198: Now I am ready to go and full of positive energy!

[Lester Grand Manor Investigation Report]

I. Geographical Location

Lester Grand Manor is located 103 kilometers south of the Northern Frontline, only 112 kilometers from the nearest Fort 3, facilitating rapid support or retreat.

II. Surrounding Environment

The environment around the manor is exceptionally safe. No powerful forces or monster racial groups have been found active, and not even a single monster was seen within a hundred meters.

It is speculated that someone may have already cleared the area.

Considering that the manor's lord, Ye Ze, is only a Freshman, and the Corpse Fiends produced by the manor are low-level, it is unlikely that the manor was responsible. It is speculated that he may have hired other professionals to clear it.

III. Manor Situation

The manor's lord, Ye Ze, is this year's national top scorer in the college entrance examination. He is exceptionally talented, having broken into the 23rd floor of the Trial Tower less than a month after early enrollment and topped the Qing Campus Trial Ranking last month.

He has repeatedly broken Copy Tower records, demonstrating extraordinary strength and potential.

According to unofficial sources, Ye Ze is highly appreciated by Lord Lu.

However, Ye Ze rarely appears at the manor. The daily affairs of the manor are fully handled by the Ghoul Doctor.

The Ghoul Doctor was originally a Level 20 leader-class monster and has now been upgraded to Level 30. He is a highly intelligent individual capable of effective communication and is the chief designer of the Corpse Ghoul Factory.

IV. Resource Assessment

The manor has a bloodstone mine vein underground with a production capacity of millions of tons. The resources are abundant and have extremely high strategic value. Relying on the mine vein, high wall fortifications can be built to further enhance the manor's defensive capabilities.

Final Assessment:

Lester Grand Manor has an excellent geographical location, a safe surrounding environment, and abundant resources, making it very suitable as a stronghold for our army entering the Mistra World.

—Reporter: Jiang Shangkun

...

Kyoto, within a massive military camp.

An officer in uniform was carefully reading the report sent by A-Kun.

He wore a golden badge on his uniform shoulder, engraved with seven stars—the symbol of a Seven-Star Colonel.

Black represents the Sergeant rank, silver represents the Lieutenant rank, gold represents the Colonel rank, and purple-gold represents the General rank.

This officer was one of the commanders responsible for the Ancient Battlefield war in the Mistra World—Dong Qiye.

"Excellent... only 103 kilometers from the Northern Frontline, and only 117 kilometers from Fort 3... a bloodstone mine vein with a production capacity of millions of tons..."

A strange light flickered in Dong Qiye's eyes.

The next moment, he issued an order to a subordinate next to him who wore a nine-star silver badge on his shoulder: "Have Sergeant Jiang Shangkun immediately contact that Freshman from the Magic Martial Arts Academy..."

He paused, his gaze falling on one piece of information within the report—"According to unofficial sources, Ye Ze is highly appreciated by Lord Lu."

He quickly corrected himself, "This matter is of great importance. You should go to the Magic Martial Arts Academy yourself and discuss establishing a stronghold with him."

...

...

The next morning,

[Breaking Seed Stage Trial Ranking]

1. **First Place**: Stage 21, Blood Wolf Squad (Kyoto)

2. **Second Place**: Stage 19, Yu Xuan Team (Magic Martial Arts Academy)

3. **Third Place**: Stage 18, White Tiger Team (Jingnan Academy)

4. **Fourth Place**: Stage 18, True Origin Team (Magic Martial Arts Academy)

5. **Fifth Place**: Stage 17, Hunter Falcon Team (Xiawu Academy)

...

45. **Forty-Fifth Place**: Stage 10, Jiang Ze Squad (Magic Martial Arts Academy)

...

The competition on the Trial Ranking remained fierce.

After one night, the ranking of the Jiang Ze Squad had dropped by more than ten places.

"Charge! Charge! Charge!!!"

"We must break into the top five today!!"

"Now I'm setting off fully prepared, filled with positive energy!"

Unlike yesterday, the other members of the team were in high Spirits.

As soon as Ye Ze arrived, they couldn't wait to pull him into the [Endless Trials] Dungeon...

...

Trial Stage 11,

Whoosh—

[Duststorm: Quicksand Burial]!

