An hour earlier, just as the core trial grounds of Kandra had emerged and the entry requirements had changed, the well-prepared Cinder trial participants wasted no time and swiftly entered the secret realm of the trial grounds.
On this vast, pure white platform, there were four to five hundred trial participants, and the Cinder held more than an eighth of these spots.
Fang You, clad in a white robe, blended in with the bustling trial participants, unremarkable.
Beside him was Chi Yan, standing on tiptoe and looking up.
That's right, Chi Yan had also entered.
Chi Yan's current age and cultivation realm far surpassed the upper limit of Trial Ground 404. Even if Miss Ru were a devoted fan of Chi Tianzhu, she wouldn't be able to bend the rules for Chi Yan.
They, as Trial Officers, possessed autonomous authority, but their upper and lower limits were locked. They had to abide by the rules established from their very inception.
However, when the Central Trial Grounds emerged, Chi Yan rummaged through her storage artifact and found several entry tickets that had begun to resonate and accept the call.
Their appearance and specifications were different from the one Fang You held, but their function seemed to be similar.
"These are..."
"They are spoils obtained when I was younger and adventuring, breaking through various trial grounds... I'd broken through so many then, I can't quite recall where these few cards came from."
Chi Yan was still confused.
Fang You fell silent.
Later, as expected, not long after he entered the trial grounds, Chi Yan also entered this secret realm.
And shortly after entering, her expression shifted. She reached out and tugged his sleeve.
"Teacher, I think... I think I've gained access to the trial grounds."
Fang You: "Huh?"
...
Central Trial Grounds, Control Hub.
Three figures, either with arms crossed or hands behind their backs, watched the human trial participants being teleported in from the outside.
They were the three Trial Officers: 'Yuan', 'Wei', and 'Lan'.
"To think there are only over four hundred trial participants. Humans of this era are truly pathetic," Trial Officer Lan huffed.
The burly man Wei showed no emotion. "Consider it an imperial task. Once suitable successors are selected, our mission will be complete."
"Mission, ha..."
Trial Officer Lan paused. "We have slept for many years, doing our utmost to preserve the legacy. But to entrust it to a group of weak humans, I am very displeased."
Despite her displeasure, as per the rules, her mission was still to set up trials and hand down the legacy to the most outstanding participants.
Picking the tallest among the short.
The elder with narrowed eyes said, "Humans of this era are indeed frail, but it's due to the circumstances. That war back then inflicted too heavy a loss on humanity, nearly crushing us. It's not easy for humans to recover to this extent after recuperation."
"The trial participants here now are sufficiently gifted. If they can receive the inheritances from a few of the Heavenly Pillars, they might still have a chance to become top-tier powerhouses."
Just like the nine Heavenly Pillars.
Only, "just like" isn't enough.
Elder Yuan sighed inwardly.
Moreover, time seemed to be running out.
"If, back then, our Kandra Empire had citizens who survived and continued the legacy, perhaps the current situation wouldn't be so dire."
"Indeed..."
The three Trial Officers sighed with regret.
Back then, the Empire had gambled everything on the God-Slaying Plan. Before the final phase of the plan began, the Empire had made the worst-case scenario preparations, sending out sparks of hope early on to various hidden locations in the Eldritch Realm.
However,
The God-Slaying Plan failed, and all the sparks of hope were extinguished.
Under a certain unspeakable power of the Evil God, any Kandra citizen who carried the bloodline of radiance was instantly erased.
Even many human factions closely allied with the Empire disappeared without a trace due to the intertwined rules.
The glorious Kandra Empire vanished overnight.
Even they, who were not human and could not even be called truly living beings, the Trial Officers, were to be erased. But after being erased, they triggered some of the Empire's contingency plans, and the Trial Officers were reborn as data.
"If the Empire were still here..."
The three Trial Officers murmured in their hearts.
Suddenly, their eyes widened. In this special area, accessible only to them, two more figures had appeared.
One wore a white robe, the other a red robe.
How did they get in?
Trial Officer 'Lan' suddenly gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief as she looked at the petite figure who had removed her hood. "You... are you Lord Chi Tianzhu?"
The images of the nine Heavenly Pillars were deeply imprinted in their minds.
They couldn't be mistaken.
Furthermore, Chi Tianzhu's inheritance was resonating.
"It really is Lord Chi Tianzhu!"
"My Lord, you have come, and hope has arrived!"
