Chapter 516: Early to Die, Too Late to Scheme!

The first step was a meticulous recitation of 3,000 Celestial Laws, verbatim, without a single misstep in character or punctuation. Then came a series of 100 questions.

This intensity made it clear that this portion of the examination was the crux of the Arbiter examination; the Black Demon Cavern that followed was merely to demonstrate one's talents and combat abilities.

This was how the Celestial Court selected its grassroots members!

Although grueling, Yun Xiao had been through this before and knew the drill: stick to the righteous and upright path.

Scribbling furiously, everyone penned their answers.

After about three hours, the Celestial Law Exam concluded. The Arbiters gathered the papers, with Liu Mumu sealing them first.

"Prepare for the Black Demon Cavern trial! The results of the Celestial Law Exam and the provisional Arbiter list will be announced this evening at the Skyruler Immortal Manor entrance on the Radiant Board before dark falls," Liu Mumu declared.

Having endured the written test, many of the 100 contenders were now sweating from their foreheads.

As they approached the most thrilling challenge, nervousness was palpable.

Led by veteran Arbiters, they stood before the entrance to the Black Demon Cavern.

Peering ahead, Yun Xiao saw the cavern shrouded in black smoke, resembling the maw of an abyss, or a mini Ascension Pool.

From within, indistinct voices of demons echoed.

Unlike the demon prisons at the Primordial Academy, the Black Demon Cavern was essentially a zone of spatial chaos, drawing in myriad creatures from other locales, adding a layer of unpredictability. One misstep could indeed lead to disappearing into another dimension.

That’s why the Black Demon Cavern was considered a significant trial.

"We've placed 1,000 Arbiter Tokens in the areas most frequented by creatures an hour ahead of your arrival. Return on time after an hour in the Black Demon Cavern, and the Arbiter Tokens will determine the outcome!" Liu Mumu announced.

The number of Arbiter Tokens accounted for only about 30% of the score, not the entirety.

The Celestial Law Exam earlier held a weight of 50%!

Given the subjective nature of the Celestial Law Exam's scoring, the number of Arbiter Tokens was a controllable factor for the participants, often ensuring that those with more tokens ranked higher.

"Master, how did I fare in the first round of the demeanor inspection?"

Before they set off, Yun Xiao murmured a question.

"A D grade, 5 points," Lu Mumu replied.

The demeanor inspection was out of 20.

"Where did the other 15 points go?" Yun Xiao paused in confusion.

Liu Mumu pursed her lips, gesturing towards the Black Demon Cavern, "In the Celestial Court, unless it's made public, all these unofficial scores are meaningless. Don't fret over it. They'll write whatever they please."

"Understood," Yun Xiao nodded.

"How did you fare in the Celestial Law Exam?" Liu Mumu inquired.

"No problems," Yun Xiao replied confidently.

"The last step, once you cross it, the vast sky and sea await you. Push on," Liu Mumu's gaze softened, a glimmer of hope sparkling in her eyes.

"Alright," Yun Xiao nodded.

He then moved to stand with the others in front of the Black Demon Cavern, waiting for the command.

The mist of the Black Demon Cavern swirled around his face, casting an eerie beauty.

"Hey."

Suddenly, someone tapped his lower back.

Yun Xiao knew who it was. He turned to see Lu Xiaolu in her green dress, lively as a forest nymph, pouting at him, "Lu Yao, I need a sidekick, why don't you join me?"

"Join you?" Yun Xiao raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Lu Xiaolu placed her hands on her hips. "My best friends are big shots from the Immortal families of Sky Soaring City. With your looks, just follow me, and you're set for life if the right person takes a liking."

"..." Yun Xiao gave her a look. Why, when both were lively young girls, did Lian Xi seem so pure and just, while this girl reeked of worldly filth? Was she really a cultivator? Or was cultivation merely a means to enhance mortal strength, unrelated to one's inner principles?

"No need," Yun Xiao spoke and looked away.

Lu Xiaolu had hoped for the typical male enthusiasm, given her proactive approach. After all, she had offered him a chance. But Yun Xiao's icy refusal felt like a bucket of cold water thrown over her head.

"You…" Lu Xiaolu rolled her eyes, muttered 'idiot', and turned back to her friends.

"Lu Xiaolu, what happened? Did he play along?" the girl in blue asked.

"Nope, not one bit. Thinks he's the only pure one in a tainted world, a self-righteous prick," Lu Xiaolu scoffed.

"People like that still exist?" the blue-clad girl said, dumbfounded.

"Ha."

"I remember now," a girl in orange interjected, her eyes lighting up. "I heard that he came back with a woman this time, hideously ugly, too ashamed to show her face."

"Oh?" Lu Xiaolu raised an eyebrow, looking at Yun Xiao's retreating figure. "A self-righteous fool and a lovesick puppy? How quaint."

