The moment Ye Guan left the trial tower, in an instant, he felt as light as a feather.
A sense of weightlessness.
It took Ye Guan a long time to finally adjust to the space-time outside.
At this moment, his heart was filled with immense excitement.
Because he discovered that his current speed was at least ten times faster than before outside.
Ten times.
What kind of concept was that?
Moreover, most importantly, the speed of his sword control was now at least ten times faster than before.
An instant-kill sword strike.
A true one-sword kill.
Ye Guan slowly closed his eyes.
Was this his limit?
No.
He could feel that he had not yet reached his true limit.
His speed could still become even faster.
However, for now, his comprehension and understanding of space-time could only take him to this level.
Ye Guan turned to glance at the trial tower behind him, feeling somewhat emotional.
The little tower suddenly spoke. “What’s wrong?”
Ye Guan said softly, “Time and again, I thought I had reached my limit. Yet when I kept pushing, I discovered that it was not my limit at all. I can still become stronger.”
With that, he slowly closed his eyes. “Tower Master, do people have limits?”
The little tower replied, “Some do, some do not.”
Ye Guan laughed. “Indeed.”
The little tower said, “Little one, I do not mean to discourage you. In the endless years, I have seen many monstrous geniuses. Not only were they extraordinarily talented, but they also worked extremely hard. So, you must never become arrogant or complacent, understand?”
Ye Guan nodded slightly. “I understand.”
After a pause, he asked, “Tower Master, were you very strong in the past?”
The little tower said calmly, “Decent, I suppose.”
Ye Guan blinked. “Decent?”
The little tower said, “Invincible against those below three swords, and one-for-one against those above three swords.”
Mysterious voice: “…”
Ye Guan grew curious. “Three swords?”
The little tower said softly, “Another legend.”
Ye Guan was about to ask more when a woman suddenly approached from afar. Seeing her, Ye Guan was slightly taken aback. It was none other than Luo Zhaoqi.
Luo Zhaoqi glanced at Ye Guan and smiled. “Young Master Ye, have you just come out?”
Ye Guan nodded. “Is Miss Luo here to cultivate?”
Luo Zhaoqi smiled. “Yes.”
Ye Guan smiled faintly. “Then I shall not disturb Miss Luo. Farewell.”
With that, he walked to the side.
At that moment, Luo Zhaoqi suddenly smiled. “Young Master Ye, please wait.”
Ye Guan looked at Luo Zhaoqi. She smiled slightly. “If I may ask boldly, which floor did Young Master Ye reach?”
Ye Guan smiled. “The ninth floor.”
Luo Zhaoqi was slightly stunned, then shook her head with a smile. “Since Young Master Ye is unwilling to tell the truth… it was presumptuous of me.”
Ye Guan glanced at Luo Zhaoqi, then said, “Farewell.”
With that, he turned and left.
Luo Zhaoqi watched Ye Guan depart, her brows furrowing slightly.
The ninth floor?
Impossible.
Back then, she had only reached the eighth floor herself, and she had not even passed the trial on the eighth.
She knew full well how terrifying the space-time pressure inside was.
The ninth floor?
It was harder than ascending to the heavens.
Without dwelling on it, Luo Zhaoqi turned and left.
…
When Ye Guan returned to the Xiao Mansion, he learned that Xiao Ge, Sun Xiong, and Nalan Jia were still cultivating.
Only three days remained until the martial examination.
At that moment, Fei Banqing suddenly appeared before Ye Guan. She looked him over, then said, “You’re out?”
Ye Guan smiled. “Yes.”
Fei Banqing smiled. “How much have you improved?”
Ye Guan said, “A lot.”
Fei Banqing was slightly taken aback. “A lot?”
Ye Guan nodded. “A lot.”
Fei Banqing smiled. “That’s good.”
After a pause, she added, “Any pressure for the top ten?”
Ye Guan blinked. “My goal is first place.”
Fei Banqing shook her head with a smile. “I was joking with you before. No need to put too much pressure on yourself. Top ten is fine. Top ten would already break the highest record in our academy’s history.”
Ye Guan smiled faintly. “I’ll do my best.”
Fei Banqing nodded. “Good.”
After a pause, she continued, “Do you know how the martial examination works?”
Ye Guan shook his head. “No.”
Fei Banqing smiled. “The martial examination has three stages. The first is survival of the fittest. The academy will release a powerful martial will pressure. Those who can endure it for an hour advance to the second stage. In this stage, at least eighty percent of participants are eliminated.”
Ye Guan’s brows furrowed. “Eighty percent?”
Fei Banqing nodded. “Yes. Many come here just to be eliminated in the first round.”
Ye Guan fell silent.
Fei Banqing continued, “The second stage is more brutal. You must survive in the Endless Demon Domain.”
Ye Guan was puzzled. “Endless Demon Domain?”
Fei Banqing nodded. “Yes. A territory belonging to the demon realm, filled with all kinds of powerful demon beasts. Surviving there is very difficult. In the past, out of a hundred people who entered, fewer than twenty would come out alive. And inside, people really do die.”
Ye Guan nodded slightly, then asked, “And the third stage?”
