Soon, half a double-hour passed in the blink of an eye.
The surface of the massive Water Mirror rippled, reflecting the one hundred students below, all poised and ready.
Many had been wounded in the first round’s chaotic battle. Though their injuries were simply dressed, blood still seeped from the bandages, and their faces were pale.
But even so, no one retreated. They could only grit their teeth, swallow the bitterness and the taste of blood in their mouths, and force themselves to stand.
The path of an Immortal Official was narrow; one step back was a bottomless Abyss.
Judge Li, in his red robes, reappeared in midair. His vast Divine Sense swept over the entire area like an invisible net, instantly taking in the state of every person present.
"The Demon Hunting exam begins!"
With no unnecessary words, he waved his hand, and an irresistible teleportation force instantly enveloped everyone in the square.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
A hundred pillars of white light shot into the sky, instantly disappearing into the massive Water Mirror.
After a moment of vertigo, his vision suddenly opened up.
This was a dark and gloomy primeval forest. Towering ancient trees blotted out the sky above, and the soft ground below was a deep layer of decaying leaves.
A faint, sickeningly sweet smell permeated the air—the unique miasma and scent of blood characteristic of the Black Cloud Mountain Range.
This projected Spirit Realm was made to be extremely realistic; even the oppressive atmosphere was identical to the outside world.
Ji Li opened his eyes, his body landing steadily on a thick tree branch.
He scanned his surroundings, his gaze as cold and sharp as a blade. There was no trace of the dejection from his earlier defeat in his eyes; instead, they held an even sharper edge than before.
’In this round, I can finally start eliminating others.’
Losing to Chu Bai had indeed been a significant blow, but it hadn’t broken him. On the contrary, it had ignited a competitive spirit deep within him that had long lain dormant.
’How many years has it been? That thrilling feeling of meeting a worthy opponent, where victory and defeat are uncertain.’
He didn’t plan to specifically target Chu Bai, and he even disdained the idea of playing games like forming alliances or factions.
Should he meet another, battle was the only option.
Winner takes all; the loser is eliminated.
A low, beastly roar shattered the silence.
The bushes nearby shook, and a single-horned wild boar, wreathed in black mist and with crimson eyes, charged out violently.
It was an Early-stage Qi Cultivation Evil Qi Demon Beast with thick skin and tough flesh. When enraged, it could even snap trees as thick as a bowl.
However, Ji Li didn’t even glance at it, merely flicking his sleeve casually.
The invisible Power of Primordial Magnetism erupted, and the air seemed to twist in that instant.
The boar, which had been charging menacingly, didn’t even have time to scream before its massive head was seized by an invisible hand, and then—
BANG!
Flesh and Blood went flying as its head was twisted until it exploded into a bloody mist.
The next moment, the dissipating blood mist didn’t fall to the ground. Instead, it transformed into specks of strange, black Evil Qi that floated toward Ji Li like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, attaching to his body and sinking beneath his skin.
Ji Li clenched his fist slightly, feeling the subtle change within his body.
’With this enhancement, the power of my Magic Techniques has increased slightly, and my physical body seems to have become a bit tougher, like a Demon Beast’s...’
A satisfied smile touched the corners of his lips.
’Not bad.’
「Meanwhile, at the other end of the Spirit Realm.」
This was the base of a mountain, strewn with rugged, jagged rocks.
Chu Bai’s figure had just materialized when a Shadow Panther the size of a calf, emanating the aura of the Qi Cultivation Second Layer, leaped from the shadows of the rocks. Its claws were like daggers, aimed straight for his throat.
The Shadow Panther was incredibly fast. If this had been the freshman competition half a year ago, Chu Bai would have had to deal with such a Demon Beast carefully, expending a great deal of Spiritual Power just to barely secure a victory.
But now...
Chu Bai didn’t move a single inch. He just calmly raised his right hand and clenched it in the empty air.
[Formless Cloud Hand]!
BOOM!
A great hand made of Cloud Qi, condensed entirely from Spiritual Power, appeared out of thin air. The seemingly ethereal mist now possessed the tangible force of ten thousand tons, instantly seizing the mid-air Shadow Panther and clenching it tightly in its palm.
CRACK! CRACK!
The cringe-inducing sound of splintering bone rang out.
The Qi Cultivation Second Layer Demon Beast didn’t even have a chance to struggle before the Cloud Hand crushed it in an instant, as if squashing an insect!
Blood splattered everywhere. The scene was utterly brutal.
Now, not only had his Cultivation reached the Qi Cultivation Third Layer, but his Magic Techniques had also long since reached Perfection, and his Five Elements Spiritual Power flowed with Endless Life. A Demon Beast of this level was no different from an ant before him.
As the Demon Beast died, dense strands of black Evil Qi rose from its corpse and merged into Chu Bai’s body.
Chu Bai felt a cool current travel through his entire body. His slightly fatigued muscles were instantly filled with explosive power, and even the circulation of his Spiritual Power seemed to become a little smoother.
’This Evil Qi...’
Feeling the changes in his body, Chu Bai couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement.
’Truly a divine method. In the outside world, allowing Evil Qi to enter the body is a great taboo for Cultivators. In mild cases, it disorders the mind; in severe cases, it leads to cultivation deviation. But here in this Spirit Realm, the rules have been completely reversed, turning it into a buff instead.’
’Kill monsters to get stronger. As long as I don’t get seriously injured, my power will only increase the further I go.’
Chu Bai flexed his wrists, his gaze shifting toward the even deeper, darker forest in the distance. The corners of his mouth tilted up slightly.
’In that case, I’d better start farming some points.’
Since this projected Spirit Realm was a simulation of a real mountain range, it was far more complex than a simple change of scenery for an arena battle.
Besides the Demon Beasts lurking in the shadows, the complex terrain, the strange and unpredictable flow of the miasma, and even the potential traps hidden beneath every inch of soft soil were all part of the test.

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