"Liu Qi…" Hearing Bi Yi's words, Chen Heng nodded and did not say much.
It was normal that whoever referred the candidate would be present.
Now, Chen Heng just wondered what the test would be like.
Time gradually passed, and soon, they came to another place.
This looked like a hidden location and was surrounded by fog, looking quite unique.
Chen Heng looked around; he could sense a powerful and mysterious power covering this place.
There were many things similar to cultivator runes engraved here, which seemed to have the effect of cutting this place off from the outside world.
Of course, with Chen Heng's current strength, that was all he was able to notice.
As for what the purpose of the rune formation was or what kind of power it contained, he did not know.
Within his body, the Fortune Mark was dormant as it gave off formless power; it seemed that there would not be any danger for now.
Following this, Chen Heng followed Bi Yi into the building ahead.
The building was very wide and tall and seemed incredibly massive.
In front of the building, there was someone waiting.
"You're late."
A middle-aged man stood there. Looking at Bi Yi walking over from the distance he said softly, "Did something happen on the way?"
Bi Yi smiled, "What could possibly happen? There was just some traffic."
"Alright, he's here, so let's start," she said as she looked at the middle-aged man and pulled Chen Heng ahead.
"Is it this boy?"
Looking at Chen Heng, the middle-aged man frowned, "He's an Awakener at such a young age?"
"Even though he's quite young, he has unimaginable power," Bi Yi said as she smiled.
The middle-aged man coldly harrumphed, "Is that so? I look forward to seeing it."
After saying this, he did not say anything else and turned as he walked in.
Seeing this, Bi Yi and Chen Heng followed after him.
Within the building, there was a vast, empty space, where there were a few people waiting already.
"We meet again."
A person Chen Heng was familiar slowly walked over—it was Liu Qi.
Liu Qi had some new clothes on and looked quite calm and stylish.
He looked at Chen Heng and said, "I'm looking forward to it; I wonder how you'll perform."
That night, he had seen Chen Heng's abilities; he had been able to completely suppress that demon.
That demon was very powerful, but it had not been a match for Chen Heng at all and had been on the back foot the entire time.
As such, Liu Qi could not help but wonder just how strong Chen Heng really was.
"We've looked through your information."
Bi Yi turned and smiled as she said, "I'm sure you've been holding back quite a lot. However, don't worry—now that you're here, you don't have to hold anything back. Show us all of your power."
It seemed that over the past few days, they had come to understand Chen Heng's situation.
As such, they had inferred some things, such as that Chen Heng had been hiding his strength the whole time.
They completely understood.
Bi Yi nodded, "This is how all people are. After discovering that they are different from others, people either become arrogant and believe that they are geniuses, while others will treat others as toys.
"However, student Chen, you are different from them: After gaining great power, you did not use this to harm others and instead suppressed your power for the sake of your family and friends, living like an ordinary person.
"This is very admirable."
The others all nodded, and even the middle-aged man was the same.
After ordinary people obtained great power, things would often become quite terrifying. They often became lost in their power and treated ordinary people as ants and themselves as gods.
This had happened to many people in the Protectors before.
Those who could be reformed were reformed, while those who could not were humanely put down.
This kind of thing happened every year, and by now, they were used to it.
Compared to those people, Chen Heng seemed like a very good child.
This was one of the reasons why Bi Yi treated him so well.
"Alright."
By the side, the middle-aged man held some documents as he looked at Chen Heng, "We'll stop with the useless talk and begin with the test now."
He looked at Chen Heng as he said, "The test is split into two major categories, mind and body. Which do you want to do first?"
"Mind," Chen Heng said after thinking for a moment.
"Mind? Very well."
The middle-aged man nodded, "According to Liu Qi, your awakened power most likely has to do with physical power, so we can now have a look if there's anything special about your mind. Go up and try."
As he spoke, the lights in the surroundings were turned on and focused on a single spot.
Chen Heng slowly walked forwards to the lights, and rainbow-colored lights shined on his body.
Boom!
A ferocious pressure came from the surroundings.
Different from ordinary pressure, this pressure did not assail his body but his mind.
Feelings of weariness, pail, and other negative emotions flooded into his mind, making him feel quite uncomfortable.
"Can you withstand it?" Bi Yi asked, "This is a resistance test, which tests your mental strength through your reactions. If you can't take it anymore, let us know; it's fine."
"I'm fine," Chen Heng shook his head.
Under the lights, his expression was calm as he said softly, "Continue."
Not too far away, hearing this, the middle-aged man nodded and pressed a button.
The lights became even brighter as the mental pressure grew.
Even after a while, Chen Heng still did not react.
"Continue," he said.
"It's not just his body, but his mind is this strong as well?" Bi Yi nodded and felt quite surprised.
"Continue."
The middle-aged man did not say anything and pressed the button again, causing the lights to become brighter and the mental pressure to once again increase.
Third level, fourth level, fifth level… eighth level!
After raising the level many times, the color of the lights changed; they went from being rainbow-colored to a white color.
Being covered by this white light, Chen Heng's face began to become pale.
He continued to stand there, but his body was covered with cold sweat, soaking his clothes.
However, to the others, this was a miracle.
Standing in front of the machine, the middle-aged man was unable to maintain the cold expression on his face.
