A Small Trial

Autumn Wind City, the head of the Su family, Su Chengkong, has returned.

"My son, I heard you’ve broken through to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement. Well done, you truly are my son."

In the eyes of outsiders, Su Luo had only just reached the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, but in reality, he had already achieved perfection.

This news delighted Su Chengkong immensely, and he took out a pill he had prepared long ago.

"Here, take this Qi Refinement Pill. Use it to improve yourself."

"Thank you, Father."

In the original storyline, Su Luo had broken through to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement in a fit of anger after being rejected in a marriage proposal.

But now, with the protagonist already at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, Su Luo had no chance to make an appearance.

The gap was already there. How could someone of the same level possibly challenge Lin Xuan?

So, the author patched the story by having Su Luo's father give him the Qi Refinement Pill.

This forcefully boosted Su Luo's cultivation.

Although the name "Qi Refinement Pill" sounds unimpressive, it is actually extremely valuable and effective.

It allows a Qi Refinement cultivator to improve their cultivation without any side effects.

Only those with some influence could obtain such a pill.

In the original story, this pill directly propelled Su Luo to the late-stage of Qi Refinement, almost reaching perfection.

The effect was terrifyingly powerful.

Thus, with his newfound strength, Su Luo could once again become a target for Lin Xuan to humiliate.

After all, it's only exciting when the protagonist defeats someone stronger. Beating up a peer is just boring and lacks any sense of achievement.

The protagonist's cultivation improves through serendipity, while the antagonist relies on connections—nothing wrong with that.

Having received the pill, Su Luo had no intention of taking it.

Although the pill was excellent, he was already at the peak of Qi Refinement, so its effects would be minimal.

No point in taking it.

Instead, he secretly gave it to a passerby, tricking her into consuming it.

Little Yu, an orphan who happened to pass by, had no idea what was going on.

But after eating the strange brother's offering, her body, which had long been plagued by hunger, suddenly felt warm and comfortable, brimming with energy.

With this newfound strength, she should be able to find more food in the mountains.

That strange brother was actually quite nice.

......

**[Mid-September, overcast weather]**

**[My father’s return means the Seven Stars Sect’s entrance examination trial is one month away.]**

**[As everyone knows, the three great sects of the South Continent are the Seven Stars, Heavenly Light, and Misty Cloud Sects.]**

**[Normally, people would first take the entrance exams for these three sects, and only if they failed would they consider smaller sects.]**

**[Since Autumn Wind City is closest to the Seven Stars Sect, it’s natural to prioritize their exam.]**

**[But I don’t need to worry at all, because my father has already arranged everything.]**

**[That’s right, I got into the Seven Stars Sword Sect through connections. Otherwise, why would they even look at me?]**

**[However, even with connections, I still have to take the trial. It’s just that there will be some conveniently passing by future senior brothers to help me along the way.]**

**[That’s how us antagonists operate—smooth sailing everywhere except when facing the protagonist.]**

**[But before entering the sect, there’s also a small growth trial hosted by Autumn Wind City.]**

**[Lin Xuan also gained a lot from this trial, not only improving his strength but also increasing his reputation.]**

**[Previously, Lin Xuan had defeated all the young talents of Autumn Wind City.]**

**[So, they came to me to take the lead. Obviously, during this trial, we’ll gang up on Lin Xuan.]**

**[And then, thirty of us will surround him, only to be defeated by him instead.]**

**[You ask if we’re any good? Why don’t you show me how it’s done!]**

**[There’s no helping it. That’s just how protagonists are.]**

**[Besides this, the most important thing is that Lin Xuan discovered a cave filled with monsters.]**

**[This cave is no ordinary place—it’s filled with insect eggs, a massive number of them.]**

**[In less than a month, they will hatch, and Autumn Wind City will be overrun by insect demons.]**

**[Inside the cave is a treasure that provides spiritual energy to the eggs, accelerating their hatching and making the newborn demons even stronger.]**

**[This was the work of a demon leader, aiming to devour Autumn Wind City.]**

**[Lin Xuan discovered this and reported it, of course, after taking the treasure for himself.]**

**[This treasure can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, allowing him to extract pure spiritual energy during cultivation, speeding up his progress.]**

