Chapter 87 The First Eliminations
Chapter 87 The First Eliminations
Chapter 87: Chapter 87 The First Eliminations
The Primordial Devouring Beast continued its relentless pursuit.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Its enormous footsteps shook the ancient stone road as thousands of cultivators desperately ran forward.
Nobody dared to slow down.
After witnessing the sudden disappearances of the 2 independent cultivators, the remaining participants had become even more cautious. The treasures scattered along the road no longer attracted their attention. Even those who had been tempted earlier understood that stopping could cost them their chance to continue.
Behind them, the Primordial Devouring Beast released another deafening roar.
ROOOAAARRR!
"RUN FASTER!"
"That thing is still chasing us!"
"How are we supposed to keep running for 3 days?!"
Complaints filled the passage, but nobody could afford to stop and argue.
The road stretched endlessly into the distance, its golden haze concealing whatever lay ahead.
At the front of the crowd, the 10 Lin Clan youngsters continued running together.
Lin Chen maintained his position at the front, occasionally looking back to ensure that everyone was keeping up.
"Maintain your formation. Don’t waste your strength by running recklessly."
"Understood!"
Lin Mo glanced over his shoulder.
"That beast certainly knows how to make an entrance. We’ve been running for so long, and it still hasn’t given up."
Lin Zhen chuckled despite the situation.
"Would you prefer that it catch up with us?"
"Of course not!"
"Then stop complaining and run."
Lin Mo clicked his tongue but obediently continued forward.
The other youngsters couldn’t help smiling at their exchange.
Although they remained alert, none of them was panicking.
Their intensive training inside the Time Tower had strengthened both their bodies and their minds. They understood the importance of maintaining their composure when facing danger.
Behind them, the Primordial Devouring Beast continued its pursuit.
Its crimson eyes remained fixed on the fleeing cultivators.
For now, the chase continued without interruption.
---
Outside the Primordial Sealing Ruin, the atmosphere was completely different.
The elders from the various forces remained gathered around the enormous ancient stone gate, waiting for news from their successors.
Nobody knew what was happening inside.
The elders had expected their younger generations to explore the ruin, search for opportunities, and compete for its inheritance.
Suddenly, a strange spatial fluctuation appeared several steps away from the entrance.
Several elders immediately turned their heads.
"What is that?"
Before anyone could respond, a burst of light erupted.
2 figures appeared out of nowhere.
Both were young independent cultivators.
Their clothes were disheveled, and their faces were filled with shock and embarrassment.
For a brief moment, the surrounding elders stared at them in silence.
Then someone exclaimed.
"They came out!"
"How is that possible?!"
"Didn’t they enter the ruin earlier?"
The sudden appearance of the 2 cultivators caused an uproar.
Nobody had expected anyone to emerge from the ruin before the exploration was complete.
An elder stepped forward and examined them carefully.
Why did you come out earlier that others?
"Did you encounter some kind of restriction?"
Questions came from every direction.
The 2 independent cultivators exchanged uneasy glances.
They had barely recovered from the shock of being transported outside the ruin when they found themselves surrounded by powerful elders demanding answers.
The first young man swallowed nervously before speaking.
"We... we were participating in a trial."
"A trial?"
The elders exchanged bewildered looks.
"What trial are you talking about?"
The second young man hurriedly explained.
"After we entered the ruin, a mysterious formation activated and transported everyone to a huge platform. An ancient voice announced that we had to complete 5 trials to continue toward the inheritance."
The elders stared at him.
"5 trials?"
"An ancient voice?"
"Why have we never heard of this before?"
Their confusion only deepened.
They had studied the records left behind by previous generations. Although the Primordial Sealing Ruin was ancient and mysterious, none of their known records mentioned such an arrangement.
The first young man continued.
"Our first trial was to run along an ancient road for 3 days while being chased by a beast."
"Being chased by a beast for 3 days?" an elder repeated in disbelief.
The young man nodded rapidly.
"The beast was terrifying! Its cultivation was at Peak Tribulation Transcendence Realm. It chased us relentlessly, and we didn’t dare stop."
The surrounding elders became even more surprised.
A beast at Peak Tribulation Transcendence Realm was an extraordinary threat to cultivators who had entered the ruin under its restrictions.
But that wasn’t the only part of the explanation that caught their attention.
"Then why were you expelled?" another elder asked sharply.