He pointed at Chen Heng and could not help but say, "Liu Qi, what level did you get back when you did the test?"
"I think… I gave up at the fifth level," Liu Qi's mouth twitched as he looked at Chen Heng, thinking of those unpleasant memories.
"Also, he only stood there for half a minute and barely qualified for the fifth level," Bi Yi added, "He can't compare to this fellow at all."
Liu Qi's mouth twitched as he opened his mouth, wanting to retort but not knowing what to say.
Indeed, this was how things were.
Compared to Chen Heng, his performance back then could not compare at all.
"Is this fellow really a physical power type Awakener?"
The middle-aged man could not help but say, "He has already endured the eighth level for two minutes. With this kind of mental power, he can contend with those top-tier mental types. Since the Protectors was established, only ten or so people could reach such a level in the test."
They discussed among themselves, all of them shocked by Chen Heng's performance.
At that moment, Chen Heng's voice once again sounded out.
"Continue."
Under the lights, Chen Heng turned and looked at Bi Yi and the others as he spoke.
"Very well."
Hearing Chen Heng's voice the few of them stopped talking, and the middle-aged man once again pressed down.
Boom!!
The white light became searing hot as it continued to shine down on Chen Heng's body.
Bang!
At that moment, Chen Heng's body suddenly fell to the ground.
He held his head and frowned.
"This is bad!"
Seeing this, Bi Yi looked incredibly worried, "He can't hold on anymore, hurry up and stop!"
However, whether it was the middle-aged man or Liu Qi, neither of them reacted and only looked ahead seriously as they observed Chen Heng.
Soon, Chen Heng moved.
He silently got up and his hands stretched out as his body began to move.
As Bi Yi and the others watched, he sat down cross-legged and slowly closed his eyes as he began to meditate.
"Looks like this is my limit," Chen Heng thought to himself.
The surrounding pressure was like a tsunami that threatened to inundate his consciousness.
This was a level of mental pressure that he could not bear.
In other words, if he did not use any external powers and only used his mind, this would be his limit.
Thinking to there, he quickly sat down and got into the posture for meditation, and he began to use the Basic Meditation Technique.
Immediately, his scattered consciousness became focused again, like scattered sand forming into a sturdy wall.
The Basic Meditation Technique was a legacy from the Sorcerers. It could be used to refine one's mind and increase their mental power.
In the previous simulation, Chen Heng had become extremely familiar with this Meditation Technique.
Apart from refining one's mind, it could also help one focus and gather one's mental energy.
Right now, as he used the Meditation Technique, his mind was not becoming more powerful but becoming much more focused.
In that moment, he was able to block the external pressure and stabilize himself.
"He actually… held on." Looking at Chen Heng, Liu Qi looked dumbfounded as he glanced at Bi Yi, "You said that in the past, only ten or so people passed the eighth level. What about the ninth level?"
"There have only been five."
Bi Yi thought for a moment before replying, "But after today, there will be six."
"Putting aside his body's strength, just this kind of mental energy is enough for him to become one of the top-tier members in the future. After we go back, we should make a special application for him to receive some of those secret techniques and join the team for clearing out abnormalities."
"We also need to apply for some guards for him," the middle-aged man said, "We can't allow anything to happen to such a good seedling."
"Guards?" Hearing the middle-aged man's words, Liu Qi's mouth twitched and he opened his mouth but did not know what to say.
At that moment, he thought of the scene of Chen Heng destroying the demon; it had been an incredibly bloody and gory scene.
An incredibly savage and terrifying demon had been like a small animal in front of Chen Heng, and yet he needed protection?
However, Liu Qi also felt quite excited—he wanted to see how Chen Heng would perform during the physical test.
As he watched on, Chen Heng once again walked to the empty area.
This time, the physical test was real combat.
"Real combat…" Chen Heng looked ahead.
In front of him, a hazy image had appeared.
This image looked illusory and looked like the shape of a person.
Looking at this image, Chen Heng felt some familiarity.
As such, he frowned and looked over at Liu Qi.
"Your feeling is correct."
Liu Qi nodded, "This image is a clone of you.
"This is something created through a secret technique and the rune formation here. It can create an image with the same power as you; it's just that the creation process is very complicated."
Liu Qi gave a brief explanation and also went through the process of creating the clone.
Not only did it need enough energy to sustain, but it could also only appear in this area, and it required the original person's cooperation and blood.
Hearing this, Chen Heng thought back to the process after he had first arrived here.
It seemed that the body examination process was for this.
"So it's like that." Chen Heng said as he looked ahead.
Following this, the image became hazy and twisted.
The image then suddenly sprang forwards and punched at him.
Looking at this fist, Chen Heng's expression was calm as he stood there without moving.
A light sound rang out as that fist hit Chen Heng's body, but it was unable to make him move at all.
He calmly stood there like a tall mountain, not moving an inch.
"That's it?"
Sensing the image's power, Chen Heng felt quite surprised.
Chen Heng then casually waved his hand as if he was swatting a fly away.
Bang!!
Below, Bi Yi and the others watched this scene completely dumbfounded.
Above, Chen Heng only lightly waved his hand and gave what looked like an incredibly weak blow, but he sent the image flying back.