"**Daoist Priest,** please don't mock us. At that time, renting the **Magic Artifact** was just a drunken joke, a thoughtless quip. But who would have expected that **Prince Qingyuan** would take it seriously? **She** just took out the **Magic Artifact** on the spot, forcing us to sign the contract. If, after one year, we are unable to return the **Magic Artifact**, you must have heard of **Prince Qingyuan's** methods, **Daoist Priest**."

With a bitter smile, Cheng Lin helplessly shook his head. Only before **the Gao Family** would they feel so powerless and coerced, yet dare not show the slightest dissatisfaction.

"Of course, I've heard. **Gao Qingyuan**, a unique figure in the **Commerce Path**, known for plucking every feather and leaving wealth behind wherever **she** passes. The trickster among tricksters! Coercing sales, substituting inferior goods for quality ones, dominating the market, and hoarding rare commodities! Had it been any ordinary businessman, such behavior would have long resulted in them being chopped into pieces and thrown into the river to feed the fish. But this **Prince Qingyuan**... after all, **she** bears the Gao surname. As long as the situation in **Dianchuan Province** remains unchanged, **she** need not alter **her** ways at all."

Mentioning this remarkable woman, **Gao Qingyuan**, **Daoist Priest Yunqing** also sighed with emotion. Although **she** had a stubborn and insidious character, **she** indeed possessed a talent for business. Nearly half of **the Gao Family's** assets were under **her** control. Furthermore, **her** own cultivation talent was quite extraordinary. Still young, **she** was already a grand cultivator of the **Dao Body Realm**, making her a paragon for women in **Dianchuan Province**.

"It's just one **Magic Artifact**. What does it matter if your **Cheng Family** simply accepts this loss?"

Waving his hand, even though Cheng Lin brought up **Gao Qingyuan**, that formidable figure, **Daoist Priest Yunqing** still refused to yield. The **Shenxiao Sect** was ranked second among the **Righteous Path's** powers in **Dianchuan Province** for good reason; it certainly possessed its own heritage and strength. Although **the Gao Family** was the **Local Emperor** of **Dianchuan Province**, if the **Shenxiao Sect** were truly enraged, this **Local Emperor** would have to carefully consider their actions. Moreover, **the Cheng Family** had only provoked the younger **Gao Qingyuan**, not the **Dianchuan Festival Envoy**. This trivial matter was not significant enough for the **Shenxiao Sect** to bend its rules for them.

Seeing **Daoist Priest Yunqing** still unwilling to compromise, Cheng Lin clenched his fists and whispered, "If the **Daoist Priest** is willing to help our **Cheng Family** with this, just name your price, and we will surely..."

"Impudence!" **Daoist Priest Yunqing** abruptly stood, his face contorted in rage as he looked coldly at Cheng Lin. "Don't tarnish my ears with the dirty intentions of your noble families! I'll tell you one last time: once you enter the assessment, life and death are your own responsibility! Don't even think about getting any information about the candidates from me. Moreover, if the so-called murderer you speak of makes it through the three trials and becomes a **disciple** of my **Shenxiao Sect**, and if you dare to harbor any ill intentions towards him, I guarantee your **Cheng Family** will be annihilated by a **Sea of Thunder**!"

**Daoist Priest Yunqing** warned Cheng Lin in a chilling voice, snorted coldly, and departed with a flick of his sleeves.

"It really will become a **Sea of Thunder**~" The young Daoist attendant shook his small fist at Cheng Lin, repeated the warning, then turned and hurried to catch up with the departing **Daoist Priest Yunqing**.

Cheng Lin remained standing there, his expression dark, his hands clenched tightly.

「...」

With a single palm strike, **Qi Xiu** repelled a yak-like beast adorned with numerous sharp barbs on its large horns. He then flicked his fingers, and a vermilion lightning bolt shot out. The daunting might of the thunder instantly scared away the yak-beast, which had been preparing to charge again.

Around the entire White Jade Stair Plaza, hundreds of fierce beasts watched with ruthless and cruel eyes, poised to strike at any moment.

Today was the final day of the assessment. It seemed all the beasts from the lake bottom had landed on **Lake Heart Island** and gathered around this plaza, lying in wait for one last assault.

"I have less than thirty percent of my **Gang Qi** left. How about you all?" Holding her longbow, Mimi approached **Qi Xiu** and **Dong Xingzhou** and whispered.

"Fifty percent," **Dong Xingzhou** replied curtly, stroking his **magic sword**.

"Hmm... fifty percent," **Qi Xiu** echoed after a moment's hesitation.

In reality, he still had six full **Mixed Primordial Beads** in his Dantian. Though **Thunder Magic** was immensely draining, it was no match for the sheer volume of his **Gang Qi**. Even after using **Thunder Magic** unreservedly, he had only expended the **Hunyuan Gang Qi** from four **Mixed Primordial Beads**.

"This doesn't look good. It seems we'll struggle to withstand this final wave," Mimi said, scratching her head and shrugging helplessly. "I was hoping to give the others a hand, but it looks unlikely now."

Looking around at the other candidates, who were still desperately trying to recover their **Gang Qi** and tend to their wounds, Mimi felt a pang of regret. Whether their small group could withstand the final wave didn't significantly impact the three of them. Only the last day of the assessment remained, and the objective had been to survive for ten days. With their combined skill and strength, enduring for one more day, even against a hundred beasts, wouldn't be too difficult. Their only hesitation concerned their exhausted and injured fellow candidates.

"Shall we go?" Mimi asked, hoisting her longbow and gesturing with her hand.

"Let's go." **Dong Xingzhou** rose, retrieved his **magic sword**, and walked over to **Li Guanqi**. "It has come to this. Let's leave."

