Chapter 233: Dao Institute Seven-Layer Grading

Meng Zhengyang's face was calm, but he couldn't help sighing inwardly; indeed, he was a cultivator from the Lower Realm, with a strong killing intent.

Since humanity became dominant, cultivators who ascended from the Lower Realm may have varied talents, but without exception they must be decisive and combative cultivators.

This is related to their environment, and many Spirit Realm cultivators of the same level merely undergo trials conducted under the care of their elders.

In the Spirit Realm, if there is no Nascent Soul cultivator, few venture out to adventure; the reason is that the Spirit Realm is too dangerous.

Even within the Spirit Realm, if one wishes to leave human territory, at minimum one needs the Transformation Spirit realm; the ideal realm is Void Refinement, which provides the capital to preserve one's life.

Looking at the expanse of gray-clad disciples below, Meng Zhengyang sighed; in his view these disciples were rather immature.

As for the Lower Realm cultivator named Wang Ping, the killing aura on his body was so thick it was almost substantive; coupled with his aberrant combat power.

After thinking, he decided to give these disciples a sliver of chance, so he said: "Sparring prohibits killing blows; injuries are allowed."

Wang Ping heard this, calmly nodded, pointed his finger at the two who had spoken most harshly just now, and said indifferently:

"Since we are to fight, and not distinguish life or death, let's add a wager—these ten Azure Leaf Ganoderma; I'll use these as my stake. I don't know what you'll put up as yours!"

Wang Ping produced ten stalks of blue spirit fungus medicine; even Meng Zhengyang glanced sideways—this medicine has vanished from the Spirit Realm, existing only in some small worlds.

Zhou Guangzhao naturally recognized the Azure Leaf Ganoderma; his eyes lit up as he said:

"I didn't expect you to still have such a fine thing; I'll exchange spirit stones for it—500 low-grade spirit crystals for a first-rank one! Let's bet!"

Wang Ping nodded; indeed, in the Lower Realm a stalk of Azure Leaf Ganoderma costs only seventy to eighty thousand low-grade spirit stones, but in the Spirit Realm its price has risen several hundredfold.

At this moment, Meng Zhengyang said: "Since both sides are willing to wager, the bet is established; sparring begins!"

Wang Ping calmly beckoned to Zhou Guangzhao.

Zhou Guangzhao's expression changed; he snorted angrily: "Arrogant! I am Zhou Guangzhao—do you think scoring high lets you humiliate us?"

As he finished speaking, a purple light flashed on his body, and a handsome set of purple battle armor appeared—indeed, it was fourth-rank battle armor.

All the watching cultivators furrowed their brows; for a same-rank battle to use fourth-rank armor made the scene somewhat unsightly.

Meng Zhengyang merely glanced coolly at the defeated Dao disciple, then said indifferently: "Begin!"

No sooner had his words fallen than Wang Ping's thought moved, activating Gravity Technique; the opponent's late Golden Core cultivation was also suppressed in place, immobile, but because he wore fourth-rank spirit armor he had not yet collapsed to the ground.

However, Wang Ping paid no heed; a yellow light flashed in his hand, the Heaven-Overturning Seal appeared, and he hurled it forward.

Boom!

Zhou Guangzhao was predictably sent flying hard; although he had fourth-rank spirit armor, the Heaven-Overturning Seal would not strike him directly, but its tremendous force still made his qi and blood surge.

Under the Gravity Field, he had no chance to cast spells; the Heaven-Overturning Seal struck repeatedly, and soon Zhou Guangzhao spat out a trace of blood from his boiling qi and blood.

Nevertheless, Wang Ping acted as if he hadn't seen it, continuing to smash him again and again.

The whole process was clean and efficient, brutal and unskilled—just a single motion smash!

Boom! Boom! Boom! …

All the gray-clad disciples stared wide-eyed at Zhou Guangzhao, who was being pummeled like a sandbag, then at the calmly composed Wang Ping, and all felt a chill in their hearts.

At this point a disciple couldn't help shouting: "Hey! Zhou Guangzhao is already injured—why don't you stop!"

All the disciples had already noticed that, under such fierce assault, Zhou Guangzhao was seriously injured, yet the opponent showed no sign of slowing his attacks.

This ruthlessness made the disciples who witnessed it feel chilled, and they simultaneously listed Wang Ping as someone not to be provoked.

Boom!

After another impact, Zhou Guangzhao could no longer hold up, was smashed to the ground and unable to rise; he wanted to speak and admit defeat, but his consciousness was muddled and, deep within the Gravity Field, he could not open his mouth.

Meanwhile, Wang Ping's Heaven-Overturning Seal had appeared above his head; Zhou Guangzhao's pupils dilated sharply as he stared at the ever‑growing Seal looming before him, his mouth opening unconsciously, yet he could not utter a word.

