Sunset Warrior Chant - Novelbike -

After the second round of assessments, twenty “alchemy department” students were selected. About eighty percent of the swordsmen and sixty to seventy percent of the mages were eliminated. The remaining candidates numbered fewer than four hundred, truly the cream of the crop. However, Yan Mountain Academy’s enrollment was limited to one hundred forty students, meaning that more than half would still need to be eliminated. The candidates were about to face the final round of challenges.

Following the completion of the second round of exams, there was a three-day break before the third round. The academy deliberately allowed candidates three days to rest and prepare thoroughly. Anyone wishing to voluntarily withdraw could do so at any time, while those injured in the second round could use this opportunity to heal. The candidates were filled with hope, and only a few chose to quit midway.

Yu An had once given up on the assessment because of the dangers of the third round. However, the rigorous reputation of the Yan Mountain Academy’s entrance exam had spread far and wide due to this final round. Last year, Yu An missed the magic sensitivity test by a day, costing him the chance to avoid the subsequent rounds, given his genius-level sensitivity talent. Back then, as a mage level 2, Yu An was forcibly dissuaded from entering the Magical Beast Garden by Yu Fei. Of course, the first two rounds this year were no challenge for Yu An, who was now a mage level 3.

Fu Feng and others successfully passed the first two rounds of exams. For Fu Wenjun, this was entirely expected. Laughing, Fu Wenjun remarked, “The second round of exams was designed based on my suggestions over a decade ago.” As for the third round, Fu Wenjun cautioned everyone to be careful and cautious.

The day before the exam, everyone dined together in the courtyard. Fu Qiruo surprisingly heard the clang of swords between a burly man and a boy once again, implying the boy also passed the first two rounds. The burly man was no longer scolding the boy, instead saying, “My good son, you finally passed the first two rounds. Whether you can pass the third depends on luck.”

Yan Mountain Academy announced the final round’s challenge: candidates must survive in the academy’s backyard, a Magical Beast Garden spanning tens of square kilometers, for two full days and nights, managing their own food and shelter. Life or death was the responsibility of the candidates themselves.

Historically, the highest casualty rate in the academy’s entrance exam has been during the assessments within the Magical Beast Garden. Three out of ten candidates suffer severe injuries from magical beasts and die before receiving aid. More than half request to exit the garden midway due to their fear of the beasts. Those who endure the full forty-eight hours emerge heavily scarred. For candidates around the age of ten, the garden is perilous in the extreme. Yet, Yan Mountain Academy has a famous saying: “Graduates of Yan Mountain Academy, no matter where they are, are renowned heroes.”

Within the Magical Beast Garden faced by the candidates, various dangerous magical beasts were lurking. After the second round of assessments, all level 1 mages, except those with extraordinary magical talent, were eliminated. The academy advised that level 1 mages should not participate in the third round. The number of regular mage level 2 candidates who passed was also very small. However, the Magical Beast Garden was not short of powerful advanced magical beasts, and the academy permitted mages and swordsmen to freely form teams for survival.

Yan Mountain Academy had detailed regulations for team formations: each team could not exceed two mage level 4 and six mage level 3 members, with a total number of mage level 3 and 4 members not surpassing eight. Mage level 2 members were unlimited, and swordsmen were considered equivalent to mages of the same level. If a mage level 2 or 3 requested to join a team with a mage level 4, the mage level 4 could not abandon them for any reason. All mages within a team were expected to work together and take care of one another, without internal conflicts that could give magical beasts an advantage.

Of course, Yan Mountain Academy welcomed heroic candidates who ventured into the Magical Beast Garden alone. As for mage level 5, they were only allowed to enter the garden solo and were not permitted to team up with others.

Fu Feng, being a mage level 5, had to enter the Magical Beast Garden alone, while Lu Xiner, Fu Qiruo, Xiao Gang, and Yu An naturally formed a team.

On the day of the practical assessment, Lu Wei again escorted Fu Feng and the others to the gates of Yan Mountain Academy. Fu Feng noticed that the number of candidates today was less than one-tenth of the initial thousands.

Lu Wei anticipated needing at least two days’ time and started to return to Kur City alone. After walking for a quarter of an hour, he saw Fu Feng catching up. Curiously, Lu Wei asked, “Feng’er, are you not going to the Magical Beast Garden?”

Fu Feng shook his head and replied, “No, the academy won’t let me enter the Magical Beast Garden. They said I don’t need to participate in the assessment anymore.”

Lu Wei asked, “Do all mage level 5 not need to go?”

Fu Feng said, “I don’t know about the others.”

Fu Feng reasoned that, given his skills, the assessment seemed unnecessary. His feat of trimming the Silver Finch’s feathers left the proctors in a dilemma. Entering the Magical Beast Garden, mage level 4 and 5 beasts would be child’s play for him. The thought amused Fu Feng.

The Magical Beast Garden was much larger than imagined. As they crossed two thick iron gates, a vast basin unfurled before them. It was filled with dense forests and seemed to have many small mountains and hills, like a natural wilderness, where even hundreds of people could easily remain hidden.

