Chapter 77

Muling'er left the Mirror Trial, leaving Lin Yuyan standing there in shock, staring at the departing figure. She couldn't understand why, just because of Chu Yan, Muling'er had fallen out with her.

Muling'er had entered the Vast Heaven Sect five years ago, just like Lin Yuyan, and was also a member of the Flame Alliance. However, after joining the Alchemy Hall, she focused on alchemy and rarely came to the Flame Alliance. Despite this, she and Lin Yuyan had always been very close. Whenever Lin Yuyan needed any medicinal pills, Muling'er would do her best to help. But now, Muling'er had fallen out with her over Chu Yan, even saying she no longer recognized her.

Lin Yuyan felt a bit disappointed, but it was too late, and she didn't say anything.

At this moment, Chu Yan and his group all emerged from the Mirror Trial, their faces pale. They sat on the ground, trembling, and breathing heavily.

They had all just experienced a true death, and even though they knew it was all an illusion, the pain and despair were so real that their faces were stiff and their eyes vacant.

"Damn it!" The fat guy cursed first.

"Is everyone okay?" Chu Yan opened his eyes instantly, a cold look in his eyes.

"Brother Chu, did you die too?" The freshmen asked helplessly.

Chu Yan nodded, recalling the final scene, his heart filled with hatred.

"The Freshmen Camp and the Longevity Hall are deliberately targeting us. In the Mirror Trial, it will be very hard for us to survive. Once we enter, we will likely be hunted down." Mu Ye sighed. He had thought it was just the Freshmen Camp, but the Longevity Hall had also acted. Although Chu Yan and Ye Xun had great talent, they were still freshmen and couldn't compare to the seniors.

At this moment, Zhao Yu, a member of the Longevity Hall, also woke up, breathing heavily, feeling terrified.

"That bastard, I'll kill him." Qian Dong looked at Zhao Yu, grabbed a spear, and was about to charge forward.

"Revenge can wait until we enter the Mirror Trial again. It's not the right time now." Chu Yan suddenly held back Qian Dong, then gave Zhao Yu a cold look. He remembered the moment Zhao Yu killed Ye Xun.

Zhao Yu looked at Chu Yan and his group but didn't say anything. Now that he was a member of the Longevity Hall, he had the capital to be proud.

"Qian Dong, soon you won't even have the right to stand in front of me." Zhao Yu sneered and then turned to leave.

Not long after Zhao Yu woke up, Yu Ruoxi also woke up. She was in the Flame Alliance and looked at Chu Yan and the others with concern.

"Senior Sister? How did you die too?" Ye Xun asked in surprise. Chu Yan also looked at Yu Ruoxi curiously. Although he didn't have a good impression of the Flame Alliance, Yu Ruoxi was different. She had helped them in the Mirror Trial, and he remembered her kindness.

"I was killed by Lin Changsheng. He is now the top disciple of the Vast Heaven Sect. In the Mirror Trial, no one can anger him, not even the Flame Alliance." Yu Ruoxi sighed.

"I'm sorry, Senior Sister. It's our fault." Ye Xun clenched his fists.

Yu Ruoxi smiled gently, stroking Ye Xun's head, then looked at Chu Yan. "It's not your fault. I just can't stand the Longevity Hall's arrogance. Every year, after the freshmen choose their teams, those who don't join the Longevity Hall are hunted down. In the past, Senior Sister Yuyan would always protect them, but this year, something is different. Don't hold it against her."

"There's nothing to hold against her. She's afraid we'll drag down the Flame Alliance, which is understandable." Chu Yan said calmly, but his tone was distant. This made Yu Ruoxi pause, and she sighed helplessly. She knew that Chu Yan and the Flame Alliance would never be reconciled.

Yu Ruoxi shook her head. She had always hoped to recruit Chu Yan and Ye Xun into the Flame Alliance, but after today's Mirror Trial, she knew it was impossible. However, she still hoped Chu Yan and Ye Xun would do well. She really liked these two juniors.

"I heard you want to form your own team?"

"Yep!" Chu Yan nodded, and Ye Xun added, "My first wish in the Vast Heaven Sect is to kick the Freshmen Camp out of the top three teams, and the Longevity Hall will be under our feet one day!"

Looking at the motivated freshmen, Yu Ruoxi smiled, but she knew it would be very difficult. The Freshmen Camp, though only the third team, had several Dust Transcending disciples, making it extremely challenging for a group of freshmen.

Although Yu Ruoxi also believed that with Chu Yan and Ye Xun's talent, they could grow to be on par with Zhou Ying and Lin Changsheng, the path ahead would be very tough with the Freshmen Camp and the Longevity Hall targeting them.

In cultivation, talent is important, but those who truly stand out are often the descendants of superpowers. The reason is simple: they have access to cultivation resources that others don't. Talent is the foundation, but the resources that support their cultivation are the key. Without these resources, even the most talented geniuses won't achieve much.

