The first stage was a written test, and the second a martial trial.
Yet when the black armor announced the third stage, the group was taken aback.
"Enter!"
With a casual wave of his hand, a gateway seemed to materialize before them. "Go in. Four humans and one demon. Walk out, and you will be students of the Martial Science University, free to leave at any time. Fail to walk out... and every one of you remains behind!"
Li Hao looked at the translucent gateway, frowning slightly. "Where does this portal lead?"
"A battlefield!"
The black armor sounded utterly placid. "Walk out from that battlefield, and you will be formal students. Enter!"
A battlefield?
So the third stage was a battlefield... Where could a battlefield have come from?
Li Hao was baffled.
For this place to be connected to an active battlefield... was truly bizarre.
"Is it... dangerous inside?"
"Naturally!"
Li Hao glanced at Hou Xiaochen and the others, who were all furrowing their brows.
Hou Xiaochen said in a deep voice, "Who is the enemy?"
"An enemy is an enemy. All you need to know is that they are foes! Furthermore, martial wartime regulations are in effect... You must understand what that means: absolute obedience. Understood?"
The black armor seemed to chuckle. "Enter. Otherwise... you may stay here forever!"
Having come this far, the group exchanged helpless glances.
There was no other choice!
They had to enter.
Just as the four humans and one tree prepared to step through, Black Panther let out a sudden whimper.
The black armor said indifferently, "What are you afraid of? Without cause, would these people dare kill you? If they attack you, fighting back carries no fault. If they kill you... then the crime is theirs!"
Evidently, Black Panther was terrified.
*If Li Hao and the rest leave, what am I supposed to do?*
After all, Qian Wanhao and the others were still right there.
At this, Li Hao thought of something. "Hand over all the divine energy stones... If you aren't carrying them and have no treasures on you, there's nothing to gain from killing you aside from a mouthful of meat... Be careful staying behind, or someone might stake everything to finish you off!"
"..."
Black Panther wanted to curse!
Yet it also felt that Li Hao had a point.
It had swallowed those divine energy stones—so many of them. What if the opposition truly grew desperate enough to take the gamble?
Perhaps they would just have to pay a fine and be done with it.
Helpless, it coughed up several storage rings. It couldn't cram all the swallowed divine energy stones into its stomach indefinitely; storing them in rings was far more convenient.
Li Hao caught the storage rings with a chuckle.
Black Panther truly was greedy. Had the rascal intended to keep them for itself?
Why look so reluctant?
It wasn't as if he ever forgot about the hound whenever they cultivated.
To the side, Qian Wanhao and the rest remained deathly silent.
They had all been eliminated, but that didn't matter—the dog had been eliminated too, and Li Hao's group was not guaranteed to pass either. If they truly ended up stranded... at least they wouldn't die.
Perhaps there would still be an opportunity or a method to leave this place.
This ruin couldn't stay sealed forever.
When the second recovery occurred, it was very likely to open.
Would they still be forced to stay behind then?
...
Meanwhile, Li Hao and his companions cast their doubts aside.
The four humans and one tree stepped through the portal together.
In an instant, the gateway vanished.
The black armor said nothing, and everyone settled into a tense wait. Qian Wanhao and the others were intensely curious about where Li Hao's group had gone.
...
At the same time.
In a world veiled in grey gloom.
Li Hao and his companions materialized in an instant.
This realm was exceedingly dim. They seemed to have appeared inside a vast city.
All around them, voices clamored like boiling water.
The companions seemed enclosed within a barrier.
A moment later, their vision cleared, revealing that they were inside a battered military encampment.
"Principal!"
While they were still dazed, a burly, armored man strode over. Looking at Hong Yitang, he said in a grave voice, "Principal, formidable enemies press in from all directions. Hope City cannot hold... Fall back!"
"General, take the others and leave first... We will bring up the rear!"
Another armored warrior stepped forward, looking at Sky Sword with solemn resolve. "General, please retreat as well... We will stay behind to hold the ground and destroy the teleportation passage so they cannot breach our human territory!"
Sky Sword and Hong Yitang were both struck dumb.
What was all this?
As Li Hao pondered, someone turned to him and urged solemnly, "You must leave too... As the peerless prodigy of this generation... as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn!"
Just then, another burly warrior strode in from the entrance, bathed in blood. Grinning through bared teeth, he said, "Venerable seniors... you are advanced in years, and your vitality and blood have declined. Staying behind is merely throwing your lives away... Take the students and leave! Even if our human race suffers a crushing defeat in this battle, we will make them pay a bitter price! Fall back!"
With that, he bowed deeply. "Seniors... lead the students in retreat!"
Only then did Hong Yitang furrow his brows. He opened his mouth to speak, but had no idea what to say.
Was this... a battlefield?
An illusion?
Or something else?
He couldn't tell for a moment; it felt strikingly real.
He wanted to clarify what was happening.
Li Hao wasted no time on pleasantries and asked bluntly, "What is the situation here?"
"You were unconscious for several days, so it is only natural you wouldn't know!"