As the candidates entered the examination hall, behind them were walls tens of meters high, along with the protection of magic formations, preventing any advanced magical beasts from approaching. The iron gates closed with a resounding “boom,” prompting Fu Qiruo to think, “We’re not getting out for the next two days and nights.”

Before entering the Magical Beast Garden, each candidate was given a square metal tag to wear around their neck. The tag bore their name and their level as either a mage or swordsman, making it easier to form teams according to the academy’s rules within the garden. Lu Xiner’s tag read “Level 4 Water Mage,” Fu Qiruo’s tag stated “Mage Level 3, Specialty Unknown,” Xiao Gang’s tag said “Level 3 Swordsman,” and Yu An’s was marked “Mage Level 3 Light Magic.”

With Lu Xiner, a level 4 mage, as the team leader, Fu Qiruo and his group had essentially completed their team formation. Fu Qiruo chuckled, “Our team has senior sister, a level 4 mage, which is more than enough. Four people in a team are more than sufficient.”

A crowd of candidates, both young and old, surged into the depths of the Magical Beast Garden. Many of the smaller beasts hurriedly scurried away to avoid them.

“Charge, everyone! Let’s catch some game! We’ll handle today’s lunch first. You need a full stomach before you can take on magical beasts,” a boy suddenly shouted.

The candidates thought that made sense. With so many people around and no threatening magical beasts in sight yet, it was a good chance to catch a few small creatures and prepare food for the next two days. Upon hearing the boy’s call, everyone sprang into action and rushed downhill into the basin, while some wind mages began encircling the area.

Observing the scene, Fu Qiruo noted, “We’ve all got purified water with us. Eating in the Magical Beast Garden isn’t a big issue; the priority is our safety. Going hungry for two days is no big deal since there are small beasts everywhere that can be caught anytime.”

Xiao Gang laughed and added, “The key is to taste delicious magical beast meat, without any gamey flavor. Did anyone bring any seasonings?”

Lu Xiner commented, “We’re not sure how big this Magical Beast Garden is. Let’s first find a safe place to settle. See if there are any caves where we can hide. It’s fine during the day, but at night we need somewhere to rest.”

Yu An agreed, “Yes, finding a suitable place to defend ourselves is important. The Magical Beast Garden is full of dangers, both obvious and hidden. Even the academy mentors are unaware of where some beasts might lurk.”

The four of them ventured deeper into the garden. After roughly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they hadn’t encountered a single magical beast or seen another person. The others before them had driven the small beasts into hiding. Seeing only small caves unsuitable as a base, Lu Xiner led the way into a denser part of the forest.

The forest was dense with tall trees blocking out the sky, roots and branches intertwined, and shoulder-high tangled grass grew everywhere, making it nearly impossible to discern direction. The four proceeded cautiously, moving in a single direction. Xiao Gang, clad in magical beast armor and wielding the Berserk Sword, led the way. Lu Xiner followed closely with the Wind Armor under her clothes and the Greenleaf Sword in hand, guarding his side. Fu Qiruo carried the Spirit Sword at the rear, while Yu An wore a pair of sparkling bracelets on his wrist.

The four of them moved toward the heart of the Magical Beast Garden, gradually hearing various bizarre cries and calls of the magical beasts, as though surrounded by them at all times. The 300 or so people seemed to have vanished without a trace. Occasionally, they’d hear the “bang, bang” sounds of a fierce battle, indicating there were others nearby. However, as they proceeded further, the cries of beasts and people alike grew more terrifying. Despite this, the four felt confident in their skills and fearlessness, and their pace didn’t slow.

While walking through the dense forest, Yu An suddenly noticed a large snake hanging from a tree ahead. Pointing at it, he exclaimed, “Look! There’s a snake in the tree!”

Fu Qiruo glanced over and saw a massive snake as thick as a child’s arm and about seven to eight meters long. Its body glistened with a faint golden glow, giving it an eerily beautiful appearance. Its fierce head flicked its thin tongue with rapid movements, glaring in their direction. Fu Qiruo recalled the Arrow Snakes from the Beast Arena and thought of the Black Snake Meat from the inn. He remarked, “Black Snake Meat is delicious; I wonder how this golden snake would taste?”

Lu Xiner responded, “This golden snake looks terrifying; its mouth must be venomous. I wouldn’t eat it!”

Xiao Gang chuckled, “This golden snake might seem vicious, but it can’t compare to a towering Grizzly Bear. One Ice Blast from senior sister would slice it into pieces.”

The golden snake slowly slithered down from the tree and moved silently towards their feet. Lu Xiner, staying alert, called out, “Watch above and below for other golden snakes or venomous small creatures; don’t let them catch you off guard.” The four checked their surroundings carefully. Fu Qiruo stepped forward and said, “Let this golden snake test my Spirit Sword.”

Lu Xiner cautioned, “Be careful.” Fu Qiruo acknowledged her and approached the golden snake alone.

