Survival was the theme, and if everyone was intelligent and broad-minded, they would know not to attack others and just wait for a week to pass. If everyone did that, wouldn't everyone pass and move on to the second trial?
Of course, such a result was nothing but a dream. The participants were not very eager for the reward. Instead, they wanted to prove themselves and shine in front of everyone. Not to mention, Yasenia understood that she was the main target and would be targeted by anyone who laid their eyes on her.
"But… There must be something else. Without any sort of incentive, hiding is the best course of action. Who would prepare such a boring event? Even if it is just a week, the sheer stagnation would make some fall asleep."
With that in mind, Yasenia moved. She was inside a dense forest with very tall trees. While moving through the forest, she felt really small in comparison. It was not an oppressive sensation, though.
While exploring the area, Yasenia noticed a presence nearby. Her eyebrows raised, surprise flashing in her golden gaze. "How did a beast sneak so close to me without being detected?"
Even if she was walking leisurely, her spiritual sense was active and scanning her surroundings. For her not to detect anything before it appeared 5 kilometers from her, its concealment should be terrifyingly exceptional.
"A Second Level Mythical Core Realm beast… A serpent type with three heads and a brown body."
Extending her hand, a magnificent giant sword manifested. The blade and handle together extended for over two meters, while its width was comparable to her own waist. The body of the blade was bluish in color, with a scaly texture predominant along its length. The edges shone with incredible sharpness, and a red core stood out prominently at the beginning of the blade, pulsing like a living heart.
"Let's see what this illusion realm has to offer us, Draheart."
The sword buzzed, its presence overbearing.
Outside of the illusion realm, people could focus on any participant. Naturally, among the masses, Yaseia was the one who garnered the most attention. Immortals and mortals alike were looking at her figure, some curious about her strength, and others relishing in her alluring presence.
Ao Xianlan, like many others, was equally intrigued by what Yasenia could do. "How long do you think it will take her?"
She asked, and Tatyana, who sat by her side, answered candidly. "One second."
The dragons were confused, but they didn't look away from the screen. And a second later, they were thankful they didn't.
In the distance, the three-headed serpent that was stalking Yasenia seemed to sense danger, and its body burst with endless strength. The flora around it fell under its influence, sweeping everything in front of it.
That attack fell short against the overwhelming monster it faced, though.
A flash of white light manifested the figure of a starlight-infused Pegasus, and right after, cutting power unequaled for their level surged endlessly.
With a flash of celestial light, the flora in front of the serpent, the trees, and everything was bisected with little to no resistance, only a single sentence echoing around the world.
"[Firmament Shaking Arc]."
SLASH!
The sound of the cut exploded right after, tyrannical bodily strength cutting everything in Yasenia's path, the serpent included. Those five kilometers that separated them meant nothing in front of the dragon, and a second later, Yasenia appeared behind the three-headed serpent.
Once she stopped, she calmly turned around as the body of the serpent slid in two different directions.
Every single spectator was horrified, eyes widening in stupor. While they sensed energy, most experts could tell that the vast majority of her slash's power came from unparalleled bodily strength. Even when dragons had tyrannical bodies, Yasenia's showcase was an extreme that no dragon would confidently dare to say they could replicate.
Tatyana's lips arched as she looked at Ao Xianlan, who, in turn, was staring at the peacefully sleeping dragoness in her arms with endless shock.
Discussion exploded all around.
"What in Heaven's name happened!?"
"I could see what happened even when I refused to blink!"
"You are lucky that you were looking! I glanced away for a second, and when I turned to look, the beast was bisected!"
A knowledgeable elder standing around spoke, his voice trembling. "That was… raw bodily strength. The only spiritual energy came from that movement technique that summoned a Pegasus."
"Impossible! That [Tri-Elemental Profound Forest Serpent] was at the same rank! How can raw bodily strength beat it when it comes from a cultivator of the same level?"
Beasts, wild beasts especially, were well-known for being stronger than their cultivator counterparts when it came to raw strength. It was a way for nature to counteract its inability to form Intent Domains as easily.
While everyone discussed, Yasenia felt a trace of energy entering her body from the dead creature. Her eyebrows gently furrowed, giving those looking a strange aching and a wish to smooth the crease with their fingers.
Still, that gesture only lasted for a second. 'Even if it was almost imperceptible, my cultivation improved.'
The corpse of the beast diffused with the air, and the trees Yasenia cut down reappeared a second later. Looking around, it was as if nothing had happened. "Ho~. That's convenient. Won't this make tracking down others much more difficult?"
As she pondered aloud, she glanced at the surroundings and noticed that the marks created by the three-headed serpent still remained. The only thing that disappeared was the corpse.
"Strange, but easy to understand. If I ever find a trail that suddenly cuts, it can be a hint."
