Translator: Amber.es  |  Editor: Bubbles |  Proofreader:  musk

5 days later, the quarterly exams formally began.

From chen shi1 to midday, the disciples had been confronted with the Daoism scripture check within the classroom.

Ji Chaoyun was diligent and desperate to be taught, and he had lengthy been accustomed to the Daoism that Yellow-ranked disciples wanted to be proficient in. This evaluation was by no means tough for him. After the literacy check, everybody took a break and went to the Swordplay Area for the key realm evaluation.

Prior to now the place areas for practising swordsmanship had been divided out, it was now changed by a teleportation circle.

The evaluation time had not but arrived, and the teleportation circle had been nonetheless unopened, however many disciples ready for its starting had been already gathered round.

“I’ve by no means heard of the final two examination questions earlier than!”

“If I had identified, I might have memorised extra. I can’t cross the examination now.”

“What is that this, at the least you have got me gracing the underside.  I don’t know what number of instances I left them clean.”

……

The sounds of wails echoed among the many  disciples. In distinction, Ye Chenxing was as cheerful as a spring breeze. He lowered his voice, saying, “Chaoyun, you’re actually too good. You taught me greater than half of the examination’s questions. I shouldn’t have any downside with this evaluation.”

Ji Chaoyun smiled. “A coincidence.”

“What coincidence? That is energy.” Ye Chenxing hooked an arm round Ji Chaoyun’s shoulders and grinned. “After tomorrow’s quarterly examination, there’ll be a break. Let’s go to the decrease realm and have an excellent time, how about that?”

“This…” Ji Chaoyun was about to reply, when he instantly felt a chill from his again.

He raised his head. Feng Qi was strolling rapidly from the entrance, gazing them intently.

Ye Chenxing decisively let go of Ji Chaoyun, and rapidly defined, “I instantly remembered that Chen shixiong of the Black degree needed to seek out me for one thing. I’ll head there first!”

Bei Ran: “Wait, I’ll go too!”

“You each wait—” Earlier than Ji Chaoyun might end talking, the 2 ran quick, and shortly disappeared.

He gathered his confidence rotated. Feng Qi raised his brows barely, his eyes flashing with a victorious smile.

“Why had been you searching for me?” Ji Chaoyun requested, standing beside the pine forest surrounding Swordplay Area.

Feng Qi moved ahead half a step, dropped his head, and lowered his voice as he instructed Ji Chaoyun, “I gives you a ultimate probability. You’re actually not studying the cheats I’m supplying you with? The key trial will not be so simple as you assume.”

“Not studying.”

Feng Qi ‘tsk’-ed. “Cussed.”

Though he stated so, his face confirmed no anger. Feng Qi lowered his eyes to take a look at the particular person shut at hand, and couldn’t maintain again; he raised his hand and squeezed that face. “Wish to allow you to, but you give me no probability. Actually too… Why is your face so scorching?”

Ji Chaoyun turned his head and prevented his hand. “Don’t contact me so casually.”

Ji Chaoyun’s physique temperature was decrease than that of regular individuals, and even when there was some irregular heat on his physique, it was nonetheless a lot decrease in comparison with others. Although his temperature change was not apparent, Feng Qi nonetheless seen it.

Feng Qi rubbed his fingertips, and smiled. “I’m being too near you. Shy?”

“Ridiculous.”

From far, Immortal Lord Kaiyang—who was accountable for supervision—arrived, which meant that the evaluation was about to start. Ji Chaoyun turned to go away.

“Wait, I haven’t completed talking.” Feng Qi raised his hand and pressed onto Ji Chaoyun’s shoulder, however the latter prevented him. Nevertheless, in that occasion, a tiny glow rising from the tip of Feng Qi’s fingertips hid itself into Ji Chaoyun’s hair bun. This religious energy was too weak, so the latter didn’t discover it.