Seeing Fu Qiruo advance with his gleaming sword, the large snake coiled tightly into a circle, raising its head to intimidate him. Fu Qiruo approached cautiously and swept the Spirit Sword, clearing the surrounding underbrush to create an open space.

The golden snake seemed intimidated and began to crease backward. Fu Qiruo thought it was scared, so he lunged, sweeping the Spirit Sword towards the snake’s head. The snake jerked its head back just in time, dodging the blow and circling around to lunge at Fu Qiruo’s head, moving with a speed that rivaled his Spirit Sword.

Fu Qiruo was slightly alarmed by the quick motion, suspecting it was a level 4 wind magic beast. He quickly used the Swift Wind Spell to dodge, sidestepping and thrusting his sword again. The snake twisted its lengthy body, leaving trails of shadows as its long tail swept towards Fu Qiruo. He couldn’t withdraw his sword in time and had to keep dodging, thrusting the blade at the golden snake cautiously, without closing in too much.

One man and one snake engaged in battle, with the golden snake’s lengthy body constantly posing a threat to Fu Qiruo. Fortunately, Fu Qiruo was a wind mage, allowing him to dodge and maneuver with agility, and his Spirit Sword moved deftly with a whoosh, preventing the golden snake from getting too close.

Fu Qiruo suddenly stepped back, catching his breath before using the dark magic Doppelgänger Spell. Several phantom figures lunged at the golden snake, with the Spirit Sword creating sweeping sword shadows aimed at the snake’s head and body. The golden snake shuddered slightly, appearing momentarily frozen. Fu Qiruo slashed at it with the real Spirit Sword, only to hear the sound of the sword slicing through the air, not hitting anything tangible. The Spirit Sword unexpectedly swung through an empty space.

Moments later, the image of the golden snake gradually dissipated. It turned out that the snake had already leapt to another location, leaving behind an afterimage. The golden snake had used a level 4 wind magic “Phantom Spell” at the last possible moment.

Raising his eyes, Fu Qiruo saw that the true form of the golden snake was now three meters away; its seven- or eight-meter-long body had astonishingly leapt a great distance in the blink of an eye. He was shocked by its prowess, a testament to the formidable power of a level 4 magical beast. Had he not been wielding a treasured sword, it would have been him needing to dodge continuously. He realized at this moment that a mage level 3 was quite inadequate. However, as a level 4 mage, Lu Xiner could clearly observe the golden snake’s every move.

Fu Qiruo used the Swift Wind Spell to approach the golden snake again. With his left hand, he launched a Thousand Wind Blades, hurling dozens of wind blades at the snake. He then infused his Spirit Sword with dark magic, causing it to glow with a purple light, creating a curtain of swords aimed straight at the golden snake. The snake casually dismissed the wind blades, flicking its tail to scatter them all.

Once the wind blade threat was removed, the Spirit Sword was already close. The golden snake hastily dodged, but not before having a piece of skin and flesh sliced off its neck by Fu Qiruo, nearly losing its head.

Frightened, the golden snake used another Phantom Spell to escape into the distance. Fu Qiruo was about to chase it when he saw Lu Xiner awaiting in the direction the snake was fleeing. She unleashed an Ice Blast that rained down on the golden snake’s head. Caught off guard, the snake was hit by a barrage of ice blades, leaving its body battered and bruised, and one of its eyes was struck, causing it dizziness.

Fu Qiruo swiftly moved in with the Swift Wind Spell, and with a sweep of the Spirit Sword, sliced the golden snake in half.

The golden snake let out a screech, and its front half fled like an arrow. Lu Xiner didn’t pursue it. The remaining half of the tail twitched on the spot, and Xiao Gang approached with his Berserk Sword, slicing the three- to four-meter-long Arrow Snake into several pieces. The severed parts twitched a few times before becoming completely still.

Yu An laughed, “We can roast some golden snake meat now.”

Xiao Gang clapped his hands and said, “Great! The Black Snake was a level 3 magical beast; this golden snake seems to be a level 4. It shouldn’t be much different.”

Yu An asked, “Did you guys bring any fire?”

Xiao Gang replied, “No need, watch this!” He lifted a piece of snake meat on his sword, silently recited an incantation, and a fireball appeared in his left palm. The fireball gradually grew as he moved it closer to the snake meat to roast it.

Fu Qiruo quipped, “What a lazy method!”

Seeing this, Yu An chuckled, “Good method.” He casually picked up a piece of snake meat to roast as well, though his fire magic seemed ineffective, with the fireball flickering feebly. Yu An sighed, “Looks like I’m not cut out to be a good cook.”

In no time at all, Xiao Gang had roasted a piece of snake meat until it was blackened. He peeled off the charred skin and tasted the inner meat, commenting, “Not bad!”

Yu An took a taste as well, exclaiming, “Meat cooked with the lazy method just doesn’t have the aroma of that grilled on a proper stove. This golden snake meat seems a bit wasted.”

Xiao Gang roasted a few more pieces of snake meat, found some large leaves nearby to wrap them, and used slender vines to tie it all into a big bundle, which he slung over his shoulder, saying, “We’ve got food for the next two days.”