"Try your best. I can't help you much, but here are some first-grade spirit stones. You can use them to earn some honor points." Yu Ruoxi gave Chu Yan a few spirit stones.

"Thank you, Senior Sister!" Chu Yan didn't refuse. He really needed honor points. Otherwise, his brothers might soon have no place to stay. He remembered this kindness and vowed to repay it a hundredfold in the future.

The group of young men left, and Yu Ruoxi smiled as she watched them go. Just then, a graceful figure appeared beside her, making her pause.

"Senior Sister Ling'er?" Yu Ruoxi looked at Muling'er in surprise. Muling'er was on par with Lin Changsheng, perhaps not as strong in martial arts, but her alchemy skills amazed even many of the Vast Heaven Sect's elders.

"You made the right choice. Soon, you'll see him shine in the Vast Heaven Sect." Muling'er smiled, then took out a token and handed it to Yu Ruoxi. "This is a membership token for the Alchemy Hall. Come find me if you need anything."

With that, Muling'er left, leaving Yu Ruoxi standing there, holding the golden token with a small alchemy furnace engraved on it, feeling a mix of emotions.

Is it because of him? Yu Ruoxi smiled bitterly. She hadn't expected her unintentional actions to earn Muling'er's attention.

Chu Yan and his group of freshmen left. The Freshmen Camp and the Longevity Hall had given them a vivid lesson, but it didn't break these young men. The warm sunlight seemed to shine on them, making them glow, as if no dark clouds could obscure their brilliance.

Chu Yan left the Freshmen Camp and first exchanged some honor points, but these points were still insignificant for their cultivation.

In the Vast Heaven Sect, the Mirror Trial was the best place for cultivation, where one could easily earn honor points and heavenly treasures. Most students spent their time there. However, Chu Yan and his group couldn't enter the Mirror Trial. In the following half month, Chu Yan and Ye Xun tried to enter once, but they were immediately ambushed.

The Freshmen Camp and the Longevity Hall had completely blocked their path to cultivation in the Mirror Trial.

After half a month, the young men gathered in the Freshmen Area, their faces grim.

The half month had left them in a difficult situation again, with no honor points. They couldn't enter the Mirror Trial, so they were mostly consuming resources. Even though they hunted some beasts and exchanged beast cores for honor points, it was still not enough.

"Brother Chu, this can't go on. Zhao Yu has already broken through to the Dust Transcending realm. If we can't enter the Mirror Trial to cultivate, we'll fall further behind." Qian Dong said.

"I heard Lin Changsheng values Qian Dong a lot and even exchanged a Heaven-grade martial technique, the Eight Mountain Collapse, from the Martial Technique Pavilion."

"That bastard!" Qian Dong cursed angrily. Initially, they were from the same place and had similar strength, but now, he and Zhao Yu had a significant gap.

"Lin Changsheng is doing this on purpose. He wants to cultivate Zhao Yu to suppress you." Mu Ye shook his head.

Chu Yan looked at everyone. "Do you regret it?"

"I don't regret it. In my life, I can be a failure in cultivation, but I value friendship. I look down on someone like Zhao Yu who betrays his brothers." Qian Dong said.

"If I regretted it, I would have left long ago." Fan Ye laughed, while Ye Xun and the fat guy didn't speak, just giving Chu Yan a look.

"I don't regret it either. My talent is poor, and I can't compare to you all. Even if I joined the Longevity Hall, I would be at the bottom. Brother Chu has been very good to me, always giving me medicinal pills. I don't want to be looked down upon." Zou Yi said.

Chu Yan finally looked at Mu Ye, who smiled bitterly. "Why are you looking at me? I want to regret it, but it's useless. I was kicked out by Lin Changsheng. If you didn't take me in, I'd be even worse off."

Chu Yan smiled, feeling a bit moved. During the half month, the Freshmen Camp and the Longevity Hall had tried to recruit them, even offering many things, but no one left. Of course, this recruitment was for everyone except Chu Yan, Ye Xun, and the fat guy.

"Mu Ye, can we leave the Vast Heaven Sect?" Chu Yan asked.

Mu Ye paused, then said, "There's no rule in the Vast Heaven Sect that disciples must stay in the sect. However, if you leave, you need to sign an agreement. If you encounter danger outside the sect, the sect won't be responsible."

Chu Yan nodded, understanding. Most disciples who left the Vast Heaven Sect had backgrounds. Although they weren't as powerful as the Vast Heaven Sect, they could cause trouble if things got out of hand. Signing such an agreement was a way to clarify that your life or death was no longer the sect's responsibility.

"Since that's the case, if the Vast Heaven Sect won't give us cultivation resources, I'll take you out to find our own resources." Chu Yan stood up, a smile on his face.