At the same time, in the Sea of Reminiscence Sands, Da Pao and Xiao Pao faced Mentor Sha Hai, their expressions serious.
"Have you two really decided? This is no joke. With your strength, it will be very, very difficult to win. The chances are almost zero," Mentor Sha Hai said in a deep voice, looking at them.
Xiao Pao was resolute. "Mentor, we've decided. My brother and I are orphans who were taken in by the Tenth Academy. The Tenth Academy is our home. How can we let our own home's responsibilities be shouldered by juniors who enrolled less than a year ago?"
Da Pao also spoke, "Elder Cai has already given Lu Yin the mission. As long as he completes it, we will move out. Even if we can't win, we must probe the limits of that level of strength."
Mentor Sha Hai nodded. "There are too many young prodigies in the universe, and every last one of them loves to disguise themselves, making it impossible to see their true limits. It's good to have you two do some probing. This group of young people is excellent; in the future, it's not impossible for them to bring the Tenth Academy back to the Innerverse." At this, Mentor Sha Hai looked at them intently. "However, once you do this, the two of you will be completely exposed. In the Ten Academies Tournament, you will certainly become targets for the other academies' research and analysis. Have you... thought this through?"
Da Pao and Xiao Pao looked at each other and smiled. "It doesn't matter. We've thought it through."
...
In the Innerverse, on a tributary of the Star River, was a sealed-off land. This was the location of the Starry Sky Sixth Academy.
Inside the Sixth Academy, Van Kleed faced Liu Ji, his eyes filled with admiration. "This is the first time I've observed the Lockbreaking process from such a close distance. As expected of a genius Lockbreaker."
Liu Ji frowned. "Unfortunately, the item inside the Origin treasure was long since lost to time. There was no harvest."
"It's fine. Just being able to unlock it has fulfilled one of my senior's long-held wishes," Van Kleed said with a smile.
Liu Ji looked at Van Kleed. "Senior, what do you think of the Tenth Academy?"
Van Kleed found this strange. "The Tenth Academy? That exiled academy? What about it?"
"I just wanted to know a little." Liu Ji said. She couldn't forget the shock the Tenth Academy had given her: Xia Luo, Hei Xu, Yin, and Lu Yin. Every one of them was extraordinary.
Van Kleed thought for a moment, then chuckled. "I don't know much, but I've heard the students there have 'dark' backing. The White Night clan, the Mebis clan, Xuanfeng Hall... Oh, right, and there's one backed by your Lockbreaker Research Association."
"Who?" Liu Ji was puzzled. She immediately thought of Xia Luo and Lu Yin; both were Lockbreakers.
"I think his name is... Lu Yin," Van Kleed said, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He was no stranger to that name. He had "one-shot" that person with his spear to get on Gall's good side. Afterward, the Fire Realm spread the news everywhere, and he was pushed into opposition with that person. But it didn't matter. He was just a student from the Outerverse.
Liu Ji was not surprised. Lu Yin belonging to the Lockbreaker Research Association and having that backing was normal. She didn't know that Lu Yin had never revealed his Lockbreaker identity, and Van Kleed didn't know that the Outerverse student he had been pushed against was a Lockbreaker with merit.
...
It was two days later when Xia Luo awoke on the Zone Mountain. Only two days remained of Michelle's five-day deadline.
Seeing Lu Yin, Xia Luo was surprised. "You're back."
Lu Yin said, "Brother Xia, I'm going to seize a Trial Site. Lend me a hand."
Xia Luo pondered, "Who else?"
"Michelle, Yin, Lulu, and me," Lu Yin said.
Xia Luo nodded. "Alright. When?"
"Right now. We're going to the Purgatory Path, gathering twenty miles north of the Bottomless Pool," Lu Yin said.
Just as Xia Luo was about to speak, Lu Yin immediately cut him off, "I don't know where that is either. I just picked a random spot."
Xia Luo smiled warmly and entered the Trial Zone once more.
...
Where there are people, there is news. Where there is news, there are reporters. Wu Da was one such reporter. From a young age, he had aspired to be the greatest reporter under the starry sky. For this, he cultivated hard for a long time, finally entering the Starry Sky Academy on his talent. Originally, his future should have been bright.
But after entering the Starry Sky Academy, Wu Da discovered he had been thinking too much. He wanted to report the news, but what was the biggest news at the Academy? Certainly not entertainment gossip or obscure weeklies, but the battles of experts. But could experts' battles be reported? The answer was, of course, no. No one wanted to be thoroughly understood by others, and no one wanted their techniques exposed for the world to see, especially with the Ten Academies Tournament approaching.
Therefore, Wu Da discovered with great sorrow that it was all an illusion. He had once reported on a battle between two experts, even describing the process in great detail, and then... he was hunted for a month.
But Wu Da didn't give up. He even started the Starry Sky "Academy Report," all to fulfill his dream. Although it was still a one-man operation, he wouldn't quit.
Since he couldn't report in reality, Wu Da decided to cast his gaze on the Trial Zone. This place was also full of battles, and besides, what if he got hunted? It was just one death. The only drawback was that he couldn't record video; no external objects could be brought in. But that was fine. Wu Da was very confident in his eyes. He could use concise words to describe the entire battle scene, no problem.
Today, Wu Da came to the Purgatory Path, his mind replaying the news he was about to publish in the Academy Report. The news about Blackwater Lake, in particular, had attracted widespread attention. The fact that the Yue Xianzi had received an inheritance had left countless people in awe, and the viewership of his Academy Report skyrocketed.
