The number of Wisdom Stones dwindled rapidly. Many disciples who had secretly hoped to buy a few from Liu Wuxie could only watch helplessly as the stones vanished one after another in his palms. Of the fifty-odd Wisdom Stones he collected, only a handful remained.
Though his cultivation realm remained still, his soul sea reached a terrifying height. The Soul Flame, once no bigger than a pea, now blazed as long as an adult's index finger. His soul sea had expanded by another third, with mysterious laws drifting from its depths.
Primordial laws flowed into his soul sea, replacing the power of destiny. They fortified it, erecting invisible walls like a fortress, leaving it sturdier and stronger than ever.
"Can anyone tell me how his soul sea managed to refine fifty Wisdom Stones?" an Origin Conversion Realm disciple asked. He clutched his head in disbelief, appealing both to the onlookers and the twelve elders.
However, his question met only silence. Not a single disciple or elder dared answer, as none could explain how Liu Wuxie had achieved it.
On the eighth day, Mu Heng finally unearthed a single Wisdom Stone. He leaped for joy like a child, oblivious to how ridiculous he looked. Those outside the mountain range sneered, watching him as if he were a clown.
Liu Wuxie had spent only five days collecting and refining over fifty stones, while Mu Heng celebrated finding one on the eighth day. The contrast was simply humiliating.
After two more days of refinement, Liu Wuxie opened his eyes. A powerful wave of soul energy burst from him, radiating so strongly that it crushed the surroundings outside through the Memory Stone. Cultivators at the high levels of the Transcendent Realm buckled under the pressure and collapsed to their knees.
"What terrifying soul energy..." the twelve elders whispered, aghast. The force Liu Wuxie radiated rivaled, if not surpassed, cultivators at the high levels of the Origin Conversion Realm.
Even those at the Primal Origin Realm felt a chill crawl up their spines.
"His soul sea is no longer that of an ordinary man," Elder Ding Yi admitted, his voice shaking.
Not far away, He Yingwu felt as if a mountain pressed down upon his soul sea. The crushing sensation made him tremble with discomfort. However, the pressure disappeared as suddenly and quickly as it appeared.
Liu Wuxie sensed the storm within him and allowed a devilish smile to spread across his lips.
"Soul Fire!" he roared. The flame within his soul sea ignited at once, unleashing a torrent of oppressive energy.
He Yingwu collapsed to the ground as the pressure multiplied a hundredfold, spilling beyond the mountain range itself and through the Memory Stone.
"My soul sea hurts!" Transcendent Realm disciples screamed. They felt as though countless needles stabbed into their very souls.
Even the twelve elders flinched, their faces paling under the absurd oppression. Fear flickered in their eyes, as even they felt oppressed.
The flame in Liu Wuxie's soul sea flickered violently, threatening to burst outward at any moment. Its destructive power could devastate even cultivators at the low levels of the Primal Origin Realm.
When Liu Wuxie finally calmed the Soul Fire, He Yingwu felt the pressure lift. Yet cold sweat soaked his clothes, and he looked as though he had just climbed out of a river.
"Wuxie, what just happened? I thought I was going to die!" He Yingwu exclaimed, gasping for air.
"I practiced a soul technique," Liu Wuxie replied calmly. Those outside could not hear his words, but they could feel his aura.
He Yingwu nodded, realizing the crushing weight had indeed come from Liu Wuxie's soul sea.
"Wuxie, what should we do with the two days remaining?" He Yingwu asked. His soul sea had already reached its limit; more Wisdom Stones would no longer benefit him.
"Keep mining," Liu Wuxie said. His own soul sea also brimmed, but Wisdom Stones were too rare to waste. Opportunities to enter Avatar Star were scarce, and obtaining even one Wisdom Stone elsewhere would demand a fortune in points. Here, he could seize them freely.
Executing Ghost Eye, he expanded its range to three thousand meters. The world became sharper, more precise. Without hesitation, he vanished into the distance.
The twelve elders stiffened with dread. An ominous premonition surged through them, but by the time they realized it, it was already too late.
When they saw Liu Wuxie mining Wisdom Stones again, their hearts sank. Not only had he resumed, but his harvesting speed had doubled.