Turning severe, Feng Qi warned, “There are a lot of traps within the secret realm. When you get caught in a single, it’s tough to get out, and really simple to get injured. It’s important to watch out.”

Seeing his good intentions, Ji Chaoyun nodded. “I perceive. Thanks.”

Ji Chaoyun returned to Swordplay Area. Immortal Lord Kaiyang introduced the beginning of the evaluation, and everybody cut up up, coming into the key realm on the identical time.

He opened his eyes. They had been teleported inside a stone forest. 2

Rugged stone pillars and pinnacles stood earlier than them. The three of them checked out one another and stepped into the centre cautiously.

The so-called stone formation was naturally not so simple as defeating a stone man. There have been hundreds of unusual rocks on this stone forest, which unpredictably modified and it was simple to get misplaced inside. But, the actual stone man was hidden amongst all that, which meant they needed to decipher between actual and pretend.

It was silent till Ji Chaoyun instantly stepped on a free stone slab. His coronary heart was startled. “Beware!”

He dragged the opposite two again a number of steps, as when he’d stepped on that space, the stones had been dislodged. Rubble rolled down, and so they had been blown to items by the hidden weapons within the deep pit.

Ye Chenxing appeared down on the pit and swallowed. “This, this secret realm… shouldn’t actually trigger deaths, proper?”

Ji Chaoyun: “…Greatest to watch out.”

As Feng Qi had warned him, there have been many traps within the stone forest. The three of them had been avoiding the traps whereas searching for the stone males, and their progress was extraordinarily gradual.

Ji Chaoyun stopped. He raised his hand and touched his brow, and the bizarre warmth induced his brows to barely frown. On the identical time, one other imperceptible heat sensation was faintly radiating from his physique.

…It shouldn’t be so coincidental ba?

“Chaoyun, what’s improper with you, are you uncomfortable?” Ye Chenxing requested.

Ji Chaoyun shook his head. “Nothing.”

He raised his head and appeared into the air. Hanging above their heads, the glowing quantity was nonetheless ‘Seventeen’.

This represented the seventeen groups that had already entered the stone formation.

This place was not the true secret realm. Solely when the stone formation was damaged wouldn’t it transport the crew to the place the place the actual evaluation was positioned. And the sequence of breaking the stone formation would decide the order of coming into the key realm.

There have been a complete of 1,500 evil spirits within the secret realm. Every victory in opposition to one evil spirit was value one level, and the beings wouldn’t be reborn. That was to say, the later they entered the key realm, the extra deprived their scenario could be.

If Ji Chaoyun’s evaluation outcomes this time fell to the underside 5 within the Yellow degree, he could be kicked out of the academy.

His two companions seen Ji Chaoyun’s fear, and Bei Ran requested, “Ji dage, what ought to we do now?”

Ji Chaoyun contemplated for a second. “You go to the stone’s summit. Observe our plan.”

“Alright.”

The 2 nodded, leaping up and down in the direction of the highest of two pinnacles, one east and one west. Ji Chaoyun retrieved some talisman paper from his sleeves. He whispered the incantations and raised his hand, a number of talisman papers hovering out to stay to the middle of the stone wall.

“Break!” Ji Chaoyun retreated rapidly. Virtually on the identical time, a number of stone summits in entrance of him exploded.

As he backed up, he continued to take the talisman papers from his sleeve. In a blink of an eye fixed, he blew up every little thing within the neighborhood. The rocks splashed throughout the stone forest, and amidst the billowing mud waves, there was a really uncommon motion.

“Chaoyun, I noticed it. North-west!”

Ye Chenxing known as out loudly, and the three of them rushed north-west all of sudden. After the billowing mud dissipated, the three of them surrounded a stone pillar. The stone pillars that had been initially useless instantly twisted and adjusted, and the rugged stone partitions continued to develop and elevate, finally forming a tall stone determine.

Concurrently, the quantity on the display screen lastly modified.

Fifteen.

Two groups had entered the key realm.