From childhood to adulthood, this was the first time he felt fear of death.

Meng Zhengyang beside him sighed; he certainly could not allow a death, so he pointed a finger, a beam of light shot out, and immobilized the Heaven-Overturning Seal that was only an inch from Zhou Guangzhao.

Wang Ping's eyes flashed; he recalled the Heaven-Overturning Seal, and at the same time stored the five hundred low-grade spirit crystals away—with so many first‑rank spirit crystals, his war puppet could be activated without worry.

The sparring ended in a one‑sided rout; all the gray‑clad disciples looked at Wang Ping with changed eyes.

After the sparring ended, Meng Zhengyang had already vanished; Wang Ping, to himself, walked up the mountain.

Once he had fully set foot on the mountain peak, he felt he had entered another world; the spiritual qi here was denser than that on a fifth‑rank spirit vein, almost as if it would automatically seep into his body.

Most importantly, the Spirit Realm's spiritual qi carries a hint of spirituality; long‑term absorption of such qi makes his internal spiritual power flow more smoothly.

Not long after entering, a white‑clad disciple appeared, smiling and saying: "Junior apprentice brother, I am Gu Xun; follow this path to the Registration Hall to receive your identity jade tablet and white Daoist robes."

Wang Ping thanked him and continued upward; after going another ten‑plus li, a azure grand hall came into view, where many gray‑clad disciples were entering and many white‑clad disciples were exiting.

Each white‑clad disciple, upon exiting the hall, wore an excited expression.

Wang Ping followed the crowd, slowly entering the hall; the hall had more than ten registration stations, and he chose a less‑crowded spot, queuing silently.

When it was Wang Ping's turn, that disciple suddenly lifted his head, astonished, and asked: "High‑grade spiritual root?"

His voice was a bit loud, causing many disciples to look over.

Wang Ping nodded; the disciple's face showed a hint of hesitation, but he ultimately handed over the identity jade tablet and then gave Wang Ping one or two sets of white clothing.

Wang Ping reached out to receive it, felt it briefly, and found it to be third‑rank ceremonial robes.

"Your examination scores have already been automatically converted into points; meanwhile, the Dao Institute's welfare is now open to you. You can use your identity jade tablet to spend points on the cultivation items you want, as well as blessed cultivation grounds. By the way, your address is recorded there—all newly appointed white‑clad disciples may only reside in ordinary cave dwellings; if you wish to live in a better cave dwelling or a miraculous one, you must rely on your own strength to compete for it."

Wang Ping nodded his thanks, put on the white ceremonial robes directly, then extended his divine sense; the first thing he saw inside was his address.

Leaving the Registration Hall, he noticed that all the white‑clad disciples were looking at him with strange expressions.

He naturally knew why, so he turned and left directly; next, he still needed to fuse Yin Wood Divine Thunder, the embryonic form of Solar True Fire, and the water and metal elemental Dao arts into himself; before completing this, he temporarily did not need many resources for cultivation.

Now the earth, fire, and wood elements he has integrated, along with their associated items and Dao arts, are extremely powerful; the remaining water and metal elements must be of comparable level to them.

Following the jade tablet's instructions, Wang Ping found his own cave dwelling after two hours.

After entering the cave dwelling, he immersed his divine sense into the jade tablet, wanting to thoroughly understand the Dao Institute.

This understanding took a full three hours, after which he finally retrieved the jade tablet with an expression of astonishment.

Compared to the generic overview in the gray‑clad disciples' jade tablets, the white‑clad disciples' tablets contained a complete introduction to the Ninth Dao Institute.

The Ninth Dao Academy is located in an ancient divine mountain outside the Human Emperor City.

This mountain is extremely large, occupying nearly a thousand li! All disciples and instructors of the Dao Institute reside on this mountain.

The whole mountain peak is divided into seven layers; the first layer is the residence of white-robed disciples, enjoying the qi of sixth-tier spirit veins.

The second layer is the residence of yellow-robed disciples, enjoying the qi of sixth-tier intermediate spirit veins.

The third layer is for gold-robed disciples, enjoying the qi of sixth-tier advanced spirit veins.

The fourth layer is for purple-robed disciples, enjoying the qi of sixth-tier advanced spirit veins, with low-grade supernatural phenomena accompanying in the cave dwellings; first-rank instructors also reside here.

The fifth layer is for inheritance disciples, enjoying the qi of seventh-tier spirit veins, with intermediate supernatural phenomena accompanying in the cave dwellings; second- and third-rank as well as grand instructors reside here.

The sixth layer is the residence of Void Refining adepts; each adept's residence is accompanied by high-grade supernatural phenomena.

The seventh layer is the residence of the Dao Institute head; each Dao Institute head is a Combined Body cultivator who is called a king.

