Two days later, at dawn.
As the morning light enveloped the mountains, it bathed the ancient building, half-buried in the basin, in a soft golden glow.
Hundreds of figures stood scattered along the edge of the basin.
"Shouldn't we begin today?"
A young man spoke in a low voice, his tone filled with anticipation.
"Based on the timeline, it should be today."
Another young man chimed in, his gaze fixed on the building buried deep underground.
At this very moment--
"Buzz..."
A deep, long hum came from the depths of the earth.
The voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to resonate directly in everyone's hearts, causing the hundreds of people present to tense up at the same time.
All eyes turned to the ancient building half-buried in the center of the basin.
Above the dome, those ancient and mysterious patterns suddenly lit up.
The light radiated outward from every node of the pattern, flowing across the surface of the dome like ripples on water, growing brighter and brighter.
Immediately afterwards, the patterns at the edges of the jade gate that cut diagonally into the ground also began to glow.
The light spread along the patterns, converging from the door frame to the door, and finally coalescing into a huge point of light in the very center of the jade door.
"Boom!"
With a dull thud, the jade gate slowly opened to both sides.
Behind the door was not a deep passage, but a semi-transparent barrier.
The barrier was pale gold, like a giant curtain of light, completely obscuring the view inside the door.
On the surface of the barrier, there was a faint shimmering light, as if countless tiny runes were flowing within it.
This barrier is how this Ancient Ruins filters out those who are not on the Prodigy Ranking.
Only those on the Prodigy Ranking are allowed to enter. Anyone who does not meet the requirements, even a Grandmaster-level expert, cannot break through the barrier to enter.
" The Ancient Ruins have been opened!"
Someone shouted, and the young people from various factions on the edge of the basin immediately stirred.
Hundreds of figures stood up almost simultaneously, their eyes fixed intently on the open jade door.
Those who were impatient were the first to rush out.
"Whoosh!"
A young figure burst out from the crowd with astonishing speed, reaching the Jade Gate in just a few leaps.
He took a deep breath and stepped into the light curtain.
The light screen flickered slightly, and his figure disappeared like a pebble sinking into water.
--They went inside.
Then came the second, the third, the fourth...
One after another, figures emerged from the edge of the basin and disappeared into the pale golden light curtain.
"Whoosh!"
On the Thunderlight Pavilion's side, Xue Wu glanced at the location of Mad Blade, then led several disciples out, their lithe figures disappearing into the light barrier.
Disciples from several major powers in Songquan Prefecture also set off one after another.
Let's go.
On the Heavenly Origin Sect's side, the leading disciple, with his elegant demeanor, slightly turned his head and nodded to the eleven fellow disciples behind him.
Twelve Moon-White figures shot out simultaneously, their speed astonishing, their forms like streaks of white lightning in the morning light.
As they entered the light curtain, the pale golden barrier only flickered slightly before allowing them to pass through.
"Let's go too."
Fang Han withdrew his gaze and looked at the Azure Profound Sect members beside him.
He took the lead and sped towards the Jade Gate, with Luo Yuntian, Yun Muyao, and the others following closely behind.
Nine figures darted through the morning light and soon arrived at the Jade Gate.
"Buzz--"
Fang Han didn't stop walking and stepped straight into the light curtain.
The moment he passed through the light curtain, he felt a gentle yet irresistible force sweep over his entire body, as if some invisible gaze was scrutinizing and discerning him.
That feeling was fleeting, and the next moment, everything suddenly opened up before me.
This is a huge hall.
The hall is circular with a towering dome that is dozens of feet high. It is made of the same material as the Martial Dao Stele, smooth as a mirror, and has a cold, eerie luster.
The walls were inlaid with countless luminous Night-Luminescent Pearl, which emitted a cool glow, illuminating the entire hall.
The ground is made of the same material as the Martial Dao Stele, as smooth as a mirror and so shiny it reflects one's image.
