Chapter 55: Soul Trial

  The annual tournament is a grand event for the entire Jinshui region, and its content is also formulated to simulate the assessment of the Central Academy. Of course, whether it's conditions or environment, they are far from those of the Central Academy, but what's most important is to let the apprentices get familiar with the competition system and content. The tournament is held in the Trial Plaza, which is the largest plaza in Jinshui region, covering an area that can accommodate over a million people.

  The outer square of the trial grounds was packed with people, including parents of apprentices and onlookers. The thirty academies within the domain were sending in their apprentices one after another, all looking rather excited. Indeed, this year's trial rewards were much more generous than previous years. It was said that just making it into the top hundred would grant a rich harvest of cultivation resources, and if one could enter the top ten, they would receive an extraordinary reward - a single Transcendence Spirit Pill and a combat spirit treasure.

  The Xuan Zhuan Ling Dan is the most precious spirit dan of the seven turns of spiritual power in the second realm. After taking it, one's cultivation can advance to a higher level. Due to its extreme rarity, this spirit dan has long been sold at sky-high prices on the market. The combat spirit treasure is also a coveted weapon for every witch. Moreover, it is said that the top three can even obtain a spiritual beast. This thing is absolutely a symbol of status and identity. Even if one doesn't ride it, selling it would mean not having to worry about food and drink for a lifetime.

  Such a generous reward, how can these apprentices not go crazy, each and every one of them striving to make an effort to perform well.

  Each college entered the trial arena one after another. First was Azure Academy, ranked first, led by Yuè Huà Fēi, who had been second in the previous three trials and was known for his mysterious strength. The academy included well-known students such as Xue Yiwen, Ding Can, Lu Zhanming, etc. In the past few trials, Azure Academy had almost taken up half of the top thirty positions. It remained to be seen how they would perform this time.

  Fei Hong Academy's team is led by Zhan Fei, who ranked third in the previous session. Other well-known disciples within the academy, such as Chi Ming and Ji An, are also on the list.

  Xiao Luotian Academy was led by Mu Hao, who ranked fourth in the previous session. Others such as Ding Zixuan, Ye Qing and Bai Jian were also on the list. Everyone in Jinshui Domain knew that this time Xiao Luotian had five disciples going to Xiaofeng Spiritual Realm to observe Tianwu Stele, their combat power had increased by several levels, and they were known as the strongest contenders of Azure Academy.

  The team of Zhūlù Academy is led by Zheng Kaize, who ranked sixth in the previous year's Hui Shi ranking. Others from the academy include Wan Xiang and Jiang Liangcai.

  The last to enter was the smallest, least populated and worst environment of Jinshui Domain - Xiao Jingu College, led by a giant man named Niu Ying who stood over two meters tall. As soon as Xiao Jingu entered, many eyes from other colleges swept over, because they had all heard that Xiao Jingu had produced an extremely special guy, apparently named Chen Luo. This person was originally a genius disciple of Xiao Luotian, but later took a shortcut, tainted by darkness, and was imprisoned for over a year, his cultivation abolished. After being released from prison, he was expelled by Xiao Luotian, which is why he joined Xiao Jingu. Of course, what drew people's attention wasn't this, but rather that this guy named Chen Luo had opened up five spiritual meridians in just five short months, and each one was different - a record unprecedented in Jinshui Domain.

  In the crowd, Chen Luo wore a white dress, slender and weak-looking, with a pale face that seemed delicate and slightly feminine. His features were refined and beautiful, his expression calm and serene, his dark eyes still like a quiet pool, gazing around aimlessly as if looking at nothing in particular.

  Chen Luo's rapid progress in his cultivation was not the only reason he attracted so much attention. Another important factor was his conflict with the Xiao Luo Tian Academy. It was still vividly remembered that several months ago, at the Tian Qi Wine House, the teachers of the Xiao Luo Tian Academy had offered him tempting conditions and even allowed him a quota for the Tian Wu Stele. However, they were all rejected. In the end, they even threatened to cripple him during the assessment, saying that if he encountered Mu Huan and others during the assessment, he would be finished. At that time, Chen Luo had also said that if he didn't encounter Mu Huan and others during the assessment, it would be fine, but if he did, he would fight them one by one until they were crippled.

