Chapter Thirty-Six: The Beast Tide Arrives

The elder finished counting all the spiritual herbs and screening the disciples. A total of five hundred and forty-one participants took part in the trial; one hundred and seventeen attained the red spiritual seal to become outer sect disciples, and thirty-two earned the purple spiritual seal, qualifying them for the next stage.

All others were eliminated.

The elder stood up and waved his hands, stirring the wind and clouds. The disciples with cyan and blue spiritual seals were swept into a vortex of mist. Their faces displayed a mixture of regret and reluctance, but they vanished in an instant.

"This trial is now halfway complete. Those with red seals, congratulations on becoming outer sect disciples of the Array Sect; follow me shortly. As for those with purple seals, you have one more hurdle to cross."

He paused. "The inner sect trial is far more intense. Only those who pass this next stage will become inner sect disciples; otherwise, you will be eliminated."

At these words, the expressions of the purple-seal disciples darkened. Did this not mean that if they failed, they would not even be qualified to remain as outer sect disciples?

The elder took in their changing expressions without a shift in his own demeanor. "Therefore," he said calmly, "give it your all."

"Boom!"

Several massive, indigo-blue pillars of water erupted into the sky, intertwining and circling like giant serpents. Upon meeting, they plunged downward, transforming into an endless torrent that surged from the clouds, instantly engulfing the purple-seal disciples below.

The elder then departed, leading the hundred-plus outer sect disciples away into the distance.

...

The scene shifted to a lush, water-rich landscape.

A vast lake was divided into countless fragmented waterways by islands and forest ridges. On the islands, various demonic beasts moved slowly, while many shadows drifted beneath the water. Strangely, they were all heading in the same direction.

As the horde of beasts converged like a rising tide, their numbers became dense and boundless, stretching to the horizon. The mist-covered scene turned oppressive and terrifying.

At the end of their path stood an ancient stone platform, rising a few feet above the water.

The surface of the platform was still wet, and thirty-some people lay scattered across it—the purple-seal disciples who had entered the beast horde trial.

As they slowly regained consciousness, Qinglan and Yuedong looked around, momentarily bewildered.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Look, what is that?"

All eyes were drawn to the distance, where a commotion had broken out. The water surged, and the ground trembled as dust and weeds were whipped into the air. These disturbances were charging straight toward them!

Someone cried out in horror, "Those are wind leopards, known for their speed, and water snakes, known for their defense!"

Qinglan’s expression grew grave. "It seems this is the beast horde that inner sect candidates must face..."

Yuedong nodded, equally cautious. "The life talismans the elder gave us are likely intended to help us deal with this crisis."

Qinglan looked at him with an inquisitive gaze, but Yuedong shook his head—it was impossible. The beasts were too numerous; even if he revealed his true cultivation level, he could not bring her through the trial.

Qinglan understood. The two exchanged a glance—they had to unite with the others.

As the horde closed in, more people realized the necessity of cooperation. You Qing stepped forward at the right moment and shouted, "Everyone, this beast horde cannot be overcome by individuals. I suggest we join forces."

Cultivators who could earn a purple seal were no ordinary talents, and they responded to him quickly.

His supporters were especially vocal: "Brother You Qing, you have led us this far; we certainly trust you."

"That’s right! We will follow your lead; we’ll surely make it through!"

A dozen people gathered around You Qing. Seeing this, the others realized that huddling together was the best strategy and followed suit.

Seeing so many people placing their trust in him, You Qing curled his lips into a smile. He looked at Qinglan and Yuedong with a playful glint in his eyes. "The two leaders, you don't intend to go solo, do you?"

His words sounded like concern on the surface, but underneath lay a trace of mockery.

Qinglan, as if she hadn't heard the subtext at all, responded with a smile, "Of course not. We will certainly be joining everyone else."

Finding that she did not play by his expectations, You Qing was momentarily choked. He managed a stiff laugh. "That’s good then..."

The smile faded from his face, and he felt as though he had struck a pile of cotton.

Qinglan’s own polite mask vanished as well, and she and Yuedong moved to join the group.

...

You Qing stood at the forefront, watching the massive, rapidly approaching horde with a solemn expression. "Everyone, to ensure we don't fail, I suggest those at the late stage of the first realm take turns leading the vanguard. Those at the middle stage should guard the flanks, supporting each other, while those at the early stage provide auxiliary attacks from the center."

"We must strike through this horde like an arrow. I, You Qing, though unworthy, will take the lead!"

He darted forward, leaving the stone platform as surging water-attributed spiritual power erupted around him. A silver light flashed in his hand, and a sharp silver sword appeared, its edge gleaming.

Sensing his spiritual energy, the surrounding lake water rose in waves and surged into the blade. As the water flowed in, the sword’s color gradually shifted from silver to a deep, oceanic blue, with silver patterns dancing across its surface.

Qinglan glanced at it—so, it was a spiritual weapon.

In this world, of all the myriad weapons, the sword was supreme. The Hunyuan Sword Sect stood at the pinnacle of the world's weapon arts, drawing countless weapon-cultivators to their cause, which was why sword-bearers were so numerous.

You Qing surged forward, and the others followed close behind, moving into their designated positions.

"Boom!"

As he slashed with sword energy, a wave of water erupted from the tip of his blade. With a single strike, a dozen wind leopards and water snakes were sent tumbling, clearing a large area in front of them!

Everyone was stunned. Had You Qing’s mastery of the sword already reached such a profound level?

Yuedong was the first to notice the anomaly. "It’s not right. The defense of these beasts seems to have been greatly weakened..."

Even You Qing was surprised for a moment, then realized what was happening. He said with delight, "Although these are first-rank demonic beasts, their defense is significantly reduced. It’s not as hard as we thought!"

Someone chimed in, "Haha, that’s great! It seems the Array Sect isn't as harsh as we feared."

Qinglan looked toward the endless finish line, her expression twitching—it wasn't that harsh, but they hadn't let them off the hook either.

Seeing how obvious the beasts' weaknesses were and that they were far less troublesome than expected, You Qing relaxed slightly amidst the group's chatter and continued to swing his sword to clear the path.

As he moved forward, he looked at Qinglan and Yuedong, who hadn't contributed much yet, and a scheme flickered in his mind.

An hour later, the beasts were being pushed back, yet there was no end in sight. You Qing unleashed another powerful sword strike, carving out an empty space in the dense crowd of beasts.

Breathless, he immediately spoke up: "My spiritual energy is running low. If I keep going like this, something might go wrong."

The implication was clear: it was time for a replacement.

He glanced at Qinglan, his expression full of earnestness. "Why don't you take over?"