At the edge of the cliff, besides Li Hao and his group, there were quite a few others lingering nearby, occasionally glancing over.
It was clear that falling from the cliff would mean certain death, and such danger made many hesitate.
On the iron chain, however, there were seven or eight figures moving carefully, each showing their own skills.
Some walked calmly on the chain, swaying like waves in the sea, but it didn’t affect them at all; their feet seemed glued to the surface.
Others spread their arms, trying hard to maintain their balance as they took slow, tentative steps.
Then there were those who chose a less graceful but very stable method: they hugged the chain and crawled slowly like a pupa.
If it was just about climbing over the chain, most people present could manage it, but this challenge was undoubtedly a test of courage.
In such a high place, who wouldn’t feel their legs shaking?
“Without this little bit of courage, how could you face demons?”
Among the seven who had just passed the test, a young man in fine clothes spoke coldly and was the first to leap onto the chain.
Clearly, he chose an elegant approach, walking straight across while keeping his hands behind his back, showing off his calm demeanor.
His actions immediately attracted the attention of many onlookers, who were surprised, and soon someone recognized him.
“The cloud pattern on his sleeve! He’s from the Su family of Yunzhou!”
“Su family? I’ve heard they’re one of the three great families in Yunzhou, with deep roots.”
“No wonder this kid is so bold; there are many monsters lurking near the Yunzhou border. He must have practiced his courage long ago.”
Many people were discussing, and some hesitant ones showed signs of struggle in their eyes.
“Brother Hao, let’s go too.”
Seeing someone take the lead, Li Yuanzhao felt a bit uncomfortable and said to Li Hao.
Li Hao looked around the cliff but didn’t see anyone from the Tangong Academy, feeling a little puzzled.
Logically, the academy should have sent someone to meet them; otherwise, what was the point of sending an invitation?
“Alright.”
Not seeing anyone, Li Hao could only agree with Li Yuanzhao.
“Hmph, there’s no way to cheat in this test.”
Si Xiaolan gave Li Hao a slight sneer, clearly annoyed that he had passed the first test just because of his background, feeling it was unfair.
“Is that so?”
Li Hao looked at the girl in surprise, wondering how she dared to mock him without knowing his background. However, he didn’t want to argue with her.
“What’s that saying?”
Li Hao thought for a moment and replied, “Little sister, when you’re out in the world, it’s not just about fists or having someone behind you.”
“Hmm?”
Si Xiaolan frowned, thinking his words sounded familiar.
“Because just having someone behind you isn’t enough; you also need someone in front of you!”
Li Hao smiled at the girl, then looked up with a calm expression in his eyes and softly said, “Brother is coming!”
“Brother Hao, do you want me to carry you?”
Li Yuanzhao understood right away. He had heard from the adults in the academy that Li Hao had poor talent and could only practice body techniques. Since he hadn’t seen him fight much, he had already thought of this method to avoid embarrassing him.
Li Hao smiled slightly and patted his shoulder.
Li Yuanzhao got the hint and bent down.
Li Hao didn’t hold back, jumping onto his back, then waved at the stunned girl beside them: “See you on the other side.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yuanzhao couldn’t wait any longer and leaped forward, landing on the chain several dozen meters away.
The chain shook violently, but with Li Hao on his back, Li Yuanzhao’s feet stayed glued to the chain.
Before the chain could settle down, Li Yuanzhao took off running as if he were on solid ground.
With his full cultivation and years of training in the martial arts arena, this test was a piece of cake for him.
Seeing the figure racing on the chain, everyone on the shore, except for Si Xiaolan, widened their eyes. They had seen people show off before, but nothing like this—it was as if he was running on solid ground!
And he was carrying someone!
When they recognized the clothing of the two, some sharp-eyed ones realized they were from the first family of Qingzhou, and they were taken aback, feeling a mix of shock and admiration.
It was said that seeing was believing, and today’s encounter was even more impressive than the rumors.
Soon, the young man in fine clothes who had been the first to step onto the chain was overtaken by the speeding Li Yuanzhao.
The former walked leisurely with his hands behind his back, maintaining a calm expression, but when the wind rushed past him, a hint of surprise appeared on his face…
Before long, Li Yuanzhao landed on the opposite shore.
The chain stretched high, crossing the sky and weaving through the mountain mist.
Li Yuanzhao’s running figure scattered much of the mist, and as he landed on the opposite side, he immediately attracted the attention of many nearby.
Li Hao patted his shoulder and jumped down from his back, looking around.
It was clear they hadn’t arrived early; many others who had passed the earlier tests were also gathered here.
In front of these “test-takers” were the disciples of Tangong Academy, all teenagers around seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in black and white uniforms, looking quite ethereal.
Of course, this looked good on some, but on those with stocky builds or plain looks, it was a bit awkward…
“Who is that person? So impressive?”
“He ran over? And he’s carrying someone?” “One dares to carry, and the other dares to be carried!”
