Chapter 858: The Test

"Brother Li, do you think that if we join this Xuan City, they will restrict our movements?" Shi Chuankong spoke first.

"Restrictions may not be the case, but I'm afraid there will be more or less some tasks or assignments handed down, which will inevitably delay us some time. The living environment here is extremely harsh. Those who survive must always pay something and follow the rules here." Han Li said thoughtfully.

"I'm just afraid of being bogged down with too many matters. I don't really want to join some Xuan City and become a docile subject." Shi Chuankong curled his lips and said.

"Forced by circumstances, we can only take one step at a time. Try to be as careful as possible, after all, we are newcomers and know little about the situation here." Han Li shook his head and said.

"Brother Li, do you think these people will harm us?" Shi Chuankong scratched his head and said upon hearing this.

"Those who can be regarded as prisoners by your Holy Domain and abandoned into this place, I don't think any of them are kind-hearted. If one were soft-hearted, I'm afraid they wouldn't have survived until today." Han Li sighed and said.

"Well said, one must be on guard against others." Shi Chuankong smiled and said.

"Fellow Daoist Li, Fellow Daoist Shi, what do you think of this Chen Yang?" Crab Immortal suddenly spoke.

"We haven't known him long, but judging by his interactions with his subordinates and his words and deeds these past days, he seems fairly decent." Shi Chuankong said thus.

"What, Fellow Daoist Crab, have you noticed something unusual?" Han Li frowned slightly and asked.

"No. It's just that he hasn't known us long, yet he is willing to break the rules of Xuan City for us. It seems a bit excessive..." Crab Immortal said thoughtfully.

"This... I don't think it's a big deal. It's just a means of winning people over. I've seen too much of it." Shi Chuankong smiled upon hearing this and said.

"Although an anomaly may not necessarily be ominous, we absolutely cannot let our guard down." Han Li said thoughtfully.

...

While Han Li and the other two were speaking, in a huge hall at the top of the left wing mountain of Qingyang City.

On the four walls of the hall hung huge braziers, seemingly made from the skulls of some giant beast, with grease burning continuously inside, emitting bright light that illuminated the entire hall.

Against the wall in the center was a large stone table, carved with many intricate patterns not commonly seen in this Jilin Kongjing, though they were all just night sky star charts.

Behind the table was a wide black stone chair, covered with the hide of an unknown giant beast, on which sat a burly man in a black robe.

Half of his face bore black scales, while the other half seemed scorched by fire, with muscles all knotted together. Coupled with a stature twice that of an ordinary person and exaggeratedly bulging muscles, he looked extremely ferocious and ugly.

However, his eyes were quite special, with mostly whites and small pupils, and a ring of silver-white luster embedded around the jet-black iris.

Not far in front of the table, Chen Yang was bowing with a joyful expression, recounting something to him.

"City Lord, that's basically the situation with those three." Finally, he said thus.

The man he called City Lord was none other than the master of Qingyang City, Du Qingyang.

"Heh, a human, a demon, and a self-aware puppet—quite an interesting combination... Has news of these three not leaked out?" Du Qingyang leaned forward, crossed his hands under his chin, and said with interest.

"Rest assured, City Lord. I understand the stakes. I have already instructed those brothers under me; they are tight-lipped and won't spread it around." Chen Yang quickly assured.

"Mm, I heard that Xuan City and Puppet City were fighting over a person and failed, which made Lord Equan very displeased. It is said that person was a newcomer from the outside world entering this place of exile. Now, we have picked up two at once. If Xuan City finds out, we won't be able to keep even one." Du Qingyang glanced at Chen Yang and said.

"That demon man doesn't matter, but we cannot hand over that human. He possesses true spirit bloodline. If someone else gets it, the loss would be immense." Chen Yang nodded repeatedly and said.

"I trust you in handling matters. Go ahead and handle the rest; don't mess things up." Du Qingyang straightened up, leaned back, and said lazily.

"Yes! Rest assured, City Lord." Chen Yang clasped his fists and said respectfully.

...

At dusk.

Han Li was cultivating the "Feather Ascension Art" in his guest room when a knock suddenly sounded at the thin stone door.

He got up and opened the door, only to see Chen Yang standing outside with an apologetic expression.

Han Li let him into the guest room, and then heard him say:

"Brother Li, I'm truly sorry. I originally thought that with my own face, I could exempt you all from the assessment, but unexpectedly, the City Lord not only didn't grant me face but also gave me a thorough scolding. The City Lord said that the rules of a city are the foundation of its establishment and must absolutely be followed."

"It's fine. Since we are to join Qingyang City, we should naturally abide by its rules. Let the assessment be conducted as it should." Han Li waved his hand upon hearing this and said unhurriedly.

"Although the City Lord did not agree to exempt you from the assessment, he promised that as long as you all meet the standard of docile subjects after the test, you can join my hunting team together without being split up elsewhere." Chen Yang added.

"Oh, what exactly is the standard for docile subjects?" Han Li raised an eyebrow and said.