The burly man who had just entered replied grimly, "Tianmen City has marched upon us in full force, with Dongkui City acting as their pincer flank. They possess dozens of high-rank powerhouses! Hope City cannot hold... You new students have set foot on the battlefield for the first time; you do not understand the enemy's terrifying might. Staying will only mean throwing your lives away! Go back, all of you!"
He let out a wry chuckle. "And you elderly folks should head back as well!"
Thumping his chest, he roared, "Staying behind is the true agony! We shall eradicate the enemy before they cross beyond human lands! I implore our venerable seniors to lead our prodigal students in retreat, to preserve the seeds of hope for mankind!"
Li Hao stood in a momentary daze, grasping the gist of their predicament.
The enemy was mounting an overwhelming assault, impossible to match.
Hou Xiaochen and the others were viewed as old-generation powerhouses whose vitality and blood had waned, while Li Hao was seen as a prodigal martial artist carrying the hope of the future. At this moment, these middle-generation warriors were urging them to evacuate.
However... they had entered specifically to pass a trial!
Naturally, they had to slay the enemy!
Whether this was an illusion or a genuine battlefield, they had to fight; otherwise, wouldn't they fail the mission?
He just didn't know how many enemies needed to be killed to complete the trial.
Having thought through this, Li Hao immediately said, "How can that be? We must take part in this battle..."
Just then, a roar rang out from outside: "Enemy assault! To arms!"
Boom!
Outside, heaven and earth overturned, and the ground trembled violently.
The expressions of the middle-aged commanders shifted drastically. Forgetting about further explanations, they surged outside. The lead burly man looked back and bellowed, "Go back! This battle is one of certain death! Our only hope... is that you can fight your way back in the future to rebuild Hope City!"
With those words, he was already gone.
The room emptied out in an instant. Li Hao and the others exchanged glances before Hong Yitang spoke quickly: "Let's go out and take a look. Our objective is likely to repel the invaders. Once the enemy is driven back... we should be considered to have passed!"
The others nodded; this matched their expectations.
Soon, they hastened outside.
Only now did Li Hao notice that the little tree had taken on a presentable humanoid appearance, wearing armor just like a person. It seemed this really was an illusion rather than an actual battlefield.
*I knew it!*
The ancient civilization had fallen long ago; where would an active battlefield come from?
Knowing it was an illusion brought some relief.
The four humans and one tree hurried toward the front. By now, the interior of the city was practically deserted, everyone having rushed to the front lines. Thunderous clashes rumbled toward the city gates. In the distance, beams of radiance flashed as formidable powerhouses streaked through the air with staggering, sky-rending momentum.
The group surged into the air and quickly mounted the city wall.
Looking out, they saw dense, endless legions charging forward. Outside the city gates, their own forces had already deployed in formation to meet the charge.
"Kill!"
Below, a general roared, leading an army in a headlong clash!
Across a blood-soaked expanse outside the city walls, the two armies collided in a desperate melee. The clamor of slaughter shook heaven and earth. Even knowing this was an illusion, the group's expressions shifted.
Tens of thousands of martial masters burst with vitality and blood, clashing with the opposing ranks.
The enemy vastly outnumbered them—nearly ten to one—and appeared to be superpower cultivators.
"A war between superpowers and martial masters?" Li Hao murmured under his breath.
"It seems... the other side might not even be human?"
"Possibly!"
"So many enemies..."
Li Hao looked toward the sky, where brilliant streaks of radiance ripped through the gloom. Atop the city walls, powerful masters shot into the air with furious roars, charging to intercept the enemy's elite. Stepping away from the rank-and-file armies, they clashed in the high distance with earth-shaking detonations!
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
The thunderous war cries reverberated across the heavens.
Seeing this, Hong Yitang called out urgently, "Quick, move up and intercept the enemy... If too many of our people die, it might affect our trial evaluation!"
The others nodded hurriedly.
In the next instant, they soared into the sky!
Just as they took flight—boom!
Formidable foes emerged from the opposing side, brimming with terrifying might. In an instant, Li Hao was ambushed by a tremendously powerful enemy—a mighty superpower cultivator whose punch surged forward bathed in glittering golden light!
Li Hao reached to draw his sword, only to inwardly curse: *Where is my Starry Sky Sword?*
Damn it!
Where had his sword gone?
He hadn't even noticed until now that his sword was missing. Was it impossible to bring personal items into the illusion?
Left with no alternative, Li Hao used his hand as a blade and thrust out a palm!
Boom!
An immensely violent force exploded against his palm, sending a jolt of sharp pain through his arm. His expression changed. At that moment, the black armor's voice seemed to whisper in his ear: "This is an illusion... but if an enemy slays you, you truly die!"
Li Hao immediately cursed aloud!
*Then where the hell is my sword?*
Damn it, had that black-armored bastard pocketed it?
Yet feeling the searing pain, he knew that if he were killed here, he might genuinely perish.
Boom!
His savage-looking opponent possessed unfathomable strength, raining punch after punch that forced Li Hao into continuous retreat. The enemy's flesh seemed as indestructible as a golden vajra body!
When Li Hao's chopping palm landed, it failed to shatter the foe, only opening a minor cut that knit together in seconds.
"Damn it!" Li Hao cursed furiously!
