Chapter 554: 553. Chapter 548: Apprentice Dao Master

553. Chapter 548: Apprentice Dao Master

The proctor looked at the five and said: "Everyone is here. Begin the third round of the Dao Test."

With that, he waved his hand, summoning a flag, and before each of Ding Huan's five, a floating glob of liquid appeared—gray and dull, unidentifiable.

Behind each glob were five containers.

Ding Huan casually swept his spiritual sense over them and sensed the presence of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

The proctor said: "In the Dao Test, each of you must strike one divine technique into the Five-Element Liquid."

"Separate the liquid into its five elemental components—metal, wood, water, fire, earth. The more thoroughly and purely you separate them, the higher your score. Begin."

Seeing the others repeatedly probing the liquid with their spiritual sense, Ding Huan grew tired of waiting and punched forward.

His fist, wrapped in the aura of countless laws and Dao rhythms, instantly engulfed the Five-Element Liquid. It exploded into five shadows, each landing precisely in the five containers prepared behind them.

Ding Huan held back during this round of the Dao Test.

With his understanding and mastery of the laws of all things, separating the five elemental components with a single punch posed no challenge whatsoever.

He was certain he could split the Five-Element Liquid with one hundred percent purity; even impurities would not exceed 0.1 percent.

Ding Huan was certain none of his companions could reach such a level.

So he merely separated the liquid, achieving eighty percent purity.

He believed this score would pass the test.

Even the proctor stared at Ding Huan in surprise.

This round of the Dao Test looked easy—just one punch.

In truth, that punch was extremely difficult. Not many could split the liquid into five elemental components; even splitting it into three would be an excellent result.

Thus, there was no time limit—technically, a candidate could wait a full day before acting.

The time was meant for candidates to study how to strike, how to use Dao rhythms to separate the liquid.

Yet Ding Huan struck within half a stick of incense—this…

The proctor immediately rushed to the five containers.

His spiritual sense sank into the liquids within, and his face darkened with shock.

This was an exceptionally successful separation of the five elemental components, and the purity of each exceeded eighty percent.

His foundational divine technique was exceptionally solid; his control over elemental laws was extremely refined.

"Excellent. Ding Huan, you have passed the third round of the Dao Test. Proceed to the interview." The proctor announced without hesitation.

The other four candidates, still unstarted, stared at Ding Huan in astonishment, then glanced helplessly at the proctor.

They knew the Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy's master recruitment exam far better than Ding Huan did.

The final interview round only began after all Dao Test results were complete.

Yet here they were, still unstarted, and the proctor had already declared Ding Huan passed the Dao Test.

That meant no matter how outstanding their own results, they could not affect Ding Huan's advancement to the final interview.

Either Ding Huan had pulled strings—or his Dao Test score was so outstanding it warranted early admission.

Ding Huan didn't know the procedure; he assumed passing the score meant he could proceed to the interview. Clearly, his score had met the standard.

Under the guidance of another proctor, Ding Huan entered the interview room.

To Ding Huan's surprise, the sign outside the room did not read "Dao Master Interview," but "Vice Dean."

Inside, Ding Huan saw a middle-aged man—average height, lean face, his entire body surging with Dao rhythms.

Even without extending his domain, Ding Huan felt a faint pressure.

This was an Immortal Emperor—undoubtedly a true Immortal Emperor.

Ding Huan's heart tightened; he carefully restrained his spirit.

He didn't believe an Immortal Emperor would appear for an interview. From the sign outside, he guessed this was the Vice Dean of Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy.

How many duties did a Dao Arts Academy's Vice Dean have? Why would he personally interview an Apprentice Dao Master?

This could only mean his first two rounds of scores were so outstanding they drew the man's attention.

Ding Huan studied the Vice Dean; the Vice Dean studied Ding Huan.

Though Gu Min was an Immortal Emperor, he still could not discern Ding Huan's true cultivation level.

After a long pause, the Vice Dean nodded in satisfaction: "Good. Very good. Take a seat."

The moment Ding Huan sat down, he knew the chair beneath him was a divine artifact—likely capable of detecting lies.

"Have you ever served as a Dao Master before?"

"Yes." Ding Huan answered without hesitation—he truly had.

"How were your students' results?"

Ding Huan understood the question referred to his students' examination results.

"Some achieved top-three rankings." He referred to the few students he taught on Earth.

"Which academy?" Hearing "top-three," Gu Min's heart leapt and he pressed urgently.

Ding Huan could only say: "A small, obscure academy."

Gu Min glanced at Ding Huan's chair and knew he spoke the truth.

He did not press further. In his mind, such a talented individual leaving his academy must have been forced out—why probe further?

"Very well. From now on, you are an Apprentice Dao Master of Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy. Strive to become a Star-Level Dao Master soon."

