Chapter 438 Challenge? That's it?

Jiang Yun's gaze landed on the treasure before him, which flickered with a faint golden light.

It was a spirit lingzhi that was amber throughout, roughly the size of a palm. Its surface flowed with a warm luster, emitting a strange medicinal fragrance that brought peace to the mind.

In this first-floor hall, this treasure was inconspicuous. The light membrane surrounding it was only a thin layer, appearing to be the most basic type of protective Restriction.

He habitually activated Entry Manifestation.

[Earth-Core Amber Lingzhi]

[Grade: Purple Crystal Tier High Grade]

[Type: earth attribute Cultivation Resource]

[Effect: A rare treasure born at the symbiosis of earth-core molten veins and ten-thousand-year amber. It contains pure earth attribute spiritual power and a trace of Earth Origin Qi. After consumption by an earth attribute beast, its cultivation level can be significantly increased, with a low probability of comprehending the earth-type defensive skill: Amber Golden Body.]

[Challenge Content: Enter the Trial Space and defeat a Vicious Beast phantom at the same Realm as the Beast Tamer's summoned beast. Challenge Rules: The Beast Tamer must summon one beast for battle. The Formation will project a Vicious Beast phantom of equivalent Realm based on the beast's Realm. Defeat the phantom to obtain the treasure; no external assistance allowed.]

After reading the entry information, Jiang Yun's brow twitched slightly.

Purple Gold Rank High Grade.

The most Common treasures in this first-floor hall actually started at the Purple Gold Rank.

He looked around at the display cases filling the hall.

There were no fewer than several hundred Purple Gold Rank treasures on the first floor alone, and there were six more floors above.

According to this distribution pattern, the second floor would likely start at the Diamond Rank, the third at the Meteor level, and the fourth at the eclipsing moon level...

Then what level of treasures would be on the fifth, sixth, or even the top seventh floor?

Radiant Sun-Level?

Or even higher?

Jiang Yun couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder in his heart.

The Liu Family truly lived up to its reputation as a hidden world Family with a thousand-year Legacy; this foundation was indeed terrifyingly deep.

The collection in this treasury alone would be enough to make any power in the outside world fight to the death for it.

But wonder aside, he hadn't forgotten his current situation.

That old fox Liu Qingyun appeared generous on the surface by giving him five chances to choose, but required him to rely on true ability to break through for every single treasure.

Every treasure in this hall was set with challenge Restrictions; to get them, he had to clear the challenge first.

Looking at the Amber Lingzhi in his hand, Jiang Yun already had a plan.

Perfect, he'd use this item to test the waters.

To see what exactly this so-called challenge was all about.

He reached out toward that layer of faint golden light membrane.

The moment his fingertips touched the membrane.

Buzz!

A powerful suction suddenly surged from the membrane, pulling his consciousness inside like a whirlpool.

Jiang Yun felt his vision blur, and the surrounding scene completely transformed.

He was no longer standing in the Star Pavilion's hall, but was instead located in a strange independent space.

Beneath his feet was a flat Bluestone Battle Stage, roughly a hundred square feet in size, surrounded by a translucent energy barrier.

Beyond the battle stage was a vast white mist where nothing could be seen clearly; he could only vaguely sense a highly mysterious Formation fluctuation flowing within the mist. The entire space was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard, with only a faint, lingering Aura of slaughter in the air reminding him.

This was not a safe place.

"It's actually an independent Trial Space..."

Jiang Yun looked around, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

He had thought the challenge would be some kind of mechanism or Restriction, but he hadn't expected the Liu Family to combine teleportation runes and Formations to such an extent, directly imprinting a miniature Teleportation Formation within the treasure's surface Restriction.

As long as someone touched the light membrane, they would be pulled into this Trial Space.

Such methods far exceeded the Formation standards of ordinary powers.

It seemed the builder of this treasury had no simple level of attainment in Formations and runes.

At least Grand Tutor Level.

Just as Jiang Yun was secretly pondering.

The space dozens of feet ahead suddenly distorted.

A phantom was slowly condensing.

It was a Vicious Beast phantom shaped like a fierce tiger but with twin wings.

It was over three zhang in size, its body covered in a layer of crimson scales, each scale faintly glowing with scorching firelight. A pair of dark red fleshy wings slowly unfurled from its back, the wing membranes covered in strange dark patterns like flowing lava. Its four sharp claws were like forged red gold, leaving scorched claw marks directly on the bluestone ground as they gripped it.

The most terrifying part was its head.

