The Name of Eternals

Chapter 55: Demon Slaying in Qizhou

Song Yueyao shook her head slightly, not answering.

She didn't have an answer herself.

The Fengshan Mie River was incredibly challenging. If it was a disciple from the Black and White Palace, it was possible, but an Outer Court disciple? Unless they had already reached the Spirit Continuation Realm.

The black-robed scholar was a genuine Spirit Continuation Realm expert, and his spirit was exceptionally fierce, like facing two Spirit Continuation masters.

The Outer Court disciples' test wasn't to kill the black-robed scholar but to achieve a 50% completion rate.

Slaughtering nearly half the villagers was considered a pass.

This test involved requirements for stealth, concealment, raw strength, and movement techniques, making it extremely difficult.

After all, killing nearly half the villagers would easily alarm the black-robed scholar. If he intervened, even Black Palace disciples would have to flee.

"I heard two royal family members arrived. Could it be one of them? If they had reached the Perfected Zhoutian Realm, using their unique vein-opening and qi-operating techniques, they might have a chance against a Spirit Continuation expert," Lin Feifei speculated.

It was the only possibility she could think of. If even the royal family couldn't do it, then it was even less likely for anyone else.

"Let's go and see," Song Yueyao said.

Under Huang Licai's guidance, they went to the Outer Court.

There, Su Yehua had already gathered everyone to wait.

As the two girls and Huang Licai arrived, many people started murmuring and craning their necks to look.

"It's Song Yueyao!"

In the crowd, Du Qiu Yue immediately recognized Song Yueyao and Lin Feifei, with a look of admiration in her eyes.

"Who are they?"

"The one in white is Song Yueyao, the Palace Lord's granddaughter, one of the most monstrous talents in the Black and White Palace. I heard she's not even twenty yet and already at the Spirit Wanderer Realm," Du Qiu Yue whispered enviously.

This was a true prodigy, a top-tier war body and a first-class genius.

Li Yuanzhao was not too surprised.

Twenty years old and in the Spirit Wanderer Realm? According to his mother, his Ninth Uncle reached the Spirit Wanderer Realm at thirteen, was a Grandmaster at seventeen, and at nineteen, when he died in battle, he was already at the Seventh Stage, the Three Immaterial Realms.

That was a once-in-a-millennium genius! Having heard of his Ninth Uncle's achievements, all other geniuses seemed ordinary to Li Yuanzhao.

"Where's your brother Hao? Why isn't he here?" Du Qiu Yue asked, looking around.

Li Yuanzhao shook his head. "He's probably off playing chess with someone."

"Playing chess..." Du Qiu Yue sighed.

At this point, Song Yueyao and Lin Feifei started scanning the crowd.

"Is she the Palace Lord's granddaughter..."

In the crowd, Jiang Ye narrowed his eyes at the two figures, a strange gleam in his eyes. He thought to himself:

"She looks pretty. If I could take her as my empress, then Song Yufeng, for his granddaughter's sake, would become an ally. Too bad she's a few years older than me, but with Tanguo as her dowry, I can accept that."

While he was contemplating, Song Yueyao's gaze swept over the crowd and landed on him first.

Although they all wore the same academy uniform, the powerful aura he exuded suggested he was likely royalty.

No ordinary Zhoutian Realm expert had such a potent aura like a dragon.

Seeing Song Yueyao's gaze, Jiang Ye smiled, revealing half a row of white teeth, and nodded slightly in greeting.

Song Yueyao's gaze remained calm as she moved on. He wasn't the one.

She continued scanning the crowd, one by one, her brows furrowing.

None of them.

"No," Song Yueyao said to Elder Huang.

Huang Licai was taken aback and quickly whispered, "Did you look carefully?"

"Yes." Song Yueyao nodded.

Huang Licai looked at Lin Feifei, who also shook her head with a helpless expression.

"Could it be someone not from Alpha Court?" Huang Licai wondered, then asked Su Yehua, "Are all Alpha Court disciples here?"

Su Yehua knew what he was looking for and scanned the crowd, noticing a few absentees. "Almost everyone is here."

The missing ones included a lazy rich kid who slept all the time and a couple of mediocre aristocratic children. She thought it unlikely to be any of them.

"Strange..." Huang Licai thought for a moment, then whispered to Su Yehua, who nodded and instructed the crowd:

"Turn to the side."

The crowd was puzzled, looking at her questioningly.

