Chapter 111 The End of the Survival Test
Long Tian stood there, haunted by the fate of his family due to Long Guan's betrayal. Long Guan was the type to do anything to survive, yet his demise was ultimately a consequence of his own actions.
After a moment of contemplation, he turned and approached Xia Qingyue, who was lying on a large rock nearby.
"Can you stand?" he asked.
"Unfortunately, no. Can you help me?" Xia Qingyue replied.
"Sure, I'll carry you to a safe place," Long Tian answered.
With that, he picked up Xia Qingyue and moved away from their current location.
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Minutes turned into hours, and the long day faded into the chilly night.
In this span of a day and night, hundreds of survival participants had discovered valuable resources. The forest was a treasure trove, untouched by human hands. However, venturing in alone was a dangerous endeavor. Hence, this survival test provided the perfect opportunity to explore the uncharted wilderness.
Long Tian and Xia Qingyue found themselves sitting on a cliff, overlooking a canvas of stars and a vast, dark forest below. Behind them, a bonfire crackled, roasting tiger meat.
"It's so peaceful. I feel like I can return home in peace after facing so many challenges in this forest," Xia Qingyue remarked.
"I still want to explore this forest. Even though the test ends tomorrow, I wouldn't mind staying a bit longer," Long Tian responded.
Xia Qingyue smiled, her gaze softening as she looked at Long Tian. She scooted closer to him.
"I haven't properly thanked you, Long Tian, for helping me," she said sincerely.
"No problem. Long Guan deserved to die, and I felt a sense of relief in killing him," Long Tian replied.
"But my father mentioned that our family had installed numerous drones in this forest. The scene of you killing Long Guan might have been recorded. The rules of the survival test clearly prohibit killing each other. Even so, I will stand by you, Long Tian, no matter what," Xia Qingyue said earnestly.
Long Tian smiled. "Don't worry about that. I know the entire forest is monitored by drones, but my power is lightning. I can easily disable those drones. Before I took action against Long Guan, I had already deactivated the surveillance drones," he explained.
"So, that means you arrived here earlier?" Xia Qingyue asked.
"Yes, even before you confronted Long Guan, I was observing you from a distance," Long Tian replied.
Xia Qingyue nodded, refraining from asking further questions. For now, the most important thing was that Long Guan was no longer a threat. It brought her a sense of peace.
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Time passed swiftly, and the long night gave way to a cool morning.
Helicopters hovered above the forest, and powerful cultivators entered to ensure the participants' safe return.
Long Tian, accompanied by Xia Qingyue and a few others, emerged from the forest and was greeted by military personnel, medical teams, and family members.
Approximately 150 people had returned safely, their faces reflecting the satisfaction of their discoveries in the forest.
Long Tian spotted Ling Han and approached him.
"Good morning, Uncle Ling," he greeted.
"Good morning, young master. I'm relieved to see you back safely. How did the test go? Did everything proceed smoothly?" Ling Han inquired.
Long Tian grinned. "Certainly. I found many valuable items," he said.
Ling Han nodded, a smile forming on his lips. Observing Long Tian now, he felt a sense of relief. Long Tian had undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving into a better version of himself.
"By the way, young master, your father mentioned he has something to give you. Unfortunately, I don't know the details," Ling Han informed him.
Long Tian raised an eyebrow. Something was going to be given to him... if he wasn't mistaken, it might be the Seven Form Pagoda.
If that were the case, he would be more than pleased. The Seven Form Pagoda wasn't just an ornament; it held a secret. And it was undoubtedly connected to Qin Chen.
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As the sun rose higher, the atmosphere grew hotter.
Several hours passed, and a total of 248 participants had returned safely.
A helicopter descended, and a military commander stepped out, followed by his subordinates carrying the bodies of some participants.
Elders and many participants gathered to identify those who had not made it through the survival test.
Long Fuanyang, Long Guan's father, rushed forward, hoping to find his son among the bodies.
Upon unveiling the shrouds, he realized his son was not among them.
"Where's my son? Where's Long Guan?!" he exclaimed.
The grand elder, Xia Gongzhou approached him, trying to offer comfort. "We've searched every corner of the forest, but unfortunately, we haven't found him," he said, shaking his head with regret.
Long Fuanyang gripped Xia Gongzhou's shoulders, his voice desperate. "Find my son, no matter what it takes! Deploy all drones and cultivators with tracking abilities! I will join the search!" he insisted.
"Don't worry; we will mobilize all our resources to find your son," Xia Gongzhou assured him.
"Just do it quickly I will-" Long Fuanyang's words trailed off as he heard a shout: "I have information about the missing participants!"
Hearing this, he looked toward the source of the voice and saw a man in his thirties running toward him.