Ji Chaoyun solely glanced on the quantity with out paying a lot consideration.

Taking part within the secret realm evaluation had been the Black and Yellow disciples on the identical time. Greater than half of them weren’t coming into the key realm for the primary time. Therefore, the velocity of breaking by way of the formation was naturally faster than their very own.

He glanced on the two beside him, nodded to them, and collectively they raised their swords and rushed in the direction of the goal.

.

Exterior the key realm, a number of high-level disciples surrounded Swordplay Area.

Each time the evaluation day got here, the academy would give a time off. Nevertheless, most disciples used to solely care about quiet cultivation, and even throughout their relaxation time, that they had nowhere to go, so they may solely come to look at the battle and be part of within the enjoyable.

In Swordplay Area, a number of mild mirrors floated within the air in a semi-arc form, projecting the scenario within the secret realm. At this second, there have been solely two groups left inside, each of which had been Yellow-ranked disciples.

From the gap, Feng Qi sat leaning on a department, trying on the mild screens from a distance with a slight frown on his face.

Uncertain why, he felt just a little uneasy right now, however he couldn’t inform precisely the place this anxiousness got here from.

Nothing was going to occur, proper?

Feng Qi leaned on the department, vexed. He closed his eyes to regain his composure. A voice rang from below the tree. “I guessed that His Second Highness Feng would come. Why, can’t relaxation assured?”

Feng Qi opened his eyes, and stated with dissatisfaction, “Tune Zhifei, why aren’t you accompanying Jiang Cheng to supervise the examination and as a substitute got here right here to seek out me?”

Tune Zhifei replied, “Jiang Cheng fell sick right now and didn’t take part within the examination.”

Feng Qi had been worrying all day and he actually didn’t discover whether or not Jiang Cheng had come. He snorted. “He merely doesn’t need to see Ji Chaoyun.”

Tune Zhifei smiled. “I like that little dragon’s temperament very a lot. It’s no marvel that Your Highness cares for him, however such a pity he doesn’t appear to know Your Highness’ deep consideration.”

“Deep consideration?” Feng Qi’s eyes wavered and he requested, “What makes you assume I’ve deep consideration for him?”

Tune Zhifei: “It doesn’t matter how I really feel. The essential factor is whether or not Your Highness is conscious of your emotions.”

Feng Qi’s respiratory stagnated. His coronary heart gave the impression to be tapped flippantly by one thing, and the delicate and unstated feelings had been revealed to the sky with out warning.

Feng Qi didn’t refute, nor did he present the slightest peculiarity. He stared on the particular person beneath the tree for a very long time, and meaningfully stated, “Tune Zhifei, you actually should be the primary disciple within the academy, and a mortal ascending to the Heaven-level. No matter how one cultivates, in terms of doing issues for individuals, Jiang Cheng is incomparable to you.”

“Thanks to your praise,” Tune Zhifei stated. “I’ll cease right here. I’ll head again to oversee the examination.”

He turned to go away earlier than instantly listening to Feng Qi communicate softly, “I heard that Jiang Cheng will return to succeed because the Grasp of the Island as soon as the varsity yr is over. In case you have nowhere to go, you’re welcome to Dengyun Constructing.”

Tune Zhifei paused, and stated politely and respectfully, “This particular person is doing properly on the Supervisory Corridor. I’m grateful to your kindness, Your Highness.”

Feng Qi gave a chilly snort in response, its which means unknown, and stated nothing as he leaned again in opposition to the tree trunk.

.

Within the Stone Forest, Ji Chaoyun and his occasion had been nonetheless coping with the Stone Man.

The stone males on this formal evaluation had been a number of instances stronger than those that they had encountered earlier than. Regardless that the three of them cooperated tacitly, the problem was nonetheless tough. With the lack of religious energy, Ji Chaoyun’s discomfort grew to become clearer, and even his response velocity was a lot slower.

