Superb Acting

"This disciple has dual spiritual roots!" Fang Ting thrust her hand high into the air. Amid looks of astonishment and envy from all around, she skipped and bounded to the front of the crowd, gazing at the cultivator surnamed Chen with flushed excitement. Just then, a voice transmission sounded in her ear. She hurriedly swallowed back the word *Master* that had been on the verge of slipping out, straightened her posture with solemn propriety, and bowed. "Reporting to Senior: this disciple is named Fang Ting and possesses water-earth dual spiritual roots. Please test me, Senior." The crowd could not help grumbling inwardly at the shameless display. The girl's acting was simply atrocious. The two obviously knew each other, and she might well have been accepted as a disciple long before today. Even so, no one could truly resent the girl. She had dual spiritual roots; even if she went to the Landou Sect, she could bypass the trials and enter the sect directly. The cultivator surnamed Chen smiled and nodded. "Dual spiritual roots indeed. Come up. The rest of you may ascend the Cloud Bridge. Remember to perform well." He beckoned Fang Ting to his side and turned to leave. At that moment, Fang Ting's lips twitched slightly, as if she were relaying a voice transmission. The cultivator surnamed Chen paused slightly. His gaze shifted, coming to rest upon Qin Sang's incarnation. His expression remained unchanged, and without uttering a word, he carried Fang Ting off through the air, heading back toward the island. Fang Ting pouted faintly. Before departing, she cast the incarnation a helpless, covert glance. The incarnation chuckled wryly inside. He had guessed that Fang Ting's talent was decent, but he had never imagined she was connected to a Core Formation elder of Yanmiao Pavilion. Had he known earlier, he would never have tried to get close to her. Her mentioning him to the cultivator surnamed Chen now was likely out of good intentions, yet for him, it was impossible to tell whether it would bring blessing or disaster. He knew full well that after such a brief acquaintance, Fang Ting could not harbor any deep feelings for him. Yet if the cultivator surnamed Chen valued her extraordinarily and chose to nip any potential distraction in the bud by kicking him out, that would truly be an immense injustice. The incarnation was helpless to change it. He could only take things one step at a time. After the cultivator surnamed Chen departed, the other three men continued deploying the Cloud Bridge, while the green-robed man began testing everyone's innate talent and bone age, ultimately singling out thirty-odd people. "Fellow Daoists, you do not meet our Yanmiao Pavilion's requirements. Please return." These people were all burdened with four or five spiritual roots and were well past their prime, yet remained stuck at the bottleneck of the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement stage. Their faces turned ashen. They had known their chances were slim and had merely come to try their luck, but they had never expected to be dismissed before the trials even began. The Cloud Bridge was soon fully prepared. Giving only the instructions to keep walking without stopping and forbidding the use of any magic tools, the cultivators urged everyone to step onto the bridge. The crowd exchanged hesitant glances. No one knew what kind of trial awaited them on the Cloud Bridge, and none wished to be the first to step forward. Just then, the external incarnation parted the crowd and stepped out. Eyes fixed on the Cloud Bridge, looking calm and composed, he walked unhurriedly to the head of the bridge and stepped onto it without the slightest hesitation. The four cultivators of Yanmiao Pavilion exchanged a glance. The sword cultivator gave a subtle nod, an appreciative look appearing on his face. Seeing this, the others suddenly saw the light, inwardly cursing themselves for being fools. The sword cultivator had made it clear earlier that passing the trials was not an absolute requirement. Daring to be the first to step onto the bridge showed ample courage, easily leaving a favorable impression on the Yanmiao Pavilion cultivators and seizing the advantage. The trial was present in every moment. No longer hesitating, the crowd surged onto the Cloud Bridge. The incarnation walked at the very front. Beneath his feet, the cloud vapor felt soft and elastic, but he had to channel spiritual power just to stand upon it. When he first set foot on the bridge, there was nothing unusual about his surroundings. But after taking a few steps, he felt a strange wind arise, howling in from both sides of the bridge. At the same time, the scenery before his eyes shifted. Both ends of the Cloud Bridge vanished. All that remained was the crowd of people and a white bridge without beginning or end, seeming to stretch toward the horizon. The lake below was also stretched infinitely, shimmering with ripples and seemingly bottomless. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly remained asleep. Not knowing whether any Core Formation cultivators were watching, the incarnation did not wake it rashly. Back when the Cloud Bridge had first manifested, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly had already perceived that it was an extension of the formation array on the central island. The incarnation quietly observed the changes in the Cloud Bridge, showing no panic whatsoever. If the Cloud Bridge tested strength, his cultivation at the ninth layer of the Qi Refinement stage was enough to handle most variables. If it tested temperament or perseverance, he had even less cause for worry—in fact, he had to take care not to overdo his performance. As he continued forward, the wind on the bridge grew increasingly fierce, forcing him to channel spiritual power to shield his body against it. At this point, the incarnation deliberately slowed his pace. Others had already caught up, pushing past him without ceremony to take the lead. Channeling his protective spiritual power, the incarnation let one person after another overtake him. He walked forward at an easy pace, quietly observing the changes in those ahead. The illusions on the Cloud Bridge certainly would not be too powerful. If it tested temperament, he might be able to achieve direct immunity by relying on the power of the jade Buddha, which meant everything would depend on his acting skills. The further they progressed, the more violent the wind became, lashing their bodies like long whips. Everyone had no choice but to shorten their stride. At the same time, subtle changes took place beneath the water's surface, as if something were tempting them, whispering repeatedly in their ears: *Jump! Jump down!* Yet no end was in sight ahead. The Cloud Bridge was dispiritingly long, and the distance between the applicants grew wider and wider. Those at either end could no longer see each other. It was easy to imagine that before long, each person would only see themselves, walking the bridge alone. These shifts quietly provoked changes in their state of mind. This Cloud Bridge was a dual trial of temperament and strength. Someone suddenly realized the truth. "What kind of Cloud Bridge is this? It clearly copies some of the power from the Landou Sect's Path of Heart Inquiry!" All of a sudden, a youth shrieked, clutching his head with a face twisted in agony. The next moment, his footing gave way, and he plummeted. Startled, the crowd turned to look at the youth. Just as he was about to hit the water, a flying sword materialized out of thin air, caught him, and carried him away. Back on the pier. The four cultivators stood together, watching the developments among the people on the bridge. "His temperament is that poor?" The sword cultivator frowned. The green-robed man spoke up. "He has three spiritual roots and is only fifteen years old." The middle-aged cultivator nodded slightly. "He can be molded, but he will need to be tempered for a time. He can be sent to the Cauldron Casting Hall." The flying sword carried the youth back. The sword cultivator pointed toward the left. Completely exhausted and still shaken, the youth sat dejectedly on the ground to recover, unsure of what fate awaited him. Starting from that youth, more and more people fell from the bridge. Under the direction of the four cultivators, some were directed to the right, and others to the left. The incarnation continued walking across the Cloud Bridge. He could no longer see anyone ahead or behind him and had no idea how many remained. A profound sense of loneliness washed over him, and the temptation from beneath the water grew increasingly intense. The illusions could not affect his state of mind, but his spiritual power was rapidly depleting in the escalating gale. He put on an exquisite display of acting: his expression twisted one moment and appeared dazed the next, as though he were locked in a fierce struggle against the Cloud Bridge, while the spiritual power about him fluctuated erratically in tandem with his shifting features. *The timing is about right...* Sensing that the spiritual power within his body was nearing exhaustion, the incarnation suddenly wore a look of overwhelming panic, unable to maintain his spiritual power any longer. In the next breath, he tumbled off the Cloud Bridge.