**[Coincidentally, Lin Xuan had previously obtained the Clear Moon Pendant, which, before being fully unsealed, also acted as a cultivation accelerator, but only at night.]**

**[The two complemented each other perfectly, enhancing his cultivation far beyond their individual effects. Not only were there no longer restrictions on day or night, but the boost to his cultivation was significantly greater, allowing Lin Xuan to level up rapidly.]**

**[As for the cave, under the city lord’s direction, all the insect eggs were destroyed, thwarting the demons’ plan and alerting Autumn Wind City to the lurking danger.]**

**[This was a major event, and Lin Xuan, who discovered it, naturally became the hero of Autumn Wind City.]**

**[The entire city was grateful.]**

**[Congratulations all around.]**

**[Honestly, I can’t find any fault with it, except that Lin Xuan coincidentally discovered the location of the eggs, hid just in time to avoid the demon general guarding them, and then luckily killed the demon general with a single strike while it was resting.]**

**[There’s absolutely no problem here. I officially certify that he wasn’t cheating!]**

After finishing his diary, Su Luo waited for his reward as usual, even enjoying the 30-second advertisement.

The main reason was this annoying system—if he looked away from the ad for even a second, the countdown would stop. Only when he looked back would it resume.

He had no choice but to watch unless he didn’t want the reward.

**[Diary completed. Reward: Speed +7, Strength +5, Cultivation level increased by one. Current cultivation: Early Foundation Establishment.]**

Su Luo couldn’t help but laugh.

What could be more satisfying than watching yourself grow stronger step by step?

Of course, it’s lying down and writing a diary to grow stronger step by step.

......

Li Siyi was diligently cultivating.

But no matter what, whenever the diary updated, reading it became her top priority.

"This time, it doesn’t seem particularly special. Just some childish antics from boys."

"But those insect eggs—I never thought Autumn Wind City was in such danger."

"The treasure..." Li Siyi’s attention was now focused on this.

To that end, she needed to start preparing.

She was becoming increasingly adept at using the diary to create opportunities for herself.

......

Soon, the trial hosted by the city lord and the major families of Autumn Wind City began.

This was a warm-up for the Seven Stars Sect’s entrance exam a month later.

Only the younger generation participated.

Gaining entry into the Seven Stars Sect would bring glory to their families.

Perhaps their families could even rise in status because of it.

The trial was simple.

Hunt demons in the nearby forest. The more demons killed, the higher the score. The top ten would receive generous rewards.

The trial was meant to give these young cultivators a taste of blood and temper their wills.

It was essentially a mock exam, as although it was a trial, the major families had people secretly watching over them to ensure their safety.

In the Seven Stars Sect’s entrance exam, however, families couldn’t interfere, and thus couldn’t guarantee the safety of Autumn Wind City’s younger generation.

As per tradition, the city lord began his speech.

"I’m delighted to see all of you here today. On behalf of Autumn Wind City, I thank you for your support. Without you, Autumn Wind City wouldn’t be what it is today..."

"Young ones, you are about to face a harsh trial, but don’t forget, you also have a bright future ahead."

"Regarding this trial, I’ll keep it brief and mention just two points."

"First..."

The young cultivators listened attentively, afraid to miss any important information.

"Second..."

Wait, that’s only the second point?

"Third..."

Didn’t you say just two points?!

Your two points are longer than a year’s worth of my speeches!

If it weren’t for the fact that it was the city lord speaking, the young cultivators would have thrown something at him.

The city lord of Autumn Wind City was no ordinary man—a Golden Core cultivator, the strongest in the city on the surface.

Finally, under the murderous gazes of the major families, the city lord gracefully announced the start of the trial.

He was used to this and had grown to love the feeling of people being annoyed but having to listen to him anyway.

According to the rules, participants entered the forest in batches.

The trial had no specific requirements—participants could form teams or go solo, depending on their preference.

The results would be determined by the score from killing demons.

As soon as they entered the forest, Su Luo gathered over thirty people.

These were the ones who had been humiliated by Lin Xuan before, and now they sought out Su Luo.

Among them, Su Luo held the highest status.

It made sense for him to take the lead—it was all part of the plot.

Su Luo just wanted to find Lin Xuan quickly and get this over with.

"Brother Su, have you broken through?"

“So impressive! In Autumn Wind City, aside from Li Siyi, you’re the most talented!”

