Eternal Forest, Outer Perimeter.
Zhao Lin remained in place, the countdown on the orb in his hand flashing continuously.
[Countdown: 2 hours 58 minutes 36 seconds]
[Distance: 174.61 kilometers]
"Big Bai, maybe you should go ahead."
Zhao Lin needed to wait in place for more than ten minutes before he could continue forward.
"Three hours, nearly 180 kilometers, it's already tough to finish the run. If we encounter the test machines and get delayed, this special training will be ruined!"
The hard-earned opportunity couldn't end before it even started.
Zhao Lin pointed ahead, speaking earnestly, "You go first. I have Wind Slash, and as a warrior, I'm definitely faster than you. Once the penalty time is over, I'll catch up with you."
Ye Bai hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded, "Alright."
With that, he stepped forward, his shadow moving with him, narrowly avoiding a mishap.
Zhao Lin reminded him, "Be careful of the test machines!"
"Got it."
Ye Bai's figure disappeared into the forest.
What Zhao Lin didn't know was that the rules of the Eternal Forest were quite unique. Here, if you could gain the recognition of an obsession and successfully obtain a relic, the relic would take you directly across the entire Eternal Forest!
In other words, the 180-kilometer cross-country distance was not the final test for the students. The real challenge was the awakened obsession and the relics that needed to be conquered!
"Looking at it this way, the appearance of the test machines is actually another form of selection."
Ye Bai recalled the rules, and the purpose of the entire exercise became clear in his mind.
"To complete the exercise, one must traverse the Eternal Forest. Within the Eternal Forest, if an obsession is awakened, a test machine will appear, keeping the student in place to await the next challenge."
"However, the deeper you go into the Eternal Forest, the stronger the obsessions become. The higher the grade of the relics, the harder it is to gain their recognition!"
The relationship between obsessions and genius seeds is one of mutual selection. Obsessions want to choose more potential genius seeds, while genius seeds want stronger relics.
In other words, the stronger the talent, the further one can advance within the Eternal Forest!
Zhao Lin only had a C Rank Talent, and being able to awaken an obsession at the outermost area was already extremely lucky.
There was once a Battle General with a C Rank Talent who spent three days and nights in the Eternal Forest without awakening any obsession.
Thinking of this, Ye Bai glanced back.
"Huh, Zhao Lin is fighting with a long blade?"
"Not bad, if he can gain its recognition, it would be a handy weapon."
Retracting his gaze, Ye Bai continued forward.
Behind him, a dozen pieces of equipment floated in mid-air, quietly following Ye Bai. With each additional piece of equipment, Ye Bai would bow slightly towards it, both as a gesture of thanks and apology.
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Thank you for your recognition. Sorry, I need to go a bit deeper.
These pieces of equipment merely followed Ye Bai, neither too close nor too far, maintaining a fixed distance. Their presence was obscured by a shadow, making it difficult for others to see clearly.
...
Eternal Forest, not far from Ye Bai.
Liu Xueqi's face was serious as she looked ahead, a canary perched on her shoulder, preening its feathers.
"Little Jin, my grandpa said the Eternal Forest is an extremely special place. Once inside, if you dare to misbehave, he said that while the family may lack other things, five hundred doses of Myriad Poison Powder can still be gathered."
The canary instantly turned to stone, trembling all over, every feather filled with fear.
"Alright, I'm not scaring you anymore. Stay calm, nothing will happen. This is the safest place for the human race, who would have thought the exercise would bring us here."
"I wonder how Ye Bai and the others are doing."
With that, Liu Xueqi began taking things out from her storage space, neatly arranging them on the ground. Fruit platters, food, two bottles of liquor, a pack of old-brand cigarettes, and so on.
After setting everything up, Liu Xueqi stepped back a few paces, her expression solemn, and bowed before rising.
"Liu Xueqi, descendant of the Liu family from Nanjiang, pays respects to the ancestors..."
Beneath her feet, this forest was the resting place of forty-six members of the Liu family from Nanjiang, including two Battle Kings, seven Battle Generals, and thirty-seven Warriors.
The names of these forty-six individuals were engraved on the Liu family shrine's monument.
For the Liu family, the Eternal Forest held special significance.
Liu Xueqi's primary mission on this trip was not to obtain relics but to honor her ancestors!
"Grandpa Qingyao, my grandpa asked me to pass on a message, he said he's close to becoming a War God, and recently feels signs of a breakthrough..."
"He asked you to smoke less down there, it's bad for your health..."
"....."
As Liu Xueqi chattered on, deep within the Eternal Forest, several items buried in the soil were awakened, emitting different glows.
Liu Xueqi, on the outermost edge, sensed something and looked forward,
"Is this... asking me to come over?"
