Dragon God's Ten Trials: The First Trial, Dragon Ascension Ladder

After sending that walking disaster Yu Xiaogang away, Lin Yuan finally felt that the whole academy had gone quiet.

No, not quiet. Clean.

With Yu Xiaogang around, the academy always felt a little filthy.

For now, he did not need to worry about the academy. It might be little more than an academy on paper, but it had everything it needed. The original Lin Yuan had left most matters to Yu Xiaogang, who was genuinely reliable when it came to getting things done.

As for security, Qian Renxue was stationed at the academy. There was nothing to worry about.

It was just that Qian Renxue kept asking for a raise. She was probably short on spending money.

If she ran any lower on funds, Qian Renxue would have to sell her sacred sword.

As the lofty headmaster, he would have to sit down and have a proper talk with his fair-skinned teacher.

The academy was still in its founding stages. She needed to show some dedication. The money would come sooner or later.

But those were minor matters. What baffled Lin Yuan now was why the Divine Examinations had been issued, yet the trials themselves had not begun.

Why was there still no sign of the first trial?

He had clearly designed it perfectly. The early stages were all the same, and they were very simple.

It was not that he was lazy. But there were fifty thousand people. If he had to devise a unique Divine Examination for each of them, his head would explode.

So for the first few stages, all fifty thousand would face the same set of challenges. The real tests would come later, and he could change those whenever he wanted.

The main reason, though, was that he had not thought them through yet.

Still, the first few trials would give them plenty of trouble. No one would pass easily, which bought him time to think.

Why haven't the Divine Examinations begun yet?

Are one of those Baby Dragon clones slacking off behind my back?

Those little guys have gotten awfully bold.

Lin Yuan tapped the Panel suspiciously to see what was going on. As it turned out, he had wronged the Baby Dragons.

The testing grounds across several worlds had to open at the same time. The Baby Dragon clones had been working overtime across Planes, and it had nearly done them in.

Just as Lin Yuan was about to contact them, an enormous golden ladder appeared out of thin air directly above every Shrek Academy in Soul Land I, Soul Land II, Soul Land III, and even this main world. It rose straight into the clouds, its end nowhere in sight.

Then the Heavenly Screen spanning the entire continent blazed with light. Information about the first trial appeared before everyone, announced to the world.

[Dragon God's Ten Trials, First Trial: Dragon God Ladder.

Climb the Dragon Steps that lead straight into the sea of clouds.

With each step, the Dragon Might will grow heavier. The higher you climb, the more rapidly the pressure will multiply.

At one-third of the way through your assigned trial, you will encounter the first obstacle: the Reverse Dragon Slope.

The Reverse Dragon Slope is a steep incline that continuously slides downward under steadily increasing gravity. You must resist being dragged down while forcing your way up. Stop moving, and you will slide back.

After passing it, continue climbing the steps. At two-thirds of the way through your assigned trial, you will reach the second obstacle: the Dragon Crossing Bridge.

Here, the stairways on either side are separated and connected only by a dragon bridge. The bridge is filled with dense blades of dragon-force wind.

The farther you go, the denser the wind blades become. You must withstand the cutting winds and avoid being blown off before you can continue climbing.

After completing the remaining Dragon God Steps, climb the Coiling Dragon Pillar. Only when you reach its top will the first Dragon God Trial be complete.]

The requirements for each level of Divine Examination were also spelled out:

White-Level Five Trials: climb thirty-six steps under three times normal gravity.

Yellow-Level Six Trials: climb seventy-two steps under six times normal gravity.

Purple-Level Seven Trials: climb one hundred and eight steps under ten times normal gravity, with Dragon Might added.

Black-Level Eight Trials: climb one hundred and eighty steps under eighteen times normal gravity, with terrifying Dragon Might and a Dragon Might Tide.

Red-Level Nine Trials: climb three hundred and thirty-three steps under thirty times normal gravity, with an even more terrifying Dragon Might Tide!

