203: Relics and Speeches

"They can be resurrected?"

The group's expressions softened slightly as they refocused their attention on the seven coordinates marked in sequence.

"I'll go first..."

"Wait, Captain, let me go. I can sense danger."

The woman in the cyan dress stopped him. Holding a defensive talisman in her hand, she cautiously stepped onto the first crimson-colored space.

The vaporization that happened earlier did not occur.

She followed the markings to the second orange coordinate, then yellow, green, cyan, and blue, until she finally stepped onto the purple one.

The space suddenly fluctuated, teleporting her away.

"Qingnü!"

The burly man in the squad shouted upon seeing this.

"Don't worry, she should have been teleported into the ruins; that was a spatial fluctuation just now."

The Blood Shadow Captain said indifferently, "Let's go as well."

With that, he took the lead and walked toward the seven marked positions.

"Looks like there's no problem this time."

The others exchanged glances and followed suit.

After a brief moment of dizziness, everyone was teleported to a quiet place.

It appeared to be a library. Huge metal bookshelves stood in the hall, with thick ancient texts neatly arranged on them.

"Why is it this kind of place again?"

The members of the Blood Shadow Squad couldn't help but frown, a bad premonition rising in their hearts.

Asroth was also observing the ruins through everyone's bracelets.

According to the data shared by the Goddess, Ruins No. 1 was discovered by chance by an ancestor of Morrgan, the former Head of the Star Alliance.

However, after assembling the entire Star Alliance's research power to crack the outer levels, none of the people who entered the ruins ever came out again.

Therefore, the Statue of Liberty and Asroth planned to let these Outsiders explore it to evaluate the true difficulty of these ruins.

"Welcome to Base Zero."

Just as everyone was cautiously surveying their surroundings, a mechanized electronic voice rang out:

"Since you could pass the simple spectral sequence and number theory mini-games, you must be observant and patient. You are qualified to enter the ruins and begin the true trial."

"Damn it, you call that a simple mini-game? Who wants to play your stupid games..."

The burly man from the Blood Shadow Squad remembered the death of his teammate earlier and couldn't help but start cursing.

But before he could finish, the electronic voice in the void suddenly paused and became even colder:

"Desecrating the sanctuary of knowledge. Obliterate."

The next moment, an invisible ripple swept across. The burly man, who was considered a powerhouse even among those following level 2 rules, silently decomposed into fine particles and vanished.

Strangely, the expressions of the other Blood Shadow Squad members didn't change at all, as if this person had never existed.

Not even the black bracelet, which had remained unscathed under the bombardment of countless Phase Disintegration Cannons, was left behind.

"What level of weapon is this..."

Asroth, who was watching, felt a surge of horror.

Although he didn't know the specific effect, he could guess a thing or two by looking at the reactions of the people on the scene.

"It can actually erase traces of existence to a certain extent... No, this plan must be scrapped. These are definitely ruins left behind by a terrifying existence no weaker than the Zerg!"

Asroth quickly transmitted everything he saw and his speculations to the Statue of Liberty.

They had originally intended to see if they could obtain some powerful weapons from Ruins No. 1 to deal with the powerhouses of the Xuanjian Sect.

Now it seemed that this plan was unfeasible.

"Fortunately, we arranged for these trial takers to scout the way."

Just as Asroth was feeling relieved, the electronic voice in the space rang out again:

"First round of assessment: Read Ten Thousand Volumes."

"There are a total of 129,600 ancient texts here. Each one is a carefully selected, excellent introductory text. You need to complete the study of all knowledge within the specified time."

"This is your reward for passing the introductory mini-games. Of course... to test your learning outcomes, 1-3 errors have been intentionally left in each text. Please correct all errors while completing your studies."

"Please begin enjoying your reward."

As the voice fell, a huge hourglass appeared in the air. This was clearly the time limit for completing the assessment.

"This..."

The faces of everyone in the Blood Shadow Squad changed drastically upon hearing this.

They stepped forward quickly to check the texts on the bookshelves, but after just a few glances, their hearts sank completely.

They couldn't understand it at all.

"Damn it, how could such a task be issued! How is it possible to pass this?"

"Boss, try contacting the Reincarnation Mirror Spirit to ask if there's a mistake?"

Even the Blood Shadow's strategist, the Thin Youth, had a look of bewilderment and couldn't help but suggest.

"Apologies, I forgot to mention: once a text is opened, it is automatically deemed as accepting the assessment. Withdrawing midway or failing to complete the assessment by the deadline results in obliteration."

At this point, the previous electronic voice rang out again, and the fine sand in the hourglass began to trickle down.

It was like a countdown for everyone's lives... Meanwhile, in a secret room within the Xuanjian Sect protected by multiple sound-isolating formations.

Lin Ge, dressed in the dark-cyan robes of a Core Disciple, stood atop a high platform, looking radiant.

He was a completely different person compared to the timid outer disciple of a few months ago.

"Family members, the Patriarch has given me a clear answer. He is about to refine the reincarnation mirror, and the day he clears out the traitors and retakes control of the Xuanjian Sect is just around the corner!"

"And this moment is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity for us to show our loyalty!"

Lin Ge was full of passion, inciting them incessantly:

"Spirit stones, Dharma treasures—anything that can be exchanged for Profound Crystal Coins will do!"

"When the Patriarch regains power, all of your contributions will be returned tenfold, even a hundredfold."

"Those with outstanding contributions will all be promoted to Core Disciples or even Sect Holy Sons!"

As he spoke, he took out a specially crafted stone tablet engraved with a dense list of names.

Li Daosi, cumulative contribution: 17.28 million Profound Crystal Coins, current rank: 1.

Liu Yuanshan, cumulative contribution: 15.21 million Profound Crystal Coins, current rank: 2.

Chen Xishan... "Everyone should learn from Junior Brother Li and Junior Brother Liu. For disciples as loyal as them, I will personally report to the Patriarch, and at that time, all will be appointed as Holy Sons, enjoying supreme treatment!"

The two disciples who were named immediately showed proud smiles, their eyes filled with hope for the future.

They were originally just bottom-tier inner disciples, 'nobodies' with no hope of a breakthrough. Let alone Holy Sons, even becoming Core Disciples was impossible for them.

They had thought their lives would be like that forever, but they never expected to encounter such a good thing!

"Senior Brother Lin, it's not that we are unwilling to show filial respect to the Patriarch, but we are truly out of money. We've borrowed from every merchant guild we could."

Other disciples said unwillingly.

"That's where you're wrong."

Lin Ge pointed in the direction of the reincarnation mirror:

"You've seen it too; I'm not talking nonsense. Since last month, the chore tasks that were supposed to be your turn have been directly waived by me through the reincarnation mirror. This shows that the Patriarch has already gained partial control over the reincarnation mirror."

"Opportunity waits for no one!"

"This... please, Senior Brother Lin, teach us."

Those disciples looked at each other, and thinking of the other's various miraculous methods, they immediately made up their minds.

"It's very simple."

Lin Ge lowered his voice: "You've spent all of yours, but don't you still have family, friends, Dao companions... Like Junior Brother Li, he took advantage of his master's secluded cultivation to pawn his master's personal sword."

"Junior Brother Liu even dug up a small portion of the remains of his ancestor, a Third Revolution Realm powerhouse."

"Don't think of this as betraying your family. Your families and your ancestors would likely be very happy to make a bit more contribution for their descendants."

"Besides, it won't be long. Once the Patriarch breaks free, you can just redeem them back."

"Everyone, open up your perspective!"

...