Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

Elliott looked at Aaron, plucked a hair from his own hair, and compared it to the strand of silk in front of him: "Those skilled craftsmen can embroider beautiful clothes with only one-sixteenth of this strand of silk. Look, this strand of silk is only about two-thirds the size of our hair, but they can use one-sixteenth of it. What an amazing skill that is."

Elliot spoke vividly about the silk threads, and Aaron had to admit that just listening to Elliot's exclamations, one could feel the wonder of the craft. In the hands of humans, even five fingers are extremely precise tools, and they can often do many incredible things. When extraordinary people pursue control of spiritual power, they are merely chasing the shadow of the precision of human hands.

Elliott quickly put away the strand of hair and said to Aaron, "However, we don't expect them to be able to split the hair directly at first. After all, even splitting a single strand into two is extremely difficult for a superhuman. For beginners, we only require them to be able to pick up the thread, which is already considered excellent."

Elliott finally outlined the assessment criteria, and Aaron nodded in agreement, but then asked, "But that's still a long way from passing, isn't it?"

Of course, what he meant by "qualified" and what Elliott meant by "excellent" are not the same thing. Elliott's definition of "excellent" is being excellent among peers, while Aaron's definition of "qualified" is being satisfactory to both Theo and Elliott. There is a huge gap between the two.

Indeed, don't be fooled by Theo's effortless use of spiritual power into thinking that this is the norm for superhumans. In fact, the ability of superhumans to lift things with spiritual power is already a remarkable skill. Some people with less talent may even need to practice for ten days to half a month to achieve these basic feats.

Of course, Elliot didn't consider Aaron a beginner, after all, he had passed the trial, but today he didn't have much confidence in Aaron, so he asked the Weaver to come out and used the Weaver's silk thread as a test tool.

"Remember what I just said? Silk is actually more delicate than satin."

Elliott narrowed his eyes and picked up a crystal-clear silk thread: "The silk threads spun by weavers are much more delicate than ordinary silk. In addition to being finer than the silk spun by ordinary silkworms, they are also fragile and easily broken. Silk is already very fragile, but this kind of silk is even more fragile than ordinary silk. It must be handled with care to ensure that it does not break. This also tests the superhuman's control over spiritual power even more."

"Handle with care" means not using too much force, nor too little force; not using too much spiritual power, nor too little spiritual power. This sounds like what people call basic skills.

There is no better testing medium than this silk thread. The silk thread itself reflects everything about the spiritual power user. Whether the tester uses more or less spiritual power, it can be faithfully reflected on the silk thread. The silk thread can even reflect the tester's personality to a certain extent. It is the only method used by the Judgment Church to test the ability to control spiritual power.

In short, Aaron is really in big trouble this time.

"Is this your first time doing this kind of exercise?" Elliott asked.

Aaron nodded. It wasn't his first time practicing spiritual energy, but this was indeed the first time he had seen it in such a novel way.

"Mastering the application of force is the first step. It's inevitable to fail the first time, but don't be afraid of failure," Elliott guided Aaron. "Understanding the flexibility of the thread is also key to practice."

Since Aaron was able to pass the trial, he certainly wasn't a complete beginner. But it would be too arrogant for him to think he was invincible. The level of spiritual power required to defeat the Flag Knight is not even in the same league as the level of spiritual power required to unravel the mystery. There is a fundamental difference between a child who has just learned to exert force and an adult who can precisely control their body in terms of manipulating power.

This kind of control may be easy for adults, but it is difficult for those who are new to this world.

Aaron also seemed very cautious. From the very beginning, he had been seriously facing the cocoon on the parchment, his brows slightly furrowed, as if facing a formidable enemy. Infected by Aaron's emotions, Elliott also held his breath, while Theo had an expression of watching a good show.

A moment later, the thread finally moved, but it didn't seem like an invisible hand was controlling it. It was more like a gentle breeze was blowing, brushing past Eliot's hair and the thread on the parchment. In the gentle breeze, the thread, which was only two-thirds the thickness of a human hair, was lifted off the table.

Elliot was taken aback. When the thread was "blown" up, it didn't seem to be picked up by a human hand at all. Instead, it was as if a gust of wind was enveloping it. The thread in the air didn't sway at all and slowly flew to Aaron's front. If it weren't for the fact that there was no sign of wind blowing in front of Aaron, Elliot would have almost thought that a gust of wind had actually blown the thread up.

