Irene said, "There's nothing strange about it, Adrian. It's probably just your imagination. In any case, don’t worry too much right now."“Wait, I think I’ve realized something.” Despite what everyone was saying, Adrian's gaze suddenly sharpened.Startled, the group immediately turned their attention to him.Adrian said, “Didn’t you guys notice anything unusual about Mr. Kayne?”Since Adrian and Tyron were new, their understanding of Kayne was limited. However, Irene and Orson had been with the faction for a long time. The two exchanged a glance, momentarily unsure of what Adrian was implying.Adrian then voiced his suspicion, “Why did Mr. Kayne kill Haroon so hastily? Was he trying to hide something?”This question made Irene and Orson relax. “So that’s what you were thinking. We thought you were worried about something else.”Orson explained, “Mr. Kayne has always been impulsive; that’s just how he is. But luckily, all the remnants of the daemonic god have been captured, so we
Upon hearing Kayne's words, Darcie's eyes lit up. "So, you've already set your sights on this young man?"Kayne didn’t deny it. "That's right. I’ve had my eye on him for a while. He has great strength and boundless potential, so I’m willing to take him under my wing."Seeing Kayne speak so decisively, Darcie didn’t argue. "The techniques I practice aren’t suitable for him anyway. Since you’re so determined, I’ll reluctantly concede and let you have him."While the elders were discussing how to bring Adrian in as an apprentice, Adrian himself was completely unaware. In the following days, everything remained calm. For the outer apprentices, their most important task was preparing for the upcoming inner apprentice trial.This trial occurred once every five years. Aside from the requirement that participants must be outer apprentices of Purecastle, there were no other restrictions. Anyone was eligible to participate in the trial, even if they had only joined Purecastle the previous da
After hearing their explanation, Adrian felt relieved. "I thought it was something more complicated, but it turns out it’s just this. In that case, I’ll agree to it," he said.He was then told about the rules of the trial. Although it was called a trial, it was more of a competition with specific guidelines. All outer apprentices could form teams of their own liking. Ten teams had been formed so far, each with around a hundred members. These ten teams would enter Hidden Dragon Hill to eliminate the remnants of the daemonic god."This approach isn’t bad; it also gives the apprentices a chance to compete with each other," Adrian commented.With the rules set by the faction, Adrian and the others prepared themselves and finally embarked on their daemon-elimination journey.…Meanwhile, in a secluded corner deep within Purecastle, a shadowy figure stood tall, facing a terrifying daemon. The daemon appeared illusory, caught between reality and illusion, emitting an eerie vibe."I’m st
Even though Hidden Dragon Hill was fraught with danger, this formation could hold out for a while."Let’s continue forward then," Adrian commanded.The team quickened their pace toward Hidden Dragon Hill. The closer they got, the more they could sense the growing concentration of daemonic essence in the air.Tyron said, "It seems the information from the faction’s higher-ups was accurate. There are indeed a lot of daemonic creatures in Hidden Dragon Hill.""We shouldn’t be too sure," Adrian cautioned. "From the surface, it only seems like there is abundant daemonic essence here. Whether there are actual daemonic creatures present hasn’t been confirmed yet."Though places with abundant daemonic essence typically had many daemonic creatures, Adrian’s caution was justified. Fortunately, their formation protected them from toxic gasses, and their progress went smoothly thanks to the formation’s defense.Adrian’s team, composed of powerful individuals from various realms, moved effici
Adrian smiled slightly, "Indeed, but this guy might not be as terrifying as you think."The dark cloud began to churn rapidly and an overwhelmingly terrifying force descended from the sky. This power condensed before Adrian’s team, taking the form of a humanoid figure dressed in a black robe. The powerful daemonic essence emanated from his body, enveloping everyone present."Oh? Is that so? Do you know what a disastrous fate awaits those who underestimate me?" The black-robed man’s lips curled into a cold smile.Adrian responded coldly, "I don’t care who or what you are. You’ll definitely die here today." A surge of sword essence enveloped him, unleashing a formidable offensive aura.Swish!Instantly, everyone felt a refreshing clarity.The black-robed man snorted coldly. "A mere parlor trick, hardly worth mentioning."When the black-robed man touched down, his powerful aura covered the entire area, creating a suffocating pressure even for those behind the formation. Adrian’s sw
The black-robed man staggered back several steps, his face paling. He glared at Adrian with burning anger, clearly having been significantly damaged by the attack."You're quite something to have broken through my defenses," the man said sinisterly. "But even so, you all will die here today."Once again, dark clouds surged around him, rapidly gathering into an overwhelming storm. Faced with the intensifying black clouds, the team felt the pressure mounting once more.Adrian instructed, "Everyone, focus your minds and breathe through your energy core. Do not breathe through your nose, or you won’t be able to resist the daemonic essence."Having just fought a brief skirmish, Adrian had quickly grasped the opponent’s tactics and provided the necessary guidance. The team followed his instructions, holding their breath and infusing more energy into their crystals. The crystals’ light grew even more dazzling, enveloping Adrian in a radiant silver glow.Adrian condensed his energy into a
Although the teams were in competition during the trial, Adrian didn’t want his fellow apprentices to fall victim to the daemons. Given the dire situation, he decided to help.Adrian’s team traveled through several mountain ranges and soon reached the source of the distress call—a valley where apprentices were trapped and surrounded by a large number of daemons. The daemons pressed closer, leaving the apprentices with no escape and forcing them into a desperate retreat.Seeing the apprentices on the verge of being overwhelmed, Adrian’s team arrived just in time. Fortunately, the daemons were not very powerful and were no match for Adrian’s team. They swiftly dealt with the daemons, destroying them effortlessly."Are you all alright?" Adrian asked, approaching the other teams with concern. He quickly assessed that the apprentices had suffered heavy casualties.Each team initially had between one hundred to one hundred thirty members, but this team had lost more than two-thirds of it
Tyron asked the leading apprentice, “ Are you Jonty from the Mcleod family?”“Indeed, I am. I’m surprised someone here knows of the Mcleods,” Jonty replied.Tyron smiled. “The Mcleods are the foremost family in the Northern Region. Who hasn’t heard of them?”The Mcleod family was renowned in the Northern Region of the maritime immortal region. Jonty’s affiliation with such a prestigious family added weight to his position among the outer apprentices, drawing many followers.However, Jonty’s response was somber. “Ah, the Mcleod family is nothing more than a mere name now. A month ago, my family disappeared from the world.”Tyron’s eyes widened in shock. “What?” He knew the Mcleods were a powerful and influential force. To hear that such a prominent family could vanish so suddenly was startling. Tyron wondered who could be behind such a drastic act.Jonty seemed to sense Tyron’s confusion and added, “It’s just a bit of past history, nothing worth mentioning. Let’s not discuss it fu