Su Yehua didn't explain, using her authority as an instructor. With a stern look, the crowd quickly complied.

Having experienced her strictness before, they knew better than to disobey this beautiful teacher.

Song Yueyao and Lin Feifei reluctantly checked again, but still, none of the faces matched.

Huang Licai sighed and told Su Yehua, "Have the missing ones come to me later so Yueyao and Feifei can check."

"Okay," Su Yehua agreed.

Huang Licai led the two girls to the Beta Court.

On the way, a figure holding a wild rabbit walked by casually—Li Hao.

"Which court are you from?" Huang Licai called out.

Li Hao, surprised, glanced at them, not recognizing anyone. "Alpha Court. Who are you?"

"Alpha Court?" Huang Licai felt a flicker of hope and turned to the girls.

Song Yueyao and Lin Feifei scrutinized Li Hao, a handsome young man with rosy lips and white teeth, though a bit scruffy with wild grass and a rabbit in hand.

After a careful look, both girls shook their heads slightly.

"Not him."

Huang Licai waved Li Hao off. "Nothing, you can go."

Li Hao, puzzled, continued walking with his rabbit.

Suddenly, he felt the girls' auras seemed familiar, perhaps from their encounter in the Mie River cave.

Back at Alpha Court, Su Yehua spotted Li Hao and sent him to find Huang Licai.

After explaining the situation, Su Yehua didn't suspect Li Hao of lying. She also thought he couldn't be the one, given his laziness and frequent naps.

"Hao-ge, where have you been?" Li Yuanzhao eagerly recounted the recent events to Li Hao.

Li Hao understood and felt relieved that the academy didn't intend to hold him accountable.

As for the reward?

The Crimson Sky Sword was indeed a fine weapon, capable of injuring spirits, a rare tool for the Spirit Wanderer Realm.

Even the Divine General's Mansion could only produce a few thousand of such swords.

Too bad.

He was already at the Fifteen Miles Realm and didn't need it.

...

Above the waterfall, Shen Yunqing and Zhao Zongyuan were also informed, both surprised.

"Who did it?"

"Could it be that kid? He went towards the Mie River earlier," Zhao Zongyuan speculated.

Shen Yunqing shook her head. "Although there's a Mie River there, it also leads back to the academy, just a longer route. He might have taken the wrong path."

"Hard to say. He grasped your movement technique so quickly. I can't see through him. Maybe he's not just in the Zhoutian Realm."

"Even for a Spirit Continuation Realm expert, it's hard."

Shen Yunqing shook her head. "Clearing a Mie River, not just destroying it, has specific conditions. Yueyao saw it happen. Huang Licai took her to the Outer Court, and they identified someone in the Beta Court who looked similar, but it wasn't him."

"Strange. Could it be someone from the Black and White Palace?"

"Who knows? The truth will come out soon. It can't be hidden," Shen Yunqing said.

"Indeed," Zhao Zongyuan sighed. "The Fengshan Mie River was perfect for testing newcomers. Now it's gone, we'll have to use another, which is much harder."

"Bad luck for them," Shen Yunqing replied.

...

...

Several days later.

Alpha Court disciples gathered in the courtyard. Li Hao, who was planning to sneak out, was called back by Su Yehua and obediently returned to his seat.

"Tomorrow is your first trial in the academy: real-world demon slaying!"

Su Yehua looked around the crowd, her face calm. "Warriors must undergo the trials of blood and fire. We have arranged everything for you. You only need to report and participate to learn the flaws in your martial skills against demons and how to truly fight and kill."

Hearing this, many students' eyes lit up, eager to try.

Demon slaying?

That was a dream for many present.

To roam the world with a sword, slaying demons and evildoers, was so cool! "These tasks vary in difficulty. Choose according to your ability."

Su Yehua took out a stack of papers. "Each task has a corresponding score based on its difficulty. These scores can be exchanged in the Black and White Palace's Martial Hall for weapons, elixirs, techniques, and skills!"

"But you must assess your own abilities and avoid greed. This is also a test for a warrior."

She called an older student to distribute the papers.

Li Hao received one and glanced through it.

All the tasks involved demon slaying, spread across different states and cities.

The academy's network was impressive, arranging for students to intern at major companies?

Suddenly, Li Hao's eyes focused on one task.

Demon Slaying Task 23:

Qizhou, join the Demon Slaying Division to assist the local team in hunting demons. Evaluation will be provided by the local leader.

Full score: 10 points.

Qizhou!