Theo's previously amused expression vanished, replaced by an unprecedentedly serious stare at Aaron.

Aaron remained frowning, staring intently at the silk thread in front of him. Elliott was right; understanding the thread's flexibility was key to success. He watched Theo handle the thread with ease, but he had no idea how resilient it actually was. Therefore, he had to be very careful and use the safest method.

This is the method he came up with, simulating the feeling of wind enveloping the silk thread, so that the force is evenly distributed throughout the thread and it won't break if he accidentally tears it.

After doing all this, Aaron looked up to see the reactions of the two people next to him, only to find that they were also staring at the silk threads in the air.

Elliott continued, "Very good, next we'll use spiritual power to test the resilience of the threads."

After testing it with his spiritual power, he discovered that the silk thread was actually more resilient than he had imagined. Of course, this kind of thread could be used for weaving; if it broke at the slightest touch, how could he weave anything? Aaron had been too cautious just now.

In the brief moment Aaron lost his focus, the thread snapped in the middle; he had actually been distracted while testing its resilience.

They were all stunned when they saw the thread break.

“It’s alright, just a small mistake…” Elliott was about to say when Theo interrupted him: “What, do you want to try again?”

Aaron agreed without much thought. He wasn't the type to give up after such a good start. Besides, after so many years, he had rediscovered the feeling of controlling spiritual power, and he certainly didn't want to give up so easily.

"Let's continue then. The next test is string splitting." Theo stood in front of Aaron. Elliott was already very satisfied with Aaron's performance, and now Theo would be Aaron's examiner.

Aaron remembered what Elliott had just said: a single strand of thread for sale must have at least two strands to be considered acceptable. Four strands would be twice as difficult as two strands. Legend has it that the most skilled craftsmen could use one-sixteenth of a strand to embroider, and naturally, they could split sixteen strands at once.

"So, how many strands do you plan to split?" Theo asked the crucial question on his behalf.

For beginners, successfully splitting a strand of embroidery into two is considered a success. In fact, according to the testing procedure, they did not expect Aaron to succeed on the first try. Elliott originally required this, but Theo had no intention of doing so at all.

He watched Aaron with great interest, hoping he would offer more surprises.

Aaron, however, did not notice these abnormalities. He was completely focused on the silk threads, staring intently at a strand of silk being twisted in the air, his whole body motionless.

When Theo was performing the delicate work of manipulating psychic energy, his fingers would involuntarily dance like he was playing the piano. This was an instinct; manipulating psychic energy didn't require such movements, but many people habitually involved their limbs as well. This action could enhance the sense of control for those with supernatural abilities, and beginners often had the urge to do so.

Aaron's hand rested quietly on the table. Elliott saw no sign of movement in his hand at all. On the contrary, his hand was very silent, like an animal in a deep sleep, lifeless and motionless. Aaron stared at the thread hanging in the air, like a student struggling with a math problem below the blackboard, as if he could stare at it for an entire afternoon.

After an unknown amount of time, Aaron suddenly said, "Can I ask you a question?"

"What's the problem?" Theo replied.

How many threads are in a single embroidery?

Theo was puzzled, but still answered, "Sixteen strands."

Aaron was silent for a moment before saying, "Then what about the extra bit I separated out?"

Aaron finally made a move; he withdrew his hand from the table.

When they looked up at the sky again, the silk thread made by the silkworm suddenly scattered like a celestial maiden scattering flowers. The threads were peeled off with unusual neatness, yet they possessed a precision that could never have come from nature. It was as if it were a work of art manipulated by human hands, until the sky became empty, until all seventeen threads that had been peeled off were neatly placed on the parchment.

Theo took out a piece of silk.

Although Aaron didn't know much about fabrics and clothes, he could tell from the soft luster of the silk that it was definitely worth a lot of money.

Aaron said, "So, it's finally time to start doing needlework?"

Theo didn't speak, but instead took out more fabric and spread it on the table. Aaron gently checked the texture with his fingers, confirming that this was the kind of fabric worn by rich people.

Elliot held a piece of cloth in his hand and gently stroked it with his fingers. Aaron initially thought he was just having a blast, but after Elliot finished stroking it, he handed the area he had touched to Aaron.

"Did you notice any difference from normal fabric?" Elliott asked with a faint smile, like a child who had just received a very interesting toy.

After careful observation, Aaron did indeed notice the difference: the area Elliott's fingers had rubbed was not as bright as the rest of the area.

