Half an hour later.
Man Sen began his third challenge. Before starting, he took out a red pill with a serious expression and swallowed it. As the pill entered his body, his aura changed completely. His speed and reflexes seemed to improve in every aspect.
Yun Jin noticed it immediately, thinking his gaze had grown sharper.
"Before Senior Man Sen left Xuandan Gate to travel the world, he was already very fond of studying pills that could be applied in combat. With enough pills, this single alchemist could take on multiple peers at the same time," Cang Li said. "Back then, even sword cultivators of the same rank from Kunlun Sword Sect once lost to Senior Man Sen."
Yun Jin's interest piqued further.
Even the sword cultivators of Kunlun Sword Sect lost?
This combat alchemist system was truly intriguing.
However, it had a glaring drawback: it consumed resources.
Each fight required numerous pills, and these pills were accumulated from spirit stones. Using it for routine sparring would be wasteful, but in a life-or-death situation, the system could temporarily boost one's power significantly.
Yun Jin tried to gain Man Sen's favor, hoping to exchange for his combat pill formula. If she succeeded, she could refine it with her system to create a powerful weapon against enemies.
This red pill was incredibly potent, seemingly even clearing Man Sen's mind further. The eighth robot had five weak points, and he found them all. It looked easier than his previous fight against the ninth robot. Yet, when the robot announced his success, Man Sen showed no joy, grimacing as if it had cost him dearly.
Nevertheless, he chose to continue the challenge. Facing the seventh robot, Man Sen did not take any pills. He wanted to rely solely on himself.
In an instant, the robot's fist arrived before him.
Man Sen was momentarily dazed, and in the next moment, he was outside the arena.
[Challenge failed. Man Sen's final record: defeated by the eighth robot. Awarded five trial points.]
The leaderboard shifted.
Man Sen's name ranked only behind Di Xiao, currently in third place. He exhaled slightly, having used his only pill and given his all.
[Next challenger: Yu Shiyi.]
Yu Shiyi was instantly transported to the arena.
[Please select the robot you wish to challenge.]
He considered carefully before saying slowly, "Number seven. I challenge the seventh robot!"
Since Man Sen succeeded against the eighth robot, Yu Shiyi needed to overcome the seventh robot to secure a spot in the top three. He encouraged himself silently. His initial rank was slightly higher than Man Sen's.
Man Sen's failure didn't mean he would fail.
The seventh robot slowly appeared on the arena. Yu Shiyi tensed, entering maximum alert mode. The robot looked at him, raising its fist slowly, just as it had for Man Sen.
Yu Shiyi focused intensely. As the eleventh strongest of the Yu clan, he could do this. He had to do this.
The robot moved, and Yu Shiyi moved in response. A small smile of satisfaction appeared on his lips. He had dodged the first punch.
The next step was to observe.
Yet, before the thought fully formed, the robot twisted its angle strangely, aiming a punch straight at his chest. In the next instant, Yu Shiyi appeared outside the arena, dazed.
He had lost, in the exact same way as Man Sen.
Man Sen sneered, "The seventh robot is clearly more difficult. Did you really think you were much stronger than me?"
Without the red pill, even he could not have defeated the eighth robot. Yu Shiyi's level was roughly the same. Even passing the eighth robot was tough, and he dared to challenge the seventh directly.
Yu Shiyi's face went pale, unable to speak.
"Yu Shiyi cannot enter the top three. Challenge concluded," the robot announced.
Instantly, Yu Shiyi was transported out of the trial space.
Southern Lan Continent.
On a cliff, Yu Shiyi opened his eyes in frustration. As the eleventh strongest of the Yu clan, he had been at the bottom in the trial space. It was utterly humiliating. And that human, Yun Jin, with low cultivation, had maintained first place. Even more infuriating.
He gritted his teeth.
Humph. This human better not come to Southern Lan Continent.
Otherwise, when they meet, he would show Yun Jin what true strength is.
"Next: Na Jia," the robot called.
Na Jia was immediately transported to the arena. She chose the eighth robot cautiously. At first, she seemed to hide her true strength. But when almost struck at a vital point, a full moon appeared on her forehead.
A moon?
Which race was this?
Cang Li frowned.
"High-level demon race: Cold Moon Demon Clan," Yun Jin explained. "The fuller the moon on their forehead, the higher their talent. Na Jia's full moon makes her a peerless genius among the Cold Moon Demons."
A peerless genius?
Cang Li did not doubt Yun Jin, his eyes briefly flashing with faint killing intent.
"Do not attack in the trial space," the robot reminded.
Yun Jin smiled slightly. "Relax, there is no need."
A peerless genius?
In the outside world, she would be defeated with a single sword. Na Jia's strength clearly surpassed Man Sen. She consecutively challenged the eighth and seventh robots, eventually losing to the sixth.
[Na Jia awarded seven trial points. Final trial points: nine.]
Na Jia's ranking rose, surpassing Di Xiao temporarily, placing her second.
Di Xiao coldly sneered. Although temporary, he still felt uneasy.
Being beaten by Yun Jin was one thing, but others too?
Di Xiao glared at Na Jia, killing intent brimming.
Na Jia vaguely guessed Di Xiao's identity, dared not speak, and moved to the corner to lower her presence.
"Na Jia's challenge completed. Man Sen cannot enter the top three. Transported out of the trial space," the robot announced.
Man Sen had mentally prepared. He glanced at Yun Jin and quickly said, "Consider me indebted to you."
In the next moment, he appeared in a dense forest. Originally, Man Sen planned to search for a rare herb. Now, he felt reluctant.
He sighed.
It was a world full of talent after all.
Better to return.
After years of cultivation, he had made new discoveries in alchemy and could contribute to the sect. If war with the demon race broke out, it would be time to show the power of spirit stones.
Man Sen turned back, heading home. He also needed to investigate this Yun Jin.
After all, she had warned him once. As a senior, he could not owe a junior a favor. Whether it was easy to inquire about her or not remained to be seen. If she was unknown, he would go to Kunlun Sword Sect to ask Cang Li.
Muttering to himself, Man Sen leapt into the sky and disappeared over the horizon.