Although he was being hunted by people from the Han Yue Sect, it was fine. A small matter, a small matter, he could take it. Most importantly, he had actually gotten a sponsor! A company called "Xing Lian" had extended an olive branch. To Wu Da, sponsorship was a small thing; what he cared about was that he was finally getting recognition. He felt he was just one short step away from his dream of being a great reporter.
The more he thought, the more excited he became. Wu Da stood in place, looking at the endless blackness, muttered to himself for a bit, and then ran in a certain direction. His "gossip soul" sensed that there was news in that direction!
...
The Bottomless Pool was just a very unremarkable body of water, and its water was also black. If it weren't so far from Blackwater Lake, some might have even guessed it was connected.
And twenty miles north of the Bottomless Pool, Michelle, Yin, and Lulu sat calmly on a large black tree. In the distance, a group of war souls roamed. The place Lu Yin had casually picked for a rendezvous was clearly a war soul base.
When Lu Yin appeared and saw the swarm of war souls, he, too, was a bit stunned.
"You really know how to pick a spot," Michelle said coldly.
Lu Yin was embarrassed. "Quiet down, don't get us noticed. That's a whole group of war souls."
Michelle snorted and said nothing.
Several more hours passed, and Xia Luo arrived. He, too, was surprised to see the group of war souls. "This is a good place... for a Beast Soul Team."
"There's probably no Beast Soul Team that would dare to make a move here," Lulu said.
Xia Luo shook his head. "You don't understand a true Beast Soul Team's desire for war souls. This group must have gathered here recently, otherwise, they would have been targeted by a Beast Soul Team long ago."
"Why do Beast Soul Teams hunt war souls?" Lu Yin asked, puzzled.
"I don't know. It's said to be related to an ancient inheritance," Xia Luo replied.
"Alright, stop wasting time. Let's go to the Bottomless Pool," Michelle said and headed toward the pool.
With the speed of the five, they quickly arrived outside the Bottomless Pool.
The Bottomless Pool was in a valley, discovered by chance. At this moment, only one person was there: Uro, one of the only three Domain Masters from the Starry Sky Sixth Academy.
The only places in the Purgatory Path that could be called Trial Sites were Shang Mai's path, Blackwater Lake, the Bottomless Pool, White Bone Valley, and the Star-Stepping-Platform. Four of them were occupied by the Sixth Academy; only Blackwater Lake had been snatched by the Han Yue Sect.
The number of Domain Masters from each academy was about the same, as the number of such Trial Sites was very limited. Lu Yin's decision to seize the Bottomless Pool also took this factor into account. Seizing any other Trial Site could lead to being hunted by the experts of the academy occupying that Zone, possibly even drawing out the Zone Master. Only the Purgatory Path wouldn't, because Lu Yin was a Lockbreaker, and the Zone Master, Dobo... was also a Lockbreaker.
"Attack!" Lu Yin shouted softly, then shot toward the Bottomless Pool without any warning. This was the Trial Zone, where the strong ruled. There was no need for reasoning.
A few meters from the Bottomless Pool, a bare-chested man with disheveled hair snapped his gaze toward Lu Yin's group. Lu Yin was instantly upon him. The man's eyes were ice-cold. "Courting death!" With that, he extended his right hand, and a flow of qi swirled. Immediately, the qi flow transformed into visible patterns that covered his body like tattoos. This was One-Pattern Battle-Qi.
Lu Yin raised his palm, Heavenly Beast Claw! A beast roared in the void as the Ninety-Six-Form Heavenly Beast Claw shot toward Uro.
Phht! The Heavenly Beast Claw was easily torn apart. Uro grabbed for Lu Yin, Star Energy on his palm taking the form of flames. The scorching high temperature engulfed the ground, spreading in all directions.
Lu Yin retreated. A silvery-white brilliance flashed past his side—Yin's butterfly knives. Uro pressed down with his flaming Star Energy palm, attempting to incinerate the butterfly knives, but failed. Surprise flashed in his eyes. He changed the direction of his palm, slamming it directly onto the ground. At the same time, his battle-qi exploded, forcibly pushing Yin back.
Above, Lulu shouted, punching down.
Uro narrowed his eyes and dodged again. The ground was shattered by the punch. The entire valley cracked outwards from the fist, making Uro jump in fright.
"Don't run!" Lulu shouted, swinging a kick. Her calf looked slender and powerful, as if it could be easily broken, but after seeing that punch, Uro didn't dare to underestimate it. He raised his leg to block. Both of them unleashed their battle-qi, and a violent explosion rang in everyone's ears.
Uro and Lulu were both pushed back.
Uro was horrified. Where did these freaks come from? They were all experts approaching the Domain Master level! Could it be that another academy wanted to seize the Purgatory Path?
The Tenth Academy's mentors had diligently taught them for nearly four months. The group's strength had undergone a massive change; they were no longer comparable to how they were during the new student competition. Even Lu Yin was surprised, not to mention they were all geniuses capable of fighting above their level.
It could be said that this group's learning speed at the Tenth Academy was equivalent to several years of progress for students at other academies. After all, other academies couldn't possibly have mentors dedicated to teaching them like this. Entering the Tenth Academy was their great fortune.
"Who are you?" Uro demanded. Just as he finished speaking, a chill went down his spine. He hurriedly dodged to the side. A Red Lotus arrow embedded itself in the ground, making his pupils shrink. He turned to look into the distance. That was... the Red Lotus Demon Bow, Senior Comilla? No, if it was Senior Comilla, he'd be finished. That woman was Senior Comilla's younger sister, Michelle. In that case... these people were from the Tenth Academy!