Aaron asked, "The difference in luster?"

"That's right, the reason is that the cloth already has gray stains."

Elliott then held up another finger for Aaron to see:

"Although our fingers may appear smooth, writing, holding a pen, or fighting all make the skin on our fingers rough. This damage is not noticeable in normal times, but once our fingers touch delicate silk, the silk will develop burrs and be stained with our hand stains. This is called grime."

“My fingers usually only touch it once and it’s fine, but if you’re doing needlework on silk, your fingers will inevitably touch the silk many times. A textile worker touches a piece of silk hundreds of times with her fingers when weaving it. Therefore, after they finish embroidering flowers and words on it, no matter how good their skills are, there will be many gray marks left on it, and the silk will become dull and not as beautiful as unembroidered silk, and it won’t sell for a high price. Therefore, the more skilled the textile worker, the more she needs to protect her hands and avoid finger injuries.”

"Therefore, in places where textiles are developed, women working in the textile industry do not do housework. Men take their place in cooking and managing the livelihood. This is because they rely on women's hands to earn money. In fact, the women there never cook, not only because cooking is hard on the hands, but also because silkworms, after smelling the oily fumes on the female workers, are prone to not eating leaves or spinning silk. Gradually, the good men who can cook there became famous throughout the country, and many famous chefs emerged."

Aaron understood Elliott's meaning and joked, "So, if we all use spiritual power to weave cloth from now on, won't we be taking away their jobs?"

“Unless it’s to amuse a woman, it’s unlikely that a superhuman with the ability to control spiritual power would steal a textile worker’s job,” Elliott simply chuckled.

He then brought the topic back, holding up the silk in his hand and said, "While the velvet and silk that textile workers handle are indeed delicate, they cannot compare to the silk woven by silkworms in our hands. Even if this silk is woven with spiritual power, it will be damaged if it is touched too many times. Therefore, our testing method is to see if the item woven with spiritual power is perfect. This testing method is called the silk weaving method."

"Nothing tests a superhuman's control more than silk weaving. It's a test that combines beauty and skill, demanding control, precision, and patience from the superhuman. If what you end up with not only lacks beautiful patterns but is also full of flaws, it means your spiritual power control is inadequate."

"By the way, do you know how to do wool embroidery?" Elliott suddenly asked.

“I can knit,” Aaron replied.

Elliott head test, although the silk weaving method is a perfect testing method, the subjects may not have been trained in this area.

Most nobles possessed some skills in weaving, and wool embroidery was a very popular noble activity in the kingdom. Although it was different from the lower-class residents knitting sweaters to supplement their household income, the essence of both was weaving.

“Let’s begin then,” Theo said, and after finishing the preparations, he gave the space to Aaron.

Aaron stared at the cloth on the table again, frowning as if he were thinking.

Aaron remained silent for a long time, and just when everyone thought he was preparing, he suddenly asked, "Can I ask you a question?"

Chapter 199 Spiritual Power Test Part 3

"What's the problem?" Theo asked.

What do we do with the fabric we use during testing?

"It'll probably be kept in the warehouse," Theo replied.

Aaron nodded and resumed his previous demeanor, but after a while, he said, "I have an idea."

"what idea?"

Aaron stared at the fabrics on the table and said very sincerely, "I think it's a waste to leave these silks in the warehouse after they're woven. Why can't we try to sell them? Market validation is a testing method that can give the test a perfect evaluation."

Theo and Elliot exchanged glances. Their first thought after looking at each other was, "Does Aaron even want to make money from this?" But Theo quickly conveyed with his eyes that it was the kid's skill to make money from this. Elliot shrugged, indicating that leaving the finished silk in the warehouse to gather dust was indeed pointless. Besides, he also felt that it was indeed Aaron's skill to make this money.

“Sure, but the people who judge the church have very strict tastes. Poorly woven items will not only fail to sell, but will also bring shame to the church. You should be prepared,” Theo said.

Aaron was taken aback. To be honest, he hadn't thought of this before, but since he had already spoken up, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and give it a try.

Moreover, he was also eager to test just how far he had come in controlling spiritual energy.

“Only embroidery with a density of 2 or higher can be sold. If you want to sell to our church, it needs to be at least 8 threads. And the materials you’re using are so good, the cost is already very high. To match the price of the materials, the finished product also needs to be beautiful enough to match the price. Are you sure you can do it?” Elliot began to put pressure on Aaron.

