The first elder nodded solemnly.

“But if we fill up these nine spots now, won’t we still lose some students during this training and the next? In that case, shall we have to fill those spots with ever more talented students again?” the second elder pressed, his tone clearly interrogatory.

“Exactly.” The first elder met the second elder’s gaze head-on. “This has been our policy for this otherworld expedition every three years. You should all be familiar with this by now.”

“We are, but why have we had to send more and more students each year? It was originally ten, then twenty, and now thirty? First Elder, haven’t you ever questioned those outworlders as to their motives?” the second elder pressed.

Most of the students that had died during the expedition at the gigantic forest came from the northern college, and the second elder had even lost his dear grandson. According to custom, the dead students would have to be replaced by students from the same college. Under these circumstances, the second elder had to be concerned, and the other elders quickly jumped on the bandwagon after him.

“Right, right! The talents that we spent so long picking out from all over the Chenyuan continent are about to be carted off into this alternate dimension to be killed!” the fifth elder sighed.

“Most of the students we send over to the alternate dimension will die. It’s true that those with a more advanced cultivation have a greater chance of making it back alive, and all those with inferior cultivations will likely perish without a doubt, but I still can’t bear to send my college’s elites over!” the third elder added.

This consideration was why they were only sending over students from the five colleges, not the three specialized institutes.

“That’s right, First Elder. Can’t you try to negotiate terms with those outworlders? Send twenty students this time, and thirty students the next.” Even the sixth elder sided with the others.

The students participating in the expedition were all rather confused upon hearing the elders’ discussion. Wasn’t it supposed to be an honor to be chosen to participate? Why did those elders seem so reluctant to choose more students?

The elders said that the expedition would be particularly dangerous, but was there anything safe on the path of cultivation? Many students had died during the initial trial to enter Kongming Academy, and some of their friends had passed away in the expedition to the gigantic forest. Risking their lives to enter the otherworld didn’t seem like an extravagant risk, as long as there were commensurate rewards to be had for doing so. As such, the students were even more confused.

Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng could understand the elders’ qualms after having interacted with outworlders. Kongming Academy’s students were undoubtedly the elites of the continent, but they would become the lowliest of existences upon entering the Mingyuan continent. For these elites, honor was frequently more important than their lives, but in the Mingyuan continent, strength was law.

Even if cultivators from the Chenyuan continent managed to become strong enough to gain a foothold on the Mingyuan continent, they would be forever considered groundhogs, forever discriminated against simply because of the location of their birth.

“Elders and students,” the first elder finally spoke up, his gaze sweeping over all gathered. “The expedition to the otherworld is a tradition that has persisted for millennia, and isn’t something that I have the power to control. Elders, you should all be aware of this. All of you have taken part in this expedition, and you understand the importance and necessity of this rite to refine our elites further. Trying to negotiate with outworlders, like trying to defer a heavenly punishment, is useless and impossible. Unless you become stronger than those outworlders, trying to disobey their command will only invite unnecessary punishment.”

The first elder’s solemn words caused the elders to quiet down. He then turned to the students sitting a distance away from the elders. “Students, you haven’t been fully informed about what the alternate dimension is like. There are only two more months left before your expedition there, so I and your fellow elders will try to describe the situation in as much detail as we can, so you’ll all be mentally prepared.”

Helped by the other elders, the first elder then began to describe his own experiences in the otherworld, as well as their perception of those who had ascended from lower realms like the Chenyuan continent. His description was largely identical to Pi Yang’s summary: the Mingyuan continent had no kingdoms, and was essentially governed by a few strong families.

However, the elders had still hidden some details: the fact that those from lower realms were called groundhogs, that to survive in the otherworld, they would need to find a job, and these jobs tended to involve becoming a servant or slave of one of the families there.

None of the elders mentioned this fact; instead, they emphasized the danger of the Mingyuan continent and the importance of challenging their own limits, so as to encourage the students to face this challenge without backing down.

After this, the discussion then shifted to the problem of filling the dead students’ positions.

“This time, the northern college will only send one student,” the second elder declared. In that case, the other four colleges would have to send eight students combined.

“As I’ve said before, you all know about the situation here in the central college. Except for Zhuo Yifeng, the rest of my students would perish without a doubt, and I won’t send any more of my students to their deaths,” the sixth elder stated grimly.

The other elders refused to look the first elder in the eyes, and an uneasy silence descended on the room. In the end, the first elder said, “In that case, the southern college shall send four more students. Each of your colleges will send one more student.”

