The Assessment Path

This was the strength of Undying Yushan, who had once looked down upon the Innerverse and, like Wendy Yushan, had entered the top 20 of the Astral Combat Rankings. Today, he had reached the strength of a Hunter. Even though he was severely injured and did not have long to live, he was still Undying Yushan, the iron-blooded emperor, not someone a young man like Barzel could resist.

Barzel gasped for breath heavily, his face slowly recovering its color. He gritted his teeth and turned to glare at Undying Yushan's departing back, his eyes full of unwillingness.

On the spaceship, Lu Yin reunited with Xia Luo and Lulu Mebis. Since arriving on Planet Zhenwu, they had not met.

"Haha, Lu Yin, I heard your engagement was broken. How embarrassing, haha," Lulu Mebis laughed freely.

Xia Luo patted Lu Yin's shoulder. "Don't mind it."

Lu Yin smiled. "It's nothing. But what about you two? Weren't you invited to Barzel's banquet?"

Lulu Mebis rolled her eyes. "Do you think just anyone is qualified to invite me?"

Xia Luo shrugged. "I just got back two days ago."

"I wonder how strict this assessment will be, and who from the Innerverse will come," Lu Yin said calmly, looking out at the starry sky.

"The Innerverse? There probably won't be many," Xia Luo said.

Lu Yin was puzzled.

Xia Luo glanced at Lulu Mebis. "You should know, right? The Astral-10 Academy is an exiled combat academy."

Lulu Mebis nodded, her smile fading. "The ranking of the Astral Combat Academies is based on points. The Tenth Academy has been in this last position for many years; otherwise, it wouldn't have been exiled to the Canglan territory."

"It's rumored that after the news of the Tenth Academy's arrival in the Canglan territory spread, almost all of the Tenth Academy's disciples left. In other words, when we go to enroll, it will be an empty Astral Combat Academy," Xia Luo said.

Lu Yin was puzzled. "Why is that? Even if the Tenth Academy comes to the Canglan territory, the Three Realms and Six Paths Trial World you mentioned before won't be canceled, right? Why would they leave?"

"I don't know about that. I guess that most of the people coming for the Tenth Academy's assessment this time will be from the Outerverse, with few from the Innerverse. Any genius who can enter an Astral Combat Academy is basically monopolized by the first eight academies. The Ninth Academy also mostly recruits disciples from the Endless territory's side of the Outerverse. The Tenth Academy will be no exception," Xia Luo said.

"Even so, the appeal of an Astral Combat Academy to the Outerverse is still enormous. You can tell just by looking at your Great Yu Empire. The young elites of the territories near the Canglan territory will definitely come. This is the only place where they can compete with the elites of the Innerverse. The Astral Combat Academy has brought the Outerverse hope of catching up to and surpassing the Innerverse," Lulu said.

"Countless geniuses gathering to compete?" Lu Yin muttered to himself. The arrival of the Astral Combat Academy was like a line connecting the Innerverse and Outerverse, linking the young elites of both. How big was the gap really? Lu Yin really wanted to see how strong the so-called geniuses of the Innerverse were.

Facing the upcoming assessment, all the disciples went into seclusion to cultivate, with very few going out to socialize, including Gurbach and the others.

Time passed quickly. In just one day, more and more spaceships appeared, all heading in the same direction.

The spaceships were not of a uniform style; there were all sorts of strange and varied designs. Lu Yin saw a spaceship that looked exactly like a coffin fly by, and another that looked like a sword. These spaceships all carried the elites from the major powers of the Outerverse.

To the Innerverse, the Astral-10 Academy was an exiled combat academy. But to the Outerverse, it was the only hope of catching up to and surpassing the Innerverse. The difference was truly not small.

Another day passed. When Lu Yin withdrew his gaze from the star chart, the spaceship had stopped. He looked out the window. The entire starry sky was densely packed with spaceships of all sizes, all stopped and facing in one direction.

Lu Yin left his room and went to the top deck. Many disciples were already there, all looking ahead.

A continent stretched out in the starry sky, extending into the infinite distance. Above the continent were stars emitting scorching high temperatures. There was one every so often, not too far apart, illuminating the entire continent in a fiery red.

Even from such a great distance, Lu Yin could feel the heat on the continent. It was a high temperature that distorted and evaporated the air, like a flame stretching across the starry sky.

All the disciples stared blankly. "What... what is this?"

At the very front of the spaceship, Crown Prince Dolan Yushan turned around and looked at all the disciples solemnly. "This is the Astral-10 Academy's assessment for Reaching Realm cultivators. Pass through this path, and you will reach the Tenth Academy. If you can't pass, you either retreat or die."

