Chapter 46: Surviving the Trial of Life and Death

Wu Tian was simply overjoyed. Killing this massive black bear had not been in vain; at long last, he had advanced from a level ten Martial Master to a level one Martial Spirit. The sensation defied description—though utterly exhausted, Wu Tian felt as if bathed in the warmth of spring after his breakthrough, every part of him awash in comfort.

What made Wu Tian even more delighted was that he had also obtained a Supreme Earth-Grade defensive equipment, the Black Bear Armor, and a level-five demon beast core from the Giant-Armed Bear. Not every demon beast possessed a core; acquiring one depended on luck. Level-five demon beast cores were highly sought after in the market, with prices starting at a million silver taels or more.

As for the Supreme Earth-Grade defensive gear, the Black Bear Armor was even more valuable than the demon core. Even a low-tier Earth-Grade equipment could fetch over a million taels, while a supreme-grade such as this commanded several millions. Of course, Wu Tian had no intention of selling it, for the Black Bear Armor would provide him with much-needed protection.

Black Bear Armor (Supreme Earth-Grade): Increases the wearer’s defense by twenty percent and health by twenty percent, and comes with an exclusive skill, “Defensive Shell.” Defensive Shell – Unleashes a wave of energy capable of blocking eighty percent of a level-one Martial Spirit’s attack and reflecting fifty percent of the damage. Against attacks above level one Martial Spirit, it blocks thirty percent of the damage.

“Damn! This Black Bear Armor is monstrous—not only are its attributes spectacular, but the skill it grants is absurdly powerful! No wonder that black bear was so tough to take down, and that last strike nearly killed me with the reflected damage. So this was the culprit!”

Recalling his final move, Wu Tian still felt a lingering fear. He had poured nearly all his strength into that last blow, holding back only his instant-kill technique, and the backlash had almost ended him.

“Boss, boss! My word, after following you to slay that giant black bear, I’ve actually broken through to level four Martial Master. This is bloody amazing!” At that moment, Niu Wuji cheered, leaping and gesturing in excitement.

Wu Tian looked over at Niu Wuji; this fellow had teamed up with him to take down the black bear and had gained two or three levels in a row—it was certainly cause for celebration. Truth be told, Wuji had been a great help in slaying the bear, constantly drawing its aggro and risking his life several times. He had earned every bit of that experience.

“Killing this black bear cost us several hours; we probably have no hope of taking first place in this first trial by life and death now,” Wu Tian remarked with a shake of his head.

“Don’t worry about it, boss. This first trial is just to test if we’re qualified for the next round. Whether or not we come in first doesn’t matter; as long as we reach the finish, we’re good. The real key is in the second stage, the arena battles. You’re not even afraid of level-five demon beasts—first place will be yours for the taking!”

“That’s true. Since we can’t take first, there’s no need to rush. We’ll just stroll to the finish.”

So, Wu Tian and Niu Wuji made their way leisurely toward the finish line. Although slaying the black bear had cost Wu Tian precious time and robbed him of first place in the first round, he had ascended a level and obtained the Supreme Earth-Grade Black Bear Armor—more than a fair trade.

As Wu Tian and Niu Wuji ambled toward the end, a figure shadowed them from behind—the senior brother who had been secretly monitoring Wu Tian all along.

“Damn it! I actually dozed off for a bit and lost track of Wu Tian. There were signs of a fierce fight back there, but he must have avoided it or something would have gone wrong. We’re almost at the finish now; there shouldn’t be any big problems,” the senior brother thought silently to himself.

It was clear that the disciple tailing Wu Tian had missed a spectacular scene.

…

By the time Wu Tian and Niu Wuji reached the finish, dusk had fallen. Several judges from the sect tournament were already waiting at the exit, and quite a number of disciples had arrived ahead of them.

“Wu Tian, Niu Wuji—you are the 230th and 231st to reach the finish line. Congratulations on clearing the first life-and-death trial.”

As they passed through the checkpoint, the judge recorded their placements.

“Over two hundred people have already arrived—we really are a bit late,” Wu Tian sighed.

Clap, clap, clap!

Just then, a round of applause rang out.

“I didn’t expect you to actually make it through the first trial. Though you’re a bit late, it’s still no small feat—congratulations!” Long Zhan stepped up beside Wu Tian with a smiling face, though the congratulations were clearly hollow. “Congrats on passing the first round. I’ll have a great time thrashing you in the arena!”

“Likewise—congrats on making it this far, because I’ll be the one giving you a beating in the arena!” Wu Tian met his gaze without a hint of intimidation, even staring Long Zhan down. He had already accepted the system’s side quest, and the generous rewards had filled him with fighting spirit.

“Getting cocky, are you? Enjoy it while it lasts. I was the first to finish, so brace yourself for a beating!” sneered Long Zhan, pointing at Wu Tian before turning away.

After Wu Tian arrived at the finish, disciples continued to trickle in. In the end, out of the five hundred who undertook the life-and-death trial, only three hundred reached the finish. Forty met misfortune in the Broken Mountain Range, while the remaining hundred and sixty gave up and were escorted back to the sect.

Such was the cruelty of survival of the fittest. Many who had brimmed with confidence before the trial now hung their heads in defeat—some having lost close companions, others mourning those who had withdrawn.

On the very day the last person completed the trial, the sect leader announced that the arena battles would begin in two days, giving contestants time to rest and recover.

Those two days passed in a flash. The three hundred disciples who passed the first round assembled at the enormous martial arena of the Qitian Sect, which boasted fifty fighting platforms.

The arena battles were divided into two stages. In the first stage, all three hundred disciples competed on the fifty platforms, with matchups determined by their placements in the life-and-death trial—the first ranked fought the last on Platform One, the second ranked fought the second last on Platform Two, and so on. After these battles, only seventy-five would remain for the second stage.

Wu Tian, having finished near the middle, had to wait for the earlier matches to conclude. Those bouts ended quickly, as the top fifty from the first trial were vastly stronger than those in the last fifty.

When it was finally Wu Tian’s turn, his opponent was the disciple who finished seventy-third.

“Xiao Yi, Wu Tian—Platform Twenty-Three! Both disciples, please take the stage!” announced the judge beside the platform in a loud voice.