Xu Yi's actions quickly spread throughout Kunlun Academy, even reaching some of the academy's teachers.
Teacher Lian, who was in charge of the Pill Tower, and Teacher Zhi Ming, who managed the Buddhist Pagoda, even argued over Xu Yi.
Both wanted Xu Yi to join their tutelage, and they did not hesitate to expose each other's past mistakes.
However, Xu Yi knew nothing of these events, for she had already arrived at the Endless Trial.
Upon stepping into the Endless Trial, Xu Yi immediately sensed something was amiss.
Her cultivation had been forcibly suppressed to the early Nascent Soul stage, and the spiritual energy within her body diminished in an instant, finally stabilizing at a level comparable to an ordinary early Nascent Soul cultivator.
Xu Yi's eyebrows arched. Sun Yue had not mentioned this situation to them before. Was this an accident, or was it the same for everyone?
If it was the latter, then all disciples in the Endless Trial were on the same footing. Success would then depend entirely on one's combat ability and reaction speed.
Kunlun Academy's various assessments maintained the utmost fairness and impartiality, which indirectly indicated its true intentions.
Xu Yi's gaze fell upon the stone wall to her right, a smile playing on her lips.
It was no wonder Lu Zaiye could rank among the top twenty out of nearly eighty participants.
In that case, she too should strive to not fall too far behind.
Xu Yi strode forward and passed through the teleportation array at the end to enter the first stage of the Endless Trial.
"First stage: Please kill a fourth-tusk tusker boar of the early Nascent Soul stage."
Xu Yi found herself in a vast grassland. As the voice finished speaking, dull running sounds approached from a distance, and the ground began to tremble.
"The fourth-tusk tusker boar, attacking with four long tusks and possessing thick, tough hide, is one of the weaker early Nascent Soul stage demonic beasts."
Information about the fourth-tusk tusker boar quickly flashed through Xu Yi's mind. Finally, she fixed her gaze on its cloudy eyes.
The fourth-tusk tusker boar was covered in a tough hide resembling iron armor. Only its eyes were the best point of breakthrough.
Xu Yi drew her admonishment ruler. With a stomp of her foot, she moved like lightning towards the fourth-tusk tusker boar.
As the distance between the person and the beast narrowed, the sharp tusks of the fourth-tusk tusker boar gleamed. Just as its tusks, nearly a foot long, were about to pierce Xu Yi, she twisted her body backward at a strange angle in mid-air, while her hand movements were swift and fierce.
She leaned back, and the admonishment ruler in her hand shot out, targeting the fourth-tusk tusker boar's eyes.
Clang!
"Roar!"
Demonic beasts had keen senses.
The fourth-tusk tusker boar instinctively closed its eyes when danger struck. The admonishment ruler, carrying considerable force, struck its eyelids, causing it to let out a pained roar.
Keeping its eyes tightly shut, it began to charge around, trying to track Xu Yi's aura, appearing frenzied.
Xu Yi hovered in the air, the admonishment ruler floating before her.
She brought her two fingers together and pointed at the fourth-tusk tusker boar again.
"Go!"
Whoosh—
A sharp sonic boom sounded.
The admonishment ruler flew so fast that it caused distortions in the void.
The half-blind fourth-tusk tusker boar sensed the impending danger, let out a low growl, and a yellowish-brown aura circle enveloped it.
Bang! Bang!
The admonishment ruler shattered the yellowish-brown spiritual energy shield like a destructive force and then struck the fourth-tusk tusker boar's eyes once more with great impact.
The fourth-tusk tusker boar's eyes were gone, replaced by a large bloody cavity.
Its body swayed a few times before crashing to the ground, kicking up a large cloud of dust.
"First stage complete. The second stage will commence in one incense stick's time."
A cold, emotionless voice echoed across the grassland once more.
Xu Yi looked at the fallen fourth-tusk tusker boar, her eyes darting, and she took out a small knife, slowly approaching.