  Who can defeat whom, this is the focus of everyone's discussion. Moreover, they also know that if Chen Luo wins this time, then when Xiao Luotian expelled him in the past, it was actually a slap in his own face. Everyone knows that this time Xiao Luotian will do everything to suppress Chen Luo.

  Is it Chen Luo's reverse rise or Xiao Luotian's suppression of the Taoist path? This can't help but make people look forward to it.

  When the apprentices of each college entered, the representative teachers of each college also took their seats. The lineup of this judging panel is quite strong, with the master of Changhong Array Tower, the lord of Jinshui Domain, the leader of Guangming Guardian Group, and the president of Rongyao Guild. These four people can be said to be the absolute big shots in Jinshui Domain. However, when it comes to this lineup, one person cannot help but mention, that is Xue Yawen, because the master of Changhong Array Tower is her teacher, the lord of Jinshui Domain is her father, and the president of Rongyao Guild is her mother. This is really speechless. Of course, no one would think that these three people would be partial, let alone Xue Yawen's own strength is also evident to all.

  The domain master of Jinshui Domain, Xue Yunshan, walked up to the high platform and began to speak. However, today's domain master seemed a bit different, limping as he went on stage, occasionally touching his knee. Seeing this scene, Chen Luo couldn't help but laugh, because suddenly remembered that Yu Tianlong had said before that after going back, the domain master would definitely be kneeling on the board, now it seems to be true.

  The trial is divided into four stages.

  The first stage, soul trial.

  The second stage is to cultivate and refine through trials.

  The third stage, martial arts trial.

  The fourth stage, comprehensive trial.

  Four stages, divided equally according to each stage, and finally combined for ranking. After the Domain Master announces the rules, the first stage officially begins, and all apprentices are free to disperse. This stage mainly tests the soul. When the trial array is activated, ten spiritual pressures will be lowered one by one, with each pressure corresponding to a vibration frequency.

  Inside the arena, thirty colleges, tens of thousands of students scattered around, some sat cross-legged on the ground, while others stood still, looking around. It seemed that those who sat down were not confident, while those who stood still had strong confidence, at least the famous students from each college were standing there.

  Chen Luo is a lazy person, if he can sit down, he won't stand stupidly.

  When all the disciples were ready, the master of the Long Hong Zhen Tower walked onto the high platform and opened the formation mechanism. The large formation diagram in the center of the square flashed, followed by the flashing of the formation diagrams around the square, with hundreds of them. This was absolutely a grand trial formation. Chen Luo had never participated in a trial before, so this was his first time. In the past, during the small Luo Tian era, he would only return for the college assessment, but this thing took too long, so he never participated.

  Hundreds of arrays were activated, and then converged with the central array. A buzzing sound was heard, and a beam of light spread out in all directions. Everyone knew that this was the first spiritual pressure. The spiritual pressure continued to spread until it reached the edge. It seemed that all the disciples could withstand the first spiritual pressure. Soon, the second spiritual pressure began to spread, and all the disciples still didn't move, but some of them started to get nervous because they all knew that only those who could withstand three resonances of their soul could pass through the third spiritual pressure.

  Finally, the third spiritual pressure began to spread, and the apprentices who could not bear it were directly pushed out of the square by the spiritual pressure. One, two, ten, a hundred, a thousand... The strong spiritual pressure was like an invisible tsunami that forcibly pushed out the apprentices who could not bear it from the square. When the spiritual pressure spread to the edge, more than 20,000 of the original 70,000 apprentices were pushed out, and half of the people in Xiaojin Gou's hundred and tenth squad were also pushed out.

  Most students use the method of secondary resonance absorption during training, and can barely withstand three resonances. As for four resonances, many students may not be able to withstand it. Indeed, when the fourth spiritual pressure began to spread, the remaining 50,000 students were suddenly pushed out by 95%.

  Looking back again, the overall strength of the colleges has already been revealed. The Azure Academy is indeed the number one college, with 42 people remaining. The Flying Swan Academy still has 20 people left, and the Xiaoluo Tian Academy has 14 people left. The other colleges have almost all been reduced to just a few people, among which Xiaojin Gou is the most miserable, with only two people left, Chen Luo and Niu Meng.

  "How is it?" Chen Luo glanced at the cow nearby and said, "Can you still hold on?"