Fei Banqing said gravely, “The third stage is even more brutal. You enter the wasteland to compete for Azure Cloud Tokens. In the wasteland, there are ten Azure Cloud Platforms, each holding one Azure Cloud Token. The central platform is for first place, then second and third on either side, and so on. Each state can only claim one.”
She looked at Ye Guan. “Whichever rank you want, go to that platform.”
Ye Guan nodded slightly. “I understand.”
Fei Banqing continued, “The third stage is brutal for another reason: there are no rules. Participants can use any means or divine abilities. If you have them, you can even use legendary-level divine artifacts. Not only that, you can summon powerful demon beasts, as long as they are contracted to you.”
Ye Guan said gravely, “That’s allowed?”
Fei Banqing nodded. “It tests not just personal strength, but equipment, family background, and backing.”
Ye Guan hesitated, then said, “Isn’t that a bit unfair to some people?”
Fei Banqing countered, “Do you think absolute fairness exists in this world?”
Ye Guan fell silent.
Fei Banqing continued, “Moreover, the former Human Sword Master once said a profound truth: ‘Equipment, family background, and backing are also forms of strength.'”
Ye Guan was speechless.
Little tower: “…”
A mysterious voice suddenly sounded. “Did he say that?”
After a moment of silence, the little tower replied, “What do you think?”
Mysterious voice: “…”
Fei Banqing continued, “There has never been absolute fairness in this world. Take you, for example. You are a sword cultivator, which is unfair to people from other states. Why do you have a sword dao inheritance while they do not? Conversely, if Qingzhou has stronger trump cards, that is unfair to you. Why do they have them and you do not?”
Ye Guan nodded slightly. “I understand.”
Fei Banqing smiled. “Remember, aiming for the top ten is enough. Do not clash head-on with Qingzhou. Staying alive is more important than anything.”
A warm current flowed through Ye Guan’s heart. “I understand.”
At that moment, Nalan Jia approached from afar. Fei Banqing looked at her and smiled. “Little Jia.”
Nalan Jia bowed slightly to Fei Banqing. “Teacher.”
Fei Banqing examined Nalan Jia, then said, “How do you feel?”
Nalan Jia smiled faintly. “Excellent.”
Excellent.
Fei Banqing smiled. “That’s good.”
With that, she opened her palm, and two white jade bottles appeared before Ye Guan and Nalan Jia.
Ye Guan was puzzled. “Teacher, this is?”
Fei Banqing said, “Each white jade bottle contains three heaven-tier pills. I am sorry. The academy is poor and cannot provide you with better pills or divine artifacts.”
Ye Guan looked at the white jade bottle before him and said gravely, “Teacher, it is enough.”
With that, he and Nalan Jia put away the bottles.
Nalan Jia smiled. “Prepare yourselves. In three days, the martial examination begins. That will be your time to make a name for yourselves.”
Ye Guan nodded slightly, then turned to leave with Nalan Jia.
After Ye Guan and Nalan Jia left, Song Fu appeared beside Fei Banqing. He watched the two depart and said softly, “They are both monstrously talented. It is a pity the academy cannot give them more.”
Fei Banqing said softly, “After this martial examination, they will have a better platform.”
Song Fu nodded slightly.
Truthfully, both felt a bit reluctant.
After all, in so many years, Nanzhou Academy had only produced two such monstrous talents. But they also knew that staying in Nanzhou would only ruin them.
In this world, it was not just about talent.
Platform and family background were very important too.
Fei Banqing said softly, “Since they lack good family backgrounds, we can only find them a good platform.”
Song Fu nodded slightly.
…
In the distance, Ye Guan and Nalan Jia walked slowly towards the garden.
Nalan Jia looked at Ye Guan and smiled. “How much have you improved?”
Ye Guan said seriously, “A lot.”
A lot.
Nalan Jia blinked. “How much is a lot?”
Ye Guan smiled. “A whole lot.”
Nalan Jia shook her head with a smile.
Ye Guan looked at Nalan Jia. “And you?”
Nalan Jia smiled. “Also a lot.”
With that, the two exchanged a smile.
Under the setting sun, they walked slowly into the distance, chatting and laughing. It was natural, harmonious, and warm.
Time always passes quickly. In the blink of an eye, three days were gone.
On the morning of the third day, a resounding bell suddenly echoed throughout the upper city. As the bell rang out, genius prodigies from all three hundred and sixty states soared into the sky, heading towards Cloud City above the clouds.
In an instant, nearly a thousand people rose from the city. What a spectacular sight.
Among them were Ye Guan and the other three.
Soon, over a thousand people broke through the clouds and arrived before the cloud layer. The city walls towered dozens of zhang high and stretched thousands of zhang wide. The gates were over ten zhang tall. It was magnificently grand.
Everyone gathered before the city gates, excitement on their faces.
At that moment, a huge crystal ball slowly rose from within the city, then hovered directly above it.
Someone exclaimed, “It’s the cloud projection.”
Cloud projection.
At this moment, a thousand-zhang light screen rose in the Guanxuan Academies of all three hundred and sixty states.
Live broadcast across all three hundred and sixty states.
Then, Luo Zhaoqi suddenly appeared before the city gates. She smiled faintly at the crowd. “Welcome, everyone, to the Guanxuan Academy. The martial examination officially begins.”
As her voice fell, the city gates slowly opened behind her.
…