"Lu Xiaolu, you know the saying,

spurn the toast only to drink a forfeit

. Why don't you tease him a bit?" the girl in orange suggested with a grin.

"Sure, let's have some fun, let him get a taste of the dark forces of Sky Soaring City!" Lu Xiaolu narrowed her eyes, quickly scheming. She whispered coldly, "After the Arbiter examination ends tonight, get some tough guys to take that ugly woman he brought, do it right in front of him."

"Really?" The other girls were initially shocked at the suggestion. But the more they thought about it, the more thrilling it seemed.

"A man rich in righteousness and foolishly in love is the rarest toy in these times. I wouldn't want to miss out on this fun," Lu Xiaolu said, arms crossed, her smile revealing a deep-seated malice.

"Open the Black Demon Cavern!"

Just then, Liu Mumu's voice rang out.

It was a one hour limit!

BUZZ!

A thick black smoke cleared a path.

The contenders' eyes sharpened, and almost in unison, they dashed into the Black Demon Cavern.

As soon as they entered, the space twisted like a torrent, scattering them across various parts of the cavern.

Despite this, if they turned around, they could see a glaring bright light at the entrance of the Black Demon Cavern, guiding them back.

"So eerie..." Lu Xiaolu landed on the ground, her green skirt flaring up, nearly revealing too much.

She hovered above a river of molten lava, surrounded by rolling clouds and fierce fires, the air blisteringly hot, with the roaring of magma never ceasing.

The malevolent and brutal demon aura felt as if it clung close by.

Even for her, this atmosphere was unsettling.

"I scored perfect on demeanor, but that vile Liu Mumu messed with the written exam. It's tough to score well, so I have to rely on the Arbiter Tokens now."

Thinking of Liu Mumu, Lu Xiaolu bit her lip, cursing her a million times over in her heart.

"That wretch, if she ever falls into my hands at the Skyruler Immortal Manor, I'll make her pay."

Muttering curses under her breath, Lu Xiaolu summoned her Sword Soul, which transformed into a six-foot Sovereign Sword under her feet, ready to search for Arbiter Tokens.

Her Sword Soul, wrapped in 999,000 layers of Sword Aura, seemed to reach its limit. It was a verdant Sword Soul, resembling green agate, bursting with vitality. Wherever it went, even above the magma, it seemed to create verdant oases.

This indicated that her Sword Soul naturally possessed both life-giving and mesmerizing properties, a high-level attribute.

It was a True Immortal's Sword Soul!

"After ten years of arduous cultivation, I'll start as an Arbiter tomorrow. Finally, I'll have the right to trample others legitimately!" Lu Xiaolu thought of herself donning the platinum celestial armor, looking forward to it, for it meant she was officially an adult.

With this thought, her spirits lifted, and she even started humming a tune.

At that instant, a loud boom erupted as a nine-headed violet dragon suddenly burst from the magma below, sweeping up a storm of fire like a gaping maw lunging at her!

"Is the demon this quick?" Lu Xiaolu was slightly startled but reacted swiftly, her six-foot Sovereign Sword now a three-foot green blade in her hand.

Her beautiful eyes locked onto the dragon, and she thrust her sword mightily.

But just as the dragon neared her, it exploded, transforming into a chessboard swirling with tens of thousands of stars, instantly pressing down upon her!

"A Life Sigil?" Lu Xiaolu gaped in shock.

This indicated it was humans attacking her, not demons!

How could this be! The chessboard of stars not only tore through space but sliced into her tender skin, shredding her green dress instantly, her graceful figure swiftly engulfed by blood.

Lu Xiaolu, who lived a life of power and privilege, had never witnessed such a scene. Amid the excruciating pain, her mind went blank.

With a whoosh, a young man in white suddenly appeared before her, his Flying Sword shooting forth with a trail of azure starry flame, piercing Lu Xiaolu's heart in an instant—a strike that was swift, precise, and ruthless.

As the Flying Sword passed, her chest began to vaporize into blue smoke, her heart torn apart, her life force dissipating like mist.

She gasped, her face contorted in agony and turned ghostly pale, her eyes wide with fear and despair as she looked at Yun Xiao.

NO! NO! NO!

To her, this was all a nightmarish dream—an absurd nightmare!

She looked down trembling, only to see a gaping hole five inches wide in her chest, smoking and bloody.

"You dare..."

Her eyes were wide with terror and tears streamed down her face as she looked at Yun Xiao, who merely smiled slightly and said, "I'm sorry, you're missing now. It's your parents and brother's turn to look for you for ten years."

Lu Xiaolu's eyes trembled violently. She had 1,000 threats and curses, but none came out.

"Little girl, the path of an Immortal isn't just about opportunism and bullying. There's also my kind who will just kill you on the spot for pissing them off," Yun Xiao said, then threw her into the magma below and walked away.