There is a passageway directly in front of the hall.
The passage was about three zhang wide and two zhang high, with smooth and flat walls on both sides, inlaid only with Night-Luminescent Pearl, without any other decorations.
Deep within the passage, two puppets resembling monstrous beasts could be clearly seen.
It resembled a fierce tiger, its entire body cast from some kind of Dark Gold metal, nearly ten feet long, with thick limbs and sharp claws that gleamed with a cold, eerie light.
A pair of scarlet eyes were coldly fixed on the crowd ahead of the passage.
The other one resembled a giant wolf, similar in size to the tiger puppet, and was entirely black with eerie green eyes, giving it a chilling appearance.
Two puppets stood guard in the center of the passage, one on the left and one on the right.
They didn't release any aura, but their bodies, forged from metal and mysterious power, and the cold light in their eyes sent chills down the spines of everyone present.
"This is the first challenge."
"That's what a young man who knows a lot about Ancient Ruins said."
"These two puppets are exceptionally sturdy; it is said that no attack, regardless of its level, can damage them."
"Fortunately, the strength that can be unleashed is limited to the early stage of the Fourth Grade, and the method to pass through is not destruction, but simply to pass through the passage to the other side."
Inside the hall, hundreds of figures stood scattered about, their gazes all focused on the passageway.
The twelve disciples of the Heavenly Origin Sect stood at the very front without hesitation.
The elegant young man, Bai Yan, stood with his hands behind his back, calmly observing the two puppets in the passageway.
Let's go!
Bai Yan took the lead and stepped into the passage.
The tiger-shaped puppet's scarlet eyes suddenly lit up, and its four claws pushed off the ground as its massive metal body pounced like a Dark Gold lightning bolt.
Claws Void Sundering, accompanied by a piercing shriek.
Bai Yan's expression remained unchanged, and he didn't even draw his sword.
He simply sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the tiger puppet's pounce, and continued walking forward without stopping.
The tiger puppet missed its target; before it could even land, the wolf puppet pounced from the other side.
Its eerie green eyes flashed with a cold light as it opened its massive metallic maw, aiming straight for his waist and abdomen.
He still didn't draw his sword; he merely swayed slightly before gliding past the wolf puppet like a ghost.
The attacks of both puppets missed completely; he didn't even have to make a move before he passed through the passage and arrived at the other end.
The second disciple of the Heavenly Origin Sect to pass the test was a beautiful female disciple, who also passed with ease.
She drew her sword and slashed at the tiger puppet's attacking claws.
"Clang--!"
Amidst the clanging of metal, the tiger puppet's forward momentum was abruptly halted, causing it to stagger back two steps.
Using the momentum, she leaped forward and crossed the passage before the wolf puppet could pounce.
Third place, fourth place, fifth place...
One by one, the twelve disciples of the Heavenly Origin Sect stepped into the passage.
Some people took action, while others didn't, but without exception, they all easily overcame the obstacle.
Even the weakest among them only made three moves before passing through the passage.
"A disciple of Overlord-Level Faction, truly living up to his reputation!"
Seeing the twelve disciples of the Heavenly Origin Sect easily pass the test, a young man from Songquan Prefecture spoke in a low voice, his tone somewhat solemn.
In just two days, he had learned from the elders within the sect that these twelve people came from a dominant force and knew what a dominant force was.
"All twelve of them made it through... and even the weakest one only used three moves."
Another young man chimed in, his voice filled with barely concealed shock.
The strength displayed by the twelve disciples of the Heavenly Origin Sect instilled an indescribable sense of pressure in the hearts of the geniuses from various prefectures.
After the Heavenly Origin Sect, the geniuses from other prefectures began their trials one after another.
A disciple from the East Foothills Prefecture faction was the first to step into the passage.
He drew his sword and fought the tiger puppet for more than ten moves, narrowly avoiding the wolf puppet's attack before barely managing to pass through the passage.
They made it through, but in a rather disheveled state.
