“Junior Bi, I don’t deny that your South Vermilion Hall is stronger than our North Tortoise Hall. But in the end, we’re all disciples of the Hidden Dragon Martial Sect, fellow sect members. The juniors of our North Tortoise Hall are your juniors too. Don’t you think that you’re going too far here?” Song Xi said.

  “Song Xi, calm down. I haven’t finished my piece yet. Our South Vermilion Hall is willing to have a battle with you to decide this. We won’t find our other seniors for help; we’ll compete with you with the people we have here. If the South Vermilion Hall wins, we’ll do as I said. On the other hand, if you win, we’ll follow the old rules. I just wonder if you dare to accept the challenge,” Bi Jingjing said.

  Song Xi hesitated a little.

  He wasn’t afraid of Fang Yunshi, but he did fear Bi Jingjing. Bi Jingjing had grown up in the Hidden Dragon Martial Sect, and she had a strong background behind her too.

  “Alright, I’ll accept it. However, how do you wish to compete with us?”


  Song Xi looked at the disciples of the North Tortoise Hall behind him, and in the end, he decided to accept it in the end.

  “Since I’m proposing the challenge, I’ll ensure the challenge is fair so that no one will have any qualms about it. We’ll compete three rounds in total. First round, aptitude. Second round, spirit power. Third round, martial power. Every round, we’ll choose three people to go up against one another. Any side who has two victories will be considered the winner of the round,” Bi Jingjing said.

  “Very well, we’ll go by your proposal then,” Song Xi said.

  “Very well. The first round will be competing on talent then. You may pick any three people from your North Tortoise Hall, and we’ll also select three people from our South Vermilion Hall.”


  As Bi Jingjing spoke, she took out a stone platform from her Cosmos Sack. The stone platform was initially just the size of a rock, but when she tossed it into mid-air, it immediately enlarged. By the time it fell back down to the ground, it had already expanded to ten meters in diameter.

  There were all sorts of runes on the stone platform, and inscribed at its center was the insignia of a dragon. This resembled the stone platforms that were used for the entrance test, but there were some differences.

  For one, there were three platforms in the entrance test, each of them testing willpower, potential, and bloodline respectively. On the other hand, this stone platform served to test all three simultaneously to come to an overall evaluation.

  While it couldn’t accurately discern the three factors accurately, it could evaluate the overall talent that a person had.

  “I’ll take the first round.”


  As soon as the stone platform landed on the floor, Fang Yunshi began making his way forward. However, instead of stepping right on it, he turned his gaze toward Song Xi.

  “I, Song Xi, representing the North Tortoise Hall, will take the first round too.”


  Song Xi walked over to the stone platform too.

  “Song Xi, I hope that you won’t burst into tears when you lose.”


  With those words, Fang Yunshi leaped onto the stone platform.

  Weng!

  The runes on the stone platform immediately came to life, and they started to resolve swiftly along with the stone platform. Soon, a purple light burst forth from the stone platform, indicating high aptitude.

  However, neither the disciples of the North Tortoise Hall nor the South Tortoise Hall was too surprised by the sight. Fang Yunshi might not be the strongest disciple of the South Vermilion Hall, he was still pretty well known. Everyone already knew about the level of talent he had.

  “Song Xi, I hope you won’t lose.”


  Fang Yunshi looked at Song Xi provocatively before walking down the stone platform. As soon as he walked off, the purple light shining from the stone platform swiftly dissipated, and everything reverted back to normal.

  Following that, Song Xi walked onto the stone platform.

  Weng!

  The same sight occurred on the stone platform. A purple light burst forth soon after.

  Song Xi had high aptitude as well.

  Even though it was the same purple light, the faces of the disciples of the South Vermilion Hall turned a little awful. This was especially so for Fang Yunshi, who looked both awkward and indignant.

  This was because Song Xi took a far shorter time to trigger the stone platform that Fang Yunshi. This was not the first time they were pitting their aptitude against one another, so the rules were pretty clear cut. The first one to trigger the stone platform in the case of the same aptitude would win the battle.

  In other words, it was Song Xi’s victory here.

  “Looks like that’s all there is to you, Fang Yunshi.”


  Without bothering to conceal the glee on his face, Song Xi began to put down Fang Yunshi.

  Fang Yunshi had been trying to taunt Song Xi whenever he could because their cultivation was on the same level as one another. In a sense, it could be said that Fang Yunshi was Song Xi’s nemesis in the South Vermilion Hall.

  It was for that reason that Song Xi was so delighted at having been able to defeat Fang Yunshi.

  “Song Xi, you’re representing the strongest disciple in the North Tortoise Hall whereas I’m just a minor character in our South Vermilion Hall. What do you have to be gleeful about?” Fang Yunshi spat.

  “As you said, our North Tortoise Hall is indeed weaker than your South Vermilion Hall. I’ve never tried to deny that fact before. However, do you acknowledge that I, Song Xi, am stronger than you, Fang Yunshi?” Song Xi replied.

  “What are you getting so smug about? It’s not an individual competition but a fight between the South Vermilion Hall and North Tortoise Hall right now! Have you won the competition yet? If not, you would do well to put away your arrogance!” Fang Yunshi said angrily.

  Song Xi didn’t respond to those words anymore.

  He might have won Fang Yunshi, but he was the most talented one of all disciples in the North Tortoise Hall. He couldn’t guarantee that the others would be able to win the aptitude test against those from the South Vermilion Hall too.

  “The second battle,” Bi Jingjing announced.

  Following that, a female disciple with a curvaceous figure walked up to the stone platform.

  “Is there anyone who wishes to be my opponent?”


  She looked at the disciples of the North Tortoise Hall with a seductive look in her eyes.

  Song Xi and the others recognize her too. She was quite a renowned person in the South Vermilion Hall.

  “Hei Yao, Ziyan, who wants to go first?” Song Xi turned to the two people behind him.

  “Allow me.”


  Wang Ziyan volunteered herself, and Song Xi nodded in approval.

  Seeing this, the female disciple from the South Vermilion Hall took the lead and stepped onto the stone platform. It took her a little longer than Fang Yunshi, but she managed to trigger the purple light in the end.

  After she walked down from the stone platform, Wang Ziyan stepped onto the stone platform. She, too, managed to trigger the purple light, indicating high aptitude. However, she took a little longer than the female disciple of the South Vermilion Hall. It was a really close one, but they had lost the second battle.

  “I’m sorry, Senior Song,” Wang Ziyan said remorsefully.

  “It’s fine, we haven’t lost yet,” Song Xi consoled.

  “I’ll be taking the third battle.”


  It was then that Bi Jingjing suddenly walked up to the stone platform. Seeing this, Hei Yao’s complexion immediately turned awful.

  While Bi Jingjing was famous, no one had seen her cultivating before. Putting aside the disciples in the North Tortoise Hall, she was a mysterious figure even within the South Vermilion Hall. No one had any idea what level Bi Jingjing’s aptitude was at.

  However, based on rumors going around, Bi Jingjing had an incredibly high aptitude. To be honest, Hei Yao had no confidence in winning against her.

  The faces of those from the North Tortoise Hall also darkened.

  Even before the third battle had begun, everyone already felt that they were bound to lose. It wasn’t that they weren’t confident in Hei Yao, but it was the famous Bi Jingjing he was going up against here.

  “Allow me to take the third battle.”


  While everyone was feeling despaired, Chu Feng suddenly stepped forward.