What kind of regenerative power was this?
It was as though the enemy were wielding sword energy like he once did, instantly recovering from any injury. Meanwhile, stripped of his sword energy, Li Hao's wounds bled profusely, refusing to stem!
He glanced sideways to check on the others, only to suck in a cold breath.
Not just him—every single one of them was being completely suppressed, unable to retreat.
Was this intentionally designed to ensure they failed?
The black armor's voice sounded in their ears once more: "Victory brings the chance to enter Yuanping Martial Science University. This was an actual historical battle, and in that battle... humanity prevailed! Of course, you may choose to withdraw. To withdraw is to fail the trial!"
An actual historical war?
Li Hao's thoughts stirred, but—boom!
A momentary lapse in concentration allowed the savage warrior's fist to land squarely on his chest. Li Hao's ribs cracked, and he coughed up blood as he flew backward. Not far away, Sky Sword was swatted aside by an enemy palm, coughing up blood incessantly!
Hou Xiaochen, Hong Yitang, the little tree...
Even someone as potent as the little tree seemed utterly defenseless. It appeared unable to manifest its Imperial Palace projection, and was now suppressed by a peerless powerhouse, battered into steady retreat!
Looking in every direction, ferocious battles raged everywhere!
Yet their side was universally disadvantaged. The middle-aged warriors they had spoken with earlier were fighting desperately, but they too were being pushed back, some holding out against three or four foes through sheer willpower alone!
How was anyone supposed to win this?
Was this a joke?
Li Hao cursed inwardly!
Suppressed on every front—how could they possibly win?
The enemy outnumbered them several times over, and their combatants were so powerful that nearly everyone on this side was overwhelmed... A comeback under these conditions was a sick joke!
Were they deliberately trying to get them killed?
With a heavy thud, Hou Xiaochen was sent flying, coughing up blood as a bloody puncture gaped on his chest. He was wracked with coughs, stunned in disbelief. His formidable strength had been thoroughly checked once again.
His foe suppressed him completely, leaving him powerless to retaliate!
Whatever Li Hao had heard, they had heard as well.
Every one of them felt like cursing a blue streak!
Win?
What kind of joke was this!
Once again, the black armor's voice drifted into their ears: "I forgot to mention—if over half our army falls, all of you fail the mission and will remain here forever. Believe me, none of you... can break this realm! So if you wish to withdraw, do it early!"
Their faces fell.
Down below, the enemy force was ten times larger than their own. Once casualties exceeded half, they wouldn't even have the option to withdraw.
Give up now?
Withdraw immediately, admit failure... and then be trapped in this ruin forever?
None of them could gauge how powerful the black armor was, but they knew that an existence capable of trapping experts of their caliber inside an illusion with effortless ease was far beyond anything they could hope to contest.
At that moment, the little tree was also being beaten back repeatedly, its voice transmitting into their minds: "What he says is true. That entity is terrifyingly powerful. Whether he is dead or alive, when he lived... he was very likely a Grand Saint!"
"A Grand Saint?"
"A Saint-level powerhouse stands far beyond the Peak! In ancient times, the realm above the Peak was called Emperor rank... later renamed Immortal, signifying eternal life. And above that is the Saint rank!"
The companions were rocked to their core.
*Holy hell!*
*That strong?*
The little tree couldn't even be considered at the Peak right now, yet that entity had surpassed it by several major realms! Hadn't it been said that very few powerhouses remained behind?
How could a mere Martial Science University harbor such a supreme existence?
How could they ever escape?
No wonder the little tree had acted so frighteningly submissive in his presence.
Now a colossal headache throbbed behind their temples. Distracted by transmitting messages, the little tree took a brutal beating, its armor shattering until it let out shrill, piercing shrieks.
Clearly, even the tree was no match for its opponent.
And Li Hao and the others were in even worse straits, battered black and blue.
In the ground battle below, they could only watch as their warriors fell one after another...
*Fuck!*
This was an impossible mission. The entity simply intended to keep them all here.
Their only option was to withdraw now, and then... accompany the black armor in growing old inside this Martial Science University.
Boom!
Deafening explosions resounded around them.
Out of the corner of his eye, Li Hao saw an allied fighter ignite with blazing crimson light, condensing a bloody saber in a flash. With a resonant hum, the bloody blade cleaved an enemy in two on the spot, but the warrior detonated into pieces simultaneously!
The Blood Saber Art!
Li Hao recognized it instantly!
Those people were using the Blood Saber Art.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a searing pain tore across his head. His foe's fist whistled through the air, the ferocious gale lacerating Li Hao's face and drenching it in blood. With a furious roar, Li Hao struck out with a palm!
Damn it!
Here, he had no Starry Sky Sword, no Wind-Chasing Boots, and even his storage rings were missing.
He had to rely entirely on his raw strength without a shred of external aid.
Even when his divine characters erupted, he still struggled to withstand his opponent!
What should they do?
The allied troops below were dying rapidly. If this continued, they would be trapped here forever.
"Withdraw!"
Li Hao transmitted to the others through gritted teeth. "Withdraw... As long as the green hills remain... at least we can grow stronger inside the ruin... There will come a day when we can break out!"
