Chapter 10: Ghost-Faced Spider
Chapter 10: Ghost-Faced Spider
The Feihong Mountains, stretching over a thousand miles north to south east of the Lihuo Sect, were treacherous and labyrinthine.
At the northernmost point, Outer Sect Elder Chen Tianyang released the last spirit beast from its containment vessel, his expression troubled. "Senior Brother Jiang, could these spirit beasts be too strong?"
He had come to finalize the trial arrangements, only to discover a late-Lian Qi Stage ghost-faced spider among the sect’s prepared creatures. If any disciple encountered it by misfortune, the consequences could be dire.
"Junior Brother Chen, I’ve already reported this to the elders. The sect’s stance is that individual casualties are acceptable."
"How could we accept that? These disciples are the sect’s future!"
"Think clearly—haven’t you heard the rumors from the Bazaar? The Yueyue Immortal Sect has already fallen. If the demonic tide reaches Li Zhou in a few years, we’ll be unprepared."
Chen Tianyang paused, then nodded grimly. "So that’s why merchant caravans have thinned recently. I’d assumed it was mere coincidence."
For centuries, the Divine Flame Cult’s heretics had plagued the Southern Domain, ambushing cultivators under the guise of their once-noble sect. Such threats were common—many cultivators sought shortcuts to power, no matter the cost. Esoteric paths and evil cults rose and fell like tides, routinely purged by orthodox sects. Yet the Divine Flame Cult persisted, resurging stronger each time despite repeated defeats.
Li Zhou’s western territories, barren and remote, seemed safe for now. But the sect’s elders had chosen to prepare rather than wait.
"May the Chen family disciples avoid the ghost-faced spiders", Chen Tianyang muttered, then mounted his sword and flew southward to warn the gathering disciples.
This year’s trial was divided—each of the Outer Sect’s twelve Sub-Academies would enter the Feihong Mountains separately. On the first day, only one Sub-Academy’s disciples would begin their trial: surviving seven days while traversing the beast-infested range.
Their mission was twofold: reach the northern assembly point alive and retrieve spirit beast core tokens implanted in the creatures’ bellies. Disciples scoring fewer than six points or failing to reach the endpoint would be marked for elimination, with three such failures disqualifying them from Inner Sect promotion.
Yet rewards balanced the risks. The top ten scorers from each Sub-Academy would become Inner Disciple Seeds, with rankings determining rewards. First place earned any Mystic Rank spell, second and third chose from three designated Mystic Rank spells, and fourth to tenth received a Yellow Tier Spell of their choice.
Steward Chen emphasized, "Though many of you pursue Mystic Rank cultivation manuals, never underestimate Yellow Tier Spells. Their specialized power eclipses generic techniques."
"A Foundation Building Sixth Layer cultivator relying solely on basic fireballs would lose decisively to a Qi Condensation Fifth Layer opponent wielding a refined Flame Serpent Art. Under equal conditions, their odds would be nine to one."
As Chen Tianyang descended on his sword, he added, "Indeed, cultivation is the path to immortality, but techniques are the blades that guard it. Study the sect’s regulations—they exist for a reason."
The disciples bowed in unison. "Thank you, Elder!"
Xiao Chen used the break to review his own techniques. Most cultivation manuals included basic spells—his Yangqi Tuna Method had five: Golden Light Technique, Wooden Vine Technique, Water Healing Technique, Fireball Technique, and Earth Shield Technique. Simple but practical, they covered offense, defense, healing, and restraint. Each consumed a single mana, though power could be adjusted.
He recalled the sect’s training chambers, where disciples tested spells on a Refined Xuan Iron Tablet. His first Fireball Technique had melted a crater into the slab, designed to withstand thousands of strikes. The incident had embarrassed him, but no one ever demanded compensation. The attending disciple had dismissed it as a manufacturing defect—after all, how could a Lian Qi Stage novice damage a newly forged tablet?
Confident in his strength, Xiao Chen welcomed the challenge. A difficult trial would only highlight his superiority.
The Second Sub-Academy departed the next morning. While Xiao Chen rested well, many disciples looked sleep-deprived.
"Senior Brother Xiao, you seem unshaken", remarked Disciple Liu, rubbing his tired eyes. "I barely slept two hours."
"Junior Brother Liu, you’ve always excelled in combat training. Why the anxiety?"
Liu, whose spirit field adjoined Xiao Chen’s, had often challenged him to sparring matches—all declined, yet their camaraderie endured.
Liu leaned closer, lowering his voice. "The spirit beasts are graded by cultivation realm. To score six points, we must kill Foundation Building Sixth Layer beasts." He hesitated. "A First Sub-Academy disciple died yesterday—killed by a ghost-faced spider."
Xiao Chen stiffened. The sect had escalated the trial’s stakes.
By mid-morning, Steward Chen summoned the Second Sub-Academy. "This trial carries risks. Those unwilling to proceed may withdraw within the hour."
"Some of you have heard—yesterday, a Qi Condensation Fifth Layer disciple was critically injured, and a Lian Qi Stage 4 novice died. The sect will not tolerate negligence. Prepare yourselves."
(End of Chapter)
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