"My Lord, please preside over this inheritance trial!"
The burly man's face also showed a hint of star-struck shyness.
Elder 'Yuan' was moved to tears, feeling an infinite surge of strength within him.
They didn't know, nor did they dare to inquire, how Lord Chi Tianzhu had survived. They only knew one thing: the nine Heavenly Pillars already possessed the highest imperial authority. With the Emperor and the first eight Heavenly Pillars fallen, it was only fitting for Lord Chi Tianzhu to take charge of everything and restore the Empire's glory.
"But the Empire has long since ceased to exist."
Chi Yan shook her head.
The three Trial Officers fell silent.
Indeed, the era of the Empire had passed. One had to look forward.
"Regardless, the trial should be presided over by you, my Lord. This is the trial plan we previously drafted. Lord Chi Tianzhu, please review it."
But Chi Yan shook her head and did not accept it, stating that she was not skilled in such matters.
The Trial Officers recalled; it seemed so.
When this Central Trial Grounds was built, Lord Chi Tianzhu had visited the least. Apart from leaving behind her inheritance power, she had barely paid attention to anything else.
Rumor had it that Lord Chi Tianzhu paid no mind to worldly affairs, dedicating herself solely to cultivation and combat.
No wonder Lord Chi Tianzhu had surpassed countless predecessors at such a young age and ascended to the ranks of the Nine Heavenly Pillars.
As expected of Lord Chi!
They thought, and were about to implement the trial plan, when they heard Chi Yan say, "But since you say so, then please, Teacher, make the arrangements."
Lan: "???"
Wei: "???"
Yuan: "????"
Lord Chi Tianzhu's... Teacher?
Who was this young man in the white robe?!
...
The young man in the white robe had also entered the trial grounds via the entry ticket.
The three Trial Officers looked around, neither of them appearing to be a person of great significance, seemingly just an ordinary demigod. But since Lord Chi Tianzhu had spoken, they... of course, they obeyed directly.
As for the trial process, Instructor Fang was only mildly interested.
Not much, really.
Because even though Chi Yan had gained authority, the trial grounds still had to operate according to the rules. He could at most make minor adjustments; taking away the inheritance and treasures directly was impossible.
Instructor Fang didn't think much about it; he was more concerned about another matter.
"Back then, the Kandra Empire gathered 18 God-Slaying weapons and launched a final assault on the Evil God?"
Chief Trial Officer 'Yuan' nodded.
"Is there more detailed information about the war, about the Evil God?"
Chief Trial Officer Yuan, however, shook his head. "We have some recollection of that war, but because we were erased and reborn, this memory was also lost."
He revealed the great secret of Kandra's erasure after the failure of the God-Slaying War!
This was the truth that countless historians had sought regarding the overnight disappearance of the glorious Empire!
It originated from the terrifying power of the Evil God.
"The Evil God..."
However, the God-Slaying War was not a complete failure.
When the Evil God first fell into the world and corrupted it, it also fell into a slumber, and was gradually awakening.
Kandra's God-Slaying War did not succeed in slaying the Evil God, but it greatly delayed the Evil God's awakening.
Otherwise, the entire Eldritch Realm would likely have been completely submerged, with no oases or signs of life remaining.
And the reason Kandra achieved notable results was the 18 God-Slaying weapons forged with the nation's full might. Without these God-Slaying weapons, Kandra's Ninth and Tenth Tier powerhouses were far fewer than even the Ancient Gods, let alone facing the Evil God directly.
Elder Yuan said, "Our trial grounds do indeed contain casting data for God-Slaying weapons. However, the birth of any God-Slaying weapon depends on materials, timing, and luck, and cannot be replicated. This data can only serve as a reference."
"Most of the 18 God-Slaying weapons were completely destroyed in that battle. Only a few residual weapons with some great power are drifting in the cracks of space and time."
"After tens of thousands of years of salvage, we have recovered two God-Slaying weapons. These two are the rewards for this trial, and only the top three trial participants will have the right to obtain them."
"However, these two God-Slaying weapons are severely damaged. Repairing them completely is almost impossible."
But no matter what, they were still God-Slaying weapons, stronger than many divine and demonic weapons, and possessed a 'special attack' against the Evil God.
Bound by rules, they, the Trial Officers, could not directly give the God-Slaying weapons to Lord Chi Tianzhu, but they could make a small exception for Lord Chi Tianzhu's... colleagues? Friends? Subordinates?
