After learning more about the rules, Wu Sheng had a fairly clear understanding of the Trial Ground.
Normally, the details of the Blood Trial were strictly confidential to all Trial Takers. But for people with backgrounds like He Na and the others, it was practically an open-book exam.
There were dozens of gathering points in the Eastern Domain where they were now, each with at least a hundred people, and some likely held several hundred.
For now, everyone was focused on rallying their own forces, killing lone Trial Takers, and occasionally targeting rival factions. This phase would usually last about two years.
After two years, only the people at these gathering points would remain, and they would begin fighting among themselves.
Some would form alliances, others would stab their allies in the back. Anything that benefited them was fair game, and the closer the end came, the more ruthless things would get.
So unless someone was a true super-genius who could rampage through the Blood Trial, most people were doing everything they could to keep themselves alive first.
Even He Na couldn't guarantee that nobody would secretly try to kill her to save their own skin.
This chaotic fighting would usually last six years. In the final year—the tenth year—the small region in the Trial Ground's Central Domain would gradually open. That was when the so-called "Prize" would be contested.
The final battle would determine not only which faction claimed the "Prize," but also who won the bets outside.
Wu Sheng fell thoughtful, rubbing his chin. Though he now knew that the so-called "Prize" was a fellow human from his home world, he wasn't necessarily going to get involved.
He was already struggling to save himself. Was he really supposed to play the saint and rescue someone he didn't even know?
That made no sense!
"I'll just have to take things as they come."
Wu Sheng knew that time was what he lacked. Whether it was cultivating secret techniques, improving his strength, or strengthening his will, all of it would take a great deal of time.
"Mm, Di Fei's almost here!"
He Na smiled as she stared at her Optical Computer.
The group was hiding in a secluded cave. They were there partly to restore their energy and partly to wait for Di Fei.
"Jin An, go meet him," He Na ordered. After all, Jin An was the only one among the Elite Trial Takers who was uninjured. The others had either suffered serious wounds or depleted most of their Primal Force and mental energy.
"Sure." Jin An didn't hesitate and headed for the cave entrance.
Before long, Jin An returned with a man in an ordinary blue robe whose features were exceptionally handsome.
"Di Fei, your aura's unsteady. Did that herd of Rhinobeasts chase you for a long time?" He Na asked with concern. His face was pale, and his aura kept fluctuating.
"No. I ran into the brothers Xuan Tong and Xuan Ming on the way. I didn't expect Xuan Tong to have reached Sky Grade too. They saw me alone and tried to kill me."
"But I dragged them back into that herd of Rhinobeasts. They suffered heavy casualties, and I took the chance to get away. I was injured a little in the process, but I've mostly recovered."
Di Fei smiled gently and briefly recounted what had happened, as if those dangers had happened to someone else.
Even Wu Sheng was surprised by how unruffled he seemed, and couldn't help admiring him.
A man like that clearly had tremendous resolve, especially with such a steady temperament. He would make a fine friend.
"You must be Wu Sheng. I heard about what you did not long ago. Haha, I never thought Yu Yan would scheme so carefully, only to hit a wall because of you. It'll be fun when we meet him again." Di Fei's eyes lit up when he saw Wu Sheng, and he spoke with a hearty laugh.
"I was lucky. I only wanted to take out their hideout, but I didn't expect to help you."
Wu Sheng smiled too. Di Fei was a Star Grade powerhouse, probably stronger than him, and he had praised Wu Sheng so highly. Anyone would be pleased.
"Haha, luck is part of strength too. Our Blood River Squad is short a powerhouse like you, someone skilled in the soul. With you here, you'll be the perfect counter to those Sky Grade fighters."
"I heard you're in urgent need of Cosmic Crystals. I happen to have some, so take them. Focus on your cultivation. One day, you'll be a trump card for the Blood River Squad."
"Mm. I'll recover first. We can talk later."
As he spoke, Di Fei tossed Wu Sheng several Space Rings, then apologized before preparing to restore his depleted Primal Force.
Wu Sheng took the Space Rings and gave them a quick check. He was stunned.
What a fortune! The man had quietly handed him nearly ten million Cosmic Crystals.
Added to the thirty million Cosmic Crystals he'd gotten from He Na and those he'd looted from Tuo Meng and the others' Space Rings, he now had more than fifty million in total.
It was still nowhere near the trillion he needed, but having such a huge fortune in his hands was almost blinding.
"Ugh, now that I've taken the money, I'll have to do something for him eventually!"
Wu Sheng knew Di Fei was deliberately trying to win him over, but he couldn't refuse. He could only see it through.
Whether it worked out or not was another matter.
"Forget it. Improving my strength comes first. I can keep a small portion of these Cosmic Crystals to improve myself and put the rest into the Time-Space Shop."
Wu Sheng had no choice. Unlike He Na and the others, he hadn't been able to bring a large Space Ring into the Blood Trial. He could only use the ten-cubic-meter Space Ring provided by the Trial Ground.
Each Space Ring could hold at most one million Cosmic Crystals. That was its limit.
Splitting more than fifty million Cosmic Crystals among dozens of Space Rings was a hassle. He might as well put them all into the Time-Space Shop.
So he found a cave of his own and had Man Gu and Bai Yu guard the entrance. He first fed the Cosmic Crystals he didn't need into the Time-Space Shop's miniature black hole, then prepared to study the newly acquired secret technique.
Several days later, after Di Fei, He Na, and the others had recovered, they came to Wu Sheng. They said they wanted to rebuild the Blood River Squad and head out to find lone Trial Takers. They hoped he would join them so they could bolster their numbers.
Wu Sheng said he didn't want to go out. His first priority was to study the secret technique and improve his strength and will.
Recruiting people outside simply wasn't worth distracting himself over.
So he asked to stay behind. On the surface, he said it was to guard the area, but he still planned to make time for his own pursuits.
From then on, Di Fei, He Na, and the others went out cautiously every day, occasionally bringing back a few people.
If they were Elite Trial Takers, they could serve as members of the Blood River Squad. If they were only ordinary or excellent Trial Takers, they would be placed under the squad members' command.
Someone like Jin An had previously been the Blood River Squad's seventh member, so Man Gu, Bai Yu, and the others could only call themselves the Seventh Squad.
But after the Beast Baptism Yu Yan had engineered, Jin An had risen to third in rank, while Wu Sheng was sixth. He Na had only managed to escape with four Elite Trial Takers at the time.
Di Fei and He Na were the captain and vice-captain.
As time went on, the Blood River Squad's numbers slowly recovered.
At the same time, their whereabouts were gradually being exposed.
With the lone Trial Takers nearly wiped out, a new storm was brewing.
A year and a half into Wu Sheng's seclusion, Bai Yu and Man Gu were facing off against several Prison Clan Members outside the cave where he was cultivating.
Inside the cave, Wu Sheng opened his eyes as well. Unlike before, nine miniature planets were now rotating in them.