"Haha, I made 200,000 in no time at all! Just look at this one haul—I came to the right place!"
In the third zone, on this enormous primordial battlefield, Bai Yixin had scavenged eighteen Treasure Bones of varying quality, making a quick 200,000.
Just then, the tens of thousands of youths in the third zone were all astonished. The challenge had suddenly become easier, and they were thrilled. They charged ahead with all their might, and soon they appeared in Bai Yixin's line of sight.
"Uh..."
He'd been so busy making money that he'd gotten carried away and forgotten this was an exam site someone else had set up. He'd dismantled the test questions himself. Wouldn't that get him in trouble?
"I need to come up with a plan. Got it!" Bai Yixin thought for a moment, then inspiration struck. He clenched his right fist and smacked it against his left palm.
"I'll muddy the waters even more. I'll sneak into the other exam zones and clean out their Treasure Bones too. If they all have problems, it'll be even harder to figure out that I was in the third zone."
"I've already done it, so things can't get any worse. Heh heh, here I come, little piles of cash!" Once he'd made up his mind, Bai Yixin got to work. He concealed his presence and dashed toward the neighboring exam zone.
The exam lasted a full three days. That gave Bai Yixin plenty of time to sneak into another zone that hadn't had any trouble yet.
At the same time, what Bai Yixin didn't know was that there was another bandit just like him in the eighth zone.
In the eighth zone, Little One, Shi Hao, carried a huge bundle of Beast Skin on his back. Inside were one Rune Bone after another, all crystal-clear and covered in Runes that shimmered with rosy light.
It looked like he'd made a good haul too.
Back to Bai Yixin. He quietly dismantled some of the Runes separating the exam zones and slipped through successfully. Then, as smoothly as ever, he started digging up the Rune Bones in that area, plucking them like radishes in his own garden.
Time passed little by little. Outside, many people were growing anxious as they waited, unsure how many children would ultimately make it through this time.
"Hmm, this year's trials are very difficult. I expect many tribes will be disappointed and dejected. Not many children will make it through," one of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion elders murmured.
Several others stood beside him, and they clearly held high positions as well. They all nodded, and one said, "There are so many geniuses coming this time. They've taken up a lot of the places, so there's nothing to be done."
"I wonder which zone is the strongest and will produce the most successful candidates."
"Quite some time has passed. If any children are capable enough, some should have made it through by now. We should wait by the exit and lead those who pass into Heaven-Mending Pavilion."
An elder frowned with concern. "I'm truly worried that some zones will be wiped out completely. That final trial is just too difficult. It's meant for geniuses."
Even so, they set off for the exit, ready to welcome the children who passed.
If Bai Yixin had heard them talking, he would have patted his chest and said, "Don't worry. I'm here. I've made them a cheat code, so there's no way they'll all be wiped out."
Meanwhile, Bai Yixin quietly brought his bandit spree to a halt after stealing the Rune Bones from four exam zones.
"There are more and more of them, and I'm running out of time. I can't keep being greedy. I should move on to the second trial."
He saw that quite a few people had already gathered at the exit, trying to break through the barrier and enter the second-stage exam zone.
Bai Yixin silently blended into the crowd, then stepped forward conspicuously. Right in front of everyone, he blasted open the barrier at the exit and jumped through.
This area was even more primeval. Ancient trees towered into the sky, and birds and beasts called out. The moment he entered, an air of desolation and antiquity washed over him.
"So this is the second-stage battlefield for testing geniuses? Roar! Let's find out what it takes to pass, then see whether there are any treasures here that nobody's bothered to claim."
After spending a year in the Great Wilderness, Bai Yixin felt right at home. He instantly concealed himself and darted among the branches and leaves.
There were ferocious beasts here. They might have been raised by the Pavilion, but since they'd said that life and death were up to fate, he still had to be careful.
Several Heaven-Mending Pavilion elders led the way toward the exits of the eight zones. They soon arrived and prepared to wait there for the children who passed.
"How pitiful for the first zone. Only nine children have made it through so far. It seems this year's trials really are too difficult."
The moment they arrived, the elders from the various tribes darkened their faces. This was far too harsh! There had been tens of thousands of children, and only a handful had made it out?
The children who'd been sent here had already been carefully selected. They were outstanding in their tribes. How could they be so hopeless once they reached Heaven-Mending Pavilion?!
Everyone was disgruntled, and they knew why. Some children of the nobles had come, and even descendants of Primordial Remnants were joining Heaven-Mending Pavilion. They'd taken up too many places meant for geniuses.
So, during this selection, Heaven-Mending Pavilion had raised the difficulty to the limit, leaving many promising children with no choice but to turn back in defeat.
"There's nothing we can do. There are too many powerful candidates this year," said Elder Xiong Fei of Heaven-Mending Pavilion. He sounded apologetic, but his words did little to satisfy everyone.
"There aren't many people from the second zone either. By my count, only sixteen made it out. Sigh!" People sighed.
But the numbers from the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth zones left them dumbfounded.
Each zone had held more than ten thousand people. Only one or two thousand of them had failed to make it out. Everyone else had passed!
A vast, bustling crowd streamed out of the exits, walking with their arms around one another's shoulders. It was as if they hadn't taken an exam at all before reaching the mountain gate.
Half an hour later, several elders who'd gone to inspect the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth zones came back furious. Elder Xiong Fei and Elder Zhuo Yun nearly spat blood.
"Damn it! Who did this?!"
Hearing their anguished, furious cries, the elders from the great tribes exchanged bewildered looks. They had no idea what could have upset those men so badly.
A short while later, Heaven-Mending Pavilion's leaders received the report. One by one, they tilted their heads toward the sky and fell silent for a long time.
"What happened?" the elders from the various tribes asked cautiously.
In the end, all the leaders turned and left. Watching their backs, no one could guess what they were thinking or feeling.
"A little thief stole the Treasure Bones from the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth zones. He ruined the trial grounds!"
At last, the news got out. The elders from the various tribes stared blankly, then turned to stone, all of them dumbstruck. Finally, their mouths twitched as they fought the urge to speak.
"Who did this?!" one elder roared.
"Who else could it be? It's obviously that Bear Child! He said he hadn't come, but now we can confirm it—he must be here." Elder Xiong Fei was practically in tears. That child was far too much trouble.
"Just let me catch sight of him. If he enters Heaven-Mending Pavilion, the first thing I'll do is smack his butt into eighteen pieces!" Elder Zhuo Yun said viciously.
"Achoo!" Shi Hao sneezed and muttered to himself.
Why do I feel like someone's talking about me?
Shi Hao, who had only cleaned out the eighth zone, had a much bigger black pot pinned on his back. Meanwhile, the other culprit, Bai Yixin, who'd made a quick 800,000, was still taking his time in the second-stage exam zone, looking for the stone tablet that recorded the requirements for passing.
At last, Bai Yixin found the tablet. Light shimmered around it, and auspicious mists swirled—clearly, it was a treasure. As soon as he approached, a black stone flew out and landed in his hand.
A few lines were written on the tablet: Those who possess two Heaven-Mending Stones pass. Those who possess ten or more will receive special cultivation from the Pavilion.
"So they want us to strive for excellence? Just as I thought, these kinds of trials always involve PVP. Heh heh. That suits me perfectly. Let's see what sort of level the other 'geniuses' are at."
Bai Yixin watched the extraordinary tablet fly off the moment it had given him the Heaven-Mending Stone, and raised an eyebrow.
"That thing sure ran fast. I was just about to sell you off!"
"So they're worried someone might camp by the tablet!"
Before you continue