Her draconic eyes focused, taking in the smallest details, before she retraced the serpent's movements. The journey back to where she had appeared was swift, and soon she arrived at the creature's nest.
Inside, she could sense different presences, among them, some cultivators. 'Mortals.'
Yasenia was not worried and strolled inside, her presence hidden. Once inside, she heard the sound of clashing weapons and hissing creatures. Following the source of the noise, she arrived at a vast cave expanse.
There, she saw ten mortal cultivators, all at the peak of the Fifth Realm, fighting together against three serpents of similar strength.
Glancing around, Yasenia's sharp eyes could see two more traces that cut suddenly. 'There were five beasts, and they have defeated two.'
She leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. She wanted to see how strong mortals of this Heavenly Layer were.
"I will take its attention!"
"Attack from the right!"
"Be careful with the earth manipulation!"
"Jump! It's summoning vines below you!"
The fight continued for twenty more minutes, and all ten mortals managed to defeat the serpents.
"Oh! Have you felt that?"
"Yeah, I can sense my cultivation improving by leaps and bounds!"
Yasenia frowned. 'Leaps and bounds? Wasn't it just a minuscule cultivation boost?'
"Right! I gained around three weeks of cultivation. If we continue, I will shorten my two centuries of cultivation to reach Transcendence to nothing!"
Yasenia blinked. 'Two centuries…' Shaking her head, she revealed her presence.
The ten cultivators noticed without delay, turning their weapons toward the cave entrance. However, when they saw the woman with unparalleled beauty and a playfully wagging tail, their hearts dropped to the bottom of their stomachs.
Yasenia smirked, making some of them blush. "Hey, do any of you know why killing beasts improves our cultivation?"
The ten people didn't want to answer. They were a bit too afraid and, simultaneously, overwhelmed by feelings that made that fright feel secondary.
Yasenia was not going to refrain from using everything in her arsenal. So, her smile turned seductive as she appeared in front of the man leading the group. Gently grabbing his chin, Yasenia asked softly. "Hey, can you tell me?"
As her scent drilled into his brain, the man's legs buckled, being held only by the fingers pinching his chin. The rest didn't dare move.
"T-That should be a result of using a grand formation."
Yasenia's golden eyes showed confusion. "Grand formation?" Looking deeply into his eyes, she asked, her soft and mellow voice massaging his very soul. "Can you explain a bit more for me? Please?"
The last word was spoken slowly and sensually, crumbling any mental defense the man could possibly have. "G-Grand formations are those formations that are too strong to activate often. It is an unofficial rank. The Flame Sky Empire must've spent a lot of resources to activate it."
Yasenia released her grip on his chin, making the man fall to the ground, his pants a bit of a mess. With a pondering look, she nodded and disappeared from there. Since he answered her questions, even if it was forced out by her, she didn't mind leaving this little group alive.
Her choice not to eliminate them raised many eyebrows.
"Is she naive?"
"She is too young, so she must have some thoughts of mercifulness."
Some chuckled, finding that small gesture adorable.
Regardless of what they thought, Yasenia didn't care. She just didn't find a benefit in eliminating them all, so she didn't. Mortals were never, and could never, threaten her.
Once outside the cave, Yasenia spread her senses and found a large bear at the first level of the Mythical Beast Core Realm. With another swift movement, she beheaded the beast, absorbing another strand into her body that pushed her cultivation minutely.
'My energy needs are truly egregious. I would need to kill a few million kills to break through… Well, whatever. It is better than nothing.'
Yasenia's senses spread once more, and her eyes shone with the ferocity of a hunter. Then, her body transformed into a ray of light as she swept thousands of kilometers, slaughtering all beasts that entered her detection range.
Everyone looked once again dumbfounded. Be it her speed, quick slaughtering capabilities, or her irrational strength, Yasenia's display was leaving everyone breathless.
She moved naturally, her body in sync with the environment. Each time she detected something, she would accelerate, weaving through the dense forest like a fish in the water at speeds unimaginable for someone at her level. In just a fraction of a second, she would appear before the beasts and cut them down without any resistance.
All beasts at her level were, quite literally, like chickens waiting for slaughter.
Of course, Yasenia was far from being the only one causing such a large massacre. Within the gargantuan illusory realm, which spanned several tens of millions of kilometers, many were able to show off their powers to the public.
Ao Xianlan was keeping an eye on quite a few juniors, and soon, she noticed something. "Oh? If Yasenia continues her trajectory, she will soon encounter someone quite powerful."
Tatyana checked and soon found the opponent.
***
Name: Zi Hua
Cultivation Realm: Fourth Level Sixth Realm.
Affiliation: Violet Miasma Gu-Soothing Sect
Bone Age: 1178
Race/Constitution: Ancient Poison Heart Human
Bloodline: Profane Parasite Blood.
***