As Li Shouzhen introduced, the crowd found that the moat indeed began to spread outwards.
"What, what should we do?"
"Does this mean that only by enduring and crossing this moat can we pass the test?"
"This, this is going to cost lives!"
Not everyone possessed the strength to traverse this moat. The cultivators who had died in the first round were a clear testament.
Li Shouzhen said disdainfully, "Those who wish to pass should cross quickly. Otherwise, as the river widens, the difficulty will increase. Of course, those who know their limits can withdraw directly. After all, not every Holy Son or Holy Daughter is qualified to be called a prodigy!"
The crowd exchanged glances. Some were eager to try, while others showed fear in their eyes.
"Damn it, I've come this far, not to retreat! I'll risk it!"
A burly cultivator, who had just entered the Divine Sea realm, gritted his teeth and charged towards the moat.
Midway across, the river had already submerged his remains.
Witnessing this, those who were already timid immediately surrendered, loudly declaring their withdrawal.
As the formation patterns beneath their feet flickered, those who decided to withdraw were teleported out of the square and onto the sidelines.
Although they could feel the scornful gazes of those around them, and though their hearts were filled with unwillingness and regret, being alive was better than a futile death.
As more and more people surrendered and withdrew, more Holy Sons and Holy Daughters resolutely headed towards the moat.
This river, filled with the power of the four elements, was extremely perilous, but as long as one's strength was sufficient, there would be no danger to life.
The stronger one's cultivation, the less impact it would have.
Li Miaozhen, the Holy Daughter of the Earth Sect, walked through the river as if strolling through a garden, arriving at the small island in the center unscathed.
Li Shouzhen, however, did not move. His gaze remained fixed on Chen Xiao, wanting to see how long the Holy Son of the True Martial Sect would wait.
"Brother Li, do you want to withdraw? If not, let's set off soon. It gets harder and harder as time goes on!"
Wang Dong said to Chen Xiao. Because Chen Xiao had introduced himself as Li Bei Wu, Wang Dong called him Brother Li.
Chen Xiao's eyes were fixed on the river's surface. He felt that this river was strange.
He couldn't sense any danger from this river, but rather a sense of temptation...
Chen Xiao couldn't understand the source of this temptation, so he didn't rashly step into the water.
"I'll wait a bit longer. You go across first," Chen Xiao said calmly.
With Wang Dong's strength, crossing the river was not difficult. Although he couldn't be as unscathed as the Holy Daughter of the Earth Sect, passing smoothly was not a problem.
"Alright, I'll go first then. We'll meet again!"
Wang Dong cupped his fists towards Chen Xiao.
He thought Chen Xiao was planning to give up and was too embarrassed to say it in front of him.
Wang Dong resolutely walked towards the moat, his aura incredibly imposing.
By now, the moat was nearly ten meters wide, and the water, which had been calm and clear at first, had become turbulent, like a leviathan capable of devouring life.
Li Shouzhen still hadn't moved, as he saw that Chen Xiao hadn't moved either.
"Hmph, boy, don't you even have the courage to step into the river? You've truly disappointed me!"
Li Shouzhen paced to Chen Xiao's side, shaking his head and mockingly saying, "I actually considered you an opponent, but I never expected you to be so useless, afraid to even cross a small river..."
"Idiot."
Chen Xiao spat out the word impatiently and refused to engage with Li Shouzhen any further.
"Who are you calling an idiot? Did I say something wrong?"
Seeing that Chen Xiao dared to insult him while being afraid to cross the river, Li Shouzhen became enraged. "Boy, either cross this river now, and we'll fight to the death on the island in the lake, or surrender immediately. Once I secure my spot in the main competition for prodigies, I'll deal with you!"
Chen Xiao looked at Li Shouzhen with the gaze of an imbecile, though the latter couldn't see it.
"What business is it of yours what I do? Mind your own business!" Chen Xiao said impatiently.
"You... you're so stubborn despite your lack of strength, what gives you the right?"
Li Shouzhen gnashed his teeth in anger. He couldn't make a move here before the free challenge phase, or he would be disqualified.
Otherwise, he would have already attacked Chen Xiao.
He didn't understand why Chen Xiao was so stubborn, just as Chen Xiao didn't understand why he dared to provoke him, being merely a defeated opponent.
"Why would a supreme sect like the Earth Sect choose such an idiot as its Holy Son? I truly can't comprehend it..." Chen Xiao muttered helplessly.
"You call me an idiot? I, the Holy Son of the Earth Sect, you call me an idiot..."
Li Shouzhen pointed at his face, his eyes practically spitting fire.
Li Miaozhen, on the other side of the river, also bit her red lips, muttering, "Idiot, why are you wasting your breath with him? Hurry up and come over. If you don't come over soon, the third phase will begin..."
