At this moment, the voice boomed once more. "Your next task is to stay standing for the next hour until the light completely dimmed."

"Only standing?" One youth couldn't help but ask.

The voice didn't answer but at this moment, several shadows came out from the light pillar. The number of the shadow was similar to the number of the arrays and each of them came to each of them.

Swish!

The pillar around Lin Xiao helped to attack but the shadow was moving fast. Lin Xiao's eyes narrowed as he took out his sword and put it in front of him with defensive position. The pillar below him was only enough for him to ready his stance but not wide enough for him to do anything fancy.

It meant that their task would be to defend the other party.

Clang!

Thrusting forward, Lin Xiao probed the shadow's strength. Thanks to the pillar already helped him to attack, Lin Xiao noticed that the shadow's movement was limited as it tried to evade the attack.

Occasionally, the attack reached Lin Xiao.

Chilling Lake Sword, Fourth Stance!

Clang! Clang! Slash!

Some of the shadow's attack reached Lin Xiao but he quickly circulated his Nourishing Lake Technique. Added with his body high recovery ability, his wounds heal in no time even with the shadow's frantic attack.

Defend!

That was the task that these people were forced to do.

The arrays would only help them slightly. For examples, the attacking array allowed the shadow to move slower, thus making it possible for them to have a breathing while the array helped them with the attack. The defending array would help them to defend some of the rapid attack but not everything.

As for the recovery array… it would help them to recover much faster that allowed them to stay alive even when they were facing the shadow's attack.

'Is the shadow much more powerful than me?' Lin Xiao asked as he switched his stance and moved once more.

Mountain Sword, Fourth Stance!

'It's at least 2 ranks above you.' Lin Hu was calm. He was looking at the other geniuses and sneered. Only real geniuses would be able to face the attack of an opponent that was two ranks higher than them. Many of the others couldn't stand firm in their place and blown down.

"Aaaaaaaaaa!"

As the scream of the failing people increased, the light had dimmed considerably. Lin Xiao naturally didn't pay attention to others as he was busy fighting on his own. The shadow was powerful and if he was not careful enough, he would be thrown out of this small pillar.

If it was any other time, Lin Xiao would have used his movement technique and flee far away so that he could keep his life.

it was just impossible this time if he wanted to pass the test.

Bang!

The sound of explosion rang near him. Lin Xiao was tempted to turn and look but he knew that it would be distraction.

'What should I do?'

A cultivator couldn't always only focus on the opponent before them. In the wilderness, it was clear that they would have to face so many other opponents who took advantage of them.

With a deep breath, Lin Xiao started to divide his attention. A small part of his consciousness was warily watching the others. The cultivator who previously stood beside him had crumbled down because of the attack. He was standing at the edge and defended furiously.

Lin Xiao naturally didn't pay much attention to the side as he swiftly switched his stance and defended. 

Clang!

The sound of blade clashing could be heard. Lin Xiao noticed the shadow before him was moving faster and leaving afterimages. It was nerve wrecking and Lin Xiao himself knew that he had to train himself to notice them.

Defend! Again! And again!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Series of attack continued to ring out in the entire place. As the light turned dimmer, Lin Xiao realized that he had to rely on his other senses to detect the enemy that was lurking in the darkness. 

It was both thrilling and scary.

He stood firm in his place as he used his Qi to carefully assess his surrounding while paying more attention to the shadow before him. His movement carefully made sure that the shadow couldn't attack him easily.

However, wounds continued to increase even though they were not fatal. It was hard for Lin Xiao to guess the trajectory correctly.

'I have to train in the darkness next.'

Lin Xiao gritted his teeth. He didn't want to allow darkness to be his weakness. Assassination mostly occurred in the dark and he had to make sure that he could detect his enemies in the darkness even if they were moving at rapid speed.

Clang! Slash!

'Just how long would this last?'

Lin Xiao had begun to feel weary, yet his movement didn't falter in the slightest bit. No matter how tired he was, he would not allow himself be defeated by his fatigue and weakness.

There was no way he would allow himself be weak!

Bang!

There was sudden tremor on the ground followed by the sound of laughter. "Good, the time is up. Now, enjoy your reward."

With that, every single one of them was enveloped by some kind of force, one that didn't allow them to even resist. Lin Xiao couldn't do anything but to let himself be taken away from his current position.

Before he knew it, Lin Xiao had arrived in a large room. There was only one table at the front and several others were also standing around him. The geniuses were all feeling extremely tired as they had battled with their lives on the line.

Swish!

A shadow moved before Lin Xiao. Just as Lin Xiao was prepared to attack, he recognized the other party.

"Master, how is it?" Long Hao asked with cheerful tone. 

Looking at how Long Hao was still able to move with ease, nearly all of them was looking at the kid with horror.

How in the world that brat managed to stay energetic?