The Sword God of the Universe
Chapter 1005 Mechanical Puppet

Chapter 1005: Chapter 1005 Mechanical Puppet

Today, the martial artists participating in the promotion assessment for the Second Palace are not limited to Jing Yan alone.

When Jing Yan, along with Qingmu Department Director Gong Luo, entered the First Palace Assessment Department to await the assessment, he observed that there were several hundred martial artists participating in the assessment with him.

Gong Luo saw Jing Yan’s expression and chuckled lightly.

"The Second Palace promotion assessment is typically scheduled once a month, so every assessment always has many participants. For each assessment, not only does the upper management from the First Palace’s Human Resources and Assessment Departments attend, but the top management from the Second Palace’s Human Resources and Assessment Departments also oversee it on-site. Conducting promotion assessments every day is certainly impossible," Gong Luo explained to Jing Yan.

Jing Yan nodded in realization. Those high-ranking officials surely can’t be stationed here every day.

The process of the Second Palace assessment is not complex. Within the building of the First Palace Assessment Department, there is a specially arranged platform.

Members participating in the promotion assessment for the Second Palace only need to endure a tea’s worth of time in front of a mechanical puppet, and they can pass the assessment and smoothly advance to the Second Palace.

Gong Luo had explained the details of the assessment to Jing Yan, so while Jing Yan wouldn’t claim to be very familiar with the promotion assessment process, he was certainly not unfamiliar.

As they waited, numerous personnel from the Assessment Department and Human Resources Department gradually arrived. Gong Luo greeted some of them proactively. As the Qingmu Department Director of the First Palace, Gong Luo had some connections, and he was particularly close with Elder Bao Tong of the Human Resources Department.

Jing Yan was here, and attracted quite a bit of attention, especially from those who knew of Jing Yan’s situation, who couldn’t help but cast their gaze upon him.

Jing Yan was indifferent to this, thinking they could look all they wanted, as it wouldn’t hurt him one bit.

"Are all the members participating in the promotion assessment present?" a middle-aged man asked someone beside him.

"Reporting to the Ministry Head, a total of 255 First Palace members are participating in this promotion assessment, all present without any absences," someone beside the middle-aged man immediately replied.

"Very good, since everyone is here, let’s arrange to start," the middle-aged man nodded.

His face showed little expression from start to finish. However, the people around showed great respect for him.

"Jing Yan, that person is the Deputy Minister of the Second Palace Assessment Department. Among everyone here, his identity holds the highest status," Gong Luo quietly introduced to Jing Yan.

Soon someone came to Jing Yan and other assessment participants and led them to the Great Hall of Assessment.

It didn’t take long for Jing Yan and others to appear in a spacious great hall. In the center of the hall, there was an arrangement like an arena, yet distinct from it. One could see nine grids on top, with a faint light barrier separating each, filled with a barely visible energy fluctuation.

Jing Yan guessed that that place was the stage used for the promotion assessment, also known as the assessment platform.

Before Jing Yan could inquire from Gong Luo beside him, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. He then saw nine black figures emerging from the interior of the great hall.

"Mechanical Puppets?" Jing Yan stared at the nine black figures.

These must be the mechanical puppets. At first glance, they resembled human appearances but upon closer inspection, it was clear they were not human.

"Compared to the guards of the Death Temple, they fall far short in craftsmanship. Death Temple guards were refined personally by the master of the Death Temple. The master of the Death Temple is evidently a Great Ability of the God Realm, likely far more powerful than Mr. Zhong," Jing Yan mused internally.

The nine mechanical puppets each entered one of the nine grids atop the assessment platform, taking their positions.

"Jing Yan, those are the mechanical puppets used in the assessment, their power is very formidable. In terms of sheer strength, they are in no way inferior to a Five-Star Void God. When it’s your turn, you just need to hold on for a tea’s time without being knocked off the platform, and you’ll pass the assessment," Gong Luo whispered.

The four deacons of the Qingmu Department also stood behind Jing Yan and Gong Luo. They silently hoped that Jing Yan would smoothly pass the promotion assessment, praying there wouldn’t be any problems.

"Let the assessment begin!"

"According to the order, nine people at a time." The Deputy Minister of the Second Palace Assessment Department waved his hand and said.

At his command, an elder stepped forward holding a booklet. This elder was the Minister of the First Palace Assessment Department, and in his booklet were the names and information of Jing Yan and others.

"Next, the names of those called will enter the assessment platform for the promotion assessment," the elder announced.

He quickly called out the names of nine martial artists participating in the promotion assessment.

From the crowd, nine people swiftly jumped out, ascended the assessment platform, each entering a grid facing a mechanical puppet.

"Prepare!"

"Timing starts!" The elder’s voice condensed as he spoke.

As soon as his voice dropped, the nine mechanical puppets fiercely swung their weapons, launching attacks on the nine martial artists. These mechanical puppets wielded identical weapons, a black long-handled hammer.

Jing Yan below watched carefully but soon shook his head.

The mechanical puppets’ power was indeed strong as Director Gong Luo mentioned, comparable to a Five-Star Void God’s strength. However, these puppets didn’t utilize any martial arts, nor did they understand to wield the Power of Laws, simply relying on raw strength to attack.

This kind of attack posed no threat to Jing Yan. Faced not only with one mechanical puppet but even nine simultaneously, Jing Yan felt no pressure.

Of course, while the mechanical puppets posed no threat to Jing Yan, they were indeed threatening to typical Three-Star Void Gods.

Sheer strength can overpower many techniques; at times, when strength reaches a certain degree, other strategies become very vulnerable. Even with only tremendous strength, they can make martial artists who can wield the Power of Laws and use martial arts scramble desperately.

Sure enough, the battle had barely reached a third of a tea’s time when one Three-Star Void God was embarrassingly knocked out of the platform.

This Three-Star Void God’s combat experience was too rough. Given his strength, he could have entangled with the mechanical puppet. But due to his lack of experience and possible nervousness, he was defeated in a very short time, forced to retreat from the assessment platform.

"Jing Yan, how do you feel?" Gong Luo asked Jing Yan.

Jing Yan shook his head.

Gong Luo’s heart tightened, his breath somewhat altered, "No absolute certainty? You mustn’t be nervous, these mechanical puppets only have strong power, your movement technique is fast, dodge when you can, just hold on for a tea’s time and that’s enough."