All three factions gathered in the morning, with everyone wearing serious and anxious faces. The three leaders were at the front, trying to motivate everyone, but not very successfully. Then, the whale came out of isolation and approached.
He examined everyone subtly as silence hung in the air. The presence of the whale was like witnessing a dense and divine mountain breaking through the heavens, perhaps also round... Amid these thoughts of everyone, the whale began to speak.
"Though this might not be enough to compete with the elite of the five clans, due to the severe purification of the pill and your infernal training, your chances of survival on the battlefield have increased significantly."
"For this competition, we don’t care about our achievements, and we don’t care about the rewards. We only have one mission: to remain whole. No matter how many people enter the competition, the only victory is seeing everyone alive at the end."
"If any of you die, I’ll have to pay a visit to hell to drag you back. After consuming what is mine, drinking what is mine, sucking my time and resources; do you think you can die like that? Make sure you’re alive to pay off that debt."
Everyone was stunned, not expecting this speech. In a few seconds, laughter echoed through the group. The emotion in the whale’s words made them feel protected and cherished.
They relaxed, and Bruno nodded, acknowledging the effectiveness of Corin’s method. However, he felt something strange about it. Perhaps only Corin could naturally perform this or do it without realizing quite well that he was doing it.
Soon, they continued. "Furthermore, you don’t need to feel inferior compared to the so-called geniuses. In reality, you should feel that they are inferior. If your positions were swapped, they wouldn’t necessarily be able to reach the heights you have currently achieved. Despite the setbacks you encountered, you were still able to persevere. That will be the greatest thing you rely on as you climb towards the peak of cultivation. It is also why your superiors made you suffer mercilessly. It’s better to suffer as early as possible and toughen your lives to the maximum."
"Most of the so-called elites managed to reach their level smoothly, like boats floating in a river. But as soon as they stumble, it will be hard for them to climb back up. Cultivation is a marathon and not about who runs faster or who runs more beautifully. It’s about who can run farther. I see self-inferiority in your eyes, so I want you to release that useless feeling from today. If you can’t find any aspect to be proud of, just look at me. Just being able to follow me is something worthy of pride," the whale spoke lightly.
Ruri then suddenly added. "If you can’t follow him, roll with him; it should be easier."
The whale looked at Ruri as his mouth twitched. Yet, Ruri just put her tongue out.
Everyone laughed. How could they not?
However, they soon clenched their fists with conviction, and their eyes shimmered. Ruri and Corin just nodded in agreement as if it were the norm.
Although Alm didn’t like this kind of display, there was no avoiding it. They needed to build their own confidence. Someone without any confidence couldn’t go far in cultivation. If they couldn’t find their own confidence, then they could simply worship him. As long as he didn’t fall, their confidence wouldn’t be shaken either.
So, everyone set out with renewed spirits. The whale remained in place and entered the tent again. Through the connection via the Array and using the self-created soul technique, Soul Link, they ran tests and managed to transmit a part of their soul to Ruri. They could see what she saw and speak through the Array with her. Of course, for this, they had to remain in a meditative state; it wasn’t something that could be used for fighting or in common situations.
With only a few minutes left until noon, all eight factions were gathered at a location opposite to the test site. There was the entrance to another death world.
As soon as everyone stopped, they felt the gaze of the five factions turned in their direction. All three factions remained at the same cultivation level as a month ago. Only their auras were completely still and calm in their bodies. They didn’t give off a powerful impression, but looking at them, something cold and strange could be sensed.
On the other hand, members of the other factions had risen in cultivation and were at least at the third level of the Heaven Stage Realm. Fueled by their clans, some of their members radiated power extremely close to the leaders. They utilized their time and were proud of their gains. However, the three factions seemed poor, and yet, their leaders and members stood confidently.
"A big bitch leading a bunch of little idiots. I’m looking forward to seeing how many of them die in the competition," Sunli mocked, looking at Ruri.
Next, the black elf Xylos sneered and said, "They brought about their own destruction. They exchanged all their crystals for pills and some useless techniques, wasting the best opportunity to increase their power. That giant ogre leading them? That’s the celestial idiot, dragging everyone else down."