Immediately afterwards, another prodigy from Songquan Prefecture stepped into the passage.
His strength was clearly inferior to the former. He only exchanged a few moves with the tiger puppet before being ambushed by the wolf puppet, who slapped him on the shoulder with a claw.
He was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the entrance of the passage.
He coughed up blood and his face turned deathly pale.
Failed to complete the level.
Third place, fourth place, fifth place...
One by one, figures stepped into the passage; some succeeded, while others did not.
Many of those who made it through were in a sorry state, covered in injuries.
Those who failed were enveloped in a golden barrier and sent out of the Ancient Ruins before being killed by the puppets.
Clearly, even among those on the Prodigy Ranking, not everyone can pass the first hurdle.
The process was quick, and soon it was Fang Han of nine.
"Slap, slap--"
Fang Han took the lead and walked towards the passage.
The moment he stepped into the passage, the eyes of the tiger puppet and the wolf puppet suddenly lit up.
The massive metal body transformed into two Dark Gold lightning bolts, hurtling straight towards them.
Fang Han's expression remained unchanged as he placed his right hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Clang--"
The Cloudsplitter Sword was drawn.
A flash of sword light.
No one even saw how he drew his sword before two loud clangs rang out.
The tiger and wolf puppets lunged forward as if struck by a giant hammer, flying backward and crashing heavily against the passage wall with a dull thud.
"Slap, slap--"
Sheathing his sword, Fang Han continued walking without stopping, passing through the passage in just a few breaths from the moment he stepped in to the moment he passed through.
He stood with his hands behind his back at the other end of the passage, looking towards it.
"I Azure Profound Sect will be able to pass this first test?"
Luo Yuntian was the second to step into the passage.
He drew his sword, its light steady, and engaged the tiger puppet in a fierce battle for several moves. Seizing an opening, he forced the tiger puppet back with a single strike.
Before the wolf puppet could pounce, he darted through the passage.
It was quite easy to get through.
Yun Muyao was the third to step into the passage.
Her Sword Technique was cold and aloof, emanating a chilling aura. After exchanging several blows with her, the tiger puppet and wolf puppet's bodies were covered in ice, and their movements became slow.
She crossed it with equal ease.
Mad Butcher was the fourth to step into the passage.
He drew his giant sword and unleashed a series of strikes, each more powerful than the last, cleaving back the tiger and wolf puppets with the most violent force, before striding swiftly through the passage.
Chen Wuhen was the fifth to step into the passage.
With his folding fan closed and his figure elusive, he dodged the attacks of the two puppets one after another, and after a moment found an opportunity to pass through the passage.
Su Yuwei was the sixth to step into the passage.
Her expression was solemn. She drew her sword and engaged the tiger puppet in a fierce battle, spending dozens of moves before barely managing to break through.
As he passed through, a wound was slashed on his left shoulder by the tiger puppet's sharp claws, and blood soaked through his clothes.
Mo Chen was the seventh to step into the passage.
His face was cold and stern, Sword Technique was sharp. He fought with the two puppets for a long time, and had several wounds on his body before he barely managed to pass through.
Liu Ruyan was the eighth to step into the passage.
After exchanging only a few blows with the tiger and wolf puppets, he was struck on the shoulder by a claw and sent flying backward.
He coughed up blood and his face turned deathly pale.
Failed to complete the level.
Wang Miao was the ninth to step into the passage.
His strength was slightly weaker than Liu Ruyan's, and he also failed to pass the test.
After exchanging blows with the tiger puppet, he was pounced on from the side by the wolf puppet, sending him flying and crashing heavily into the entrance of the passage.
Failed to complete the level.
The two figures were enveloped in a golden barrier and escorted out of the Ancient Ruins.
Of the nine members of the Azure Profound Sect, only seven ultimately passed the first trial.
Of the hundreds of people who originally entered the Ancient Ruins, only a little over two hundred remained after the first screening.