The soul beasts on the first level of the valley were mainly herbivorous. The few carnivorous soul beasts would not attack soul masters unless the soul masters attacked them first.
He advanced through the forest alone, occasionally encountering other students who had entered the valley.
About half a day later, guided by the map, Tuoba Yan arrived at the end of the first level.
Before him lay a desert five kilometers wide.
The desert separated the first and second levels of the valley.
Spirit Hall had operated the valley for over a thousand years. It had built an isolating wall at its center.
The wall stood over seventy meters tall.
The desert and the wall had practically become insurmountable barriers for the soul beasts within the valley.
Soldiers stood guard atop the wall.
The city gates were normally closed. Only during the trial period would they remain open around the clock.
Tuoba Yan crossed into the second level without obstruction.
Upon entering the valley's second level, the soul beasts he encountered had clearly changed. He occasionally came across carnivorous wolves that were a hundred years old.
The danger level within the forest surged sharply. At the same time, he frequently encountered patrolling Guardian Knights.
Half a month later, nearly all the students participating in the trial had withdrawn from the valley.
On the raised platform in the plaza at the valley entrance, Tuoba Xi sat in a side seat, while a woman occupied the seat of honor.
She was not tall. Her brilliant golden ceremonial gown draped from head to toe and fit her perfectly. The dazzling gown shimmered with jeweled light and was studded with over a hundred red, blue, and gold gemstones.
The nine-curved purple-gold crown atop her head radiated countless rays of light, while she held a scepter nearly two meters long, embedded with innumerable gems.
Only one person in Spirit Hall could wear the nine-curved purple-gold crown. That person was the Pontiff, Bibi Dong.
Her fair skin and nearly flawless features made her appear utterly extraordinary.
Especially the intangible nobility and sanctity she exuded, which made people unable to resist the urge to bow in worship.
"The trial is finally over!"
"I have no hope of making the top twenty. I wonder who the top three will be this time."
"That isn't the point. Rumor has it that the Pontiff will select outstanding students from this year's graduates and take them as her disciples. I wonder who will be lucky enough to catch the Pontiff's eye, become her disciple, and become a future Saint Son or Saintess!"
As Tuoba Yan waited for the closing ceremony, listening to the discussions around him, his gaze swept toward Bibi Dong on the platform.
Following the course of the story, Bibi Dong would take Hu Liena as her disciple during the closing ceremony.
While they waited, the master of ceremonies on the platform announced the trial results.
"Zhang Ping, fourth place, reached the fifth level. Reward: ten Crystal Peaches."
Crystal Peach: A miraculous item from the Douluo Continent that contained Soul Power and could be eaten directly to increase one's Soul Power. It bloomed once every ten years and bore fruit once every ten years. After absorbing twenty years of sun and moon essence, its market price was fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins.
Most importantly, it could be consumed without limit and had no side effects whatsoever.
Across the continent, certain top-tier factions and families cultivated a limited number of Crystal Peaches.
Because the fruit took so long to mature and the maintenance costs were extremely high, some would inevitably be blown down by the wind or eaten by insects. This made Crystal Peaches a luxury on the continent, often available in name but impossible to buy.
Ten Crystal Peaches were equivalent to a reward of five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.
"According to the rules, those who reach the fifth level will receive an additional reward of five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins and gain direct entry into the Pontiff's Holy Hall."
Under the master of ceremonies' direction, Zhang Ping walked onto the main platform to collect her rewards.
"Hu Liena, Xie Yue."
When the master of ceremonies called Hu Liena and Xie Yue's names, both of them froze.
Their goal had been to win this trial. The master of ceremonies calling their names meant that someone else had taken the championship.
"Hu Liena, Xie Yue, sixth level, tied for second place. Reward: ten Crystal Peaches. Medicinal herbs: Charmheart Purple Fox Orchid and Blood Moon Glass Grass."
"According to the rules, those who reach the sixth level will receive an additional reward of one million Gold Soul Coins, gain direct entry into the Pontiff's Holy Hall, and receive 10 Merit Points."
"Please come forward, Hu Liena and Xie Yue, to receive your awards!"
The rewards were exceedingly generous, but Xie Yue and Hu Liena were not happy.
"Brother, we spent ten days reaching the sixth level. Who among this year's students could possibly be more outstanding than us?"
"Little sister, be patient. Perhaps there are hidden geniuses among the other three academies."
Xie Yue walked onto the platform and accepted the relevant rewards from Tuoba Xi. Looking down from above, his gaze swept toward Tuoba Yan.
Before meeting Tuoba Yan, Xie Yue had never accepted defeat to anyone. Ever since Tuoba Yan had defeated him, Xie Yue had begun to understand that there was always someone stronger.
After second place came first place—the champion of this trial.
Amid everyone's attention, the master of ceremonies stepped forward and said, "Ahem, next is the first-place winner of this trial. He is... from the East District Junior Soul Master Academy... Tuoba Yan!"
"What? How could it be him?"
"That's impossible!"
Xie Yue and Hu Liena frowned deeply, staring in disbelief at Tuoba Yan as he slowly ascended the steps leading to the platform.
Because of her strength, Zhang Ping had stopped at the fifth level.
Soul beasts that were ten thousand years old roamed the sixth level, making it extremely dangerous.
Zhang Ping had suffered many injuries while fighting through the fifth level. Hu Liena and Xie Yue could form a Martial Soul Fusion Skill and had fought their way out of the sixth level with all their strength.
Xie Yue and Hu Liena remembered that Zhang Ping had withdrawn from the trial before them. Moreover, Zhang Ping had personally told them that Tuoba Yan had left Soul Hunting Valley on the seventh day.
Hu Liena clenched her hands slightly. Unable to accept reality, she questioned, "Master of ceremonies, as far as I know, Tuoba Yan only spent seven days in Soul Hunting Valley. It is absolutely impossible to reach the sixth level of the valley in seven days!"
The master of ceremonies replied sternly, "I never said he reached the sixth level. He cleared the valley!"
"The tenth level?!"
"Gasp—"
Everyone in the arena sucked in a breath.
Then, the entire crowd erupted.
The tradition of this trial had endured for a thousand years. The danger on every level of the valley had been carefully designed. Reaching the fifth level already made one a genius selected from among a hundred.
If one could reach the sixth level, one could be called a genius seen only once in a century.
From ancient times until now, even Bibi Dong, the current Pontiff of Spirit Hall, had only achieved a graduation record of the seventh level.
Only two people had left behind such a record. One was Bibi Dong, and the other was Judgement Elder Qian Dao Liu.
Over the past thousand years, not many students had reached the sixth level, with the total number not exceeding five hundred.
Yet the master of ceremonies had said that Tuoba Yan had cleared the valley.
"Impossible!"
"How old does he even look? Even a Soul King couldn't clear the perilous Soul Hunting Valley within fifteen days."
"There must be something shady going on!"
"Tuoba Yan—I remember now. He is the son of Platinum Bishop Tuoba Xi. There must be something shady going on!"
"Investigate this thoroughly! We strongly demand a full investigation into this matter. Give everyone a fair explanation!"
Before you continue