Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

Li Chengwu glanced over the numerous scions who had registered and gave a slight nod. "Then we shall proceed with the academic test. Only those who pass may advance to the next round."

With that, he had the test questions handed out. The questions of the academic test were, in fact, all matters the clan had dealt with before, or cases drawn from the Merchant Association.

Some had absorbed such knowledge through long exposure and would surely hold a great advantage, the direct-line scions of the Li Clan among them. They had regular contact with the clan's inner workings and its business affairs, and so naturally knew how to handle these problems. This too was an advantage of the direct line.

Some might consider that unfair, but in the end, one had to play the cards they had been dealt—or acquire new ones themselves.

Soon, the test ended.

Li Guang looked perfectly calm. Indeed, a mere test was no obstacle in his path. After all, he had been exposed to many affairs of the clan, and now he remembered the important details.

Soon, the elders and Li Chengwu nodded; there was no objection at all to the first-round academic test.

"One hundred and sixty have passed the test!" Li Chengwu announced.

Just like that, two hundred eight had been cut out.

"Next comes the martial test. You may take this test with your own martial strength, or have the expert you have recruited take it instead. Either will do. In any case, the combat prowess must be at the level of the Divine Ability Realm or above. Anything less than that gets you eliminated," Li Chengwu explained, his sharp gaze sweeping the crowd.

Many of the Li Clan's scions looked at one another, and then some withdrew in dejection, a sign that their combat prowess was below the Divine Ability Realm.

This, too, was only normal. The seniors of the Li Clan, though they themselves lacked Divine Ability Realm combat power, had relied on all sorts of conditions to recruit supreme Divine Ability martial artists.

One could use their influence or paint grand promises to borrow the strength of another. Whatever the method, in the end one had to have Divine Ability Realm combat power.

The second test concluded as well, and only forty-three remained.

"You're the ones with Divine Ability Realm combat power. Now, we settle this in earnest, with strength deciding everything. The Li Clan is among the greatest powers in the Heavenly Sacred City, and in the Heavenly Sacred City, strength is what matters most. Whether your own strength is formidable, or your team is formidable, makes no difference.

"Naturally, the victor shall become the clan's successor. This time, there are no rules, not even a limit on numbers. However many experts you've managed to recruit on your team, that's your own ability. Only one who disregards trifles and stops at nothing can become a worthy patriarch.

"Now, let us begin! Be the last one standing, and you shall be the successor. Anything short of killing is permitted. When it comes to the critical moment, the elders and I will step in to prevent bloodshed."

Li Chengwu's face was solemn during the entire speech.

The final test was a battle bound by no rules, not even a cap on numbers. Those who had assembled teams rejoiced, while those of low standing shook their heads dejectedly.

In this contest, fairness was irrelevant. After all, in order to become patriarch, one had to be able to overcome any kind of hardship, including unfairness.

The thirty-sixth patriarch had risen above the rest because he had once saved a Divine Ability martial artist on the brink of death. That martial artist possessed tremendous strength, and in the end took the final leap to the heavens to become a Martial Saint.

With a Martial Saint's might behind him, who would dare cross the thirty-sixth patriarch?

Everyone in the Li Clan praised that patriarch, how he had risen from a collateral branch to lead the Li Clan to their height. However, they were unaware of the secret weapon of that patriarch, the Martial Saint.

With a Martial Saint's backing, one could easily succeed as long as they were not a fool. A sacred land was, in the end, a world where martial strength reigned supreme. Everything was decided by martial strength.

Li Feng smiled faintly. Behind him stood more than a dozen Divine Ability Realm experts, every one of them eager, and gathered together their presence was striking indeed.

"I'm in your hands, everyone," Li Feng said with a smile.

Behind Li Chen, likewise, stood a number of Divine Ability martial artists, though far fewer. But at Li Chen's side was a Golden Core True One, the only one among all those present.

Li Chen bowed respectfully to True One Ning Xu beside him. "I'm counting on you, True One."

True One Ning Xu opened his eyes.

Apart from Li Feng and Li Chen, the others had teams or Divine Ability experts behind them as well, but compared to those two their forces were clearly far weaker. Still, many turned their eyes toward Li Guang. Li Chengwu, the host of elders, all of them looked to Li Guang.

Li Guang stood up. There was no team behind him, just one man in whom he had placed all his hopes.

"Here we go... I'm in your hands, Brother Lu," he said with a bow.

Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. "Leave it to me."

With that, he rose and started walking up, as though tiers of unseen stairs lay beneath his feet, until he stood above everyone else in the air.

Lu Changsheng glanced down at the crowd: several dozen Divine Ability experts, nearly a hundred in total. It was a daunting sight, one that would set anyone's heart quailing.

However, Lu Changsheng was completely composed. His gaze lingered only a moment longer on Elder Tu and True One Ning Xu before it switched to Li Chengwu and the host of elders.

"Patriarch Li, my divine ability is no small thing. Once I release it, I'm afraid many will die. Even the elders may not be able to save them. What happens if someone dies?"

Lu Changsheng's words carried across the whole martial ground, and at once they set off an uproar.

"What's that supposed to mean? Has Lu Changsheng's arrogance gone clean past all bounds? How strong could his divine ability be, that not even the elders or the patriarch could save anyone?"

"I've seen men with major divine abilities, and none were as arrogant as Lu Changsheng. That's nearly a hundred Divine Ability martial artists down there. There's a Golden Core True One too."