"Kill him!"
All the disciples roared in fury. They could tolerate insults from others, but as soon as someone insulted the whale, their rage exploded.
Even Lokar and Fyclea furrowed their brows slightly upon hearing this. These words were going too far. When they were about to draw their weapons, they were instantly halted by Ruri.
She just waved and took a lazy step forward in Sunli’s direction. Currently, the five leaders were at the fifth level of the Heaven Stage Realm; what could someone in the Core Formation stage do? Sunli and Xylos simply watched, waiting to see how that girl would be humiliated. This was their mission, as well as something they were happy to do.
"What? Did you want to say something? Aren’t you just trash? Just like to swing those tits around?" mocked Sunli, pulling out a dagger.
Pow!
Before the astonished eyes of everyone, Ruri’s palm struck Sunli’s face, sending her flying several meters...
But there was no power behind that? Why didn’t she even try to dodge or resist and simply let the slap send her flying? Everyone thought in shock.
Not that the poor woman didn’t want to dodge. The moment she reacted, she had already been cleanly hit. The glory of the Non-Lethal Strike Technique, Beyond the Divine Level, was showcased to the world again!
"Are you insane?!" roared the black elf.
Ruri’s slap was like poking a hornet’s nest. The woman, pulsating with anger, stood up, exploding with all her QI, and immediately, both factions roared and attacked, surrounding her.
"Kill them!"
The three factions also reacted, all disciples drawing their weapons. Lokar and Fyclea were completely astonished, catatonic. Was this an inner sect mission or an internal sect war?
"STOP!" A cold roar echoed, causing everyone to freeze.
Then, they saw the same elder who conducted the entrance test slowly appear in the sky. His eyes grew serious as he spoke. "How troublesome... I had to spend weeks explaining the previous issues, and now you’re already causing more problems..."
"Elder, it was this bitch who went too far. She hit an innocent person, breaking the sect’s rules. She should lose her qualifications to participate in the competition!" the black elf said furiously.
Seeing the elder look at her, Ruri said indifferently, "There was a bitch in heat, dirtying the sacred ground of the sect with her crap. What I was doing was protecting the cleanliness of the sect."
"Nonsense, I’ll kill you!" Sunli roared, activating her cultivation furiously.
The elder just stared at her and forcefully sealed her cultivation back. Ruri smiled strangely; it was easy to provoke a spoiled idiot.
Far away, Alm and Bruno sighed heavily at seeing all this. ’Teenagers are difficult...’ Alm commented with a strange look.
’This puberty and lack of restraint... and you were the one who taught her the technique!’ Bruno grumbled, and Alm just ignored him.
Back at the test site, the elder huffed impatiently. "I don’t have time for nonsense. Return to your factions. I’ll explain the rules, and if anyone dares to interrupt, they will be expelled."
Everyone sheathed their weapons and gathered slowly, still exchanging piercing glares. Then, the elder began to speak, "The mission is a competition between factions, determined by the number of demonic beasts you kill. Obviously, there are eight ranks; the first one receives five times what you received this month. Those below receive twenty percent less. In other words, the sixth, seventh, and eighth receive nothing."
The impatient elder tossed a spatial ring to each faction leader. Inside them were refined bracelets, similar to armguards on the inside. Currently, they all had a number: zero. It was clear that this would only change when they killed a demonic beast.
After everyone put on the bracelets, the elder nodded, and the space distorted. They were transported back to a dark and gloomy world. As soon as their feet touched the ground, a deafening roar sounded, and countless demonic beasts surged toward them like a flood.
The disciples found themselves in a desolate land that stretched as far as they could see. An aura of decay filled the air. With no time to reflect, the beasts attacked.
"FORMATION!" Ruri, Corin, and Loeus spoke simultaneously, awakening the disciples.
Quickly, they joined together as a single unit, forming an octagonal structure. Everyone grouped into teams of six, led by a member. This was one of the most basic and efficient formations that Alm and Bruno taught them. It was also one of the most fundamental formations for a chaotic large-scale battle.
