This time, there were only a little over eighty people from the Demon Suppression Division taking part in the trial.
When the trial began, the participants would be divided into three tiers according to their ranks.
In other words, each person would have to face at least five Bronze Men!
No wonder so many Demon Suppression Guards looked pale.
For an ordinary Constable, even one Bronze Man was extremely difficult to handle.
Two Bronze Men were beyond their ability to fight, and they would be driven out of the Bronze Man Formation in no time.
As for five or more Bronze Men... they probably wouldn't last even three breaths!
As for Squad Leaders...
Their cultivation ranged from the Body Tempering Seventh Level to the ninth level.
They wouldn't fare much better against the Bronze Men's attacks.
They could last a little longer than ordinary Constables, but not by much!
Squad Leaders at the higher level would fare far better. The Houtian Realm and the Body Tempering Realm were entirely different levels of martial artist.
Aside from the Squad Leaders, the Demon Suppression Guards all looked utterly grim.
This trial was far too difficult!
Clap! Clap!
Above them,
Captain Zhao clapped his hands and smiled. "The Bronze Man Formation has been set up."
"According to rank, the Squad Leaders will be tested first!"
"All Squad Leaders taking part in the trial, get ready in front of the Bronze Man Formation!"
His words stirred a small commotion across the grounds.
No one had expected them to start with a bombshell.
Rather than watch ordinary Constables and Squad Leaders challenge the Bronze Man Formation, the Demon Suppression Guards much preferred to watch the Squad Leaders take it on!
On the raised platform, Captain Zhao smiled and said, "I know this trial will be quite difficult for most of you."
"Having these Houtian Realm Squad Leaders go first will serve as a demonstration."
"The Squad Leaders and ordinary Constables who take their turns later should study their techniques carefully and try to last a little longer!"
Captain Zhao's words drew grateful looks from many of the ordinary Demon Suppression Guards taking part.
They had been nervous. If they had to go first, they would probably be blasted out after just two or three breaths, making a complete fool of themselves.
Now that Houtian Realm martial artists would go first, they could watch and learn what techniques to use.
At Captain Zhao's words, the Squad Leaders taking part in the trial stepped up in front of the Bronze Man Formation.
There were thirteen of them in all.
They all looked fairly young!
The Demon Suppression Division had an unwritten rule for its trials.
Anyone over a certain age was not allowed to participate.
Otherwise, Squad Leaders whose strength was nearly on par with a Captain could enter the trial, sweep the field, and take all the rewards.
That would leave the rising stars with no motivation!
The Demon Suppression Division's original intent was to give young, promising Demon Suppression Guards a chance to develop further.
Above them,
Captain Chen slowly began, "Before we start, I'll explain the rewards for this trial."
"Only the top three in each group will receive rewards!"
"In the Squad Leader group, third place will receive 100 Low-grade True Qi Pills!"
"Second place will receive 200 Low-grade True Qi Pills, along with a Second-tier Weapon of their choice!"
"As for first place, the reward will be 500 Low-grade True Qi Pills, three Second-tier Weapons of their choice, and a Third-grade Martial Art!"
His words fell.
The crowd erupted in commotion!
After reaching the Houtian Realm and condensing True Qi, martial artists needed True Qi Pills to help them continue their cultivation.
Of course, rare natural treasures rich in True Qi could also help, but they were so scarce they might as well not count.
Squad Leaders received only 60 True Qi Pills a year in basic offerings.
Yet even third place in this trial would earn 100 pills, nearly two years' worth of an ordinary Squad Leader's offerings!
And once someone reached second place, the number of pills doubled, and they could also claim a Second-tier Weapon!
The weapons those Squad Leaders carried were all first-tier.
They had earned even those through years of toil, slaying who knew how many demons.
If they could take second place this time, they would walk away with a Second-tier Weapon.
That would give them a much better chance against demons.
The first-place reward was even more outrageous.
It included a full 500 True Qi Pills, three Second-tier Weapons, and a Third-grade Martial Art.
A Third-grade Martial Art was something only Captains and those of their rank were permitted to practice.
These rewards were far too generous.
The Squad Leaders' eyes gleamed!
The True Qi around them surged violently, as though they could barely hold themselves back from charging into the Bronze Man Formation at once.
The Squad Leaders weren't the only ones excited.
The surrounding Demon Suppression Guards gasped in amazement, their eyes full of envy.
They wanted those rewards too.
Unfortunately, they weren't strong enough!
At that moment, among the ordinary Constables waiting for their trial,
countless Constables looked on with envy and sighed inwardly, ashamed of their own shortcomings.
With their meager strength, they could only watch from afar as the Squad Leaders claimed those rewards.
The Squad Leader group's rewards were the richest by far. The rewards for the Squad Leader and ordinary Constable groups were nowhere near as good.
For one thing, even if an ordinary Constable took first place, there was no way they would receive a reward like True Qi Pills.
As for the Squad Leader group, first place would probably earn some True Qi Pills, but certainly not many.
Of course, it wasn't yet the Squad Leader or ordinary Constable groups' turn to compete, so Captain Chen hadn't announced their rewards.
Among the ordinary Constables, Lin Feng took a deep breath, a flash of light crossing his eyes!
The rewards were so generous. He wanted them too!
But Lin Feng was in the ordinary Constable group, and even if he took first place, his reward would be nowhere near as good as the one for the Squad Leader group.
At that thought,
Lin Feng looked up and asked in a low voice, "Captain, there's something I'd like to ask."
His tone was neither servile nor arrogant, and his voice carried across the grounds.
Many people froze when they heard him.
Then they turned to look at the speaker.
The important figures on the raised platform also turned their gazes toward him.
Among them was Captain Chen.
Captain Chen's eyes narrowed. When he realized the speaker was Lin Feng, he couldn't help but feel puzzled.
What did the Squad Leader trial have to do with an ordinary Constable like him? What could he possibly want to ask?
Beside him, Captain Xu frowned. "The ordinary Constables haven't had their turn yet. What gives you the right to butt in?"
The other Demon Suppression Guards saw that the speaker was an ordinary Constable and turned away.
A few of them grumbled inwardly that Lin Feng really didn't know how to read the room.
It was the Squad Leaders' trial. What could he possibly have to ask?
At that moment, Captain Chen spoke up. "What do you want to ask?"
He had some impression of Lin Feng. Though Lin Feng was an ordinary Constable, his true strength seemed to be on par with a Squad Leader.
His potential for future growth was decent, so Captain Chen could overlook one breach of etiquette.
Lin Feng remained composed. Faced with the piercing gazes of so many important figures, he didn't seem uncomfortable at all.
He said, "This subordinate covets the rewards for the Squad Leader trial. If I last longer than the first-place winner in their group, can I receive the same reward?"
Before you continue