Capítulo 52: Chapter 52: A One-in-a-Thousand Red-Level Mission, The Ten Thousand Year Medusa (Part 2)
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"Hey, you guys are here so early?"
Dugu Lin, Chu Qingtian, Tai Xing, Pan Tao, and Zhou Sen arrived early at the Supervision Pavilion, and Ling Bai could faintly see the tension and unease in their eyes.
It's their first Inner Academy assessment, so being nervous is quite normal.
"You look so relaxed. The new student assessment task will decide whether we can continue studying at the Inner Academy. I was so anxious last night that I didn't meditate at all."
Dugu Lin, admiring her long, emerald green nails, joked casually. Over the past three months, she had become quite close to Ling Bai, one of the few friends he had in the Inner Academy.
Ling Bai stretched and relaxed his muscles, smiling lightly. "No matter how anxious you are, it won't really change anything. It's better to rest well and conserve your energy."
"You're so laid-back, kid."
A hoarse, rough voice came from behind them. A hunched, elderly figure slowly emerged from the Examination Hall, with a scar running from his left eye, across his nose, and down to his jaw, almost splitting his entire face in two.
"My name is Li. I will be the one to announce the new student assessment tasks and all future promotion tasks, so for those who pass this assessment, we will be seeing a lot of each other over the years."
Old Li managed a smile, his tone very kind, but the look on his face made it seem rather menacing. Pan Tao, the most timid of the group, couldn't help but take a half-step back, half of her body hiding behind Dugu Lin.
Observing secretly.jpg
Old Li was long used to being disliked by juniors and paid no mind to Pan Tao's actions. He took out a dark brown, ancient wooden box filled with task slips and said, "Your seniors might have told you that the new student assessment has a significant element of luck, and that's true.
Shrek Academy has been glorious for ten thousand years, and thus has set up a total of ten thousand assessment tasks, divided into five levels: White, Yellow, Purple, Black, and Red, with difficulty increasing in that order. White-level tasks make up ten percent, Black-level tasks make up twenty percent, and the rest are mostly split between Yellow and Purple."
"What about the Red-level tasks?"
Chu Qingtian raised his hand high, like a student in elementary school, to ask.
Old Li smiled and answered, "There are ten Red-level tasks, which make up one-thousandth of the total tasks. I'll tell you clearly, over the past ten thousand years, tens of thousands of students have entered the Inner Academy, but only seven Shrek freshmen have drawn the Red-level task, and all of them failed without exception."
"…Old Li, I don't understand why the academy set up the Red-level tasks. Just to discourage people?"
Dugu Lin's willowy eyebrows furrowed slightly. Tasks are created to be completed; it seems unnecessary to have tasks that are so out of reach that they are deadly for anyone who attempts them.
"To filter."
Old Li's answer was simple and direct.
"Inner Academy students are all part of the Shrek Supervision Corps, and the danger of carrying out supervision tasks far exceeds that of assessment tasks. Every few years, news of students falling in the field comes back to the academy.
There are many reasons for the downfall of Inner Academy students, including enemies being too powerful, their own strength being insufficient, and…
"They have really bad luck."
Old Li grinned, the scar that ran across his entire face twitching, making him look even more terrifying.
Everyone was stunned. Bad luck counts as a reason!?
"The Red-level tasks are designed to filter out that one-in-a-thousand unlucky individual, allowing them to preserve their lives and contribute to the continent in other ways.
By the way, eight thousand years ago, a Sea God Pavilion master established a rule: if an Inner Academy student completes a Red-level task, regardless of their soul power or background, they will become a highly valued prodigy, and from then on, they will be cultivated as the next generation of Sea God Pavilion members.
Danger is always accompanied by opportunity; the greater the storm, the more valuable the fish.
Enough talk, who wants to draw first?"
Old Li shook the box in his hand, making a rustling sound. The six new Inner Academy students looked at each other, each deferring with their eyes, until a green-clad figure stepped forward.
"Ladies first, I won't be shy."
Dugu Lin's fair little hand reached into the task box, and everyone watched the box opening intently, their eyes reflecting different emotions, their hearts racing.
"Please don't start with a red one."
Dugu Lin teased herself. This girl was so bold that she fused with the Five Emerald Phosphorous Poisons, and her earlier claim of insomnia from anxiety was just a joke.
A white hand emerged, holding a slip of paper with purple ink, written in a graceful and elegant style.
"Purple-level task: A group of wolf bandits has recently appeared in the Ming Tai Mountain area of the Dueling Spirit Empire. There are more than thirty of them, most at the Great Soul Master to Soul Exalted level, with their leader barely reaching the four-ringed Soul Master level.
