“What?” As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd’s hearts jolted again. In the two or three years since they’d joined Shengyuan Academy, the academy’s affairs had been managed by other elders. Figures like the dean or vice-dean were as elusive as dragons, rarely seen.
The Outer Court of Shengyuan Academy was essentially a free-for-all, a sink-or-swim environment. Perhaps this was the academy’s way of sifting the wheat from the chaff—only in the Inner Court would one receive real attention.
Not seeing such figures normally was one thing, but what stunned them was that this vice-dean turned out to be the very library guardian they saw so often. It was far beyond anyone’s expectations.
Did all great figures enjoy hiding among the crowd so lazily?
“No wonder, with strength like that!”
The crowd sighed inwardly. With such power, if he weren’t a major figure in the academy, it’d be hard to believe.
After all, Martial Lords were exceedingly rare across the entire southeast continent.
“Due to special circumstances, this year’s Inner Court training has been moved up a bit, but I’m sure you’re all eager for it. Next, I’ll explain the rules of the training,” the vice-dean announced in a clear, resonant voice.
He continued, “First, you should know that to the northwest of Shengyuan Academy lies a chaotic, lawless region known as the Chaos Lands.”
At this, many disciples tensed. Some had heard of this place—a notoriously chaotic and dangerous area.
Of course, others, like Lin Xiao, had never heard of the Chaos Lands, but the name alone suggested it was no friendly territory.
“In that region, there’s no order, no rules—just survival of the fittest, constant slaughter. Entering it means stepping into a killing ground,” the vice-dean explained.
He went on, “Tens of thousands of miles northwest of Shengyuan Academy lies a Holy City, an ally of our academy. Your task is to cross the Chaos Lands within one month, reach the Holy City, and complete a mission there. Only then can you become an Inner Court disciple.”
The crowd gasped. This slaughter training was no ordinary ordeal—crossing tens of thousands of miles of the Chaos Lands and completing a mission just to qualify for the Inner Court.
Forget the mission’s difficulty; surviving a month-long trek through the Chaos Lands alone wouldn’t be easy.
“Of course, there’s a small requirement before you can take on the mission in the Holy City,” the vice-dean added with a faint smile, pulling out a white bracelet, “I’ll give each of you a slaughter bracelet. It’ll record your kill points. For those below Heavenly Martial, ten kills earn one black dot.”
“For early-stage Heavenly Martial—levels one to three—one kill equals one point. Mid-stage, levels four to six, one kill is ten points. High-stage, levels seven to nine, one kill is a hundred points.”
“For an early-stage Martial King, one kill is a thousand points, and so on. The stronger your kill, the more points you rack up.”
“Your small task is to accumulate a thousand points to enter the Holy City and take the mission.”
His words sparked an uproar.
Early-stage Heavenly Martial was just one point? To reach a thousand points, you’d need to kill a thousand early-stage martial artists, a hundred mid-stage ones, ten high-stage ones, or one early-stage Martial King.
For monsters at the eighth or ninth level of Heavenly Martial, killing ten peers might not be too hard. But most of the young disciples here were at early or mid-stage Heavenly Martial.
Killing that many people—especially for early-stage disciples needing a thousand peers—was absurdly tough.
And within one month!
This was a “small task”?
Early-stage Heavenly Martial disciples felt like crying on the spot. Killing a thousand peers—if they failed even once, they’d likely die. It was practically an impossible mission.
Mid-stage disciples weren’t much better off, needing a hundred kills of their own level.
The only ones with an easier time were the high-stage Heavenly Martial disciples. It was as if this training was tailored for them.
But who’d dare object? The Inner Court of Shengyuan Academy demanded the strong—survival of the fittest.
“Heh, this training carries some risk. If any disciple can’t push forward, they can stay in the Chaos Lands until they complete the task,” the vice-dean said with a sly grin.
Another uproar erupted. If they couldn’t finish, they’d be stuck in the Chaos Lands? Unable to return to the academy?
If they didn’t complete it, were they no longer considered Shengyuan Academy disciples?
This was brutal.
“No wonder there are no returning seniors!” someone sighed. Unable to return without completing the task, every disciple entering the Chaos Lands would fight tooth and nail.
Lin Xiao was quietly stunned. Shengyuan Academy lived up to its continental fame—this competition was ruthless.
“If you’re ready, then prepare to set off,” the vice-dean said, smiling faintly at their shocked faces, “Oh, and within a hundred miles of Shengyuan Academy, I’ll be watching. No fighting among academy disciples, or you’ll face academy discipline.”
The outer three hundred miles still counted as academy territory, easily monitored by a Martial Lord.
No fighting within three hundred miles meant the vice-dean didn’t want disciples clashing among themselves.
With so many disciples, though, conflict was inevitable, and he couldn’t stop it forever.
The three-hundred-mile limit meant that beyond it, disciples would scatter, reducing the chance of encounters.
That way, mass infighting before reaching the Chaos Lands could be avoided.
“Right, now take your bracelets. The slaughter training begins!” With a wave of his hand, over a thousand bracelets flew from his storage ring toward the disciples.
Lin Xiao caught the pristine white bracelet flying toward him with a flick of his hand.
A faint chill seeped into his skin as he touched it. He felt a weak energy flowing within, likely some formation embedded to track kill points.
Once they had their bracelets, many disciples began darting out of Shengyuan Academy, eager to start the Inner Court qualification slaughter training.
Another reason was to get away from the academy’s area fast—lest they become someone else’s points before even reaching the Chaos Lands.
At that moment, Mo Yi led the Mo Alliance toward Lin Xiao. Stopping a few feet away, he glared icily, “Lin Xiao, in this training, I’ll make you pay tenfold for everything you’ve done to me!”
“Oh?” Lin Xiao sized Mo Yi up dismissively. The guy seemed confident—his strength must’ve improved a lot.
But while Mo Yi had advanced, had Lin Xiao just been standing still?
“Heh!” Lin Xiao chuckled, not bothering to reply.
Mo Yi felt humiliated, rage flaring within him, “Hmph, Lin Xiao, just wait. Once we’re in the Chaos Lands, I’ll make you regret it!”
“Beat me first, then talk,” Lin Xiao shook his head, uninterested in engaging further.
Fuming, Mo Yi said no more, flicked his sleeve, and led his thirty-plus Mo Alliance members away.
“Some strength boost, but it’s still not enough,” Shura Butcher approached Lin Xiao then, his gaze cold and solitary, “Still, if we meet in the training, I’ll make my move. Don’t disappoint me too much.”
With that, he turned and strode off.
Lin Xiao’s eyes narrowed. From anyone else, he’d brush off such words.
But coming from Shura Butcher, they carried a thick sense of danger. The confidence on his face wasn’t blind arrogance.
“Don’t worry, beating me won’t be easy,” Lin Xiao called after him.
Shura Butcher paused briefly, then kept walking.
“Hmph, overestimating yourself!” Duan Cangsheng shot Lin Xiao a cold glance, snorted, and turned to leave.
“Hey, little brother, be careful in this training. Big sister’s still cross from last time,” Phantom Butterfly said, her lips curling into a seductive, dangerous smile.
“I’m looking forward to it!” Dao Yi smirked mockingly, then left with Phantom Butterfly and the others.
“Me too!” A cold grin tugged at Lin Xiao’s lips. Did they all think he was some soft target?
Turning to Heaven Gate’s group, he saw hope gleaming in their eyes. Nodding with satisfaction, he said, “Let’s head out too!”
