Chapter 378: Alliance

"This is a bead formed from a spiritual metal called the Soul Testing Bead. Although it may feel lightweight when held in your hand, for the soul, it weighs as heavy as a thousand pounds."

"The test for spiritual control is simple. Once the test begins, a large number of Soul Testing Beads will fall from the ceiling. Your task is to support and catch them using your soul power alone, without relying on Dou Qi."

"At the end of the test, the participant who catches the most Soul Testing Beads will be ranked at the top. The rankings are determined based on the number of beads caught."

"The current record for this Spiritual Control Test is 71 beads."

Upon hearing this, Cao Ying couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. She glanced at Xiao Ming and transmitted her voice to him, "Looks like another record is destined to be broken today~"

Xiao Ming rolled his eyes at her and softly spoke to Elder Sheng, "Since the rules have been explained, let's begin."

Elder Sheng nodded and gave a slight reminder. "I must emphasize that attempting to catch all the beads in one go is a foolish act. Scattering your soul power will only hinder your performance in this test. Now... let the test begin!"

After Elder Sheng's reminder, he swiftly retreated. At the same time, numerous dark-black holes appeared in the ceiling, and dark-black metal beads poured down like a storm.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Ignoring Elder Sheng's advice, Xiao Ming's formidable soul transformed into an invisible large net, sweeping towards the descending metal beads. The beads fell into his net effortlessly, filling his side within moments.

One, two, three, four...

In a short span of time, Xiao Ming had already caught a significant number of beads.

Witnessing Xiao Ming's ease in catching the beads, the members of the Qiu and Bai Clans attempted to imitate him, turning their souls into nets to catch the beads. However, Elder Sheng, who observed nearby, shook his head disapprovingly.

'What kind of strength does Xiao Ming possess, and what kind of strength do you possess? Don't you have any self-awareness? If you try to imitate him like this, you'll end up getting hit on the head!' Elder Sheng anticipated the outcome.

As expected, the dispersed soul power above the heads of the Qiu and Bai Clan members hardly slowed down the Soul Testing Beads. The beads passed through their soul power, raining down on them chaotically. They could only dodge the falling beads in a frantic and messy manner, clearly showing the consequence of scattering the soul power.

In contrast, Cao Ying and Dan Chen followed Elder Sheng's advice, concentrating their soul power to its utmost. With precision, they skillfully caught the falling Soul Testing Beads one by one from the sky. The difference between them lay in the swiftness with which they repeated the process. While Dan Chen had to evade most of the metal beads, Cao Ying adeptly caught a greater number in the same period, demonstrating a more fluent use of her soul power.

The two incredibly beautiful women gracefully danced and dodged the metal beads, their enchanting figures twisting with breathtaking curves. Their elegant movements added a significant aesthetic appeal to the test.

Despite the excitement from the onlookers, Cao Ying remained unfazed. Her gaze, however, remained fixed on Xiao Ming. When their eyes met, a captivating smile graced her lips. With a subtle increase in the pace of her movements, she aimed to catch his attention, as if silently inviting him to keep his eyes on her.

As time went on, the number of beads caught by Cao Ying and Dan Chen continued to rise, pushing their soul power to its limits.

Overwhelmed and fatigued, the members of the Bai and Qiu Clans were the first to withdraw from the test. The beads suspended in front of them numbered 31 and 30 respectively.

After seven or eight minutes, Dan Chen decided it was time to conclude her attempt, having successfully captured 101 beads. Cao Ying continued a little longer before she withdrew after accumulating an impressive total of 180 beads.

Nevertheless, it was apparent that both Cao Ying and Dan Chen had exerted great effort. A faint flush appeared on their flawless faces, and their slightly rapid breaths emitted captivating sighs that resonated with the audience.

After the two women left, Xiao Ming also lost interest and decided to withdraw as well. With a thought, his whirling soul ring gradually receded. He took a step back and left the field.

The beads fell to the ground one by one, and Xiao Ming remained remarkably relaxed, giving no indication that he had reached his limit.