When they practiced before, they executed the formation successfully. However, facing countless demonic beasts, it was inevitable that concern would set in. Consequently, one person’s panic led to another’s, and the entire formation fell into disarray. Ruri’s expression darkened, and she was about to reprimand them harshly when she was restrained by Alm.
’Don’t scold them. This is something they have to go through. You had to face numerous battles to temper your current will. They are still lacking in that aspect, so don’t make your requirements too demanding.’
Corin was already prepared and began summoning wind runes that condensed. A sea of wind blades formed around the three factions, and any demonic beast that touched their barrier was instantly shredded.
"Brothers, don’t panic. There’s still time. If you’re thirsty, you can have a drink first," said Corin. He took something out and drank... maybe he was just thirsty? Was this intentional? Alm and Bruno thought strangely.
Upon hearing Corin’s voice, all those in panic felt ashamed. The playful tone dissipated some of the nervousness. Although the formation was still chaotic, after controlling their nervousness and fear, they quickly found their places.
Two hours passed.
All five leaders of the main factions were already in the center of the world of death. Meanwhile, the three factions moved so slowly that they were still on the periphery.
At this distant point, the number of demonic beasts was massively lower. While the five leaders at the front killed hundreds every few seconds, the three factions reached that number in minutes. It didn’t take a scoreboard to know that they were in last place and must have less than 5% of the points, comparing only with the one in fifth place.
"Fools, if you’re going to fight like this, what’s the point of the formation? Did you forget how to cushion the formation? That way, you’ll save more energy and be able to fight for a longer time!" Loeus shouted. All three leaders guided adjustments, while the whale observed everything through Ruri without saying anything.
After another hour, Ruri looked at the other factions and saw that they had already advanced much farther, and she spoke mentally. ’Master, how about I go out and kill some on my own? Otherwise, we’ll definitely be in last place.’
There were numerous high-level demonic beasts near the center. When she killed demonic beasts, she realized that the common ones were only worth one death point, while the more powerful ones were worth more. The beasts that the other factions were killing were worth two points each, and there must be those that are worth even more, further widening the gap between them.
’Don’t compete with them. For this mission, the only goal is to train our troops. We’re not really fighting for rankings or resources. Who needs resources and ranks when you have me? They need more tempering, and we can’t be too impatient. Also, don’t you see that while they ahead eagerly advance to kill more, their people are constantly being killed?’ Alm replied dryly.
’I can go out alone. We can get more death points that way,’ Ruri retorted anxiously.
The whale said nothing. But at that moment, Ruri instinctively felt their displeasure. ’Sorry, master,’ she quickly spoke.
’Ruri, you’re a good girl. Now that you’re powerful, when you see others above, you want to compete. Competition always leads to chaos, the lives of your subordinates, and most importantly, their rankings don’t matter. The main thing is for them to become capable individuals for our plans,’ Bruno said gently.
Ruri immediately felt extreme shame. Those words hit her directly in the heart. In fact, she was becoming a very competitive woman. This was related to her desire to be stronger and save her people, but also to puberty. She had a resistance that refused to admit defeat.
Another hour passed slowly.
Almost half of the beasts were killed, but there was still a sea of them surrounding them. The elder watching from afar nodded approvingly at the three factions. All the disciples they recruited were weak newcomers, without any real combat training. Their average combat power was minimal, and there was no way to work miracles so quickly. Keeping zero casualties was already commendable.
He felt that the leaders’ decision was very wise. These people needed time to grow. Instead of throwing them into battle to give their all, tempering them slowly was better.
Furthermore, even if they did everything, they should consider their power. With that, they wouldn’t be able to compete with the others. So, when they thought about it, this was the best option for them.
’Huh? They’re changing formation. Are they about to attack?’ The elder thought, and his expression changed.
’It’s time.’ The whale spoke to Ruri, who reacted quickly, communicating to everyone.
"Thousand Petal Lotus!" She shouted, and instantly, everyone changed formation, creating a circular arrangement that, when viewed from above, resembled a lotus.
