My Crazy Upgrade System-Chapter 75 - 74: Spiritual Shock Grand Array

Soon, it was the next day, and with it came the assessment for Merak Palace’s Official Disciples!

Ordinarily, the Official Disciple assessment wasn’t held so urgently, but with Merak Palace needing to rapidly expand its influence, cultivating a group of core disciples had become a necessity. A constant stream of fresh blood was the key to sustaining the palace’s operations.

"Yi, I’m a little nervous..." Jiu Lingyun said, feeling anxious and uneasy at Yi Tianyun’s side.

They were currently on their way to the assessment grounds. She had always felt her skills were inadequate and had absolutely no confidence. Accustomed to her low self-esteem, she felt she had no real ability. Even though she had been cultivating here for a long time, she still lacked confidence. Merak Palace was a place she had never even dared to dream of joining, and the reality of it felt unbelievable.

Yi Tianyun encouraged her, "Don’t worry. I’ll be right there watching you. Just do your best and believe in yourself."

He hadn’t actually seen much of Jiu Lingyun’s performance, but he knew she had a pure heart and was incredibly hardworking and diligent. He believed in her and was sure she would be able to show a decent level of skill.

Hearing that Yi Tianyun would be there watching her, Jiu Lingyun’s heart calmed considerably.

Soon, they arrived at the venue, which was already a sea of people. There were many Outer Disciples participating in the assessment, and quite a few of them were rather talented.

"Look, Elder Yi is here with that woman. I have no idea how she did it, but she actually managed to cozy up to him!"

"That just goes to show the difference between people. She’s plain—no looks, no talent. And apparently, she’s from the slums. Always pinching pennies... It’s pathetic..."

"Yeah, and she even brought her brother along... It took a lot of effort for us to get in, but she just waltzes in by pulling some strings. It’s so unfair!"

These dissonant voices came from the side, from Outer Disciples recruited from outside the sect. It had to be said, their mouths could be especially vicious, spouting nonsense everywhere.

News of Yi Tianyun getting Jiu Lingyun into Merak Palace had long since spread, and everyone felt it was unfair. Some thought Elder Yi had made a grave error in judgment. ’Why would he bring a refugee from the slums into Merak Palace?’ they wondered.

Jiu Lingyun naturally heard these remarks. Her body trembled, and her eyes immediately reddened. A wave of inferiority surged up from deep within her, bringing with it both bitterness and sorrow.

"Pay them no mind," Yi Tianyun said comfortingly, a calm smile on his face. "Prove yourself with your strength, and slap them in the face with your effort!"

"I understand, Young Master Yi..." Jiu Lingyun was still not comforted, keeping her head lowered, not daring to look up.

He then led Jiu Lingyun to the edge of the testing area to line up. There were several dozen people waiting for the assessment. Since Merak Palace only recruited female disciples, the number was relatively small.

However, the moment he stood to the side with Jiu Lingyun, a flurry of discussion erupted behind them, each comment more unpleasant than the last.

"I’m so jealous. All you have to do is hook up with Elder Yi to get into the assessment. This is probably just a formality; I bet she’ll pass no matter what."

"No point being jealous. If I were Elder Yi, couldn’t I just let my own mother join? And my mom’s just a farmer who doesn’t know a thing."

"I don’t know what Elder Yi is thinking. How could he take a fancy to her? She’s always filthy, and her clothes are all ragged. And someone like *that* thinks she can join Merak Palace?"

...

The Outer Disciples muttered amongst themselves. If they weren’t afraid of Yi Tianyun’s status, they would have already been shouting for Jiu Lingyun to get out.

Although their voices were quiet, he heard every single word. With his level of cultivation, even the faintest whisper was audible.

Yi Tianyun’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’Their jealousy is truly intense,’ he thought. ’They’re convinced Jiu Lingyun only got in because of her connection to me. They even think this assessment is just for show and that she’ll pass no matter how poorly she does.’

’In reality, I would never do that. If Jiu Lingyun doesn’t meet the standard, she can only remain an Outer Disciple; she won’t become an Official Disciple. Public and private matters are separate.’

"You can talk about me, but you can’t talk about Yi!" Suddenly, Jiu Lingyun stepped forward, her eyes red, and declared, "I will prove it to you all! I won’t lose to anyone! I will enter this palace through my own merit, not because of some connection!"

Yi Tianyun hadn’t expected Jiu Lingyun to have such spirit, and a slight smile touched his lips. ’This is the attitude she needs. She can’t be timid. Cowering before them is exactly what they want.’

Seeing Yi Tianyun look over, they all obediently shut their mouths. But the disdain and contempt on their faces spoke louder than any words could.

They paid Jiu Lingyun’s words no mind, thinking they were just hot air and completely meaningless.

"Don’t mind them. Keep that spirit and prove them wrong with your strength," Yi Tianyun said comfortingly, offering a calm smile.

"Mhm!" Jiu Lingyun clenched her fists, saying no more. ’Only strength can prove everything,’ she thought. ’Only strength will make them shut their mouths!’

Just then, Steward Liang, the steward in charge of the Outer Disciples, walked up to the edge of the testing grounds.

She bowed respectfully to Yi Tianyun, whose status was much higher than hers.

She then turned her gaze to Jiu Lingyun, looking as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t bring herself to.

"It’s fine. Proceed as you normally would. Be as strict as necessary and use the standard assessment criteria," Yi Tianyun said with a serious expression.

Steward Liang smiled and nodded lightly. She also loathed the idea of people casually becoming Official Disciples through connections; it was an act of irresponsibility toward Merak Palace.

Steward Liang then explained to the crowd, "This is called the Soul Shock Array. It will continuously unleash Spiritual Attacks, and you simply need to endure them. To become an Official Disciple, you must withstand nine waves of the shock. However, to become an Inner Hall Disciple, you will need to withstand eleven waves!"

This time it seemed fine; one only needed to endure two more waves to meet the standard for an Inner Hall Disciple. At least, that’s what the newcomers thought. Those who had participated before, however, despaired at this standard. They would be lucky just to become an Official Disciple and had absolutely no hope of withstanding eleven waves.

In Merak Palace, disciples were divided into Official Disciples and Inner Hall Disciples. The Inner Hall Disciples were more outstanding and were considered core trainees. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"It’s only nine waves this time? I thought we’d have to withstand thirteen or fourteen!"

"Thirteen or fourteen waves? Don’t be ridiculous. Very few can even make it to the tenth wave!"

"That’s right. Cultivating Spiritual Power is much more difficult than cultivating physical strength."

"I remember hearing that a long time ago, someone in Merak Palace managed to withstand thirteen or fourteen waves?"

...

The crowd below buzzed with discussion, as some had heard these rumors before.

"That is correct. A particularly talented disciple did indeed withstand thirteen waves before. She has since joined the Inner Hall, where her ranking is quite high."

Steward Liang continued patiently, "Although the standard for the Inner Hall is eleven waves, if any of you can withstand the fourteenth wave, you will make a resounding name for yourself and quickly gain the attention of the elders!"

An uproar swept through the crowd. This was an incredible opportunity. After all, if someone could withstand the fourteenth wave, it would be perfectly normal for them to attract the elders’ attention.

Yi Tianyun smiled calmly from the sidelines. ’So this is the Outer Disciple assessment. It’s all about testing their Spiritual Power. A person’s Soul Strength determines their overall talent. The stronger their soul, the greater their potential in all areas!’

’I wonder what standard Jiu Lingyun will be able to reach.’