Normally, these bandits only treated the Thousand Illusion Tree as an ornamental tree.
Having successfully picked the fruits, Simon and Fanny no longer lingered and immediately unleashed Extreme Speed to leave the chaotic battlefield.
The instant they left, a large number of Midgods taking part in the assessment broke through the bandits' defenses and entered the valley.
Perhaps because they had seen their leader killed, the bandits had completely lost their fighting spirit and were desperately looking for chances to flee, allowing the examinees to gain an advantage.
The first people to rush beneath the Thousand Illusion Tree impatiently began picking fruit. Driven by greed, those who had picked one fruit wanted even more.
They thought that even if they could not use them themselves, they could sell them to others. After all, Antirek, who was in charge of the assessment, had not said they were forbidden from doing so.
The rules of the Fiend assessment were that anything not explicitly forbidden was permitted.
Unfortunately, too many people had surged in. Those who had just snatched several fruits and had not even had time to celebrate were instantly drowned beneath all kinds of attacks from other examinees behind them. In the blink of an eye, their Spatial Rings changed hands, and those lucky enough to obtain the rings were then focused down by others.
For a time, the scene was even more brutal than the battle against the bandits.
They could slack off during the fight against the bandits, but when it involved their own tangible interests, these Midgods taking the assessment brought out all their best techniques.
At last, after a cruel internal slaughter, as those who had seized rings containing Thousand Illusion Fruits fled in all directions, this assessment reached its preliminary conclusion.
However, on the way back to the Metal Lifeform, those who had obtained the fruits would inevitably still be coveted by others.
Only by truly returning to the Metal Lifeform could they be considered successful, because Antirek had clearly stated that fighting was forbidden inside it. Violators would not only be stripped of their assessment qualifications; serious offenders would be killed on the spot.
Therefore, only reaching the Blue Bird Metal Lifeform meant safety.
"Damn it, those bandits ran way too fast. I only collected two Blood Rings. Sam, how was your haul?"
Four-Star Fiend Nif asked his companion.
"Ah, my luck was even worse. I only got one."
The fat man Sam's luck was clearly worse.
"One ring is no use to you anyway. How about this, Sam? Take out the valuables inside, and I'll buy the ring for ten million Inkstones."
Sam, who had remained a Four-Star Fiend for a long time, was immediately tempted by the offer. The reward for risking his life to complete a Four-Star Mission was generally only two or three million Inkstones. Although Master Chia, who had issued this mission, was generous, handing in a Blood Ring after completing the mission would only earn five million Inkstones.
But Nif was offering ten million Inkstones...
After hesitating for only a moment, he agreed.
Fiends had always handled matters flexibly.
After all, those who were not flexible had long since been eliminated and could never have become Four-Star Fiends.
The two then exchanged money and goods.
Both of them were very satisfied with the deal.
Nif's strength was already very close to that of a Five-Star Fiend. Once he advanced this time, he planned to take a large number of Five-Star Missions. Although they would be dangerous, the rewards would be much higher, and the tempering gained through life-and-death struggles would also be better. As long as he survived the first few missions, he would be able to completely stabilize his current strength and gain a firm foothold among Five-Star Fiends.
As for fat Sam, he was still far from becoming a Five-Star Fiend. He had come this time to try his luck. Advancing would be best, but if he could not, he would at least earn more Inkstones.
Once the valley had completely calmed down, the other two Four-Star Fiends came over to Nif and Sam.
"Hey, Nif, you look pretty happy. You must have gathered enough rings, right?" the lean man Robes asked.
"Haha, I was just lucky enough to succeed. What about you, Robes?"
"I was also lucky enough to gather three rings, but my friend had worse luck. He only collected one, while the other two Highgod bandits got away," Robes replied.
At that moment, Selens, who had finished clearing the battlefield, also walked over. "If everyone has nothing else to do, let's head back."
After saying that, he flew toward the Blue Bird Metal Lifeform, with Nif and the other four following closely behind.