“Shh, be careful; they seem to be from the Li family of the Divine General’s Mansion…”
The dozens of people lingering around were buzzing with discussion.
Li Yuanzhao stepped forward and approached a young man from Tangong Academy, asking, “Is there another challenge here?”
“Indeed, this is the final test.”
The young man clearly recognized Li Yuanzhao’s identity; after all, he had been studying in Qingzhou City for several years and was not far from the Divine General’s Mansion, so it was hard not to know.
“To pass this test, you need to go through a round with us.”
If the first test was about basic skills and the second was about martial courage, the third seemed to be a bit of a reality check for newcomers.
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhao’s eyes lit up with excitement: “Please teach me!”
Saying this, he cupped his fists in salute and then stepped back a few paces to take up a fighting stance.
“You can choose your weapon,” the young man smiled and reminded him.
“It’s just one round; no need,” Li Yuanzhao replied.
The young man’s eyes flickered slightly, feeling a bit disrespected, but thinking that the Li family members were all geniuses, he didn’t take it too seriously and was also curious to test him.
He then put aside his sword and stepped forward with a punch.
His fist surged like a tiger pouncing on its prey, fierce and aggressive.
Li Yuanzhao, however, turned his foot, moving smoothly like a loach slipping into a hole, then suddenly countered with a punch.
With a loud bang, their fists collided, and the young man was pushed back three steps, while Li Yuanzhao remained steady, only sinking his feet slightly.
The young man looked shocked; although he hadn’t used all his strength, that punch still had over ten thousand pounds of force!
That was equivalent to the strength of a typical third-level cultivator!
This was already far beyond the entry-level test standards, as the minimum requirement was full mastery of the basic level.
How did he almost embarrass himself with one careless move?
“His strength is at least at the fifth level, maybe even the seventh or eighth level, or he has practiced top-notch techniques or meridian-opening methods!”
The young man’s expression turned serious; the rumors were true—Li family members were indeed extraordinary, with countless resources backing them, far surpassing their peers.
Others were also stunned to see this young man being pushed back by a punch, looking at Li Yuanzhao as if he were a monster. This was the pride of the Divine General’s Mansion?
At that moment, the chain shook, and several figures jumped down, including the young man from the Su family and Si Xiaolan.
The other Tangong students quickly explained the rules to them. Hearing the requirements, their expressions turned serious.
After all, to enter Tangong Academy, one had to meet the threshold of being a genius, and the opponents had trained hard for years, so this challenge wouldn’t be easy.
Si Xiaolan felt a stir in her heart and glanced at Li Hao beside her. Seeing him still there, a hint of irritation crossed her face. She knew he had an invitation, so he would likely pass through this challenge directly.
Compared to those who had struggled to get through, he was practically cruising through—this was the gap of background.
“It’s your turn.”
At that moment, a tall young man beside them spoke to Li Hao.
Li Hao smiled slightly, and under Si Xiaolan’s expression of “as expected,” he took out the invitation: “I have an invitation.”
He didn’t plan to waste effort here like Li Yuanzhao and bully others.
“An invitation?”
Everyone’s eyes turned, filled with curiosity and envy.
The tall young man paused, clearly having heard some rumors. He frowned slightly, took the invitation, looked at it for a moment, then handed it back to Li Hao:
“Even with an invitation, you still need to pass the basic test. I can hold back a bit.”
Li Hao was momentarily stunned.
The young man testing Li Yuanzhao and several other Tangong students all secretly covered their foreheads, thinking, oh no, this guy is getting stubborn again.
“Come on.” The tall young man’s aura surged as he prepared to strike at any moment.
Li Hao couldn’t help but ask, “Do you know what an invitation means?”
“I said I’d hold back a bit; you at least need to show some ability, or else people will think our Tangong Academy is just clinging to the powerful and giving out favors,” the tall young man said earnestly.
Li Hao was speechless.
It’s said that people have many sides, and clearly, this tall young man was the straightforward type.
“Pfft…” Si Xiaolan couldn’t help but laugh, her bright eyes filled with schadenfreude as she looked at Li Hao.
She thought he would get through easily, but now he had met someone so interesting that even the tall young man’s rough appearance seemed a bit handsome.
“You can choose any weapon you like.”
The tall young man said seriously, pointing to the weapon rack nearby.
Li Hao felt a bit helpless but wasn’t angry with the young man; after all, being serious isn’t a bad thing.
He walked over to the weapon rack, drew a sword, and returned to the tall young man.
“Using a sword?” The tall young man’s eyes moved slightly, nodding: “Then you go first.”
He also drew his sword from his back, showing a serious expression of a swordsman.
“You go first.” Li Hao said.
“If I go first, you might not get a chance,” the tall young man replied firmly.
“...Alright.”
Li Hao sighed and casually twirled the sword.
Sword technique… Falling Snow.
“Hmm?” Si Xiaolan suddenly felt as if snowflakes were drifting past her, a cold chill creeping over her. She couldn’t help but look up: “It’s only autumn; how can it be snowing?”
(End of Chapter)