Chapter 613 - 251: Eternal Dragon Tomb, Hidden Quest
Chapter 613: Chapter 251: Eternal Dragon Tomb, Hidden Quest
As he spoke, Yi Jiugao held up four fingers.
"Collect four fragments, and you will learn the general direction of the Ancestral Land."
"But as you get closer, this guidance will become more and more chaotic. Eventually, you’ll just be running in circles on the periphery, never able to reach the true core."
He paused, then held up four fingers again, pressing them together.
"Only by collecting all eight fragments can you obtain the single, absolutely precise coordinates."
Yi Jiugao’s explanation made everyone present look thoughtful.
This was especially true for the "repeaters," whose faces showed clear surprise.
It seemed this year’s assessment was completely different from previous years.
Lin Ye was also thinking rapidly.
’These rules...’
’Is Longyin encouraging cooperation?’
Groups of four, teams of eight... Compared to fighting alone and killing each other, sharing information to get the coordinates was undoubtedly the lowest-risk, highest-efficiency method.
However, just then, an almost imperceptible curve appeared on Yi Jiugao’s face.
That smile made Lin Ye’s heart skip a beat. ’It’s probably not that simple.’
"Those are the basic rules."
"Next, I will announce a few additional clarifications, for your reference only."
"First."
"Not all of the fragments in your hands are pristine. Mixed in are a number of contaminated fragments, and the information they carry is false."
"Only when eight genuine, uncontaminated fragments are combined will the correct coordinates for the Ancestral Land be revealed. As for how to distinguish them, you’ll have to figure that out for yourselves."
As soon as he said this, the entire crowd was in an uproar.
Many people instinctively looked down at the fragments in their hands, their eyes filled with suspicion.
"Second."
Yi Jiugao ignored the crowd’s reaction and continued, "You are free to choose whether to share the information from your fragments with others."
"However, only the one sharing the information will know if it is true or false."
"Of course, you can also choose a more direct method: defeat another candidate, and all the fragments they possess will drop on the spot."
This sentence was like a spark that instantly ignited the tense atmosphere.
Almost everyone instinctively distanced themselves from those nearby, the vigilance and hostility in their eyes no longer concealable.
"Third."
"We do not forbid you from forming teams. In fact, we recommend you form eight-person squads to share information and face the harsh survival conditions of the fissure together."
"However, when your squad reaches the Ancestral Land, only the member holding the most fragments will be qualified to enter."
"As for the rest of you, no matter how many fragments you hold, the moment that member enters the Ancestral Land, all of your fragments will be immediately nullified."
BOOM!
This rule struck everyone’s heart like a heavy hammer.
How was this encouraging cooperation? This was clearly encouraging betrayal!
The so-called eight-person squads were not an equal partnership from the very beginning.
It was more like a pit of vipers.
Seven people were merely paving the way for the last one standing.
And the final victor would likely be the one who schemed the deepest from the start and backstabbed their teammates the most ruthlessly at the final moment!
"These rules... what kind of sick bastard came up with this? It’s so fucking twisted!"
Dongfang Zhen couldn’t help but curse under his breath beside Lin Ye.
Lin Ye’s expression, however, remained unchanged. He now completely understood Longyin Academy’s intentions.
This selection wasn’t just a test of strength.
Intellect, strategy, human nature... all of it was encompassed within these few short rules.
Yi Jiugao seemed quite pleased with the crowd’s reaction and added, "To introduce a few variables, we have set up multiple Dragon Vein Altars throughout the fissure."
"Each altar can purify one contaminated fragment per day. In addition, our personnel will be stationed around the altars, providing a limited amount of clean water and food."
"However, resources are limited, and it’s first come, first served. If multiple people arrive at the same time, please negotiate amongst yourselves... or use the methods you’re more accustomed to, to decide ownership of the altar."
Everyone’s heart sank.
As long as they found an altar, they could ensure the authenticity of their fragment’s information, regardless of whether it was contaminated or not.
On top of that, there were survival supplies.
Longyin claimed it was to add variables, but in reality, it was just another means to stimulate competition.
It was foreseeable that over the next ten days, the most brutal battles would erupt over these altars.
"In addition to the altars, we have also scattered eight Spiritual Artifact-level items and... two Sacred Artifact-level items in various corners of the fissure."
"Whoever finds them will have temporary use of them until the assessment is over."
Sacred Artifacts!
Those two words made everyone’s breath catch in their throats.
Legend had it that with a suitable Sacred Artifact, a Divine Realm Martial Artist would have what it takes to challenge someone in the Celestial Human Realm!
This was no longer just a variable; it was the ultimate trump card, capable of upending the entire trial!
"One last thing."
Yi Jiugao’s gaze swept over everyone, his voice returning to its initial coldness.
"Although the time limit for the assessment is ten days, the Dragon Vein Ancestral Land can only accommodate a maximum of ten people."
"Once ten people have entered the Ancestral Land, this selection will immediately terminate."
"Everyone who has not yet entered the Ancestral Land, regardless of your performance or how many fragments you’ve collected..."
"Will all be eliminated!"
With that, Yi Jiugao’s holographic image abruptly dissipated.
And at almost the exact same time, a blinding white pillar of light lit up beneath every person’s feet.
Lin Ye’s vision blurred. He felt a powerful sense of spatial distortion, as if he’d been thrown into a high-speed, spinning washing machine.
The world spun around him.
The next moment, when he opened his eyes again, his feet were on solid ground.
There was no one else around.
He had been teleported to a completely new place.
It appeared to be a dense, primeval forest. The canopy blotted out the sun, and the light within the woods was dim.
A strange odor, a mix of sulfur and decay, hung in the air.
Just as Lin Ye was surveying his surroundings,
BUZZ—
the special watch on his wrist suddenly vibrated lightly.
A message, visible only to him, appeared on the watch’s screen.
[Hidden Objective Issued!]
[You have received a hidden identity: Tomb Guardian!]
[Identity Objective: Expel others who enter the Ancestral Land. For each candidate you successfully expel, your final assessment evaluation will increase by one tier.]
[When you successfully expel 5 or more candidates, you will automatically be considered to have passed the selection and will receive an additional reward.]