60: Chapter 60 Basic Examination for Spiritual Masters

Outside an abandoned large shopping mall, a pale blue pillar of light stood quietly, piercing the sky like a towering prism of ice.

As soon as Gu Changming approached, he saw thirty or forty people already standing around the perimeter of the light pillar.

Most of them kept their distance, their expressions wary as their gazes shifted back and forth between the light pillar and the people nearby; no one dared to step forward rashly.

The sound of Gu Changming's footsteps caught the attention of several people. They turned their heads to look, sizing him up with curiosity.

Gu Changming did not stop, nor did he look at them, heading straight forward.

As he stepped into a certain invisible range, a translucent panel silently popped up before his eyes:

【Mentalist Assessment Area】

Gu Changming glanced at it without stopping his pace.

He hadn't found the wrong place; this was the same Assessment he had participated in during his previous life.

In that life, after escaping the pursuit of the Shadow Devourer during the second Assessment, he had earned four hundred points and subsequently purchased the Psychokinesis ability, which finally allowed his strength to improve.

Later, when the third Assessment arrived, he had run around those light pillars until he found this "Mentalist" Assessment area that suited him.

Gu Changming passed through the edge of the crowd, getting closer and closer to the pale blue curtain of light.

People around him began to whisper.

"He's just going in like that?"

"Isn't he afraid of some kind of danger?"

Gu Changming acted as if he hadn't heard them. He walked up to the light pillar and, without hesitation, stepped inside.

The pale blue light swallowed his figure, enveloping him like water before returning to its original state.

The crowd outside fell silent for a moment.

Several people looked at each other, seemingly trying to confirm from one another's eyes that the light pillar wasn't dangerous.

A moment later, the silence was broken as a man wearing an old jacket gritted his teeth and became the second to walk toward the light pillar.

With someone leading the way, the people behind began to waver. A third, a fourth... more and more people started walking, gathering toward the pale blue light pillar.

...

The pale blue light faded the moment he stepped inside, and his surroundings turned into a realm of pure white.

There was no direction, no boundary. Above, below, left, and right were all a uniform, gentle white, as if he were wrapped in a cocoon made of light. His sense of space became blurred; he couldn't tell how large the place was, nor could he see any trace of walls or a ceiling.

Subsequently, the figures of the others began to emerge one after another within this space.

"It seems... there's no danger?" a voice said hesitantly.

"There's nothing here," another voice added.

The tense atmosphere slowly relaxed. Everyone began to look around, but they could see nothing except each other and this boundless expanse of white.

"What exactly is this Assessment supposed to test?"

"I don't know... there isn't even a prompt."

"Do we have to wait for everyone to arrive? Or do we need to meet some kind of condition?"

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

Gu Changming stood toward the back of the group, saying nothing, his face devoid of expression.

He knew what the trigger condition for the Assessment was.

It was to wait until all the eligible candidates in the vicinity had arrived; only then would the Assessment begin.

Because he had exchanged for the Psychokinesis ability back then and had run several laps to check other Assessment sites, he had been nearly the last one to enter. The moment he stepped in, the Assessment had begun immediately.

Time passed slowly, and the number of people in the pure white space gradually increased.

Figures continued to solidify out of the void, and the empty white space began to be filled with more and more silhouettes.

Initially, there were some whispers within the area, but as the number of people surpassed a hundred, then a hundred and fifty... the voices actually grew quieter.

There were more people, yet the atmosphere became increasingly still.

About half an hour later, the influx of newcomers slowed down.

Only occasionally would one or two figures abruptly appear at the edges.

The number of people in the space was now close to three hundred.

When the final figure had completely solidified and found their footing—

"Buzz."

A low resonance, seemingly emanating from the space itself, echoed in everyone's ears.

Everyone's movements stopped instantly.

Nearly three hundred people looked up in unison or tensed their bodies, as if they could feel some kind of invisible gaze descending upon them.

The pure white space did not change, but everyone knew that the Assessment was about to begin.

...

Above the pure white space, pale blue text silently emerged:

【First Assessment: Stand in place for more than three minutes to pass】

The text was concise, with no further explanation.

Low discussions broke out among the crowd.

"The first Assessment? Does that mean there are several more afterward?"

"Just standing? Is it that simple?"

Doubt and speculation spread through the crowd. Many people looked left and right, trying to find hidden traps or trials within this pure white expanse.

With a thought from Gu Changming, a translucent panel that only he could see unfolded before him.

His Cheat was working as usual; he saw a more detailed explanation of the rules:

【Mentalist Basic Assessment · Phase One】

【Content: Endure Mental Pressure】

【Description: Once the Assessment begins, increasing Mental Pressure will be released. The pressure will strike in waves like a 'tide'; candidates must maintain a standing posture and are not permitted to fall or kneel. Endure for more than three minutes to pass this Assessment.】

【Prompt: The pressure acts on the mental level and is unrelated to physical strength. Falling or voluntarily giving up is considered a failure, and you will be removed from the Assessment space.】

There were no Hidden Rules; it simply made the content of the Assessment much clearer.

As the text appeared, the surrounding crowd also began to take action.

Some began to adjust their standing posture, appearing nervous, while others were dismissive, thinking that since it was only three minutes of standing, they couldn't possibly fail to hold out.

The pale blue text remained in the air for about ten seconds before slowly dissipating.

The very instant the text completely vanished—

An invisible pressure, like a cold tide, surged from all directions, silently pressing down on everyone's consciousness.

"Ugh..."

A wave of muffled groans sounded from the crowd.

Almost everyone's expression changed, their bodies tensing instinctively.

It wasn't physical weight, but a sense of oppression acting directly on the depths of the mind, making one's breath hitch and scalp tingle.

Some who hadn't been mentally prepared even nearly stumbled.

However, it wasn't too bad; after one or two months of hardships, not many of the people still alive were weaklings.

Thus, the brief commotion quickly subsided. No one actually fell.

The pure white space became quiet once more, leaving only the sound of slightly heavy breathing.

The previous ease or doubt on everyone's faces had vanished.

Now they all understood that these three minutes would definitely not be easy.

Yet, for Gu Changming, this level of pressure didn't cause much of a sensation.

He only felt a faint touch between his brows, which then brushed past like a light early-spring mist, failing to bring him even a shred of pressure.

The tide had come suddenly and went just as quickly.

The pressure receded like an ebbing tide, and several sighs of relief echoed in the space.

But the interval was extremely short.

Almost the same second the pressure completely vanished, a second wave of pressure surged in right after it.

This time, the power of the pressure had nearly doubled.

The cold pressure closed in from all sides like an invisible hand slowly tightening its grip, attempting to crush everyone's sanity.