Another wave of discussion broke out amongst the millions gathered as the third name, Parker Fenix, popped up on the list. Almost all were very much aware of the existence of Asuros, who had been the most famous cultivator in recent times to take on the Talent Testing Steps, at least until John scored higher than him.
Still, Asuros had achieved sixteen steps the first time, and had somehow increased his talent to eighteen steps the second time around. It was a score that ranked amongst the most talented to ever exist in the world, going back since before the calamity.
As such, the name Asuros was very well known, and was just a step below John in terms of mythos surrounding the name. The crowd discussed his score, as well as the matching last name John and Parker had.
The crowd couldn't come to a conclusion as to whether the two were related or not, but the consensus in the end was that they were not related, as an unknown clan producing two such talents was just too far-fetched to believe.
"The three weakest were the first to show up on this list. It must be a trial in which a longer time is better," someone in the crowd said, garnering agreeing nods all around him. The crowd then discussed who would show up next, based on what they knew about the cultivators who had entered.
A short while later, the stele rumbled again, and the crowd watched as the fourth name received a time and a score. Surprise appeared on their faces, as the name had not been one they had been expecting to appear so soon.
-Name: Zeras Celestria
-Cultivation: Early World Expansion
-Age: Sixty
-Dao Name: Star Storm
-Trial One: Nine Hours. Twenty Minutes. Fifty-Four Seconds.
-Trial One Score: Nine
"What? Zeras is the next to receive a score?" many exclaimed in surprise.
"Isn't he one of the most talented, if not the most talented of the World Expansion experts in there?" others asked.
Zeras' talent was known throughout the continent. He was known as a foremost genius, perhaps even the strongest genius below the age of one hundred. He was the prized son of the Astral Emperor, and his strength was undoubtable.
They had expected him to appear towards the end based on their guesses, but the truth had been completely different. Heated discussions broke out amongst the millions strong crowd, until one youth had enough, and stepped forward to the front of the massive crowd.
"Esteemed monks of the Divine Source Monastery," the youth, who belonged to a neutral clan of decent renown called out. His voice was drowned out initially due to the loud crowd behind him, but his presence and words were noted by the monks. One of them stood up and walked forward to the top step to stare down at the youth.
The monk's actions caused others to quickly take note, and the crowd quickly died down as they realized something was happening.
"What is it, child?" the monk asked calmly, his face expressionless.
The youth, who appeared to be around twenty, gulped in nervousness as a million gazes fell on him, but he mustered his courage to speak once more. The monk before him seemed nice, and did not seem angry that he had called out to them, so he proceeded with his question.
"Esteemed monk. Could you please provide some clarity regarding the names on the stele, and what the scores mean?" the youth asked. His words caused gazes of anticipation to flick to the monk, as the question was on the minds of the other several million cultivators gathered.
The monk flicked his gaze to the stele, and then back to the youth.
"The first line of information relays the nature of the trial, in this particular case, a time trial," the monk replied. The crowd obviously knew this, and wanted clarity of the second line, the 'Trial One Score' line.
"As for the second line," the monk continued. "The second line indicates the order in which the participants ranked in the trial. There are twelve participants, and thus the maximum score one can receive is twelve."
"Maximum?" the crowd murmured, while the youth asked for further clarity, voicing his own guess for confirmation.
"Maximum? Does that mean a score of twelve is the best score, and not the worst score?" the youth asked, to which the monk calmly nodded.
"It does," the monk confirmed. The confirmation sent a surge of heated discussion through the crowd once more, as the truth was the complete opposite of what they had guessed. The higher score was better, and the trial was not an endurance trial, but a form of race in which the lowest time won.
Their eyes went wide as they gazed back at the stele, and at the name that had received a score first. John's name was carved into everyone's minds, as his time had been astronomically faster than anyone else.
In fact, now that the nature of the trial had been revealed, the crowd almost couldn't believe how monstrous John truly was, as his score eclipsed even the likes of Zeras Celestria.
"Is there anything else?" the monk asked the youth calmly, who shook his head sideways. The monk nodded and retreated to his former position, while the buzz of clamourous discussion drifted out in all directions.
The subject? John Fenix, the 'Immortal Asura'
…
Contentious discussion continued over the next day as the crowd discussed the unexpected turn of events, as well as the names that had already received scores. A sour mood was prevalent in the Forbidden Alliance and Monster Race groups, as not only had John decimated everyone else's score, the highest they had placed thus far was fifth, sixth, and eight, for Lua, Rahze, and Zasgoth respectively.
Theories popped up regarding John's freakish time, with many speculating different things. Some said he somehow cheated, while others said the trial was most likely just a good match for him and nothing more. These opinions were mostly of the Forbidden Alliance and Monster Race, who didn't want to acknowledge their grave defeat in the first trial.
Others realized that the score of twenty steps on the Talent Testing Steps was no fluke after all, and that John was truly a cut above all other geniuses. Fights nearly broke out amongst the differing groups as these opinions clashed, and were only stopped by the looming threat of the nearby monastery monks.
Wagers broke out within groups and between different factions, betting on the trials to come, with some betting for John's continued success, while others figured it was a one-time fluke that would not repeat itself.
All the while, the stone stele continued to rumble for the next day as new information popped up, indicating a participant had completed their trial. After thirty hours, the stele suddenly changed once more, as two names were immediately dropped to the bottom of the stele, and then vanished, as if they had never been on the stele at all.
A mixed wave of emotions buzzed through the crowd. Confusion. Curiosity. Anger. Elation. Differing people felt differing emotions based on their relationship with the two names that had been removed, but all knew there were only two explanations for the sudden removals.
Either those two had failed the trial before its conclusion…or they had died.
