The number of deaths during Rudong City’s chaos was barely over a hundred, so compared to the harsh Border Army’s casualties, it wasn’t much. However, because the blood flowing through that woman’s body was the same as Yunqin emperor’s, the monarch in Central Continent Imperial City was absolutely furious, alarming countless officials, unknown just how many people’s minds were shaken.

When Justice Sector’s number three, one of Yunqin Empire’s young and influential officials fell by Peach Blossom River, Vice Principal Xia had just left the simple small residence he normally resided in, heading to the back of Ailao Peak.

For the past few years, there were nine senior figures who were able to sit behind the heavy layers of curtains even in the emperor’s hall, though they didn’t get excessively involved, yet right now, the emperor was just too young, the matters he wanted control over too many. He lacked the level of understanding and respect for Principal Zhang and these elders, he didn’t realize that not even a wise and capable emperor could personally deal with everything, regardless of importance, make the entire empire operate according to his will.

However, Rudong City and Green Luan Academy were far from each other, Central Continent Imperial City and Green Luan Academy also extremely far from each other. That was why even if Central Province Imperial City’s dragon throne emperor was upset, the disturbance Rudong City’s supervisor raised bound to cause great headaches, despite having a chief as talented as Xiao Mingxuan leading the other Milky Way Lecturers behind Ailao Peak, they needed more time to figure out the ultimate direction of this matter, not to mention that they still had the academy’s own matters to tend to. As such, just like many other cities and towns, it was still peaceful in Green Luan Academy.

…

“A flower carefully planted doesn’t bloom, yet a random willow branch stabbed into the ground, after a few years, may become a great tree, is this what is going on? It seems like my decision yesterday really was wise…”

Inside the spacious Direct Spear Strikes Trial’s stone temple, Lin Xi was lying on the ground, gasping for breath, his entire body feeling like it had been fished out of water. However, when he looked towards the entrance of the stone temple, there was instead a hint of a proud smile hanging from the corners of his lips.

The names listed on the signboard at the entrance of the training valley didn’t necessarily mean the most strong, just like the ‘Golden Sunflower’ he previously met, even though his ranking was underneath his own, his true strength far surpassed his. If he didn’t have Jiang Xiaoyi’s help, there was no way he could defeat him.

It was just yesterday that Lin Xi received a letter from his family, and then had his encounter with Gao Yanan. Lin Xi wanted to continue this hot streak today, but ended up encountering the ‘Rainbow Tiger’ in the training valley. Even though he wasn’t on the rankings list, his strength was greater than his own.

After running crazily again, in the end, he still couldn’t defeat the ‘Rainbow Tiger’ symbol opponent. He really didn’t want to give Xu Shengmo any feelings of self-satisfaction, so Lin Xi still used his ability, returning to ten halts ago. He first tried to avoid this opponent, moreover picking up a crossbow he didn’t have any time to pick up ten minutes ago, and only then did he accumulate five successive five pentagon emblem achievements.

Originally, he was still a bit bitter about missing out on an instance of training in the Direct Spear Strikes Trial, but today, after listening to An Keyi’s suggestion, exchanging a course credit for a Ice Luan Pill, as expected, he finally broke through into the initial stage Soul Knight stage. He discovered that somehow, the Direct Spear Strikes Trial suddenly became much easier.

Because his strength made quite the substantial progress, he could already easily move a hundred jin stone, the Black Stone Power Bow also became as comfortable to use as the hardwood bow. As a result, when the trial’s black spears stabbed over, he didn’t have to consciously use a lot of strength as before, his movements becoming a lot more relaxed… In addition, another important part was that even though the training Xu Shengmo added to his mornings was harsh, that vest indeed greatly increased his sense of balance. In the past, after being struck heavily by a spear, it was practically impossible for him to evade the following one, or the third one, but now, if it didn’t land on a particularly sensitive area, he could still immediately make evasive movements.

That was why today, after using his ability again, he actually persisted through an astonishing hundred and fifty-three steps, shocking even himself.

Now, the Direct Spear Strikes Trial’s bronze door already seemed close… this greatly boosted Lin Xi’s motivation and courage. After all, if he continued with this, perhaps it wouldn’t be much longer before he could make Xu Shengmo feel worse.

The simpler the way one viewed the world, viewed life, the easier it was for one to become happy.

That was why when he saw that this back door of the stone temple already wasn’t far away, and then thought about how his letter should be on its way back home to Deerwood Town, Lin Xi’s heart was full of radiance and joy as he wriggled his way back to the entrance like a worm.

Not long after Lin Xi left the yellow perimeter walls, Wen Xuanyu walked in from another entrance, heading towards the Direct Spear Strikes Trial stone temple.[1]

At the center of his chest was the Black Bat symbol. This symbol recorded three successive five emblem withdrawals two days ago, while together with today’s achievements, he was already a five successive five emblem withdrawals achiever.