Two curved crimson horns grew from the top of its forehead, and a pair of vertical pupils burning with flames were locked straight onto Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun frowned.

This phantom... is this the challenge?

What did he need to do?

Defeat this Vicious Beast?

He subconsciously activated Entry Manifestation and looked toward the Vicious Beast phantom.

A golden entry light screen unfolded before his eyes.

[Blazing Flame Winged Tiger · Formation Projection]

[Realm: Undefined (Waiting to synchronize after the Beast Tamer summons a beast)]

[Attribute: Fire]

[Skills: Blazing Roar, Winged Tiger Heaven-Tearing Claw, Raging Flame Field-Burn, Flame Scale Protection, Heaven-Burning Meteor Fire]

[Special Note: This phantom is projected by the Ten Thousand Beast Battle Formation, perfectly replicating all skills, attributes, and combat instincts of the Blazing Flame Winged Tiger. The phantom's Realm will be completely synchronized with the Realm of the beast summoned by the challenger to ensure a battle of equal rank. The challenger can only summon one beast for battle in the Trial Space; the Formation can only be broken and the treasure obtained after defeating the phantom.]

The entry information was clearly marked in the Vicious Beast column.

The phantom's strength Realm would be exactly the same as the strength Realm of the beast summoned by the Beast Tamer.

After reading this information, the corners of Jiang Yun's mouth curled up slightly.

So that's how it is.

A battle in the same Realm.

In other words, whatever Realm the beast he summoned was, this Vicious Beast phantom would synchronize to that Realm.

Only by defeating it could the Formation be broken and the treasure obtained.

This was fair enough.

However.

Jiang Yun's gaze swept over the Blazing Flame Winged Tiger phantom that had not yet been activated, and he already had a good idea of what to expect.

Clearly, this first-floor challenge was just an appetizer.

The higher one went, the more precious the treasures, and the strength of the challenged Vicious Beasts would likely become stronger.

By the upper floors, the phantom's Realm probably wouldn't be as simple as a same-Realm battle.

But at least for this current hurdle, there was no pressure on him at all.

The Blazing Flame Winged Tiger phantom before him still stood quietly in place, neither releasing any Aura nor actively launching an attack against him.

Clearly, it was waiting.

Only after Jiang Yun summoned the beast to fight would the Formation redefine the strength of this phantom based on the beast's Realm, and only then would the battle truly begin.

Jiang Yun smiled.

A battle in the same Realm?

Whether it was Little Fire, Little Skylark, or Nether Abyss, which one of them wasn't a terrifying existence with combat power that transcended their rank?

The Ancient Divine Beast Bloodlines of Little Skylark and Little Fire alone were enough to crush the vast majority of opponents in the same Realm.

Even for Nether Abyss, with that Heaven-Defying Aptitude plus the Bloodline of the Ancient Nether Abyss Divine Beast, it was almost impossible to find an opponent in the same Realm.

Why fear this same-Realm battle?

Thinking of this, Jiang Yun couldn't help but sneer in his heart.

The Liu Family Head wants to use this kind of challenge to stump me?

He's underestimated me, Jiang Yun, a bit too much.

He stopped thinking and, with a thought, prepared to summon a beast.

His current Little Fire was stabilizing its Peak Gold Rank 9 Realm, preparing to build up strength for a future Breakthrough to the Amethyst Rank.

This first-floor battle was just a warm-up; there was no need to disturb Little Fire's cultivation.

And Nether Abyss was currently at the Purple Crystal Tier 5 Peak; it would truly be overkill.

He'd just use Little Skylark.

"Little Skylark, come out."

Jiang Yun reached out and snapped his fingers.

Buzz!!!!

A silver-gray light gate suddenly bloomed in the Trial Space.

Sharp wind whistles and low thunderous rumbles surged from the light gate simultaneously. The wind was mixed with wisps of purple electrical arcs that crackled in the air.

A vigorous figure flew out from the light gate with a flap of its wings.

Little Skylark had a wingspan of nearly twelve meters, its body covered in silver-gray divine feathers, each tip flickering with pale purple lightning.

Three purple plumes stood high on its head like a sovereign's crown.

A pair of pale golden eyes looked down upon the Blazing Flame Winged Tiger phantom ahead.

Perhaps because of the baptism of the three Divine Beast Bloodlines resonating in the Spirit Sealing Hall just now, even though Little Skylark was just casually hovering in mid-air, it naturally possessed a sharp Aura.

It did nothing, but the moment it appeared, the Wind-Thunder power in the surrounding space began to stir.

Its Aura had become a bit more solid than before it entered the Liu Family.

