Chapter 904: The Meteoric Rise Trial!

Within this Vast Immortal Sea, the gathering places of most cultivators, though not as incessantly bustling as the great cities of the mortal realm—where common quarters rang with the ceaseless cries of hawkers and wealthy districts teemed with a relentless flow of carriages and horses—yet possessed a charm entirely their own.

The thoroughfare just outside the shop served as a hub of trade and commerce between wandering immortals from every corner of the realm and the eight ancient immortal clans; tempered by the passage of long years, it had flourished into a singular state of prosperity.

Stepping onto the street outside the shop and turning left, one would find the main artery of the entire immortal market just a short distance away; though this road, wide enough for two riders abreast, was somewhat narrow, all mounts and carriages were strictly forbidden save upon the primary thoroughfare, leaving it feeling amply spacious for the throng of pedestrians coming and going.

Walking along the street just outside the shop, one could easily catch the voices drifting out from within.

"What in the world is this...?"

"Is that not the Three Monsters of Cloud Dream?!"

"And that young master, he looks like...!?"

At first, there were only a handful of onlookers, yet unexpectedly, within a mere seven or eight minutes, a crowd of about a dozen people had already gathered outside.

The shop, small enough to begin with, was instantly encircled by a ring of spectators directly before its doors.

"What are they doing?" A young man clad in a robe of black leather parted the crowd, peering inside with an expression of curiosity.

"Who knows..." Beside him stood a burly fellow who craned his neck to steal a glance within. "I've been listening here for quite a while now. It seems... someone is singing inside that magical artifact, and the moment the singing starts, those two begin leaping and bounding about on top of it."

"Leaping and bounding about?!" The young man in the black leather robe observed the scene with meticulous care, his expression growing solemn as he mused, "If I am not mistaken, both of them are practicing some manner of footwork—an immortal-grade footwork of at least the Earth Realm!"

"Footwork?!" A chorus of startled gasps immediately erupted from those behind him.

"Naturally so." The young man in the black leather robe pointed toward the two figures atop the dance machine, continuing, "Look at that young master in white; at times, when his footwork reaches a point of subtle perfection, does his form not become exceedingly elusive and difficult to fathom?"

"It truly seems so..." the burly man beside him exclaimed in wonder.

"Look again. Is there not a strange and elegant cadence, a remarkably pleasing rhythm, to the tempo of every single step they take?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I feel it too!" Behind them spoke another young man, clad in tight-fitting martial attire, a row of iron chains and silver rings dangling distinctly from his jacket, making him stand out like a crane among a flock of chickens. "But what is the secret hidden within this?"

"If my guess is correct, this must be the legendary Rhythm of the Dao," the young man in the black leather robe explained. "Much like the mountains, rivers, and the heaven and earth themselves, which embody the miraculous craftsmanship of nature, these divine abilities and mystical arts, if they possess a deep understanding of creation's workings, will naturally align with the Great Dao. Look closely—every place their feet land shifts like the changing of the stars. If you lose focus for even a breath, do you not feel as though several phantoms have materialized before your eyes?"

"It really is... it truly is so!" The young man in martial attire clapped his hands in high praise.

"Then what about this singer who keeps chanting 'Ay-yi-ya-yi-ya' over and over again? What is the meaning of that?!" the burly man nearby inquired.

"Uh..." At this question, the young man in the black leather robe suddenly looked conflicted, his countenance betraying his embarrassment. "This has truly stumped me, Qiu."

He pondered deeply for a long moment before finally speaking: "...However, according to my analysis, it is highly probable that this is some sort of specialized mnemonic formula for the footwork?"

"Well said!" Just then, Yao Ji stepped down from the dance machine, his eyes gleaming with a brilliant light as he declared, "I was just wondering what purpose these few lines could possibly serve. With the enlightenment you all have just provided, this young master has suddenly seen the light."

"It really is a mnemonic formula?!" The crowd cried out in astonishment. "But this... this bears no resemblance to any mnemonic formula at all!"