To be honest, Aaron wasn't quite sure if his idea would work, so he could only tentatively say, "I have confidence in my aesthetic sense."

"In that case, let's agree on three rules. Although these things are strictly speaking the property of the church, we will handle them according to market methods. If we can sell them, we will deduct 30% of the cost of raw materials, deduct the taxes of the Kingdom of Dok, and add the commission we deduct for the sales we help you make. The rest is the money you will receive. If you have no objections to the above, let's begin."

"So much deduction..." Aaron gasped, but only muttered to himself.

He knew that Elliott's statement was a responsible and professional gesture. If he relied solely on himself, he would lack both a platform and raw materials, let alone sales channels. Therefore, it was reasonable for Elliott to take so much.

Having received the promise, Aaron felt relieved. After careful consideration, he decided to use one-sixteenth of a thread for the embroidery.

The room was completely silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Theo and Elliott held their breath, their breathing almost blending into the silence, making them almost imperceptible.

In the eerily quiet room, Aaron's fingers tapped lightly on the wooden table as he peeled the cocoon, unraveled the threads, and split the paper. He did all of this by himself, and the room seemed to be filled with the image of a group of elves working together. The elves worked quickly and efficiently to complete these delicate tasks, and then laid the separated threads neatly on the parchment to prevent them from being blown away by a gust of wind.

But only bystanders know that these tasks, which appear to be completed through division of labor and cooperation, are actually all his own masterpieces. If you don't delve into a person's brain, it's hard to imagine that a person's brain can process so much work at the same time and make it look like it was completed through division of labor and cooperation.

But it was as if two people were really working in Aaron's brain. While one side was preparing more silk threads, the other side had already started working. The silk and threads on the table moved together. After thinking it through, Aaron decided to use his spiritual power as a needle to prick the eye of the needle in the cloth, and then pass the silk thread through it.

This was no easy task. Aaron had very little experience with weaving and embroidery at first. He had no experience with how to make "needle eyes," how big "needle eyes" should be, or whether the embroidery would damage the silk. Therefore, he seemed very clumsy at first, and his "technique" when embroidering was also a little hesitant. But this hesitation was normal in the eyes of outsiders. Although Aaron was very clumsy, everything was still progressing steadily, and Aaron did not encounter any real bottlenecks.

Theo and Elliott silently gave Aaron a score in their minds. This hesitation was normal at first. In fact, making a decent needle hole in the cloth on the first try without tearing it was enough to get a high score, but they didn't say anything because they were afraid of disturbing Aaron.

However, they didn't know how far Aaron could go. Silk weaving was a high-level practice method, so even though Aaron's start was successful, they still didn't think he could do it perfectly the first time. You see, even in a textile factory, female textile workers don't just mechanically weave things. They also need to have seen many beautiful works and developed an aesthetic sense before they can weave those fabrics that seem very beautiful to ordinary people.

Therefore, to meet the requirements of being able to sell the product, especially to nobles who believe in the god of judgment, one must have superb skills and sufficient aesthetic sense. Otherwise, even if one weaves a work that is extremely difficult in the eyes of the "superhumans," it will not sell if it is not beautiful.

Aaron's face was expressionless, but his hands were not so still. Like a wild beast lurking on the ground, he carefully controlled them, trying to appear relaxed, but every muscle in his hands was tense, as if there were veins floating underneath, ready to bulge at any moment.

His hands trembled slightly, showing great effort and difficulty, but the movement quickly spread to his body. After a while, Aaron seemed dissatisfied with his work, and suddenly clicked his tongue, exhaled, and began to adjust his posture in front of the chair again, with a look of dissatisfaction on his face. However, although he was adjusting his posture, his eyes were fixed on the wooden table in front of him, as if he did not notice his own movements at all.

Theo and Elliott were also drawn to his movements, as if waking from a dream, and began to observe the situation on the wooden table. When they looked over, they found that the silk weaving had already begun.

Aaron didn't start with complicated markings or fancy patterns, but rather a line of text written in Dok script, which read "Kingdom of Dok" and "Church of Judgment," among other things. It looked extremely neat, almost like it had been printed on.

Elliot and Theo were both stunned. Elliot leaned closer and confirmed that apart from the needle holes Aaron had made in the cloth at the beginning, they did not see any other marks. This was undoubtedly something that could only be embroidered with spiritual power.