“Chaoyun, beware!” Ye Chenxing shouted. Ji Chaoyun had but to react when he instantly noticed a determine speeding in the direction of him.

Ye Chenxing stood in entrance of Ji Chaoyun, and acquired a punch from the stone man within the again. He groaned, and the 2 staggered again, rolling into a bit of rubble.

The aspect of Ji Chaoyun’s face was pierced by a stone, however he didn’t care about it. He rapidly threw out two talisman papers to restrain the motion of the stone man, and lifted Ye Chenxing up. “How are you feeling?”

Ye Chenxing’s face was pale, and he silently cursed earlier than making a sound. “…This factor’s actions are simply too ruthless. Luckily, I resisted it.”

“Ji dage!” Bei Ran known as out loudly within the distance. “We will’t go on like this. What ought to we do?!”

The 2 appeared on the mild display screen above their heads on the identical time. The quantity on it had change into an ‘Eight’.

The groups collaborating within the evaluation this time had eight Black-level groups and 9 Yellow-level groups. That was to say, at the least one crew of yellow-level disciples had entered the key realm.

“There have to be one other manner…” Ji Chaoyun whispered.

How did Feng Qi do it when he was first assessed?

Freshmen had been required to take part within the evaluation three months after enrollment. Feng Qi enrolled late initially of the yr, and it was lower than a month earlier than the quarterly examination. Immortal Elder had initially meant to place him on maintain for a number of months, however Feng Qi had been smug and determined to take part within the evaluation both manner, simply successful first place within the check.

Ji Chaoyun initially thought that he would possibly be capable of power a breakthrough by counting on his superior cultivation. However not way back, Feng Qi had needed to inform him the key of the stone formation.

Was there actually one other answer?

The three of them stood in a stalemate, and the variety of mild screens above their heads steadily decreased, and the velocity was getting quicker and quicker. Seven. Six. 5. 4. Three.

There have been solely three groups left.

Bodily discomfort and time constraints cleared Ji Chaoyun’s ideas. He calmed down and appeared round. Prior to now three months, he had completely studied the stone man. If there have been different options, it might solely be on this stone forest.

Unusual rocks within the stone forest. The roads, tough and tough to stroll. Even having numerous traps hidden round…

“There are a lot of traps within the secret realm. When you fall into it, it’s tough to get out, and it is vitally simple to get injured. It’s important to watch out.”

Ji Chaoyun instantly remembered what Feng Qi had instructed him earlier than coming into the key realm.

Traps.

It was as if a beam of sunshine broke by way of the clouds. Enlightened, Ji Chaoyun stated loudly, “It’s the lure! Lead it into the lure, use the terrain to jam it, and set off the hidden weapon mechanism to cope with it!”

An incense stick had handed and the quantity on the sunshine display screen above the stone forest returned to zero. The final three groups entered the key realm on the identical time.

The contiguous towering cedar bushes hid the sky, and the moisture within the forest compensated for it, leaving it extraordinarily chilly.

A ray of sunshine shone in between the foliage of the bushes, and Ji Chaoyun stepped out of the teleportation circle, a skinny layer of sweat on his brow. Within the distance, water gurgled, and a winding creek ran by way of the forest. Ji Chaoyun walked over slowly, half-kneeled on the bottom, and washed his face with the water.

Upon nearer inspection, his fingers had been already trembling barely.

Ji Chaoyun wiped off the water droplets on his face, and raised his hand to unfold a lightweight display screen.

On the sunshine display screen, there have been two scoring lists, which recorded the present rankings of the Black-level and Yellow-level disciples respectively. The primary disciple of the Yellow-level now had seven factors.

Of the three groups that lastly entered the key realm, a complete of 13 individuals, in the intervening time had a zero subsequent to their names.

Ji Chaoyun stared at his title on the finish of the leaderboard. He gave a lightweight chortle and closed the scoreboard, received up and walked in the direction of the forest.