A red beam of light pierced through the clouds above Iron Sword Peak and flew toward the Eastern Woodlands. In that beam of light was Tie Wuqing and Yan Xiaolong who were both seated on a giant, iron sword. Like the unfortunate incident with the Eight Extremities Octopus, the latter was explaining his troubling story to the former. 

 

“Ah, Xiaolong, why are you always such a troublemaker?” Tie Wuqing shook his head. “I don’t have a lot of answers for you, but I at least know that you should spend more time to prepare for the next breakthrough. If you’re fortunate, you’ll reached Golden Core in the Necropolis Trial. You didn’t use the blood essence, did you?” 

 

“No, sir. I was planning to reach Golden Core and then absorb it. But, I didn’t thi-” Yan Xiaolong stopped talking when he saw Tie Wuqing taking out a small strand of blue gas. The blue gas entered his interspatial ring and merged with the blood essence. That blue drop of blood shook violently as if it was reacting to the gas, but then calmed down. “This is?” 

 

“It’s a sliver of the Eight Extremities Daoist’s nascent divinity. Use it the next time you try to break through. You are injured and your heart-devil is incredibly strong so use the blood essence to push your cultivation again while using the nascent divinity to counter the heart-devil. Although, I expect this process to be quite painful so be sure to prepare better next time.” 

 

Yan Xiaolong felt warmth in his heart, but did not say anything. 

 

“Although you’re not in the Golden Core stage, you should be able to hold off against the other disciples. You are in the peak-stage Foundation Establishment so that should make you within the top ten of inner court disciples, even among the other disciples of the six subsidiary sects. You could even contend with core disciples." Tie Wuqing made some calculation with his fingers. "As you are right now, you would only be able to reach the third district." 

 

"Uncle Tie, what is the Necropolis Trial anyways? And disciples from the other sects will be there?" Yan Xiaolong asked. 

 

Tie Wuqing stopped fiddling with his fingers. 

 

"Of course the disciples of the other sects will be there. The six subsidiary sects are important to us because of their tribute. For example, the Violet Moon Sect provide Violet Moon Dew and Lunar Grass Essence. Another would be the Verdant Mountain Sect that give us the Jade-Petaled Lotuses and Rain Flower Tea." 

 

"At the same time, we are important to them because we give them access to the Necropolis Trial, the most valuable legacy ground in all of the Eastern Woodlands. They have their own competition and rules, but they each select fifty disciples from their sect to enter the Necropolis Trial." 

 

"Those three hundred disciples are all quite talented. In fact, on average, those disciples are slightly more outstanding than our disciples. However, because we have twice the number of disciples, and more high-quality disciples, the subsidiary sects rarely ever do better than the average Immortal Sage Sect disciple. This way, we can keep the subsidiary sects in check and never allow too many of their disciples to exceed our own." 

 

Yan Xiaolong nodded his head. "Hm, that makes sense." 

 

"As for the Necropolis Trial, it's an extremely bizarre legacy ground. It is designed like a city with nine districts. Each district is like a ring, except for the ninth which is the core of the city. The first eight district has regular buildings such as houses and inns, but there are statues all over which contain the legacy of past cultivators. As for the ninth district, it contains a giant lake and a black castle that was built at the very center of that lake. Few people had ever reached the ninth district, but I'll get to that later." 

 

"Every two districts is suitable for a cultivation realm. The first two districts are for Foundation Establishment cultivators. The next two are for Golden Core cultivators. So-on and so-forth, until the ninth district which would theoretically be for Ascendants. As for why it was design that way, I don't know. The Necropolis Trial is older than the sect itself and not even the sect leader has full control over it. Also, you don't need to worry for those Qi Disciples since they are all cream-of-the-crop among outer court disciples. They could easily jump realm and defeat regular Foundation Establishment cultivators. Moreover, many of them travel in groups." 

 

"Since you earned a slot from the Inner Court Tournament, you will be teleported to the second district. Oh, don't bother going in a group. I have something important for you to do." Tie Wuqing took out a small metallic object from his interspatial ring. He threw it over to Yan Xiaolong. The latter looked at it carefully and recognized it as a pocketwatch.

 

However, there were nine tiny swords logged into it. He then realized that it was sealed by Tie Wuqing's Nine Sword Imprisonment Seal. That dao technique had left an incredible impression on him when he last saw it used on the baby octopus. At the same time, it brought in many questions to his head. 

 

"Don't contemplate too much on it. It's an object I got when I was in the Necropolis Trial. Back then, the Immortal Sage Sect was a subsidiary sect for the Ancient Ghost Sect and I was one of the fifty disciples from our sect allowed to enter the Necropolis Trial. I would return it myself, but I already tried. The first time in my youth, and the second time when I became an elder. Unfortunately, I was never able to return it on my second try. I would get another try, but only when I become a grand elder. Moreover, the sooner that thing return to where it belongs, the better it is for everyone. That's why I'm giving the mission to you, Xiaolong." 

 

However, Yan Xiaolong only reacted with a shocked expression. "We were a subsidiary sect? And for the Ancient Ghost Sect!? But, didn't we..." 

 

"Now you know why we don't let the subsidiary sects get too strong." 

 

"Ah, I see. Where do I return this to do?" 

 

"The ninth district." Just when Yan Xiaolong was about to abruptly ask another question, Tie Wuqing raised his hand. "Hold on. Hold on! I'm getting there, fool. While the ninth district is theorize to challenge Ascendants, the truth is that the ninth district contain another set of rules. Especially that black castle. That's a whole another world. There's a secret passageway to get there from the third district." 

 

"And you want me to go through there to get to the black castle?" 

 

"Ideally, yes. Unfortunately, no." Tie Wuqing looked into the distance with an awkward expression. "The last time I went through there in my youth, I blew up the entire passageway so no one else would be able to reach the ninth district. So that's why... you'll have to go through the eight districts to return this item." 

 

"Uncle Tie, that is so not cool." 

 

"The younger me had no idea that I would get bit in the ass one day because of that. However, I have no worries because I have you and you shouldn't worry because you'll have these." Tie Wuqing took out another object and handed it to his nephew. This time, it was a crate.

 

In that crate were... 

 

"One million low-grade Heaven-tier defensive talismans!"

 

"One hundred-thousand mid-grade Heaven-tier defensive talismans!" 

 

"Ten-thousand high-grade Heaven-tier defensive talismans!" 

 

"One thousand top-grade Heaven-tier defensive talismans!" 

 

"One hundred low-grade Void-tier defensive talismans!" 

 

"Ten mid-grade Void-tier defensive talismans!" 

 

"One high-grade Void-tier offensive talisman!" 

 

A heavy silence filled the gap between the nephew and uncle. Only the sharp sound of the speeding sword was able to cut through that silence. 

 

"Hey Uncle Tie, I'm not all that familiar with the rules... but is this not cheating?" Yan Xiaolong gave a small chuckle. 

 

"Cheating? Bah! What a disdainful word." Tie Wuqing proudly lifted his chin. "As long as you don't get caught, anything is allowed!"