The journey aboard the flying boat lasted two days, the vessel gliding smoothly through the azure skies toward their next destination. Below, the landscape shifted from rolling plains to dense, verdant canopies, hinting at the untamed wilderness that awaited them.

The fasting pills distributed before the second trial continued to suppress hunger and thirst, ensuring that the participants remained focused and sustained throughout the voyage.

During this tranquil interlude, Rinne sought to gather more information about the upcoming third trial.

Finding a quiet corner on the deck, she settled down, closing her eyes and allowing her consciousness to drift into the depths of her mind, and she entered her dream world—a place she had crafted with meticulous detail.

In this dreamscape, she stood before a grand edifice: a towering, labyrinthine library that stretched endlessly in all directions. She had named it the Soul Library.

image [https://images-ng.pixai.art/images/orig/97096aa8-5117-4655-9af7-3c6343a0a8a0]

Towering bookshelves stretched infinitely in all directions, filled with countless tomes that gleamed with ethereal light. Each book represented a collection of memories she had harvested through her Soul Search technique, a repository of knowledge she could access at will.

Here, in the dream world, she could move freely, summoning any memory she wished to examine. Rinne floated effortlessly between the shelves. With a mere thought, she summoned the memory of a certain person—not one of the participants in the trial, but of an elder who had observed the trials for many years.

The elder whose memories she chose to explore was none other than Elder Soryn of the Azure Sky Sect.

A smirk tugged at her lips as she recalled the memory of him, or rather, the moment she had killed him. Her fingers twitched slightly as she remembered the smooth, polished surface of his bald head under her grasp during the Soul Harvest.

'Ah, Elder Soryn... I still remember how smooth your cranium was when I grabbed it during the Soul Harvest. So perfectly round and glossy, like polished marble under my fingertips.'

The memory was amusing, a stark contrast to the stern and dignified image the elder presented to the world. She chuckled softly, the sound echoing through the silent expanse of the library.

'Who would have thought such a revered figure could provide such... tactile satisfaction?'

She thought, her amusement lingering as she opened the book.

Pages turned rapidly before her eyes as she delved into Elder Soryn's experiences, specifically focusing on the details of the third trial during Roran's recruitment year. Scenes unfolded in intricate detail—the layout of the trial grounds, the challenges faced, the strategies employed by successful participants. Every nuance was captured within these memories, offering Rinne a comprehensive understanding far beyond what any participant could hope to glean.

Time seemed to stretch and compress in the Soul Library. What felt like hours of study in the dream world passed in mere moments in the waking world. However, her head throbbed slightly as she accessed the vast amount of information—her current body still struggled to handle the mental strain of such intense memory retrieval.

Rinne winced, pressing a hand to her forehead as the pain throbbed persistently.

'Seems like my current body isn't quite up to par yet, Accessing so much information at once is still taxing.'

Closing the tome, she allowed it to dissolve back into the air, the vast shelves of the library receding as she gently pulled herself out of the dreamscape. Her eyes fluttered open to the warm glow of the setting sun casting long shadows across the deck.

She sighed softly, massaging her temples to alleviate the lingering discomfort, gazing out at the horizon where the sky met the dense expanse of forest below.

'Originally, I planned to start quietly as a mere handyman, but opportunities arise in the most unexpected ways... Well, no use complaining. I’ll just have to adjust. And this time, in a good way.'

A faint smile played on her lips as she leaned back, allowing herself to drift into genuine, restful sleep this time, her mind and body recuperating in anticipation of the trials ahead.

♠♠♠

The morning of the third day dawned crisp and clear as the flying boat began its descent toward a sprawling, ancient woodland known as the Eldergrove Forest.

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The dense canopy stretched as far as the eye could see, the trees towering and interwoven, exuding an aura of mystery and latent power. As the boat docked onto a sturdy wooden platform at the forest's edge, a flurry of activity ensued. Participants stirred from their rest, gathering their belongings and preparing to disembark.

"It's about time, are you ready, Rin?"

Kael approached Rinne, his expression a mixture of excitement and nervousness. He remarked, while adjusting the strap of his satchel.

"Probably,"

Rinne stretched languidly as she replied calmly, her gaze sweeping over the bustling deck.

Seemingly reassured by her demeanor, Kael reached into his pouch and pulled out a small bundle of talismans, offering them to her. The thin parchment squares were inscribed with intricate symbols that glowed faintly with embedded power.

