After getting ready, Simon and Fanny headed toward Fiend Castle under Hell's morning sun.
Before long, the two arrived at the gathering point. Several hundred Midgods had already assembled in the hall, all wearing Fiend Badges on their chests. They appeared to be here for the Fiend assessment, just like Simon and Fanny.
Since it was still early, Simon and Fanny found a quiet spot to sit and wait. They ordered a bottle of Emerald Blue and drank while passing the time.
"Simon, there are so many people taking the assessment. Seeing so many people competing for so few slots, Hell really is cruel."
Fanny sat elegantly on the sofa, swirling her wineglass as she spoke.
"In Hell, Fiends are synonymous with strength and freedom. They are also recognized as an elite group, so naturally many people are drawn to the assessment. They dream of becoming Fiends themselves, traveling through Hell, earning Inkstone while constantly breaking through their limits. That is why even a mortality rate above ninety percent cannot dampen their enthusiasm."
Simon also marveled at such a high mortality rate. For an ordinary Midgod taking the assessment, it truly was a near-certain death sentence.
Those who survived either possessed astonishing strength or heaven-defying luck.
Both were indispensable on the path to becoming powerful.
Simon believed his strength was sufficient, and his luck was not too bad either. He was not worried about the upcoming assessment, only curious about the nature of this mission.
Finally, when the number of Midgods in the hall reached one thousand, the staff of Fiend Castle appeared.
"Quiet, everyone. I am Antirek, the person in charge of this Fiend assessment. It is my honor to witness your first journey as Fiends. I will now announce the specific details of the assessment."
An elderly man in standard black armor, with an eerie Bauhinia pattern embroidered over his chest, spoke loudly.
Upon hearing him, everyone in the hall fell silent. Simon and Fanny also set down their wineglasses and listened intently to Antirek's next words.
"The location of this assessment mission is a forest forty million kilometers southeast of Timbu City. Your task is to pick a strange fruit in the forest known as the Thousand Illusion Fruit. This fruit ripens once every thousand years, and thirty fruits ripen each time. The requirement for passing is to pick and submit at least one fruit."
"Take note: there is only one Thousand Illusion Tree that bears Thousand Illusion Fruits, and it is located within a large bandit group's territory. This group is called the Blood Kill Bandit Group. It has ten Highgods and more than three thousand Midgods, so its overall strength cannot be underestimated. Their leader possesses Five-Star Fiend-level strength. Because this bandit group angered Master Chia from the Life Divine Realm, and because Master Chia happened to need Thousand Illusion Fruits to refine a special potion, this mission was issued."
"Pay attention. This is a composite mission, with difficulty levels ranging from one star to five stars. The standard for a one-star mission is submitting one Thousand Illusion Fruit. The standards for the other levels are determined by the number and strength of the bandits you kill. You do not need to understand those details. Five-Star Fiends will lead the operation, and they will handle the bandit leader and the Highgods. Your task is to cover them and obtain the Thousand Illusion Fruits."
"Do you all understand? If you do, follow me."
After saying that, Antirek walked out of the hall, and Simon and Fanny followed the crowd outside.
Antirek led everyone out of the city gates, where five Highgod Fiends were already waiting.
"Antirek, you're still as slow as ever."
The purple-haired man at the front said with a smile.
"I'm old and frail now. Of course I can't compare to young people like you. Selens, I'll leave this mission to you."
The Five-Star Fiend named Selens nodded. "Don't worry. The Blood Kill Bandit Group only has that leader who is somewhat troublesome. This mission also has four Four-Star Fiends assisting us, so completing it will not be difficult."
The four Highgod Fiends behind Selens also wore confident expressions.
Although they were only Four-Star Fiends and participating in this mission was dangerous, they all knew that Selens, who was leading them, possessed strength close to that of a Six-Star Fiend. As long as they chose their positions carefully, their chances of surviving were high, and the odds of completing their promotion missions were also excellent.
Besides, Master Chia was extremely generous, and the mission rewards were exceptionally generous.
After Antirek and Selens exchanged a few more words, Selens released a Blue Bird-shaped Metal Lifeform and called for everyone to board.
Once everyone had boarded the Metal Lifeform and been assigned rooms, Antirek instructed his subordinates to set off.
The Blue Bird Metal Lifeform immediately transformed into a streak of blue light and flew toward the southeast.
"This Metal Lifeform can probably only fly about a million kilometers a day. It is far inferior to yours, Fanny."
