CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 39: JOINING THE TRIAL

"Mr. Wang Xu, this is a small token of mine. I hope you can be generous and not hold my subordinates accountable."

Wind Ghost handed over an account card, made of pure gold, requiring at least a million Contribution Points to process.

Wang Xu smiled, knowing that Wind Ghost was trying to avert disaster by spending money. He accepted the golden card and then handed it to Ying Xing.

"Take it, consider it his apology to you," Wang Xu said.

Ying Xing took the golden card in a daze, unable to react for a moment.

Later, amidst Wind Ghost’s continuous bowing and apologizing, Wang Xu left the trading hall with Ying Xing.

"Boss... what’s going on?" The narrow-eyed man, even if he was dense, realized he might have provoked someone remarkable.

Wind Ghost glared at him, annoyed: "You dare speak? Do you know which battle group that Tier Five guy came from?"

The narrow-eyed man seriously recalled for a moment, not noticing which battle group’s uniform Wang Xu was wearing, nor remembering any badge he wore.

"It’s the Black Eye Battle Group!" Wind Ghost’s boss said solemnly.

At the mention of the Black Eye Battle Group, the narrow-eyed man’s legs went weak, almost causing him to fall.

"The... the God of Slaughter’s battle group?" The narrow-eyed man’s eyes were filled with fear, his voice trembling.

To outsiders, the Black Eye Battle Group might just seem like a high-ranking, powerful powerhouse, but the top hundred battle groups knew it was truly a God of Slaughter battle group!

Everyone in it was insane, killing without blinking, never leaving a single survivor!

The narrow-eyed man faintly remembered when he had just joined a battle group, a top-ten group provoked the Black Eye Battle Group.

At that time, he even thought the Black Eye Battle Group had no bloodlust since they didn’t retaliate—nothing like a powerful group ranked third. He was full of disdain for them.

Yet, just a day later, the digital screen no longer displayed that battle group’s name; they were cleanly and thoroughly wiped out, leaving not a trace!

Of course, it couldn’t be said with certainty that the Black Eye Battle Group did it; there was no evidence to prove it.

But subsequently, many strong battle groups, relying on their growing strength, attempted to challenge the Black Eye Battle Group’s authority to show off their group’s prowess.

Nevertheless, without exception, these groups all disappeared from the battle group rankings on the digital screens.

As if they had never existed.

Gradually, the terrifying reputation of the Black Eye Battle Group spread, and its leader earned the name "God of Slaughter," terrifying all who heard of it.

Rumors circulated frequently, claiming that although the Black Eye Battle Group was ranked third, its true strength was no less than the top two groups.

The battle group ranked first was the "Celestial God Battle Group." Just from the name alone, one could tell the extraordinary nature of its members. It was said that the Celestial God Battle Group only accepted members Tier Eight and above, with their leader achieving the pinnacle of Tier Nine, just one step away from crossing over to become a great "Venerable."

Ranked second was the "Hell Battle Group," which stood in opposition to the Celestial God Battle Group, always having friction and conflicts. They once sparked several terrifying war storms in the Insect Beast Region, rumored to be instigated by the two Tier Nine peak leaders, leaving the surrounding hundred miles in ruins, reduced to rubble.

The Celestial God Battle Group and the Hell Battle Group were not only renowned at the battle group bases but also earned significant recognition in the Core Area and the eyes of the world’s three major powers.

Even so, both groups, coincidentally, chose to associate with the Black Eye Battle Group.

Thus, the Black Eye Battle Group seemed even more mysterious to everyone.

......

"What an impressive place. The Black Eye Battle Group certainly lives up to its reputation."

Wang Xu walked to the location of the Black Eye Battle Group’s base, exclaiming in awe.

This battle group base was no different from a regular academic building, but looking from afar, it appeared like a gigantic cosmic spacecraft, its advanced technological architecture leaving Wang Xu amazed.

The battle group base was empty inside, without any gatekeepers or front desk receptionists, cold and deserted, void of any human presence.

Wang Xu looked around the hall, unsure of where to go next.

"Brother Wang Xu!" Suddenly, the figure of Yan Cheng appeared in the distant second-floor corridor, causing Wang Xu to smile and walk toward Yan Cheng.

"Is he the peerless genius you mentioned? A Tier Five kid?" Accompanying Yan Cheng was a white-haired man dressed in black combat attire.

The man’s long white hair fell over his shoulders, his features strikingly beautiful, carrying a feminine quality.

"At first, I didn’t believe either, but eventually, you’ll choose to believe as I did." Yan Cheng smiled, heading toward Wang Xu.

"Come, let me introduce you. This is ’White Hair’ Lin Feng, a member of our Black Eye Battle Group."

"This is my friend, also the member joining us today, ’Blood Bone’ Wang Xu," Yan Cheng introduced.

Tier Eight!

Wang Xu was secretly startled, but maintained his smile and extended his hand to show goodwill.

The white-haired man glanced at him casually, completely ignoring Wang Xu’s outstretched hand, then turned to leave: "Don’t talk so big. If you want to join the Black Eye Battle Group, you must pass our tests. The Black Eye Battle Group doesn’t need any useless people just to make up numbers."

