"You...!"
Seeing the sword light approaching, the turbaned youth's face changed instantly. Ignoring his bleeding wound, he hurriedly channeled all his True Essence to his chest.
At the brink of life and death, a tortoise-patterned round shield rose from his chest. The shield was struck by the sword light, and a long crack appeared instantly.
But it managed to block this fatal strike.
"Hmm? So you still have a trump card!" Su Shi'er raised an eyebrow, calmly distancing himself from his opponent while continuing to wield the White Mist Sword.
If it's a fight to the death, then fight to the end.
The turbaned youth lay on the ground, terrified out of his wits.
His arm was severed, rendering many of his techniques unusable. The tortoise-patterned shield was his last line of defense.
But the shield was merely a Mid Grade Ritual Artifact and couldn't hold out for long.
Seeing the sword light approaching, the turbaned youth shouted loudly, "Wait, I know a secret about this newcomer trial. Kill me, and you'll regret it!"
"Newcomer trial?"
Hearing this, Su Shi'er hesitated slightly.
After a moment's pause, he slashed out three times, severing the tendons in his opponent's hands and feet.
"Ah..." The turbaned youth fell to the ground, his face contorted in pain.
But before he could speak, Su Shi'er interrupted him.
"Speak. If your information doesn't satisfy me, the next sword will take your life."
Su Shi'er held the White Mist Sword, his eyes filled with killing intent. He also clutched a Talisman for attack and defense, ready to throw it at any moment.
"I'll talk, but you must let me leave alive," the turbaned youth said through gritted teeth.
Seeing Su Shi'er's decisive actions, he realized he was dealing with a ruthless person.
With his hands and feet disabled, any chance of a sneak attack was slim. At this moment, all he wished for was to leave alive.
"No problem!" Su Shi'er agreed without hesitation.
"Uh..." The turbaned youth hesitated, Su Shi'er's quick agreement making him even more uncertain.
But he knew he had no other choice.
Taking a deep breath, he quickly channeled True Essence to his wounds to stabilize them, and said quickly, "Do you know why this year's newcomer trial allows servant disciples who previously failed the assessment to participate?"
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Hmm? Servant disciples who previously failed the assessment can participate?
Su Shi'er frowned slightly; he certainly didn't know this.
But just this piece of information made him aware of the danger.
It's known that servant disciples who failed the assessment in the past, after years of cultivation, would not be weak even if their cultivation wasn't high.
No matter what the trial content is, if conflicts arise between new and old disciples, the newcomers would certainly suffer.
Suppressing this doubt in his heart, Su Shi'er said sternly, "I'm not interested in answering your questions. You'd better be straightforward, or I can't guarantee your wounds will hold until you leave alive!"
The turbaned youth glared at Su Shi'er with hatred and continued, "The reason for this rule is that ten years ago, the Peak Lord of Heavenly Melody Peak accidentally located an ancient restricted area while researching an ancient teleportation formation."
"That restricted area is filled with rich spiritual energy and numerous heavenly materials and earthly treasures, including herbs that have grown for hundreds or even thousands of years."
"To explore this ancient restricted area, the sect changed the rules for the newcomer trial."
Su Shi'er listened intently, his eyes fixed on the other party, wary of any tricks.
Hearing this, he frowned and said indifferently, "An ancient restricted area? With numerous heavenly materials and earthly treasures? If such a place exists, would the sect let us go?"
He expressed his skepticism bluntly.
Although he had been cultivating hard these years, he had also managed to read many books.
His knowledge might not be extensive, but he had basic common sense.
Heavenly materials and earthly treasures are something every cultivator desires.
"It's not about whether the sect wants to or not. The ancient restricted area is filled with ancient formations, and the more powerful the cultivator, the greater the pressure they face inside. Several Elders in the sect suffered severe injuries from entering rashly."
"Only Qi Refining cultivators at the sixth level or below can move freely inside without being affected."
"If this place is leaked, it will surely attract the covetous eyes of other sects. Therefore, the sect decided to let all servant disciples who hadn't passed before and are below the sixth level of Qi Refining participate."
The turbaned youth lay on the ground, smiling bitterly.
He had joined the sect much earlier than Su Shi'er and was a disciple of Heavenly Splendor Peak, so he knew far more than Su Shi'er.
Hearing this, Su Shi'er outwardly remained noncommittal, but inwardly he believed most of it.
In his view, the sect allowing those servant disciples to participate had two purposes.
One was to have more cannon fodder to explore such an unknown place. The other was the true purpose of the trial.
This also meant that this newcomer trial would be unprecedentedly brutal. No one ever thinks they have too many heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Various conflicts would inevitably occur.
As far as he knew, the servant disciples in Cloud Song Sect were not simple. There were mainly two types: those recruited at a young age who chose to stay as servant disciples after failing the trial, and rogue cultivators who joined with some cultivation and diverse backgrounds, many of whom were ruthless.
"Is that all you have to say?" After the other party finished speaking, Su Shi'er said indifferently.
"Of course not. According to the information from our Heavenly Splendor Peak Elders, there's a Spirit Plant Garden in that ancient restricted area, where a hundred-year-old Vermilion Fruit Tree grows, which takes two hundred years to sprout, two hundred years to bloom, and two hundred years to bear fruit."
"The hundred-year Vermilion Fruit, once consumed, can increase one's cultivation by over ten years."
"You've proven your strength by defeating me, and I have the map to that Spirit Plant Garden. In this newcomer trial, we can team up to find that hundred-year Vermilion Fruit Tree."
The turbaned youth suppressed his hatred for Su Shi'er and extended an invitation.
"Where's the map?" Su Shi'er asked immediately, staring at him.
He wasn't entirely ignorant of the Vermilion Fruit. Some miscellaneous records he had read before mentioned it.
The hundred-year Vermilion Fruit, once consumed, could indeed increase one's cultivation by over ten years!
With his Mixed Spirit Root, cultivation was particularly challenging. Naturally, he was tempted by such a spirit medicine that could enhance cultivation.
"The map is at my residence. Once the newcomer trial begins, I'll bring the map and meet you. Neither you nor I can monopolize that Spirit Plant Garden alone. To obtain those Vermilion Fruits, we must work together!" Seeing Su Shi'er visibly tempted, the turbaned youth quickly continued to persuade.
"Alright, how do we split the spoils?" Su Shi'er nodded and asked.
"Sixty-forty, you take sixty, I take forty!" Hearing this, the turbaned youth finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew that to truly survive, he had to win over Su Shi'er. Forming a partnership was the best way.
Though severely injured with severed limbs, he could still heal with the right pills.
Once his injuries healed, who knew what the situation would be?
"No problem! You can go now!" Su Shi'er nodded and said indifferently.
As he spoke, he sheathed the White Mist Sword and carried it on his back. Outwardly, he seemed attracted by the heavenly materials and earthly treasures, but in his mind, he was recalling the Object Control technique he had seen.
Seeing this, the turbaned youth finally relaxed, "Alright, I'll remember this favor."
With that, he struggled to get up, ready to use an escape talisman to leave.
But just as he turned around.
"Thud."
A broken sword pierced his heart.
The turbaned youth's breath caught. He turned to look at Su Shi'er, seeing him standing still, his Flying Sword still behind him.
Looking down, he realized that a piece of his own shattered sword lay beside him.
Raising his head again, his eyes were filled with unwillingness and resentment.
"You... you tricked me!"
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