Mobilization

Su Shi'er hadn't planned on teaming up with anyone to begin with, and after seeing this, he found it even more uninteresting. Shaking his head, he decisively refused: "No thanks, I'm used to acting alone."

With that, he turned and squeezed into the crowd, finding an inconspicuous spot.

Zhu Hanwei wanted to persuade him further, but seeing Su Shi'er's firm attitude, he opened his mouth, then dropped the idea and returned to his three companions.

As soon as he got close, the young man at Qi Refining Stage Three among the crowd rolled his eyes and said, "I told you not to call that kid, but you wouldn't listen. Good thing he didn't come, or we'd have another deadweight!"

"Exactly, that kid just started training half a year earlier and became a Qi Refiner a step ahead of us. With his Mixed Spiritual Roots, he's probably at most just barely reached Qi Refining Stage Two by now. I'm already at the peak of Qi Refining Stage Two, about to break into Stage Three any moment." A square-faced young man chimed in, a hint of pride in his voice.

"That guy's pretty cocky though, doesn't appreciate the opportunity he's given. Does he think he can pass the trial all by himself?" Another young man with an oval face pursed his lips.

"Enough, let's drop it. When the trial ends and he fails the assessment, spending his whole life as a handyman disciple, he'll know regret!" The young man at Qi Refining Stage Three spoke again, putting an end to the topic.

Zhu Hanwei stood to the side with his head down, forcing a smile, and said nothing.

But in his heart, he always felt Su Shi'er wasn't that simple.

He clearly remembered that among the four, Chen Tie, the fastest cultivator at Qi Refining Stage Three, had taken a full seven months just to become a Qi Refiner at Stage One.

Su Shi'er, naturally, knew nothing of this discussion.

Having moved to an inconspicuous spot, he continued waiting patiently.

Just as the sun was about to rise, the vast square suddenly fell silent.

From the main hall, three figures walked out.

In the center was a man in a green robe, with a youthful face and white hair. It was none other than Luofu Peak's Peak Master, Lu Mingshi.

Flanking him on either side were a young man and a young woman.

The man had sword-like brows and starry eyes, a handsome face, tall and dashing, with a hint of arrogance in his expression. This was Han Yu, the genius who had joined Luofu Peak alongside Su Shi'er and the others five years ago.

The woman had a graceful figure, brows like distant spring mountains, eyes like autumn pools—a beauty that could topple cities and captivate nations, as ethereal as a celestial maiden. A faint smile graced her face, revealing two small dimples, like a gentle breeze. This woman was Lu Mingshi's granddaughter and Luofu Peak's universally recognized first beauty, Xiao Yue.

The two walked side by side, like a perfect pair of golden boy and jade girl. Their cultivation levels were astonishing, both at the peak of Qi Refining Stage Six.

The clothes and shoes they wore were far more splendid than what the crowd had on, emitting a faint, radiant glow. Behind each of them hung a sword—one cyan, one purple.

These clothes, shoes, and swords were all High-grade Magical Artifacts.

Seeing the two, everyone in the square gasped in shock. At this moment, it was no longer envy, but jealousy and hatred!

What was a true tycoon? This was a true tycoon!

Among the crowd, Su Shi'er's eyes burned with desire. He could see three top-grade magical artifacts on each of them, but what about what he couldn't see?

He clearly noticed that both Han Yu and Xiao Yue had a delicate little cloth pouch at their waists.

Those were unmistakably two Storage Pouches.

"As expected of the Peak Master's personal disciples."

"But Han Yu's talent is just too strong. Only five years, and he's already reached the peak of Qi Refining Stage Six?! No wonder the Peak Master treats him so specially."

Su Shi'er wasn't surprised by Xiao Yue's cultivation level. After all, five years ago, she already had some cultivation.

But Han Yu truly shocked him.

Only at this moment did he realize how vast the gap between a genius and an ordinary person was.

Still, he didn't lose his mental balance. He had no intention of comparing himself to anyone. He only wanted to steadily improve his own strength, find that Man in Black, and avenge his grandfather and the villagers.

Just then, Lu Mingshi led Han Yu and Xiao Yue to the front of the square. His gaze swept over the crowd, and he spoke calmly.

"This Newcomer Trial has only one focus: collecting materials. The materials include those for artifact forging, alchemy, and various other types."

"The final results will be tallied based on the number of materials collected. Those who gather more than ten Second-Grade Materials can become formal disciples."

"To help everyone collect materials more effectively, the sect will issue each person a temporary Storage Pouch, a Material Compendium, and a Teleportation Talisman."

"The Teleportation Talisman requires Ninety Days to charge. After Ninety Days, it will automatically teleport the wearer back. Therefore, you must keep it safe and never lose it."

Lu Mingshi spoke concisely, introducing the trial rules and also mentioning some information about the Ancient Forbidden Zone.

It was much the same as what Su Shi'er had learned from Meng Tianyi, just without the process of discovering the forbidden zone.

After finishing his speech, Lu Mingshi's gaze quickly swept over the crowd. His brow furrowed slightly, and he shook his head with some dissatisfaction.

Though the square was packed with people, in his eyes, they were mostly a bunch of misfits, invisible and unremarkable.

With a sigh, he turned to look at Han Yu and Xiao Yue beside him.

"This trial is in a new place. There will certainly be some danger, but the opportunities are also great."

"I can't count on the others. Yu'er, this time, it's mainly up to you! Your senior sister's cultivation isn't bad, but her strength is still a bit behind yours. You need to take good care of her too."

As he spoke, a happy smile spread across Lu Mingshi's face, his expression kind and gentle, his eyes filled with nothing but satisfaction.

"Master, rest assured, your disciple will certainly not fail your trust!" Han Yu said with a look of pride, chest puffed out and head held high, his gaze firm.

Lu Mingshi nodded in satisfaction, ignoring everyone else, and pulled Han Yu and Xiao Yue aside to continue giving them quiet instructions.

In the square, everyone's spirits were lifted by Lu Mingshi's words.

A newly discovered Ancient Forbidden Zone, filled with a vast number of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures?!

This news was nothing short of explosive.

For many disciples of ordinary talent, relying solely on hard training would never lead to any achievement.

Only with the aid of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures could they hope to advance further.

Even an ant clings to life; many menial disciples who had once felt their Immortal Path was hopeless now saw the Hope Fire reignited within them.

Su Shi'er mingled among the crowd, maintaining a relatively restrained demeanor. He had long known this information. Unlike the excitement and fervor of others, he only felt that this journey would be far more dangerous than imagined.

At the same time, two Boy Attendants in Disciple Robes appeared, each carrying a large tray to the square.

On the trays lay brand-new cloth pouches, each the size of a palm.

Those pouches were none other than Low-grade Spatial Artifacts, Storage Pouches.

Using his identity token, Su Shi'er quickly received one.