The contestants had arrived early at Maelivar's central square. This area, situated in front of Castle Voss, was built to serve as a venue for official announcements and major city events. Today was one such occasion.

  The square wasn't just filled with young disciples from various factions; it had also drawn many local citizens. The reason was simple.

  Everything would be broadcast live.

  Viewing stands and screens had been erected on all four sides, ensuring that every memorable moment from The Shifting Trials would be transmitted, sparking discussions across different locations. The organizers hadn't disclosed how long the event would last, so the screens would remain active continuously. Anyone with free time could watch. To facilitate business opportunities around viewing positions, the city had made special allowances for people to claim nearby spaces—they could construct viewing rooms for guests, provided they paid the appropriate taxes. Overall, an atmosphere of excitement and jubilation burned bright in the heart of the city.

  This wasn't just entertainment for the citizens; it was also for potential investors. Word had it that hidden powers would blend in to scout for promising seeds. Even higher organizations like those from the empire, or those under Tier 7 or Tier 8, would extend olive branches to exceptional individuals.

  Such a major event, occurring only once every three years, typically came with peripheral activities—most notably, betting. Lists of the most outstanding young talents had been compiled, with predictions about the final top 64 contestants. The betting odds fluctuated constantly based on various assessments.

  "Tsk tsk," Zeryn clicked his tongue while browsing the betting pages. "Why are my odds so low?"

  "Do you want a beating?" Nathan asked. His bastard friend clearly knew why but still asked in that condescending tone.

  "Ah, my dear friend," Zeryn's eyes sparkled. "Your odds are quite impressive."

  Hearing this, Nathan's interest was immediately piqued.

  "How high?"

  "Bet 1 to win 11."

  "That high? What about you?"

  "1 to win 0.3. Pathetically low."

  Nathan restrained himself from snapping at his friend.

  "What about Zahra and Xander?"

  "1 to 1.1, and 1 to 1.2."

  "How the hell are my odds so high?" Nathan said in disbelief. "Didn't I already show what I could do three days ago?"

  "Yeah, and you were thoroughly analyzed," Zahra chimed in.

  Xander nodded in agreement. However, he alone still believed Nathan was holding back, just like during the outer sect tournament. They had thought that was all there was, but he kept pulling out one surprise after another.

  If Nathan knew what Xander was thinking, he would have told his friend to stop understanding that way. What happened at the tournament wasn't really under his control. Everything was thanks to the system. After some evaluation, Nathan felt that period was like the system compensating him. The [Welcome Package] was essentially equivalent to a [Newbie Supporting Pack] in online games. New players always receive buffs to hook them in, but after that, it's just grinding until death.

  "What about Zhanyu then?" Nathan retorted. "Surely he was analyzed just as thoroughly."

  "1 to win 0.29," Zeryn said with a wrinkled nose.

  "Even lower than you? Doesn't that mean people rate Zhanyu higher?"

  "What can you do?" Zeryn shrugged. "Space Aspect is a rare thing. People don't believe that's all Zhanyu has. And even if that were everything he had, when matched against the abilities of other participants, it's still very difficult to counter him."

  No one argued. Watching Zhanyu's techniques seemed simple enough, but no one really knew his limits. They could learn something from his match with Ryusei. The problem was there wasn't enough verification to claim that was Zhanyu's weakness.

  "People are rating you based on your participation as a chef," Zeryn said. "So compared to the three major professions like Artificer, Alchemist, and Herbalist, your chances of winning are quite low. That's not even counting the smaller professions participating. And this year, the number of Artificers is extremely high. It's going to be tough for you to squeeze in."

  Nathan had completely forgotten about this. He had always assumed he would fight with his fists rather than rely on his profession. According to many predictions, The Shifting Trials would have various types of challenges, so the parts for Artificers and other common professions would be evenly distributed. With him being the only chef on the list, it was pretty certain there wouldn't be any opportunity for him to use his expertise. Especially since the event had been prepared before he received his official invitation.

  Though thinking this way, Nathan's eyes still lit up.