Simon looked outside through the transparent window formed by the Metal Lifeform, admiring the scenery as he spoke.
Simon and Fanny had chosen to share a room this time. They already knew each other well, and a journey of several dozen days would pass in no time if they simply meditated and cultivated.
"This is a standard-issue Metal Lifeform from Fiend Castle. They are all mass-produced, so naturally their performance cannot compare to high-end private custom models. Still, the larger bandit groups along the way know that this belongs to Fiend Castle and generally would not dare come looking for death. Small, insignificant bandit groups would not dare rob us after seeing so many Midgods aboard. The journey should be quite peaceful."
Fanny said with a smile.
"It really is peaceful. There is still more than a month before we reach our destination. I plan to cultivate some more and see if I can make another breakthrough during this time."
After saying that, Simon crossed his legs on the sofa and began meditating.
The Assessment Begins
"Mm... Simon really is diligent in his cultivation. No, I need to work hard too! If this continues, won't his strength soon surpass mine?"
Fanny also crossed her legs nearby and began meditating.
This time, Simon mainly cultivated the Laws of Water. To that end, his main body fully supported the Water Element Divine Clone's cultivation.
With the support of Simon's main body and its powerful soul force, the Profound Mystery of Round Softness reached complete mastery after a month of meditation. Its fusion with Water Element Essence then reached its final bottleneck.
Simon continued meditating, hoping to break through the bottleneck during the remaining time.
The Blue Bird Metal Lifeform flew tirelessly onward. During that time, Fanny could not endure the loneliness any longer and got up to stroll through the main hall inside the Metal Lifeform. Finding nothing interesting, she prepared to return to the room.
However, her identity as a Highgod still caught Antirek's attention. Though it was rare for a Highgod to take the Fiend assessment, it was not unheard of. Antirek merely paid her a little extra attention before no longer concerning himself with her.
Time passed, but Simon ultimately failed to complete his breakthrough in the remaining ten days. It seemed he would have to seek another suitable opportunity.
In the empty wilderness of Hell, Antirek put away the Metal Lifeform, gathered everyone together, and gave them a final reminder.
"Everyone, take note. We are still a hundred kilometers from the bandits' base camp, so we cannot get any closer. You will need to travel the remaining distance yourselves. We will remain here for half a month. When the time comes, no matter how many of you return, we will immediately depart for Timbu City. Remember, during the mission, you are only safe inside the Metal Lifeform. Once you obtain a Thousand Illusion Fruit, return immediately. Even if you fail to get one, it is fine as long as you preserve your life, escape back here, and take the assessment next time."
"Alright, the mission begins now!"
As soon as Antirek finished speaking, the Midgods, led by Selens, shot toward the Blood Kill Bandit Group at Extreme Speed.
Many people had already formed small teams of two or three during the journey. They now set off together, and every team member had sworn a Supreme God Oath that they would not harm one another until the mission was complete.
With Simon and Fanny's strength, there was naturally no need to form a team with anyone else. The two followed the main force at a leisurely pace.
Once there was no one nearby, Simon and Fanny suddenly accelerated, made a wide detour, and rushed into the forest before the valley that housed the bandits' base camp, where they concealed themselves.
"According to the map, the Thousand Illusion Tree is in the valley ahead, which is also the base camp of the Blood Kill Bandit Group. To obtain the fruits, we have to rush in. Let's wait for Selens and the others to start fighting the bandits, then sneak in amid the chaos, pick two Thousand Illusion Fruits, and leave."
Simon made the suggestion.
This was the safest approach. Once a chaotic battle erupted ahead, Simon would maintain a small Ice Wind Space with a radius of one hundred meters. That range was enough to protect themselves without drawing the bandits' attention.
"Sure. Let's hide here first. It would naturally be best if we can finish the mission without lifting a finger."
Fanny readily agreed.
After all, the coming battle would involve more than ten Highgods and several thousand Midgods. Even a Five-Star Fiend would be in danger if caught in such a massive melee. One moment of carelessness could easily lead to an accident.
For now, this was the safest and most effective method.
Their hiding place was well concealed. It would be difficult to discover them without carefully searching with Divine Sense, while they could use their eyes to observe whether fighting broke out in the valley ten thousand meters ahead.
Before long, the group led by Selens arrived before the valley. Such a large disturbance had naturally already drawn the attention of the Blood Kill Bandit Group.
The battle-hardened bandit scouts saw Highgod Fiends leading more than a thousand Midgods their way and immediately reported it.