"223 beads!"

The number may have seemed unimpressive, but the audience was not surprised. They had witnessed Xiao Ming catching the beads only at the beginning and then simply standing in the field, waiting for others to finish. It was apparent that Xiao Ming had intentionally held back even more than before.

Elder Sheng looked on with satisfaction. Cao Ying and Dan Chen's performances were excellent, breaking previous records. They were among the top geniuses in the history of the Pill Tower.

As for Xiao Ming? He belonged to a different level altogether. He was just here to have fun, and there was no point in comparing oneself to him.

"The Spiritual Control Test is concluded," announced Elder Sheng, his voice resonating through the hall. "As per the rules, Elder Xiao Ming takes the first position, Cao Ying the second position, and Dan Chen claims the third."

"Now, let me explain the third and final test," Elder Sheng continued. "Spiritual strength is the foundation of an alchemist. However, this test aims to assess not only one's soul but also the display of spiritual attacks, which is a powerful method for an alchemist."

Pausing briefly, he directed everyone's attention to a large red circle in the field. A smile played on his lips as he explained further, "The final test is quite straightforward. All five of you will enter this circle and engage in a soul-power clash. The one who remains inside the circle at the end will be declared the ultimate victor."

Elder Sheng couldn't help but feel eager to declare Xiao Ming as the victor. After all, when it came to comparing soul power, within the current Pill Tower, only the three giants could stand against him. The few youngsters before him wouldn't even be enough for him to handle with just one hand.

However, he knew the importance of following the established procedures.

Seeing that everyone understood the rules, Elder Sheng gestured towards the red circle and said with a smile, "Since there are no issues, then enter the field."

Xiao Ming and the other four participants nodded in acknowledgment and stepped into the circle, taking their designated spots. They sat down with their legs crossed, preparing to unleash their soul power in the clash. At their level, their soul power was advanced enough to be unleashed outside their bodies, eliminating the need for physical movements.

Elder Sheng slowly withdrew. When he saw that they were prepared, he waved his hand and spoke in a deep voice, "Let the test begin!"

As soon as Elder Sheng's voice rang out, Cao Ying took the initiative. She gestured to the other three participants, and then her hands formed a seal before suddenly solidifying! Her vast, mighty soul power swiftly gathered around her, transforming into a spiritual phoenix within the blink of an eye. The phoenix flapped its wings, causing space itself to distort. A faint, dark-black spatial crack even spread from it...

Although the spiritual phoenix was invisible, the pressure it emitted caused the solemn eyes of many people in the large hall to fixate on the empty space in front of Cao Ying. The souls below the Spirit Realm all trembled under its presence!

Dan Chen swiftly followed suit, shaping her soul power into an Azure Phoenix. Though not as powerful as Cao Ying's, her technique was equally impressive.

Bai Yang gritted his teeth as he looked at Cao Ying with sinister eyes. Unwillingness filled his gaze. He had always been a prominent figure within the Bai Clan, yet today he found himself reduced to a supporting character for this witch.

Apart from the moment they agreed to form an alliance for this test, she hadn't even spared a glance at him or the Qiu Clan member during the entire competition. It was evident that she merely wanted to use them!

What man wouldn't desire to establish connections with the witch of the Cao Clan? But if this so-called connection was nothing more than aiding her flirtation with another man, any of them would feel resentful instead!

How could he willingly accept this? But as much as he wanted to vent his anger, he dared not offend either of them. Offending them would not only implicate himself but his entire clan as well!

So, besides cursing inwardly, he could only obediently go along with the plan.

Neither he nor the Qiu Clan member possessed the kind of techniques displayed by Cao Ying and Dan Chen, so they could only surge their soul power and shape it into giant pythons.

The four streams of soul power converged in the air and then rushed towards Xiao Ming like lightning!

"Well, well, it seems you've decided to unite against me," Xiao Ming said with a confident smile. "Let's see if your combined efforts can withstand one of my moves."