Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Su Yu intended to spare the beast, but since it sought death by itself, then it couldn’t blame him for being merciless.
“Okay.” Su Yu nodded composedly.
After they finished inspecting the people on each pillar, the envoys started counting the results of each person. They then presented them to Palace Master Kong Chan. After the time it would take to brew a cup of tea had passed, all of the participants’ results had been collected.
A faint smile appeared on Palace Master Kong Chan’s aged face when she saw the test’s results. “I really didn’t expect that, not only did the Beast Tide not cause a grave amount of casualties, but it also let the number of people who managed to pass the test be far greater than the past years’ tests!”
After counting them, they found that around 40 people had passed the test, while in the past years’ tests, the number would usually not surpass 20!
“This is especially the case for the Situ family, as their people make up almost half of these successful scores.” Palace Master Kong Chan couldn’t help but take another look at the Situ family as she revealed a faint smile and nodded.
Her words and actions filled many people with envy, as such a glance from her meant that she was quite satisfied with the Situ family’s performance.
“I will now announce the amassed points rankings, but I will announce just the five top ones,” Palace Master Kong Chan said. “Shan Qilin is at the fifth place. She hunted 20 Level Three Fairy Realm demonic beasts and earned 800 points.”
She smiled, then continued, “Chen Yu is at the fourth place. He hunted 23 Level Three Fairy Realm demonic beasts and earned 920 points. Zhang Fan is at third place. He hunted 20 Level Four Fairy Realm demonic beasts and earned 2,000 points.”
Hearing this, Zhang Fan nodded slightly, as it was still acceptable for him to end up just in the third place.
“Shao Li is at second place. She hunted 20 Level Five Fairy Realm demonic beasts and earned 10,000 points.” When they heard this score, everyone present went into an uproar. This was because the only Level Five Fairy here had hunted down 20 demonic beasts that were at the same realm as her!
Shao Li furrowed her brows slightly, finding it hard to believe that she was just in second place. It was slightly out of her expectations, and she couldn’t help but look at Su Yu and think that it must be because of him.
She then announced, “Su Yu is in first place. He hunted nine Level three Fairy Realm demonic beasts, 15 Level Four Fairy Realm demonic beasts, and five Level Five Fairy Realm demonic beasts, which earned him 3,010 points.”
Such a strange ranking startled all of the people here, as he had just 3,000 points, yet he was ranked ahead of someone who had ten thousand points! Everyone wondered what was going on! Even Madame Situ was startled and bewildered.
“Do you have any issues with this score? If not, then we can start the next test now,” Palace Master Kong Chan said expressionlessly.
Shao Li clenched her teeth and braced herself as she spoke, “Palace Master, may I ask why someone who has less points than me is ranked ahead of me? Was the ranking decided upon another factor?”
Palace Master Kong Chan shook her head slightly. “There isn’t such a thing. The ranking is decided only according to points.”
“Then, why…” Shao Li wasn’t willing to accept such a strange ranking.
Palace Master Kong Chan spoke calmly, but firmly, “It’s because Su Yuxian killed another demonic beast, which wasn’t aforementioned in the test. He killed a Level Six Fairy Realm demonic beast.”
What? All of the people, including Madame Situ, were greatly startled by this news.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Many gazes suddenly looked toward Su Yu. They had already attached great importance to him because he could fight to a draw against Shao Li, but now it seemed like they had still underestimated this freakish genius!
Even Shao Li wasn’t capable of killing a Level Six Fairy Realm demonic beast all by herself! Shao Li herself was greatly shocked, and she looked at him with a gaze that was filled with dread for the first time.
However, as she was instructed by Shao Yueming to get the first place in both tests by all possible means, she continued to be reluctant to concede. “Palace Master Kong Chan, there aren’t any points associated to Level Six Fairy Realm demonic beasts, so even if he killed one of them, he would have just killed it in vain. So, I’m afraid that such a ranking is somewhat inappropriate.” Shao Li braced herself and spoke.
The people present here couldn’t help but smack their lips, as it seemed like the Shao family wanted to get the first place at any price, since Shao Li dared to question even Palace Master Kong Chan’s decision!
Palace Master Kong Chan looked at her calmly and didn’t try to intimidate her like what most of the people expected. Instead, she just gave a reasonable explication to her, “The Fairy Confining Forest’s test was set to test the participants’ powers, and since he was capable of killing a Level Six Fairy Realm demonic beast, then he should obviously take first place.”
She then added, “If you possessed such a power, then we would also place you in first place. So, do you still have any issues with the rankings?”
Shao Li’s face became hot with shame. She raised her head and glared at Su Yu viciously, but said nothing.
“If you don’t have any issues with it, then let’s start the next test, which is called ‘Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate.’ Elder Li, please announce the rules,” she said.
Elder Li wore a respectful look as he shouted loudly, “Sirs, let’s leave the pillars.”
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
All of the people left the pillars, then looked at them from a distant place. There was a vast stage that had been set up in the middle of the nine pillars. At the moment, a fissure was opening on it, while water vapor surged out of it.
As they were engulfed by the water vapor, many disciples felt like their heads would burst open from the intense and unbearable pain. Even breathing became strenuous for them.
Su Yu’s pupils contracted slightly as the water vapor fell on his body. He found it to be extremely heavy. Moreover, it wasn’t his body alone that felt its weight, but the water vapor had a suppressive effect on his soul too.
Rumble!
