Core Member Trial

Cang Jin decided to contact his superior immediately, a super expert at the World Lord first order.

"My lord, I discovered a genius on Myriad Monster Star who has reached the Space Domain third layer while still at the Stellar level. I wish to recommend him for the Core Members assessment."

There was a moment of silence from the other end of the call before a low voice replied, "The Space Domain third layer? That qualifies. There are still openings this year. Bring him to Misty Star."

"Yes, thank you, my lord!"

After the match ended, Cang Jin stopped Golden Horn directly.

"Young man, are you interested in joining the Monster Hunting Hall?"

Golden Horn's heart stirred, but he put on a puzzled expression. "The Monster Hunting Hall?"

Cang Jin nodded and slowly said, "The Monster Hunting Hall was founded jointly by the Dream Demon Ancestor and the Shock Demon Ancestor. It is one of the Demon Race's core powers. I am Cang Jin, the person in charge of the Monster Hunting Hall's Myriad Monster Star branch. The Monster Hunting Hall has ordinary members and Core Members. Ordinary members can only take missions, accumulate merit, and exchange it for resources."

"Core Members, on the other hand, receive extensive resources from the very beginning—secret techniques, natural treasures, anything you need, the Monster Hunting Hall can provide it. You will still need to undertake some missions later on. They are more dangerous, but the opportunities are greater!"

He paused and looked Golden Horn directly in the eye. "If you are willing to join, you will have a chance to become Core Members. At the very least, you can become an ordinary member."

"A chance to become Core Members?" Golden Horn raised a brow.

"Yes. There are limited Core Members slots, and every one of them receives immense resources for cultivation. Even an organization as powerful as the Monster Hunting Hall cannot train too many of them. That is why they must be selected through an assessment."

Golden Horn fell silent for a moment.

He remembered the finger of that Sector Lord elder when his true body had fallen. That casual strike had left him without even the thought of resisting. Without a background or backing, no matter how talented one was, one was merely fish on the chopping block.

"I'm willing."

A smile appeared on Cang Jin's face.

"Very good. From today onward, you are an outer member of the Monster Hunting Hall. This is my token. Keep it safe. You can go back and rest for now. Come find me at the Monster Hunting Hall in a few days, and I will take you to Misty Star for the official Core Members assessment. Pass it, and you will become Core Members."

Golden Horn nodded, accepted the token, and turned to leave.

After returning to the courtyard, Golden Horn did not rest immediately. He first checked the condition of his true body inside his internal world—the Light Egg was still slowly gestating, and everything was normal.

He had no idea how dangerous this trip to Misty Star would be. He could not risk taking the Origin Core with him.

With that in mind, Golden Horn took out a special small spatial ring he had bought earlier. He removed the Origin Core from his avatar and carefully placed it inside. The ring had undergone special treatment; mental power could not penetrate it, making it almost impossible to sense.

He hid the ring deep within a crack between stones in a corner of the courtyard, then covered it with loose rubble. Only after confirming that nothing was amiss did he straighten up.

"This way, even if something happens to the avatar, my consciousness won't completely dissipate."

Golden Horn let out a long breath, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes to recover. The earlier battle had drained him considerably. Although the wounds in his scales had already scabbed over, the shock to his internal organs would still take time to heal. As he circulated his cultivation technique to treat his injuries, he reviewed every battle from that day in his mind—the timing of his avatar's use, the angles of his teleportation, the force behind his attacks...

The night passed quietly.

Early the next morning, when the sky had only just begun to brighten, Golden Horn arrived at the Monster Hunting Hall.

Cang Jin greeted him with a smile, looked him over, and nodded. "You're in good condition. Let's go. The spacecraft is ready."

The two passed through the rear hall of the Monster Hunting Hall and arrived at a dedicated spacecraft docking area. A pitch-black warship rested silently there, its hull engraved with the Monster Hunting Hall's emblem—a savage beast's head that radiated a frigid aura.

After boarding, the spacecraft quickly rose into the air and headed into the vast universe.

Cang Jin sat inside the cabin and briefly explained the assessment to Golden Horn.

"The assessment has three stages: willpower, combat ability, and learning ability. You can only become Core Members after passing all three."

"What are the specific tests?" Golden Horn asked.

Cang Jin smiled. "You'll find out when you get there."

Golden Horn did not ask further and closed his eyes to meditate. The spacecraft sped through the starry sky at five times the speed of light, and the starlight outside the window stretched into long, thin lines. Ten days later, an ash-white planet appeared in view.

Misty Star was far less prosperous than Myriad Monster Star.

A faint layer of mist blanketed the planet's surface. Its buildings were low and ancient, while huge martial training grounds and enclosed cultivation chambers stood everywhere. Few spacecraft came and went, but every one bore the same emblem. There were no bustling commercial streets or crowded masses, only a heavy, murderous solemnity.

After the spacecraft landed, someone was there to receive them. Golden Horn followed Cang Jin through corridor after corridor until they finally arrived at a vast, empty hall.

The hall's dome rose dozens of meters high and was built from massive dark-gray stones. The four walls bore no decorations. Only a huge black banner hung in the center, embroidered with the Monster Hunting Hall's emblem.

Five members of the Demon Race were already standing in the hall, each with a different form. There was a Scorpion Race member covered entirely in scales, a Snake Race member dragging a long tail, and a broad, burly member of the Bear Race. Their auras were all exceptionally condensed. They were Stellar level ninth order, and even the weakest had reached the second layer of Domain.

On the stone platform at the very front of the hall sat an old man.

The old man wore a gray robe. He was gaunt, and his face resembled dried tree bark. His eyes were closed as though he were sleeping, yet the faint pressure he emitted made the air in the entire hall feel heavy. Golden Horn did not even dare probe him with mental power. His instincts told him that this was a World Lord, likely the same "lord" Cang Jin had mentioned.

Cang Jin hurried forward and bowed. "My lord, I have brought him."

The old man slightly opened his eyes. His murky gaze swept over Golden Horn, then over the other five present. He said calmly, "Since everyone is here, let us begin. Six of you will participate in this assessment. I hope you all pass."

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears, as if he were whispering beside them.

The old man continued, "The first stage is willpower. The path of cultivation is fraught with danger. Without firm will, you will not go far, nor can you become strong. Enter the first trial chamber, where you will face a pressure test. The longer you endure, the higher your score. Reaching the standard counts as passing; there is no need to compare yourselves with others. If you cannot endure it, you may walk out on your own. If you force yourself until you faint, you will be automatically teleported out."

Golden Horn's heart tightened. A pressure test tested will and spirit—things that could not be faked.

The six entered the first trial chamber one after another.

It was a small room with smooth walls and no handholds of any kind. The floor was made of cold black stone slabs, and a dim blue crystal lamp above them gave off a faint glow.

Each of them took their positions. Then, with a hum, an invisible pressure surged at them from the depths of the room.