Chapter 116: The Assessment

The crowd gathered here kept their eyes fixed on the main entrance when, suddenly, a voice resonated in everyone's ears. "Should we fight?" The tone was somewhat tentative.

Judging by the direction from which the sound transmission originated, it was one of the individuals standing in the center.

"We must fight. Strike first to gain the advantage."

"These bastards have killed quite a few of our people during this time," a rough voice chimed in.

Following this, calls for battle arose one after another.

Everyone on the human side began to exude a dangerous aura, and Xu Chen’s blood began to boil with excitement.

"The opponents don't seem weak, but most of their blood-energy has been forcibly enhanced."

"Their actual combat power isn't high; they’re just flashy but hollow."

The soft voice of the Little Ancestor reached everyone's ears.

"In that case, I’ll set an example!"

A gruff voice rang out, and a majestic surge of blood-energy was just about to be channeled.

Across the way, the Holy Spirit Heavenly Court also erupted with blood-energy.

Just as the two sides were about to clash, a ripple of spiritual light suddenly radiated from the thousand-foot-tall palace, spreading in all directions.

Everyone caught within the light found their movements frozen.

Both the humans and the alien races who were about to attack were left with flushed faces, their blood-energy circulation obstructed.

"Looks like we won’t be fighting after all," everyone remarked with expressions of regret.

The Daoist inscriptions on the main gate began to illuminate at an increasing speed.

When the entire gate was fully illuminated, a muffled sound echoed.

The palace gates slowly opened, and a piece of information resonated in everyone’s ears.

"Conflict is forbidden within and around the Mysterious Immortal Palace. Those who pass five trials within the palace may receive the inheritance of a Golden Immortal; those who pass seven may receive the inheritance of a Great Luo Immortal."

"Those who pass nine trials may obtain a glimpse of Heavenly Fate."

A soft light spilled from the great hall, bathing both the humans and the alien races of the Holy Spirit Heavenly Court.

Everyone regained their mobility and surged rapidly into the hall.

Xu Chen followed the crowd inside.

"Consider yourselves lucky, you humans. Otherwise, I would have wiped you all out here," sneered an alien, ten feet tall with a slender, humanoid frame and skin like crystalline jade.

"Heh."

The others didn't retort, merely casting dangerous, assessing gazes at the alien who had spoken.

The interior of the palace seemed to contain endless space, stretching out boundlessly before them.

However, the pure white, jade-like floor was covered in one formation after another, all flickering with spiritual light.

An alien from the Holy Spirit Heavenly Court accidentally stepped onto one of the formations, and the power of space surged, instantly teleporting him away.

"The inheritance trials have begun," a voice as ethereal as the Great Dao itself announced.

Seeing this, the crowd hurriedly scrambled to find vacant formations to step onto.

Xu Chen looked at the open gate, pondered for a moment, and then turned to leave. He intended to go back and bring Li Chengfu and Zong Changshou over.

The number of trial formations inside the hall was limited; it would be a waste not to claim them.

Once out of the hall, Xu Chen rushed toward the agreed-upon location at top speed.

Upon arriving, he pulled out a hollowed-out black arrow and fired it; a strange sound echoed through the heavens.

Before long, Li Chengfu arrived leading a horse and carrying Zong Changshou to Xu Chen’s side, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Fighting is forbidden inside and around the inheritance palace, the number of trial formations is limited, and the risks of the trials are unknown. Are you two going?" Xu Chen asked quickly.

"Of course we are!" Li Chengfu slapped the rump of his Phantasm Dragon Horse, and it sprinted into the distance, its body blending into the colors of the surroundings until it vanished.

"I’m in! If I don't dare to face this, what is the point of being here?" Zong Changshou’s tone was firm.

"Then let's go!"

Xu Chen grabbed their belts and stepped into the air, moving so fast that he left a trail of afterimages in the sky.

Returning to the inheritance palace, two-thirds of the trial formations were already occupied.

Xu Chen quickly brought the two of them over, claiming three formations.

Space surged, and Xu Chen was transported to a vast grassland.

"Please eliminate 50 blood wolves within half an hour."

As soon as the words fell, blood wolves, each twenty feet long, began to appear one after another.

"Awoo!"

Fifty blood wolves surrounded Xu Chen, growling lowly.

"The power of five dragons and six tigers—just one dragon less than me. Is it a coincidence, or is it scaled to one's own strength?"

Through their breathing, Xu Chen could gauge their general power level.

"Then let’s have some fun."

Xu Chen drew the Ink Shadow Blade from his back.

The blade light, like a blooming lotus, instantly engulfed all the blood wolves.

Before a cup of tea could be finished, the ground was littered with the severed limbs and remains of the blood wolves.

"First trial passed. Reward: a foundation-building technique of the Mysterious Immortal race."

A jade slip floated before Xu Chen.

"A foundation-building technique. In ancient times, this is what they called blood-energy foundation-building methods." Xu Chen took the jade slip and tucked it into his robes.

The moment he touched the jade slip, the surrounding world shifted.

Xu Chen found himself in a classroom filled with humans; he even spotted Jin Lihuo.

Due to the suppression of a special law, no one could speak, but Jin Lihuo simply smiled and nodded at Xu Chen.

With his lips, he signaled to Xu Chen, "You arrived quite quickly."

Xu Chen scanned the room and found there were thirty seats in total, with only two remaining empty.

