Chapter 20: The Maple Valley Trial

“That swindler!”

Song Qingyao rolled up her sleeves and was about to charge onto the stage when Song Zhiyou grabbed her arm.

“Calm down, Xiao Qi. It’s only thirty spirit stones.”

“I can’t calm down! That’s thirty spirit stones!”

“She’s at Foundation Establishment.”

Song Qingyao instantly stopped, her face turning serious. “You’re right. Actually, when you think about it, it’s only thirty spirit stones. Not worth my effort.”

Song Zhiyou: “…”

By the end of the test, no more geniuses like those with perfect spiritual roots appeared.

Everyone thought that after the test, they could directly enter the sect.

But then, Elder Wei spoke: “For cultivators over ten years old, the second round will be held in Maple Valley. Within three days, whoever retrieves a first-grade demonic beast core may enter the sect! Those who perform exceptionally may be invited into a high-grade sect!”

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

Elders who had brought their children exploded into noise.

“What? Go to Maple Valley?”

“What if something happens to my child?”

“My Jun’er is only eleven! How can he be sent to kill demonic beasts?”

A more rational person asked, “Elder, will you be accompanying them to ensure our children’s safety?”

Hearing this, Elder Wei’s voice turned cold: “We will not accompany them. We will only distribute tracking tokens. Once infused with spiritual power, we will appear as quickly as possible to rescue. However, accidents can happen.”

“Of course, using the token means forfeiting the qualification, and all results are void.”

“No! I disagree! There has never been such a precedent before!”

“Even when going out for training, it’s after Foundation Establishment. How can you send Qi Refining children to train?!”

The crowd grew agitated. The children who had passed the first round shrank back in fear.

Even though this was the cultivation world, where life was as cheap as grass, no one considered their own or their child’s life to be worthless.

Moreover, the cultivation world had been peaceful for countless years.

Their children were not ordinary mortals, but rare cultivators.

Seeing this scene, the elders closed their eyes tightly, their hearts sinking.

Elder Wei said coldly, “Anyone who objects may withdraw now!”

Seeing Elder Wei’s firm attitude, everyone fell silent.

“You have the time it takes to burn one incense stick to decide.”

“On the other side, you won’t need to participate in the second round, but one year after entering the sect, you must undertake sect missions, go out for training, and kill demonic beasts!”

This shocked everyone even more.

The more astute were already wondering if something had happened in the cultivation world that they didn’t know about, causing such a drastic change in the sect’s training methods.

Song Zhiyou didn’t find anything abnormal.

The dragon emperor worlds depicted in novels were all about killing for treasure, a life-and-death struggle against heaven.

Song Zhiyou’s evaluation of the cultivation world could only be described as cruel.

Though the second round surprised her a little, she really didn’t understand why these cultivators were reacting so strongly.

While others were whispering among themselves, Song Zhiyou had already pulled Song Qingyao and walked quickly to Elder Wei’s side, taking a token and waiting for the assessment to begin.

Almost at the same time, Nangong Hehe also walked over lightly, not at all concerned about the dangers or accidents the elder had mentioned.

When she saw the two looking at her, she gave a bright smile.

Song Qingyao gritted her teeth, her gaze resentful.

Nangong Hehe blinked, puzzled, and grinned at Song Qingyao again.

Song Qingyao’s forehead veins popped.

Provocation!

This was nothing but provocation!

Seeing these three girls who hadn’t hesitated, the crowd that had been arguing fiercely was stunned once more.

They could understand Nangong Hehe—she was already a Foundation Establishment genius.

They could also understand the one with the aberrant spiritual root—she was terminally ill, a desperate gambler with nothing to lose.

But that Qi Refining girl with a mid-grade spiritual root—wasn’t she afraid at all?

Just as they were thinking this, another young master led a group of people in neat steps toward the elder.

They wore matching uniforms, clearly from the same family.

It was Lin Yue and the Lin family.

As soon as the Lin family arrived, they all looked at Song Zhiyou with the same resentful gaze that Song Qingyao had given Nangong Hehe.

Song Zhiyou was certain these were the same stares she had felt earlier.

But…

She looked at them again, confirming she didn’t know them.

These people must be insane, truly insane.

As the saying goes, normal people don’t argue with crazy people.

Song Zhiyou took a deep breath and glared back at each of them.

It seemed that Song Zhiyou and the others had set an example, and one by one, more people chose to continue the assessment.

Some still hesitated.

Just then, an annoyed voice rang out: “Let me go! All of you, get lost!”

Song Zhiyou looked toward the source of the voice and saw Li Xiaoye being held back by his attendants.

The attendants pleaded earnestly: “Young master, it’s too dangerous! Your precious body—how can you risk it?”

“Yes, young master. We don’t have to enter this sect. You can cultivate safely at home and still become a Nascent Soul powerhouse. Why risk your life?”

For decades, the unspoken rule among large families and sects was that geniuses should cultivate in safety to reach Nascent Soul.

But Li Xiaoye frowned.

“Go away, all of you! I said I’m entering the Xuantian Sect, and I will. All of you, get out of my way!”

“It’s just killing a demonic beast. What’s there to fear? I’m not some coward!”

With that, Li Xiaoye pushed the attendants aside and swaggered into the assessment group.

Those who hadn’t decided felt they were being scolded, and the more hot-tempered ones immediately strode into the group.

The little kids who had already decided to participate straightened their backs.

The time it takes to burn one incense stick passed quickly.

About one-seventh chose to give up, while the rest took tokens and entered the teleportation array.

After a dizzying spin, the feeling under Song Zhiyou’s feet changed.

From solid ground to soft grass.

The hand she had been holding, Song Qingyao’s, was gone—probably teleported elsewhere.

The spiritual energy in Maple Valley was far denser than outside, but also more mixed.

The air was thick with the smell of soil, decaying leaves, and a hint of the wild, bloody scent unique to demonic beasts.

Towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, vines hung down like curtains, and light filtered through the gaps in the leaves, forming hazy pillars of light.

Suddenly, Song Zhiyou’s ears twitched, and she quickly climbed a nearby tree.

A huge second-grade low-grade Stone Armor Pig burst out from behind a bush, charging recklessly.

If Song Zhiyou hadn’t climbed the tree, she would have been discovered and sent flying.

Song Zhiyou suppressed her aura. Only after the Stone Armor Pig left did she begin to observe.

From a high vantage point, her vision widened. She looked into the distance and, combining that with the Stone Armor Pig she had just encountered, roughly confirmed she was in the middle section of the valley.

Maple Valley was near Maple Ridge Dojo, and normally there wouldn’t be demonic beasts above the third grade.

The beasts in the middle section were usually between first-grade mid-grade and second-grade low-grade.

Song Zhiyou didn’t know if anyone would be teleported to the core area, or if that unlucky child included Song Qingyao.

However, being teleported to the core area wasn’t necessarily all bad.

The elder said that retrieving a first-grade core would allow entry into the sect, and exceptional performance could lead to an invitation from a high-grade sect. That meant a mere first-grade core was only a ticket to an ordinary sect.

To enter high-grade sects like the Xuantian Sect or the Biyue Sect, one needed additional outstanding achievements.

For example, obtaining a higher-grade core, or in the core area, remaining calm in the face of danger, successfully retreating, or even doing better.

Just as Song Zhiyou was thinking about which direction to head first, a low, savage roar suddenly came from the deep forest to her left.

Then came a nearly hysterical scream.

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