"Right. Wherever Li Guang dug up this Divine Ability martial artist, the man is swollen with conceit, thinking no one is his equal."

Unsurprisingly, Lu Changsheng had come across as arrogant. Even Li Chengwu's brow furrowed, to say nothing of the elders. Some of them sneered outright.

"The selection of a patriarch is settled by martial strength. If even we cannot reach them in time, then those who die will have died for nothing."

"That's right. If you can't even withstand one strike from another Divine Ability martial artist and end up dying, then you only have yourself to blame."

"Use your divine ability as you please. I'm eager to see what makes you so confident."

At last, Li Chengwu said slowly, "Fellow Daoist Lu, since this is settled by martial strength, then death and injury are no one's concern. So set your mind at ease."

Lu Changsheng nodded.

"Elder Tu, he..." Li Feng frowned, his expression full of uncertainty.

Lu Changsheng was far too confident. In fact, he was blatantly arrogant. That look in his eyes, disdaining all living things, was nothing like the man before.

Earlier, Lu Changsheng had kept a low profile, or rather, had been very restrained. But now, he was looking down at everyone from above, clearly regarding them as nothing. It seemed he intended to take on all hundred competitors by himself.

"Do not fret," Elder Tu said coldly, almost as if reproaching Li Feng. "That man might be strong, but let's see what his divine ability is all about. Can he pin down all several dozen of us Divine Ability martial artists in one stroke?"

Li Chen wavered as well, but True One Ning Xu shook his head.

"No point in worrying now," Ning Xu said mildly. "If you think we cannot succeed, then concede already and be done with it. I assure you, whatever divine ability this man has, with me here, nothing's going to happen to you."

His words managed to reassure Li Chen. "Thank you, True One."

Indeed, no one had expected Lu Changsheng to set himself directly against everyone else, roughly a hundred contestants. He was drawing all the fire onto himself, making many enemies right from the start.

Of course, no one knew what was in Lu Changsheng's mind. He was convinced that his divine ability would easily overpower a hundred people, perhaps even a thousand. Indeed, with an immeasurable divine ability, who would shrink and cower in the face of competition?

"Begin."

At Li Chengwu's command, some of the Divine Ability martial artists unleashed their divine abilities at Lu Changsheng almost in the same instant.

Since Lu Changsheng insisted on facing everyone by himself, his opponents would naturally show no courtesy or mercy. Their strategy was simple: cut Lu Changsheng down first and worry about the rest later.

A dense swarm of divine abilities seemed to be gathering, building to release. Lu Changsheng stood in the air with his hands behind his back, seemingly making himself a target on purpose.

The dozens of Divine Ability experts struck, yet Lu Changsheng still did not stir. He merely extended his hand and lightly pointed at the air.

Boom!

The air shuddered, and the surroundings seemed to darken. Everyone looked up, and they saw an enormous black hole taking shape and blotting out the sky. Its pulling power was tremendous, as though you would get sucked into the abyss by merely gazing into it.

Countless martial artists felt their spirits shaken. Even those in the Divine Ability Realm felt their minds shudder violently, as if their entire existence was about to be swallowed by the darkness above.

This was it: Lu Changsheng's immeasurable divine ability, the Mental Black Hole. For the first time, he had unleashed it for all to see.

"Agh, my eyes! I-I think I've gone blind!"

"No... It's not your eyes! The black hole has covered us! Wh-Where the hell am I?!"

"My mind!"

The Divine Ability martial artists screamed in agony, their faces twisting in an instant as the monstrous waves surged through their minds.

Thud!

The martial artists with the weakest minds collapsed one after another. Just like that, they were left without breath, without life in their eyes. The Mental Black Hole had killed them without even fully descending upon them; it had only spread across the sky.

Had it settled onto them directly, they would have suffered an even worse death. No one in the Divine Ability Realm could possibly withstand such a dreadful ability. As for those in the Dao Foundation realm, their minds were instantly snuffed out.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, withdraw your divine ability, quickly! You've won! You've won! Withdraw it now!"

Li Chengwu's alarmed voice echoed through the air.

Snap!

And just like that, the terrifying black hole vanished almost instantly. The darkness had retracted, giving way to the light of the sun.

Many were gasping for breath, as though they had survived a calamity, and they stared at Lu Changsheng with disbelief. The last few moments had felt like a nightmare from which one awakened in a cold sweat.

With just one divine ability, Lu Changsheng had dominated everyone. What had just occurred was utterly horrifying. Had Li Chengwu not intervened, every single contestant might have died.

"Immeasurable... A divine ability without limits..." Elder Tu was trembling all over, his eyes wide with terror.

There was no doubt in his mind. Only an immeasurable divine ability could unleash such overwhelming power, enough to force everyone to their knees!

True One Ning Xu also failed to maintain his composure, his eyes fixed on Lu Changsheng.

"An immeasurable divine ability... I never I'd live to see one with my own two eyes... Indeed, such power truly is without bounds," he murmured in disbelief.

As for Li Chengwu and the elders, all color had drained from their faces. They stood frozen, utterly shaken, staring at Lu Changsheng as though he were a monster.

So that's what an immeasurable divine ability can do...

They had never seen someone with such an ability in the Heavenly Sacred City before. In fact, no such individual had ever emerged in the entire history of the Heavenly Sacred City.

But now, Lu Changsheng had just made history, and his legend was bound to live on for generations.