“What are you talking about? Li Siyi ended up with Brother Su Luo anyway. The most powerful is definitely Brother Su Luo.”

“Right, right, right! I was foolish. If only I were half as smart as Brother Su Luo.”

On the boring journey to find Lin Xuan, the group of thirty or so people took turns praising Su Luo. Whether it was true or not, they exaggerated wildly, even to the point of awkward flattery.

Su Luo felt helpless. He could tell at a glance that most of it was insincere flattery.

What was the point?

Well, actually, it did feel a little satisfying.

Even though he had experienced it many times before, being respected and praised by others was still a happy thing.

Then they ran into Wang Mo.

“Brother Su Luo, long time no see,” Wang Mo said with a smile as he approached Su Luo and the group.

Su Luo was a bit puzzled. Wang Mo wasn’t supposed to be here at this time.

“I don’t deserve being called ‘brother.’ You’re the clan leader now.”

Indeed, ever since Wang Mo became the clan leader, their relationship had inevitably grown distant.

It wasn’t just Su Luo; the other young talents felt the same way. After all, their statuses were different now.

The other young talents preferred hanging out with Su Luo because they didn’t have to worry too much about formalities.

“Nonsense. I’ll always be the Wang Mo you know.”

“So, what do you want?” Su Luo didn’t buy it.

“I heard you’re causing trouble for Lin Xuan. Count me in.”

“Why?”

“When have the people of Autumn Wind City ever been bullied by outsiders? I naturally want to join you in teaching him a lesson.”

This was a lie. Wang Mo wasn’t actually interested in Lin Xuan.

After all, Wang Mo could see at a glance that Lin Xuan didn’t belong here. He had a broader horizon, and once he left, the power struggles in Autumn Wind City would still revolve around the three major families.

Wang Mo had come because he found it strange. He had previously framed Su Luo, but Li Siyi hadn’t reacted at all.

This puzzled Wang Mo. Based on his understanding of Li Siyi, she shouldn’t have been able to hold back. She should have gone to Su Luo to yell at him or even fight him.

Could it be that there was something between them?

This was a dangerous sign. If the two families joined forces, what chance did he have?

He’d be doomed.

So Wang Mo needed to investigate and figure out what was going on between Su Luo and Li Siyi.

“Suit yourself.”

Su Luo couldn’t be bothered to think about Wang Mo’s motives. They were all just villains and clowns anyway. How good could they be?

But the other young talents’ impression of Wang Mo instantly improved.

That’s right. The people of Autumn Wind City shouldn’t be bullied by outsiders.

......

And so, the group’s praise for Su Luo alone turned into praise for both Su Luo and Wang Mo.

For a moment, it felt less like a trial and more like a spring outing, filled with joy.

Then they ran into Lin Xuan.

The flattery ended, and they immediately switched to combat mode.

“Lin Xuan, we finally found you.”

Su Luo naturally took the lead.

“Judging by the scene, am I about to be in trouble?” Lin Xuan wasn’t stupid. Seeing the thirty or so people smirking at him, he roughly understood the situation.

But he wasn’t the least bit nervous. In fact, he seemed utterly dismissive.

“That’s right!”

Originally, there would have been a long exchange of words, with Su Luo’s side being aggressive, each person throwing out a harsh remark, taking advantage of their numbers to hurl insults.

But Lin Xuan shot back with sarcasm and wit.

Lin Xuan’s tongue was sharper.

The thirty or so people were left red-faced from his biting remarks.

It was utterly frustrating.

But Su Luo felt this part was unnecessary. Why waste breath on a hot day?

“Attack.”

“Huh?”

The young talents were stunned. They had wanted to say more, to flaunt their numbers and act arrogantly.

Su Luo waved his hand. “Attack. You can’t outtalk him.”

As the leader, Su Luo’s words carried weight.

The thirty or so people felt as if they had been buffed, charging fearlessly at Lin Xuan.

Most of them were at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, with a few at the early stage.

Facing a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator like Lin Xuan, the sheer numbers would definitely put pressure on him.

He immediately turned and retreated, using the forest terrain to his advantage, planning to pick them off one by one.

If he actually managed to defeat thirty people single-handedly, he’d be the ultimate protagonist in a fantasy novel.

So, this time, he would definitely win through guerrilla tactics.