“I’m first!”
Not really!
Aside from the abnormal Bai Zihan, who was somehow unaffected by the Qi pressure, Dugu Lianxin was the first to enter the Second Trial.
Well, she didn’t even finish her words before Bai Xueqing entered too.
The two of them glared at each other, but it seemed like they weren’t going to fight.
They weren’t like Bai Zihan, who could risk getting expelled just for doing something crazy.
A few seconds later, Chu Ziyan appeared, followed by a few others.
Once again, the Remnant Soul appeared and explained the same thing she had said to Bai Zihan.
But their reactions were very different from his.
“What? Heaven-grade Techniques? This is definitely worth it!”
“Heaven-grade is tempting, but if you want to advance faster, it’s better to choose an Earth-grade technique—easier to comprehend. A Profound-grade one? I could probably master that in a day.”
…
Unlike Bai Zihan, most of them had never even learned a single Heaven-grade Technique, so they were thrilled at the chance.
Others were thinking more strategically—choosing an Earth-grade or lower technique to move on faster to the next trial.
Meanwhile, Bai Xueqing was looking around, trying to spot Bai Zihan.
(Where is he?)
Now that she was in the Second Trial too, she thought she would finally see Bai Zihan, who had arrived almost an hour earlier than everyone else.
But there was no sign of him.
“Immortal Emperor, do you know where the person who first entered the Second Trial went?”
Dugu Lianxin asked.
Apparently, Bai Xueqing wasn’t the only one curious.
Dugu Lianxin, Bai Xinyue, Chu Ziyan, and many others were wondering the same thing.
Shouldn’t Bai Zihan be here, meditating and trying to comprehend the Martial Technique that he chose?
“He already advanced to the next trial!”
The Remnant Soul replied.
“What?”
Dugu Lianxin’s eyes widened, and so did everyone else’s.
“You mean he achieved Minor Mastery in the Martial Art he chose and was able to move on already?”
“Yes,” the Remnant Soul confirmed.
“No way!”
Bai Xinyue flat-out refused to believe it.
Bai Zihan? Able to comprehend a Martial Technique in under an hour?
Impossible!
Even the most basic Martial Technique was something he used to struggle with.
In fact, she always felt like Bai Zihan was half-blind when it came to martial arts comprehension.
So even if he did steal her cultivation talent by taking her Dao Bone, she never saw him as a real threat.
After all, he couldn’t comprehend a single Martial Art. And even if he somehow did, he’d probably take a whole year just to reach Minor Mastery on a Yellow-Grade technique.
“Did he pick a Yellow-grade or Profound-grade technique?”
Dugu Lianxin asked, trying to make sense of it.
If it were a low-level technique—something close to what she already knew—maybe she could also achieve it.
But the Remnant Soul shook her head.
“No. It was a Heaven-grade technique.”
“…”
A heavy silence followed. Everyone had just heard something outrageous.
“Heaven-grade? That’s impossible!”
“How could anyone comprehend a Heaven-grade technique in under an hour?”
“Even one day would make you a unparallel genius! Under an hour? What kind of monster is he?”
…
Dugu Lianxin went completely silent after that.
“If that’s all, then good luck,” the Remnant Soul said. “You can take all the time you want—unless the person ahead of you reaches the Inheritance first.”
The Remnant Soul reminded the participants—still frozen in shock—that time was ticking, though she couldn’t really blame them.
After all, even those who’d seen everything under the heavens had been stunned when Bai Zihan revealed his Intermediate Sword Intent.
With those words, she disappeared.
Only then did the others snap out of their shock.
They knew they couldn’t afford to waste time.
Bai Zihan was already ahead. Falling further behind could cost them the Inheritance of the Immortal Emperor.
Most people quickly chose Profound-grade or even Yellow-grade techniques, trying to sacrifice long-term gain for a shot at catching up.
But prideful ones like Bai Xueqing and Dugu Lianxin weren’t backing down.
They thought: “If Bai Zihan can do it, why can’t I?”
So they both chose Heaven-grade techniques and began their comprehension.
A few minutes later, more participants arrived, including Bai Jian and Mo Tianji.
Mo Tianji could’ve been one of the first to reach the Second Trial… if Bai Zihan hadn’t injured him and kicked him across the room, making him lose a lot of time.
He hadn’t stopped cursing Bai Zihan’s name since.
When he finally reached the trial, he thought this was his moment to take revenge.
“Where is he? Where’s Bai Zihan?!”
Mo Tianji roared the moment he appeared in the room.
Now that the heavy Qi pressure was gone, he could move freely—and he was ready to make someone pay.
His Soul Formation Realm aura erupted violently, forcing nearby cultivators to back off under the pressure.
Despite how Bai Zihan humiliated him, he was still one of the strongest members of the younger generation, and just his presence reminded people of that.
Many who had arrived a bit earlier—or just after Mo Tianji—thought Bai Zihan was screwed.
He shouldn’t have messed with someone like Mo Tianji.
But of course, the ones who actually knew where Bai Zihan was looked at Mo Tianji like he was a clown.
“Bai Zihan, stop hiding like a coward and come fight me!”
Mo Tianji shouted, scanning the room, his eyes darting left and right—but finding nothing.
“Mo Tianji, stop embarrassing yourself. Bai Zihan already moved on to the next trial. Now shut up and let me concentrate.”
Dugu Lianxin snapped, clearly annoyed by his disturbance.
“What?”
Mo Tianji, who had come charging in for revenge, was stunned—and pissed.
“Tch! He ran off? Coward!”
He grumbled but didn’t make a scene this time.
“What even is this trial? I want to get to the next one as soon as possible.”
He spoke impatiently.
After all, if Bai Zihan could pass it so fast, how hard could it be?
He planned to wrap it up fast so he could go settle the score with Bai Zihan.