At that moment, on the Sacred Dragon Mountain Range at the surface of the Demon Dragon Realm, the dense Black Mist that had shrouded the mountains had completely dispersed. The new students taking part in the Academy's third round of the Trial were gathering there in small groups.
Because of an unexpected upheaval in the Dragon Realm Secret Realm, the Trial, originally scheduled to last at least half a year, had been called off early.
Though this round had been perilous enough to claim several hundred new students, those who had survived this long had mostly met the admission requirements and secured their places at Starfall Academy.
So despite their bloodstained clothes and exhausted faces, the new students could not hide the excitement and relief in their eyes as they exchanged stories of what they had endured.
Ling Shanshan, War-Heaven Dragon, Fu Dao, and Chen Lin were among them.
Meanwhile, the many Academy Elders who had remained in the Demon Dragon Realm to clear out Evil Creatures around the Secret Realm and oversee the Trial had gathered beside the enormous Teleportation Array on the range's main peak. They conferred in low voices, their expressions grave, occasionally looking up at the sky with worry etched across their brows.
Just then, the Great Elder arrived with Lin Yi and the others in a streak of dazzling light. They landed steadily beside the Teleportation Array and joined the elders.
Elder Yao of the First Vein hurried forward. "Great Elder, you're finally here! The Dragon Realm Secret Realm is pulling away from the Demon Dragon Realm faster and faster. If we delay another few hours, it may fall completely into the Dark Mist True Realm, and we'll never be able to track it again!"
The Great Elder frowned and glanced at the Teleportation Array.