Obtaining a Seat for the Ceremony

Within the Wangchao Martial Academy, inside the Western Expedition Illusion Stone.

Today was the final day since the illusion realm had opened, and only a short time remained before the trial concluded.

Yang Lingrui weighed the token in his hand. It felt heavy, thick with accumulated Martial Fortune. Entering the top six of his group should no longer be an issue.

He had originally wasted three days at the beginning. Relying solely on hunting ordinary Ghost Soldiers and Ghost Generals to squeeze into the top six would have been a narrow, difficult thing.

But Yang Lingrui's luck during these past few days had been exceptionally good.

In the final four days, he had not only encountered several mutated Ghost Generals carrying triple the usual Martial Fortune, but he had even stumbled upon a dying Ghost King gasping for its last breath in a secluded valley.

The Martial Fortune of a single Ghost King was equivalent to a hundred ordinary Ghost Generals. As if struck by a sudden windfall, Yang Lingrui had merely delivered two swift finishing blows to claim that vast sum of Martial Fortune for his token.

"By the grace of the Immortal Venerable, Lingrui is endlessly grateful."

Yang Lingrui had always considered his own luck rather ordinary. This sudden turn of fortune, he believed, must have been brought about by the treasure the Immortal Venerable had bestowed upon him that day.

Whoosh-

As the token in his palm flared with brilliant light, Yang Lingrui's body dissolved into fine specks of starlight, teleporting him back to the real world.

Seven days ago, sixty-four cultivators had entered the illusion realm. Now, only forty-eight were teleported out.

There was no need to ask what had become of the remaining sixteen.

Whether they had fallen beneath the blades of the Ghost Soldiers and Ghost Generals or perished at the hands of their peers was no longer important, nor would anyone investigate.

Within the illusion realm, life and death were one's own responsibility.

That was the exact mindset one had to maintain when entering the Western Expedition Illusion Stone.

"Thank you for your efforts, everyone."

Hong Guang waved his broad sleeve, collecting the tokens from the crowd before arranging and posting the names on a stone board according to the depth of their Martial Fortune.

The first place belonged undisputedly to Ye Lan, who had dominated her entire illusion realm.

Her cultivation and combat strength were already the most formidable among the group. If anyone could have vied with her, it was only Li Qingwan, who currently stood in second place.

"Hiss-Brother Yang, this Li Qingwan is truly terrifying! Aside from her, the other four cultivators in her illusion realm were all near the peak of the Ninth Layer!"

Xu Jian'an muttered in a low voice, "To suppress four others while only at the Eighth Layer realm... this woman is truly extraordinary. I wonder what kind of peerless genius will be able to win her hand in the future."

"Hehe, Brother Xu, those words are somewhat improper. There are plenty of cultivators among us who single-mindedly pursue the Dao and care nothing for romance. Perhaps Miss Li is exactly that sort of person," Yang Lingrui said with a smile.

"True, true. Brother Yang speaks reasonably."

Xu Jian'an murmured in agreement. When he looked up at the list again, he suddenly spotted Yang Lingrui's name.

"Songshan Yang Family, Yang Lingrui, Seventh Place."

"What the..."

Xu Jian'an could not help but blurt out an oath. "Brother Yang, you truly made a fortune in absolute silence! You didn't show a single hint of your strength!"

"It was luck. Truly just good luck this time,"

Yang Lingrui waved his hand, deflecting the praise with a smile.

It was not just Xu Jian'an; even the other young cultivators nearby turned to cast incredulous glances in his direction.

"If I remember correctly, wasn't this man ranked fortieth on the original roster?"

"He didn't seem particularly remarkable during the first round either. Could he have been hiding his strength?"

"The Songshan Yang family... isn't that the clan the He family's young master favors? Perhaps we should take this chance to build a connection with him early."

While the crowd speculated about Yang Lingrui's true capability, only Ye Lan noticed something else. Her junior sister, who was always known for her cool and aloof demeanor, had briefly revealed a faint smile.

Ye Lan looked at Yang Lingrui in surprise, then back to Li Qingwan, unable to fully certain her thoughts.

"On the day the Academy posted the rankings, Qingwan mentioned she already had someone in her heart. Could it be this man?"

Ye Lan still found it difficult to credit, but that passing smile from Li Qingwan just now had been no illusion.

Was it truly as she suspected, or was it merely a coincidence?

She hesitated for a brief moment before gently shaking her head, deciding she must have misunderstood.

This Yang Lingrui was far too ordinary, whether in appearance or strength. He did not seem like the sort of man who could capture Li Qingwan's heart.

As the rankings continued to appear, Xu Jian'an finally spotted his own name in thirteenth place, letting out a massive sigh of relief.

Once the top twenty-two names were fully revealed, those young cultivators who had failed to secure a seat for the ceremony could not help but show expressions of deep disappointment.

"Congratulations to everyone on the list. You have proven your talent and strength through both rounds of selection, and you have earned your seats for the ceremony!"

Hong Guang paused, turning his gaze toward the remaining cultivators who had missed the cut. "As for you young ones who were not selected, there is no need to be disheartened. The Wangchao has decreed that anyone who returned alive from the illusion realm will receive a reward from the Wangchao Treasury. You may follow the academy instructors now to claim your materials."

