Difficulty Upgrade

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

In a stretch of woods, a silver thread suddenly shot out and latched onto a tree far away. Then a figure followed the thread and flew over.

From afar, he looked like a bird alighting upon the trees.

Then Bai Jing tapped off with both feet and flew from the tree again, leaping onto a second one. The silver thread shot out after him, fastening itself to a third tree farther ahead.

In the blink of an eye, he had flown from the entrance of the woods to the exit, like a drifting swallow.

Thud!

Bai Jing leaped down from a tree and landed on the ground.

His consciousness sank into his sea of awareness as he looked at the third branch of the Talent Tree.

Silver Thread Flying Spider (10/50)

In terms of training difficulty, this lightness skill surely cannot compare to the Formless Cultivation Method or formations. I have only practiced it for three days, yet its proficiency has already risen by ten points. At this rate, it will be fully mastered within half a month.

Bai Jing thought to himself, greatly satisfied.

This Lightness Skill Mastery relied more on clever applications of force. Since he had yet to master it completely, practicing it now consumed more of his qi and blood.

While he still had strength left, he was about to continue practicing when he heard the toll of an ancient, distant bell.

Buzzz!

When Bai Jing turned around, he saw a beam of golden light shooting into the heavens from the inner district of the stronghold.

"A new mission is being released!" he muttered, immediately heading toward the source of the golden light.

"It's here, it's here! The second assessment has finally arrived!"

The entire outer district erupted. Assessment disciples emerged from their rooms one after another, some excited, others grave and nervous.

Before long.

The vast square was packed with people, so crowded that not even water could pass through.

Everyone wanted to know how this assessment mission differed from the last one, and whether it would be difficult.

Bai Jing stood to one side, looking at the sea of people ahead, without the courage to squeeze into it.

Only after nearly half an hour did an acquaintance struggle free from the crowd.

"Brother Xu!" He waved and called out loudly.

Hearing someone call him, Xu Shan immediately raised his head. Yet there was no smile on his face; instead, it was clouded with worry.

"Brother Bai." Xu Shan walked over and forced out a faint smile.

"Brother Xu, please tell me—what is the assessment about? Are there any requirements?"

Bai Jing asked, anticipation in his eyes.

Xu Shan was about to speak when he saw several people gathering nearby. His brows immediately furrowed slightly, and he pulled Bai Jing along. "Come, let's talk over there."

"Stingy!"

After the two had gone some distance away, Chu Ming could not help but snort.

"If your attitude of keeping your distance hadn't been so obvious before, they wouldn't be acting like this." Chen Ping shook his head, unconcerned.

They would learn the assessment details sooner or later. There was no need to rush for this little bit of time.

"Junior Sister Qinghe!"

Chu Ming stared at the two men's retreating backs with some resentment. Then he suddenly noticed a familiar figure walking past him, and his eyes lit up.

"Junior Sister, what is the assessment about?" He moved to Ling Qinghe's side, speaking with an exceptionally gentle and enthusiastic tone and expression.

Yet Ling Qinghe merely gave him an icy glance before ignoring him.

Damn it, she had already treated him quite well, even inviting him to a meal once. But this iron rooster would not part with a single feather—not even willing to buy a bottle of pills from her. What a waste of her having bared her heart and told him so much common knowledge about the immortal path.

Seeing the girl he loved completely ignore him, Chu Ming felt as though his warm face had been pressed against a cold backside, and his expression gradually darkened.

"Brother Bai." In a corner of the square, Xu Shan spoke with a grave expression. "This assessment is very difficult."

"Oh?" Bai Jing murmured in surprise.

"First, the assessment requires us to complete ten missions within five months!"

"Ten missions in five months—are there any special requirements?" Bai Jing asked.

"Yes. The difficulty lies in those ten missions." Xu Shan nodded and said, "Of those ten missions, five must be at the Fifth Stage of Qi and Blood difficulty. In other words, within these five months, we must break through to the Fifth Stage of Qi and Blood!"

Bai Jing's brows knitted slightly. He considered it for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "The Fifth Stage of Qi and Blood... I think even disciples without outstanding talent should have no problem reaching it with the Minor Formless Technique and pills as support."

"The difficulty lies in the second point." Xu Shan shook his head and continued, "As you said, reaching that stage is indeed not much of a problem. The Qi and Blood Realm is merely a transitional stage before Foundation Establishment on the immortal path. We are not yet true cultivators, and with Shangqing Mountain's supreme arts available for us to cultivate, it is naturally easy."

"But!"

His tone shifted. "The Mission Hall only has two hundred thousand missions in total!"

At those words, Bai Jing's entire body jolted. His expression turned grave as well, and he said in a low voice, "Doesn't that mean more than ten thousand people are certain to be eliminated in this round?"

"That's right!" Xu Shan nodded solemnly. "That means from this moment onward, all of us are competitors. Even if someone reaches the Fifth Stage of Qi and Blood but fails to complete the missions, they will still be considered failures and will have no further fate with Shangqing Mountain."

"I'm afraid everyone will be under immense pressure from now on."

"Of course. Moreover, among the two hundred thousand missions, only ten thousand are at the Fourth Stage of Qi and Blood difficulty. All the rest are at the Fifth Stage. It can be said that, aside from a handful of geniuses, everyone else will have to complete ten missions at the Fifth Stage of Qi and Blood difficulty. That places great demands on how they manage their time."

Xu Shan continued, his heart already tightening. "Not only do we need to rush to complete the missions first, we also need to guard against those geniuses completing all their missions ahead of time and then taking more missions to earn resources. Shangqing Mountain places no restrictions on how many missions we can accept."

"In that case, time is truly pressing." Bai Jing lowered his head and murmured. Then he looked up at Xu Shan. "Brother Xu, are you confident you can pass this round?"

Xu Shan gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "More than a month has passed, and I still haven't broken through in cultivation. I have no confidence that I can complete this assessment."

In the square of the stronghold's inner district.

This place had long since erupted into commotion. After learning the assessment details, the assessment disciples all wore grave expressions, their faces filled with worry.

This assessment was far too harsh.

Especially since ten thousand people were destined to be eliminated, which sent many into a panic. Some whose cultivation had yet to reach even the Second Stage of Qi and Blood wanted to give up on the assessment outright.

"Not bad. I think the difficulty is just right." Chen Ping looked at the bitter faces all around him and could not help but chuckle. This assessment was difficult for many people, but for him, it posed no problem at all.

"Brother Chen is right. It is quite fitting. Shangqing Mountain is the number one immortal sect in the Southern Territory; not just anyone can enter." Chu Ming laughed as well.

"I just wonder about the specific difficulty of these missions. Can I earn another Grade A?" Chen Ping gazed at the enormous Golden Ranking hanging in the distance, anticipation beginning to rise within him.

This Golden Ranking would remain suspended here from now on, recording everyone's mission progress and ratings, and updating once every seven days.

In other words, from this moment onward, the gap between geniuses and everyone else would be displayed on this Golden Ranking in all its stark and vivid glory!!!