Chapter 22

"You...!"

Seeing the sword light approaching, the young man with the headband's face instantly changed. Ignoring the bleeding wound, he hurriedly mobilized all his true essence, concentrating it on his chest.

At the critical moment, a turtle-patterned round shield rose from his chest. The shield was struck by the sword light and instantly developed a narrow crack.

But it managed to block this fatal blow.

"Hmm? You really have a trump card?!" Su Shier raised an eyebrow, maintaining his composure while keeping his distance from the opponent and continuing to mobilize the white mist sword in his hand.

Since it's a fight to the death, it must be fought to the end.

The young man with the headband lay on the ground, terrified and losing all hope.

With his arm severed, he could not use many of his techniques. The turtle-patterned shield was his last line of defense.

However, the turtle-patterned shield was only a mid-grade magical artifact and could not hold out for long.

Seeing the sword light approaching, the young man with the headband hurriedly shouted, "Don't attack yet! I know the secret of this year's new disciple trial. If you kill me, you will definitely regret it!"

"New disciple trial?"

Hearing this term, Su Shier was slightly taken aback.

After hesitating for a moment, he looked at the other party and slashed three times. Three sword lights fell, severing the other's tendons in his hands and feet.

"Ah..." The young man with the headband fell to the ground, his face contorted in pain.

But just as he opened his mouth, he was interrupted by Su Shier.

"Speak! If your information does not satisfy me, the next sword will take your life."

Su Shier held the white mist sword, his eyes filled with a cold killing intent. He also held a defensive talisman in his hand, ready to throw it at any moment.

"I can speak, but you must let me leave alive," the young man with the headband said through the pain.

Seeing how decisively Su Shier acted, he knew he had encountered a ruthless person.

With his limbs intact, he still had a chance to ambush, but now that chance was slim!

At this moment, he only hoped to leave alive.

"No problem!" Su Shier agreed without hesitation.

"Uh..." The young man with the headband hesitated. Su Shier's quick agreement made him even more uncertain.

But he also knew that he had no choice now.

Taking a deep breath, he quickly channeled true essence to his wounds to stabilize them and said, "Do you know why this year's new disciple trial allows miscellaneous disciples who failed previous assessments to participate?"

Hmm? Miscellaneous disciples who failed previous assessments can also participate?

Su Shier frowned slightly. He certainly did not know this.

But just this piece of information made him realize the presence of danger.

After all, miscellaneous disciples who failed previous assessments, after years of cultivation, even if their cultivation level was not high, their strength would certainly not be weak.

Regardless of the trial's content, once there was a conflict between new and old disciples, the new disciples would surely suffer.

Suppressing his doubts, Su Shier said sternly, "I'm not interested in answering your questions. You'd better be straightforward, or I can't guarantee that your injuries will hold until you leave alive!"

The young man with the headband glared at Su Shier with hatred and continued, "The reason for this rule is that ten years ago, the peak master of Tianyin Peak, while researching an ancient teleportation array, accidentally located an ancient restricted area."

"In that restricted area, there is a dense concentration of heaven and earth's spiritual energy, and a large number of heavenly materials and treasures, including herbs that have grown for hundreds or even thousands of years."

"To explore this ancient restricted area, the sect has changed the rules of the new disciple trial."

Su Shier listened intently, his eyes fixed on the other party, afraid he might try to trick him.

Hearing this, he frowned and said coolly, "An ancient restricted area? With a large number of heavenly materials and treasures? If such a place really exists, would the sect let us go there?"

He expressed his doubts without hesitation.

In recent years, although he had been diligently cultivating, he had also read many books.

While his knowledge was not extensive, he had a basic understanding of common sense.

Heavenly materials and treasures are something every cultivator desires.

"This is not a matter of whether the sect wants to, but rather the ancient restricted area is filled with ancient arrays. The more powerful the cultivator, the greater the pressure they will face. Several elders in the sect have been severely injured due to rash entry."

"Only cultivators at the sixth level of the Qi Condensation stage and below can move freely inside without being affected."

"Such a place, if leaked, would inevitably attract the covetous eyes of other sects. Therefore, the sect has decided to let all miscellaneous disciples who failed previous assessments and are at the sixth level of the Qi Condensation stage or below participate."

The young man with the headband lay on the ground, smiling bitterly.

He had entered the sect much earlier than Su Shier and was a disciple of Tianhua Peak, so he knew much more information than Su Shier.

Hearing this, Su Shier did not outwardly express any opinion, but he believed most of it in his heart.

From his perspective, the sect's decision to let these miscellaneous disciples participate had two meanings.

One was to use them as cannon fodder to explore this unknown place. The other was the purpose of the trial.

This meant that this year's new disciple trial would be unprecedentedly brutal. No matter how many heavenly materials and treasures there were, no one would find them excessive. Various conflicts would inevitably arise at that time.

As far as he knew, the miscellaneous disciples of Yun Ge Sect were not simple. There were mainly two types of miscellaneous disciples: one type was those who were recruited at a young age and chose to stay as miscellaneous disciples after failing the trial. The other type was wandering cultivators who entered the sect, who already had some cultivation and had diverse past experiences, with many ruthless individuals among them.

"Is that all you have to say?" Su Shier asked coolly after the other party finished speaking.

"Of course not. According to the information passed back by the elders of Tianhua Peak, there is a spirit plant garden in the ancient restricted area. In the garden, there is a century Zhu fruit tree that sprouts every two hundred years, blooms every two hundred years, and bears fruit every two hundred years."

"Swallowing one century Zhu fruit can increase one's cultivation by over ten years."

"Your strength in defeating me proves your capability. I also have the map of the spirit plant garden. For this year's new disciple trial, we can join forces to find that century Zhu fruit tree."

The young man with the headband, suppressing his hatred for Su Shier, extended an invitation.

"Where is the map?" Su Shier stared at him and immediately asked.

He was not entirely unfamiliar with the Zhu fruit. Some miscellaneous notes he had read before mentioned it.

Swallowing one century Zhu fruit indeed increases one's cultivation by over ten years!

His mixed spiritual root made cultivation particularly difficult. He was naturally very interested in such a spiritual medicine that could enhance cultivation.

"The map is at my residence. After the new disciple trial begins, I will bring the map and meet up with you. Neither of us can occupy the spirit plant garden alone. To obtain those Zhu fruits, we must join forces!" Seeing Su Shier clearly interested, the young man with the headband hurriedly continued to persuade him.

"Alright, how will we divide the spoils?" Su Shier nodded and said.

"Sixty-forty, you get sixty, I get forty!" Hearing this, the young man with the headband finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew that to truly survive, he had to win over Su Shier. The best way was to form an alliance.

Although he was severely injured, with a severed arm and leg, as long as he could obtain the Continuation Pill, he could be treated.

Once his injuries healed, the situation would be different.

"Alright! You can go!" Su Shier nodded and said coolly.

As he spoke, he put away the white mist sword, placing it behind his back. With his hands behind his back, he appeared to be attracted by the heavenly materials and treasures, but in his mind, he was recalling the object control techniques he had seen.

The young man with the headband, seeing this, finally put his heart at ease. "Alright, I'll remember this favor of yours."

With that, he struggled to get up and was about to use a teleportation talisman to leave.

But just as he turned around,

"Thud!"

A broken sword fragment struck his heart.

The young man with the headband's breathing stopped. He turned to look at Su Shier, who stood still, with the flying sword still behind him.

Looking down, he realized that the broken sword fragment from his own broken flying sword had landed beside him.

Raising his head again, his eyes were filled with unwillingness and resentment.

"You... You tricked me!"