Lu Yin's expression was grave. This was a path? Indeed, it was a bit narrower than a continent, but how could it be considered a path? Its width already exceeded the radius of Earth.

"Reaching Realm?" Lulu exclaimed, her face falling.

Facing Lulu Mebis, Dolan Yushan's gaze softened. "Yes, this path is aimed at Reaching Realm cultivators. There are a total of ten paths leading to the Tenth Academy: three for the Reaching Realm, and seven for the Melting Realm. All Reaching Realm cultivators are to immediately board their personal flyers and proceed to the assessment."

Lulu Mebis looked bitter. "If I had known, I would have brought Little Turtle."

Dolan Yushan was surprised. Little Turtle?

Lu Yin was speechless. Little Turtle? Little? That thing was a Star-Wandering Realm monster.

There were less than 20 Reaching Realm disciples from the Great Yu Empire participating in the assessment. Lu Yin only recognized Lulu, Las, and a few others. The rest were elites who had succeeded in planetary trials. Apart from the one time at the banquet, he had never interacted with them. Those people didn't want to interact with Lu Yin, and Lu Yin had no intention of getting to know them.

"Brother Lu, good luck. See you at the Tenth Academy," Xia Luo said with a smile to Lu Yin.

Not far away, Gurbach also encouraged Lu Yin with a few words. Gules hadn't come; she had given up.

Lu Yin nodded. At this moment, Gui Huo walked over, passed by Lu Yin, and threatened in a low voice, "You'd better not run into me. I can't guarantee I'll let you go." He then sneered and left. A hint of coldness flashed in Lu Yin's eyes, and he slowly walked away.

Dolan Yushan watched Lu Yin's departing back, his thoughts unknown.

Jenny Ona walked to Rock Ona's side, her face a little pale. "Uncle, this assessment environment is disadvantageous for me."

Rock Ona frowned. "The environment can change at any time."

"That's good," Jenny Ona breathed a sigh of relief.

Rock Ona was regretful. "If I had known, I wouldn't have forced you to break through to the Melting Realm. With the King of Zishan's strength, he has a good chance of passing this assessment and could have taken you with him. But now you have to participate in the Melting Realm assessment, and no one can help you."

Jenny Ona gritted her teeth. She was a little scared, looking at the path ahead. This was only the assessment for the Reaching Realm; she didn't know what the Melting Realm's would be like.

The moment that path in the stars appeared, the assessment had begun. The Great Yu Empire was not the first to arrive. Many Reaching Realm cultivators from other powers had already entered that path, including those from Lianyin Star.

Scorching suns baked the earth, the temperature distorting the air.

Walking on the scorching land, groups of Reaching Realm cultivators flew towards the distance. The sounds of battle and beast roars could be heard from time to time.

On this path, the disciples had to face not only the harsh environment and enemies but also powerful creatures. These creatures were all in the Reaching Realm, and they were also enemies the disciples had to face.

A group of seven people stood in the shadows, looking up at the sky. "Young Master, the people from the Great Yu Empire will be here soon."

Among the seven, a young man sitting on the ground looked up, a cruel smile on his face. "Very good. I want them to know the terrifying consequences of insulting Lianyin Star."

With a boom, a personal flyer crashed onto the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.

As the cabin door opened, Lu Yin walked out. The first thing he felt was the scorching heat. He looked up. The suns were like another path stretching into the distance, getting hotter the further one went.

Lu Yin flew into the sky, feeling the air and Star Energy. "Not bad." He then suddenly accelerated and shot forward.

Nearly 20 Reaching Realm cultivators from the Great Yu Empire landed on the ground, many of them very close to the group of seven from Lianyin Star. The young man called Young Master stood up. "Let the hunt begin. Leave no one alive." He then flew into the sky, and all seven of them left.

Lianyin Star was baked by flames year-round; this kind of environment was their favorite. No one could defeat an expert from Lianyin Star in a high-temperature environment. No one. This was their confidence.

With a bang, the door of a personal flyer was kicked open. Ike walked out, the sunlight shining on him, making him subconsciously close his eyes. "A hell of an assessment." He then flew into the sky and looked at his personal communicator. "The position is off. Good thing, it's only about ten kilometers, very close." Ike then flew west, wanting to regroup with the others.

Suddenly, a fiery red spear pierced through the air and thrust fiercely towards Ike.

Ike's expression changed drastically. He reacted quickly and hurriedly dodged. The spear grazed his shoulder and stabbed into the rock wall.