Upon learning the news, Cohen, the leader of the bandit group, immediately gathered everyone capable of fighting and stood before the valley in battle formation.
According to the scouts' report, the enemy had only five Highgods and one thousand Midgods. That number was not enough to make Cohen flee without a fight.
A few seconds later, fierce battle erupted the instant the two sides came into contact.
The bandits did not ask why they had come, and Selens did not explain why he was attacking them.
All reasons and causes were superfluous before naked conflicts of interest.
Only those who survived had the right to dwell on the reasons.
Selens was an expert who cultivated the Laws of Destruction. His War Blade gleamed with a deep, black radiance, and every bandit blocking his path was cleaved apart with a single strike.
His ghostly movements also caused most of the bandits' attacks to miss. The other four Four-Star Fiends, who had been moving stealthily around him, covered him from the sides and prevented Selens from being trapped within a large encirclement.
Thus, the five Highgod Fiends formed a sharp blade that plunged deep into the bandit group.
Nothing could stand in their way.
At that moment, Selens appeared to be slaughtering Midgod bandits indiscriminately, but he was actually trying to lure out Cohen, the leader of the Blood Kill Bandit Group.
However, Cohen, who had only fused the Earth Walk Technique and the Power of Life, did not excel at frontal assault. His material attack power had merely reached the threshold of a Five-Star Fiend, though he was highly skilled at concealing his aura.
After observing the battlefield, Cohen realized that he was no match for Selens in a direct confrontation, so he prepared to launch a surprise attack.
But Selens, with his exceptionally rich combat experience, was not so easily ambushed. He played along, intending to draw Cohen out.
Selens deliberately exposed an opening.
Cohen, hidden among the bandits, thought he had seized an opportunity and instantly erupted into action.
Using Divine Sense, Selens detected Cohen attacking from behind and smiled cruelly. "You finally showed yourself."
His War Blade suddenly accelerated, instantly killing the Midgod bandit before him before continuing its momentum to strike Cohen's incoming mace.
The War Blade and mace collided in an instant. Cohen held on for only a moment before the mace in his hand was knocked flying. Seizing the chance, Selens swung his War Blade again. One strike shattered Cohen's Divine Armor, and the next cleaved Cohen's entire body in two.
With that, the greatest enemy of this mission had been eliminated.
Selens' strength was clearly far beyond that of an ordinary Five-Star Fiend, and his combat experience was exceptionally rich. In just a few moves, he lured Cohen out and then killed him with thunderous force.
According to Fiend Castle's intelligence records, Cohen was the only one in the entire Blood Kill Bandit Group who had fused Profound Mysteries. The other Highgod bandits were all quite ordinary. Only three had cultivated independently to become Highgods, while the remaining six were merely inferior Highgods who had refined Godheads.
Seeing that the greatest threat had been removed, the four Four-Star Fiends fighting alongside Selens instantly unleashed their ultimate moves against the remaining Highgod bandits.
Their requirement for promotion to Five-Star Fiends was to assist Selens in killing Cohen, then obtain three Spatial Rings marked with a blood insignia. Within the Blood Kill Bandit Group, only Highgod bandits were qualified to wear such Blood Rings.
They therefore split up. After all, only nine Highgod bandits remained, while there were four of them. It was inevitable that not everyone would complete the mission.
Still, failing to become a Five-Star Fiend was not a problem. As long as they obtained one Blood Ring, generous Master Chia would provide a substantial reward.
The instant Selens and Cohen clashed, Simon and Fanny quietly slipped into the battlefield and rushed toward the depths of the valley where the Thousand Illusion Tree stood.
Many others had the same idea, but there were simply too many Midgod bandits along the way. As a result, most of those who charged in were killed halfway there.
Mission Complete
Simon spread out his domain, and he and Fanny charged forward, killing gods who blocked gods and Buddhas who blocked Buddhas.
Within seconds, they arrived beside the Thousand Illusion Tree.
Sure enough, thirty fruits shimmered with multicolored light upon the radiant tree.
"These are the Thousand Illusion Fruits. Fanny, let's quickly pick two."
In an instant, Simon picked two fruits. He did not take any more of the remaining ones. The Fiend assessment was already cruel enough, and he did not want to take everything for himself. As long as it did not affect him, leaving others a little hope was a good thing.
Besides, Thousand Illusion Fruits were only somewhat useful to alchemy masters, and their inherent value was limited. That was why they could remain hanging safely on the tree even after ripening.
Before you continue