The task is to eliminate the wolf bandits, leaving no survivors, and to bring back the head of the Soul Master-level wolf bandit leader. The task deadline is ten days.
Hmm, not bad luck today."
Dugu Lin smiled, her face beaming. Wolf bandits are the offspring of Windstorm Demonic Wolves and humans, with wolf heads and human bodies. They possess the robust bodies of soul beasts and the advanced intelligence of humans, are cruel, and enjoy living in groups, especially liking to defile human women. Ordinary soul masters are almost helpless against them, but in the face of her emerald phosphorous poison…
Have you heard of the city turning green?
The emerald snake is the nightmare of low-level soul masters and soul beasts!
Hearing this, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Dugu Lin had set a good precedent, and the anxiety in their hearts eased somewhat.
Pan Tao, the second girl, followed closely behind. Her mental resilience was far inferior to Dugu Lin's. She closed her eyes and nervously drew a task slip, bowed three times to the air, and then slowly opened her eyes. The next second, Pan Tao jumped onto Dugu Lin, wrapping her legs around Dugu Lin's slender waist, and exclaimed joyfully:
"White! Yay!"
The luck of the draw, a ten percent chance hit right away!
"White-level task: A hundred-year-old soul beast, the Yellow Fur Rat, has been spotted in Wang Family Village, Suyun City, Tianhun Empire. This beast frequently attacks livestock, causing significant losses to the villagers, who have reported it to the authorities. The student must kill the Yellow Fur Rat within five days of receiving the task and bring back its skin as proof."
Pan Tao couldn't suppress her upturned corners of her mouth. A mere hundred-year-old soul beast, she, a Soul Master, would easily handle it!
With two girls drawing such good luck, the boys' task drawing continued in an orderly manner.
"Yellow-level task: Citizens of Liusu City, Tianhun Empire, have reported that the city lord mistreats civilians and disregards human life. The student is responsible for gathering evidence of his crimes and anonymously handing it over to the Tianhun Empire royal liaison. The deadline is seven days."
"Purple-level task: The Sun Moon Empire has sent a Soul King-level spy to Metal Capital Gengxin City to investigate the smuggling of rare metals. The student must find and eliminate the spy within ten days and return to the academy with the spy's identification."
Zhou Sen and Tai Xing's tasks were not overly difficult, matching their current skill levels, and the chances of success were very high. Now, only Ling Bai and Chu Qingtian remained in the Examination Hall, yet to draw their tasks.
Ling Bai looked at Chu Qingtian, who was trembling like a sieve, and chuckled, "Qingtian, shall I go first, or you?"
"I'll go first, I'll go first! Ling, you go last!"
Chu Qingtian immediately ran a few steps forward, shook hands with the lucky Pan Tao to absorb her good luck, and while reaching into the task box, muttered fervently:
"I've had bad luck for over a decade. I beg Lord Tang San, Master Yu Xiaogang, and all the ancestors of Shrek Academy to bless me!
I don't ask for a white or yellow task, just a purple one!"
After his prayer, Chu Qingtian drew a slip and looked at it!
Black!
Damn!
Chu Qingtian felt as if he had swallowed a fly, his face crumpling. Although the others didn't show it, they secretly laughed at him, thinking he must have done a lot of bad things to not even be protected by Lord Tang San and the ancestors of Shrek Academy.
"Black-level task: A series of murders has occurred in the Star Luo Empire. The killer peels off the victims' faces completely… suspected to be an Evil Soul Master, codenamed Blood Face Killer.
The Blood Face Killer's last three murders were in Jinghai City, Star Luo Empire. Based on his killing habits, the academy has determined he is still in Jinghai City. The student must investigate the situation and eliminate the Blood Face Killer. The deadline is fifteen days!"
Face Peeler!
Evil Soul Master!
Not just Chu Qingtian, even Ling Bai couldn't help but show a slight change in expression.
The Messenger of Death, three Soul King-level Evil Soul Masters with a group of low-level minions, nearly wiped out the main Shrek Seven Monsters with a super corpse explosion.
As for Chu Qingtian…
It's hard to say, after all, different fields are vastly different. Ling Bai wished him success!
When Dugu Lin, Pan Tao, and the others heard Chu Qingtian's task to face an Evil Soul Master, they all looked at him with complex expressions.
Worried, sympathetic… and a bit relieved.
Evil Soul Masters are strange and powerful, with a plethora of sinister and deadly moves. Every generation of Shrek Academy has seen Inner Academy students and teachers fall to Evil Soul Masters.
Can Chu Qingtian return to the academy intact after fifteen days?
"Qingtian, why are you shaking?" Ling Bai suddenly asked.
"What? A-are you serious?"
Chu Qingtian tightened his legs, his eyes wandering, his body present but his mind long gone.
