Chapter 102 Survival Test Begins
Time flew by, and nearly three hours had elapsed when Long Tian finally arrived at his family's residence.
The guards immediately recognized him and swung open the gates, allowing him to enter. Inside, a multitude of cars were parked, and numerous young people of his age group gathered in the front yard. They appeared to be between the ages of 18 and 25. This assembly comprised hundreds of individuals, all hailing from the Long and Xia families.
After parking his car, Long Tian stepped out. Shortly thereafter, a sleek black car pulled up nearby, and a middle-aged man with black hair and formal attire emerged. He was accompanied by two women, presumably his wife and daughter.
Long Tian arched an eyebrow, recognizing the man with a casual glance; he was his uncle and the patriarch of the Xia family, Xia Fengyu.
Xia Fengyu adjusted his glasses, a warm smile gracing his face as he saw Long Tian. "Long time no see, kiddo. You've changed quite a bit, I see," he greeted.
"Yeah, it's been a while, Uncle Fengyu. You look healthy, considering the last time I saw you," Long Tian replied.
Xia Fengyu let out a hearty laugh. "That's thanks to some forbidden techniques I've been dabbling in. Well, they have their uses, though," he remarked.
Xia Fengyu continued, "Anyway, I need to meet your father inside. You can take Qingyue for a stroll before everyone gathers," he suggested.
With that, he and his wife made their way toward the main mansion, leaving behind a striking young woman with short black hair.
Long Tian recognized her immediately; she was Xia Qingyue, Xia Fengyu's daughter. "Want to head to the front yard?" he asked.
"Sure," Xia Qingyue nodded.
They walked together toward the front yard. As they strolled, Xia Qingyue couldn't help but steal glances at Long Tian several times.
"You've changed a lot. Is it for the better or worse?" she ventured to ask.
"It depends on how you look at it. Do you think I've strayed down the wrong path?" Long Tian replied.
"You have tattoos now. I hope you're not involved with any gangs or the like," Xia Qingyue said.
Long Tian chuckled softly. "I'm not getting into that. As for these tattoos, I see them as a style. What do you think? Do they suit me?" he inquired.
"I must say, you look cool. Liu Qian must be thrilled to have a boyfriend like you," Xia Qingyue remarked.
"You know about us?" Long Tian raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Although I didn't attend the Long family's annual party, I heard from my cousin that you already have a girlfriend. I didn't expect you two to be in a relationship," Xia Qingyue explained.
"Well, Qian'er and I aren't actually dating. She just accompanied me to the party," Long Tian clarified.
"Are you telling the truth?" Xia Qingyue scrutinized him with narrowed eyes.
"Do I need to lie?" Long Tian countered.
"I believe you are telling the truth. Well, if that's the case, it might get awkward. She and I still chat often, even if it's just online," Xia Qingyue said.
"It would be nice if the three of us could meet up. We used to play together here a lot," Long Tian said, reminiscing about their past.
Xia Qingyue smiled. The three of them were childhood friends. She had known Long Tian since they were kids due to their close family connection, and Liu Qian, who often visited, was also a familiar presence to her.
---
Long Tian and Xia Qingyue joined the ranks of hundreds of other young talents.
As Xia Qingyue moved towards her friends, Long Tian spotted a familiar face, a smirk playing on his lips. He approached the person. "Hey, Long Guan, it's been a few days since I won the martial spirit showcase, and I haven't received your congratulations yet," he said, his tone playful.
Long Guan raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated by Long Tian's words. "Winning a competition doesn't make you invincible, Long Tian. I'll congratulate you when you prove your skills in the real test," he retorted, crossing his arms.
Long Tian grinned, unfazed by Long Guan's remark. "Well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see. Actions speak louder than words, after all. And as for your mention of a real test? I'll show you the real ending too," he responded, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"Whatever you say, Long Tian. One thing you should know, my dual martial spirit is superior to yours," Long Guan stated confidently, and without waiting for Long Tian's reply, he promptly walked away.