"Who says it bears no resemblance?!" By this time, Yao Ji had already been dancing upon the machine for a considerable duration. "Watch closely!"

With those words, he began to chant softly under his breath: "Ay-yi-ya-yi-ya! Ay-yi-ya-yi-ya~!"

The movements of both his feet shifted and leaped with extreme regularity in accordance with the rhythm, and almost like a conditioned reflex, the arrows from the screen manifested clearly within his mind.

In the very next instant, the eyes of the onlookers blurred, and to their utter amazement, they saw Yao Ji appear before them as though he had, by sheer force, split into three distinct illusory phantoms!

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Yao Ji finally explained, "To tell you the truth, just now when I recited those few lines of the formula, the corresponding steps for these movements involuntarily surfaced within my mind. This is absolutely a mnemonic formula, without a shadow of a doubt!"

"Does this not mean it is at least an Earth Realm footwork?!" a tall, heavily-built man to the side remarked. "How long have you even been in this shop? To think you can already exert such an effect?!"

And it was precisely at this moment that a genial old man stepped forward, a genial smile gracing his face as he spoke, "Would any of you gentlemen care to give it a try as well? What this young master is utilizing is precisely our shop's latest 'Learning Machine'."

"These Learning Machines can guide the user in mastering a set of exquisite footwork. Today marks the grand opening of our establishment, so as a rule, a single immortal crystal will purchase five immortal coins, and one immortal coin will allow a single use of this magical artifact to study the profound footwork contained within."

"Is it not said that if one fulfills the proper conditions, new content can also be unlocked?" Just then, Yao Ji inquired once more.

"Of course," Gu Tingyun introduced, gesturing toward the screen. "When these arrows descend, if the timing, rhythm, and cadence of the corresponding footwork are barely satisfactory, this slot will flash with a silver light. However, if they are grasped to absolute perfection, it will flash with a purple radiance!"

"Once a full set of footwork has been executed, it will enter the scoring phase." At this moment, a row of rankings appeared upon the screen. "These are the fundamental criteria for rankings and advancement."

"Naturally, our foundational footwork is not limited to this single set; it can be changed according to personal preference, and one can even connect with others to engage in a contest!"

"It... it can even do that?!" Yao Ji's eyes instantly grew sharp as he fixed his gaze upon the tall, thin man beside him, challenging, "You! Just now, our victory and defeat were yet undecided. What say we use this magical artifact to contest against one another right now?!"

"Splendid! I too have not yet enjoyed myself to the fullest," the tall, thin man among the Three Monsters of Cloud Dream replied. "Judging by your attire, you must be a scion of some great clan, but I did not lose to you just now!"

"Come—!"

From within the shop, the music could be heard drifting out in an unbroken stream, followed shortly by a burst of wild laughter: "Haha! As expected, my footwork is still a cut above! Is there anyone else who dares to challenge me?!"

"I'll come!" the young man in martial attire barked, leaping onto the dance machine with a great shout.

As the music commenced, the feet of the two men seemed as though they had been fitted with twin electric motors, entirely incapable of stopping!

On they went... until the sky turned black.

"No more, no more!" A succession of ragged gasps echoed from inside the shop.

Yao Ji stood alone, proudly atop the Nine-Palace Platform; above his head, lights of crimson, orange, yellow, green, azure, blue, and purple flashed in a dazzling array, while everyone else stared at him in utter consternation.

"He actually..."

"Unlocked the new footwork so quickly!?"

"Good heavens, that is far too formidable!"

Yet before long, a sudden cry of alarm rang out: "Oh no! Young Master, today the academy holds the Sovereign Ascent Examination!"

"Did we not just finish testing a few days ago?!" Yao Ji snapped in fury. "Why are they testing us again?!"

"Do not ask! Quick, let us go, let us go! This time it is an Elder personally hosting the Sovereign Ascent Examination—if we do not hurry, we shall be too late!"

...

.