The 2 cultivators lowered their heads.
The first young man hesitated before answering.
"There were treasures scattered along the road. I saw a spiritual fruit and thought I could take it while the beast had stopped pursuing us for a short while."
He paused before continuing.
"But when I touched the fruit, a hidden formation activated and transported me outside the ruin."
The second young man quickly added, "I thought the formation might only be connected to that fruit. I saw a pile of spirit stones nearby and tried to take some, but the same thing happened to me."
The elders fell silent.
They had been shocked by the existence of the trials, but learning that the 2 cultivators had been expelled for attempting to collect treasures left them with even more questions.
An elder frowned.
"Did the ancient voice explain what would happen to those who failed?"
The first young man nodded.
"It said that anyone who died during a trial would be transported outside the ruin alive, but their cultivation would be reduced by 1 minor level. They would also be eliminated from the remaining trials."
The elders exchanged astonished glances.
Transported outside alive?
With reduced cultivation?
And eliminated from the remaining trials?
Such a mechanism was completely different from the dangers they had expected within the ruin.
More importantly, the ancient voice had apparently announced these rules only after the cultivators had entered.
None of the elders had known about them beforehand.
For a moment, the surrounding area fell silent as everyone tried to make sense of the revelation.
Then one of the elders stepped forward.
His expression had become stern.
"As cultivators, you should know how to control your greed, especially in situations like this. But no, you both allowed greed to take over your thoughts."
The 2 young men lowered their heads further.
The elder continued.
"You entered an unknown ancient ruin and encountered a trial you knew nothing about. You were already being pursued by a terrifying beast, yet you still chose to risk everything for a few treasures."
He shook his head.
"You made your choices, and now you must accept the consequences. Leave this place."
The 2 cultivators stood frozen for a moment.
Neither dared to argue.
They had already lost a minor cultivation level and been eliminated from the trial. There was nothing left for them to gain by remaining there.
"Yes, Senior."
They bowed their heads and quietly departed.
Their faces burned with shame as they walked away from the gathering.
They had entered the Primordial Sealing Ruin hoping to obtain opportunities that could change their lives.
Instead, they had become the first 2 participants to be eliminated.
And their greed had been the reason.
---
After the 2 cultivators left, the elders gathered into smaller groups.
The atmosphere had become noticeably more serious.
They had entered this exploration expecting danger, competition, and the possibility of losing some of their younger generations.
However, the existence of an unprecedented trial had changed their expectations completely.
One elder took out a communication jade slip.
"I must inform our clan about this immediately."
The others quickly followed his example.
One after another, they retrieved their communication tools and sent messages to their respective clans, families, and sects.
They reported everything the 2 independent cultivators had revealed.
The mysterious announcement.
The 5 trials.
The Primordial Devouring Beast.
The treasures that triggered hidden formations.
The expulsion mechanism and the loss of 1 minor cultivation level.
Nobody could predict what would happen next.
Even the most experienced elders understood that the Primordial Sealing Ruin had revealed a side of itself that their predecessors had never recorded.
Among the gathered cultivators, Lin Cangyuan remained quiet.
He had listened carefully to the 2 independent cultivators’ account.
At first, he had been just as surprised as everyone else.
However, one particular detail had caught his attention.
The beast had pursued the participants relentlessly, yet according to the 2 young men, it had maintained a seemingly perfect distance from them for much of the chase.
Lin Cangyuan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"If that beast truly wanted to kill them, would it need to maintain such a distance?"
He pondered the matter for a moment.
The creature possessed Peak Tribulation Transcendence Realm cultivation. Its speed and strength were far beyond what most of the participants could match.
If it had genuinely intended to slaughter everyone on the road, the situation might have been considerably different.
Yet it had continued chasing them without immediately catching up to them.
Lin Cangyuan stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Perhaps this trial isn’t intended to kill them. It may be testing their perseverance and ability to endure pressure."
Of course, this was only his deduction.
He had no proof that his assumption was correct.
Nevertheless, the possibility made him feel somewhat relieved.
His thoughts drifted toward the 10 Lin Clan youngsters who had entered the ruin.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"If that’s the case, this might be a perfect experience for those youngsters."
They had spent considerable time training within the Lin Clan, and the Ancestor had provided them with excellent resources and opportunities.
A trial that forced them to endure pressure, manage their strength, and remain composed under pursuit could prove valuable.
