Compared to the cautious and deliberate approach he took when he arrived, the Black Mist Forest now seemed like Xiao Han's own backyard.
The dark energies that once made him feel oppressed and dangerous are now more like gentle tonics, naturally absorbed and refined by the tiny circulation that forms around his body, replenishing the slightly depleted Gang Qi in his body after his breakthrough.
The powerful perception brought by the evolution of the Eternal Night King Martial Soul is like the most sophisticated radar, covering a vast area.
He could clearly "see" the flow of energy in the forest, the distribution of strange beasts, and even some deeply hidden traps or natural dangers.
Along the way, he deliberately avoided all areas with strong energy fluctuations and also bypassed paths where other students might be active.
He noticed that the number of strange beasts in the forest seemed to have decreased significantly since he entered.
The few low-level beasts he occasionally encountered, who didn't even catch a glimpse of him, had their skulls silently pierced by the incredibly condensed Shadow Void Gang Qi he casually pointed at, leaving them no time to even scream.
"It seems most people have already left, or... are stuck here forever," Xiao Han thought to himself. He was already well aware of the cruelty of the Trial Secret Realm. Each opening was a selection process where opportunity and death coexisted.
The closer one gets to the exit of the secret realm, the more traces of human activity are left behind. Occasionally, one can still sense lingering battle fluctuations, and the air is filled with a faint smell of blood and residual energy.
Finally, faint human voices could be heard from ahead.
Xiao Han paused, silently blending into the dense shadow of a giant tree, concealing the last trace of his aura, and adjusting even his heartbeat and breathing to an extremely slow rhythm.
His gaze pierced through the layers of branches and leaves, looking hundreds of meters away at that familiar area radiating spatial fluctuations—the exit of the secret realm.
"... This harvest was alright; I got three Crimson Flame Fruits, which will be enough to exchange for a lot of credits when I get back."
"Screw you! I almost got swatted to death by that Earthly Violent Bear! Damn it, those freaks in Zero Class took all the good spots, we're stuck on the outskirts!"
"Shh! Keep your voice down! You dare talk about Zero Class? I heard they suffered heavy losses this time too, and apparently... someone is missing?"
"Missing? Who is it? Luo Bing or that new, formidable guy?"
"I don't know, it seems to be that Xiao Han, the one who knocked Lei Ming down with one punch during the opening test... Tsk, pretty fierce guy, what a pity..."
"Disappearing in a secret realm is most likely a grave mistake..."
The chatter came intermittently, mixed with sighs and schadenfreude.
Hidden in the shadows, Xiao Han listened to the discussions, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.
"Missing? Most likely dead?" He stroked his chin, realizing that his departure from the group and acting alone had indeed caused some "misunderstandings." But perhaps it was for the best.
He carefully observed the situation in the exit area. There was a temporary registration point set up there, where several university professors sat looking tired, responsible for verifying identities and registering the spoils.
Qin Zhen, the instructor of Zero Class Martial Grandmaster Realm, was also among them. He frowned slightly and his sharp eyes scanned each student who came out, as if he was searching for something.
The area near the exit wasn't as heavily guarded as I'd imagined, nor were there any particularly strong auras lurking nearby. It seemed that while the academy cared about the safety of its students, it was already quite accustomed to such "accidents" during trials and wouldn't make a big fuss over a single missing student.
After confirming it was safe, Xiao Han did not reveal himself immediately. He calmly adjusted his state in the shadows.
First, he deliberately dissipated the gray-black aura formed by the "Shadow Void Scripture" that almost blocked perception from his body, making his aura "normal" again. Well, he definitely couldn't expose his aura Third Level of the Martial Master Realm, so... he would suppress it to the Peak Ninth Level of the Warrior Realm. It would be a little higher than when he came in, which would be in line with the common sense of "slight improvement after training".
Then, he slightly activated his Gang Qi, creating a few "wounds" on some insignificant parts of his body, tearing a few corners of his clothes, and casually wiping them with some beast blood from his storage space. Finally, he deliberately messed up his hair to make himself look travel-worn, with the fatigue and dishevelment of a great battle.
I looked at the blurry reflection in the puddle from left to right.
Hmm, the breathing is suppressed enough, the wound looks quite realistic, the clothes are torn just right, and the hair is a messy tang.
Okay, that's the "just crawled back from the brink of death" vibe.
He gave a slight smirk.
One should always be humble.
Finding a secluded passage, Xiao Han steadied himself and stepped into the distorted halo of light.
The world spinning was but a fleeting moment.
When I opened my eyes again, I was greeted by blinding sunlight and the cacophony of voices.
It was still the same central square, the sunlight was dazzling, and the damp, decaying smell of the Black Mist Forest was gone from the air.
But the atmosphere was completely different.
The initial commotion, restlessness, and eagerness of everyone entering had completely vanished.
The square is now eerily quiet.
Students gathered in twos and threes, speaking in hushed tones. Many wore expressions of exhaustion and lingering fear, and some even uttered soft sobs.
There was a somber atmosphere in the air, like the aftermath of a major battle.
Xiao Han's appearance blended in with the group of newly arrived students without causing any trouble.
His appearance is too "standard".
However, at the registration desk, the instructors paused for a moment.
Especially Qin Zhen, that Martial Grandmaster from Zero Class.
Almost the instant Xiao Han appeared, Qin Zhen tensed up. The sharp sense of oppression sent chills down one's spine even from a distance.
His brows furrowed into a knot as he stared intently in Xiao Han's direction, as if he wanted to see right through him.
Xiao Han understood perfectly well what was going on, but his face remained calm and composed.
He walked straight to the registration desk, ignoring the almost tangible pressure.
"Name, class." The instructor in charge of registration began, his voice tinged with a routine weariness, but he paused noticeably when he glanced at Xiao Han.
"Xiao Han, Martial Arts Institute, Zero Class." He said calmly as he handed over his identification card.
Upon hearing this, the registration supervisor's hand trembled, and he almost dropped his ID card.
"Xiao... Xiao Han?" The instructor subconsciously raised his voice and turned to look at Qin Zhen.
Qin Zhen remained silent, but the oppressive atmosphere intensified, and the surrounding air seemed to grow heavier.
The instructor swallowed hard and quickly lowered his head. "Submit... submit the trial results."
Xiao Han nodded, and calmly took out several dull low-level beast cores from the most ordinary storage ring issued by the academy—not the newly acquired trophy.