I Arrived At Wizard World While Cultivating Immortality Chapter 2: The Aptitude Test

As soon as Jie Ming entered the aptitude test hall, a sensation hit him like stepping into a completely new world.

The chamber soared high above, its roof sparkling with star-like flickers, the colossal expanse bearing down and evoking a profound sense of one's own smallness.

Various odd apparatuses weren't absent; they emitted unique energy pulses and stood orderly in separate zones.

Academy attendants directed the young examinees into multiple queues, each proceeding to distinct evaluation spots.

“Mental strength test, next!”

A low-level wizard's commanding tone, infused with an odd vibration, rang out sharply across the huge area, reaching every distant spot.

With the queue, Jie Ming advanced while eyeing the strange testing instruments around him.

In the initial zone stood a huge crystal sphere emitting blue radiance. Examinees touched it with their palms, causing it to flare in degrees matching their mental power, with a rune-inscribed panel nearby revealing a precise figure.

He observed a lad approach timidly and rest his palm on the sphere.

The sphere's luminescence proved so dim it was hardly noticeable, the panel showing “2.” Color fled the boy's face; at the attendant's signal, he departed in total dejection.

“Mental sea depth test, next!”

The next zone boasted an ancient, weighty stone dais where participants seated themselves, channeling their mental power into it.

Intricate runes across the dais's face activated progressively; greater layers aglow indicated deeper mental seas.

Jie Ming witnessed a girl take her seat. Merely a thin rune layer ignited, the panel reading “Depth Scale 3.”

Lip caught between teeth, eyes welling up red, she departed.

“Soul purity test!”

“Elemental affinity test!”

“Mental strength refinement test!”

“Willpower test!”

Far beyond what Jie Ming knew from the lord's teachings, the evaluations spanned all facets vital for wizard practice—mental strength, depth, refinement, soul purity and toughness, elemental adaptability, plus checks on willpower and potential.

Lines formed at every station, the air thick with tension and quiet, pierced solely by device whirs and wizards' subdued directives.

For mental strength refinement, Jie Ming waited in queue.

This setup resembled an intricate astrolabe made of metal.

Prior participants positioned hands at its core, light radiating outward.

Jie Ming observed that lights for most diffused chaotically and progressed sluggishly, halting at modest marks.

“Next, Jie Ming!” His name echoed in the icy, resounding call.

Jie Ming sharpened his focus and strode quickly to the astrolabe.

The supervising young wizard gave him a brief look, indicating to position his hand.

Concentrating deeply, Jie Ming placed his right palm solidly into the astrolabe's middle slot.

He activated the Internal Circulation technique to full, turning his form into an isolated realm, severed from outside ties.

Yet for testing, that wouldn't suffice. Detecting the mental intrusion, Jie Ming gradually eased his grip on his mental strength.

Runes in the astrolabe's heart ignited, light expanding outward.

Differing from others' diffuse glows, Jie Ming's mental strength beamed with sharp concentration, surging swiftly up the astrolabe's markers like an arrow.

One marker… two markers… three markers… the pace stunned!

Surprise flickered in the nearby wizard's gaze; this result outdid nearly all previous ones.

Onward the light surged—four markers… five markers… At five, it eased a bit yet advanced firmly.

Six markers!

At six, the light held steady, gleaming with controlled brilliance.

Approval shone in the testing wizard's eyes as he eyed Jie Ming, taken aback by the showing.

“Mental strength refinement, level six.” Noting the figure, the wizard waved Jie Ming to the following zone.

Calmly retrieving his hand, Jie Ming felt inner relief.

Truly exceptional, the Internal Circulation technique concealed his surplus true essence and mental strength flawlessly against the device's scan.

This aptitude level he had deliberately selected.

Wizard world's testing scaled to ten.

Each grade marked a vast divide, level five deemed superior, level six exceeding ninety percent of peers.

Yet six fell short of elite prodigies.

In this harsh realm, academy aptitude dictated rank. Too meager invited crushing; too superior drew peril. Mid-high “minor talent” suited ideally.

It evaded notice, dodged risks, while permitting believable future leaps.

A touch of ease settled over Jie Ming, surprise mingling within.

Even if he unleashed his full power without concealing anything, he figured he could only achieve level eight according to the test's scaling.

A cultivator who had labored for more than ten years to barely reach Qi Refinement Stage One would merely attain level eight...

Just what sort of freaks were those who effortlessly scored eight, nine, or even ten?!

Jie Ming's results in the following tests varied slightly yet mostly hovered around level six.

Once he finished every test, a central apparatus in the hall assessed the overall outcome, its icy voice resounding across the chamber:

“Apprentice Jie Ming, comprehensive aptitude rating… level six!”

Shocked gasps and whispers burst forth from the surrounding crowd.

Level six!

Level six marked the boundary of “genius,” guaranteeing a smooth journey to official wizard status and the academy's special attention.

Innumerable gazes—filled with envy, jealousy, and curiosity—fixed upon him.

Though Jie Ming appeared composed on the surface, a burden lifted from his heart within.

He had cleared this obstacle, dodging for now the dire risk of ending up as a test subject.

“Next!” The supervising wizard, used to seeing level six potentials, remained indifferent, since such scores were notable yet not exceptional.

While Jie Ming descended from the platform and moved toward the following zone, an even more intense wave of exclamations erupted from elsewhere.

“My God! Mental sea depth… level eight!”

“Elemental affinity, lightning element, level nine!”

“Soul purity, level nine!”

“What kind of immortal is this?!” Jie Ming couldn't resist glancing over as well.

A cluster of young people stood encircled by onlookers, their expressions radiating smug pride.

“Level nine aptitude… that's the Augusta family's young lady! Her fame lives up to the hype!”

“And the level eight Horn young master! His exceptional talent for evocation magic marks him for greatness as a mighty spellcaster!”

“The level nine soul purity individual has been earmarked already by the soul magic instructor!”

The buzz of admiration persisted, tightening Jie Ming's chest as he overheard the declarations.

This realm brimmed with concealed experts and lurking powerhouses. His mere level six paled utterly against these real prodigies.

Better yet, lingering in the shade of their splendor allowed him to blend into the background unnoticed.

The aptitude examinations pressed on, the hall alive with astonished intakes of breath and dejected sighs from lower performers.

Yet candidates had no moment to revel in triumphs or grieve defeats. The stern, pressing voice boomed once more, like a command to assemble:

“All apprentices who have passed the aptitude test, proceed immediately to the central plaza! The selection of major disciplines will begin shortly!”

That voice reverberated through the hall, carrying absolute command.