When the central stage was thoroughly opened, a circular giant pit was revealed. It seemed to be a giant well. Clear and serene water was at the bottom of this giant well, and even though the well was intensely shaking, the water within it was still calm and waveless.
“The test will start now,” Elder Li announced.
The water started gradually lessening before the juniors’ curious gazes, and it continued on until there wasn’t even a drop of it left. It seemed like it had been absorbed by something.
Just after that, an amazing scene appeared, as the well’s water started being shot out of the nine pillar’s summits before covering each pillar entirely! Then, a flight of steps appeared on each pillar, which stretched from its bottom to its peak.
There were ninety-nine steps on each of the flights of steps. It seemed like the nine pillars had absorbed the well’s water, then sprayed it out of their summits.
“Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate rules are as follows… You must start ascending the pillar from its lowest step, and you mustn’t use your Vital Energy or fly while ascending. All those who violate these rules will be expelled from the exam. You need to just get past the first 10 steps to pass the exam, but you can still get 1,000 points for each step thereafter. You may start the test now,” Elder Li said.
The expressions of the talented juniors became extremely grave when they heard him. This second death test was far more terrifying than the first one, and its death rate was two times higher!
They must ascend the flight of steps, while bearing the brunt of the water that was being sprayed on them. If they made just a slight mistake, they might be swept away by the surging water and killed on the spot!
This was even more cruel and dangerous than the Fairy Confining Forest! As such, many of the participants who had passed the first test hesitated, not daring to step forward.
Swoosh!
However, while some people were still hesitating, some daring and over-confident people stepped forward. A white-clothed young girl tapped the ground with the tip of her leg as she jumped to the bottom of the pillar like a graceful butterfly, then took her first step.
This young girl had fair skin and was extremely pretty. She was Shan Qilin, who had taken fifth place.
After she took the first step, the surging water that was flowing out of the pillar’s peak became even more dreadful, and it fell upon her like a heavy rain. The white-clothed girl’s whole body was instantly drenched by it, and as such drops, which were as heavy as rocks, fell on her body, she couldn’t help but groan in pain.
As the water soaked her clothes and seeped through them, she felt her body become extremely heavy. She felt as if she was carrying a 10,000 pound boulder!
Shock appeared on her face, which was filled with confidence just a moment ago, and as she raised her head and looked up, she found that the higher one reached, the denser the water became! Moreover, as she looked down, she saw the boundless well, which made her instantly realize that once she was swept away by the water into it, she would surely die a horrible death!
“I give up!” the white-clothed young girl said through clenched teeth as she took back her right foot, which she had just extended toward the second step. After she considered such a matter for a moment, she had decided to give up.
She went back to her starting place resentfully, while she inwardly grumbled… The test is extremely harsh! Aren’t disciples recruited from outside considered to ne people in their eyes?
It was rumored that the disciples recruited from inside didn’t need to pass any tests to to enter the Red Blood Palace’s outer sanctum, while outsiders needed to pass numerous dangerous tests, which would kill many of them!
As the first one to try have given up, and she was the same woman who got such high results in the first test, this made many people, who were previously eager to try, become low-spirited and start to lose their nerves.
“I will try it.” Yuan Yingying took a look at Situ Yan before she decided to try to pass the test.
As Situ Yan felt Yuan Yingying’s provocative gaze upon her, she stuck her chest out and said, “I will also try!”
Madame Situ clenched her fists tightly, while her gaze flickered for a moment, but she didn’t try to stop her. However, Palace Master Kong Chan suddenly blanked for a moment as her ears slightly twitched.
“Both of you don’t need to try to pass the second test, as there are outer sanctum’s elders who want to meet you. Congratulations, Elder Li, take them to the external affairs division.” A faint smile appeared on Palace Master Kong Chan’s face.
The expressions of all of the people changed when they heard her words. Jealousy appeared instantly on their faces as they wondered…
The juniors here must put their lives at risk and pass such a death test, while those two young girls are exempt from it just because some outer sanctum’s elders picked them?
It was indeed unfair, but they were still helpless against it, as they were from the Red Blood Palace.
“It’s expected that Situ Yan would be fancied by some elders, as she was a rarely seen formation master and would have a high position in the Red Blood Palace,” someone explained. “But, who’s that young girl, Yuan Yingying? Why was she also picked by an elder?”
Many people posed the same question as they spoke amongst themselves…
“She should have also revealed some astonishing talent, shouldn’t she? The first test was observed in secret by many of elders, and if someone revealed an unusual talent in some aspect, then he would be picked by them and be received into the sanctum. That should surely be the case for that woman, too,” someone guessed.
The two young girls were startled and shocked by such happy news. “Brother Su, I passed the exam!” Yuan Yingying said as she wept tears of joy. She looked at Su Yu, while gratitude welled up in her heart.
She had never once expected that she would have such a day. In the past, her whole world had existed within the small Yuan family, and what she sought and pursued was none other than receiving the Yuan family’s approval.
She had never once imagined that she would one day become a disciple of such a colossal faction! Her whole life had changed because of Su Yu!
“Lassie, go there, then cultivate properly after entering it. We will see each other again.” Su Yu rubbed her head, while warmth appeared in his eyes.
Situ Yan pouted. “Brother Su, goodbye. I will surely look for you.”
Su Yu chuckled and bid farewell to the two young girls. Without them here, Su Yu could finally relax, as he wouldn’t need to worry about them.
“I should also pass this test quickly,” Su Yu said, while he flew over to the bottom of the pillar.
