Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Field of a Hundred Hunts!

“Today marks the final trial in the selection of disciples for the Azure Profound Sect—the ‘Hundred Hunts Field’!”

At the very front of the crowd, Elder Li raised his hand and pointed to the weathered stone gate beside him, his voice resounding.

Yang Yan’s gaze sharpened. The stone gate was neither tall nor imposing; it looked utterly unremarkable. Yet his keen spiritual perception warned him that it was far from simple.

“Now, if anyone wishes to withdraw, it’s not too late. Once you step through this gate, your life will be at risk at any moment!”

“Is it truly that terrifying…”

“Of course! I’ve heard there are even powerful spirit beasts inside, their strength comparable to humans at the third layer of Spirit Sensing.”

Elder Li’s solemn words caused a ripple of unease through the crowd. Many whispered in low voices, but not a single person stepped forward to quit.

Most had come with the ambition to become disciples of the Azure Profound Sect; they were well aware of the dangers of the Hundred Hunts Field. Anyone inclined to give up would not have made it to the second round.

“Very well, since that’s the case, let me explain the rules of the Hundred Hunts Field.”

Elder Li’s gaze swept the assembly. After a brief pause, he continued,

“There are three hundred and eighty-two who passed the second round’s innate spirit body test. However, the Azure Profound Sect will only accept one hundred disciples this time.”

“Only a hundred? My chances are slim indeed…”

“It was hard enough passing the second round, but now this final trial—ah…”

Elder Li’s calm announcement sent many into sighs of despair; discouragement shadowed their faces, as if they’d been lured here under false pretenses.

“Nearly a quarter will be eliminated? And that’s after seventy or eighty percent were already cut in the first two rounds… It’s truly ruthless!” Yang Yan thought to himself.

“All right, enough chatter…” Elder Li waved his broad fan-like hand, and the noise subsided at once. With a deliberate cough, he drew out his words,

“Competition is harsh, yes, but the rewards are equally generous!”

“The first place in the Hundred Hunts Field will be awarded a ‘Spirit-Breaking Pill’ crafted personally by our sect’s Master Liu, and will have the right to freely select a mid-grade Profound martial art scroll from the Azure Profound Sect’s Hall of Hidden Arts!”

An uproar erupted. The rarity of a mid-grade Profound martial art aside, the Spirit-Breaking Pill alone was enough to drive any cultivator below the fifth layer of Spirit Sensing mad with desire!

The effects of the Spirit-Breaking Pill were legendary even to those ignorant of the alchemical arts; its reputation was too great in the world of cultivation. For anyone below the fifth layer of Spirit Sensing, a single pill could shatter their bottleneck and forcibly raise their strength by an entire layer!

With such miraculous power, it was no wonder every cultivator under the fifth layer coveted it desperately, willing to risk everything for a chance to obtain it.

Yang Yan was well aware of the Spirit-Breaking Pill’s effects. Moreover, because he cultivated the Nine Nether Taiyin Technique—a method even more arduous to advance in—he craved the pill more than anyone else.

He had originally intended to keep a low profile in the Hundred Hunts Field, aiming only to secure a spot among the top hundred and earn his place as a disciple. He hadn’t expected the sect to offer such astonishing rewards, leaving him no choice but to go all out!

Amidst the crowd’s rising fervor, Elder Li wore a broad smile, content to let the excitement build. Inwardly, he was pleased.

“With such powerful incentives, these youngsters will fight with everything they have! Only then can the Azure Profound Sect truly select the best among them!”

When the noise finally subsided, Elder Li went on to explain the rewards for the other top contenders, as well as the rules for ranking in the Hundred Hunts Field.

When the assessment ended, the top ten would not only gain entry as disciples but also receive additional rewards. Tempting as those prizes were, only the champion would claim the Spirit-Breaking Pill.

As for the rules: before entering, each participant would receive an identification token. This token not only proved their eligibility but also recorded the ‘Soul Hunt Points’ they earned within the field.

‘Soul Hunt Points’ were gained by slaying monsters inside the Hundred Hunts Field. Everyone started at zero. Defeating a beast below the fifth rank earned five points; beasts from fifth to ninth rank were worth ten points. Slaying a first-rank spirit beast netted one hundred fifty points, while a second-rank spirit beast was worth four hundred. As for third-rank spirit beasts, there was no listed value—they were as powerful as cultivators at the peak of the fifth layer of Spirit Sensing, terrifying existences indeed.

Though all participants were outstanding youths from Jin Prefecture, even prodigies would find it difficult to reach such strength before the age of fifteen. Besides, the Hundred Hunts Field was a sectioned-off area on the outskirts of the Broken Cloud Mountains, its boundaries set by barriers. The monsters within had been carefully screened to ensure no participant would face an unbeatable spirit beast.

There was another path to earning Soul Hunt Points: seizing the tokens of other participants! If you eliminated another contestant and took their token, you would gain one hundred points and inherit all the Soul Hunt Points stored on it.

The Hundred Hunts Field would last three days. When time was up, rankings would be decided according to the Soul Hunt Points recorded on each token.

The greatest challenge of all was this: during the trial, the positions of the top hundred participants would be displayed on the ‘Spiritual Light Screen’ at the very center of the field, visible from every corner of the arena.

Anyone hoping to amass points and then hide until the end would find their plans ruined!

The Azure Profound Sect had designed it this way to ensure only the truly capable would emerge as disciples.

Of course, if anyone encountered mortal danger or wished to withdraw early, they could shatter their token to be transported out instantly—but in doing so, they would forfeit their chance to join the sect.

“Now that everyone understands the rules, I hereby declare the third trial of the Azure Profound Sect’s disciple selection officially begins!”