Chapter 43: The Baku's Added Spice

Ye Yuan's rapid advancement brought a deep sense of crisis to Wan Yuan.

Being able to instantly kill five Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivators, perhaps Ye Yuan already possessed the strength to challenge the Earth rank!

Even if he didn't succeed, he probably wouldn't be far off.

Such strength was already very close to Wan Yuan's.

Originally inferior to Ye Yuan in movement techniques, now even in combat power he couldn't shake him off—what capital did he have left to challenge Ye Yuan?

In this Boundless Trial, he must have Senior Brother Su eliminate Ye Yuan, or there would be endless trouble! Wan Yuan resolved in his heart.

"Do you think Ye Yuan will challenge the Earth rank?" After the shock, someone suddenly thought of another possibility.

At these words, everyone fell silent.

They all knew Ye Yuan was strong, but a Qi Refining Fourth Layer facing five Qi Refining Eighth Layer cultivators—wasn't that a bit too exaggerated?

It wasn't rare for a Qi Refining Fourth Layer to overcome a Qi Refining Sixth Layer, but a Qi Refining Eighth Layer was a full four realms higher than Qi Refining Fourth Layer, and there was a small step in between.

That small step was not so easy to cross!

But Ye Yuan's challenge of the Yellow rank advancement was too easy, effortless to the point of requiring no effort, which did make them waver a little.

"Look! Ye Yuan is really challenging the Mystic rank advancement!" This shout broke the calm, and everyone's eyes focused on the light screen again.

"This is simply insane. Directly challenging three levels in the first assessment—this probably sets a record in the Danwu Academy's history, right?"

"Do you think Ye Yuan will succeed?" The same speaker who had silenced everyone before now made everyone fall silent again.

…

Facing five Qi Refining Eighth Layer cultivators, Ye Yuan was no longer as relaxed and effortless as before; he burst out with Instant Flash in an instant.

Even so, besieged by five, Ye Yuan was still in constant danger.

"What the hell, you actually set me up! These five can use a sword formation!" Ye Yuan dodged while shouting.

Baku: "..."

The Mystic rank advancement assessment began, but the Baku, on a whim, added some spice, making the five Qi Refining Eighth Layer black-clad warriors attack Ye Yuan with a sword formation.

The five black-clad warriors greatly increased in strength after using the sword formation; their combined attack was no worse than a formidable Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

Ye Yuan himself was a formation master, and he noticed as soon as the five made their move.

With his formation expertise, breaking the formation was naturally not difficult. But these five were too strong; their overwhelming advantage left Ye Yuan no time to attend to anything else, let alone break the formation.

The huge gap in strength could not be bridged by insight alone. Even if the five's sword formation was full of flaws in Ye Yuan's eyes, he couldn't counterattack.

Ye Yuan's vision blurred; sword shadows filled the air.

Fortunately, Instant Flash was a small-scale movement technique, perfect for this kind of group battle; otherwise, Ye Yuan would have died ten times over.

Even so, Ye Yuan was occasionally grazed by sword qi, leaving wounds.

Although it was within a dream, the pain was incredibly real. The Baku clan's nightmare art was indeed powerful.

In no time, Ye Yuan's clothes were tattered.

Watching Ye Yuan struggling, the Baku curled his lips in a smile, feeling a vengeful pleasure.

Although born in dreams, the Baku also had emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

For some reason, from the start, Ye Yuan's calm demeanor had annoyed him.

He had always been mysterious and proud, but today, in front of Ye Yuan, he felt as if he had been stripped bare, with no secrets left.

Which examinee here wasn't respectful to him? But Ye Yuan acted indifferent and even showed off with two instant kills, making him feel humiliated.

So when the Mystic rank advancement began, on a whim, he added a sword formation to the five black-clad warriors, doubling their strength.

"Kid, this is the consequence of despising me. If you want to pass the Mystic rank advancement, go back and train properly!" the Baku gloated.

He watched the battle, knowing that Ye Yuan's defensive circle was shrinking, his injuries increasing; defeat was only a matter of time.

But the Baku was also secretly amazed at Ye Yuan's tenacity—being able to hold out against five Qi Refining Eighth Layer cultivators at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer was nothing short of a miracle.

The Baku had seen countless geniuses, but never one who could achieve such a feat.

But... this was as far as it went.

…

Lin Tiancheng was teleported out in frustration. He had failed again, his fifth attempt at the Heaven rank advancement!

Thinking of the mocking and playful looks outside, Lin Tiancheng felt a surge of irritation.

Lin Tiancheng was now at the Half-Step Liquid Realm; facing five Liquid Realm First Layer warriors was indeed a stretch.

It wasn't that Lin Tiancheng lacked talent to take the final step, but he had been suppressing his cultivation at the Half-Step Liquid Realm.

At the Danwu Academy, the lower the realm when passing an assessment, and the younger the age, the greater the potential, and naturally the more attention one received.

If he broke through to Liquid Realm First Layer, defeating those five warriors would be easy. But that would also be an admission that his potential had reached its limit.

So he had endured others' disdain, hoping to pass the Earth rank advancement at the Half-Step Liquid Realm.

The top figures on the Martial Ranking, like Long Tang, Zuo Bugui, and Su Yishan, had all passed the Earth rank advancement at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

This showed that these top geniuses already had combat power surpassing Liquid Realm First Layer when they were at Qi Refining Ninth Layer!

But he, Lin Tiancheng, now at Half-Step Liquid Realm, couldn't even pass the Earth rank assessment—the gap was clear.

Utterly dejected, Lin Tiancheng walked out of the Illusory Spirit Tower.

He made up his mind: if anyone showed a hint of contempt, he would rush over and beat them up.

As he stepped out of the Illusory Spirit Tower, Lin Tiancheng swept his sharp gaze around and was momentarily stunned.

No one was looking at him; everyone's eyes were fixed on the light screen, and some even looked tense.

What happened?

Lin Tiancheng also followed the crowd's gaze to the light screen but saw nothing special. The light screen didn't show the battle scenes inside the Illusory Spirit Tower; it only roughly displayed each person's status inside.

"What are you all looking at?" Lin Tiancheng grabbed a random person and asked.

"Ah, Senior Brother Lin, you're out? We're watching Ye Yuan. He's undergoing the Mystic rank advancement, but it seems he can't hold on much longer." The student didn't seem particularly surprised by Lin Tiancheng's exit.

"What? Mystic rank advancement? That guy is way over his head, isn't he? With his strength, even passing the Yellow rank advancement is a stretch, and he dares to challenge the Mystic rank?" Lin Tiancheng was first stunned, then sneered.

The student glanced at Lin Tiancheng, a look that made Lin Tiancheng very uncomfortable. Before he could flare up, the student continued, "Senior Brother Lin probably doesn't know yet? Ye Yuan passed the Yellow rank assessment long ago! In the entry assessment and the Yellow rank advancement, he killed his opponents instantly. And now in the Mystic rank assessment, he's already held on for the time it takes an incense stick to burn!"

"In... instantly?"

Lin Tiancheng wondered if he had misheard, but the student had already turned back to look at the light screen.