Looking somberly at the other candidates, **Li Guanqi** sighed deeply, bowed respectfully, and said, "I, **Li**, may not have been able to secure victory against fate, but it has been an honor to fight alongside all of you. I will remember this for three lifetimes..."

"Enough with the formalities!" Impatient with **Li Guanqi's** overly elaborate speech, **Dong Xingzhou** unceremoniously hoisted him onto his shoulder and strode away.

"Aren't you leaving?" Mimi, who was also preparing to depart, watched **Dong Xingzhou** leave with **Li Guanqi**. She then turned to glance at **Qi Xiu**, who stood motionless, his sleeves gathered.

"I shall wait a little longer," **Qi Xiu** replied with a faint smile, gently shaking his head.

"Very well. Good luck to you then." Opening her squinted eyes slightly, a peculiar light flashed within them. Mimi gave **Qi Xiu** a long, searching look, then chose a direction completely opposite to **Dong Xingzhou's** and leaped away, breaking through the encirclement.

As the two strongest fighters departed, the faces of the remaining candidates turned grim. It felt as if heavy, dark clouds had gathered above their heads, each one emblazoned with a large, ominous character: "DEATH"!

"**Old Qi**, **Old Yan**, are we done for?" **Zhu Mo** blurted out, lying on the ground and staring up at the sky, his eyes rolling.

"We won't die. If it truly comes to the final moment, I can use the **Wolf Shadow Evasion Skill** to take us into the Shadowy Void. It's just rather stuffy and uncomfortable there." **Yan Baizhe** smiled, patted **Zhu Mo's** stomach lightly, and added, "If you're scared, I can knock you unconscious."

"Get lost! What kind of situations haven't I, **Old Zhu**, faced before?"

"There's no need to worry. I have a premonition that this assessment is about to end," **Qi Xiu** stated calmly, looking at the clear and bright sky. His words, however, left both **Zhu Mo** and **Yan Baizhe** somewhat puzzled.

"End? There are still five or six **hours** until the day is over."

"No, my premonition won't be wrong," **Qi Xiu** insisted earnestly, a look of certainty in his eyes.

A vague premonition had first surfaced in his mind on the eighth day of the assessment. This feeling was indistinct, but it hinted that the assessment would conclude in an unexpected manner. Initially, he hadn't paid it much mind. But as the assessment period dwindled, this premonition grew increasingly intense. By the time the assessment reached its final day, he finally understood that this feeling was not baseless; it was, in fact, a subtle revelation from the **Human Path Merit**.

And even if I'm wrong, the worst that can happen is a bloody battle... Clutching a **Sorrowful Breeze Charm** in his palm, **Qi Xiu** silently formulated a plan. If his premonition proved incorrect, he would simply use the charm to incapacitate all the candidates. Then, he would let these anomalies witness the true power of the **Star Absorption Skill**!

BOOM—

A sudden tremor shook the ground as hundreds of anomalies launched a desperate, all-out assault. This was their final attack, and also their most terrifying. Among the horde were gargantuan and formidable beings, exuding an unparalleled, sweeping aura that surged in all directions. It was like a ten-thousand-meter-high tidal wave, poised to crash down and obliterate the candidates lingering on the plaza.

Five hundred meters!

Three hundred meters!

One hundred meters!

Fifty meters!

Just as the anomalies were almost upon them, **Qi Xiu** and **Yan Baizhe** abruptly rose to their feet. One was ready to unleash the **Sorrowful Breeze Charm** to incapacitate all the candidates, preparing to brazenly cleanse the entire area with blood. The other was poised to activate the **Wolf Shadow Evasion Skill**, intending to take **Zhu Mo** and escape into the Shadowy Void.

CRACK-BOOM—

Yet, at the very instant the anomalies were about to set foot on the plaza, furious thunder erupted from the heavens! Endless bolts of lightning rained down like a tempestuous storm. The overwhelming majesty of heaven and earth was magnificently resplendent and vastly imposing. The hundreds of anomalies didn't even have a chance to scream before they were incinerated to ash beneath the barrage of **Heavenly Thunder**.

"The third round of the assessment is over!"

That grandiose and mighty voice echoed once more. And this time, to all the candidates, it sounded like heavenly music!

"Damn it, I've never found that voice so pleasant before!"

"Hahaha, I made it through! **Shenxiao Sect**, here I come!"

"What are you so excited about? Have you even mastered **Palm Thunder**? Yet you're already this worked up?"

"So what if I am? An **Outer Sect disciple** is still a **disciple**! At least I won't have to go through this insane entrance assessment again, right?"

To think there would be such a dramatic turnaround at the very last moment! The candidates, who had closed their eyes and braced for death, erupted in ecstatic jubilation.

BOOM!

But just as everyone was blissfully awaiting the conclusion of the assessment, expecting an escort to guide them into the **Shenxiao Sect**, blinding white bolts of lightning, each as thick as a water bucket, crashed down from above, striking every single candidate with unerring precision!

"AH!"

In an instant, screams of agony filled the entire **Lake Heart Island**. The surging torrent of lightning coursed through each candidate's body, flooding their minds with an unprecedented wave of pain. Just as they were about to succumb to the torment and lose consciousness, a calm and indifferent voice suddenly sounded in their ears.

"Lesson one of joining the **Shenxiao Sect**: Those who wield lightning must first endure its relentless strikes."

Every cell in **Qi Xiu's** body seemed to scream in agony. He gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating torment without uttering a sound. Upon hearing the voice, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.

What a welcome. Who would have thought that the very first 'lesson' upon entering the **Shenxiao Sect** would be a thorough thrashing by lightning!

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