  "So I can bet on myself?"

  Zeryn's eyes shone even brighter than his friend's, quickly saying, "Of course! I don't want you stepping onto this path, so let me do it for you. Don't get involved yourself."

  "Why do I smell something fishy in your words?"

  "Have I ever deceived you?" Zeryn asked righteously.

  Nathan had a sense of déjà vu about the night riding flying swords back to the hot springs at Verdant Spire Sect.

  Nevertheless, he chose to trust Zeryn. His friend might be reckless but would always be serious about matters like this when they involved cultivation resources. Moreover, Zeryn's credibility rating was quite high, so he could place larger bets than normal people.

  Nathan pulled his friend's head down, their heads huddled together to shield from prying eyes around them. Zahra and Xander curiously tilted their heads to look. Celene couldn't come along to gather in the wide courtyard today.

  From his Spatial Pouch, Nathan poured out his fortune.

  "Holy shit, Nate!" Zeryn shouted. "You're this rich?"

  "Holy shit, Zer!" Nathan pinched his friend's shoulder. "Keep your voice down."

  Zeryn grimaced under Nathan’s force.

  After three nights of hosting dinner parties, The Amber Path Coalition had sent him a hefty sum. Over ten thousand Standard Mana Stones. More than two-thirds he had left for Celene to invest and purchase a small shop in Maelivar for convenient wine business and storage. He brought the rest with him. Keeping only a small amount in case he needed to supply mana, he gave everything else to Zeryn.

  With his odds being so high, just thinking about success made him drool.

  "I'm going to place the bets," Zeryn said eagerly. "You wait here."

  "I'll go over there for a bit," Zahra said, scratching her head.

  "I need to use the bathroom for a moment," Xander said seriously.

  The three split off in different directions, but after a while, they all headed in the same direction.

  Nathan's lips twitched at the actions of the three.

  Left alone, he observed his surroundings.

  He was currently standing near the Verdant Spire Sect group. Not too close partly to avoid Keira, and partly because his fellow disciples didn't like him anyway. Around him were other groups. The Obsidian Fang Sect looked the most lifeless of the bunch due to what had happened in just a few short days.

  Now, he had time to look at the other forces besides the major ones. There were quite a few small groups of four to five people from distant sects of the Caelindor kingdom. Their uniforms ranged from ordinary to bizarre, with all sorts of accessories worn on their bodies. Knowing they were guests here, these groups didn't cause too much trouble to be targeted during the gathering nights before.

  A rough count showed about a thousand people. Among them, Artificers made up the largest number. They came not only from guilds and merchant associations but also from the four great houses, as well as individuals who had been invested in and had emerged from their secret research chambers to seek opportunities.

  In the middle of the square, a high platform had been erected with stairs on all four sides. Around it were planted long cubic pillars, inscribed with strange symbols.

  The three returned, their eyes carrying anticipation.

  Nathan checked his betting odds, which had dropped from 11 to 8.

  "Damn it!" he sighed. "Don't you know how to be subtle?"

  "Share the fortune, my dear friend," Zeryn patted his shoulder.

  "Share the misfortune too, right?"

  He was answered with shameless giggles.

  Mingxia floated down from Castle Voss on a platform, with hooded figures standing above.

  When they reached just above the high platform, the delegation from Duke Kael's office stopped.

  "Welcome, contestants of The Shifting Trials," Mingxia's voice was amplified, clear for everyone to hear, including the spectators. "Duke Kael should have been the one performing this ceremony. But please understand and forgive us, as some urgent matters require his attention. However, Duke Kael promises to be present for the closing ceremony and award presentation for the most outstanding individuals."

  Stolen story; please report.

  Mingxia didn't want this responsibility either. Sending him to preside was a disrespectful action towards the powers behind these young people. Some individuals here, in terms of influence, could make even Duke Kael show deference. Take Zhanyu from The Thousand Stars Pavilion, for instance. It was no surprise when investigation revealed he was a direct disciple of their Tier 6 Leader.