Wen Xuanyu walked rather slowly today, his head a bit drooped, because his mind was still preoccupied with yesterday’s letter from home.

Rudong City chaos, Zhu Moyun died… then the people the letter mentioned, what exactly were going to be their next moves? The nine elders behind the layers of curtains, what kind of action would they then adopt? These things ordinary students and perhaps even influential officials in different areas had no way of having access to, instead appeared in his letter from home in such a simple manner.

Because he was the sole child of the Wen Family, while his father was one of Yunqin’s eight great sector heads, there would be ‘letters from home’ delivered to him every day. As such, unlike the other students, he also had to understand these things, verifying whether his previous judgments were accurate through the way events develop. Each day, he had to reply to his father with his own opinions on some of these matters, but he knew extremely well that with his father’s abilities, he didn’t need his son’s opinions at all. All of this was merely to train him into developing the abilities needed to reach a position like his father’s one day.

Meanwhile, his father understood the academy’s abilities even better than he did, which was why he didn’t hide much in these ordinary family letters at all.

“Even though this matter is destined to affect many people, the crux of the matter isn’t in the event itself… but rather what father wishes to do…” As the only son of one of the empire’s most influential families, this arrogant and aloof youngster began to consider how he was to reply to his father while walking into the Direct Spear Strikes Trial stone temple.

In his opinion, Rudong City’s matter, even though it was a big enough matter, for Wen Family, it wasn’t worth obsessing over… The most crucial thing was that of the nine elders behind those curtains, one of them was already extremely old, moreover contracted a terminal illness. Based on some of the information he previously received, his position should open up within a few years.

Even though the current emperor was brilliant and heroic, he was still someone directly involved, and as such, he couldn’t see the situation as clearly as those like Wen Family who looked at the situation from an outsider’s perspective. During the past few years, he had always been trying to weaken the influence of the nine senior figures, his intent that if any of these nine positions were to open up, then there wasn’t any need for it to be filled. However, these nine positions were originally established by the late emperor precisely to avoid an error in his judgment, as well as to avoid being plotted against, which was why these members would definitely make this argument known, moreover have someone fitting sit in that position.

Based on his judgment, Wen Family, Leng Family, and the west’s army division had the highest chances of sitting in this position. Meanwhile, as a member of Green Luan Academy, his future performance would naturally have a bit of influence on his father’s chances.

Fortunately, their Wen Family’s lineage had always been outstanding, and as such, he was destined to stand out from the masses.

After taking another deep breath, giving the records stuck to the entrance wall a look, a black longsword wielding Wen Xuanyu charged into the spacious great hall.

…

The long black spears were hacked down by him one after another, his style completely different from Lin Xi’s graceful, wind-like motions, movements large and powerful, advancing fiercely through the hall like this. His strength was much greater than Lin Xi’s, his movements seemingly innately gifted, exceptionally precise as he quickly slaughtered his way through this place, all of this completely impossible for a normal person to achieve.

After continuously hacking down several dozen spears, he was struck by a black spear, body starting to fall.

After falling who knew how many times, the spacious stone temple became quiet once more. Wen Xuanyu, who already lacked the strength to continue, was laying on the ground, unable to move a finger.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted, his entire body subconsciously wishing to support himself back up. However, when his powerless arms moved, they instead incurred a terrible tearing pain, making him release a loud and overcast groan.

It was because he discovered that between himself and the bronze rear door, there were actually traces of spears stabbed into the ground, these traces even extremely fresh.

This could only mean that before him, in this very stone temple, there was someone who traveled a whole seventeen or eighteen steps further than he did!

How could this be possible?!

Wen Xuanyu understood extremely clearly, that for new students like them, if they wanted to pass this Direct Spear Strikes Trial, the key lied in martial skill and reaction speed. It was because unless one reached Soul Expert level cultivation, able to cover the surface of their bodies with soul force, regardless of whether it was a mid level or high level Soul Knight, no matter how great their strength was, being struck by these spears would still deliver soul ripping pain, moreover affect their following movements. After being struck by several spears, their fighting strength would still decline sharply.

Meanwhile, among the new students, there was definitely no one who reached Soul Expert level.

With Wen Xuanyu’s talent and confidence, there was not a chance those border barbarians could have higher martial skill and reaction speed than himself. This was why if there was anyone who could break the record here, he would definitely be the first one!

Yet now, there was actually someone who made it seventeen or eighteen steps further than he did!

This left him in complete disbelief. Ever since he was permitted to enter this training valley, he trained himself in this Direct Spear Strikes Trial every single day… under these circumstances, there was actually someone who could do it better than him?

If this was true, then who exactly was this person?

1. Composite score 31 points, heaven’s choice, Internal Study Department