They could never match that black armor.
Their only recourse was to grow old alongside him in this ruin.
Even as he thought this, Hong Yitang's voice echoed in his ear, laced with helplessness: "If we... never make it out... do you realize... the consequences?"
Li Hao froze.
He had nearly forgotten!
His complexion changed instantly.
If none of them made it out, the outside world would assume they had perished together or were permanently imprisoned within the ruin.
When that happened, those remaining outside would likely be annihilated.
Without him, without Hou Xiaochen, Hong Yitang, or Sky Sword, Sky Sword Manor, the Martial Guard Army in the city, and the Night Patrol who had just pledged allegiance... would all crumble in short order.
The Nine Departments appeared to have suffered heavy losses, but besides Qian Wanhao, there were still seven veteran directors. By now, they were likely four-discipline or even five-discipline divine power powerhouses!
Director Zhou and Yao Si wouldn't be able to stop them.
Li Hao's expression flickered.
He had been so focused on the immediate crisis that he had overlooked the ramifications. Before entering, he had been confident, and rightfully so—without unexpected interference, not one of Qian Wanhao's coalition would have escaped!
A total triumph!
Yet now... what could they do?
Boom!
Another detonation rang out. Li Hao's opponent seemed wary of something and abruptly took a step back, giving Li Hao a fleeting respite. His allies' opponents did the same.
All of them cast wary glances in every direction, watching the martial artists detonating themselves one after another.
The Blood Saber Art!
Mutual destruction!
Deterrence, intimidation, shock... Inflicting a thousand casualties at the cost of eight hundred of one's own!
At this moment, Hong Yitang looked around and seemed to realize how the ancient martial artists had claimed victory.
A bitter smile touched his lips.
He understood what this trial was truly demanding of them.
Only victory earned the status of student, and only students could leave the ruin.
There were simply too many enemy powerhouses here.
Faced with such odds, ancient martial artists could never have won through normal means—unless they slew large numbers of enemy elites in rapid succession, terrifying the rest, showcasing an unyielding resolve that broke their spirit and proved that further fighting would only pile up more of their corpses!
Yet when every enemy outmatched their counterpart, how could one kill them—kill them instantly to strike absolute terror?
He knew... he understood.
And at this moment, he was not alone.
Sky Sword, Hou Xiaochen, and even Li Hao understood as well.
Li Hao's face twisted in rage as he bellowed, "Bastard! Fuck you! This isn't a test! An examination would never be like this... You're forcing us to die!"
The entity was forcing them to unleash the Blood Saber Art to erupt with overwhelming power in an instant. If sword energy were available, Li Hao wouldn't care. But without sword energy, detonating the Blood Saber Art was practically certain death!
Unifying essence, qi, and spirit to ignite one's vitality—this was forcing them to commit suicide!
The black armor remained silent. If they withdrew, catastrophe awaited outside the ruin. If they didn't withdraw... once their forces suffered fifty percent casualties, the option to quit would be gone.
If they wanted to win... someone had to use the Blood Saber Art!
Only by using the Blood Saber Art, executing powerful foes, and terrorizing the enemy lines could one or two survivors be preserved to become students and leave the ruin safely.
What kind of examination was this?
Li Hao burned with fury!
A trial?
This was forcing people to die!
Damn it, wasn't that entity starved of life energy to revive?
Back in Battle Heaven City, a batch of ancient beings had revived only after countless people had died.
It had to be that!
There were surely rules preventing the entity from slaughtering them outright. But once certain conditions were met or rules triggered, he could kill them, screw them over, and harvest their life energy—and their storage rings! Li Hao's storage ring held an abundance of treasures, including mountains of divine energy stones!
It had to be! He saw right through it!
"Withdraw..." Li Hao transmitted to the others once more, raging, "We'll go out and stake our lives against this bastard! Fuck! He deliberately set us up!"
At that moment, Li Hao was incandescent with rage.
Yet Hong Yitang and the others exchanged glances, sighing inwardly.
Stake their lives?
Fight a Grand Saint to the death?
Wasn't that a delusion?
Even if the entity had only recovered a tenth or a hundredth of his prime... could they hope to stand against him at this stage?
Furthermore, just as Li Hao had surmised, they also guessed that the entity was bound by rules.
If they won and became students, they would most likely be allowed to leave for real.
Hong Yitang glanced at Hou Xiaochen and transmitted, "You must understand by now... I don't care much about myself. Look after Sword Gate for me... As for the rest, let fate run its course!"
Hou Xiaochen looked grim, powerless to reply as his opponent thoroughly dominated him.
Hong Yitang gave a wry smile.
What was this?
Was this truly how ancient Martial Science Universities had tested prospective students?
Or was this an exception because the entity wanted them dead?
He said no more.
In the next moment, a surge of bloody vital energy rushed into his heart.
A sky-engulfing sword intent manifested between heaven and earth, and a sword character hung suspended in midair.
"Kill!"
With a ferocious shout, crimson vital energy surged to the heavens as essence, qi, and spirit converged into one. It was merely the Blood Saber Art; many people knew it. Yuan Shuo knew it, and those close to him knew it as well.