Besides these simple introductions, there are also Dao Comprehension Valley, Dao Intent Pavilion, Heaven Dao Pavilion, etc., as introductions to the Dao Institute's benefits; among them, gray-robed disciples can use Dao Comprehension Valley, each year they can use it for one quarter-hour, and Wang Ping has already accumulated ten quarter-hours.

White-robed disciples can use two quarter-hours per day.

Besides this, the Essence Yuan Pill that enhances Golden Core cultivation has changed from one per month to two per month.

Additionally, each year there is an opportunity to attend a free lecture by a first-rank instructor, and every ten years there is an opportunity to attend a lecture by a second-rank instructor.

White-robed disciples have no elimination mechanism, but if they fail to advance to yellow-robed disciple within ten years, they will be graduated.

One of the conditions for advancing to white-robed disciple is accumulating a total of one hundred points.

The examination for white-robed disciples to advance to yellow-robed disciples is not as simple as that for gray-robed disciples; after passing the gray-robed disciple examination, those white-robed disciples who successfully advance have talent surpassing all of humanity.

But even so, white-robed disciples who can advance to yellow-robed disciples are extremely few, let alone gold-robed disciples above them, whose examination is even more difficult.

Just the first condition alone has eliminated most white-robed disciples; the white-robed disciple examination does not have tenfold points, and the points Wang Ping earned in the gray-robed disciple examination are not counted, which is a benefit the Dao Institute gives to all who advance to white-robed disciple.

The gap begins at that moment of examination; disciples who score higher in the gray-robed disciple examination, with tenfold points, often use these points to further increase their strength, and after their strength improves, they can earn points by clearing levels in the Heaven-Reaching Tower, forming a virtuous cycle.

Dao Comprehension Valley, Battle Intent Pavilion, etc., are places to increase disciples' strength, while the Heaven-Reaching Tower is a place to test disciples' strength.

Many white-robed disciples obtain few points in the examination; in the subsequent time, they have limited time to gain strength-increasing opportunities like Dao Comprehension Valley, so most will be eliminated.

Even if some disciples have accumulated enough 100 points, if they fail the examination, they cannot wait for a second chance.

Under such a harsh elimination tier system, those who stand out are naturally excellent.

Wang Ping surveyed the ways to earn points; passing the first level of the Heaven-Reaching Tower earns one point.

For this level, many disciples fail on their first attempt; according to the Heaven-Reaching Tower rules, the first level often reflects the peak combat power displayed during the gray-robed disciple examination, and most disciples find it hard to break their own limits in an extremely short time, unless they are like Wang Ping, who still has reserve strength.

Second level: two points; third level: four points; fourth level: eight points! The Golden Core stage has at most nine levels; most white-robed disciples can only clear the fourth level, meaning most disciples can only earn fifteen points in the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

Besides the combat trial, there is also a Dao arts trial; unlike the Heaven-Reaching Tower, if one's Dao arts reach the third layer of the second realm, ten points are credited.

Additionally, there is the Willpower Pass; like the Heaven-Reaching Tower, the first level gives one point, the second level gives two points; some disciples can clear the sixth level of the Willpower Pass, while others can only clear the third level.

Besides these, if one has a specialty, there can be bonus items; formation artifacts, elixirs, and talismans, once approved by the Dao Institute examination, can earn points.

After reading this, Wang Ping couldn't help but feel the Dao Institute's examination is truly harsh; according to this examination mechanism, he has confidence in the examination to advance to yellow-robed disciple, but he finds the examination to advance to gold-robed disciple somewhat mysterious, let alone the purple-robed disciples above that.

Forget it; first refine the Yin Wood Divine Thunder, then later merge it into azure divine light; Wang Ping collected his thoughts, but before that, he needs to cultivate a Dao art concerning the lightning attribute.

Among the ten Dao arts given by his master Tie Zhan, the Five Elements, Wind, and Lightning are all included.

Wang Ping chose the Lightning Summoning Technique; the Yin Wood Divine Thunder is inherently immensely powerful, and the chosen Dao art only needs to be amplified.

The Lightning Summoning Technique exactly fits this.

For the Fire Element, he chose Golden Yang Scorching Heaven; condensing flames into a great sun to burn enemies, it matches extremely well with True Solar Fire.

As for the Water and Metal Elements, he lacks the corresponding spiritual objects, so he has not chosen Dao arts for them.

Next, Wang Ping closed his cave dwelling and began secluded cultivation again.

Unbeknownst to him, while he was in secluded cultivation, the Ninth Dao Institute had already become lively because of his name.

Top-grade spiritual root! Yet he passed the examination, and it itself is full of fantastical colors.

But what draws attention to Wang Ping is the score he obtained in the examination: an average of 8.2 points, a total of 49.7 points; under the tenfold reward rule, this becomes 497 points.

This is an extremely tempting amount of points, and many people have set their sights on this newcomer's points.