The assessment was nearly at its end.
Those still standing on the field were all who had already crossed the Third Heart-Testing Array, continuing to hold on.
Outside the formation, the situation was split into clear layers.
Those who had passed the Second Trial gathered together, surrounding the ones who had attempted the Third but failed, excitedly discussing everything they had just experienced within the Heart-Testing Array formation.
They were already guaranteed entry into the Outer Sect—no further risk.
Altogether, more than three hundred people.
Among them, the Millelith alone accounted for over one hundred and eighty, while another forty-some were notable figures from Liyue.
This confirmed what many suspected: the tempering of the Millelith truly worked, and Liyueans had an innate advantage when it came to cultivation.
Those who had passed were already calculating how to bring their whole families to Liyue, to immerse them in cultivation culture from now on.
When the sect next opened its gates, perhaps they could leave behind the legacy of a family spanning three generations, nine members cultivating together—
perhaps even rising as a true cultivation clan.
That would be a foothold in the turbulent tides to come in Teyvat.
This was an opportunity that would reorder the balance of the entire continent, and whether one grasped it depended entirely on their ability to seize cultivation itself.
The next group was larger still—over five hundred gathered.
These were the ones who had passed the First Trial but failed in the Second.
Their risk was not too high, and again, the majority were from Liyue.
Of those Liyueans, nearly eighty percent were Millelith.
On this point, Ningguang and the others were more than satisfied.
Perhaps their envisioned cultivation army could truly be realized.
As for those who failed after only the First Trial—
Compared to the first two groups, these ones were more worrying.
But the ones who felt the most miserable were, of course, those who had been eliminated outright.
They could now only compete for spots as martial trainees on Mount Shu, or as menial disciples.
Still, a harsh selection.
From time to time, they glanced wistfully at the crowds ahead.
From this moment on, those people would be cultivating immortality—separated forever into the realm of mortals and immortals.
By now, no one remained in the Third Trial.
All who were left were absolute candidates for the Inner Sect.
Compared to the rest, Inner Sect disciples were precious few.
Present among them were Ningguang's three secretaries and the full Liyue Qixing.
The rest were already powerful beings of Teyvat.
Hu Tao, Beidou, Yelan, Xingqiu, Chongyun—Liyue still took the lion's share.
From Inazuma, only Kaedehara Kazuha stood as a representative.
Tighnari, Collei, Alhaitham, Dehya, Tartaglia, Clorinde—
And then, Furina, who had already reached the Seventh Trial.
All told, twenty-one people.
This time, Mount Shu's Inner Sect had expanded dramatically.
Zhongli gave a slight nod.
The outcome was better than he had expected.
Knowing the difficulty of the Heart-Testing Array, he had originally thought only a handful would make it into the Inner Sect.
And yet…
Not only twenty-one, but several with extraordinary talent.
Furina had already reached the Seventh Trial.
Though her entire body trembled and she was visibly exhausted,
her sheer resilience made Zhongli believe she could very well go all the way to the Ninth.
Following her were Hu Tao, Yelan, and Tartaglia.
These three had reached the Sixth Trial, only a step behind.
But their faces were pale—they had likely reached their limit.
Behind them, at the Fifth Trial, were Beidou, Kazuha, Clorinde, Alhaitham, Tighnari, and Dehya.
They possessed strong wills, but how long they could endure was uncertain.
As for the rest—
Zhongli estimated the Fourth Trial would be their limit.
As expected, Xingqiu, Chongyun, and Collei collapsed after the Fourth Trial, pulled out by Zhongli.
The three secretaries and the Qixing managed to step into the Fourth, some passing, some failing.
Most outstanding among them was Baiwen. She passed the Fourth, entered the Fifth, and was promptly expelled.
When those ones were withdrawn, Ningguang gave Baiwen an approving nod.
From today onward, Baiwen and the others were not only her secretaries, but also her junior sisters.
Only a few remained inside the formation.
Before long, Beidou and the others halted as well, stuck at the Fifth and Sixth Trials.
Only Hu Tao pressed on, stepping into the Seventh.
Her momentum was fierce, but by the look of her, this too would be her limit.
Sure enough, after successfully clearing the Seventh Trial, Hu Tao collapsed to her knees, gasping heavily.
She cast a bitter glance at Furina, who was just one step further ahead.
That step felt like an unbridgeable chasm.
Hu Tao stared at Furina, then sighed.
"Some people are simply born geniuses… Forget it, forget it, this Hall Master is not lacking either."
She lifted her head proudly, only to be promptly transported out by Zhongli.
Those who passed the Third Trial were provisional Inner Sect disciples, naturally standing alongside Ningguang and the others.
Zhongli glanced at Hu Tao and said softly, "Congratulations."
