The first rays of dawn pierced through the sea of clouds surrounding Azure Cloud Mountain.
A deep bell echoed across the sect.
Dong...
Dong...
Dong...
Its ancient sound spread across every peak, waking disciples from their meditation.
Within the guest courtyard, the sixty-four candidates who had survived the previous two trials gathered in silence.
Some sat cross-legged, adjusting their breathing.
Others sharpened their weapons.
A few whispered prayers under their breath.
No one looked relaxed.
Yesterday, they had competed.
Today...
They would risk their lives.
Lin Yuan stood beneath an old pine tree, watching the rising sun.
The cool mountain air carried an abundance of spiritual qi.
Every breath felt refreshing.
Although he had cultivated for only one night, he could clearly sense that his spiritual qi had become purer.
This was one of the greatest advantages of large sects.
The richer the spiritual qi in an area, the easier it was for cultivators to absorb it. A disciple cultivating on Azure Cloud Mountain could improve several times faster than someone in an ordinary village.
Gu Chen approached quietly, carrying two steaming buns.
"Hungry?"
Lin Yuan smiled faintly.
"When am I not?"
The old man laughed and tossed him one.
"Eat well."
"You'll need your strength."
As they ate, Lin Yuan finally asked the question that had been on his mind.
"Senior Gu..."
"What exactly is a Spirit Beast?"
Gu Chen nodded approvingly.
"Good."
"A cultivator who doesn't ask questions usually dies young."
He looked toward the endless forest beyond the mountain.
"All living creatures absorb the spiritual qi of heaven and earth."
"Humans cultivate consciously."
"Beasts cultivate by instinct."
"When enough spiritual qi gathers within a beast..."
"...it evolves into a Spirit Beast."
Lin Yuan listened carefully.
Gu Chen continued,
"The stronger the beast, the higher its rank."
He picked up a twig and drew in the dirt.
Rank One Spirit Beast
Comparable to a Body Tempering cultivator.
Rank Two Spirit Beast
Comparable to a Spirit Foundation cultivator.
Rank Three Spirit Beast
Comparable to a Spirit Core cultivator.
He looked at Lin Yuan.
"The examination forest mostly contains Rank One beasts."
"But..."
He paused.
"There are rumors."
"Sometimes stronger beasts wander inside."
Lin Yuan's expression became serious.
"So the examination isn't completely safe."
Gu Chen smiled .
"No cultivation path is."
A loud voice interrupted them.
"All candidates!"
"Gather immediately!"
Everyone hurried toward the main plaza.
Three elders stood before the crowd.
At their center was Elder Mo.
His gaze swept across the candidates.
"You have passed the first two trials."
"The final trial begins today."
He raised his sleeve.
Sixty-four jade tokens floated into the air.
Each token landed gently in front of a candidate.
Lin Yuan caught his.
The token was cool to the touch.
One side bore the character:
Azure.
The other side was blank.
Elder Mo explained,
"This is your Identity Token."
"It records your achievements during the trial."
"If you encounter mortal danger..."
"Crush the token."
"It will activate a protective formation and remove you from the forest."
He paused.
"However..."
"The moment you do so..."
"You are eliminated."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
At least they had a way to survive.
"The rules are simple."
Elder Mo waved toward the distant forest.
"The Spirit Beast Forest has existed for thousands of years."
"It is divided into three regions."
He pointed toward a map floating in the air.
"The Outer Region."
"Rank One Spirit Beasts."
"Suitable for Body Tempering cultivators."
"The Middle Region."
"Rank Two Spirit Beasts."
"Dangerous even for Spirit Foundation cultivators."
"The Inner Region..."
His expression became stern.
"...is forbidden."
A heavy silence fell.
"There dwell Rank Three Spirit Beasts."
"Any candidate who enters the Inner Region..."
"...will almost certainly die."
"The objective of this trial is not slaughter."
"It is survival."
However looking at them with his cold gaze let me make this clear, I know some of you might be thinking of hiding till the time is up.
His aura suddenly exploded outward bearing on the disciples making it hard for them to even breath .