  Standing here giving speeches meant Mingxia had to bear evaluating gazes, taking the brunt of criticism from several parties. He could sense disapproving looks from some hidden observers of the event, like the Tier 4 elders from various places. But he absolutely couldn't explain that Maelivar's high-level officials were dealing with a mysterious appearance. They had thought the stranger would stop after the gathering night, but on subsequent evenings, the surveillance system kept detecting disturbances from this person. As if they were intentionally revealing their presence to play cat and mouse with everyone.

  The disciples had no major opinions, only discussing in low voices for a while.

  "This year's event has been meticulously prepared not only by the city's team but also with the help of formation masters sent from the empire," Mingxia continued. "Because this event is more special than previous years, a precious item has been brought to assist everyone. A large-scale pocket dimension will be where you young people compete with each other."

  This information surprised not only the contestants but also created discussion among the spectators. Usually, the event would be held at some location around the city with pre-arranged challenges. Using a pocket dimension this year showed just how large the investment was. Many people began speculating that the rewards this year could only be more, not less.

  "I know you're all eager, so I won't ramble on," Mingxia bowed to the white-robed figures around him, then turned back to the crowd. "What needs to be known, you all already know. The rest you'll have to rely on yourselves to discover."

  The four hooded figures floated above the four pillars of the high platform. They raised their hands, forming strange hand seals, then pressed downward. The symbols on the pillars lit up with blue light. On the ground, people could see lines extending outward like a spider web. The contestants standing in the square felt slight tremors beneath their feet.

  Mana was drawn from the city's reserves into the four pillars. After gathering sufficient energy, four beams of light shot out, converging at the center. In an instant, a black tear like an eye from the underworld appeared. Its edges were reality being torn apart. Inside was a deep, dark void. Strangely, no matter where one stood, they saw the same vision, as if this spatial tear would move according to each person's viewpoint.

  The rumbling of wind rose as pressure changed. Everyone's hair and clothes fluttered in response.

  "The entrance will close after the contestants enter," Mingxia said. "On the final day, it will open again to welcome everyone back. Enter now, contestants! Claim the resources that belong to you! Remember, cultivators seek opportunities even in the darkest abyss! Your legend begins today!"

  Passion surged in all the young people present. With roars of excitement and self-encouragement, figures charged forward.

  One by one, they were swallowed by the giant dark mouth, disappearing into that unknown space.

  The sound that reached their ears couldn't drown out the powerful footsteps of everyone.

  Lachlan's group walked leisurely at their own pace, looking around with contempt as if watching country bumpkins who didn't understand anything.

  The young masters and ladies of The Four Great Houses maintained their dignity. Yet their eyes still burned with fighting spirit.

  Ruby Voss and other outstanding individuals under her father also joined in.

  Gradually, the number of people in the square diminished.

  "Shall we go?" Zeryn asked his companions, ready to move.

  "Let's go," Nathan took a running start and charged forward.

  "If we meet, you can't avoid a duel with me," Xander declared with imposing spirit.

  Nathan didn't reply, only waving to Zahra, who was gliding away using wind under her feet.

  "See you all inside!"

  Just as she finished speaking, her head plunged into the rift, followed by her body, then legs, and completely disappeared.

  Zeryn and Xander followed after.

  With his heart beating fast and strong, Nathan couldn't help but stretch his lips into a smile. He concentrated force into the ground, his legs springing up past the stairs, and with one final leap, he charged straight into the spatial rift.

  Nathan only saw a colorless darkness before his eyes. All his positioning abilities seemed to be stripped from his brain and body. He felt like he was drifting underwater, unable to breathe. His whole body became tense, cold. That condition only lasted a second, then he was standing on solid ground.

  Covering his mouth to suppress the nausea rising from his stomach, he struggled to keep himself from falling flat. Shaking his head to regain clarity, he opened his eyes to look around.

  The sky had no sun, yet the space around wasn't dark. He guessed this was the artificial light often heard about being installed in pocket dimensions. There were no clouds either, only distant mountain ranges on one side and bizarre architectural structures on the other.

