The Trial

Unlike Wang Cheng, who had ended his battle in an instant, the other six were still fighting fiercely.

When Oracle Marquis arranged the battles, he paired people with roughly equal strength. For example, Wang Cheng and the young man from earlier were both First-order Stellar level. Wang Cheng's instant victory over him could only be called a fluke; normally, no Stellar level fighter could have a Gene level thirty times higher than average.

"These six are all really strong!" Wang Cheng thought to himself.

A person's strength depended on many factors: their physical foundation, combat skills, Combat Will, Body Force Generation, and more.

In Wang Cheng's eyes, all six were quite powerful, especially when it came to Body Force Generation.

From what Wang Cheng could tell, their Body Force Amplitude was probably over twenty times, and perhaps even close to thirty!

Body Force Amplitude was, in essence, how effectively someone used their own physical strength. Its maximum was 100, or a hundred percent of their strength.

Wang Cheng had just finished cultivating the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade. Using its techniques, he could bring out seven times his physical strength.

Later, as Wang Cheng continued training and broke through to Stellar level, he gained greater control over his body. He estimated that he could now bring out around ten times his strength.

That might sound like a lot, but it was actually very low—barely enough to meet the minimum standard for Stellar level!

"Those Stellar level fighters who dared to take Oracle Marquis's trial are probably all geniuses. Although all six have mastered a domain, they likely only have a first- or second-level domain. That means I'm far ahead in that regard!" Wang Cheng wasn't being arrogant. He really was far ahead.

Since mastering the Lightning Domain, Wang Cheng's domain had undergone three transformations. At full strength, he could now unleash a Fourfold Domain.

What's more, Wang Cheng had also grasped a trace of the Lightning Law. He could only use it to create lightning, but it was still a law. It wasn't an exaggeration to say he was far ahead in that regard!

"Still, my domain and law might be ahead, but my Body Force Generation has to keep up too. Otherwise, with my thirtyfold physical foundation, I'll only be able to bring out fifteen times my strength when fighting these people!" Wang Cheng mused. Suddenly, a flash of insight crossed his mind.

"Right—the Lightning Law!"

Wang Cheng suddenly looked down at the two Claw-type weapons in his hands. He'd thought the intricate patterns on them looked familiar, but he hadn't been able to work out why. Now—

"I see! These patterns are very similar to the Lightning Law!" Wang Cheng was pleasantly surprised. He fixed his gaze on the patterns and examined them closely.

At that moment, Wang Cheng would have loved to study the markings on the claws for three days and nights right there. Unfortunately, in less than half an hour, the other six had finished their battles.

The duels had been brutal. Of the eight people who'd entered, only five remained. Apart from Wang Cheng, the other four were all breathing unsteadily and had suffered serious injuries.

Oracle Marquis, however, didn't seem inclined to let them recover. As soon as all the fights were over, he gathered the five survivors together.

"I've seen how you performed," Oracle Marquis said mildly. Then he pointed at three of them. "You, you, and you. You're not qualified to take my trial. Leave!"

The three he'd pointed at turned deathly pale. They'd fought with everything they had, and still they weren't even qualified to take the trial?

But there was no point arguing here. They didn't even get the chance to speak before a force swept them away.

Only Wang Cheng and one other person remained.

She was a woman dressed in a silver Battle Suit, with snow-white hair and skin just as pale. Her skin was truly white, without a trace of color. Yet her pupils were a deep red, striking against all that white, like a ruby set in snow.

Wang Cheng glanced at her, and she turned to look at him as well.

Wang Cheng smiled faintly. She merely gave him an expressionless nod, looking aloof and cold.

"You two have both done very well!"

Oracle Marquis spoke again. Looking at them, he said calmly, "The next trial will still be dangerous. I'll ask you once more: are you sure you want to take part?"

"Yes, Oracle Marquis Lord," the Silver Armored Woman replied with a nod.

"I'm sure!" Wang Cheng answered without hesitation. He had no other choice, after all. Besides, if he died here, it would only mean he'd failed this attempt at the Secret Realm. His consciousness would simply return. It wasn't a big deal!

"Very well!" Oracle Marquis nodded and continued:

"Next, you'll be transported to a Small World. Many ferocious beasts live there, and the strongest are no weaker than Ninth-order Stellar level!"

"Ninth-order Stellar level?" Wang Cheng's expression changed slightly.

"Your task is to hunt ten seventh-order Stellar-level beasts within ten days," Oracle Marquis said, looking at the woman in white.

"Yes, Oracle Marquis Lord!" she immediately replied.