He then placed five Fireball Talismans into her palm.

"Here, take these... I only brought a few with me, so sorry if the number is a bit small."

Rinne examined the talismans closely, her fingers tracing the delicate lines of the inscriptions. A frown subtly creased her brow as she realized something crucial—these talismans required a minimum cultivation level of the 1st Level of Qi Gathering to activate.

For her, who hadn’t even begun cultivating, these talismans were practically useless. Kael had either forgotten this small detail or perhaps assumed she had already reached that level.

'He probably forgot, or assumed I've made more progress than I have, But there's no need to mention it.'

She slipped the talismans into her pouch without a word, offering Kael a polite smile.

"Thank you, I hope for our success."

Kael grinned, seemingly encouraged by her words.

"We'll make it through, I'm sure."

As the boat docked, the participants from Elaria Town gathered and prepared to disembark. However, as they stepped onto the platform, it became clear just how few they were. Other boats, arriving from various directions, carried hundreds of participants—some over two hundred, others just above a hundred. By comparison, their group of thirty seemed pitifully small.

Rinne could feel the disdainful glances from the other participants, their silent sneers almost palpable. They likely saw the small number of participants from Elaria Town as a sign of weakness, an easy target for bullying.

She sighed softly. Fortunately, the third trial was not a group competition; otherwise, their small numbers would have been a severe disadvantage.

An elder, different from the one who had announced the previous trials, arrived at the scene. His presence commanded attention as he addressed the gathered participants.

"Welcome, esteemed participants, to the third trial,"

He began, his gaze sweeping over the assembled masses.

"This trial is straightforward: survive within Eldergrove Forest for one week and collect as many Spiritual Beast Cores as you can. To aid you, each participant will be lent a low-grade spatial bag to store the cores. However, the use of any other spatial bag is forbidden.”

The elder's expression grew stern as he continued,

"Each of you has been issued a Wooden Token. This token is your lifeline. It generates an invisible barrier that offers protection up to a certain threshold. Should you sustain injuries or attacks exceeding this threshold, the token will activate and teleport you back to this platform. Additionally, after the week concludes, all tokens will automatically return you here."

He paused, his gaze hardening.

"However, should you lose your token, your life cannot be guaranteed. Exercise caution."

A ripple of unease passed through the crowd at his words.

It turned out that the seemingly ordinary wooden badge they received had an important function in keeping their lives safe during this trial. The elder had emphasized the importance of the wooden badge and the dire consequences of losing it.

Kael exhaled slowly beside Rinne, relief evident in his posture.

"At least we don't have to fight each other, and our lives are safe."

But Rinne shook her head, her expression serious.

"Not really, the elder never said we couldn’t rob others, nor did he mention any punishment for killing,"

Kael's eyes widened, his earlier relief replaced by apprehension.

The wooden badge could ensure that their lives would not be lost during this trial, but it did not protect them from theft or robbery. If the wooden badge was stolen or taken by force from its owner, there would be no guarantee of its owner's safety until the trial was over.

"You think others might…?"

He didn't need to finish his words, both of them already understood.

Rinne replied evenly.

"It's possible, best to be prepared."

Kael nodded slowly, digesting her words with a newfound seriousness.

Participants began to queue up, receiving their spatial bags and proceeding toward an array of Teleportation Circles etched into the ground. Each circle glowed with arcane symbols, ready to disperse individuals randomly throughout the vast forest.

As their turn approached, Kael offered Rinne a tentative smile.

"Stay safe out there, Rin."

"See you later."

She met his gaze, offering a slight nod.

Stepping into the circle, Rinne felt a surge of energy envelop her, a brief sensation of weightlessness overtaking her senses. In an instant, the platform and bustling crowd vanished, replaced by the dense, earthy atmosphere of Eldergrove Forest.

She landed softly amidst towering trees and dense underbrush, the sounds of distant wildlife echoing around her. The air was cool and damp, filled with the rich scents of moss and loam.

Rinne took a moment to orient herself, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for immediate threats. Satisfied that she was alone for the moment, she exhaled calmly.

Unlike many others, she felt no trepidation entering this trial.

The conditions of this test were simple. As long as she did not lose her token, then her goal had been achieved. Even if she ended up with zero spirit beast cores, or was teleported out before the week was up, her position as an outer disciple would still be secure.