  Where he stood could be considered a plateau with withered grasslands. To the left was dense forest, stretching endlessly to the right. Both front and back led to mountain passes or mountain ranges.

  He took a minute to take in everything around him, surprised by the size and vastness of this space. He truly wished he had a place like this. If he could just plant crops and raise livestock, he wouldn't have to worry about supplies for his cooking endeavors anymore.

  However, he saw no one around. He concluded this must be the event's random teleportation mechanism. He was about to use PsiLink to communicate when he received a notification.

  PsiLink is disabled. There is no connection node in the area.

  Blinking in disbelief for a moment, Nathan came to understand how PsiLink worked. This was like those times he went to the outskirts where connection was poor, or even some remote areas where there wasn't a single signal bar.

  He only smirked at his current situation. Come to think of it, he had just gone through a similar trial, so he wasn't too worried. Experience and knowledge were still in his head, enough for him not to rely too heavily on PsiLink.

  Suddenly, there was a slight rustling sound from one of the dry grass patches beside him. His spirit immediately became alert.

  Triggered [Tingling Sense]. One credit given.

  Triggered [Adrenaline Boost]. One credit given.

  His head tilted backward, barely dodging a blade swing, the cold edge passing by his nose. Using a bit of force, he retreated backward, observing his attacker.

  It was a lizard monster capable of moving fluidly on two legs, its body wearing crude leather armor. Its skin grew jagged spikes, especially in the tail area. The right hand held a blade while eyeing Nathan with pitch-black eyes. The membrane covering its eyes closed vertically as it lowered itself, preparing for a second attack.

  Nathan used [Martial Art Mastery] to easily dodge the incoming slash. Simultaneously, he nimbly jumped high to avoid the tail swing from the monster. From his height in midair, he launched a punch down onto the enemy's shoulder.

  The monster screeched in pain, collapsing to the ground. Nathan had accurately struck where the monster's armor provided no protection. He estimated that the bones and joints beneath that blue-scaled skin were now a messy pulp.

  Nathan slowly approached, not daring to be too careless. Without PsiLink, he didn't know what this monster was called like back in Moirath Forest. He wasn't free enough to memorize each creature. He seriously reminded himself that depending too much on technology wasn't good at all.

  Just as he feared, the monster still had a trump card. From its lying position, it swung its tail up, shooting dried spikes from its tail toward Nathan.

  With a swift motion, he swung both hands from back to front, creating a loud clap. The force generated from his superior physique sent out a shockwave that blocked the incoming spikes. They fell scattered to the ground.

  The monster flicked its tongue in fear, threw away the blade in its hand, and turned to flee.

  Nathan calmly leaned to one side, his hand reaching out to grab the blade's handle, then threw it back at the monster. The blade pierced through the crude leather armor, making it fall face-first.

  Seeing it still struggling, Nathan used his fist to drive the blade through its body into the ground.

  The monster's hand trembled, then gave up its life.

  A stream of essence flowed out and rushed into Nathan's body. The amount was quite meager since it was only a Tier 1 monster. Regarding Phase, he estimated it to be around 7 to 8.

  Suddenly, the bracelet on his neck vibrated. He brought it up to look, and floating above the bracelet was a monogram screen displaying the number one.

  He frowned, wondering what was happening. The rules hadn't been revealed much, so he and others would have to figure things out themselves.

  The bracelet vibrated after he killed the monster, showing the number one. Following normal logic, perhaps it started at zero, then progressed to this.

  The question was whether he got one point for killing a monster, or was it because he killed a Tier 1 monster? Would Tier 2 yield more points?

  The objective was clearly to earn as many points as possible. However, he figured things weren't that simple. Points probably couldn't only be earned from killing monsters. He had to remember that the majority of participants came from support professions like Artificers. Even though there were combat-oriented individuals like Laurent Nyralith, the organizers must have designed other ways to earn points for the remaining participants.

  Not thinking anymore about others' problems, Nathan returned to his own situation. With the current circumstances, at least he knew what he needed to do. If it was killing monsters, he had experience. He set himself the goal of finding a Tier 2 monster to test his hypothesis.

