Chapter 67: Entry
The teams entered the gate according to the order assigned outside, each person vanished the moment they crossed its surface.
When Xingluo stepped through, her surroundings twisted briefly before her feet touched solid stone again.
Su Lan and Ruan Mei appeared close to her, followed by Lin Xiaotian and Qiao Xueyi. Wuxia remained connected to Xingluo and arrived with her without being noticed by anyone else.
They stood on a massive circular altar formed from dark stone. The teams that had entered earlier were also there, gathered in separate groups around the platform.
A black barrier covered the altar from every direction, it blocked both sight and perception, preventing anyone from seeing what existed beyond it.
Lin Xiaotian looked around before folding his arms. "At least we were not thrown randomly into the forest."
"That would have been more convenient for you," Qiao Xueyi replied. "You could have started fighting immediately."
Lin Xiaotian grinned but did not deny it.
The atmosphere remained guarded as more people appeared, military squads gathered into formation, while the noble and guild teams kept their distance from one another.
Qin Haoran remained surrounded by his four teammates. Miao Tianhe and the members of his guild stood together on another section of the altar, quietly watching the crowd.
Once the final entrant appeared, the markings beneath their feet lit up, everyone immediately turned toward the centre.
Light rose from the altar and formed the faint impression of a woman. Her face and clothing remained unclear, as though only the outline of her existence had been preserved.
"Welcome to the Ninefold Legacy Realm."
Her voice reached everyone on the altar without becoming loud.
"The inheritance lies at the centre of this realm, those who wish to contend for it must first cross the land between this altar and its final trial."
The black barrier began fading as a vast forest appeared beyond the altar, stretching far into the distance. Large trees covered most of the terrain, with ruins, rivers, valleys, and several raised stone structures visible between them.
At the centre of the forest stood an enormous palace, even from this distance, its upper towers could be seen above the trees. Several sections had collapsed, but the main structure remained intact.
"That palace contains the final legacy," the impression continued. "The forest contains the trials required to reach it."
"Completing a trial will grant rewards and may open a path toward the palace. Ignoring them may provide a faster route, but whether that route can reach the end is for you to discover."
Several people began studying the forest more carefully after hearing that. "There are no fixed teams within the realm. Cooperate, separate, compete, or retreat according to your own judgement."
The impression raised one hand, and several thin beams of light spread from the altar into different parts of the forest. "Your first trial begins once you leave this platform."
Her figure faded as the barrier disappeared completely, at the same moment, the Fate Star Token beneath Xingluo’s armor became hot.
A notification appeared inside her mind.
[Fate Star Token detected.]
[Primary challenger confirmed.]
[Realm Authority: Fate-Bound Challenger.]
[All attributes increased by 25% within the Ninefold Legacy Realm.]
[All trial rewards increased by 25%.]
[Additional authorities remain inaccessible.]
A warm current passed through Xingluo’s body, her mana circulation quickened and the strength in her limbs rose without becoming unstable.
Wuxia noticed the change immediately. "What did you receive?"
Twenty-five percent more attributes and rewards, Xingluo replied through their connection, it also called me the primary challenger.
Wuxia looked toward the other teams, none of them appeared to have received anything similar. "Keep that to yourself."
Xingluo nodded slightly.
The first teams had already begun leaving the altar, some chose the paths marked by the beams of light, while others moved directly into the forest without waiting.
Xingluo looked toward her teammates. "Stay together until we understand how the trials work."
Su Lan and Ruan Mei nodded immediately, Qiao Xueyi also agreed, while Lin Xiaotian continued staring toward the forest with visible excitement.
He stepped toward the edge of the altar. "Then let us stop wasting time."
Xingluo placed one hand near her sword and followed him down, behind them, the remaining teams also began entering the forest.
After leaving the altar, Xingluo’s group entered the forest through one of the paths marked by the beams of light.
The first danger they encountered did not come from the realm’s trials or beasts instead someone was following them.
The presence remained several dozen metres behind, moving whenever they moved and stopping whenever the group slowed. The dense trees concealed whoever it was, but they made little effort to hide their mana.
Lin Xiaotian glanced over his shoulder, his expression already darkening. "Should I deal with them?"
He began turning back, but Qiao Xueyi caught his arm. "They have not attacked yet."
"They are following us."
"That is not enough reason to start a fight."
Lin Xiaotian clicked his tongue but continued walking.
The group was moving slower than most of the others because Su Lan and Ruan Mei could not maintain the same pace as the three higher-level members. Xingluo remained close to them, while Qiao Xueyi watched the surrounding trees.
Wuxia looked toward the path behind them. "They are getting closer."
Xingluo had already noticed, the mana signatures following them had separated and were now moving through the forest on both sides of the path.
Before she could warn the others, the air ahead suddenly split as a massive blade of compressed mana appeared between the trees and swept across the entire path.
"Move!"
Xingluo grabbed Su Lan by the arm and pulled her backwards. Ruan Mei dropped beneath the attack, while Lin Xiaotian and Qiao Xueyi moved in opposite directions.
The blade passed less than an inch from Su Lan’s face. Several strands of her hair were cut away before it continued through the trees, carving a deep line across multiple trunks.
Su Lan stumbled against Xingluo, her face losing colour as the severed hair drifted past her shoulder.
The group immediately turned toward the direction of the attack, the people who had been following them stepped out from between the trees.
There were six of them, all wearing equipment carrying the same noble-family crest. Two spread toward the sides of the path while the remaining four approached from behind, blocking the group’s retreat.
Lin Xiaotian’s expression darkened completely, he raised one hand, and a large polearm appeared within his grasp.
Its structure resembled the weapon he had used during the competition, but this one was a custom-made Diamond-tier weapon, with thick runes carved across its dark shaft and heavy blade.
Lightning moved across its surface as he rested it against his shoulder, Qiao Xueyi released his arm and formed several shards of ice around herself.
Ruan Mei drew her weapon, while Xingluo moved Su Lan behind her and placed one hand on her sword.
The man leading the opposing team stopped several metres away. His gaze passed over Xingluo before settling on Lin Xiaotian and Qiao Xueyi. "You reacted faster than expected."
Lin Xiaotian tightened his grip around the polearm. "You should have aimed better."
Lin Xiaotian stepped forward and lowered the polearm from his shoulder. "Let me handle them."
The opposing team looked at him approaching alone before several of them laughed. "You truly think you are something just because you carry an expensive weapon?"
Xingluo frowned and prepared to follow him, but Qiao Xueyi raised one hand to stop her. "Do not worry about him."
Xingluo looked toward her, and Qiao continued calmly, "Your victory against him during the competition was deserved, but do not underestimate him because of it. Anyone who does is merely foolish."
Xingluo stopped, while Wuxia folded his arms and turned his attention toward Lin Xiaotian.
The noble heir leading the opposing team stepped forward with a mocking smile, but Lin Xiaotian only scoffed.
"A scion from a third-rate family truly believes he is important."
His fingers tightened around the polearm as lightning spread across its blade. "You are nothing."
Before the man could respond, Lin Xiaotian raised the weapon and smashed it into the ground with all his strength.
The earth beneath him shattered instantly as a violent shockwave tore through the path, splitting the ground as it rushed toward the opposing team.
Trees trembled on both sides, loose stones were thrown into the air, and the six attackers staggered as the land beneath their feet broke apart.
Their mocking expressions disappeared totally as their faces went a shade pale.