Those beside the Holy Daughter were stunned upon hearing this. "What? There's a third phase?"
Almost simultaneously, countless whirlpools suddenly appeared on the surface of the turbulent river.
Although the whirlpools were not large, they spun extremely fast and had immense suction.
The moment they appeared, more than half of the cultivators on the river were sucked into the center of the whirlpools.
Those who were drawn into the center of the whirlpools began to descend slowly, as if sinking into a swamp.
It only ended when the whirlpool completely submerged them.
Unluckily, Wang Dong also became one of those sucked into the whirlpool.
He was almost at the opposite bank, only a few steps away, but he had caught up with the third phase of the trial.
However, as a cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Divine Sea realm, he was still stronger than those who were instantly submerged. At least he wasn't swallowed instantly.
Chen Xiao's eyes narrowed, and he thought to himself, "Why has the temptation strengthened? What is so strange about this place?"
"Heh heh, boy, aren't you going to surrender and withdraw?" Li Shouzhen asked with a cold smile.
With the trial entering its third phase, it was a bit tricky for him as well, but as long as he was careful, it wouldn't have too much of an impact.
"Who said I'm going to surrender?" Chen Xiao said faintly.
"You're still not surrendering? You didn't dare to cross the river in the second phase, and now you dare in the third..."
Before Li Shouzhen could finish speaking, Chen Xiao's figure shot out like lightning!
Watching Chen Xiao's retreating back, Li Shouzhen was stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief. He, he, how did he dare?
Chen Xiao stepped on the river's surface as if walking on flat ground. The water, which could freeze people into ice blocks, and the fire that could burn bones to ashes, had no effect on him.
Even the wind blades and lightning strikes felt like mere tickles to him.
Li Shouzhen was taken aback, his brow furrowed in confusion. "So he's not afraid of these things. Then what was he waiting for just now?"
At this moment, Wang Dong had half his body submerged in the whirlpool.
He mobilized all his spiritual energy to resist the erosion and attacks of the wind, fire, water, and lightning, but he couldn't stop himself from slowly sinking into the whirlpool.
"Damn it, I'm going to die here today..."
Wang Dong felt despair and was ready to give up.
Just then, he suddenly felt a tremendous force strike his back. Immediately after, his body shot out like a cannonball and landed sprawled on the island in the lake.
"I... I passed?"
Wang Dong looked around in disbelief, then wondered where that immense force had come from.
He looked at the river's surface and was stunned. Where he had been in the whirlpool, a figure in black robes stood in the center.
"It's, it's Brother Li..."
Wang Dong was dumbfounded. "Could it be that Brother Li intentionally pushed me out of the whirlpool to save me, but couldn't escape himself?"
"Brother Li, why are you so foolish?!"
"Wait for me, big brother will save you now!"
Saying that, Wang Dong got up and was about to rush towards the whirlpool on the river.
"If you leave the island in the lake, you will be automatically considered to have forfeited your qualification to compete," Li Miaozhen said faintly from the side.
"Forfeit if I must, but at a time like this, why are we still talking about qualifications? He saved my life, and if I abandon him for some damn qualification, am I still human?" Wang Dong retorted with red eyes.
"Hmm? You, you're not very detached from worldly concerns..." Li Shouzhen muttered softly, then said, "Look carefully first. Even if you want to save him, he might not need your help!"
Wang Dong looked closely and finally realized something was wrong.
He saw Chen Xiao standing quietly in the center of the whirlpool. Although only half of his body was exposed, he showed no signs of sinking further, as if suspended there.
"Hmm? What's going on?" Wang Dong looked at Li Miaozhen, not understanding.
Li Miaozhen rolled her eyes. "You ask me? Who am I supposed to ask?"
At this moment, Chen Xiao was indeed in a very mysterious state, making it impossible for anyone to figure out what was happening.
Even Xu Weizhou, who was watching from mid-air, cast his gaze upon him.
"This kid is a bit strange..." Xu Weizhou's deep-set eyes revealed a profound confusion.
Soon, Chen Xiao's unusual behavior attracted everyone's attention. They pointed at him and discussed animatedly.
"Hey, what's going on with this person? Why wasn't he sucked into the whirlpool?"
"What is he doing? Why is he standing there motionless?"
...
Hearing the crowd's discussion, Li Shouzhen felt greatly offended.
After all, he was the Holy Son of the Earth Sect. In this minor qualifying match for the prodigy competition, he, Li Shouzhen, had to be the absolute protagonist!
Even if his spotlight was stolen a little, he couldn't accept it!
"Brat, you're quite good at stealing the show. Then let's have a competition to see who can stay in the whirlpool longer!"
A cold smile appeared on Li Shouzhen's lips. He unilaterally believed that their duel had officially begun!