The graduation trial is not limited to just the Seventh Safe Zone where Wang Xu is located. Even in the First Safe Zone, the Second Safe Zone... all the way up to the Sixth Safe Zone, every talented and powerful student will participate in this graduation trial.
At that time, geniuses from around the world will compete for the limited slots in the battle group.
This is a grand trial, a confrontation with the world's talents. For Wang Xu, it feels more like a form of training—breaking through the layers of encirclement to carve a bloody path!
"Third-rank students, please go this way and enter passage B for the elite battle group assessment. Fourth-rank students, go this way and enter passage A for the genius battle group assessment."
A small man wearing military attire and carrying a green military backpack, with rugged hiking boots, is responsible for guiding the juniors from the Gene Academy into the passages.
Following his instructions, Wang Xu heads toward passage A. Compared to passage B, passage A feels particularly desolate, with only a few unfamiliar young people besides him.
"Are you Wang Xu?" asks a young man with fiery red hair, a wide grin on his face as he approaches.
"Yeah." Wang Xu looks at him in confusion.
"Haha, it really is you! I respect you so much for actually killing students during the trial—that's incredible!" the red-haired young man laughs, extending his hand. "Let me introduce myself. I'm from 'the Inner Academy,' and my name is Li Ming. People usually call me 'Red Hair.'"
From the Inner Academy?
Wang Xu is secretly astonished. The Inner Academy is reputedly filled with gifted individuals. This Li Ming looks younger than Wang Xu, yet his strength seems to surpass his own.
"I don't think I need to introduce myself. You probably know more about me than I do," Wang Xu replies.
"Haha, those over there are my seniors; their strength far exceeds mine, and they are also our competitors," Red Hair says.
Wang Xu glances at the group ahead and feels a shiver down his spine. Not one of those from the Inner Academy is weaker than he is.
"The one at the front, the serious-looking guy in black—that's our eldest senior brother. He's already a fifth-rank gene warrior and doesn't even need to participate in the trial; he was directly accepted into the genius battle group!" Red Hair whispers.
Fifth rank!
Wang Xu's gaze falls on the black-clad man at the front, who appears rather handsome but wears an extremely cold expression, his eyes radiating pride.
It seems he senses Wang Xu's gaze, as the black-clad man turns to look at him, their eyes meeting.
Wang Xu nods amicably, but the black-clad man merely glances and then turns away.
"Don't mind him; our eldest senior brother is like that. He always has a stern face, but he's very caring toward us," Red Hair explains.
As they reach the end of the passage, a high-speed train comes to a stop on the tracks, surrounded by a faint green light shield, constructed from S-class minerals. Such a train would cost at least several billion Earth coins!
The graduation trial is vastly different from the Academy trials and cannot be accessed through jump rooms; one must use this ancient method of transportation to arrive.
After confirming their identities, Wang Xu and Red Hair board the train.
"Hi, Wang Xu!" A sweet voice calls out as they step on board. Following the sound, Wang Xu quickly spots Tang Yan.
Tang Yan has shed her usual frail appearance, her long hair cut short. With bright eyes and a charming smile, she waves at Wang Xu.
Wang Xu smiles faintly. Having changed significantly, he is no longer the shy young man who would blush and have his heart race upon seeing Tang Yan. He walks directly over and sits down across from her.
"Congratulations," Wang Xu says.
"You're one to talk! When I advanced to the fourth rank, so many classmates came to congratulate me, and you were nowhere to be found," Tang Yan huffs playfully.
Wang Xu sheepishly rubs his nose. Over the past six months, he had shut himself away from the outside world and focused solely on his training in the Extreme Dao Ancient Hall. He only learned about Tang Yan's promotion from Li Lian.
"Zhang, brother." Wang Xu spots Zhang Xinglin in the corner, eyes closed in meditation, and greets him.
Although Zhang Xinglin hadn't fulfilled his promise during the trial, reflecting on it, Wang Xu realizes they were hardly acquainted; he had no reason to expect help.
Now that he has thought it through, Wang Xu feels much more at ease. He greets Zhang Xinglin warmly.
Zhang Xinglin opens his eyes, nods at Wang Xu, then closes them again.
Wang Xu notices the fighting spirit in Zhang Xinglin's gaze. Clearly, he is not pleased that Wang Xu advanced to the fourth rank before him. It seems likely there will be a day when he seeks to duel to determine superiority.
Looking around, Wang Xu sees that out of the entire length of the train, only the three of them from the Outer Academy, along with six individuals from the Inner Academy, are present, in addition to a few train attendants.
The carriage is quite quiet, with Wang Xu chatting with Tang Yan while the Inner Academy students speak softly among themselves, leaving only the howling wind to fill the space.
"Everyone," suddenly a voice comes from the train's display screen. A middle-aged man in a suit addresses all the passengers.