"This assessment looks at the physical strength of the person being tested. Specifically, it examines the number of Xuanqiao opened. Those with more than sixteen Xuanqiao meet the standard for docile subjects; those with fewer are reduced subjects. If the number of Xuanqiao is above fifty-four, one can serve as a captain of a city defense squad; if above seventy-two, one can serve as a captain of a hunting squad." Chen Yang explained.

Han Li's heart stirred. When he had seen Chen Yang that day, the latter had revealed only fifty or sixty Xuanqiao, which suggested that the number he had actually opened might be greater.

"I see. May I ask when the assessment will take place? From what those two registry officials said earlier, it seems the first thing to do upon entering the city is to undergo the assessment?" Han Li's mind turned as he asked.

"No rush, no rush. Brother Li and Brother Shi have traveled a long and arduous journey. Today, you should rest soundly for the night. The assessment will be held tomorrow," Chen Yang said with a smile.

"Very well. Then I thank you, Fellow Daoist Chen," Han Li said, clasping his hands.

"Brother Li, please don't stand on ceremony with me. I feel quite guilty that I couldn't arrange for you to be exempted from the assessment," Chen Yang quickly waved his hand and said.

"Haha, Brother Chen, please don't say that, or I'll be the one feeling guilty," Han Li laughed.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Yang took his leave.

Han Li returned to his room, pondered for a moment, then sat down cross-legged again, swallowed a beast core, and continued to cultivate with his eyes closed.

The next day.

Early in the morning, Han Li and his two companions followed Chen Yang down from the third level of Qingyang City, passed through the bottom level to the right, crossed the black fortress, and entered the mountain peak on the right side.

The layout here was essentially the same as on the left side; the mountain on the right was also divided into four levels.

Once they passed through the huge gate at the bottom level and entered the mountain's interior, Han Li saw enormous beast pens separated by stone walls, each housing a variety of massive, strange beasts.

Among them were the cyan-gray giant beasts covered in scales and armor that Chen Yang's team had taken out earlier.

Inside the pens, many surrendered citizens in gray robes could be seen coming and going, performing menial tasks such as scrubbing and feeding the beasts, looking quite busy.

The group did not linger on this level but went straight up to the second level.

The space on the second level was slightly smaller than the first, and it also contained numerous large stone beast pens.

Unlike the first level, the beasts here were noticeably less docile; some were baring jagged teeth and growling, while others were ramming against the partitions.

Most of the guards by these pens were surrendered citizens dressed as servants, but there were also some compliant citizens serving as city guards who occasionally disciplined the unruly beasts.

Chen Yang led the three of them upward until they reached the third level, where they stopped.

As soon as they arrived on the third level, Han Li saw two somewhat familiar faces: one was a round-faced man with a horn on his forehead, and the other was a long-eared, square-faced man with a cold expression. Both wore crimson robes and were the two registry officials he had seen the day before.

Chen Yang stepped forward to exchange pleasantries with them, and then, under their guidance, they entered a separate stone chamber.

This stone chamber was quite spacious, much larger than Chen Yang's cave dwelling, but it had no internal partitions or furnishings, looking like an indoor training ground.

"Puppets don't need testing. Which of you two goes first?" The long-eared, square-faced registry official glanced at Han Li and the other man and said coldly.

"Since we all have to be tested, the order doesn't matter. I'll go first," Han Li was about to speak when he heard Shi Chuankong say.

"Very well, then please, Fellow Daoist Shi, step onto this stone platform," the round-faced registry official said with a hint of a smile.

In the center of the room's floor was a black stone platform several tens of zhang in area, rising only about two chi above the ground. It seemed to be covered with a layer of white crystalline powder that faintly reflected the light from the chamber's lamps.

Shi Chuankong followed the instruction and walked to the center of the stone platform.

"Fellow Daoist Shi, there's no need for any complex actions. Just activate your mystic art and light up all the Xuanqiao you have opened," the round-faced registry official reminded him.

Shi Chuankong nodded. After clenching his fists and gathering his energy for a moment, he suddenly let out a loud shout.

Immediately, a layer of hazy white light appeared on his body, and one after another, Xuanqiao lit up on his skin.

Han Li first released his spiritual sense to scan the black stone platform and the white crystalline powder. Finding nothing unusual, he narrowed his eyes and focused on Shi Chuankong.

He saw clusters of Xuanqiao lighting up on Shi Chuankong's body in quick succession.

Ten clusters, twenty clusters, thirty clusters...

Han Li's heart stirred at this sight.

From the current trend, it seemed that Shi Chuankong had opened more Xuanqiao than he had.

Sure enough, after the thirty-seventh Xuanqiao lit up, the thirty-eighth also lit up, and this continued until the forty-fifth Xuanqiao lit up, at which point it stopped.

At the same time, an invisible aura burst forth from his body, causing the white crystalline powder at his feet to ripple and scatter.

A smile curled at the corner of Shi Chuankong's mouth. He was about to withdraw his technique and step down when his expression suddenly changed slightly.

The white crystalline powder, as if attracted by something, swirled and flew toward him, adhering to his body.

Because of the short distance and the speed, before Shi Chuankong could do anything, the powder had already attached itself all over his body.

The next moment, a series of strange sounds came from Shi Chuankong's body, and the forty-sixth, forty-seventh, and forty-eighth Xuanqiao lit up in succession.