Zheng Shu, Foundation Establishment early stage, passed! Wait on the right!
As Huang Yuhua completed the last test, Han Lang and the other three hurried over.
The crowd below immediately buzzed with discussion.
"Who are these people? Why are they only arriving now?"
"Is this considered late? After all, Squad Leader Huang was waiting for him!"
"It definitely counts! If you don't leave the cultivation room when the alarm sounds, you should be considered late. You should be eliminated!"
"That's a bit much, isn't it? No matter what, they still managed to catch up!"
...
Han Lang and his group, located in the corridor, naturally couldn't hear the crowd's discussions.
However, they could clearly see Huang Yuhua's changing expression.
Because of their actions, on one hand, it was indeed slightly unfair to others; but on the other hand, if they were truly eliminated for being late, it would seem like the special special forces were nitpicking and deliberately making things difficult;
Therefore, Huang Yuhua glared at them with an annoyed expression.
Regarding this, Han Lang and his group had no other thoughts. Instead, they smiled at Huang Yuhua and said awkwardly.
"Sorry, Squad Leader! My name is Tang Geng, and I'm here for the test!"
Tang Geng's voice was always quite magnetic, and he spoke in a refined and courteous manner.
Therefore, his apology greatly softened Huang Yuhua's expression, but he still said indifferently.
"Test."
Saying this, he handed over a crystal tube, about the thickness of a rolling pin, resembling a thermometer with markings, to Tang Geng.
Tang Geng did not hesitate. He immediately reached out and gripped the bottom, and a vast amount of spiritual energy surged from his palm into the crystal tube.
The crystal tube lit up from bottom to top with rings of brilliant, multicolored fluorescence, exceptionally dazzling.
Han Lang and Ma Long were stunned and asked.
"Holy crap! What is this?"
Tang Qin looked at the two with some surprise, seeming not to expect them to ask such a question, and retorted.
"A spirit-connecting stone! Haven't you seen one?"
The two repeatedly shook their heads.
Seeing their genuinely bewildered expressions, Tang Qin began to explain seriously.
"A spirit-connecting stone is just a relatively special spirit stone crystal, usually transparent. It doesn't contain any spiritual energy itself, so it has no special value to cultivators."
"Moreover, its texture is not hard enough, and its aesthetic appeal is also lacking. Therefore, to ordinary people, it's no different from ordinary stones."
"However, through discoveries over the years, this stone has a special function. That is, it can channel spiritual energy, and it is particularly sensitive!"
"So, after a period of testing, it was found that using this stone to detect the spiritual energy content within a cultivator is the most suitable."
"Thus, in the cultivator world, it was processed and used for strength testing. Its name, spirit-connecting stone, naturally came into being!"
After Tang Qin's explanation, Han Lang and Ma Long gained some understanding of the spirit-connecting stone.
However, Han Lang suddenly had a question.
"But, since this stone is so effective at channeling spiritual energy, why isn't it used to forge spirit artifacts, or even immortal artifacts?"
Tang Qin chuckled.
"Don't worry, my Mr. Han! What you can think of, others have naturally thought of. As I just told you, the spirit-connecting stone's texture is not hard enough, and it's even somewhat fragile. If it were made into weapons, they would shatter with a single blow. So, this idea was almost negated very early on!"
"I see!"
Just as Han Lang nodded, Tang Geng's test was also completed.
Huang Yuhua glanced slightly at the markings on the spirit-connecting stone, saw it infinitely approaching the mid-Foundation Establishment mark, a hint of a satisfied smile appeared on his face, and then he announced indifferently.
"Tang Geng, Foundation Establishment early stage, passed! Wait on the right!"
As Tang Geng moved away, Tang Qin stepped forward next.
Without any surprises, Huang Yuhua's voice soon rang out again.
"Tang Qin, Martial Artist mid-stage, passed! Wait on the right!"
Then,
"Ma Long, Foundation Establishment early stage, passed! Wait on the right!"
It wasn't until the last person, Han Lang, stepped forward that the other new recruits on both sides began to discuss again.
"I thought they were so amazing! Turns out they only just met the standard!"
"Exactly! They barely met the minimum requirements for the special special forces, yet they dared to be so boldly late. Truly arrogant!"
"In my opinion, they're just a few country bumpkins! Usually, these people are the most prone to being conceited and arrogant!"
...
Hearing the crowd's discussions, Tang Geng and Tang Qin, standing in the crowd, couldn't help but frown slightly.
Han Lang seemed unaffected. He reached out and grasped the spirit-connecting stone.
Instantly, a cool sensation flowed into his palm.
Then, he fully circulated the spiritual energy within his body.
As the spiritual energy poured in, the spirit-connecting stone lit up with colorful fluorescence layer by layer from bottom to top.
"Ding, ding, ding."
The fluorescence soared, and after Foundation Establishment early stage, its momentum did not cease.
Huang Yuhua's expression was initially unremarkable.
Like many new recruits, he didn't have much of a good impression of this latecomer who was the main culprit.
But when the markings on the spirit-connecting stone surpassed the mid-Foundation Establishment mark, his expression finally showed some shock.
Among the new recruits of the special special forces in previous years, there were not a few cultivators like Tang Geng whose strength fluctuated around Foundation Establishment early stage.
However, those who could truly break through to Foundation Establishment mid-stage after three months of seclusion were absolutely one in ten thousand.
If it weren't for the large base of new recruits, making many people feel that reaching Foundation Establishment mid-stage wasn't surprising, perhaps a cultivator of this strength could also become a celebrated standout.
This was also why Huang Yuhua was slightly gratified when Tang Geng's test showed him infinitely close to Foundation Establishment mid-stage.
But what shocked him even more was.
After Han Lang's strength broke through the mid-Foundation Establishment mark on the spirit-connecting stone, its momentum did not decrease, rushing straight towards the late-Foundation Establishment mark.
Seeing this, Huang Yuhua's expression clearly became somewhat excited.
"Could it be that among the new recruits I'm leading, there can be two cultivators at the late-Foundation Establishment stage? Such strength would definitely place them in the top ten among the new recruits! If so, I truly have to thank heaven for its favor!"
As he was thinking, the speed of the fluorescence rising on the spirit-connecting stone gradually slowed down.
This made Huang Yuhua's heart race!
He couldn't help but start to feel anticipation.
"Come on! Push a little higher, come on!"
Unfortunately, heaven did not grant his wish.
Han Lang's final test result steadily stopped just shy of the late-Foundation Establishment mark.
Perhaps Han Lang could have broken through this barrier with a little more effort.
But in the end, he still failed to break through.
"Alas! It's a pity, but reaching this level is already very good! Perhaps after the new recruit arena competition, this new recruit in front of me will break through!"
Huang Yuhua consoled himself in this way and then calmly announced Han Lang's result.
"Han Lang, Foundation Establishment mid-stage, passed! Wait on the right!"