193: Section 193

General Yi Nanshan's expression shifted slightly as he looked toward the staff member.

"Spirit Trial? Isn't there some mistake?"

"They are all still high school students. They have never even come into contact with their Spirit, yet you want them to undergo a Spirit Trial now? Aren't you afraid something might go wrong?"

General Yi Nanshan's concerns were not without merit.

These students were only high schoolers.

And the true contact with one's Spirit only begins at a Martial Arts University.

Spirit Trials, Spirit tempering... these are all possibilities that only exist at the university level.

These current high school students haven't even touched upon their Spirit yet.

To have them directly participate in a Spirit Trial—I fear only a handful will be able to complete it successfully.

Once they fail within the Spirit realm, in severe cases, it can lead to the collapse of their Spirit, resulting in madness.

How could such a dangerous Spirit Trial be included in the Martial Arts Exam?

The staff member shook his head: "Chief, this... we aren't too sure either!"

"We are just working according to the documents issued by the Martial Arts Alliance. However, the Alliance has considered this; this Spirit Trial is of the lowest level!"

"It won't cause too much damage to the students' Spirits!"

General Yi Nanshan gave him a deep look. He waved his hand impatiently, telling him to leave first.

The decisions of the Martial Arts Alliance were not something he could easily change alone.

However, after General Yi Nanshan calmed down, a thought emerged in his mind.

"It seems the Alliance has also discovered the omen of the Martial God!"

"Chief? What omen of the Martial God?" General Guo Wu asked, looking bewildered.

General Yi Nanshan glanced at him: "A few nights ago, the Star-Constellation White Tiger appeared in the sky, signaling the birth of a Martial God!"

"Even Daoist Mu Ru of Longhu Mountain saw it; there's no way the Martial Arts Alliance missed it!"

"And this time, the major question of the Martial Arts Exam has been pushed to the Spirit Trial!"

"If I'm not mistaken, they want to use the opportunity of the Martial Arts Exam to find the future Martial God!"

General Guo Wu's expression changed.

"The future Martial God? Chief, could it be that the second Martial God is in Xinghai City?"

General Yi Nanshan shot him a glance: "Don't ask what you shouldn't. Go and busy yourself with your own affairs!"

"Remember, you must dig out all those Imposters and ensure the safety of the Martial arts examinees!"

Upon hearing this, General Guo Wu nodded.

"Yes, Chief!"

He then left the office.

General Yi Nanshan's face hardened, a flicker of coldness crossing his eyes. He then took out his phone and dialed a number.

The beeping sound had barely rung a few times before the call was connected. An aged, dignified voice came through: "Old Yi? Any progress in the Old District?"

"Progress? What kind of progress could there be?"

"Old Yao, you changed the major question of the Martial Arts Exam at the last minute, didn't you? The Spirit Trial? Have you thought about the consequences?" General Yi Nanshan said, his tone unfriendly.

The person on the other end paused slightly after hearing this.

He hurriedly replied with a smile: "Of course I know the consequences, but rest assured, those Martial arts examinees are our future. How could I harm them?"

"It's just the lowest-level Spirit Trial; it won't hurt them!"

"Besides, they should learn about what the Spirit is early on. This will only benefit their future path of the Dao, not harm it!"

"Heh! Old Yao, I think you have ulterior motives, don't you?" The General's words caused the person on the other end to pause.

He quickly added: "Old Yi, what do you mean by that? How have I become someone with ulterior motives?"

General Yi Nanshan was clearly displeased. His tone became cold and low.

"You know what you're thinking yourself. The appearance of the Star-Constellation White Tiger—I saw it too, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything!"

"It has been centuries since the first Martial God soared into the sky!"

"Before he left, he didn't leave any words behind. How can you conclude that the Star-Constellation White Tiger is the arrival of the second Martial God?"

"Even if that were the case, you can't act recklessly!"

"By using these students as bargaining chips, are you trying to ruin their martial arts prospects?"

After General Yi Nanshan finished speaking, Old Yao on the other end of the phone fell into deep thought.

After a long while, he said: "Old Yi, I understand your concern, but the Restricted Area is also in a precarious state."

"I believe you have also discovered that beasts from the Restricted Area have already broken out of their cages and run into the Old District, right?"

"In situations like this, if there is a first time, there will be a second!"

"I just want to find the Martial God and cultivate him as quickly as possible, even if it requires a vast amount of resources!"

"To suppress those beasts in the Restricted Area, only a Martial God will do!"

"What I'm doing is for the peace of the New District and the Old District!"

"Besides, the Spirit Trial is only the lowest level; I am not trying to ruin their martial arts future. In any case, students who manage to get into a Martial Arts University will have to go through a Spirit Trial eventually—it's just a matter of sooner or later!"

"Rest assured, I have a handle on this afternoon's exam questions; I won't let them be in any danger!"

After Old Yao finished speaking, General Yi Nanshan said nothing more. Seeing that the phone line fell into silence.

Old Yao sighed softly before continuing: "By the way, how are things on your end? Have those people from Blood Drop been cleared out?"

"I see blood clouds rolling to the south of the Old District!"

"Demonic Qi is permeating the area; I fear a Demon King may have emerged. Do you need me to arrange for more people to go over and help you?"

General Yi Nanshan's face darkened: "Don't try to change the subject, Old Yao. Don't blame me for not warning you—if a single Martial arts examinee has a problem with their Spirit today, I will return to the New District immediately to settle accounts with you!"

"Remember my words..."

After finishing, General Yi Nanshan hung up the phone directly.

He then stood up with a gloomy face and walked to the window to look outside. He saw the personnel from the Martial Arts Police Station patrolling outside the examination venue.

During this time, there were also people from the Tiger Guards and the Golden Robe Guards taking away the Imposters one by one. There were even instances of resistance, but they were quickly suppressed.

He then looked toward the horizon. To his surprise, he discovered that the blood clouds there seemed to have expanded in area. It felt as if they were about to shroud the entire world.

General Yi Nanshan frowned deeply: "What is going on? The blood clouds are still spreading? Could it be that more Martial Artist essence blood is being supplied there?"

He then walked back to his desk, picked up the phone, and contacted people from other cities in the Old District.

... "That will be all for now, thank you!"

In the hotpot restaurant, after Lin Yi finished ordering the food, he handed the menu back to the waiter.

The waiter was not very old, looking about the same age as them. The moment he took the menu, a sweet smile appeared on his face. He then left.

"Lin Yi, you've spent too much money today!" Sun Tao said with a smile. Zhou Qi and Shen Mengyi both nodded in agreement.

Just that hotpot meal, although it was all ordinary ingredients, would still cost at least several hundred yuan.

Jobs in the Old District were hard to find, and making money was not easy. Spending several hundred yuan on a single meal was truly a bit extravagant.

Lin Yi smiled: "I've wanted to treat you all to a meal for a long time; I just never found the opportunity!"