The tension that had strangled the square slowly unraveled, like a taut string finally loosening. Disciples let out hushed sighs of relief. The air was thick with lingering dread, but it was also pierced by laughter, quiet tears, and the kind of stillness that followed narrowly escaping disaster.
Xue Mo stood silently as the last rays of pressure faded. His surroundings were filled with hushed conversation and light shuffling as those who remained processed what had just occurred. The oppressive aura that had settled over the assessment grounds began to lift, like mist dissolving beneath the morning sun.
Disciples slowly began to shift where they stood, rubbing arms, adjusting robes, some murmuring softly to themselves or their companions.
The sounds were a mix of subdued triumph and shaken nerves, this first phase had claimed many, and those who stood now understood that their presence was not mere luck. Yet, that did little to erase the specter of what might still come.
Luo Tan, the round youth who had talked through the earlier chaos, was wiping sweat off his neck with his sleeves. His face, reddened from the heat and stress, was a picture of reluctant relief. "Brother Lin, I thought I was going to piss myself when that guy's token turned red. Can you believe he even tried to lie in front of Elder Ming?" He shook his head. "Stupid people are bold."
"Or desperate," Xue Mo replied, his voice devoid of mockery.
"Desperate, yeah. That too. Still, your token lit up like a lantern. Qi level six after six years? Not bad! I heard some inner sect kids talking about you earlier. It sounded like they didn't expect much from you." Luo Tan lowered his voice conspiratorially, eyebrows wagging.
"They weren't wrong," Xue Mo replied, gaze forward, voice level.
Before Luo Tan could respond, a loud cough drew everyone's attention.
Standing atop a raised platform, the seven Foundation Establishment direct disciples returned to formation. Their presence was commanding, like pillars holding up the sky itself. They exuded discipline and power, and even the most arrogant among the outer sect disciples lowered their heads respectfully.
Then Elder Ming stepped forward, his crimson robe catching the fading sunlight like fire in twilight. The fabric shimmered slightly, heavy with spiritual threads. He raised one hand, and silence fell like a blanket over the plaza.
"I congratulate those who passed the first trial," he began, voice steady and unwavering. "You have endured six years in this sect. Some have grown stronger. Some have merely survived. But today, only one fact matters, you are still here."
Polite applause broke out, but quickly faded as Elder Ming's tone sharpened.
"However, survival is not enough."
A beat of silence.
"This year, the sect has decided to make changes to the assessment. The inner regions of the sect's territory have shown strange spiritual fluctuations in recent months, instability that cannot be ignored."
Murmurs erupted like ripples in a pond.
Elder Ming continued, "Thus, the elders have decreed an extension to the outer sect assessment. For the next three weeks, all qualifying outer sect disciples will enter the Southern Spirit Forest. You will be required to hunt and collect beast cores from wild spirit beasts."
Gasps and uneasy shifting spread like wildfire. Some whispered quickly, others simply stood in stunned silence. This was no longer an evaluation of current cultivation, it had become a trial of survival.
"The number of beast cores collected will not only determine your future ranking, but your worth to this sect."
A few disciples in the crowd paled visibly.
"It was supposed to just be checking our realm," one girl whispered to her friend, voice nearly lost in the clamor.
"Three weeks in the forest? That's insane," someone muttered near the back.
Elder Ming didn't flinch. "This mission will test your strength, resilience, and instinct. Whether through cleverness, caution, or combat, you must return with evidence of your survival. Those who fail to bring at least three cores will be treated as liabilities."
He didn't need to say what that meant.
Several disciples stood frozen. Others clenched their fists. A few smiled grimly. The veterans among them, those already accustomed to life-and-death trials outside the sect, nodded slightly as if this was the natural order of things.
Luo Tan groaned beside Xue Mo. "I should've eaten more this morning. Forest running is not my calling." He patted his belly like it owed him something.
"You'll manage," Xue Mo murmured, his voice neutral but not dismissive.
"We will not send you in blind," Elder Ming added. "You will receive a map of the permitted hunting zone, basic supplies, and a list of beasts considered valid. You are forbidden to leave the designated zone. Those who do will be disqualified, or worse. Do not test the elders' patience."
The words cut through the crowd like a cold wind.
A few steps away, a tall youth with long brown hair scoffed quietly. His robe bore a faint embroidery mark that marked him as a peak Qi Condensation disciple. He rolled his shoulders with eager anticipation. "This is perfect. I've been itching to show what I can really do."
Xue Mo turned slightly, noting the presence of this arrogant disciple. The crowd seemed to subtly part around him.
A name came to mind—Duan Yi. A peak Qi Condensation disciple with backing from one of the inner sect elders. Dangerous. Ambitious. Possibly ruthless. Xue Mo made a mental note.
"And to those of you who think hiding or letting others do your work will get you through…" Elder Ming's gaze swept the square. "The elders have decided. You may work in groups, but everyone must return with their own share of cores."
That crushed several thoughts in an instant. Whispered plans turned into curses. The hopes of riding on others' coattails were dashed.
"Disciples will enter the forest tomorrow at dawn," another direct disciple added. "Prepare well. Injuries and deaths will not be held against the sect."
The words sent a collective chill through the plaza. Even those who were confident began reconsidering their strategies.
As the crowd began dispersing, Luo Tan turned to Xue Mo. "So, partner… want to stick together?"
Xue Mo looked at him. "You might slow me down."
Luo Tan chuckled, seemingly unbothered. "True. But I can scream real loud when beasts show up. That counts for something, right?"
Xue Mo gave a small, almost invisible smile. "We'll see."
High above them, Elder Ming watched the groups scatter, his hands folded behind his back.
He didn't know why… but when his gaze landed on Lin Feng, he couldn't look away for a moment.
Something in the boy's posture. Not confidence. Not arrogance.
Just stillness.
The kind found in people who weren't afraid of the hunt.
But knew how to wait in the dark and strike.
A chill touched the old elder's spine.
He turned and walked away.
Tomorrow, the second trial would begin.