  The two skills that often came together, [Tingling Sense] and [Adrenaline Boost], appeared again in the system notifications.

  Without hesitation, he jumped high. Right below were arrows shot from the tree lines on the left striking down.

  Another rain of arrows shot at him in midair. For this kind of attack, he wasn't worried at all. His hands danced in the air, deflecting any arrows coming his way. When landing on the ground, he utilized the excess force, launching forward like a bullet toward the group of lizard monsters who had come in response to their companion's call.

  Awaiting him were not just arrows but also spikes shot from the enemies' tails.

  Having prepared beforehand, he raised his arm, a blue light screen appearing on forearm, deflecting the projectiles around him.

  Looking down at the pitch-black vambrace he wore, Nathan felt both glad and slightly regretful. These items that relied on mana stones for energy were both expensive and inefficient. Simply because few people made them and they broke down quickly. Using raw mana usually led to huge wastage. Mana entering the body would go through a refinement phase via the cultivator's spirit, making it not only more stable but also superior in efficiency. That's why devices in Maelivar either needed massive processing networks or special formations like the ones used to create portals to this space.

  Nevertheless, these items were Nathan's lifeline right now. Since he hadn't hesitated to spend money buying them, he wouldn't hesitate to use them. He'd deal with repairs when needed. He also didn't want to bend over backward collecting shields like he had done with the Ironbark Sentinels or Woodwraiths.

  Clanging sounds rang out as the monsters drew their blades and rushed to attack Nathan. Some ran on two legs, while others slithered on the ground to find different angles of attack.

  The archers hiding in the distance had their bows ready to shoot at any moment.

  Nathan smiled slightly, letting out an excited shout as he launched his attack. He was in the midst of the monsters throwing punches and kicks. Every time he landed a hit, a monster's body would be deformed. Some had their chests caved in, some had their entire bodies bent unable to straighten, some had their tails crushed flat under his feet.

  During all this, he still skillfully used the mana shields from his Vambrace to block desperate, unpredictable strikes from the monsters. He especially had to keep track of arrows shot from the tree lines. The archers didn't stay in one place but continuously moved from position to position, disrupting Nathan's memory of their locations.

  One monster after another fell under his intensity. A rough count showed dozens had fallen, yet he hadn't broken a sweat. These were just Tier 1 monsters unable to use mana, so they naturally couldn't harm him.

  He heard a long cry from within the forest. The lizard monsters who heard it decisively turned tail and ran, abandoning their dying companions on the ground.

  Nathan knew their leader had appeared and gave chase. This leader, according to common knowledge, must be a Tier 2 monster, enough to test him.

  When entering the towering tree lines, he felt like he was back in Moirath Forest, with the moisture and the smell of life-filled earth rushing into his nose.

  He didn't hurry to chase the lizard monsters, using them as guides showing the way. He jumped on high branches, his hands swinging like Vermilion Apes. The archer lizards didn't forget to shoot warning arrows at him. But with their speed and power, he just swatted them away like flies and mosquitoes.

  Just as he was thinking the monsters must be heading toward their advantageous environment, Nathan suddenly stopped. An invisible signal struck straight into his head.

  Frowning, he stopped pursuing the lizard monsters and turned his head in another direction. The signal was coming from there.

  "No way this kind of bad luck exists," Nathan muttered.

  Without thinking too much, he followed that signal.

  Through rows of trees with rustling leaves and wind, that signal grew stronger, clearer.

  The closer he got, the more certain he became that he wasn't sensing wrong.

  He entered a clearing that had been recently created. Trees around had fallen chaotically, soil and sand turned up messily. Deep gashes marked the tree trunks. The air carried a hint of sharpness, pressure, making it slightly hard to breathe.

  On one side was a group of disciples wearing different outfits. Some held swords, some spears, various weapons. A group of six people all burning with fighting spirit, their eyes greedily looking at the prey before them.

  Their prey was Argentius.