Lin Cangyuan decided to continue observing the situation.
Unless the circumstances demanded his intervention, he would allow the youngsters to face the challenges themselves.
After all, they had entered the ruin to gain experience and pursue opportunities.
He couldn’t protect them from every difficulty.
---
Inside the Primordial Sealing Ruin, the chase continued.
By now, many independent cultivators were beginning to feel the strain.
Their breathing had become uneven, and their legs were growing increasingly heavy.
Some had already begun falling behind the main crowd.
"How much longer can we keep this up?"
"My spiritual energy is draining too quickly!"
"Does anyone have a pill to restore their strength?"
Several cultivators desperately searched their storage rings for anything that could help them continue.
The trial had only just begun, yet the relentless running was already testing their endurance.
Unlike the major forces, many independent cultivators had limited supplies.
They had entered the ruin hoping to find opportunities, not expecting to spend days fleeing from a terrifying beast.
Now, they had little choice but to keep moving.
Elsewhere, the successors of the Forbidden Families and Forbidden Sects were handling the situation much better.
They possessed rejuvenation pills and other resources prepared by their respective forces.
Whenever necessary, they consumed pills to restore their strength and spiritual energy.
The successors of the Holy Families and Holy Sects did the same.
Although the chase remained dangerous, their abundant resources allowed them to sustain themselves far more effectively than most independent cultivators.
The Lin Clan youngsters were similarly well prepared.
Lin Chen glanced at his companions.
"How is everyone holding up?"
"Fine," Lin Qing replied.
Lin Yu nodded.
"We can maintain this pace."
Lin Mo pulled out a rejuvenation pill and examined it briefly before swallowing it.
"With our supplies, enduring for even 30 years shouldn’t be too difficult."
Lin Zhen laughed.
"Just don’t waste your pills because you feel bored."
Lin Mo gave him an offended look.
"Do I look like someone who wastes resources?"
"Would you like me to answer honestly?"
"Forget it."
The others laughed.
Their conversation remained relaxed, but they continued paying attention to their surroundings.
They had no intention of underestimating the trial simply because they possessed sufficient resources.
Lin Chen looked ahead.
"The important thing is to maintain our formation and manage our strength. We don’t know what else might happen before the 3 days are over."
Everyone nodded.
They continued running together.
Compared with the independent cultivators who were struggling to maintain their pace, the Lin Clan youngsters were in a much more comfortable position.
Their training had prepared them well, and their Ancestor had ensured that they possessed sufficient resources for their journey.
They had no reason to panic.
They only needed to remain patient and endure until the trial ended.
The same was true for many of the successors from the major forces.
With rejuvenation pills at their disposal, they gradually adjusted to the relentless pursuit.
Instead of exhausting themselves through unnecessary bursts of speed, they focused on maintaining a steady pace and conserving their resources.
The trial had become a test of endurance, patience, and preparation.
And for the strongest groups, the question was no longer whether they could keep running for a while.
It was whether anything unexpected would happen before the 3 days were over.
---
As the cultivators continued forward, the ancient road suddenly began to change.
At first, the change was barely noticeable.
A faint golden glow appeared beneath a few of the stone slabs.
Then another marking illuminated.
Within moments, ancient symbols began appearing across the road, spreading farther into the distance.
Several cultivators noticed the strange phenomenon.
"What is that?"
"Look at the ground!"
"The markings weren’t glowing before!"
The crowd became alert.
Even the successors of the major forces turned their attention toward the illuminated symbols.
Lin Yu lowered his gaze toward the road.
"The spiritual energy is changing."
Lin Jue examined the glowing markings.
"They seem to be connected to a formation."
Lin Chen’s expression grew serious.
"Stay alert. Don’t assume that the road will remain the same simply because we’ve been running along it."
The other 9 youngsters immediately became more cautious.
Far behind them, the Primordial Devouring Beast suddenly raised its enormous head.
Its crimson eyes gleamed.
Then it released another deafening roar.
ROOOAAARRR!
The sound swept through the passage, making countless cultivators turn around in alarm.
At the same moment, the golden markings beneath their feet grew brighter.
The spiritual energy within the road began to fluctuate violently.
Ahead of them, the golden haze thickened.
Nobody knew what was about to happen.
But everyone understood that the trial was changing.
And whatever came next might make the remaining 3 days far more difficult than they had expected.
End of Chapter 87