Chapter 192
Amidst the raging flames and light, a dark figure was sent flying backward.
The ultimate guardian!
He was like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground, shaking the very earth!
But then, Xiao Minghuang charged out again, her pure white longsword drawing an arc like a shooting star, heading straight for the final guardian.
This time, her sword light was even more intense and fierce, shining like a blazing sun in the sky.
She will not give the final defenders any chance to breathe!
Let's stop here!
Xiao Minghuang let out a low shout, and the sword technique in his hand suddenly changed!
The pure white longsword instantly unleashed thousands of sword beams, like a thousand meteors falling, enveloping the final guardian's entire body!
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
Each sword beam easily pierced through the body of the final guardian.
Blood spurted wildly, and wounds spread through the void!
His entire body was riddled with stabs, leaving not a single patch of healthy flesh.
Xiao Minghuang's gaze was cold. Finally, she unleashed a sword strike, tearing his body into countless pieces!
"Call..."
Xiao Minghuang breathed a long sigh of relief, looking at the final guardian who was now completely dead.
"The forbidden geniuses of ancient times do indeed possess some strength..."
Before she could even catch her breath, she was teleported to the main hall she had just been in.
In the central seat, the elderly man in white robes smiled and said, "I didn't expect to see you again so soon. You've surprised me."
Originally, he thought that Xiao Minghuang would exhaust her potential at most by the ninety-eighth or ninety-ninth level, but unexpectedly, she actually broke through inside the tower and cleared the hundredth level!
"Thank you for the compliment, senior. I was merely fortunate."
The old man chuckled, "Luck? That's impossible. Your ability to clear the hundredth floor is a testament to your talent, potential, and character."
"Do you know the origin of the guardian of the hundredth floor?"
The final guardian of the hundredth floor was indeed very strong; if she hadn't broken through to the Embryonic Shadow Realm, she would have surely been stopped by him.
"This junior is unaware; please enlighten me, senior."
The white-robed elder stroked his beard and said, "This person is named Thirteen Overlord. He possesses the Innate Hegemon Body and is a descendant of the Overlord Physique lineage. He was born ten thousand years ago and has dominated three generations. Among the many candidates for Holy Sons Saintess, he is easily ranked among the top six hundred!"
"Speaking of which, twelve hundred years ago, I had a brief encounter with him. At that time, he was trapped at the Life and Death Profound Pass; I wonder if he has broken through it now..."
At this point, the white-robed elder suddenly stopped, looked at Xiao Minghuang, and chuckled, "We've gone off-topic. Your talent is quite remarkable. Here's the Nine Revolutions Meteorite Iron I promised you. Take it!"
The words had barely left his mouth.
The white-robed elder flicked his sleeve, and a storage bag floated out, hovering in front of Xiao Minghuang.
She reached out and took it, glancing at it briefly. She noticed that besides the Nine Revolutions Meteorite Iron, there were also some spirit stones and pills, which were equally valuable.
Xiao Minghuang understood that this was the white-robed elder valuing her, showing goodwill towards her, or rather, "investing" in her.
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Xiao Minghuang bowed and thanked him, saying, "Thank you for bestowing this treasure upon me, Senior. I will remember it forever. May I ask your esteemed name, Senior?"
"I am the Seventeen Water Spirit King," the old man chuckled. "With your talent and strength, it won't matter if you don't participate in the remaining trials. You can cultivate here until you reach the Primal Embryo Realm and then directly enter the Inner Academy. What do you think?"
"This..."
Xiao Minghuang hesitated. Although she agreed with the Seventeen Water Spirit King's assessment, she was not alone in this trial. The third trial required teamwork. Without her guidance, could Ye, Lin, and the other Great Xia successfully pass the trial?
The Seventeen Water Spirit King seemed to sense her doubts and reminded her, "In the path of cultivation, others can help you for a while, but not for a long time. Besides, your companions are all quite talented, especially the two young girls with Innate Physique, who are quite extraordinary. Passing the third level of the trial will not be a problem for them at all."
"If you worry too much and treat them like children, you will deprive them of opportunities to grow and hinder their development."
"In short, whether or not you go back to participate in the trial is your choice, but I need to tell you that participating in the trial will not improve you, and your participation will create dependency among your companions, which will be very detrimental to their growth."
Upon hearing the Seventeen Water Spirit King's words, Xiao Minghuang fell silent.
Over the years, she has indeed been somewhat overprotective of Ye and Lin, and under her mindset, the two girls have almost no experience in fighting.
Lin Wanqiu is in a better position, after all, she had been tempered in her youth.
But Ye Ruoshui was completely naive and immature.
If this opportunity can help Ye Ruoshui grow in character, it would be a good thing.
"In that case, I will follow your advice, senior," Xiao Minghuang said respectfully, cupping his hands in greeting.
"Hmm." The Seventeen Water Spirit King nodded in satisfaction, then said, "Since you've made your decision, you will cultivate here until you break through to the Primal Embryo Realm, then you can leave and enter the inner courtyard."
"Furthermore, I must remind you that although your talent surpasses that of three generations, the inner academy is full of hidden talents. There may be geniuses from three, five, or even ten generations ago lying in wait. Your foundation is far less profound than theirs, so you must act carefully and not be too reckless, or you will invite trouble."
Within the Holy Academy, the time interval between two enrollment ceremonies is considered a generation. The time at which each enrollment ceremony begins is uncertain, but it will not be less than fifty years.
Therefore, three generations would take at least 150 years.
Five generations, that is 250 years.
Ten generations equal five hundred years!