"Don't worry, many of the trial participants are our people."
"That puts our minds at ease... cough, cough, we are all Trial Officers who uphold fairness and justice. We merely believe that Lord Chi Tianzhu's subordinates have the ability to rank among the top."
"We are even more convinced that only in Lord Chi Tianzhu's hands can these two remaining God-Slaying weapons truly exert their power."
Fang You thought the same.
He accepted the trial plan handed to him by the burly man, inadvertently revealing the silver-white, paint-chipped glove on his right hand.
The burly man's gaze froze, and he stammered, "The Hand of the Realm Lord?"
"God-Slaying weapon with serial number 13!"
"Yes, it is. This weapon is quite good to use."
Is it just about how smoothly it feels to use? They had spent tens of thousands of years salvaging using some kind of mechanism, and had only managed to retrieve two!
The third one they had seen after tens of thousands of years, looked like an ordinary glove, worn on the hand of this young man in the white robe.
This...
As expected of Lord Chi Tianzhu's... Teacher!
They were somewhat convinced.
Whether they were convinced or not, the highest authority was now in Lord Chi Tianzhu's hands. They suppressed their jumbled thoughts and prepared to hear the insights of this young man in the white robe.
Instructor Fang finished reading the plan, then glanced at the 'Divine Source' conspicuously displayed in the treasury, and then looked outside at the numerous trial participants with no weak strength.
"I have a bold idea."
"Under these rules, trial participants can display their strength more comprehensively, which will also be more conducive to your observation and evaluation."
"It only requires your trial grounds to pay a small amount of Divine Source..."
...
"The first trial stage is 'Unlimited Mixed Combat'."
"Under this stage, trial participants will be randomly transported to various locations on the Endless Great Plains. You can choose to hunt other opponents or conceal yourselves."
"The more kills and the longer you survive, the higher your score for this stage will be."
"Trial participants who fall mid-stage and are killed can still participate in the second and third stages of the trial."
"Trial participants who have stepped into this place, we wish you enjoyable combat~"
The sky was azure blue, and the wind blew across the vast grassland.
The trial participants stepped into this place, feeling somewhat dazed.
"This is a completely real world, yet the world digitizes our states. Therefore, no matter how serious the injuries, or even death, our states can be restored to the moment before."
"This is the technology of the Kandra Empire? It is... indeed somewhat terrifying."
A reincarnated Ancient God murmured.
Threads of the essence of law emanated from him, but no matter how much law power was consumed, he could reset his state during this preparation period.
He gradually revealed an expression of obsession.
"For such technology, this venerable one has specially entered the trial grounds. Playing a child's game is not beneath me."
"However, Kandra is Kandra, and humans are humans. Weaklings are not qualified to receive Kandra's legacy."
"This legacy shall be taken by this venerable one."
He was astonished and determined to obtain it!
The trial participants who had entered this Endless Great Plains were astonished, but astonishment could vary greatly.
...
Yiluoxi looked up at the sky and muttered, "Does this place look a bit familiar?"
...
Xing Jinglei spread his divine sense, searching for prey. "Since it's here, let this great lord enjoy the combat to his heart's content. In the organization, besides Black Blade, few people can spar with this great lord, but today... this great lord remembers there are over a dozen reincarnated Ancient Gods... Oh well, prey found."
...
An Jianyou's small mouth parted, her eyes scanning. "Is this the way the trial is conducted? As expected of a mentor!"
...
Xitina murmured in her heart, "May the mentor bless me, I wish for evenly matched opponents."
...
All of them will get what they want!
He, Instructor Fang, although he had made some minor adjustments, was by no means someone who would engage in unfair play or arrange for his own apostles to fight weaklings.
He disliked curb-stomping the most.
The reincarnated Ancient Gods, who took to the sky searching for prey, eager to slaughter, had not managed to get a single kill after ten minutes.
They either encountered human super geniuses, whom even they found troublesome, or they were ganged up on by several or dozens of top human geniuses.
Reincarnated Ancient Gods: "???"
They suspected they were being targeted, but upon reflection, it seemed reasonable.
After all, the number of human trial participants was dozens of times greater than theirs.
The deployment mechanism of this trial was also by no means completely random, which allowed the weaker ones a slight chance of victory.
Heh...
The reincarnated Ancient Gods, believing they had grasped the hidden mechanism of the trial, let out a cold laugh.