An entire month had passed since Qi Ying first arrived in the Green Class. As his cultivation base was progressing quite rapidly, he was focusing more on fortifying his foundation rather than hastily making breakthroughs. Even so, he was already at the pinnacle of the Seventh Energy Martial Stage, and was very close to the Eighth Energy Martial Stage.
In order to avoid danger, Qi Ying didn’t appear in any areas where other disciples weren’t present, and even when he went on hunting trips in the Beast Valley, he always formed groups with Spirit Martial Stage disciples.
As the third flag leader of the Blood God Alliance Green Class Branch, he could always call upon a few Fourth and Fifth Spirit Martial Stage warriors to carry him.
As such, he didn’t have to be concerned about resources nor time.
He really wanted things to continue in that peaceful fashion. He would turn sixteen in three months, and would enter a period of rapid growth from there. Furthermore, he possessed a bloodline that was superior even to the Engulfment Monarch Constitution, so his advantage compared to warriors of the same rank would only continue to grow.
If he maintained his rate of progression, even if he were to stay in the Green Class, he was confident that he would be able to progress to the Earth Martial Stage before he turned twenty.
However, if everyone could live their lives how they wanted, then the world would be a much more peaceful place.
One day, Qi Ying saw someone that he really didn’t want to see, and she gave him some news that he really didn’t want to hear.
Madam Butterfly appeared in the Green Class, and she went directly to find Qi Ying after delivering a lesson for the disciples that were above the Sixth Spirit Martial Stage. “The yearly Dragon Metamorphosis Trial is about to begin in five days. You are obligated to participate! If you forfeit your spot, you will be banished to the Jade Class!”
“…”
Before Qi Ying even had a chance to respond, Madam Butterfly continued in a cold voice, “You can collect your Dragon Metamorphosis Badge from Liancheng Ying, and ask him any questions you have about the trial.”
Whoosh!
Madam Butterfly rose into the air and flew away, leaving a dumbstruck Qi Ying in her wake.
“Are you f*cking serious?”
Qi Ying was absolutely furious as he sought out Liancheng Ying and asked, “Instructor Liancheng, what’s this about the Dragon Metamorphosis Trial? Does Madam Butterfly want me to die that badly?”
For many disciples, the Dragon Metamorphosis Trial was a life-changing opportunity! However, in contrast with the Cloud Steps Trial, it was one that was fraught with peril.
Qi Ying didn’t know much about it, but what little information he knew did indicate that on average, a third of the trial’s participants would lose their lives there per year!
Furthermore, the lower one’s cultivation base was, the greater the death rate.
Qi Ying had progressed to the Seventh Energy Martial Stage, but that was still almost the lowest in the entire academy.
As such, the trial would be exceedingly perilous for him.
He was one of the weakest disciples in the entire academy in terms of cultivation base, but he was being forced to participate in an extremely dangerous trial. Even an idiot would know that someone was pulling some strings behind the scenes!
Liancheng Ying shook his head upon hearing that and explained, “You’ve falsely accused Madam Butterfly there. She has a lot of jurisdictive power, but not enough to decide who has to participate in the Dragon Metamorphosis Trial. It was someone else that nominated you.”
“Who was it?”
Qi Ying was slightly taken aback.
Liancheng Ying sighed, “I heard you offended Chu Bixue, right? The deputy principal of the Green Class, Chu You, joined forces with Jian Yuanping and a few other instructors to exert pressure on the higher-ups of the academy. The excuse they used was that it would take you too long to reach the Spirit Martial Stage, and it would be a waste of resources to keep you on probation in the Green Class. As such, they’re forcing you to enter the Dragon Metamorphosis Trial so you can forfeit and drop down to the Jade Class, or create some sort of miracle and speed up your rate of progression… Sigh, why did you have to offend Chu Bixue of all people? Do you think he could have established the Bixue Sword Alliance in just three years, without support from the academy officials?”
“F*ck!”
Qi Ying was abruptly enlightened, and he couldn’t help but swear out loud.
No wonder Chu Bixue hadn’t been trying to cause trouble for him in the recent period of time; it was because he was hatching a nasty plot!
However, that was most likely unrelated to the incident where he had insulted Chu Bixue.
The Chu family wanted him dead from the very beginning, and as long as he was still alive, they would devise all types of schemes to kill him.
At that moment, Liancheng Ying pulled out a yellow dragon-shaped jade pendant and said, “This is your participation badge for the Dragon Metamorphosis Trial. Take it if you want to participate. However, I would advise against it. As long as you can reach the Spirit Martial Stage and awaken a Battle Spirit of a high enough caliber, you can still request to change classes.”
“Instructor Liancheng, please tell me about the Dragon Metamorphosis Trial. I know nothing about it aside from the fact that it’s very dangerous.”
“Alright then…”
Thus, Liancheng Ying began to disclose information about the trial.
…
It was said that when the world was first created, there were two types of energy—dark and yellow—and the lighter of the two rose, while the heavier fell, thereby creating heaven and earth. The vital energy of heaven and earth was also known as dark energy, and it was the basis for cultivation. In comparison, yellow energy was something far rarer than the vital energy of heaven and earth, but was also of vital importance.
It was also known as True Dragon Energy!
It was said that there were dragon veins between heaven and earth, and they influenced one’s fate. In reality, it was just a matter of True Dragon Energy distribution.
Where True Dragon Energy was rich and abundant, the land was lush, and the people were strong. It was a lot easier for prodigies to be born there, and warriors generally had higher cultivation bases. In contrast, places with less True Dragon Energy had a lower average cultivation base, and most people would have a mediocre bloodline aptitude. A place like Yun Xiao City had a massive dragon vein hidden beneath it; within it, powerful True Dragon Energy was imbued. As such, generations upon generations of powerful beings had been born there. In smaller places where there was next to no True Dragon Energy, even a hundred years could go by without an Earth Martial Stage being born.
The Yun Xiao Academy had a Dragon Metamorphosis Mystic Realm.
The Dragon Metamorphosis Mystic Realm only granted entry to warriors of less than twenty-three years of age, and with cultivation bases lower than the Seventh Spirit Martial Stage. It was said that there were all types of perils that existed alongside brilliant opportunities in there. Some people went in and came out empty-handed, while others obtained precious inheritances, cultivation methods, and even martial dao true intent. Most importantly, there was a dragon vein in there!
It was said that anyone who came into contact with that dragon vein would rise to become a soaring dragon!
Some warriors absorbed True Dragon Energy directly from the dragon vein, thereby enhancing their bloodline, and giving them insane aptitude, which granted them a place directly in the Black Class.
Many ambitious disciples with mediocre aptitude wanted to take that opportunity, and forge a path to the Black Class for themselves.
However, the dragon vein was extremely difficult to find.
In the past millennium, less than a hundred people had been able to find the dragon vein, culminating in an average of one person per dozen or so years.
The most recent occasion during which a disciple had discovered the dragon vein was seventeen years ago, and that disciple was a supremely-talented prodigy even before that.
…
“If you participate in the Dragon Metamorphosis Trial and come out alive, it will prove that you are very powerful and have brilliant luck, so you’ll be able to stay at the Green Class until you reach the Spirit Martial Stage, and awaken your Battle Spirit. However, you’ll be forced to drop down to the Jade Class if you refuse to go… I’m giving you the information; the final decision is up to you! Like I said, I advise you to not enter as nothing is more important than your own life,” Liancheng Ying said in a meaningful and heartfelt voice.
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