It was just that... under ordinary circumstances, who would ever use it?
Before sword energy existed, even though Yuan Shuo knew the technique, he had never dared use it—wouldn't that be suicide?
"Li Hao!"
Hong Yitang's aura erupted exponentially as he roared, "You must make it out alive, remember that! If you don't survive... everything is finished! Take care of my daughter... nothing else matters! If you win... the Nine Departments or the royal family are mere dogs and chickens, utterly brittle!"
"Beware... the ancient civilizations!"
With a fierce bellow, his sword pierced heaven and earth, punching straight through the skull of his opponent in an instant.
In the next breath, Hong Yitang charged toward another powerhouse, his crimson blade of vital energy carving across the firmament.
In this moment, his strength was terrifying.
Li Hao's face turned ashen!
Gritting his teeth, his vital energy surged. With a savage roar, he thrust a hand straight through his opponent's heart. Glaring coldly at the sky, he sneered, "I am a knight-errant, not a king! Director Hou going back is enough... Silver Moon has remained undefeated for years. One more or less of me makes no difference! At worst... lead our people back into Silver Moon! Senior Sky Sword still has Sky Sword Manor to look after... I have no ties, no burdens... Would I care about such things? Do you take me, Li Hao, so lightly?"
Ripping his palm free of the enemy's heart, Li Hao ignited his vital energy, fusing essence, qi, and spirit into one. With a thunderous boom, his divine characters flew forth and detonated, instantly blowing Sky Sword's opponent to smithereens!
"Senior Little Tree... was brought out by me. If you two have the heart for it... escort it back to Cat Head Mountain once you leave. You can continue trading for the Spring of Life with Senior Little Tree..."
"As for my teacher... tell him... to stay home early and stop running around!"
Li Hao's vitality and blood surged to the absolute peak in an instant, and he charged ahead of Hou Xiaochen. Hou Xiaochen's face looked dreadful; he had only just begun gathering his vitality when Li Hao, moving even faster, had already ignited the Blood Saber Art in the blink of an eye!
"Neither of you need fight anymore, nor do you need to ignite the Blood Saber Art... Sacrificing an extra life is sheer idiocy!"
Li Hao's face was chillingly cold. At this moment, he hated!
He hated that black armor!
He knew he had been played, but... he was powerless against it. He lacked supreme strength.
"If the chance arises... kill Ying Hongyue for me!"
Aside from that, Li Hao had few regrets.
The world was this dark; what could one do?
He had wanted to achieve something simply by following his heart. If he couldn't... he harbored no bitter remorse.
Hou Xiaochen dropped to the earth, gritting his teeth. With a sudden, furious roar, he thrust his spear, obliterating waves of incoming enemy powerhouses into gory mist!
"Kill!"
He didn't know who to resent. He only knew that entering this place had ended in utter failure!
At the moment of igniting the Blood Saber Art, he had even hesitated for a fraction of a second. The Sickbed Ghost... in the end, was merely a ghost!
Sky Sword tumbled heavily to the ground, critically wounded. Looking up at the sky, he was in a daze.
Under normal circumstances... they should have protected Li Hao. Yet when Hong Yitang ignited the Blood Saber Art, he too had hesitated slightly, wondering whether Hong Yitang alone could crush the opposition.
Reality had proven it impossible.
Never mind one person—even with Li Hao igniting his own strength and both of them soaring in power, they still couldn't match the vast horde of enemy masters. More and more powerhouses swarmed toward the two of them!
Meanwhile, their auras were beginning to decline.
The Blood Saber Art had its inevitable waning phase.
The little tree's opponent in particular was frighteningly powerful, and the tree had no Blood Saber Art to speak of. It was being brutally battered. Hong Yitang charged over to help... yet still found himself outmatched!
Only when Li Hao joined the fray to make it three against one did they finally suppress that foe.
Sky Sword stared blankly as an endless tide of enemies rushed toward them, feeling hollow and despondent...
Silver Moon martial masters...
He glanced at Hou Xiaochen and suddenly said, "Sky Sword Manor... was only ever a place to discuss the dao. I never sought hegemony! I am a swordsman... A swordsman... should not be like this... I regret... being one step slower than him... Hou Xiaochen, after you leave, disband Sky Sword Manor for me. Tell everyone... to seek their own paths!"
He let out a self-deprecating laugh.
*I am the Sky Sword!*
*The world's foremost swordsman!*
*Since when did I need someone else to save me?*
Hou Xiaochen looked grim, not saying a word.
In the next instant, Sky Sword gave a thunderous roar. Transforming into a streak of crimson sword light, he became the sword itself, piercing clean through several perimeter powerhouses in a flash as corpse after corpse plummeted from the sky!
In the air, Li Hao's laughter rang out hearty and clear: "I was just worrying that things were looking dire... and here comes Senior! Perfect, this should be enough! Director Hou, there's no need to agonize. Did you hear what those men said earlier? Staying behind... is the harder choice! Don't be rash; throwing your life away now would make our sacrifice pointless!"
Standing upon the ground, Hou Xiaochen wielded his spear mechanically, each sweep turning countless enemy soldiers into paste.