As Ye Ze's right palm, glowing with yellow light, descended, countless dust particles gathered together, rushing out like the surging waters of the Yellow River.

The quicksand devoured everything!

Bang bang!! Bang bang!! Bang bang!!

All bones, all flesh, disintegrated into countless grains of sand under the scouring of the quicksand.

[Killed Level 27 Black and White Swordsman ×20!]

[Killed Level 28 Enhanced Leader-class Monster Fallen Knight Captain ×1!]

[Killed Level 28 Lord-class Monster Dark Cult Master ×1!]

...

...

"Tsk tsk, Earth Element Control Talent."

"Is there anything you can't do?"

"Although it feels great to win by lying down, the moment I think that student Ye Ze has only awakened his profession for less than two months, I just want to find a piece of tofu to bash my head against."

"..."

The few of them bantered as they entered the next stage...

...

**Forty-Third Place**: Stage 11, Jiang Ze Squad (Magic Martial Arts Academy)

**Fortieth Place**: Stage 12, Jiang Ze Squad (Magic Martial Arts Academy)

**Thirty-Sixth Place**: Stage 13, Jiang Ze Squad (Magic Martial Arts Academy)

**Thirty-Second Place**: Stage 14, Jiang Ze Squad (Magic Martial Arts Academy)

...

Stage 15, in a dark forest, the air was filled with a chilling aura.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh—

Rustling sounds came, the tree shadows swayed, like ghoulish figures baring their fangs and brandishing their claws, eerie and terrifying.

"Haha, we're back to thirty-second place again, just like yesterday's ranking." Mu Bai laughed heartily.

"Stage 15 is a hurdle. As long as we can pass this stage, we can at least jump over 10 places and reach twenty-second place." Jiang Ziqing also smiled.

After speaking, she glanced at Ye Ze.

Ye Ze had no mind to discuss rankings with them at this moment. His eyes flickered with a deep blue light, looking past the layers of tree shadows towards the deepest part of the forest.

[Super Vision]!

"Found it!"

[Thousand-Needle Demon Tree (Lord-class)]

Level: 27

Combat Power Assessment: 63 Stars

Traits: Tyrannical, Cruel, Likes Binding Play

Talents: True Meaning of Wood (C-rank), Abyssal Root Bind (C-rank), Humus Symbiosis (D-rank)...

Skills: Thousand-Needle Strangulation (Tier 3), Blood Banyan Minions (Tier 2), Mutated Tree Roots (Tier 2)...

Description: The roots of the Thousand-Needle Demon Tree are omnipresent and can complete a binding cosplay on you in an instant. Be extremely careful!

————————

[Soul Devourer Lord (Lord-class)]

Level: 25

Combat Power Assessment: 59 Stars

Traits: Spirit Control, Spirit PUA, Spirit Pollution

Talents: True Meaning of Soul Devouring (C-rank), Nerve Erosion Mark (D-rank), Will Enhancement (D-rank)...

Skills: Consciousness Void (Tier 3), Mind Roots (Tier 3), Memory Corridor (Tier 3)...

Description: The Soul Devourer Lord has extremely high attainments in the Spirit system. A slight carelessness could lead you to fall into the illusions it creates. Do not underestimate it based on its Combat Power Assessment.

————————

Trial Stage 15 has two Tree Demon Lords. One is skilled in binding, and the other is skilled in Spirit control.

No wonder many teams on the Trial Ranking still have their records stuck at Stage 14.

However, for Ye Ze, who possesses the title [Soggett Lord], this stage is not difficult to handle.

Swish swish! Swish swish! Swish swish!

Whoosh whoosh! Whoosh whoosh! Whoosh whoosh!

Jiang Ziqing and the others held back the elite Tree Demons in the forest,

while Ye Ze seized the opportunity to charge forward to face the two Tree Demon Lords.

He wore a red badge engraved with the Soggett Redwood Forest pattern on his waist. The next moment, a burst of intense red light erupted from the badge.

[Soggett Lord] (+8)!

[Lord Aura +100%]!

[Lord Aura +100%]: Deals an additional +50% damage to plant-type monsters below the Talent Tree realm, and reduces all attributes of the target by -30%.