Wang Tian looked at the young man before him. It seemed the youth knew something, and this family trial might hold hidden secrets, otherwise, why would he take it so seriously? Wang Tian asked plainly, "What exactly is going on? Tell me."
"Fine, you're a dead man anyway. I am a disciple of the Lin family, Lin Li, participating in this trial. This trial, to put it bluntly, is a competition between three major families. The disciples of the three families will participate together, and the family with the most points will gain the right to allocate tokens for Lingyun Academy."
"There are only eight tokens for Lingyun Academy. If the three families were to divide them, no one would be satisfied, as every family has a genius. The more disciples enter Lingyun Academy, the better. Do you understand now?"
After speaking, Lin Li looked at Wang Tian with disdain. Among the three major families, the Wang family was the weakest. The other two families saw no reason for the Wang family to gain any Lingyun Academy tokens. However, due to orders from Lingyun Academy, fair competition was enforced. These eight tokens were already divided between the two families, four each. The Wang family had no claim.
Lingyun Academy was one of the prestigious academies in the Northern Yuan Continent. Students graduating from it all became geniuses of the continent, their glory lasting a lifetime. Wang Tian had not expected such a matter to be involved in a mere family trial. No wonder the family head hadn't told them. The Wang family's strength was too weak compared to the other two; revealing this would only dampen their morale. Sometimes, not knowing certain things was better.
Wang Tian spoke again, "Then why are you trying to kill me?"
"Kid, it seems you truly know nothing. Then listen carefully, the top eight disciples in terms of points on the tokens will receive the tokens. Do you understand now?"
"This trial is not just a family trial, but a trial for disciples of three families. I've told you enough, boy, now you can die. I'm looking forward to your score!"
Lin Li stepped forward, his figure exploding with speed as he charged. In an instant, he was in front of Wang Tian. Lin Li struck out with his right hand, his palm aimed at Wang Tian's head. Lin Li did not use his full power in this strike. In his view, Wang Tian, a cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Condensation, was no match for him, a cultivator at the third level of Spirit Condensation. This palm strike was enough to kill him.
As Lin Li struck with confidence, Wang Tian dodged to the left with a slight movement. The palm strike actually grazed past Wang Tian's hair.
Wang Tian's body instinctively dodged. Wang Tian couldn't control it, but perhaps it was for the best. In many critical situations, Wang Tian would not be harmed.
Lin Li looked at Wang Tian in disbelief. What kind of evasion was this? His palm had been a hair's breadth away from Wang Tian's head just moments ago. Could the opponent even grasp such a minute distance with such precision?
"Kid, who are you? State your name. I, Lin Li, do not kill the nameless."
"Wang family, Wang Tian!"
Wang Tian remained calm. The gap in cultivation was still insurmountable. Wang Tian needed to think of a way.
The vast difference in cultivation meant that even with instinctive evasion, if Wang Tian was hit even once, he would perish.
Wang Tian and Lin Li's eyes met. Wang Tian's mind raced, searching for a single solution. Lin Li saw that Wang Tian was not fleeing but standing his ground, which earned a modicum of respect.
At least the Wang family had some backbone.
Wang Tian attacked first. Having the initiative meant having an opportunity, and he couldn't afford to be passive. However, in Lin Li's eyes, this was sheer recklessness.
A Qi Condensation cultivator trying to contend with a Spirit Condensation cultivator was suicidal, a pipe dream. The difference was a whole major realm; they were fundamentally different.
Qi Condensation cultivators condense a vortex of Qi within their bodies. When the vortex reaches its peak, it transforms into a divine infant. The condensation of Qi into an infant represents the Spirit Condensation realm. The power of the Qi vortex undergoes a qualitative change and expansion.
Starting anew, absorbing Qi, the power of the vortex is not on the same level as that of the Qi Condensation realm. Wang Tian was aware of this, but he had no other choice but to attack. After all, he couldn't escape. For a Qi Condensation cultivator to escape under the watchful eyes of a Spirit Condensation cultivator was impossible.
Lin Li watched Wang Tian's full-power punches and extended his arm, gently blocking. He firmly grasped Wang Tian's fist, restraining it completely. Lin Li sneered, "If all the disciples of your Wang family are like you, I believe this trial will turn into a massacre. I truly wonder how many of your remaining family members will survive."
"But you probably won't get to see it. Die!"
Lin Li's palm transformed into a claw, and he fiercely grabbed towards Wang Tian. In an instant, his arm pierced Wang Tian's chest. Blood trickled from Wang Tian's lips, and his eyes grew hazy.
Lin Li withdrew his arm, blood spurting out. Wang Tian's body fell to the ground. Lin Li slowly approached, intending to retrieve the token from Wang Tian's person. That token represented points!
Only disciples who reached the top eight in points could obtain tokens for Lingyun Academy. As a prestigious academy, which cultivator wouldn't wish to enter? It contained countless opportunities, treasures, martial arts, cultivation techniques, and so on.
The path to becoming stronger lay there. Who could refuse it?
What unfolded in the forest was not the slaughter of demonic beasts by humans, but the combat between humans and humans.
It was incredibly brutal.
With seven to eight hundred people from the three major families combined, selecting only eight from their ranks showed how high the mortality rate was.