Boom!
With a massive explosion, Hong Yitang's sword character detonated, blowing the little tree's opponent to pieces on the spot. Hong Yitang flashed a tragic smile, looking toward Li Hao: "You dragged me into a fine mess... You were so confident, I thought... we could win!"
Li Hao said helplessly, "I did win... Who knew a bullshit black armor would pop up? What was I supposed to do?"
Boom!
Hong Yitang blew apart!
A flash of grief crossed Li Hao's eyes, quickly replaced by a smile. *I didn't expect this either. Forgive me, Uncle-Master Hong.*
Reaching out to catch a spray of blood and flesh, he seemed to recall their very first meeting, when the Earth-Overturning Sword had told him... that a sword wasn't meant to be used like that...
"Kill!"
With a ferocious roar, all his divine characters exploded simultaneously. Countless formidable foes across all directions shattered into fragments. Li Hao's aura surged to its absolute pinnacle as a monstrous sword momentum manifested; transforming into a giant blade, he swept across the four directions!
Rumble!
Enemy powerhouses perished one after another!
In the next breath, Li Hao plunged into the thickest ranks of the enemy army and exploded with a cataclysmic boom, wreaking devastating casualties across the entire field.
Sky Sword followed suit with a furious roar, swinging a colossal sword across the sky that incinerated tens of thousands of enemies to ash in a single stroke.
Cracks spiderwebbed across Sky Sword's body. With a trace of haughty indignation, he looked back at Hou Xiaochen and laughed: "This... is the martial world!"
Boom!
He detonated, completely dispersing from the world.
Woooooo—
Horns sounded a frantic retreat. The enemy pulled back like an ebbing tide, their courage utterly shattered. The remaining powerhouses in the air dared not advance a single step further, turning and fleeing in disarray!
On the blood-soaked ground, Hou Xiaochen uttered not a word. He pursued them relentlessly, slaughtering without pause, having lost all count of how many he had cut down.
He knew this was an illusion. No matter how many he killed, it changed nothing.
Yet he only wanted to kill.
They were all dead!
He couldn't understand why he had been one step slower than Li Hao.
Li Hao was the hope of this generation, wasn't he?
Why... had he been the one left behind?
Was it because he was weak, or because... he was ultimately a creature of officialdom, not a knight-errant in their eyes?
Did they... look down on him?
His Spirit-Ripping Spear Intent swept across the field, tearing hordes of enemy soldiers apart before him. Kill—there was only slaughter!
Behind him, the little tree stood rooted to the earth, swaying its branches in a stupor...
*Li Hao is dead?*
It felt completely muddled. *What am I supposed to do now?*
*Return to Silver Moon with Hou Xiaochen?*
*Go back to guarding the Imperial Palace?*
After an unknown stretch of time, the black armor's voice sounded in the ears of Hou Xiaochen and the little tree: "The enemy has retreated, and our casualties did not exceed half. The battle is won! Congratulations to both of you on becoming formal students of Yuanping Martial Science University!"
In an instant, their vision shifted, and one man and one tree found themselves standing in a classroom. The black armor was there as well, looking at them with amused warmth in his voice: "Congratulations... to you both!"
Hou Xiaochen watched him in silence. After a long moment, he said slowly, "Where are Li Hao's sword, Wind-Chasing Boots, and storage ring?"
The black armor seemed surprised. "He is dead..."
"I know. Where are his belongings?"
The black armor said nothing for a moment, then considered it. A storage ring materialized, alongside a sword and a pair of boots.
Hou Xiaochen took them directly, then glanced toward Black Panther nearby. "May I take him with me?"
"That is not permitted..."
"Very well. The little tree and I will depart..."
He turned to the little tree. "Senior, enter the storage ring. We are leaving."
The little tree trembled slightly. "Are we... just... leaving like this?"
Li Hao and the others had died here!
Hou Xiaochen's voice was eerily calm: "What else would we do?"
The little tree fell silent. A moment later, it shrunk into a small sapling, slipping into the storage ring, where it went completely still.
Hou Xiaochen looked at the black armor. "Then I must trouble Senior to send me out!"
The black armor said slowly, "You won't stay a while longer? You should know that becoming a formal student brings countless benefits. I do not deceive you: it would not take long here, a month at most, for you to step into the Peak... what you refer to as the Seven Disciplines Realm!"
A faint smile appeared on Hou Xiaochen's face. "No need. I believe... I know how to continue growing stronger. Thank you for your goodwill, Senior, but please send me out! Or does Senior... intend to break his word?"
"Naturally not!"
The black armor stared at him, speaking after a pause: "Do you... intend to seek vengeance against me?"
"No, Senior misunderstands. I harbor no such intention! Life and death are commonplace in the martial world. Besides... they and I were never of the same kind. I am an official; they were outlaws!"
The black armor pondered. "Understood... Of course, I also hope you understand that even if you attain your so-called Seven Disciplines, you would still be no match for me. In the ancient past, countless Peak True Gods died at my hands!"
"Of course."
Hou Xiaochen remained calm, offering no further argument.