It had already reached Gold Rank Eight Peak.

The moment Little Skylark appeared, a hidden Formation core in the center of the Trial Space quietly lit up.

The Ten Thousand Beast Battle Formation sensed the presence of the beast and began to operate.

A burst of blinding red light suddenly erupted from within the Blazing Flame Winged Tiger phantom opposite it. Its body became more solid at a speed visible to the naked eye, and raging flames ignited around it.

The phantom's Realm began to synchronize and climb.

Gold Rank Eight Peak.

Exactly the same as Little Skylark.

However.

Despite having the same Realm, the Aura erupting from that Blazing Flame Winged Tiger phantom was more than a notch below Little Skylark's.

Its flames were indeed blazing fiercely, but standing before Little Skylark, it was like a candle flame competing with the bright moon.

Little Skylark only gave it a cold glance. There were no extra emotions in its pale golden eyes, only a high-and-mighty indifference.

That was the natural disdain of a superior Divine Beast toward a Vicious Beast of lower Bloodline.

Jiang Yun didn't waste any more words.

"Little Skylark, finish it."

He spoke plainly, his tone as casual as if he were ordering a trivial matter.

Hearing this, Little Skylark's pale golden eyes suddenly narrowed.

It didn't even use a skill; it just casually flapped its right wing.

"Boom!!!"

A purple lightning bolt as thick as an arm, mixed with peerlessly sharp azure wind blades, suddenly erupted from Little Skylark's right wing!

Wind and thunder intertwined, turning into a blue-purple stream of light like heavenly punishment descending, directly piercing through the distance of dozens of feet!

The Blazing Flame Winged Tiger phantom didn't even have time to make any reaction before it was hit head-on by this wind-thunder light.

"Bang!!!"

The phantom's body was like porcelain smashed by a heavy hammer, shattering inch by inch from head to torso, turning into a sky full of red light points that dissipated in the Trial Space.

One hit.

It only took one hit.

That Blazing Flame Winged Tiger phantom, which was in the same Realm as Little Skylark, was killed with effortless ease.

Forget resisting; it didn't even have time to let out a miserable howl.

The moment the phantom collapsed, the entire Trial Space also began to slowly crumble.

The surrounding energy barrier dissipated like a popped bubble. The Bluestone Battle Stage and the vast white mist both began to fade. Jiang Yun only felt his vision blur again, and his figure had already returned to the Star Pavilion's hall.

He stood before the display case, the corner of his mouth curling into a slight arc.

This challenge was simply too easy.

A battle in the same Realm?

For an ordinary Beast Tamer, it might indeed be quite a test, but for his beasts, it didn't even count as a threshold.

He recalled Little Skylark, reached out, and probed toward the Earth-Core Amber Lingzhi in the display case.

This time, there was no obstruction.

The light barrier dissipated silently at his fingertips, and the amber-colored Lingzhi lay quietly in the display case, taken easily into his hand.

The Lingzhi still had some residual warmth, emitting a medicinal fragrance that calmed the mind.

This scene was fully observed by Liu Qingyun and Elder Liu Lan outside.

In the courtyard outside the Star Pavilion.

Liu Qingyun and Elder Liu Lan stood side by side, with a mystic light mirror about three feet in diameter floating before them.

The mirror surface clearly presented Jiang Yun's every move on the first floor of the Star Pavilion.

From the moment he touched the light barrier and was pulled into the Trial Space, to his summoning of Little Skylark, to his effortless one-hit kill of the Blazing Flame Winged Tiger phantom, and finally to him taking the Earth-Core Amber Lingzhi in hand—the entire process was laid bare.

Liu Qingyun watched the images in the mirror with a calm expression, even carrying a faint smile.

"Young friend Dong Xuan's Beast with the Ancient Wind-Thunder Divine Peng Bloodline is indeed extraordinary."

He stroked his long beard, his tone full of admiration.

"At the Peak Gold Rank 8 Realm, it killed the same-rank Blazing Flame Winged Tiger phantom in a single blow. This level of combat power is considered top-tier even among Beasts with Divine Beast Bloodlines."

Elder Liu Lan stood to the side without speaking.

Liu Qingyun continued: "However, this is only the beginning."

He moved his gaze from the mystic light mirror to the towering structure of the Star Pavilion, his smile gaining a bit more depth.

"The challenge on this first floor is a battle at the same rank; for a Beast possessing an Ancient Divine Beast Bloodline, it's inherently easy. But Dong Xuan will eventually hit a limit. Judging by the combat power of this Ancient Wind-Thunder Divine Peng, its limit would at most be the assessment for an Eclipsing Moon Rank treasure."

