Si Nam stepped forward toward the device, which stood on its metallic supports in the middle of the testing arena. She gently and cautiously placed her hand on the thin white thread embedded in the slit, then channeled a minuscule amount of her Ice element into it.
"That small amount of energy won't change the thread's color. You need to channel more into it," the instructor calmly explained from the side. "Then keep it balanced—not a bit more, not a bit less—across the entire thread."
"U...understood."
A single bead of sweat rolled down Si Nam's temple, despite the fact she hadn't even truly started yet. Slowly, steadily, and with great care, she increased the energy she was releasing into the thread. Her eyes were fully focused—despite the tension written all over her face.
After a few seconds, the thread finally changed color—from white to pale blue, the mark of a first-level Ice Seal. But only one centimeter had changed—not even enough to earn a single point.
'I have to rise in rank. I can't keep sitting at the very bottom.' She let out a large breath she hadn't realized she was holding, then started pushing more power through the thread. Its color spread slowly but steadily—centimeter by centimeter.
And after exactly one and a half minutes, the thread reached the 27-centimeter mark—pale blue and visibly warped—before finally snapping.
"Twenty-seven centimeters. Score: 5 out of 100. Control Level: Beginner. That is Si Nam's result. Current rank: 217th," the instructor called out, loud enough for the whole arena to hear.
Si Nam stepped back, met with a wide range of expressions—though most were scornful, save for a few nervous ones from students stuck near the bottom with her.
'5 out of 100... I did my best. Please... just let me rise a few ranks,' she thought, pressing her fingers together in a silent plea, almost like a prayer.
'The Demon Seal Sect believes only in strength—not gods—yet here she is, clasping her hands and wishing. Truly, desperation makes people cling to anything...
Still... who says gods don't exist just because our sect says so? Maybe her wish will come true. We'll find out soon enough,' Mo Bai mused, his eyes showing faint interest, laced with quiet sarcasm.
"Next: Xiao Bin."
Xiao Bin stepped up and began the test the same way Si Nam had. He, too, looked nervous—natural for someone ranked so low.
Carefully and without rushing, he channeled his Earth element into the thread. After a full minute, the thread had turned brown across 25 centimeters. But as soon as he tried to increase the output, the thread snapped.
"Twenty-five centimeters. Score: 5 out of 100. Control Level: Beginner. That is the result of our new 217th place: Xiao Bin."
'Damn it! My score's worse than Si Nam's? Ugh… I'm going to be dead last at this rate. What rotten luck...'
Xiao Bin's face soured instantly, clearly showing his frustration.
He turned around and was met with the usual scornful glares from the crowd. But amid those harsh looks, one face stood out—glowing with joy and a wide, bright smile.
Si Nam. The girl who had just surpassed him.
The sight of her triggered a sudden wave of resentment deep inside him. Something he hadn't meant to feel—but couldn't stop either.
'So this is the struggle of the weak, huh? Just like the strong fight for more power and control over their fate, the weak fight too—to survive, to suffer less.'
'Everyone has their own battles. This chaotic world will never know peace. But that's fine... I like the fire in my chest when facing challenges. I like imagining the looks of shock on those who thought I was beneath them.
That feeling... it gets me fired up!!'
The instructor announced the next student's name with the same unreadable expression he'd worn since the beginning of the test. But in truth, as he watched the next student step forward, list held behind his back, he thought:
'The test is just getting started… It'll last at least ten hours. This world only has 38 hours in a full day. Over 200 students need to finish in one go, this is too much.'
Then his thoughts shifted—less complaint, more observation.
'Each 5 centimeters equals 1 point. This test is truly difficult for students who've only trained for a week. The highest score in academy history was 57 points, set by the clan leader 300 years ago. He reached Advanced Control in just one week—surpassing the Intermediate stage like it was nothing. Of course, even then, he was far from becoming a full Elemental Master.'
Hours passed. One after the other. Students completed the test, their results varied, rankings shuffled... but now, most eyes had turned to the thirteen students who hadn't taken the test yet—the true contenders for the rewards.
From lowest rank to highest, they were:
Mo Zun, Yi Nam, Xu He, Sun Wu, Bai Kohei, Yi Jin, Bai Min, Yi Zanyu, Mo Bai, Bai Shuo, Yi Kang, Mo Fan, and Bai Ken.
"Next: Mo Zun."
The instructor's voice was hoarse now after nearly nine hours of announcements.
Mo Zun stepped forward confidently, but his stiff smile betrayed his nerves. As he approached the device, one thought dominated his mind:
'I need to secure a spot in the top ten. The Yi Faction already has three students there, and we only have two. If I become the third, I'll finally earn the respect of everyone in our faction.'
He pushed his energy into the thread much faster than Si Nam or Xiao Bin had. In seconds, it turned deep blue—the mark of a second-level Lightning Seal—reaching 50 centimeters at lightning speed.
He didn't slow down. Calmly, steadily, he kept channeling energy until he hit the 100-centimeter mark. Then, his gaze sharpened and his focus deepened. The thread's color began to change more slowly.
Three whole minutes passed before Mo Zun finally reached 140 centimeters. At that point, his control slipped, and the thread snapped—like all the others before.
"One hundred and forty centimeters. Score: 28 out of 100. Control Level: Intermediate. Mo Zun's result. Current rank: 13th," the instructor announced in his usual neutral tone.
But his raised eyebrow betrayed his inner surprise.
'To reach the top ten, you usually need at least Intermediate Control—26 points or more. His score gives him a real shot. Looks like all the resources he stole really did help him.'
Mo Zun stepped down from the stage with a wide grin, flashing his pearly teeth as he thought,
'I did it. I did it! Tenth place is almost guaranteed now. Either Sun Wu or Bai Kohei won't be able to beat me!'
While all this played out, Mo Bai stood quietly, hands behind his back, the same bored expression on his face matching his thoughts exactly:
'When will this tedious test end? It's already been nine hours. I want to finish my plan and confirm it worked before I start the experiment. That's a thousand times more valuable than this waste of time. The only thing remotely entertaining here... is seeing Bai Shuo's face when he loses to me.'
'Anyway, not much left now. This month, I begin the experiment. I either succeed... or I die.'