elder Council Chamber.]

[Elder Wen Huaian will see it.]

[The first move of the game is complete.]

[You pull a jade token from your sleeve.]

[The seal-script character for 'Xuan' glints coldly in the sunlight.]

"Wait for Deacon Zhao to come down."

"I'm going to meet him."

[Ling Qingmeng tilts her head.]

"Revealing your identity?"

[You flip the token and hold it in your palm.]

"Revealing our trump card."

[In the distance, Deacon Zhao's gaze passes over the crowd and happens to stop at your location.]

[You channel your energy into your sea of qi, releasing your spiritual power.]

[Your voice is like a booming bell, carrying from below straight to the high platform, covering the entire Martial Arts Plaza.]

"Shen Ji, Protector of the Tianxuan Sect of the Eastern Region."

"I have come specifically to pay a visit to the Xuantian Holy Sect."