Long Tian remained standing, his calm smile intact, yet his eyes were fixed on Long Guan's back, a faint intention to kill lingering in the air.
"Just you wait, traitor. I've prepared a surprise for you," he murmured quietly, his words carrying a deadly promise.
---
After a few moments, the hubbub gradually subsided as Long Zhan and Xia Fengyu arrived.
Xia Fengyu cleared his throat, capturing the crowd's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, the time for the survival test has arrived," he announced. "Each contestant will be transported to the border forest via helicopters. This is where your true skills will be tested. Prepare yourselves, and may the best among you succeed."
In the next instant, cheers erupted from the crowd. The enthusiasm of hundreds of people was palpable for this survival test.
"Finally! This is my third time participating in the survival test, and I'm still standing!"
"Hehehe, the border forest is brimming with golden opportunities. I've always wanted to explore it!"
"There are always some who don't return from that forest every year, but even so, it's worth the risk."
Although it was perilous, their spirits remained unbroken.
Shortly after, instructors from both families guided them to board their respective helicopters. Numerous helicopters swiftly carried hundreds of participants toward the border forest between the Han Empire and the great Yuan Dynasty.
---
More than two hours had passed, and dozens of helicopters landed not far from the forest area.
Hundreds of participants immediately disembarked, moving in unison toward the edge of the forest.
Here, many soldiers had been deployed by both families.
Xia Gongzhou, the grand Elder of the Xia family, approached one of the soldiers who served as the commander.
"How's the security situation?" he inquired.
"Everything is under control," the commander replied.
"That's good to hear," Xia Gongzhou nodded.
Turning, he made his way toward the participants, their numbers reaching into the hundreds.
"Everything has been arranged, and now is the right time for you to enter the forest. There are countless powerful soul beasts inside, and you'll face them within two days. Both the Long and Xia families have hidden numerous treasures, weapons, resources, and high-level techniques throughout the forest," he explained, his voice projecting strength and determination.
He added, "The rules remain unchanged. No killing one another during the survival test; those who violate this rule will face severe consequences."
Xia Gongzhou's words were met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
"And now, the test begins!" he declared.
Cheers and shouts echoed through the air as hundreds of people ventured further into the forest area.
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A total of 258 young talents from both families ventured into the forest. Some formed groups of 2-5 people, while others chose to explore alone.
For more than half an hour, they ventured deeper into the heart of the forest, where soul beasts roamed freely.
In this moment, Long Tian emerged from the thick undergrowth. Before him stretched a picturesque scene with a cascading waterfall and a meandering river.
He scanned his surroundings, his focus drawn to the waterfall. A smile graced his lips. "There's got to be something behind that, classic," he murmured.
Lightning crackled around his feet as he swiftly moved towards the side of the waterfall. True to his intuition, a hidden cave revealed itself behind the veil of falling water.
Entering the cave, darkness enveloped him the further he ventured. Suddenly, he halted, his mouth bulging before he expelled a roaring flame, engulfing everything in its path.
The cave's interior, once teeming with venomous snakes and poisonous insects, now lay charred and lifeless.
After the flames subsided, a soft glow persisted, casting eerie shadows on the cave walls.
Undeterred, Long Tian pressed forward. Soon enough, his keen eyes spotted a golden chest nestled at the cave's far end.
With careful hands, he opened the chest, unveiling a scroll. Unrolling it, he found an inscription: "Lightning Reversal."
As he read through the description, he grasped the technique's uniqueness. It allowed the user to deflect lightning attacks, provided they wielded a sword.
While it might seem redundant given his ability to summon lightning, he recognized its value as a rare discovery. If someone else stumbled upon this technique, his lightning powers would have no effect on them.
Long Tian securely stored the scroll within his spatial ring, a satisfied grin playing on his lips.
"First treasure found, not bad at all," he muttered to himself.
After that, he exited the cave, eager to explore the depths of the forest further.
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