That was the efficiency of Highgod Fiends. They were unwilling to waste even a second.
A short while later, the five returned to the Metal Lifeform.
They were immediately greeted warmly by Antirek.
"Not bad, not bad. You completed the mission in such a short time. Selens, your strength must have improved again. You're probably not far from becoming a Six-Star Fiend, are you?"
The old man was so happy that his whole face wrinkled like a chrysanthemum. With this mission going so smoothly, it would be easier for him to report back.
"Just luck."
Selens was also very happy. Although completing this mission would not allow him to advance to a Six-Star Fiend,
the reward he had received for killing Cohen was not small, enough for him to cultivate peacefully for a long time.
He planned to cultivate properly during this period. Once he had completely stabilized his strength, he would take a Six-Star Mission and then charge straight toward becoming a Six-Star Fiend.
Once he became a Six-Star Fiend, Selens could barely be considered a notable figure in Hell.
Unlike the peaceful atmosphere inside the Blue Bird Metal Lifeform, the many Midgods taking the assessment were currently engaged in a jungle deathmatch.
Those lucky enough to seize Thousand Illusion Fruits were doing everything they could to bypass the others and return to the Metal Lifeform.
Those who had survived but failed to seize any fruits wanted to rob those who had obtained them.
Thus, the remaining several dozen Midgods began their final struggle around the Blue Bird Metal Lifeform.
Meanwhile, Simon and Fanny were leisurely enjoying Hell's scenery atop a mountain peak while watching the brutal fighting below.
"This intensity is practically like a real-life battle royale."
Simon sighed inwardly.
It was not that no one had targeted them, but Fanny's Highgod aura made many people restrain themselves. The remaining few, who had lost their minds in their bloodlust, were casually dealt with by the two.
Simon and Fanny were not bloodthirsty people. As long as others did not provoke them, they could not be bothered to act.
"When we arrived, there were a thousand Midgods. In just half a day, only a little over eighty remain. The death rate has exceeded ninety percent! And this still isn't the final number of survivors. The Fiend assessment truly is cruel."
Fanny spoke with a face full of emotion.
Only after truly venturing through Hell on her own did she discover that many Midgods could fight to the death over a single Soul Golden Bead.
She truly did not understand it. It was just a Soul Golden Bead. How much could it possibly be worth?
But gradually, she came to understand. Many people did not have the privileged upbringing she had. A Soul Golden Bead that seemed dispensable to her might be a life-saving trump card in someone else's eyes, or a valuable item that could strengthen the soul, worth fighting over.
"Yes. If we didn't have enough strength, we might be among those eighty people below right now. With worse luck, we might even have died in that earlier melee."
Simon was very fortunate that he had gained sufficient strength before coming to Hell. Otherwise, if he were merely an ordinary Midgod, even how long he could live would be unknown. He disliked the feeling of having his life and death controlled by others. He preferred to hold his fate in his own hands.
"The scenery in this valley is really beautiful. It feels like something from a painting. These bandits certainly had good taste."
Simon said with great interest.
"Scenery like this is just ordinary in Hell. There are many places with even grander and stranger sights. For example, the sunrise over the Starry Fog Sea—the Blood Sun slowly rising over that boundless sea horizon. The first time I saw it, I was stunned for a long time. And the upheavals of the fog sea, with endless violent lightning, are both terrifying and breathtaking. Then there's the famous Purple Spirit Flower Sea on Bifu Continent, a sea of flowers stretching more than ten thousand kilometers in every direction. When it blooms, it's so beautiful it takes your breath away. When we get the chance, I'll take you to see them all."
Seeing how much Simon liked beautiful scenery, Fanny shared some of the sights she had seen before.
"Sure. I'm also very curious about the Starry Fog Sea. After we return and become One-Star Fiends, let's take a mission there and visit it along the way."
"Okay."
Fanny agreed happily. Although she had already seen those sights many times, the thought of seeing them with Simon filled her heart with anticipation.
