Chapter 22

The old man in black was not good with words, or perhaps he simply disliked conversing with Bai Xu. Bai Xu, troubled by something on his mind, was restless and uneasy. The two walked in silence for a whole day until they reached the place where the Henshan Sect held the Great Trial of the Remnant Clans, a grassland called Xingye.

If one were to look down from a high vantage point, countless lakes of various sizes dotted the landscape, and Xingye lay peacefully among them, displaying its serene and leisurely beauty. Within a hundred miles, the grass was lush and green, presenting a scene of vibrant life and incomparable beauty. The north wind blew, and the grass, taller than a man, bent down, revealing cattle and sheep grazing quietly and contentedly, a picture of peace and prosperity. Dozens of miles beyond Xingye lay the Divine Legacy Mountains, the true testing ground for the "Great Trial of the Remnant Clans."

Xingye would become lively every five years, while the vast, hundred-mile-long Divine Legacy Mountains were sealed by a massive array of the Henshan Sect, off-limits to all. It was said that the herbs there were abundant and the wild beasts rampant. Even without the Henshan Sect's array, ordinary hunters or members of the Hundred Tribes of the Heavenly Legacy would not dare to approach the Divine Legacy Mountains.

To the southeast of Xingye, there was a natural platform that the people living there considered a gift from heaven, a sacred altar. The surface of the granite had weathered to a grayish-white, but despite the many years of wind and rain, it showed no signs of change. Every five years, the Henshan Sect would hold the preliminary trials of the Great Trial of the Remnant Clans here. This time was no exception, and over a hundred clans had already gathered, some even arriving more than ten days early to familiarize themselves with the environment and climate, preparing for the impending bloody slaughter.

Beside the Heavenly Altar, a small tent made of oxhide occupied the best position, surrounded by a large, empty space. No clan dared to set up their tents within a hundred paces of this tent. No one knew how grand the Henshan Sect's arrangements were, but it was well-known that the Henshan Sect had a notoriously bad temper, and no one wanted to provoke them if they could avoid it.

By mid-morning, hundreds of people gathered densely around the Henshan Sect's main tent, waiting for the results of the lottery. Although everyone was on edge, they maintained silence. There was no noise; everyone was waiting for their fate to be decided.

Regarding this Great Trial of the Remnant Clans, enthusiasts and those with ulterior motives had already compiled a list of the young people sent by each clan, ranking them according to their strength. At the top of the list, the most popular and respected was Chu Zhongze of the Qiangli Clan. At nineteen, he was at the upper limit for the Great Trial, and an extra year of cultivation meant a significant boost in strength. Chu Zhongze already had three totem beasts, and it was said that he had the purest bloodline of the Qiangli Clan, having awakened his bloodline power. He had been trained in the purest soul techniques and totem arts of the Soul澜 Continent since childhood, naturally placing him far above other young people of the remnant clans in terms of strength.

Because of Chu Zhongze's presence, all the remnant clans were not optimistic about this Great Trial, focusing instead on achieving a better ranking to prepare for the next one in five years. Even the Henshan Sect placed great importance on Chu Zhongze, and it was rumored that after this "Great Trial of the Remnant Clans," Chu Zhongze would directly enter the inner sect of the Henshan Sect.

Second on the list was a girl named Wan Wan from the Buyi Clan, also with three totem marks. This girl had always been elusive, and no one knew much about her. However, with Chu Zhongze present, no one was overly concerned about whether Wan Wan's strength would pose a threat to him. As for a surprise upset, even the Buyi Clan's chief had not considered it.

Bu Li of the Bailing Clan was considered the best candidate for accompanying the prince in his studies, ranking almost at the bottom among the hundreds of young people sent by the remnant clans. If there was a reason for this, it was that some clans could not send anyone to participate in this brutal competition where most would be injured or killed. The clan's able-bodied young men were already few, and each death meant less game hunted and a harder life for the clan.

On the quiet grassland, a young disciple of the Henshan Sect, growing impatient, took out two pieces of paper with different clan names from a bag and read them out loud.

Bai Xu stood in the crowd, surrounded by the chiefs of various remnant clans from the surrounding thousand miles, most of whom he did not recognize. He felt a bit awkward and anxious, waiting. He had a small hope in his heart: perhaps Bu Li would really come? Perhaps Bu Li's opponent would be a small tribe that had given up on the Great Trial? If Bu Li could pass the preliminary round and enter the hunting round, his excellent hunting skills could secure a better ranking for the Bailing Clan, which would mean a better starting point for Bai Liang in the next Great Trial.

Thinking of Bai Liang, the unambitious young man, made Bai Xu feel uneasy. A young talent cherished by the clan, though a bit young, was still a totem mark cultivator. How could he have been seriously injured by Bu Li, an ordinary young man, and still be lying at home, his fate unknown?

Bai Xu did not want to dwell on these troubling matters. Perhaps the Bailing Clan was destined to never leave these mountains. This was just fate.

One name after another was called out, and the chiefs who were drawn either rejoiced, mourned, or remained expressionless. Suddenly, Bai Xu felt a fierce wind, like a sharp knife, piercing his bones. It was early autumn, and it shouldn't have been so cold. Bai Xu tightened his coarse cloth clothing and laughed bitterly to himself. Perhaps it was because he was too nervous. Hadn't he already given up? Why was he still hoping for something from Bu Li?

On the Heavenly Altar, the young disciple of the Henshan Sect was thoroughly impatient, looking completely disinterested. He seemed to wish a thunderbolt would fall from the sky and kill all these annoying remnant clans, so he wouldn't have to do this tedious work.

"Bailing Clan..." Bai Xu suddenly heard the three words and shivered, as if the wind had pierced his bones. The coarse cloth clothing offered little protection against the cold.

"Against the Dishi Clan." The Henshan Sect's disciple continued to draw more slips of paper, but Bai Xu felt as if a thunderbolt had struck him. His earlier anxiety now seemed laughable. The Dishi Clan, not entirely unfamiliar, lived a hundred miles away from the Bailing Clan. The Dishi Clan was far stronger than the Bailing Clan, and in the last Great Trial, they had ranked third, just a step away from the top. Bai Xu still remembered the intense battle he had witnessed in the Mirage Spell, where the Dishi Clan's young man fought to the last, dying a heroic death. At that moment, even Bai Xu felt his blood boil, wishing his own clan had such a spirited young man.

This time, the Dishi Clan had sent a female totem mark cultivator, only eighteen years old, but her ranking was not low. It was over. Bai Xu suddenly felt a bit foolish. Why had he been hoping that Bu Li would draw a good match? Even if Bai Liang became a third-stage totem mark cultivator in five years, he would not dare to claim victory against a Dishi Clan warrior, let alone Bu Li, an ordinary person.