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
Since enemies could appear anywhere on Hidden Dragon Hill without being detected, they could easily monitor the apprentices’ movements. Adrian's concerns about being observed were well-founded.The others were still uncertain. “So what should we do now?” they asked.Adrian said, “If you don’t mind, I’ll take full command of our next actions. Rest assured, I won’t let you down.”“No worries, we have confidence in your abilities.”Given Adrian’s proven strength, everyone agreed to follow his lead for the time being. As long as they kept their plans secret, the hidden daemons wouldn’t be able to figure out Adrian’s intentions.Before moving forward, they needed to heal though. Jonty and the others ingested the medicinal pills while Adrian’s team stood guard. After about fifteen minutes, everyone’s injuries began to heal over.Jonty then stood up and said, “I’m fine now. Adrian, let’s continue.”Adrian looked at him and asked, “Are you sure you’re alright? What if you run into probl
Jonty said, “Don’t panic! Take out the crystals and set up the formation!”His presence reassured the group, helping them overcome their fear of the daemons. They quickly set up the formation as he commanded.Whoosh!As the formation activated, a vast golden light burst forth. Countless brilliant rays covered the sky, obscuring the sun. The fierce daemons hesitated, unwilling to approach any closer.Everyone, including Jonty, was overjoyed. “What a miraculous formation! Its effects are amazing!”At that moment, Adrian’s voice came through the Melody Stone. “I was right. This formation gathers the aura essence of heaven and earth. Activated by the crystals, its power is even greater. Tyron, Jonty, don’t be afraid. You can attack the enemies freely!”The three teams, led by Adrian, Jonty, and Tyron respectively, gained confidence from Adrian’s words. They unleashed their strongest attacks on the daemons, finding that the formation significantly enhanced their strength.“This is fa