Liu Xueqi did not move immediately. Instead, after paying respects to the forty-six ancestors of the Liu family, she bowed again and again before leaving with heavy steps, heading deeper into the Eternal Forest to find the relics calling her.
The canary on her shoulder continued to tremble.
Not because of Liu Xueqi's earlier threats.
But because it could sense that somewhere in this forest, an extremely terrifying presence was nearby!
A presence so terrifying that it made its very soul tremble!
...
Deep within the Eternal Forest.
"Master Jiu, can you still hold on?"
Behind Ye Bai, a dense mass of shadows blocked out the sky.
Over ten thousand pieces of equipment floated in the air, following Ye Bai, unwilling to leave.
Among these pieces of equipment were many relics of Battle Kings, and even relics of War Gods!
One half-broken arrow, covered in rust, emitted an extremely sharp aura. Even a Battle King would feel their eyes ache and tears flow if they stared at it for too long.
[A Battle King's advancement was interrupted, and in his dying moments, he shot a world-shattering arrow, killing two Demon God War Gods.]
The quasi-War God level relic, even with Shadow Nine's efforts to conceal it, felt extremely taxing.
These relics were imbued with the obsessions of the spirits in life and had been greatly enhanced by Nightmare's use of rules.
The Eternal Forest was their home turf.
In other words, Shadow Nine concealing War God level equipment was akin to concealing the whereabouts of a War God!
And there were as many as nine such pieces of equipment following Ye Bai!
"Kid, you're making quite a commotion."
Shadow Nine's voice was strained, "The previous two guys didn't have your capability."
"Oh?"
Ye Bai keenly caught onto a piece of information—when the first two Supreme Beings entered the Eternal Forest, was Shadow Nine also by their side?!
"What was their situation like?"
"Is this the time for gossip?!"
Shadow Nine wished he could jump out and knock some sense into Ye Bai.
Get a grip on the situation, you fool!
"Nine pieces of War God level equipment, and you've only covered less than a tenth of the distance..."
"If you reach the deepest part, won't the obsessions of the entire forest come to life?!"
Shadow Nine was startled by his own speculation.
If such a commotion were to occur, Shadow Nine's own strength would be absolutely insufficient to conceal it for long!
This forest alone was the resting place of over a hundred War Gods!
At that time, Ye Bai's identity would be at risk of exposure.
Shadow Nine couldn't possibly seal the memories of everyone in the entire forest!
Moreover, in a special place like the Eternal Forest, even if the Demon Gods of the Abyssal Plane were asleep, they'd keep one eye open watching here!
As for calling for reinforcements...
Shadow Four, Five, Six, and Seven, indeed, there were four War Gods stationed in the Eternal Forest.
However, before Asura attained War God level strength, no one other than the Supreme Beings and Shadow Nine could know Ye Bai's true identity!
The growth path of the first two Supreme Beings was the same.
Without War God level strength, any possibility of identity exposure would invite disaster!
When Traceless first appeared on the front lines, a Demon God from the Abyssal Plane descended in person, insanely attempting to directly eliminate Traceless!
Previously, Shadow Seven had suggested wanting to take a look at Asura.
Shadow Five immediately retorted.
If you dare go, you'll die!
Killed by some old monster hidden in the shadows for a hundred years!
And to Shadow Five's words, none of the four War Gods present had any rebuttal.
They knew in their hearts that Brother Nine not only had the capability to do such things but would indeed do them!
Having accompanied the rise of the Supreme Being Nightmare and subsequently protected both Traceless and Carefree, Shadow Nine's hands were stained with the blood of more powerful beings than the four combined!
He was by no means a kindly old grandfather next door but a ruthless executioner, the nightmare of his enemies!
Shadow Nine spoke again, "Kid, if you want to continue deeper, you'd better move at full speed."
"Even if all the War God obsessions are awakened, I can fully conceal you for 3 minutes!"
"Three minutes, enough for you to choose one."
After listening to Shadow Nine's words, Ye Bai was silent for a moment.
"That's the only way."
If they continued to delay, Shadow Nine's energy consumption would only increase, and in the end, he might not even last a minute!
It would be better to take advantage of Shadow Nine's current strength, make a decisive push to the end, and resolve things quickly!
Ye Bai took a deep breath, donned the Lone Wolf mask, clasped his hands in salute, and said solemnly,
"Forgive me."
The next second, he left an afterimage in place, rushing towards the depths of the Eternal Forest!
Whoosh—
Frightened birds scattered, countless obsessions awakened simultaneously, joining Ye Bai's entourage, forming a torrent of steel!
Above the blue sky, white clouds drifted.
He was still watching.
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