"In two hours, you will arrive at the location of the graduation trial. I am 'Lin Fengxiao,' the person in charge of this trial. I will now explain the rules of the graduation trial."
"Please remember, the purpose of this trial is quite simple: to hunt for insect beasts. After you kill an insect beast, you only need to bring back a part of its body. However, this trial prohibits the use of spatial rings."
At this revelation, Wang Xu furrows his brow. No spatial rings allowed?
"We will grade you based on the level of the insect beasts and the difficulty of the hunt, so you can rest assured about fairness."
"Secondly, each participant in the trial will be given a distress signal flare. Should you encounter danger, you can fire it into the sky, and we will send rescue personnel. However, you will also lose your qualification for the trial."
"Thirdly, this trial will commence at noon today and will end tomorrow at noon. You must return to the train station by then; we will not delay for one or two individuals. If you do not arrive, we will declare you dead."
"The rules have been explained. You all have two hours to prepare; work hard to survive in this trial."
After finishing, the middle-aged man smiles, and the screen goes dark.
Wang Xu feels a weight in his heart. With no spatial rings allowed, they cannot set up radiation bases and must confront the insect beasts in the dark... this significantly raises the chances of death!
Furthermore, the middle-aged man did not mention three critical points.
First, the trial doesn't specify the levels of insect beasts, meaning they might very well encounter fifth or sixth-rank insect beasts right outside the safe zone.
Second, even if you fire a distress signal, the rescue team may not reach you quickly enough, leaving you unable to escape your predicament.
Third, and most terrifyingly crucial, the middle-aged man made no explicit prohibition against students killing one another, which means that the graduation trial will be a lawless bloodbath, completely dictated by strength!
All these speculations point towards death. Wang Xu's expression grows serious; the graduation trial is indeed not to be underestimated.
…
Meanwhile, dozens of powerful individuals gather together, their gazes fixed on a massive screen displaying all the trains from each safe zone en route to the trial location.
Among these powerful figures, Wang Xu recognizes the old man with white hair leaning on a purple cane—Dean Bai Jian.
"What a lineup we have this time! Old Bai Jian, I heard your Extreme Dao Ancient Hall has invited a fourth-rank gene warrior ahead of time?" says a bald man with three blood-red scars on his face.
"Oh? Bai Jian personally invited someone? Is he a monstrous talent?" a handsome young man clad in silver armor, wielding a large blade, inquires.
"San Yan, Yin Jia, you two needn't tease me. This kid has some talent, and I just happen to have three spare slots," the dean replies with a chuckle.
San Yan the bald man scoffs, "If someone else had said that, I might believe it, but coming from you, old Bai Jian, I don't buy it!"
The silver-armored young man adds with a smile, "Exactly. I remember the last time you personally invited someone, they were only third rank, and in a blink, they've entered the Inner Academy and advanced to fifth rank. Who could match your sharp eye?"
Dean Bai Jian chuckles but doesn't respond.
"Hum! What does it matter for you people from the Extreme Dao Ancient Hall to chat with me?" A voice filled with animosity breaks in. The speaker is a young man in yellow armor with a hint of hatred in his eyes directed at the dean and his companions.
"Hu Long, what concern is it of yours whether we chat? Move further away!" San Yan, his expression darkening, barks back.
San Yan's tone draws the eyes of those nearby.
"It has nothing to do with me, but this time for the graduation trial, our Free Alliance has absorbed five fifth-rank geniuses. How about you people in the Extreme Dao Ancient Hall? Only three? When the scores come out, don't be surprised if you can't even make it to the top ten," Hu Long retorts with a sneer.
"Are you trying to test my patience, San Yan?" San Yan stares at Hu Long, brimming with fighting spirit, as if ready to clash at any moment.
The graduation trial is a competition between students, but it is also a struggle between factions; those who secure more spots on the leaderboard command authority, making recruitment of talent more persuasive, as geniuses will naturally choose the stronger forces.
"Alright, alright." An elderly man in a yellow robe steps forward with a smile. "Let's not argue. Humanity should unite against external threats and set our internal disputes aside."
"Long Pao, were you a monk in your past life? Why do you always play the peacemaker?" Hu Long frowns.
"Ha ha, for the sake of the old man's face, let's drop this matter," Long Pao says, clasping his fists. San Yan and Hu Long exchange fierce glances but choose to ignore each other.
…
Two hours later, the high-speed train comes to a gradual stop.
"Alright everyone, please hand over your spatial rings to the person in charge, and then you'll be allowed to leave the train. Remember, you must return punctually by noon tomorrow." With this order, Wang Xu retrieves a green backpack, hands over his spatial ring to the attendant, and steps off the train.
Taking a deep breath, Wang Xu surveys his surroundings; the train has stopped in a desolate wilderness, amidst the ruins of buildings where several skyscrapers lie in ruin.
"The trial has begun!"