"Quick! End the third segment now!" a War Dragon Institute elder shouted in panic. If they delayed, Liu Wuxie might strip the entire mountain range clean.
For a millennium, countless disciples had been mining here, yet they unearthed barely a few thousand Wisdom Stones. The best individual found five. Most disciples never found even one.
However, Liu Wuxie had already mined more than a hundred on his own.
Suddenly, the barrier dissolved.
"What's going on? Why did the barrier vanish? Don't we still have a day left?" the disciples cried in alarm. The falling barrier marked the end of the third segment, forcing everyone out.
Mu Heng had found two more stones on the ninth day, completing his tally at three.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother Mu Heng! Three stones are enough to secure first place in any past year. Liu Wuxie may have claimed first in the earlier segments, but here, you've surely surpassed him!" War Dragon Institute disciples cheered. Envy glimmered in their eyes, but they congratulated him all the same.
"It's a pity the trial ended early. I had just found a pattern. Another day, and I could've unearthed more," Mu Heng replied, swelling with pride.
Many who found nothing hammered their chests in regret, convinced they would have succeeded if the elders had given them one more day.
When the disciples emerged, their moods varied; some were elated, while others were bitter. Some held stones, pleased with their fortune. The wilderness training aimed to reward and temper them all, and in truth, every disciple had gained something.
Mu Heng strode out proudly, chin high. Flatteries and praises followed him, each word feeding his arrogance. Yet, as he walked, the crowd began to step back, deliberately avoiding him.
"What's wrong with all of you? Senior Brother Mu Heng ranked first in the War Dragon Institute with three Wisdom Stones. Shouldn't you be congratulating him?!" his companions barked in confusion.
Those who had remained outside exchanged uneasy glances. How could they explain? Three might sound impressive compared to past disciples, but it was nothing beside Liu Wuxie's haul.
Just then, Liu Wuxie and He Yingwu emerged from the mountain range, relaxed and composed. The premature end of the trial hadn't surprised him—he had anticipated it. If he had continued, the stock of Wisdom Stones would have plummeted to the ground.
Naturally, the Heavenly Dragon Sect would never allow that.
The instant he appeared, the disciples swarmed him.
"Senior Brother Liu, you're too impressive! I'm Li Shan. May I call you a friend?" Follow current novels on novel⟡fire.net
"Senior Brother Liu, you're a role model to us all. I'm Wang Liwan. From this day forward, I'll follow you."
"Senior Brother Liu, I'm truly in awe of your talent!"
Flatteries piled from every side, disciples crowding around him like stars encircling the moon.
The disciples who had just emerged gawked in disbelief. Shouldn't these sycophants be currying favor with Mu Heng, who had found three stones? If he were to sell even one to them, that disciple could make a fortune.
Why had they surrounded Liu Wuxie instead?
Mu Heng's face turned black. Many of those flatterers had once fawned over him. He could not comprehend the sudden betrayal.
A faint smile tugged at Liu Wuxie's lips. He knew precisely why they had come; they hoped to buy Wisdom Stones.
On the last day alone, he had collected more than eighty, bringing his total to over one hundred and thirty.
"Junior Brother, why are they crowding Liu Wuxie?" one disciple asked, baffled.
"You don't know? Liu Wuxie found more than a hundred and thirty Wisdom Stones! I'd give anything to buy one," another replied, before rushing forward to flatter him as well.
The moment those words spread, Mu Heng staggered and nearly fell to the ground. His companions released long, defeated sighs. Jealousy did not even stir in their hearts, only the crushing weight of mockery.
They had rejoiced at Mu Heng's three, but compared to Liu Wuxie's a hundred and thirty, their pride dissolved into ashes. No one wanted to cross paths with Liu Wuxie again.
"The wilderness training concludes now. All disciples who found Wisdom Stones must hand them in," a commanding voice declared, silencing the crowd.
Tradition required each disciple to hand in three; the rest they could keep or trade.. Yet those who had found nothing sneered with petty satisfaction, hoping to see Liu Wuxie stripped of his staggering haul.
"All of them?" disciples echoed in disbelief, some already gloating as they looked toward Liu Wuxie.