Gu Min's interview was purely a formality—once Ding Huan's first two rounds achieved perfect scores, he had already decided to recruit him.

Now, with this third round equally outstanding, how could he let such talent slip away?

Ding Huan knew what a Star-Level Dao Master was.

All new Dao Masters entering a Dao Arts Academy began as Apprentices; only those who produced outstanding students could become Star-Level Dao Masters.

Star-level Dao Masters are ranked from one-star to nine-star; those above nine-star are Holy Dao Masters.

Throughout the Great Dao Corridor, there are only three Holy Dao Masters.

Gu Min stood up: "Ding Huan, I am Deputy Dean Gu Min of the academy; from now on, you are my Dao Master."

"Our academy has certain peculiarities—if you encounter any injustice, come to me directly; don't try to endure it alone."

"Thank you, Deputy Dean Gu," Ding Huan quickly stood and bowed in gratitude.

He understood the implication in Gu Min's words.

That meant the Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy also had factions, and he was now part of Deputy Dean Gu Min's faction.

If other factions in the academy bullied him, he should report it directly to Gu Min.

Ding Huan didn't care—he was here for only one purpose: to qualify for promotion to Immortal Sovereign and Immortal Emperor.

Without reaching Immortal Sovereign or Immortal Emperor, he had no right to leave the Great Dao Corridor.

If he went to Gu Min for every little thing, even if he had talent, Gu Min would think him incompetent.

How do you use a backdoor? Only when you have no other path—not for every minor issue.

It brings shame upon yourself and shame upon your backdoor.

Half a day later, Ding Huan was assigned his cave dwelling.

Even a probationary Dao Master received an independent cultivation chamber and a separate office.

Within this cultivation chamber, he could freely arrange Spirit Gathering Immortal Arrays and implant Immortal Spirit Veins.

He was very satisfied with this—he would focus on rapidly advancing to Immortal King Perfection first.

Once the Poison Dao aura on the Dung Beetle was removed, he would surely ascend to Immortal Sovereign.

With the Dung Beetle's abilities, securing an Immortal Sovereign promotion slot from that woman named Han Qiqi should be no problem.

The Dung Beetle's strength was far from ordinary; even if he couldn't reach Immortal Sovereign, Ding Huan must reach Immortal King Perfection by the time the Dung Beetle ascended.

Besides the cave dwelling, Ding Huan received several Dao Master robes.

The probationary Dao Master badge was pure white, with no embellishments.

After putting everything away, Ding Huan surveyed his surroundings.

His residence was in a remote area of the Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy, surrounded mostly by probationary Dao Masters and one-star Dao Masters.

Ding Huan arranged a Level Five Defensive Immortal Array and a Level Five Concealment Immortal Array around his residence.

Then he implanted eight high-grade Immortal Spirit Veins and summoned Ji Luo to set up a Level Three Spirit-Blocking Divine Array.

Though he came from a place with incomplete laws, his wealth far exceeded that of the leader of the academy's top faction.

The Pangu Great World merely had incomplete laws—it was not poor.

First, he must accelerate his cultivation; second, he must not let outsiders discover his true nature.

Once all arrangements were complete, Ding Huan did not even ask the academy whether he needed to teach students—he simply closed himself off in his residence for cultivation.

Ding Huan knew that to establish himself in the academy and achieve results, he must compete for students and cultivate an outstanding class—or a few outstanding students.

But the enrollment period had already passed, and the next one had not yet arrived.

Ding Huan naturally did not wish to work for others' benefit; teaching Dao knowledge in another class at this time would be helping someone else's success.

Besides, he was currently at Immortal King Third Layer.

Before reaching Immortal King Perfection, he had no need to rush into seeking students.

When he neared Immortal King Perfection, he would then quickly take charge of a class or teach a few students—once he achieved a ranking, he would gain a chance at a promotion slot.

……

While Ding Huan cultivated in undisturbed seclusion, the Dao Law Hall of the Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy was in an uproar.

The reason was that no Dao Master was willing to take charge of the Contend-Path Class.

Though the name "Contend-Path Class" sounded impressive, it was merely another term for a discard class.

What was the main purpose of most Dao Masters staying in the Dao Law Academy? Naturally, to obtain promotion slots.

These promotion slots were not easily obtained—they were earned through competition against other Dao Law Academies.

Thus, before every competition, each Dao Master class would actively expel their weakest students to avoid dragging down the overall results.

The cultivators studying Dao in this academy had all entered through official channels or connections.

Even if you wanted to remove these students from their class, you could not let them leave the academy entirely.

So the academy grouped these inferior Dao students into a single class—this class was called the Contend-Path Class.

Dao Masters need reputation; who in their right mind would teach the Contend-Path Class?

"Stop arguing," a loud voice interrupted the debate in the Dao Law Hall. "I have a solution—didn't our academy just recruit two probationary Dao Masters?"