The change was completely different from the beginning. After four hours of training, all the disciples were able to take their positions with precision and speed. There were no more mistakes.
The three leaders in the center gave distinct words of encouragement, but everyone’s response was the same.
"ATTACK!" They roared and charged forward.
Then, Ruri leaped towards the center of the field, and the clasp in her hair lit up. Spatial power covered her and her katana, and she moved straight ahead, killing everything in her path. If someone could observe them from the sky, they would see that her path was completely straight. Her efficiency and power were frightening.
In the center of the formation, Corin and Loeus commanded the advance at a steady pace, setting the rhythm for the entire formation. A massive force rapidly advanced across the battlefield with a terrifying killing power.
Following the path opened by Ruri, the formation rotated like a lotus, eliminating everything in its path. This method was the most effective and economical way to advance. Every bit of combat power was utilized perfectly, without the slightest waste. The faction points were skyrocketing. The main reason for this was because Ruri was at the front, clearing the way and significantly reducing the pressure on them.
In a matter of minutes, the three factions were side by side with the other five. When they felt the approach, they were stunned. These people who had previously despised them now formed a unit capable of killing demons even faster than the geniuses they had once admired, shocking them. This development made their attacks even more ferocious.
They were like a pack of tigers and wolves. Wherever they went, demon beasts were slaughtered. This efficiency surprised all the disciples and the elders.
As time passed, the number of beasts decreased. The elder looked at a emblem and tensed up. In fifth place... there were four factions practically tied. The faction called Snow Veil, led by Fyclea Soothora, was tied with the three.
The elder observed the competition while counting the few remaining beasts. That’s when he noticed something strange: the other two faction leaders, Loeus and Corin, weren’t attacking. If they fought, the speed would be much higher... but they seemed to be waiting for something.
Minutes later, the elder furrowed his brows. ’What the hell is Sunli doing?!’
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
The Elder suddenly became furious. While the three factions were honestly fighting for points, Sunli’s faction had just stealthily arrived beside them.
Crack!
Suddenly, the sound of something breaking echoed. Sunli, being a master of formations, broke a rune with her hands. Her multicolored barriers expanded...
Before, she used them to cover her allies, splitting and blocking the beasts, restraining them. However, this also separated her allies, dividing them into small formations. That was her battle method, with hundreds of groups fighting and killing separately. While she funneled the beasts.
Now... it expanded hundreds of times, radiating intense power. It quickly covered all four factions.
The elder’s expression twisted and became ugly. The mission was survival of the fittest and was meant to select elites for the inner sect. Using any means necessary to complete it wasn’t necessarily overboard. But this time was different. This was clearly cheating.
All the disciples who were once in the lotus formation were forcibly separated by a multicolored barrier. Their eyes turned red as they saw a woman floating high above, commanding those barriers. She just smiled disdainfully, and her entire faction continued in the same killing rhythm... while the others lost their unity, forcibly torn apart.
At that moment, Ruri smirked evilly. Then, Loeus sighed, and Corin tightened his indifferent grip on his spear. In the next second... the entire death world was covered by a sharp aura.
Corin, Ruri, and Loeus activated the runic sharpening seals on their weapons. Everything had been kept in order by the whale for this moment... he foresaw this, and everything unfolded perfectly. So, the three leaped into the air, converging to a single point.
Sunli’s face twisted when she saw the three jump in her direction, feeling a deadly presence looming over her head.
"What? Get out of here, you idiots!" she roared, activating all her barriers to block them.
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!
In the next second, all the barriers exploded with the sound of shattering glass. Following that, Corin and Loeus halted their momentum, and their weapons lost their energy.
Sunli was stunned, but upon seeing those two halt, she felt relief. She could raise more barriers; resources weren’t an issue. Thinking about it and turning her gaze to the side, she tried... but her vision lifted to the sky...
And her head fell from the heavens.
Slash!
Ruri attacked again, gruesomely splitting the headless body in half. And a rain of blood fell from the sky.