Hearing that there were still rewards to be had, the unsuccessful young cultivators felt a bit better. They followed several instructors out of Fengtian Pavilion, content that the trip had not been entirely in vain.

Meanwhile, Yang Lingrui and the other twenty-one selected individuals followed Hong Guang deep into the Martial Academy.

Passing through a shimmering curtain of spiritual light, a mountain range that coiled like a giant sleeping dragon appeared before their eyes.

Chongtian City encompassed three major mountain ranges, and one of them lay entirely within the bounds of the Martial Academy.

The high-ranking figures of the Wangchao Martial Academy, various Elders, and numerous direct disciples all resided here.

By the time Yang Lingrui's group arrived, the entrance to the inner valley was already crowded with waiting figures.

When Shen Yue, the Senior Brother of the Academy, saw Ye Lan and Li Qingwan emerge, his tightly furrowed brow finally eased.

"Hmph, she actually made it through. It seems she possesses some small measure of skill,"

Lian Xiaoman muttered under her breath from the sidelines.

Though she held a grievance against Li Qingwan, the fact that the girl had passed the selection and reached this place proved her strength was indeed outstanding.

This time, a total of thirteen disciples from the Academy had participated in the selection, and three had ultimately secured seats-a highly respectable result.

As the host, the Martial Academy also had three disciples claim spots.

Next were Daoyuan Mountain and the Myriad Transformations Sect, each obtaining two seats.

The remaining places fell to various local aristocratic clans and minor sects, each securing one or two spots.

Among the thirty selected cultivators from both pathways, only Yang Lingrui and Xu Jian'an hailed from mere Qi Gathering forces.

Seeing Yang Lingrui, He Shenglai curled his lips into a smile and beckoned to him.

Yang Lingrui took his leave of Xu Jian'an, stepping forward to bow. "Greetings, Lord He. Fortunately, I did not fail your command."

"Not bad. You did excellent."

After He Shenglai spoke, he turned his head toward Su Lingyun, who was currently reclining on a jade bed pretending to sleep. In a slow, deliberate tone, he said, "Ah, Lingrui, how does that saying go again? My memory fails me."

Yang Lingrui followed his gaze, instantly understanding the intent. He spoke up, "Lord He, would that saying happen to be, 'You can never wake a man who is pretending to sleep'?"

"Exactly! That is the one!"

He Shenglai toyed with the steel whip in his hand, his voice dripping with casual malice. "Some people offered heavy rewards and pulled strings in the dark, only to end up drawing water with a bamboo basket-ending with absolutely nothing. It is truly an embarrassing sight."

With that, he turned and led Yang Lingrui toward the mountain peak where they were lodged.

Yang Lingrui's safe return meant that the several hidden pieces the Su family had placed within the trial had all perished inside the illusion realm.

"Stop pretending to sleep. Your people are all dead. What are you still waiting here for?"

Su Lixue walked over from the Academy's contingent, addressing Su Lingyun coldly.

"Waiting for you,"

Su Lingyun suddenly opened his eyes and smiled, turning over to look at her.

Su Lixue froze slightly. It had been a very long time since she had seen such a clean, bright smile on his face.

Yet the cold rationality in her mind immediately flared with alarm, reminding her that this man was a beast in human skin, and everything he showed to the world was a calculated falsehood.

"Heh, Su Lingyun, ending up despised by everyone as you are today is a fate you brought entirely upon yourself. You deserve it!"

Su Lixue glared at him, spat out the words, and turned to leave.

She did not choose to return to the peak occupied by the Su family, opting instead to remain with her fellow disciples from the Academy.

Because she turned away so quickly, she missed the brief flash of genuine disappointment that flickered through Su Lingyun's eyes the moment she said "you deserve it."

"Return to the peak."

Su Lingyun lay back down, ordering his attendants to carry his jade bed back to his residence.

That night, Su Lingyun found that he could not enter meditation no matter what he tried.

After several failed attempts, coupled with the memory of the day's events, a suffocating irritation grew in his chest, as if a wild fury were trapped inside his body with no way to vent.

In his agitation, he suddenly thought of a certain person.

"Old Qin! Old Qin!"

Following Su Lingyun's harsh shouts, Old Qin came stumbling into the room.

"What is it? In the middle of the night, who could have angered-"

Old Qin swallowed the rest of his words the moment he saw the dark fury twisting Su Lingyun's face. He quickly softened his tone, asking quietly, "What is the matter, Young Master? Why such an immense fire?"

"Go and bring Ye Lan to me," Su Lingyun commanded, his voice freezing cold.

Old Qin shivered at the words, lowering his voice in a panic. "Lingyun, that woman belongs to Young Master Liyu."

"I know. I told you to bring her here."

"Hiss-"

While Old Qin was still hesitating, Su Lingyun struck the table, flipping a jade token engraved with the character 'Cloud' into the air.

"A mere Ye family... it matters little who claims to protect them. You need not concern yourself with Liyu. Within the Tiger-Chasing Su Family, he lacks the courage to contend with me!"

Hearing the title of the Tiger-Chasing Su Family, Old Qin felt a deep chill strike his heart. He hurriedly accepted the jade token with both hands and rushed down the mountain into the dark.

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