After waiting a while without the black armor making a move, he furrowed his brows slightly: "Senior... what is the meaning of this?"
The black armor remained quiet for a moment, then shook his head. "It means nothing. I was merely judging a few things... Never mind, it is too complicated. Long ago, someone said that human hearts should never be tested. It seems I acted on my own whim this time. The human heart... is indeed impossible to test!"
In the next instant, Hou Xiaochen's vision blurred, and it felt as though he had only just returned to the real world. He stood frozen, utterly bewildered.
Around him, Li Hao was rubbing his temples with a scowl, saying nothing.
Hong Yitang had his head tilted back, staring at the ceiling.
Sky Sword wore a rare look of profound embarrassment, pointedly avoiding Hou Xiaochen's gaze... He had made that grand declaration earlier about "this is the martial world"—it had sounded dashing and heroic, but now it was intensely awkward, leaving him completely tongue-tied.
Nearby, Qian Wanhao and the others were still present, along with Black Panther, all staring at them with bewildered curiosity.
What was going on?
Had they succeeded?
The black armor seemed lost in thought as well. After a long silence, he spoke slowly: "That battle... was an authentic battle... and on that day, victory was achieved in precisely this manner! Placing you in that illusion was merely my way of seeing... whether you could walk out... either one alone, or all of you..."
One meant sacrifices had been made.
All meant they had accepted failure and withdrawn. As for the entire party surviving intact while clearing the trial—that was an impossibility that simply did not exist.
He continued slowly, "That battle took place in the early days of the Neo-Martial era. Many people participated in or witnessed it back then... The roles you assumed were based on real people. Many died in that battle—countless old-generation martial artists perished. Even the Human King... fought in that battle, albeit as an inconspicuous participant. Hong Yitang's identity was the Principal... the old Principal of Mowu from that era. His death in battle was a monumental loss for humanity. He had nurtured countless powerhouses and prodigies, and when his vitality began to decline, he chose to unleash the Blood Saber Art to take the enemy down with him... That was the choice made by all the elderly martial artists of that era."
With a sigh of deep emotion, he murmured, "Placing you in that battle was really... just to see what you would choose when confronted with such a dilemma. Would you withdraw to preserve your lives, or consider the consequences outside and choose to preserve one or two of your companions? Without unspoken understanding, without the resolve to face death, without the willingness to sacrifice, and without absolute trust in one another... you could never have defeated those formidable foes!"
"Only by trusting each other, choosing to spare one or two while the rest detonated their strength, could there be any hope of successfully repelling the enemy."
"In my eyes, this is what true martial artists are!"
Li Hao rubbed his aching head and gave a cold scoff. "Completely redundant! Some things don't need testing or evaluating in the first place. You said it yourself: the human heart is the last thing worth testing... Was that really necessary? Look at how awkward it is for Director Hou after being tested like that!"
"..."
Hou Xiaochen kept his mouth shut, pretending not to hear. At this moment, it wasn't just embarrassment... he felt like dying on the spot.
"The same goes for us," Li Hao added. "We said all those grand, heroic parting words, and now what are we supposed to do?"
"..."
Sky Sword was just as mortified, keeping dead silent.
The black armor sighed. "Indeed... It is just that... seeing you modern humans scheming against each other, slaughtering one another over energy stones, over treasures... over mere survival... I found you hideous. I thought the unity of the Neo-Martial era was lost forever. I thought that when faced with death, your supposed solidarity would crumble into cowardly compromises and betrayal... The truth has proven that I meddled unnecessarily!"
This trial had been a success, yet in some ways a failure.
They had passed.
Yet would Hou Xiaochen, as the one left behind, develop a rift between himself and the others?
Or would they grow distant from him?
The black armor did not know.
He only knew that these people had exceeded his expectations. He had never intended to kill them—there was no point in doing so—he had merely wanted to see... This had not been the genuine third-stage examination.
At this point, Hong Yitang, who had remained quiet until now, rubbed his temples with a chuckle: "So does this count as passing? Do all of us pass? If it does... we won't pursue the matter further. As for Hou Xiaochen, don't worry. We believe he would do far better alive than any of us. At the very least, he knows how to endure. See? Didn't he endure wonderfully just now? Rest assured, none of us looks down on him!"
He chuckled. "Or did you think we should have preserved Li Hao? The truth is... without our support, this troublemaker would stir up chaos morning to night and probably get beaten to death in no time. His choice was the right one. Just because he's young doesn't mean we had to pick him. The one left behind should naturally be someone who can steady the ship, and this kid clearly can't!"
Li Hao offered a dry laugh. "Look how you talk! I rarely cause trouble on my own initiative!"
Even Sky Sword cracked a smile!
The normally stern and unsmiling swordsman smiled openly. *Rarely cause trouble?*
In less than a month, how many disasters had he provoked?
Could he utter that with a straight face?
Hou Xiaochen looked at them with a sigh. "If I told you... that once outside, I had no intention of avenging you, would you regret those words?"
Li Hao grinned. "Even if Director Hou didn't want to seek vengeance, once Chief Steward Yu found out, she would constantly encourage you to grow stronger and avenge us. I have full faith in Chief Steward Yu!"