Anyone who lacked confidence in passing the highest difficulty could choose a lower one, but their rewards and score would also decrease.

The Red-Level Nine Trials were brutally demanding, but the rewards were enough to make anyone's eyes burn with envy:

There were substantial Soul Power rewards, increases to spirit-ring age, God-Given Spirit Rings and Spirit Bones. The grand prize was the chance to soak in the Dragon Blood Pool at the very top.

According to the description, the pool contained Dragon God's Blood. Soaking in it could temper the body, strengthen the bloodline, widen the meridians, and enhance one's Martial Soul.

How long someone could soak depended entirely on the difficulty of their Divine Examination.

Until now, the supposed divine-level examinations, the Dragon God's Ten Trials, and even the Divine Examination Marks had seemed insubstantial. People were anxious, unsure whether any of it was real.

But now the Dragon Ascension Ladder stood right before their eyes. Anyone with a Divine Examination could step onto it. There was no denying it anymore.

Those who had received Divine Examinations did not hesitate for a moment. They surged toward the ladder, each trying to be first, and the whole Douluo Continent stirred in response.

Those without Divine Examinations were so envious their eyes practically bled.

Climbing the ladder and tempering their bodies would strengthen them on its own. And then there was the Dragon Blood Pool. Wouldn't a soak in that change their fate entirely?

Who would not want it?

But there was only one way to obtain a Divine Examination slot: hunt down a registered candidate and take their place.

So the moment the Divine Examinations truly began, the killing started. It would not stop.

Every Shrek student would become prey.

That was how it was on this Douluo Continent.

The other four worlds must be in chaos by now too, right?

He had set the cauldron in place. Who would become the poison, and who would become the cure, was up to them.

Meanwhile, in the Peerless Tang Sect world.

Huo Yuhao had only just returned from Sun Moon Imperial City after reaching a million kills. He had barely sat down before Taotie Douluo Xuan Zi urgently summoned him.

All of Shrek Academy's senior figures were gathered in the Sea God Pavilion: Taotie Douluo Xuan Zi, Elder Song, Elder Zhuang, and Elder Lin.

Only senior sister Zhang Lexuan was absent. It seemed they had deliberately sent her away.

The room was full of elders, every face grimmer than the last. The air was heavy.

Xuan Zi spoke first.

"Yuhao, you know about the Divine Examinations, don't you?"

"I do, Xuan Zi. Elders, everyone is talking about them, and anyone can see the Heavenly Screen just by looking up. Of course I know."

A bitter smile appeared on Huo Yuhao's face.

"But I don't qualify. My Innate Soul Power was only level one. I don't even meet the minimum requirement for a Divine Examination. I've brought shame on Shrek, and on all of you."

Huo Yuhao felt so bitter because, after learning about the Divine Examinations, both the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and the Ice Empress had come to regret their choice.

The Divine Examinations favored innate talent. The weaker someone's innate talent, the greater their disadvantage. Choosing Huo Yuhao had been a mistake, but they were bound too closely to him now to leave.

Huo Yuhao did not know how to comfort the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm or the Ice Empress. He had not expected to be called in for a scolding from the elders as well.

Life was hard enough already.

Then Taotie Douluo Xuan Zi spoke:

"We know."

Xuan Zi's voice was low and measured.

"But you have Twin Martial Souls. You're a genius. Deciding whether someone qualifies for a Divine Examination based solely on Innate Soul Power is absurd. It's far too unfair."

These monsters claimed Shrek Academy accepted only geniuses, not trash. Yet now that someone they considered trash was useful to them, they called the rules unfair. Their double standards knew no bounds.

"You are Shrek's hope and the next Pavilion Master. You must take part in this Divine Examination."

Huo Yuhao jolted.

"But Xuan Zi,

the only way someone who doesn't qualify can obtain a Divine Examination is to kill a registered Shrek student and take their place. Are you asking me to...?"