Hu Tao glared fiercely at him and ignored him.
Zhongli smiled wryly. With Hu Tao's temperament, she'd be holding a grudge for a few days.
With her gone, only Furina remained inside the formation.
She stood at the Eighth Trial, jaw clenched, body trembling, her aura faint and weak.
Clorinde's chest tightened as she clenched her fists.
"Lady Furina…"
Earlier, Ningguang and the others had briefly mentioned what each Trial was like.
Essentially, they mirrored one's true fate and past path.
Clorinde had gleaned some of Furina's secrets.
At first, it had been hard to accept.
But now…
Surely, Furina herself was the one suffering most.
Five hundred years…
Even a god would find such erosion unbearable, let alone a mortal forced to stand alone on an empty stage, performing for no audience.
The essence of a god was not sheer power, but will.
Furina needed no one's recognition—she herself was already worthy of divinity.
"Miss Furina's will is truly astonishing… worthy of the title Hydro Archon," Tartaglia sighed, recalling the images he had glimpsed of Furina in the Heart-Testing Array.
He thought back to his own six trials.
The first few had been manageable, but each subsequent life had left him shivering at the memory.
And Furina had endured all the way here.
"What kind of torment must she be facing in the Eighth Trial? I nearly broke at the Sixth… and she…" He trailed off, sighing.
"In the end, I was too arrogant. My willpower still has much room to grow."
Clorinde also thought back to her own trial, her heart aching for Furina.
She wanted to tell her to stop.
By now, Furina had shaken everyone—she had already proven herself.
She had no need to go further.
But before she could act, Ganyu spoke softly:
"The Eighth Trial— even Senior Zhongli and the others stopped there."
"To this day, only one person has ever cleared the Ninth—Junior Baizhu."
"But that was because the dream of immortality was carved into his very bones."
"Miss Furina came here perhaps without even knowing what cultivation was. What kind of will, what obsession, is pushing her forward now?"
"At this rate, the second person to reach the Ninth Trial may soon appear."
Clorinde's heart trembled. She stared at Furina.
All anyone could see was her frail figure, as if she bore some invisible weight on her shoulders.
But Clorinde knew—that weight was all of Fontaine.
From birth, Furina had carried every lie and every ideal of justice for Fontaine forward.
If one asked what obsession sustained her—
It could only be Fontaine.
"Lady Furina… you need no one's recognition."
"You are perfection itself, the truest Hydro Archon."
"Keep going, Lady Furina! Show the world your will!"
Clorinde gazed at her with awe.
In this moment, Furina filled in her final missing piece—
Power.
With her perfect will, and the power of cultivation that could suppress the world,
Furina would become the most perfect Hydro Archon in history.
At last, Furina opened her eyes, gasping for breath, collapsing to her knees.
Sweat streamed down her cheeks, pooling on the ground like a clear spring.
Her gaze was vacant, her will shattered by eight lifetimes of reincarnation.
And yet, by sheer instinct, she tried again and again to stand, stumbling, crawling toward the Ninth Trial.
Mount Shu fell silent.
All could see that she was no longer conscious.
Every motion was carried only by will, by some deep-rooted force pushing her onward.
The sight moved everyone.
"Lady Furina…"
A tear slipped from Clorinde's eye.
"You are already the best…"
Over a million onlookers stared, stunned.
Many had never known Furina, only seeing a frail young girl who now appeared towering and unshakable.
All talk of Mount Shu ceased.
"Keep going, girl!"
A single shout rang out, then the entire mountain foot erupted in deafening cheers.
"Do you see her? That's our Hydro Archon! Lady Furina!"
"I knew it! Lady Furina will make it!"
"She is the perfect Hydro Archon! She'll succeed!"
"She will bring Fontaine eternal glory!"
Clorinde's heart trembled as she turned back—
Among the crowd, countless Fontainians screamed until their voices broke.
Even those who had failed the trial beamed with pride, introducing Furina to everyone around them.
Her eyes were vacant, but her light shone brighter than ever.
"Fontaine… Fontaine…"
"I am… the Hydro Archon…"
"I must never stop…"
Furina staggered to her feet, the will of countless Fontainians woven into a rope, pushing her onward.
But Zhongli could see it clearly—
She had reached the very limit of her limits.
One step further, and she might be lost forever.
At the Eighth Trial, she had already proven herself.
Perhaps she never needed to prove anything at all.
Zhongli lifted his hand, intending to pull her out.
But suddenly, a radiance flared atop the high platform.
Zhongli froze, quickly turning to bow.
"Master."
The appearance of Jiang Yan brought silence to the entire Heart-Testing Array.
He gave no reply, only fixed his gaze upon Furina.
After a long pause, he spoke softly:
"Let her continue."
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