As the man approached, he quickly explained, "Elder Fuanyang, Elder Gongzhou, we've received news about some missing participants, and it's not good."
Panic seized Long Fuanyang; he grabbed the man's shoulders, his tone urgent. "Explain in detail, quickly!"
"Alright, Elder Long Jun had placed soul flames on key participants, including Long Tian, Long Guan, Long Zhu, Long Zhou, Long Zhi, and 10 others. Unfortunately, Long Guan's soul flame has extinguished, indicating his death," the man explained.
Long Guan was in shock; his eyes widened with disbelief.
His only son, Long Guan... was dead.
"Impossible, this can't be real," he muttered, his voice hollow and lifeless.
"We've double-checked; indeed, Long Guan's soul flame has gone out. We also reviewed the drone footage and found no recordings of Long Guan's death," the man said, shaking his head in regret.
Long Fuanyang collapsed to the ground, his eyes devoid of life, filled with emptiness and despair. Without his son, he had no reason to live.
Everyone who heard the news shared in his sorrow. Long Guan was a promising young talent, especially because he possessed a rare dual martial spirit.
Losing such a talented young individual was a significant blow.
Meanwhile, Long Tian observed calmly, devoid of any emotional reaction. In fact, he grinned inwardly. He imagined the reactions of everyone when they found out that he was the one who killed Long Guan.
As for Long Fuanyang, he hadn't prepared any plans. In the original plot, he was still loyal to the Long family. So, he wouldn't kill him.
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Out of the initial 258 participants, 248 remained, with 10 lives lost.
Long Tian was currently in his car, with Ling Han at the wheel. Above them, numerous helicopters flew towards Tianjin, heading to the Xia family's residence.
Following the survival test, a feast was held at the Xia family's mansion, and everyone attended.
However, it was not mandatory, so Long Tian chose to skip it and headed straight back to his villa in Tianzhou.
Two days were sufficient. He had achieved his goal: the demise of Long Guan.
Now, he could refocus on his initial objective in this world: eliminating Qin Chen.
---
After more than 6 hours of driving, Long Tian and Ling Han arrived at the villa area. The gate opened, welcoming them inside.
Once inside, Long Tian made a beeline for his room. He was exhausted; a lack of rest after hunting soul beasts with Xia Qingyue took its toll.
Stretching his tired muscles, he closed his eyes and fell asleep on his bed.
---
The sun had vanished, replaced by the muted glow of the moon, signaling the arrival of night.
Long Tian slowly opened his eyes and rubbed them. Rising from the bed, he stretched, feeling rejuvenated after a few hours of sleep.
He made his way to the bathroom, preparing for the evening ahead.
---
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Li Yue'er was still at work. Ling Han's message about Long Tian's return from the survival test had prompted her to prepare a delicious meal.
In these two days, she had resumed her normal life—attending school, meeting friends—simple pleasures that brought her happiness.
But her contentment was incomplete as long as her family was under her father's leadership. She was determined to change their fate.
"That looks delicious," a voice behind her startled her, and she turned to find Long Tian standing there.
"You surprised me, Long Tian. I thought it was someone else," she said.
"It's been two days. Are you enjoying being a student again?" Long Tian asked, a warm smile on his face.
"It's refreshing to be back in school, and everything is going well. Thank you, Long Tian," Li Yue'er replied sincerely.
Long Tian smiled back. Li Yue'er seemed more alive than when she had slain the bandits in the forest. Seeing her happiness brought him a sense of relief.
However, a concern crossed his mind. If Li Yue'er was attending school, she might encounter Qin Chen. If that happened, it wouldn't bode well for his plans.
His expression grew serious. "Li Yue'er, have you seen Qin Chen at school?" he inquired.
Her expression dimmed. "Long Tian, can we not talk about Qin Chen?" she requested.
"Why? Does Qin Chen hold a special place for you?" Long Tian asked.
"It's not that. Honestly, I haven't seen him in these two days, and even if I do, nothing will change. I won't leave this villa," Li Yue'er assured him.
Long Tian raised an eyebrow. "So, he hasn't been attending school, or you simply haven't crossed paths?" he asked.
"We're in the same class, but I haven't seen him in class these past two days," Li Yue'er replied.
Frowning, Long Tian considered the implications. Qin Chen's absence from school was concerning; he might have acquired something valuable.
"Well, discussing others is not important. Let's enjoy our dinner," he said.
Li Yue'er nodded and said, "I'll prepare the dishes."
"I'll assist you," Long Tian offered, proceeding to bring the prepared dishes from the kitchen to the dining table.
Outside, the chilly night air enveloped the surroundings, bringing a serene calmness to the world. Long Tian and Li Yue'er settled down to share their dinner, enjoying the peaceful ambiance around them.
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