A week passed in the blink of an eye.
The entire academy buzzed with anticipation.
Today would determine who earned the right to represent Azure Maple Academy in the Four Academy Tournament.
At sunrise, every disciple gathered in the central square.
Elder Sun stood before them with several academy elders.
"The selection this year will be different."
His words immediately caught everyone's attention.
"In previous years, we chose participants through duels."
"This year, the academy has decided to reopen a place that has remained sealed for over fifty years."
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
Even the instructors looked surprised.
Elder Sun continued.
"The Verdant Secret Realm."
Lin Yuan's heart skipped a beat.
The instant those words were spoken, the Green Spirit Sapling within his spiritual sea stirred gently.
It was the same reaction it had shown toward the ancient root beneath the Spirit Spring.
"This realm was discovered by our academy's founder," Elder Sun explained. "It is filled with opportunities, but also dangers. You will have three days inside."
"The rules are simple."
"Collect as many Verdant Tokens as you can."
"These tokens are scattered throughout the realm, and some are guarded by spirit beasts."
"The twenty disciples with the most tokens will represent the academy."
He paused before adding,
"Remember... this is a trial, not a battlefield."
"Killing fellow disciples is forbidden."
Behind the crowd, the old librarian quietly watched.
His gaze lingered on Lin Yuan.
"So..."
"It has opened again."
A faint smile crossed his weathered face.
"I wonder if fate has finally returned."
By midday, the disciples stood before an ancient stone archway hidden deep within the academy grounds.
The archway was covered in vines and engraved with countless ancient runes.
At its center floated a shimmering emerald curtain of light.
Several elders worked together, pouring spiritual energy into the formation.
The portal slowly stabilized.
"The Verdant Secret Realm is now open!"
One after another, disciples stepped through the portal.
When Lin Yuan crossed the emerald curtain, he felt a brief sensation of weightlessness.
The next moment, he found himself standing in an unfamiliar forest.
The trees were hundreds of meters tall.
Their trunks glowed faintly with emerald light.
The air was rich with spiritual qi.
Flowers bloomed everywhere, and streams of crystal-clear water wound through the forest.
"It feels..."
"...alive."
Before he could admire the scenery further, the Green Spirit Sapling suddenly trembled.
Its leaves all pointed toward the depths of the forest.
Lin Yuan smiled.
"It seems you already know where we should go."
Elsewhere within the realm...
Chen Xuan landed atop a rocky cliff.
He looked around calmly before choosing a direction.
Mu Qingxue appeared beside a tranquil lake where several low-order spirit beasts drank peacefully.
Meanwhile, Wang Jie emerged in a dense bamboo forest.
His expression darkened as he looked around.
"Lin Yuan..."
"If I find you in here..."
"No elder will be able to save you."
Unaware of Wang Jie's thoughts, Lin Yuan followed the guidance of his Martial Soul deeper into the forest.
After nearly two hours of walking, he reached an ancient stone bridge crossing a narrow river.
At the center of the bridge stood a weathered stone statue.
The statue depicted an old man holding a small sapling in his palm.
Its face had long since eroded, but one sentence remained carved into the pedestal:
"Those who cherish life shall inherit life."
As Lin Yuan stepped closer, the Green Spirit Sapling released a gentle pulse.
The statue suddenly glowed.
A soft emerald light gathered before him, condensing into a single jade token.
Unlike the Verdant Tokens described by Elder Sun, this token bore the engraving of a great tree whose branches seemed to support the heavens.
The moment Lin Yuan touched it, the token dissolved into light.
A warm current flowed into the Green Spirit Sapling.
At the same instant, a majestic voice echoed throughout the forest—not through the air, but directly within his soul.
"The first trial... has begun."
The surrounding scenery distorted.
The ancient bridge disappeared.
The forest vanished.
Lin Yuan found himself standing in a boundless white world.
Before him stood a towering emerald tree whose crown disappeared into the endless sky.
And beneath that tree sat an old man in green robes, his eyes slowly opening after what seemed like an eternity.