542: Chapter 542 The Month-End Assessment is Coming Again!

Xing Yu understood everything upon hearing those words.

But immediately after, his expression shifted drastically.

"Then Elder Qin, did we mess this up? With the expression I had just now, did he figure it out?"

Elder Qin shook his head upon hearing this, a calculating smile appearing on his face.

"We didn't disclose anything. We said nothing, admitted to nothing, and didn't expose the existence of the Mysterious Guards.

All of this is just Qin Yan's own speculation; what does it have to do with us?

Even if he suspects something, he won't be able to guess the existence of the Mysterious Guards. What have we messed up?"

Xing Yu's eyes instantly lit up at Elder Qin's words.

That's right! They hadn't said a word!

No matter how much Qin Yan guessed, it was merely speculation.

And he would never guess the Mysterious Guards!

As expected, the older, the wiser! Elder Qin's reasoning was sound!

Xing Yu let out a long breath, and the heavy stone in his heart finally fell away.

Seeing this, Elder Qin spoke beside him with earnest concern:

"Young Master, when you encounter issues in the future, stay calm first; you must not lose your composure. If you hadn't been so anxious just now, Qin Yan might not have been able to see through anything.

The more anxious you are, the easier it is to show a weakness. The more panicked you are, the easier it is to be manipulated."

His mission to protect the young man this time was not just for physical safety, but also to broaden his horizons, help him recognize the treachery of human hearts, and grow his experience.

Otherwise, how would he inherit the position of the Xing Family Head in the future?

In this world, if you want to be a family head, strength alone is not enough; you must also have cunning.

Xing Yu nodded seriously, committing these words to heart.

He would remember today's lesson.

...

After Qin Yan returned to his VIP observation room, he continued his training.

Having learned such good news from Xing Yu today, Qin Yan's hands became more fluid as he wielded his long spear.

That tightly wound string in his heart finally relaxed.

From now on, when he went out, he wouldn't have to live in constant fear.

Time flowed slowly like this.

Soon, it was November 30th.

The month-end assessment had arrived again.

Qin Yan left Taixuan City early in the morning and headed toward the Taixuan Holy Land.

Ever since learning that it was Xing Yu's duo who had ambushed him that day, Qin Yan no longer planned to take the airship.

Resources should be saved whenever possible.

Even one single taixuan point was still a taixuan point.

Many a little makes a mickle; many grains of sand make a pagoda.

While walking back to the Holy Land, Qin Yan used inner vision to inspect the Meridians within his body.

Over the past few days, he had also refined the twenty meridian opening pills he had obtained from Elder Qin.

With the help of those Medicinal Pills, he had opened six more Meridians in his body.

Adding to the previous eight, he had opened a total of fourteen Meridians.

Fourteen!

He was only one step away from the fifteen required for the Late Stage of meridian opening.

"Almost there."

Qin Yan thought to himself.

Once this month-end assessment was over, he would return to the Tiangang Arena for a few days to earn tiangang points and exchange them for a batch of meridian opening pills; he should then be able to break through the fifteenth meridian.

After spending a few more days nurturing them into martial veins, he would be a Body Refining Late Stage Martial Artist!

The journey back was indeed free of alarms or dangers.

There were no more Black-Robed Persons blocking the path, nor Grandmaster experts hunting him down.

Qin Yan returned to the Taixuan Holy Land smoothly.

He passed through the mountain gate, walked along the familiar bluestone path, and headed toward the square at an unhurried pace.

This month's assessment rules were the same as last time—the first stage was the Heavenly Ladder, and the second stage was the Fighting Arena challenge.

However, those like them who had successfully cleared the Heavenly Ladder last time did not need to participate in the first stage and could enter the second stage directly.

Therefore, they could arrive at the square a bit later, unlike other Disciples who had to come early in the morning.

By the time Qin Yan reached the square, that massive golden Heavenly Ladder still stood tall in the sky.

The golden steps were layered one upon another, towering into the clouds and emitting a brilliant radiance.

At this moment, many Disciples were currently climbing.

Some were panting, some were drenched in sweat, and some were stumbling; every step was exceptionally difficult.

After all, those still climbing the Heavenly Ladder now were the ones who hadn't passed last time.

Those Disciples with average talent, potential, and comprehensive ability were particularly sensitive to the pressure of the Heavenly Ladder.

Qin Yan looked around and found that there weren't many Disciples gathered around the square at the moment, only a few thousand people.

Seeing this, Qin Yan went to a corner and silently began to train again.

With long spear in hand, Nirvana Spear Intent flowed around his body.

He seemed isolated from the surrounding clamor, immersed in his own world.

Time quickly reached the afternoon.

Golden sunlight spilled onto the square, plating everything in a layer of gold.

More and more Disciples gathered in the surroundings.

Some had completed the Heavenly Ladder climb and obtained the qualification to challenge;

Others stopped below the 500th floor, losing their eligibility for the challenge tournament.

All Disciples qualified to participate in the second stage were slowly arriving.

After all, no one wanted to be late; being late meant giving up on this month-end assessment, and next month's rewards would all go up in smoke!

No one was willing to let their resources slip away.

At this moment, a familiar light erupted from the Heavenly Ladder once more.

The light was dazzling, spilling down from the top and turning into streaks of golden light that enveloped the Disciples below.

The golden light condensed, forming golden thrones behind them.

Those thrones flew and arranged themselves in the air, quickly forming a massive golden pyramid structure according to the rules of the previous assessment.

Qin Yan and the other six Heavenly Ladder clearers were still positioned at the very top; seven massive thrones sat high above, looking down at the dense crowd of new Disciples below.

Their figures at the apex of the pyramid were like seven deities overlooking all living beings.

"The second stage challenge tournament begins now!"

An old and majestic voice echoed from the sky.

A white-haired old man appeared out of thin air high above, standing with his hands behind his back, his gaze like lightning.

He wore a black robe with the emblem of the Taixuan Holy Land embroidered on the hem, and his body exuded an unfathomable aura.

As the Dean of the East Courtyard's Outer Court, Dean Yun Nishang was busy with many affairs and naturally could not personally oversee such matters every time.

Therefore, this assessment was presided over by this Elder on her behalf.

As the white-haired Elder spoke, the Disciples below began their challenges one after another.

Streaks of golden silk soared into the sky from various thrones, intertwining and weaving in the air.

Golden Fighting Arenas condensed out of thin air, suspended in mid-air.

The challengers' figures flickered as they landed on the arenas, engaging in fierce combat.

Qin Yan noticed that the number of participants in the challenge this time was slightly higher than last time.

Last time, there were about 6,000 people who could sit on the thrones; this time, there were clearly a few hundred more.

Clearly, many Prodigies had cleared the 500th floor of the Heavenly Ladder this time, gaining the qualification for the challenge tournament.

However, Qin Yan also noticed that the additional Disciples were almost all positioned at the very bottom of the pyramid, meaning they were at the level of having just cleared the 500th floor.

Their combat power was mostly quite average.