"Follow me."

Lin Feng spoke bluntly, with a tone of arrogance, needing to witness Wang Xu’s strength personally.

Yan Cheng shook his head with a bitter smile, and said softly: "Don’t mind him, that’s just his personality."

Wang Xu understood, knowing that in the eyes of a top Tier Eight expert, he indeed was insignificant.

They pushed open a large door, and Wang Xu followed Lin Feng into a spacious cultivation room.

In the center of the cultivation room, there was a simulation machine with various data instruments fully equipped.

"You are Tier Five, not qualified to enter the real ’Virtual Trial Tower’. This is a simulation trial tower created by our Black Eye Battle Group, which functions similarly to the Virtual Trial Tower," Lin Feng said. "The trial tower’s mode is simple: soon, your consciousness will enter a virtual space, where a batch of insect beasts will randomly appear. You just need to kill them to pass the test."

Virtual space? It can simulate insect beasts?

"Given that this is your first time entering the trial tower mode, I must explain to you that once your consciousness enters the virtual space, your physical strength will no longer exist, ancient martial arts cannot be used, and fist power will be locked at 5000kg," Lin Feng finished, ignoring whether Wang Xu understood, then turned and left.

Wang Xu was secretly surprised, finding the trial tower mode very balanced. Whether one is a Tier One or Tier Nine Genetic Warrior, upon entering here, everyone is reduced to mere flesh, and fist power is the same. To survive, one must rely on their own fighting style and strategy to pass the levels, making it the perfect test for assessing someone’s combat capability.

"It seems that the Black Eye Battle Group selects talent not just based on higher strength, but on whether the person possesses the true qualities of a combatant," Wang Xu pondered internally.

"Wang Xu, you have a Spirit Level body technique; this test should not be a problem for you. Keep it up," Yan Cheng said.

Wang Xu nodded, then stepped into the simulation machine, put on a helmet, and lay down on a man-sized sofa.

Glug glug...

The simulation closed tightly, and nutrient fluid seeped out from all sides, quickly submerging Wang Xu.

Wang Xu closed his eyes tightly, feeling like he was holding his breath underwater, but after just a moment, the pressure eased, and Wang Xu opened his eyes, breathing smoothly.

The surroundings transformed into a vast expanse of white without any boundaries, and the soil on the ground was loose, feeling just like real soil beneath one’s feet.

"So this is the virtual space? The realism is very high," Wang Xu took a deep breath, smelling the fragrant herbs in the suffused air.

"Ding!"

Suddenly, a mechanical beep sounded in Wang Xu’s mind.

"The trial will be equipped with a weapon for you, please choose your weapon."

Wang Xu directly chose a long knife, as ancient martial arts couldn’t be used here, but he had used the long knife for so long that he was quite adept with it, feeling particularly confident for the test.

In the air, a long knife suddenly fell, Wang Xu took it, twirled it, and waved the knife, producing a whooshing sound.

"Trial requirement: Kill ten ’Red-Eyed Lion Insect’ that will besiege you within one hour; dying or choosing to give up in the middle will result in failure. The trial will officially begin in two minutes."

Red-Eyed Lion Insect?

Wang Xu was unfamiliar with them and had no mind to care about anything else now, focusing on familiarizing himself with the long knife and considering combat strategies.

......

"Lin Feng, how could you do this!"

In the Central Control Room, Yan Cheng’s face changed when he saw Lin Feng set the insect beasts as Red-Eyed Lion Insects.

"Didn’t you say he was very capable? The Red-Eyed Lion Insects are perfectly suitable for him," Lin Feng replied.

Yan Cheng’s face darkened; the Red-Eyed Lion Insect is a Tier Six insect beast. In reality, he wouldn’t be concerned, believing Wang Xu’s strength, capable of defeating even Tier Seven Master Level warriors, would have no trouble with ten Tier Six insect beasts.

But in the simulation trial tower, Wang Xu doesn’t have 20,000 kg of fist power or ancient martial arts, even with Spirit Level body technique, facing Red-Eyed Lion Insects one Tier higher than him is exceedingly challenging.

"He’s Tier Five; the Black Eye Battle Group has never let Tier Five people bypass the rules, even at your request. Have you forgotten what the boss said?" Lin Feng coldly stated.

Yan Cheng frowned, hesitated for a moment, then sighed deeply.

He was already contemplating how to apologize to Wang Xu afterward, realizing he couldn’t fulfill his promise to him.

Meanwhile, Wang Xu was adapting to the long knife in his hand.

"The trial begins!" Suddenly, a cold mechanical voice came, followed by a thunderous sound from the distant horizon, as numerous massive blood-colored bodies galloped fiercely towards him.

The blood-red curly fur, the bloodthirsty crimson eyes, and the nearly three-meter-high massive bodies made Wang Xu’s heart sink.

The Red-Eyed Lion Insects ran fast, even faster than his current speed, forcing him to choose to ambush rather than engage them head-on.