"..."
Hou Xiaochen didn't know whether to laugh or cry!
Shaking his head, he said, "Never do that again... I... I've always believed I was strong. Never in my life have I felt... so weak. It hurts my pride!"
The group burst into laughter.
Nearby, Qian Wanhao and his companions frowned slightly. They had no idea what had happened during the trial, but had pieced together the broad strokes.
Had these people... passed?
The black armor spoke up: "All of you have passed! You performed admirably. Truth be told, in my initial estimation... you had almost no chance of succeeding or winning that war. Even if... all of you had withdrawn, I would have granted you another chance to take the genuine third-stage examination... I did not expect you to surpass my expectations!"
They smiled without answering.
Inside, Li Hao had already cursed him ten thousand times. *Just you wait. Once I grow strong enough, I'll beat you black and blue until your head swells like a pig's! Pray that your physical body is long gone, because if a corpse remained... I'd blow it up ten thousand times!*
"Do not indulge in frivolous thoughts in the presence of a powerhouse."
The black armor spoke calmly. "You are far too weak, not even at the Peak. Everything you think cannot be concealed from me in the slightest. My physical body disintegrated long ago, so your ambition will likely never be realized!"
"..."
Stunned!
Li Hao froze, and the faces of everyone else stiffened.
The black armor chuckled. "Did you not know? With such a vast disparity between us, your thoughts are as glaring as lanterns before me... The moment a thought forms, I know what you are thinking. What you said was accurate—this Director Hou indeed contemplated returning to bitter cultivation to slay me... An easy thought, yet nearly impossible in practice."
Hou Xiaochen held his breath, emptying his mind of every stray thought.
Li Hao and the others did the same, centering their minds in shock. To have one's thoughts read like an open book was terrifying!
"Originally, I merely meant to toy with you... but now, I am serious. You... have been officially admitted as formal students of Yuanping Martial Science University. Freshmen students, congratulations to you all!"
With those words, five tokens drifted before the four humans. As for the little tree... it remained in self-imposed isolation, hiding inside the storage ring without showing itself.
Without a word, they accepted the tokens.
Hong Yitang suddenly asked, "According to Senior's meaning, if we had not passed this trial, but rather cleared the true third-stage trial... would Senior have gone back on his word and refused to let us leave?"
"Naturally not," the black armor replied indifferently. "However... in that case, certain privileges would have remained beyond your reach. Your authority would have been minimal—nothing more than transient visitors!"
The implication stirred their thoughts.
*Now... our authority is high?*
Li Hao abruptly pointed at Qian Wanhao and the others: "Then can these people be handed over for us to dispose of?"
"As visitors... you would lack the authority! As formal students... do as you please!"
At those words, Qian Wanhao and his companions turned pale with horror!
Qian Wanhao shouted frantically, "You cannot do this! Senior, I hold immense status in the outside world! I can assist Senior's resurrection and provide Senior with billions of divine energy stones..."
Boom!
Li Hao struck with his sword in an instant!
The opposition had been stripped of their treasures and divine weapons, their strength already severely depleted. The black armor paid them no heed at all, watching impassively.
Had the group merely passed the standard third-stage trial, he truly would not have turned these captives over to them.
Yet now, he had decided to grant them genuine student status.
Under those terms... what did it matter if students executed several outsiders and intruders?
What significance did it carry?
Status? Resurrection? He was already a living dead; did he still place hopes on such trifles?
In that moment, not just Li Hao, but Hou Xiaochen and the others lashed out as well, fighting like madmen. Ruthless and venomous, grinding their teeth as if beating the black armor himself, they bombarded their targets mercilessly!
Rumble!
Under a relentless barrage of attacks, forget four disciplines—even a five-discipline divine power would have been beaten to death.
In the blink of an eye, Qian Wanhao screamed as Li Hao's sword impaled his throat!
A moment later, Hong Yitang riddled him with holes!
The other three directors, including the unwilling Hu Mingfa, were ruthlessly slaughtered on the spot by the frenzied group. The lone survivor from the City of Superpowers tried to flee, only for Black Panther to snap forward and tear him in two!
Spitting out the corpse, Black Panther glanced at the black armor with a wary, peculiar look.
The black armor remained utterly indifferent: "Keeping mounts is commonplace for students and requires no student status... However, harm must not come to fellow students, or execution shall follow without exception!"
Black Panther exhaled in relief. The hound had merely been testing the waters, and the outcome seemed favorable.
Yet the black armor was truly terrifying to see right through its thoughts.
Silence fell over the classroom.
Having vented their pent-up fury, Li Hao and the others felt thoroughly refreshed.
Looking at the black armor now, they didn't despise him quite as much as before, even though his test had been infuriating!
None of them enjoyed such an ordeal!
The black armor spoke as calmly as ever: "Rein in your thoughts, you lot. You have just survived a brush with death, yet your immediate impulse is to scheme benefits from me and empty out Yuanping Martial Science University. That is not a wise pursuit."
"..."
The four humans and one dog instantly suppressed every thought. *Were our intentions really that obvious?*
In this moment, the black armor seemed to smile.
Chapter 247