Elder Liu Lan was slightly taken aback.

"The Family Head means..."

"Yan'er's Nether Phoenix also has an Ancient Divine Beast Bloodline and is at the Purple Crystal Ninth Rank Peak Realm, more than an entire major Realm higher than Dong Xuan's Wind-Thunder Peng. But even for Yan'er's Nether Phoenix, when facing the challenge for an Eclipsing Moon Rank treasure, it could only win narrowly by sacrificing eight hundred to kill a thousand."

Liu Qingyun said slowly, his eyes flashing with a shrewd light.

"Because the design of this challenge undergoes a qualitative leap once it reaches the Eclipsing Moon Rank treasure area. The strength of an Eclipsing Moon Rank challenge phantom isn't as simple as following the Beast's Realm; it will truly exceed the Beast's own Realm by six minor levels, or even jump a whole major Realm. Such terrifying suppression of strength is too much even for an Ancient Divine Beast Bloodline."

He paused and added: "And as you know, Elder Liu Lan, Yan'er's Nether Phoenix is already the strongest Beast my Liu Family has cultivated in generations. If even Yan'er's Nether Phoenix could only achieve a pyrrhic victory in an Eclipsing Moon Rank challenge, no matter how strong Dong Xuan's Beast is, it likely won't be much stronger than Yan'er's Nether Phoenix. So my prediction for him is that the Eclipsing Moon Rank treasure challenge will be his upper limit."

After hearing this, Elder Liu Lan nodded thoughtfully.

She remembered that Liu Ruyan had once challenged an Eclipsing Moon Rank treasure on the fifth floor of the Star Pavilion during an internal Family trial.

At that time, Liu Ruyan did win, but the Nether Phoenix was also severely injured and took a full half-month to recover.

She had been present at that battle as well.

She had witnessed the Nether Phoenix barely defeating the Vicious Beast phantom—which was one major Realm and four minor levels higher than itself—in a manner that was almost mutual destruction.

Liu Qingyun looked at the mystic light mirror again, the smile on his face becoming more composed.

"Giving up a few Eclipsing Moon Rank treasures to Dong Xuan is of little consequence to my Liu Family's treasury. Furthermore..."

He changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.

"Dong Xuan has already wasted one opportunity in the Purple Gold Rank treasure area. Since he chose the lowest-grade Purple Gold Rank for this first treasure, he only has four opportunities left for the fourth floor and above. Having wasted one on the Purple Gold Rank, he cannot blame my Liu Family for not being generous."

However, just as he finished speaking.

The image in the mystic light mirror caused the smile on his face to stiffen slightly.

Jiang Yun in the mirror looked down at the Earth-Core Amber Lingzhi in his hand.

And then...

He casually placed it back into the display case.

He put it back.

He actually put it back!

The composed smile on Liu Qingyun's face instantly froze, turning into an indescribable awkwardness.

"This..."

He opened his mouth, momentarily not knowing what to say.

Elder Liu Lan, watching the image in the mystic light mirror, was also slightly startled, and then the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.

"Family Head, we don't seem to have said that one must take the treasure after accepting the challenge."

Liu Qingyun's old face flushed red; he coughed twice and took a good while to recover.

He had just been saying Jiang Yun wasted an opportunity, but it turned out the boy didn't care about that Purple Gold Rank treasure at all.

He was just testing the waters to figure out the rules of the challenge.

"Even... even if he still has five full opportunities to choose..."

Liu Qingyun said with a stiff face, though his tone was no longer as certain as before.

"It's impossible for him to take any truly good treasures from the upper floors. The difficulty of the Eclipsing Moon Rank treasure challenge is not something a Divine Beast Bloodline can just power through."

Although he said this, his eyes were fixed on the mystic light mirror, not daring to relax for a moment.

At this moment, Jiang Yun was indeed thinking this way.

After putting the Earth-Core Amber Lingzhi back in the display case, he patted off non-existent dust from his hands, a playful smile on his face.

He just wanted to try out what form the challenge took.

As for this Purple Gold Rank Lingzhi.

This item was useless to his Beast.

Moreover, Purple Gold Rank Cultivate resources no longer held any attraction for him.

Since he had obtained such an opportunity to scavenge treasures, he naturally had to take some good ones.

His goals were above, on the fifth and sixth floors, on those few items he truly wanted.

But before that, he needed to figure out the patterns of this treasury's challenges.

The first floor was a battle at the same rank.

What about the second floor?

The third floor?