Wang Tian's consciousness began to fade. He roared, "No, no, I can't die here. I still have my own goals to achieve. I want to live, I want to survive until the end."
"Strength, I need strength. If my cultivation wasn't so slow, would I still be facing death?"
"It's a pity everything is predetermined by heaven, but I am not reconciled. Heaven, I want to live!"
As if in response to his roar, a beam of light enveloped Wang Tian's consciousness. Within the light, Wang Tian heard a voice: "Congratulations, you have completed the will trial. Please maintain this awareness until the end!"
At this moment, Wang Tian's body outside emitted a white pillar of light. Wang Tian's corpse floated towards the sky. Lin Li was stunned by the sudden turn of events, afraid to advance further.
Lin Li sensed that if he were to get close to this pillar of light, he would be instantly annihilated, leaving not even ashes.
The divine infants condensed by Spirit Condensation cultivators possessed a strong sense of danger. He watched silently, thinking that no matter what, Wang Tian was no match for him.
At the center of the light pillar, Wang Tian's injuries healed. A new layer of flesh grew over the gaping hole in his chest. He underwent a complete shedding of skin. Yes, shedding his skin. New skin, blood, nerves, and organs replaced his entire body. As the light pillar dispersed, Wang Tian's entire being underwent a monumental transformation.
Wang Tian, no, he should be called Chen Tian now. Chen Tian slowly opened his eyes and murmured, 'The trial for the clone is finally complete. All that's left is to raise my cultivation.'
The speaker was both Wang Tian and Chen Tian. This body was originally Chen Tian's clone. Now that Wang Tian had recovered Chen Tian's memories, such a change was natural. Chen Tian's appearance was identical to his main body.
Lin Li looked at the transformed Wang Tian, his heart filled with terror. The opponent's injuries were gone, and his aura was even stronger. What was happening?
"Could this guy have some treasure on him!"
At this thought, Lin Li looked at Chen Tian with greed. Chen Tian landed, and Lin Li decisively attacked, unleashing his full power in an attempt to end it quickly. This was an opening for the opponent.
Chen Tian shook his head, looking at the charging Lin Li. He opened his palms and grabbed Lin Li's fists, then lightly flung him, slamming Lin Li to the ground with an over-the-shoulder throw.
*Boom!*
The ground thundered. Chen Tian released his palms and clapped them together, saying, "Now I'll give you a chance. Hand over your token, or I will kill you."
After all, the Northern Yuan Continent was a world beneath the Divine Realm. Killing innocent people here didn't feel right. The relationship was akin to that of an empire and its subjects, with Chen Tian being the emperor and Lin Li a subject. Why would an emperor kill his subject?
Was the country not needed anymore?
This analogy might be fitting. The world of the Northern Yuan Continent was subservient to the Divine Realm, essentially the subjects of the Divine Realm. There was no need for it. Chen Tian did not wish to kill, and besides, this was a trial; all that mattered was raising his cultivation.
"Impossible, how did you suddenly become so powerful?"
Lin Li exclaimed in shock. Chen Tian's aura hadn't changed; he was still at the seventh level of Qi Condensation, yet he was like a completely different person from before. He couldn't understand it.
Could this kid have been hiding his strength before?
Chen Tian remained silent. While his memories had returned and his cultivation was only at the seventh level of Qi Condensation, he still possessed other advantages, such as his physique and combat awareness. Lin Li's attacks, in Chen Tian's eyes, were all filled with openings. By targeting these openings, even the most powerful attacks could be neutralized.
It wasn't that Chen Tian was too strong. At this moment, Chen Tian was likely at his weakest. The two had a vast difference in combat experience.
"Kid, I don't know what dark arts you used, but I'm taking your token. And all the treasures on you will be mine."
Lin Li stood up, his clothes torn. A pill appeared in his palm. There were pills in the Northern Yuan Continent, of course, as Chen Tian had chosen a fantasy world.
It was a world similar to the cultivation world, so the existence of pills was not unusual.
After swallowing the pill, Lin Li's entire being erupted with power. His eyes turned bloodshot, and his aura exploded outward, creating shockwaves that devastated everything around him.
Raging Pill: Grants the user immense power and a berserk state for a short period, disregarding friend or foe and losing all reason.
If there were many people around, Lin Li would not dare to use this pill. Now, with only him and Chen Tian, Chen Tian naturally became Lin Li's target.
"Kill!"
A hoarse voice rang out. Lin Li stepped forward, creating a sonic boom, and instantly appeared behind Chen Tian. Chen Tian flashed, disappearing from his spot.
Ability: Teleportation!
A skill from a game that had become Chen Tian's ability in another world.
With teleportation activated, Lin Li's attack missed completely.
Chen Tian reappeared on the other side, his hands wrapped in starlight, empowered by stellar energy. However, this stellar energy was different from what Chen Tian had used before. This stellar energy was from the stars of this world. The stellar energy Chen Tian had used previously was from the Divine Realm and the cultivation world. In comparison, the stellar energy of the Northern Yuan Continent was very weak. But for Chen Tian, as long as he could comprehend one type of power, it would become the strongest after fusion upon completion of the trial.