Just then—
"Third trial."
"Since ancient times, Prodigy Road has accepted only one hundred and eight contestants. This trial ranks participants according to Golden Core grade. The bottom one hundred and eight will all be eliminated. If their Golden Core grades are equal, their cultivation levels will determine who stays and who goes."
Chen Qiu looked oddly at the cloud-wreathed panel before him. The first two trials had at least allowed for some subjective initiative; even if one lacked strength, one could still use certain methods to improve one's ranking. But this trial— It was simple and brutal, directly selecting the top one hundred and eight according to Golden Core grade. In other words, anyone with a lower-grade Golden Core would be denied entry to Prodigy Road outright, unable even to pass through the Preliminary Screening Secret Realm? What exactly was this Prodigy Road, to screen people so strictly? Still, he was not worried. After all, it was impossible for anyone's Golden Core grade to be higher than his. He was merely concerned that if his Golden Core grade were exposed, then once the Great Xia Kingdom's cage was broken in the future, the dangers awaiting him might be... just a tiny bit numerous. Soon, another ranking list appeared upon the stone stele.
"Third Trial: Golden Core Grade Rankings."
"First place: Chen Qiu, Sect Master of the Mocking Heaven Sect."
"Second place: Li Shiyi, true disciple of the Dao Sword Sect."
"Third place: Zhang Mo, Holy Son of the Heaven-Bestowing Sect."
```
The situation Chen Qiu had feared did not occur. The ranking displayed only their placements, not their specific Golden Core grades.
Seeing this, Chen Qiu could not help but grin.
He had never expected to take first place three times in a row.
If nothing unexpected