The two wandered throughout the valley, and Simon discovered that it truly was a wonderful place. Not only did it grow strange fruits like Thousand Illusion Fruits, but in some hidden places, there were also plants resembling orchids from his previous life.
These plants were pale purple all over, with violet light occasionally flowing across their blossoms, while they emitted waves of faint fragrance.
Delighted, Simon hurriedly and carefully transplanted one intact. "Fanny, this looks very much like a plant from my hometown. I never expected to find one of its distant relatives after coming to Hell. This flower is for you. I hope you'll always be happy."
"What a beautiful flower. Hehe, thank you, Simon. I hope we'll both always be happy."
Fanny happily accepted the first bouquet Simon had given her—more precisely, the first flower.
Though it was only an unremarkable wildflower, Fanny treasured it immensely. Even as she put it away, she was extremely careful, as if she were holding some priceless treasure.
She planned to keep it in her Spatial Ring for now, then plant it when she returned home and admire it slowly.
After searching carefully, Simon and Fanny also found many other beautiful but unknown plants. Whenever they found ones they liked, they transplanted them into their Spatial Rings.
Thus, what had originally been a cruel Fiend assessment became a spring outing for them.
While others fought desperately, they admired flowers and examined strange plants.
Only after roughly touring and exploring the entire valley did Simon and Fanny reluctantly prepare to return to the Metal Lifeform. By then, ten days had passed, and the end of the assessment was drawing near.
The journey back was uneventful, much like Simon returning home from work in his previous life. The difference was that he was now in dangerous Hell, with a beautiful and adorable girl by his side.
Simon was in an unprecedentedly good mood, filled with the relaxed ease of returning home with youth for company.
Before long, the two returned to the Blue Bird Metal Lifeform. More than twenty Midgods had already returned. Some wore joyful expressions, clearly having completed their mission. Others looked worried and dejected, clearly having failed to obtain any fruits and only luckily preserved their lives.
Soon, the half-month period ended. More than a dozen others returned during that time, but only a few looked relaxed. The rest did not appear to be in very good condition.
"Alright, the half-month is up. Let's see how many people returned from this mission," the old man Antirek announced loudly as he entered the hall.
"Mm, all the Highgod Fiends have returned. Forty-two participants in the assessment came back. Not bad, about average. As for the remaining nine hundred and fifty-eight, who knows whether they all died or are wandering the wilderness. Forget them. We're setting off back to Timbu City."
After briefly going through the routine, the old man Antirek returned to his room. He had done this job for a very, very long time and had gone through similar procedures countless times. His heart had long been as still as an ancient well, and he viewed life and death lightly.
Forty-two Midgods surviving this time was considered normal. The cruelest mission he had experienced was one where not a single person returned.
That mission had encountered a major unforeseen change. The bandit leader listed in the intelligence records as having Five-Star Fiend strength had two Seven-Star Fiend-level experts staying in his lair.
What was worse was that those two experts were friends of the bandit leader.
Naturally, all the Fiends who participated in that mission had fallen. Fortunately, he had been quick-witted enough to flee in advance, or he would have died there as well.
Inside the Blue Bird Metal Lifeform, a handsome young man in white robes suddenly stood up and shyly asked everyone, "Does anyone have an extra Thousand Illusion Fruit? I'm willing to pay eight hundred thousand Inkstones for one!"
Everyone who heard him looked toward the white-robed young man. They were also curious whether the Fiend Castle staff would stop such an open transaction.
But those staff members continued chatting and drinking among themselves, paying no attention at all.
Immediately, those Midgods who had not obtained Thousand Illusion Fruits but had some savings could no longer sit still and began calling out as well.
"I want to buy one too! I'll offer eight hundred and fifty thousand Inkstones!"
"Tch, poor bastard. You're only adding fifty thousand Inkstones? I, Hamut, won't be that stingy. I'll offer eight hundred and sixty thousand Inkstones!"
"As expected of you, Hamut. You won't be that stingy—you'll only be even stingier."
"Tch, what business is it of yours?"
"Hahaha, they're really interesting."
Before you continue