112: This isn't right.

Two weeks, a flick of a finger.

On the Martial Arts Training Ground of Kunlun Cultivation Academy, two hundred new students were sprawled out, exhausted to the point where they didn't even want to lift a finger.

High-intensity sparring, an endless supply of Medicinal Pills, coupled with continuous real combat against the Ancient Great Demon Avatars in the demon suppressing pagoda, had solidified the Qi of these young people several times over compared to two weeks ago.

Every person carried an indelible Evil Qi.

Li Heng's figure appeared before everyone without warning, looking down at these students who had been drained of their last shred of spiritual power.

“It seems you are all more or less prepared.”

His words made everyone jolt, forcing themselves to stand up straight.

“Dean!”

Li Heng raised a hand, signaling for silence.

“Today is the day of the midterm assessment.”

“Phase one: individual survival trial.”

He pointed to the demon suppressing pagoda behind him, which had merged with the mountain and exuded a majestic aura.

“The examination venue: demon suppressing pagoda, first to ninth floors.”

“The rules are simple.”

Li Heng held up a finger.

“Survive alone in the pagoda for twenty-four hours.”

“Each floor of the pagoda holds demons of different ranks, from Qi Condensation Great Perfection to Foundation Establishment Peak, everything is available.”

“During the assessment, teaming up and mutual assistance are strictly prohibited. Once discovered, the results will be voided, and you will be confined for one month.”

“You can choose which floor to enter. The higher the floor, the higher the initial points. The longer you persist, the higher the points.”

“The final points will determine your resource allocation for the second half of the semester.”

The students listened, their breathing rapid, both nervous and excited.

These rules were simple and brutal, entirely based on strength.

“Dean, what about the ninth floor?”

A bold student couldn't help but ask.

“The ninth floor…”

Li Heng's mouth twitched slightly.

“The ninth floor holds the Ancient Great Demon Avatar from Japan.”

“Choosing the ninth floor gives the highest initial points.”

“Of course, the premise is that you can survive.”

Boom!

These words caused an uproar in the crowd.

To solo that thing?

What kind of international joke was that!

That was a terrifying existence that even all the students in the academy taking turns couldn't defeat without being utterly exhausted.

Now they had to face it alone?

Even if its cultivation was suppressed, it was still not something a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator could touch!

“Is he crazy? Isn't going to the ninth floor suicide?”

“No matter how high the points are, you won't live to claim them!”

“Is the Dean trying to screen for a suicide squad?”

The students instantly felt immense fear, and the Battle Intent that had just ignited was doused completely by a bucket of cold water.

Li Heng was not surprised by their reaction.

“I'll give you one day to prepare.”

“Medicinal Pills, Talismans, Magic Treasures, consider them yourselves.”

“Tomorrow at this time, the assessment officially begins.”

After speaking, his figure vanished from the spot.

The crowd immediately erupted into a clamor.

“What do we do? I can only challenge the second floor at most!”

“Even the demons on the first floor are at Qi Condensation Great Perfection, they're not easy to deal with!”

Inside Fang Yuan's dorm, the atmosphere was heavy.

“The ninth floor, absolutely not.”

Fang Yuan spoke first, his tone serious.

“That's not a trial, it's suicide.”

Han Li slumped in his chair, his fingers rapidly swiping on his phone, seemingly calculating something.

“The risk is too great, the reward isn't proportionate. But… if I just go in, touch it, and run, I wonder if I can get the initial points?”

“Do you think the Dean is a fool?”

Liu Lian leaned against the doorframe, holding his sword.

“The moment you enter, the test begins. That thing's Divine Thought will lock onto you, and you won't be able to escape.”

He paused, then grinned.

“However, no risk, no reward! What if? What if I, Liu Lian, am a heaven-defying genius, fight it for three hundred rounds, and subdue it?”

“Subdue my ass!”

Han Li retorted mercilessly.

“You can't even take one move from Lin Xiao, and you want to subdue an Ancient Great Demon Avatar? Is your Dao Heart Enlightenment used for this?”

“Get lost! That was strategic preservation of strength!”

Liu Lian cursed back.

Over at the girls' dorm, Lu Miaomiao was meticulously wiping her gauntlets.

They were a pair of black gauntlets covered in runes, a Magical Artifact she had exchanged with all her savings.

Her roommates were intensely discussing whether to choose the safer first floor or risk challenging the second.

She remained silent, focused only on her task.

The next day.

In front of the demon suppressing pagoda, two hundred students gathered again.

Everyone's face was filled with tension and solemnity.

Li Heng's figure appeared again.

“Are you ready?”

No one answered.

“Then let's begin.”

He waved his hand, and the heavy gate of the demon suppressing pagoda slowly opened, revealing a bottomless vortex.

“Who's first?”

The students looked at each other, no one daring to be the first to step forward.

Just then, a tall Sword Cultivator student stepped out from the crowd.

He was one of the more famous Sword Cultivators in the Sword Cultivation Department besides Lin Xiao, with an arrogant personality.

“I'll go!”

He stood tall, his chest out, a confident look on his face.

“I choose the third floor!”

“Mere Foundation Establishment Early Stage demons, watch me twist its head off within an hour!”

With that, he strode towards the vortex.

Just before stepping in, he looked back, giving a provocative glance in Lin Xiao's direction, then leaped in.

Everyone's attention was focused on a giant water mirror that appeared beside the pagoda gate.

In the water mirror, the Sword Cultivator student's name and the floor he chose were clearly displayed.

【Zhang Mang, Third Floor, Assessment in progress…】

Everyone held their breath.

The image in the water mirror flashed, showing the scene of the third floor.

It was a murky swamp, filled with decaying deadwood and foul-smelling, turbid pools.

As soon as Zhang Mang's figure appeared, he didn't even have time to fly on his sword.

An anomaly suddenly occurred!

The swamp beneath his feet suddenly surged, and dozens of black tentacles covered in slime burst out of the ground, swiftly wrapping around his legs!

“What is this thing!”

Zhang Mang was shocked, his sword light flashed, instantly severing a few tentacles.

But more tentacles surged from all directions, binding him like a zongzi, and violently dragging him towards the depths of the swamp!

“No!”

He only managed to let out a desperate roar.

He was completely pulled into the mud, not even a splash was made.

On the water mirror, his name instantly turned gray.

【Zhang Mang, Third Floor, Eliminated.】

【Time taken: Three seconds.】

The entire place was silent.

Everyone was stunned by this terrifying scene.

A powerful Sword Cultivator, on the third floor, was eliminated in three seconds without even seeing the enemy's face?

That arrogance and confidence now became a huge joke.

A chill ran from the sole of every student's foot straight to their head.

This midterm assessment, it seemed… was completely different from what they had imagined.

This difficulty, something was wrong!