He would test them floor by floor to thoroughly understand the pattern.

This way, when he reached his target treasures, he wouldn't make any mistakes due to insufficient information.

Jiang Yun no longer hesitated, turning and walking toward the stairs.

His pace was neither fast nor slow, and he soon reached the second floor of the Star Pavilion.

The layout of the second floor was roughly the same as the first, except the number of display cases was significantly fewer, but the light barriers around each case were several times thicker than on the first floor, and the energy fluctuations emitted were also stronger.

Scanning with the data entries screen, the treasure grades on this floor were between Amethyst Rank Medium Grade and High Grade.

There were occasionally a few Brick Stone Rank treasures.

Jiang Yun's gaze swept across the many display cases, and he picked one at random.

An Amethyst Rank Medium Grade treasure.

It was an all-green jade pendant engraved with ancient patterns, emitting a faint Aura of vitality.

He reached out and touched the light barrier again.

Buzz!!!

The familiar suction surged once more.

In an instant, he was again within that independent Trial Space.

It was still the Bluestone Battle Stage, still the vast white mist all around, and still a phantom slowly condensing in front.

This time, the phantom was a Vicious Beast shaped like a giant python but with four wings, its body covered in dark green scales, four membrane wings as thin as cicada wings unfolding behind it, and it breathed out a green poisonous mist.

The data entries showed its race was the Four-Winged Green-Scaled Python, and the Realm column was still undefined.

Jiang Yun didn't hesitate and summoned Little Skylark again.

The moment Little Skylark appeared, the Aura of the Four-Winged Green-Scaled Python phantom began to climb sharply.

This time, its Realm was not equal to Little Skylark's, but directly reached Gold Rank Nine.

One minor level higher than Little Skylark!

Jiang Yun's brow quirked slightly.

As expected, it changed.

For Amethyst Rank Medium Grade treasures, the Realm of the challenge phantom was no longer the same as the Beast, but one minor level higher.

But...

So what if it was one minor level higher?

"Little Skylark."

Jiang Yun said calmly.

Little Skylark's pale gold eyes were waveless; it raised its left wing and casually blasted a bolt of Wind-Thunder light.

"Boom!!!"

Blue-purple lightning mixed with sharp wind blades pierced through space, and the Four-Winged Green-Scaled Python phantom was instantly blasted into a sky full of green light specks.

Its defense was as fragile as paper under the Bloodline suppression of the Ancient Wind-Thunder Divine Peng, without even a shred of resistance.

Never mind one minor level higher; for an opponent of this level, even three minor levels higher wouldn't be enough.

The phantom collapsed, and the space crumbled.

Jiang Yun returned once more to the hall on the second floor of the Star Pavilion, his expression composed.

He didn't take the jade pendant but walked straight toward the depths of this floor, finding a display case shrouded in an even thicker light barrier.

That was a Diamond Medium Grade treasure.

He reached out a third time and touched the light barrier.

Bluestone Battle Stage, vast white mist, Vicious Beast phantom.

The moment Little Skylark appeared.

The phantom's Aura climbed frantically like a runaway horse, instantly breaking through the shackles of Gold Rank Nine and coming to a steady stop at Peak Gold Rank 9.

A full sub-rank Peak higher than Little Skylark!

Jiang Yun stood behind Little Skylark, looking at the Vicious Beast phantom emitting the Peak Gold Rank 9 pressure, a flash of realization finally crossing his eyes.

First floor, Purple Gold Rank treasure.

Battle at the same rank.

Second floor, Amethyst Rank Medium Grade treasure.

One minor level higher than the Beast.

Second floor, Amethyst High Grade treasure.

Two minor levels higher than the Beast.

The strength of the challenge phantom increased step by step with the grade of the treasure.

Then what about the third floor?

For Falling Star Rank treasures, how much higher would the challenge phantom's strength be than the Beast?

What about the fourth floor?

Eclipsing Moon Rank?

The mist in Jiang Yun's heart was finally completely swept away.

He understood.

This was the true difficulty Liu Qingyun had left for him.

It wasn't a battle at the same rank, but rather, the higher one went, the more the challenge phantom's Realm would exceed the Beast's own.

By the time he reached the Eclipsing Moon Rank treasure area, that gap probably wouldn't be as simple as two minor levels.

However.

Jiang Yun looked at the phantom being blasted into light specks by Little Skylark's casual strike, a cold smile appearing on his lips.

Liu Feng of the Liu Family's shrewd calculations were indeed good.

Unfortunately, he missed one thing.

He had no idea where the true limit of Jiang Yun's Beast was...