"Anyone who does not have up to 20 points after the time is up will be disqualified immediately ,my sect is not for cowards"
Some disciples faces changed immediately, because some were planning to hid and wait till the time was up .But now they had no other options but to fight .
Good,, elder mo nodded his head seeing them like that .
He raised a crystal sphere.
Inside floated dozens of glowing beast images.
"Every Spirit Beast possesses a Beast Core."
"When a beast dies..."
"Its spiritual qi condenses into this core."
He held up a thumb-sized crystal.
"This is a Rank One Beast Core."
"Collect as many as you can."
"Each Beast Core earns contribution points."
Every rank one beast core earns you five points while a rank two beast core is ten points
"The higher your score..."
"The better your position after entering the sect."
One candidate raised his hand.
"Elder."
"What if someone steals another person's Beast Cores?"
The crowd immediately became quiet.
Everyone wanted the answer.
Elder Mo looked around calmly.
"You may compete."
"You may fight."
"You may rob one another."
"But..."
His gaze sharped
"No deliberate murder."
"If you intentionally kill another candidate..."
"...Azure Cloud Sect will hunt you to the ends of the earth."
His words carried no anger.
Only certainty.
No one doubted him.
Among the candidates stood a tall youth wearing dark blue robes.
A long spear rested across his back.
His posture was straight as a pine tree.
He looked no older than seventeen.
When Elder Mo finished speaking, he glanced toward Lin Yuan.
"You."
Lin Yuan looked up.
"I saw you on the Stairway."
"You never stopped climbing."
"My name is Zhao Feng."
"I hope we meet again inside."
Lin Yuan nodded politely.
"Lin Yuan."
Before either could continue, another voice interrupted.
"Hmph."
A beautiful girl wearing emerald-green robes folded her arms.
"So you're the famous village boy who caused the Spirit Vein Monument to react."
Her eyes examined Lin Yuan from head to toe.
"I don't see anything special."
Lin Yuan simply smiled.
"Then perhaps you weren't looking."
The girl blinked.
For a second...
Then unexpectedly laughed.
"Interesting."
"Most people either boast or become angry."
"You did neither."
She extended her hand.
"Mu Qingxue."
"My grandfather is an elder of Azure Cloud Sect."
Several nearby candidates inhaled sharply.
An Elder's granddaughter.
No wonder she carried herself with such confidence.
Lin Yuan clasped her hand briefly.
"Nice to meet you."
From the edge of the crowd, however...
Someone watched this exchange with narrowed eyes.
It was the young noble with the Seventh-Grade Fire Spirit Vein.
His name was Li Tian.
The embarrassment Lin Yuan had caused him during the Stairway Trial still burned in his heart.
Now even an elder's granddaughter had spoken to him.
Jealousy twisted his expression.
"A mere Third-Grade talent..."
"...acting important."
He silently vowed to settle the score inside the forest.
A deafening horn suddenly echoed across the valley.
The massive gates leading to the Spirit Beast Forest slowly opened.
Beyond them stretched ancient trees so tall that they blocked out the sun.
The forest seemed alive.
Occasional roars echoed from its depths.
The scent of damp earth mixed with the faint smell of blood.
Many candidates instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons.
Elder Mo raised his hand.
"The trial lasts seven days."
"When the seventh sunset arrives..."
"Return to this gate."
"Those who fail to return..."
"...will be considered dead."
His final words lingered in the air.
No one smiled anymore.
"Begin!"
Sixty-four figures rushed into the forest.
Some immediately formed teams.
Others disappeared alone.
Lin Yuan stepped beneath the towering trees.
The sunlight vanished almost instantly.
The forest was eerily quiet.
Too quiet.
He slowed his breathing and recalled Gu Chen's teachings.
"The forest belongs to the beasts. The moment you become careless, you become prey."
A twig snapped somewhere behind him.
Lin Yuan stopped walking.
His hand slowly moved to the hilt of his sword.
The bushes rustled.
Two emerald eyes appeared between the leaves.
They were fixed directly on him.
His first battle in the Spirit Beast Forest...
...was just about to begin.