Thinking of this, Xiao Minghuang couldn't help but ask, "Senior, why do the geniuses of the inner academy endure for so many years and insist on staying in the Holy Academy? Why don't they break through to the King Realm?"
The Seventeen Water Spirit King explained, "This is because they are not in a hurry to break through, but are accumulating strength at the Half-step King Realm."
"After reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, as long as the Primordial Spirit sprouts in the void and grows golden flowers, a true spirit can be conceived and one can step into the Life and Death King Realm. However, true geniuses will not choose this simplest path."
"Because this kind of the Life and Death King Realm is incomplete. Against a Life and Death King Realm with Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown at the Top, it can't even withstand a single move from the opponent."
"The true geniuses in the inner courtyard will consume a large amount of Heaven and Earth Divine Object to make up for their previous deficiencies, accumulate their own foundation, and refine themselves. They will refine their spirit, essence, and qi to the point of Great Perfection. At the same time, they will cause the three to sprout in the void, grow golden flowers, and give birth to true spirits. This is the true and complete King of the Life and Death King Realm!"
"I see, thank you for your guidance, senior."
Xiao Minghuang bowed in gratitude.
"No need for formalities. The main hall is rich in Spiritual Qi, so you can cultivate here in peace. I will look after your companions, so don't worry. Just break through to the Primal Embryo Realm as soon as possible, and then you can enter the inner courtyard."
The words had barely left his mouth.
Before Xiao Minghuang return the greeting, the figure of the Seventeen Water Spirit King faded from the high seat and disappeared.
"Focus on your cultivation..."
Xiao Minghuang murmured softly, then sat cross-legged, closed her eyes slightly, and began to cultivate.
She was confident she could break through to the Primal Embryo Realm, but she didn't know how long it would take.
Outside the Trial Tower.
Countless people gathered.
In full view of everyone.
On the ranking stone tablet, several eye-catching characters appeared after Xiao Minghuang's name.
"First place: Xiao Minghuang! 100th floor!"
The crowd gasped in surprise, and an uproar ensued.
"It's the hundredth floor!"
"She really made it to the hundredth floor!"
"A dark horse! The strongest dark horse!"
"Even Qi Mingdao from the Ziwei Sacred Land only reached the ninetieth level, yet this Princess Xiao from the Southern Border has actually cleared the Trial Tower!"
"With such a genius, I have no chance of winning first place in this trial."
Even someone as confident as Qi Mingdao couldn't help but sigh. He was originally certain of winning first place, but Xiao Minghuang's appearance undoubtedly shattered his entire plan.
"This Princess Xiao is truly beyond my expectations. I originally thought she was just a slightly talented genius, but I didn't expect her to be so strong. She's probably not much weaker than Brother Tianlang, is she?"
Lin Tianyang murmured.
"Even if Princess Xiao were placed within the inner court, perhaps only the very top few could compare to her."
Su Changge sighed softly.
"Lin Tianlang of the Yang Prefecture Lin Clan, Zhu Xingming of the Ziwei Sacred Land, Wei Chuming the Wei Dynasty, Feng Piaoxue of the Penglai Feng Clan..."
These prodigies, each renowned in their own right, would surely have been able to break through the Life and Death Profound Pass and transcend to sainthood if they had not died young.
They were either three or five generations ago when they entered the sect, and were already forbidden geniuses in the Primal Embryo Realm or even the Nascent Soul Realm. Yet now they are being compared to a newcomer who has just made a name for himself in the trial.
There is no other reason.
The hundredth floor of the Trial Tower is a chasm, separating ordinary geniuses from forbidden prodigies.
The former, in the course of their life, may attain sainthood.
For the latter, attaining sainthood is merely the starting point.
In the corner.
Ye Ruoshui, her face beaming with excitement, exclaimed, "Your Highness really did reach the top! I knew she could do it!"
Lin Wanqiu smiled and replied, "Yes! Your Highness is the strongest!"
They waited quietly outside the Trial Tower. After a long time, most of them had left, but Xiao Minghuang was nowhere to be seen.
"What's going on? Why hasn't His Highness come out yet?"
Lin Wanqiu asked, puzzled.
"Could he be injured and is recuperating?"
Ye Ruoshui clenched her fists and asked nervously.
Xiao Minghuang looked at the towering Trial Tower and pondered, "Let's wait a little longer!"
Just then, a faint, swaying sound suddenly rang out, reaching their ears directly.
"Xiao Minghuang has reached the top of the Trial Tower and is granted special permission to enter the inner courtyard. You do not need to wait here; you can proceed directly to the second trial."
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Upon hearing this, Lin Wanqiu and Ye Ruoshui were both taken aback, then overjoyed.
"Go directly to the inner courtyard!"
The two exchanged a glance, both filled with excitement.
They knew that the person who could identify them directly in the trial grounds and communicate with them remotely must be an elder of the Holy Academy!
People with such great power wouldn't lie to them.
Therefore, His Highness must have already entered the inner courtyard.
They knew, of course, that the inner courtyard wasn't a place anyone could just enter; one had to have exceptional talent and reach the Primal Embryo Realm to enter.
"May I ask, senior, has His Highness already broken through to the Primal Embryo Realm?"
There was no response.
Ye Ruoshui, "The senior who delivered the message may have already left."
Lin Wanqiu calmed herself and smiled, "Then let's head to the second level of the trial. After we've entered the first level, we'll meet up with His Highness."
"Um."
The two women set off, heading directly towards the entrance to the second trial.
The second stage of the introductory trial tests purely the cultivator's combat ability.
In other words, in a one-on-one duel, who will have the last laugh?