  The ox demon's expression was solemn, nodding slightly, but then shaking his head, responding: "My soul can withstand the limit of five amplitudes, but I can only barely hold on for an instant, I don't know if I can pass the fifth spiritual pressure."

  "If you can persist, then persist; if you can't, there's no need to force it. It's not like we're taking a central university exam, so don't take it too seriously." Chen Luo said this, and it was also what he wanted to do. Anyway, Old Man Tu didn't pressure himself to get first place either, just playing along would be fine. Moreover, he wasn't fond of being the center of attention, and the feeling of being pointed at and talked about made him uncomfortable. So, he decided that for now, he'd observe the situation and go with the flow."

  At this moment, several people in the field couldn't help but look at Chen Luo, including Xue Yawan. She had always been curious about Chen Luo and still remembered clearly that in the stone room, she had tried eight times to resonate with him, but couldn't even get a wisp of Huayun Lingqi from him. She couldn't figure out whether Chen Luo's soul was really that strong or if he had used the resonant spirit treasure.

  Apart from Xue Yuwen, there were five others staring at Chen Luo. They were Ye Qing, Ding Zixuan, Bai Jian and others from the Xiao Luotian sect. Their gazes naturally contained hatred. The humiliation that Chen Luo had brought to them in the stone room was unforgettable. This time, they vowed to make him pay a heavy price.

  Soon, the fifth round of elimination began to spread, and after jumping to the edge, the powerful Azure Academy was left with only seven people, Fei Hong Academy was left with three people, Azure Academy was left with four people, Zhuo Lu Academy was left with two people, and Xiao Jin Gou Academy was left with Chen Luo alone.

  The outside of the square was filled with people's voices, and the apprentices who were pushed out cheered for their own academy. When the sixth layer of spiritual pressure began to spread, the inside and outside of the square suddenly became quiet. Ah! The four people from Azure Academy were pushed out, leaving only Fei Yanfeng, Xue Xiangyun, and Ding Can. Flying Phoenix Academy was left with only two people, Zhan Fei and Chi Ming. Only Zheng Kaize remained from Chasing Deer Academy. What shocked everyone was that the four people from Little Luo Tian Academy didn't move at all - Mu Huang, Ye Qing, Ding Zixuan, and Bai Jian were all still there. Had they become so strong after just one trip to the Small Buddha Realm? No one knew, but everyone was amazed by the wonder of the Tianwu Stele.

  The sixth layer of spiritual pressure continued to spread, and Xue Yaowen, Mu Huang, Ding Zixuan, and others turned around to look over. Not just them, at this moment, everyone's eyes were focused on the blue-clothed youth sitting cross-legged on the ground, wondering if he could pass through this layer of spiritual pressure.

  The spiritual pressure closed in, and the blue-clothed youth didn't even show any signs of struggling before being pushed out by the spiritual pressure.

  Seeing this scene, Xiaoluo Tian's many disciples cheered, and the stone that had been hanging in the hearts of Ding Zixuan, Ye Qing, and Bai Jian finally fell to the ground. In the stone room, they had always wondered why Chen Luo possessed such a strong resonance, but now it seemed that he must have used the Resonance Spirit Treasure back then.

  "With a soul strength like this, it's really a waste that I, Xiao Luo Tian, gave you a quota for the Heavenly Enlightenment Stele back then. Now it seems, you're not even qualified!" Mu Hao said calmly.

  "Chen Luo! You're nothing but this!" Ding Zixuan stood out abruptly and said proudly.

  "These petty people only know how to take shortcuts and be opportunistic." Ye Qing echoed in agreement.

  "Chen Luo, you're really disappointing me!" Bai Jian shouted in great discontent.

  The contradiction between Chen Luo and Xiao Luotian is well-known to all, as representatives of Xiao Luotian, Mu Huang, Ye Qing and others regard Chen Luo as a mortal enemy in both public and private life.

  Did Chen Luo really use the Resonance Spirit Treasure in the stone room? Xue Tianyun wondered in her heart, before she indeed thought so, but when Chen Luo was easily pushed out, she felt that something was not right, could he be doing it on purpose? Hiding his strength? The Golden Water Assembly's reward is so generous, every stage of performance is very important, who would give up such a generous reward and intentionally hide their strength?

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