The Pontiff Has Arrived

The Soul Beasts on the first level of the canyon were primarily herbivorous. A few carnivorous Soul Beasts wouldn't attack Soul Masters unless provoked.

Traveling alone through the forest, he occasionally encountered other students who had entered the canyon.

About half a day later, Tuoba Yan, guided by the map, reached the end of the first level.

Before him stretched a desert spanning five kilometers.

The desert separated the first and second levels of the canyon.

The Martial Soul Hall had managed the canyon for over a thousand years. It had established a secluded wall in the center.

The wall stood over seventy meters tall.

The desert and the wall had practically become insurmountable barriers for the canyon's Soul Beasts.

Soldiers guarded the wall.

Normally, the gates were closed. Only during the trials would they be opened twenty-four hours a day.

Tuoba Yan effortlessly stepped into the second level.

Upon entering the second level of the canyon, the types of Soul Beasts encountered noticeably changed. Occasionally, one could find packs of carnivorous wolves, each over a century old.

The danger coefficient in the forest increased sharply. At the same time, patrols by Guardian Knights were frequently spotted.

……

Half a month later, almost all the students participating in the trials had retreated from the canyon.

On the high platform of the plaza at the canyon entrance, Tuoba Xi sat in a secondary seat, while a woman occupied the primary seat.

She was not tall, and a flowing, golden gown fit her perfectly from head to toe. The dazzling gown shimmered with light, adorned with over a hundred gemstones in red, blue, and gold.

The nine-curved golden crown atop her head radiated brilliance, and she held a staff about two meters long, inlaid with countless gemstones.

Only one person in the Martial Soul Hall wore a nine-curved golden crown – the Pontiff, Bibi Dong.

Her fair skin and near-perfect features made her appear strikingly different.

Especially the intangible aura of nobility and sanctity she exuded, made one instinctively feel the urge to kneel and pay homage.

"The trials are finally over!"

"I have no hope of reaching the top twenty. I wonder who will be in the top three this time."

"That's not the point. Rumor has it that the Pontiff will select outstanding students from this graduating class and take them as her disciples, becoming future Saint Sons and Saintesses!"

Waiting for the closing ceremony, Tuoba Yan listened to the chatter around him, his gaze drifting towards Bibi Dong on the high platform.

According to the storyline, Bibi Dong would take Hu Li Na as her disciple during the closing ceremony.

While waiting, the announcer on the high platform began reading out the trial results.

"Zhang Ping, fourth place, scaling the fifth level. Reward: ten Crystal Peaches."

Crystal Peach: A miraculous item contained within the Douluo Continent that directly increases Soul Power when consumed. It blooms and bears fruit only once every ten years, absorbing twenty years of lunar and solar essence. Its market price is 50,000 Gold Soul Coins.

Most importantly, it can be consumed indefinitely with no side effects.

Throughout the continent, some of the top powers and families cultivated a certain number of Crystal Peaches.

Due to the long maturation period of the fruit, coupled with high management costs, incidents of them being blown away by the wind or eaten by insects were common, making Crystal Peaches a luxury item, often priced higher than their worth.

Ten Crystal Peaches were equivalent to a reward of 500,000 Gold Soul Coins.

"According to the rules, those who scale the fifth level will receive an additional 500,000 Gold Soul Coins and direct entry into the Pontiff's Hall."

Under the host's guidance, Zhang Ping walked onto the podium to receive her reward.

"Hu Li Na, Xie Yue."

When the announcer called out the names of Hu Li Na and Xie Yue, both were taken aback.

Their goal had been to win the championship of this session. Hearing their names announced meant someone else had taken first place.

"Hu Li Na, Xie Yue, sixth level, tied for second place. Reward: ten Crystal Peaches. Materials: Charmheart Purple Fox Orchid and Blood Moon Glass Grass."

"According to the rules, those who scale the sixth level will receive an additional one million Gold Soul Coins, direct entry into the Pontiff's Hall, and a reward of 10 Honor Points."

"Please welcome Hu Li Na and Xie Yue to the stage to receive their awards!"

The rewards were incredibly generous, but Xie Yue and Hu Li Na were not pleased.

"Brother, we spent ten days scaling the sixth level. Who else among this year's students could be more outstanding than us?"

"Sister, don't be impatient. Perhaps there are hidden geniuses in the other three academies."

Xie Yue walked onto the high platform and received the rewards from Tuoba Xi. Looking down from above, his gaze swept over Tuoba Yan.

Before encountering Tuoba Yan, Xie Yue had never conceded defeat to anyone. But after being defeated by him, Xie Yue began to understand the saying that there's always someone better.

After second place came first place – the champion of this trial session.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the announcer stepped forward and said, "Ahem, next is the first place winner of this trial session. He is… from East District Junior Soul Master Academy… Tuoba Yan!"

"What? How is that possible?"

"This is impossible!"

Xie Yue and Hu Li Na frowned, their gazes fixed on Tuoba Yan as he strode towards the steps leading to the high platform, utterly disbelieving.

Zhang Ping, due to her strength, had been stopped at the fifth level.

The sixth level was fraught with danger, teeming with Soul Beasts that had lived for ten thousand years.

Zhang Ping had sustained considerable injuries trying to conquer the fifth level. Hu Li Na and Xie Yue were able to use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill and fought their way out of the sixth level.

Xie Yue and Hu Li Na remembered that Zhang Ping had withdrawn from the trial before them. And Zhang Ping had even told them herself that Tuoba Yan had left Soul Hunting Valley on the seventh day.

Hu Li Na clenched her hands, unable to accept the reality, and questioned, "Scribe, as far as I know, Tuoba Yan only spent seven days in Soul Hunting Valley. Within seven days, scaling the sixth level of the canyon is simply impossible!"

The Scribe spoke with a serious tone, "I didn't say he climbed to the sixth level. He cleared the canyon!"

"The tenth level?!"

"Hiss~"

A collective gasp swept through the crowd.

Immediately, everyone erupted in a frenzy.

The tradition of the trial had continued for a thousand years. The danger of each level of the canyon was meticulously designed, and being able to climb the fifth level already marked a genius, one in a hundred.

If someone could climb the sixth level, they could be considered a genius, a once-in-a-century occurrence.

Throughout history, the highest graduation record for someone who went on to become Pontiff Bibi Dong was the seventh level.

Only two people had achieved such a record: Bibi Dong and the Judgement Elder Qian Dao Liu.

Over the centuries, fewer than five hundred students had climbed the sixth level.

Yet, the Scribe claimed that Tuoba Yan had cleared the canyon.

"Impossible!"

"How old does he even look? Even a Soul King couldn't clear the treacherous Soul Hunting Valley in fifteen days."

"There's foul play, there must be foul play!"

"Tuoba Yan, I remember now, he's Platinum Bishop Tuoba Xi's son. There's foul play, there must be foul play!"

"We demand a thorough investigation! Give everyone a fair explanation!"