Just then, two ripples of spatial energy flashed, and two people appeared to fill the last spots.

A light shone at the front of the classroom, and an elderly man of the Mysterious Immortal race appeared. He looked human, but his eyes were like stars, and there was a red symbol in the center of his forehead.

"Everyone, what I will speak of today is..."

"What constitutes the foundation of the Dao."

"Flesh, blood, bones, heart, and the internal organs—all these are evolved from the foundation of the Great Dao."

"What is the foundation of the Great Dao? Mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, plants and trees..." The old man spoke on the dais, and the audience below listened as if entranced.

Although humans had similar classes, what the old man spoke of was worlds apart.

The lecture lasted for two hours, and by the time it ended, everyone was still left wanting more.

"What does the second trial involve?"

Just as Xu Chen was wondering, an exam paper and a charcoal pencil appeared on the desk before him.

"The lecture is over. Please answer the questions on the paper based on what I have just taught," the old man said with a chuckle before vanishing in a beam of light.

"We’re cultivating immortality; why do we still have to take exams?"

Xu Chen couldn't help but grumble inwardly, but he helplessly picked up the pen and looked at the paper.

"What on earth is this?"

He was stunned the moment he saw the first question.

"In a mortal body, how can the flesh, blood, and bones reach the power of one dragon in the shortest time? Please use this question to create a foundation-building technique. You may not write down the techniques you have already learned."

He had been entranced by the lecture, but looking at the test, his mind went blank.

He was expecting 1+1, but they were giving him calculus.

Despite the endless complaints in his heart, Xu Chen honestly recalled the various foundation-building techniques he had studied.

"Flesh, blood, and bones—this means I must prove it without involving the power of the internal organs or the heart."

"The Six Styles of the Sacred Ape, the Twelve Rolling Waves Body-Building Method, the Exquisite Pagoda Body."

"Integrate them, take the essence, and creating a foundation-building technique for one-dragon power shouldn't be too hard."

At this thought, Xu Chen couldn't help but be grateful for his 'cheat.' If he hadn't had these insights poured directly into his brain, making him incredibly proficient in these blood-energy techniques, he would have been completely stumped by this question.

Using the Six Styles of the Sacred Ape as the core to strengthen muscles and bones, incorporating parts of the Twelve Rolling Waves to oscillate blood-energy for faster improvement, and using the Exquisite Pagoda to absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth to directly enhance blood-energy—he pieced it all together and finally created a blood-energy foundation-building technique.

After finishing the first question, Xu Chen looked at the second.

An image appeared before him, and his consciousness was pulled into it.

A snowy night, with auroras and a galaxy in the sky.

Xu Chen appeared on the snowy plains, watching the auroras and the stars.

Just as he was becoming intoxicated by the scene, his consciousness returned.

On the second question, a bunch of strange, inexplicable symbols had appeared.

After finishing the second question, Xu Chen flipped to the third.

"Discuss the inheritance of a race: what is the most important part of the foundation of the Great Dao?"

Seeing this question, Xu Chen thought of his past life and the terror of being dominated by high school political science exams.

"What kind of bullshit question is this?"

Xu Chen checked the time; the hourglass on the podium was expected to run out in another hour.

"Just write something, true or not."

He began to write as soon as he picked up the pen.

He didn't stop until the sand in the hourglass ran out.

"The exam is over. One person achieved the 'Grade A' rating; the reward for passing is three spiritual crystals and a Mysterious Immortal technique."

A purple light emerged from one of the papers. Xu Chen looked at the person whose paper was glowing—they were wearing the robes of the Human Emperor’s Great Dao Palace.

"Three people achieved 'Grade B'; the reward for passing is two spiritual crystals."

Three papers emitted a yellow light.

"Six people achieved 'Grade C'; there is no reward for passing."

Six papers emitted a white light, Xu Chen’s among them.

"Well, at least I passed," Xu Chen let out a long breath.

"The rest are eliminated."

A surge of spatial energy appeared, and those whose papers did not glow were all teleported away.

"The remaining candidates proceed to the third trial."

Xu Chen felt himself enveloped by spatial energy and was teleported to another world.

It was a pure white world—the floor was white, and the sky was white.

It almost made Xu Chen think he had arrived in the Saint White Space.

An alien tribe appeared before him. In front of their camp, a hundred aliens had already formed a battle formation.

"Destroy the alien tribe before you."

Seeing this, Xu Chen breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that this kind of trial was more to his liking.

He silently drew his Ink Shadow Blade and began to observe the aliens.

Their strength was also around the level of five dragons and six tigers—one dragon less than him.

However, the battle formation they had formed displayed formidable power.

"Take it slow; no rush."

With that, Xu Chen charged forward, slashing wildly.

He had expected a one-sided slaughter, but the moment he made contact, he felt like he was punching cotton.

The entire formation was focused on defense, and every blade strike Xu Chen unleashed was blocked by aliens wielding massive shields.

Xu Chen leaped into the air and retreated from their formation, but the aliens did not pursue; they merely stood guard quietly in front of their tribe.

"Ugh, a frontal assault is a bit difficult."

"I guess I’ll have to come from the side."

As he spoke, he took the Mountain-Breaking Bow from his back, stood outside the tribal camp, and began to pick them off one by one.

No matter how complex the battle formation changed, it could not dodge the arrows Xu Chen fired.

After eliminating the dozen core members of the formation, Xu Chen drew his Ink Shadow Blade and charged in once more.