Although the fourth-tusk tusker boar was not strong, its long tusks and iron hide were grade five artifact refining materials. Xu Yi did not want to waste them.
However, before she could get close, the body of the fourth-tusk tusker boar dissipated into smoke with a bang, seeming quite impatient.
Xu Yi: ...
She could only silently put away the small knife and meditate in place.
"Second stage: Please kill two fourth-tusk tusker boars of the early Nascent Soul stage."
As soon as the voice finished, Xu Yi saw two fourth-tusk tusker boars rapidly charging towards her in the distance.
Xu Yi let out a soft snort and did not dodge or evade.
Soon, her figure collided with the two fourth-tusk tusker boars.
This time, Xu Yi spent more time resolving the two fourth-tusk tusker boars.
And in the third stage, Xu Yi's opponents were five fourth-tusk tusker boars of the early Nascent Soul stage.
Just as Xu Yi thought she would continue to be entangled with these fourth-tusk tusker boars, in the fourth stage, her opponent changed to a crimson-tailed blood wolf of the middle Nascent Soul stage.
The crimson-tailed blood wolf was extremely fast, and its innate secret skill was Bloodlust Frenzy, which could increase its attack power by thirty percent, making it a somewhat tricky opponent.
Because of this, Xu Yi's clearing speed gradually slowed down.
...
Kunlun Academy, Hall of Medicine.
As Yu Chun Dao walked out of Nalan Yan's room, she happened to meet Teacher Jing, who was coming out of Wan Yanxue's room.
"Teacher Jing, what is Wan Yanxue's condition now?"
Although Yu Chun Dao was a cultivator, she still believed in distinguishing between close and distant relationships. Nalan Hen Zhu was her close friend, so she had been trying to find suitable spiritual herbs for Nalan Yan during this period. She had not paid much attention to Wan Yanxue's situation, and her sudden recollection made her feel somewhat guilty.
Teacher Jing, knowing the inside story, naturally did not blame her, but his expression was rather grim.
"Wan Yanxue has woken up."
"She's awake?" Yu Chun Dao was somewhat surprised, then happy for her, "Then she should be able to recover completely soon."
"No!" Teacher Jing shook his head and sighed. If that were the case, why would he be so worried?
"Although Wan Yanxue has woken up, her mind is still stuck around the age of ten, and her body has not recovered. She cannot appear in public for the time being, to avoid accidental harm."
Wan Yanxue's body was now so fragile that it could shatter with a touch. He dared not let Wan Yanxue show herself.
The smile on Yu Chun Dao's face immediately faded.
Even now, she could not understand why Wan Yanxue had resorted to such extreme measures, resulting in one being in a coma and the other, though awake, having impaired intellect.
"How is Nalan Hen Zhu's situation?"
Teacher Jing suddenly asked.
After clarifying the pros and cons with Nalan Hen Zhu that day, Nalan Hen Zhu took her heavy sword and left Kunlun Academy, her whereabouts unknown.
Yu Chun Dao shook her head with a solemn expression.
She had not been able to contact Nalan Hen Zhu either. She could only hope that when she re-established contact, she would bring good news.
Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, in the Nalan family.
As soon as Nalan Hen Zhu returned to the Nalan family, she clashed with the members of the Nalan family.
She had once betrayed her family for a heartless lover and vowed never to return.
The Nalan family regarded her as a disgrace, so they refused her return and dispatched a large number of people to drive her away.
In front of everyone, Nalan Hen Zhu dared not mention Nalan Yan's affairs. She only insisted on seeing the family head.
Then, somehow, fighting broke out.
Although the group driving away Nalan Hen Zhu combined were no match for her, she was held back by her guilt, making her hesitant. Instead, she was severely injured by that group.
If not for the timely appearance of the Nalan family head at the end, Nalan Hen Zhu might have entered the cycle of reincarnation even sooner than Nalan Yan.