"Don't be nervous. Go with peace of mind. After all, you'll be a hero again in eighteen years."
Ling Bai's three words warmed Chu Qingtian for the whole day.
Hearing this, Chu Qingtian's spirit returned, but he became listless, like an eggplant beaten by frost, and thought to himself:
Metaphysics, not possible to quit, does he really have to attend Shrek Inner Academy?
"This task is one of the hardest even among Black-level tasks. Do your best, but remember to prioritize your safety."
Old Li shook his head and sighed. The old man, with his extensive experience, could see from Chu Qingtian's fearful expression that the young man's chances of success were slim. After a few words of encouragement, he turned to Ling Bai and said:
"Come on, only you are left."
In stark contrast to Chu Qingtian, Ling Bai was quite confident in his luck. He calmly stepped forward, reached into the box, drew a slip, and read it aloud in one fluid motion!
"Red-level task, capture the Ten Thousand Year Medusa!"
"…"
Silence, the silence of the night at Cambridge!
Everyone bit their lips tightly, not daring to make a sound!
"Red-level task, capture the Ten Thousand Year Medusa, deadline fifteen days.
In the Yoyo Forest within the Star Luo Empire, Petrified Soul Beasts and Petrified Soul Masters have been discovered, determined to be the result of the innate soul skill, Medusa Gaze, of the nearly extinct Snake Empress Medusa.
According to Shrek Academy soul beast experts, the Snake Empress Medusa who used the innate soul skill has a cultivation level exceeding ten thousand years. I hope this unlucky (crossed out) talented Inner Academy student who drew this task will be extra cautious!"
"Unlucky? Fine, fine, you're playing with me, huh."
Ling Bai laughed in spite of his anger, almost wanting to transform into Cao Cao, waving his hand and shouting:
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Looking at the fresh, blood-red, graceful writing on the slip, Ling Bai found it hard to accept the reality!
Don't misunderstand, it's not that he can't accept the Red-level task, but he can't believe his luck is this bad!
One in a thousand!
How can he draw this!
Damn, say you rigged it!
Say it!
Say it!
Perhaps Ling Bai's intense resentment startled Old Li.
He coughed, put away the task box, and put on an official tone, saying, "This Inner Academy new student assessment is fair, just, and transparent. Everything depends on personal luck. Please accept reality, and don't have any absurd suspicions!"
Who are you pointing at, Old Li!
Ling Bai's face turned as ugly as if he had swallowed two flies, and Ling Mo Chu laughed. Chu Qingtian, who had been holding in his laughter, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Laughter doesn't disappear, it just shifts. The ancestors were right!
Comparison can lead to despair!
Yoyo Forest is one of the soul beast gathering places on the Douluo Continent, second only to the Star Dou Great Forest. It is said to be divided by a deity into two strange landscapes: perpetual daylight and perpetual night. The central area is said to be home to terrifying beasts with cultivation levels exceeding ten thousand years!
Compared to Ling Bai risking his life to capture the Ten Thousand Year Snake Empress, a top-tier soul beast, in the vast Yoyo Forest, Chu Qingtian suddenly felt that the Blood Face Evil Soul Master was nothing!
I can take on ten!
Dugu Lin gracefully stepped forward, gently shaking Ling Bai, who had lost all worldly desires and was deeply questioning his luck. She whispered in his ear:
"Ling Bai, extraordinary children are destined for extraordinary lives. I'm genuinely happy for you drawing the Red-level task!"
Ling Bai's hand crumpled the slip, turning to look into her emerald green eyes, "You better be."
Dugu Lin's fair fingertips grazed Ling Bai's nose, smiling sweetly, "I am, and I'm super excited to see you capture the Ten Thousand Year Medusa."
"Red-level task… sigh, the journey to and from Yoyo Forest will take at least four days…"
Ling Bai rubbed his golden hair, his face filled with distress. The Outer Academy's three-on-three new student assessment match was about to start. Last night, Ning Tian and Wu Feng had specially reminded him to complete the assessment as soon as possible and then go to the Outer Academy to cheer them on. They were looking forward to defeating their opponents and winning the new student championship under his witness, making a name for the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower.
The journey was long, and Yoyo Forest was vast. Who knew where Medusa was hiding? This time, he might have to break his promise.
"All new student assessment tasks have been issued. Go and carry them out!"
Old Li waved his hand and turned to disappear into the darkness of the Examination Hall.
"Come on, Ling, a true warrior faces the harsh realities of life."
Chu Qingtian, like a buddy, hooked his arm around Ling Bai's shoulder. Both their task locations were in the Star Luo Empire, so they could travel together for a while.
"Tsk, I advise you to take care of yourself…"
(End of Chapter)
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