The other elders all looked at each other, unable to object considering that the southern college was taking on the lion’s share of the burden.

After the meeting, Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng followed the first elder to the armory in the southern tower’s secret vault, and Li Mo also accompanied them there.

“Since you’ve both reached eighth rank, you may take your pick of the spiritual swords available here,” he told them both, smiling.

“First Elder, actually, Zhuo Yifeng and I both already have a spiritual sword,” Yun Ruoyan responded honestly.

“There’s no need to reject the first elder’s offer.” Li Mo glanced at Yun Ruoyan.

“That might be so, but you’ll understand why it’s useful to have more spiritual weapons once you enter the Mingyuan continent,” the first elder replied. Yun Ruoyan’s spiritual sword had come from Empress Xue Tong herself, and the first elder was naturally aware of that gift. However, he didn’t realize that Zhuo Yifeng also had a spiritual sword of his own.

“May I inspect your swords?” he asked them both.

Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng both retrieved their swords. The first elder wasn’t surprised upon seeing Yun Ruoyan's Scarlet Eye, but when his gaze landed on Zhuo Yifeng’s sword, he seemed somewhat startled, then glanced sharply at Li Mo.

Li Mo nodded, almost imperceptibly.

“They’re both good swords,” the first elder proclaimed, then had them sheath their swords once more. “The swords I have here are lower in quality, but far better than what’s available outside. They’re excellent mid-grade swords, and will greatly increase your combat power.”

Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng began searching for a secondary weapon that might supplement their weaknesses and complement their strengths. Li Mo followed behind Yun Ruoyan, giving her suggestions from time to time.

“Yan’er, you’re quick and agile. Your spiritual offense and stamina aren’t particularly strong, but you have explosive power. You want a weapon that’s flexible and durable, like the spiritsteel dagger I handed you. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to make a spiritual spiritsteel weapon.”

Yun Ruoyan’s brows furrowed in thought. “In that case, Li Mo, how’s this shortsword?”

Yun Ruoyan handed Li Mo a simple, nondescript sword whose blade was covered in frost. Although its aura wasn’t as domineering or obvious as the Scarlet Eye or Zhuo Yifeng’s sword, it was still a masterwork.

“Not bad. You have a good eye for quality, Yan’er.” Li Mo handed the sword back to her, validating her choice.

Meanwhile, Zhuo Yifeng passed over all manner of spiritual weapons, not finding any that particularly compelled him. His eyes suddenly brightened as he found two objects by a dusty corner: a shield, and a black whip that looked like a hibernating snake.

When he saw the whip, Zhuo Yifeng couldn’t help but think back to Pi Batian and his scarlet whip, which sent what looked like bolts of lightning at his target.

Zhuo Yifeng walked toward the corner and cleared away the dust that had gathered on the shield. It was made of a material that was pitch black, but he couldn’t tell exactly what the material was, and he couldn’t feel any spiritual perturbations from it, either. However, the fact that it was within this armory meant that it was likely a spiritual weapon.

The first elder walked over and explained, “This shield is made from the horn of a giant rhinoceros, and it’s a particularly rare spiritual weapon to come by. However, because of how heavy and unwieldy it is, it’s never found a suitable owner. The spiritual energy left in the shield has more or less dissipated over the course of decades, but it’ll naturally replenish once it’s been used for a time.”

Given Zhuo Yifeng’s tall and wiry but muscular stature and his appreciation for the shield, which the first elder could sense in his eyes, he recommended the shield to Zhuo Yifeng. “The whip is designed to go with the shield, and I have a cultivation technique based on a whip as well. If you choose this set of spiritual weapons, I’ll impart you with that technique.”

“In that case, this is my choice.” Zhuo Yifeng took the whip and shield. The shield was dense and heavy, but Zhuo Yifeng was able to handle it without much difficulty. After he managed to attune himself to the shield, he would be able to change its size at will, so carrying it around wouldn’t be much of a problem either.

After they had both chosen a new weapon, they were about to leave the southern tower when the first elder called Li Mo back. Zhuo Yifeng and Yun Ruoyan walked out of the tower together. Because he knew that Yun Ruoyan would wait for Li Mo before leaving with him, he waved to her. “In that case, I’ll go back to my cottage first.”

“Zhuo Yifeng, wait! I need to talk to you.” Before he could walk off, Yun Ruoyan’s voice rang out behind him.