"If he's asking a fifth-order Stellar-level fighter to take on seventh-order beasts, then surely he won't ask me to fight ninth-order ones," Wang Cheng thought. He was quite confident he could handle eighth-order beasts, but ninth-order ones seemed like a stretch.

Unfortunately, events didn't unfold according to Wang Cheng's wishes. After telling the woman what she had to do, Oracle Marquis turned to Wang Cheng. "As for you, you must hunt three ninth-order Stellar-level beasts within ten days!"

"He really wants me to fight ninth-order beasts?" Wang Cheng was at a loss for words, but he didn't object. He simply nodded.

An ordinary first-order Stellar-level fighter would have no chance of fighting a ninth-order one. Just as a High-level War God could kill a Beginner warrior with a single finger, a ninth-order Stellar-level fighter could do much the same to a first-order one.

But Wang Cheng was a first-order Stellar-level fighter with a thirtyfold Gene level. In terms of physical foundation, he was only slightly weaker than an ordinary sixth-order Stellar-level fighter.

A first-order Stellar-level fighter had little chance of killing a ninth-order one, but a sixth-order fighter might manage it. Wang Cheng's Body Force Generation was poor, but he did have a Fourfold Domain. With that, it wasn't impossible for him to stand up to a ninth-order Stellar-level beast!

More importantly, Wang Cheng wouldn't be fighting a human ninth-order Stellar-level fighter. He'd be fighting a ninth-order Stellar-level beast!

Unlike Earth's monsters, ferocious beasts had no intelligence!

Besides, Oracle Marquis had said earlier that if Wang Cheng stayed, he'd have to take the highest-level trial. If he passed, he'd receive all the secret manuals Oracle Marquis had left behind.

After all, these were the complete collection of secret manuals left by a Marquis Immortal. It was only natural that they'd be difficult to obtain.

"No wonder Oracle Marquis tried to talk me into leaving earlier. With my powerful physical foundation, if I could make it out, getting manuals of the same level probably wouldn't be hard. But here, I might lose my life. What a pity—I have no choice!" Wang Cheng thought to himself.

Actually, at Planet level, someone who'd mastered a domain could fight a ninth-order fighter without much difficulty, even if they were only sixth-order.

But Stellar level was different. A first-level domain couldn't make up for that huge gap. Wang Cheng only dared to say he had some chance because he had a Fourfold Domain.

That was normal, really. At Planet level, mastering a domain could make someone invincible at that level. For a Domain Lord, mastering a domain was commonplace. The stronger the foundation, the harder it was to fight across levels!

Seeing Wang Cheng nod without hesitation, Oracle Marquis said nothing more.

After a brief silence, Oracle Marquis added, "I'll remind you: once you enter the Small World, don't use weapons beyond what you can handle. If you do, the trial will be considered invalid!"

"Yes!" The woman answered quickly, as before. It was clear she knew something about the trial.

Wang Cheng, however, didn't. To be safe, he raised both hands and showed Oracle Marquis the two claws he'd just obtained. "Oracle Marquis Senior, am I allowed to use these two Force weapons?"

"Of course," Oracle Marquis replied calmly. "If you really can bring out some of their true power, I'll be pleasantly surprised!"

"Understood!"

A smile appeared on Wang Cheng's face.

A moment later, a Vortex Gate appeared on a rocky hillside. A man and a woman stepped out.

They were Wang Cheng and the other woman who'd been chosen to take Oracle Marquis's trial.

"Are you really planning to hunt beasts comparable to ninth-order Stellar level? I'd advise you to find somewhere to hide for ten days. At least you'd stay alive!" the woman said suddenly. She hadn't said a single word to Wang Cheng back at the Giant Plaza.

"Since it's a trial, there must be a way to pass it!" Wang Cheng glanced at her in surprise, then added, "Still, I appreciate your concern!"

"You killed Meteor Star for me. I just don't want you to die here. Don't read too much into it!" The woman turned and stared at Wang Cheng.

"I think you're the one reading too much into it!" Wang Cheng was at a loss. She was clearly a little conceited.

"But you said I killed Meteor Star for you. Did you have some deep grudge against him?" Wang Cheng asked curiously. The woman was already fifth-order Stellar level, while Meteor Star had only been first-order.

"We had a bit of a grudge. If you hadn't killed him, I would've found someone to do it sooner or later." She didn't seem inclined to say more. After explaining, she continued:

"I'll thank you, of course, provided you survive!"

"Thank me..."

As he turned those words over in his mind, Wang Cheng felt a little strange.

Whoosh!

The woman clearly had no idea what Wang Cheng was thinking. After she spoke, she flew into the sky and quickly disappeared.

"Enmm, better get down to business!" Wang Cheng watched her fly away. He didn't dwell on it and took off as well.