Black Flower Long Spear

Within the Trial Valley, at any time and in any place, one must not remove the black armor and voice-changing mask.

To seize a golden pentagram badge from an opponent or to have one's own badge taken is a matter of consequence; defeating an adversary allows one to extract a golden pentagram badge from them, while the reverse results in its loss. One is permitted to take only one badge at a time; as long as one possesses four or more badges, or has none left due to being seized, stepping onto the wooden walkway in the valley will conclude the trial.

If one exits after five consecutive victories, each with five golden pentagram badges, a credit reward will be granted.

The valley is filled with various genuine military weapons, but one must seek them out.

...

Lin Xi listened intently, and since the rules of the Trial Valley were not particularly complex, he effortlessly recounted these essential points clearly.

Upon hearing Lin Xi's accurate recitation, devoid of any frivolity, the elderly man in the black robe, his wrinkled face softening slightly, turned and opened the door to allow passage.

The dimly lit, labyrinthine structure, resembling a temple, was illuminated as the old man pushed open a heavy stone door, letting a cascade of bright sunlight spill forth, casting its glow upon him and Lin Xi.

This was a portal to the Trial Valley, with a silver cable affixed to the door's side wall leading into the dense forest of the valley.

Lin Xi observed that there were at least a hundred silver cables emerging from this grand door, all leading into the verdant depths of the Trial Valley.

The elderly man gestured towards the silver cables, his voice low and serious: "A final piece of advice—much like a battlefield, there is no absolute fairness in the Trial Valley. While most students enter the valley through these silver cables into various regions, it cannot be guaranteed that some may be lying in wait nearby, armed. Thus, from the moment you enter the Trial Valley, be prepared to face adversaries."

Lin Xi bowed respectfully. "May I inquire your name, esteemed teacher?"

The elder regarded Lin Xi for a moment. "Luo Houyuan."

Clad in silver armor and a black mask, Lin Xi refrained from further conversation, turning to swiftly glide down the silver cable.

"Although our Yunqin Empire values respect for teachers and the way, to maintain such reverence towards an aging guide who is merely a lecturer... Deputy Dean Xia, you have indeed selected a prodigy who is somewhat exceptional," Luo Houyuan murmured to himself, watching Lin Xi's figure fade from view.

Most individuals inherently sensitive to power, such as the golden-spooned youth, would perceive this elderly man in the tattered instructor's robe as someone whose glory and future had long since departed. Only those familiar with the academy's inner workings understood the true nature of this man.

Qingluan Academy harbors a diverse array of talents; as the one-eyed black-robed instructor Tong Wei remarked, each person possesses their own desires and distinct perspectives. Within the academy, there exists individuals like Luo Houyuan, who dwell amidst the mountains and waters, eschewing fame and fortune, only revealing their prowess when faced with genuine threats.

These individuals are true recluses, and in some classified scrolls, they are designated as "Guardians of the Academy."

...

Compared to the other silver cables, this one extending from the temple-like structure was not particularly long; within mere moments, Lin Xi reached its end.

The conclusion was a dilapidated pavilion surrounded by towering wild cherry trees.

Lin Xi, clad in somewhat cumbersome black armor that he had yet to fully acclimate to, landed heavily within the pavilion. A brief glance around revealed a faint smile of resignation at the corners of his mouth behind the silver mask.

No ambushers lurked nearby, yet from the pavilion where he stood, looking back towards his entry point, he could clearly see the peaks of Qingluan Academy on that side. This indicated that the valley lay beyond the academy's towering summits. The undulating terrain of the surrounding mountains seemed endless, and the Trial Valley imparted an overwhelming sense of vastness. Although he was acutely aware that there were likely multiple instructors secretly observing every student's movements within this valley, he could not spot the wooden walkway that Luo Houyuan had mentioned.

This implied that while the exit walkway undoubtedly existed, it was scarce; even while attempting to retreat, one might unexpectedly encounter another opponent and be thrust back into a new confrontation.

Recognizing that his immediate priority was to vacate this area, Lin Xi hastily chose a direction and began to run.

However, after only a few dozen steps, he slowed down.

Initially, the black armor felt merely a tad heavy during light movement, but once he exerted himself, he sensed the warmth of energy flowing through his dantian being significantly dampened by the frigid aura emanating from the armor.

It appeared that the earlier words of Instructor Mu Qing about the suppression of cultivation within the Trial Valley were indeed true—this black armor was the source.

As Lin Xi navigated through the thicket, an unusual glimmer of black caught his eye amidst the scattered rocks.

It was a black long knife.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped closer, and as he grasped the black long knife, its slightly broad blade and the subtle natural forging patterns on its surface, along with a deep blood groove, confirmed his suspicion: this was a genuine long knife of the Yunqin Empire's border troops, akin to the one Tang Ke had previously carried!

The border troops' long knife was forged from triple steel, designed to prevent breakage during combat. After being shaped from hundred-fold steel, a piece of cold iron was embedded, and the blade was reinforced with black cloud steel. Finally, a combination of various mineral powders and the purest charcoal was used for quenching, subjected to relentless forging and tempering for three days to ensure it could sever through both flesh and armor without chipping or shattering.

Now, the characteristics of this black long knife, which was nearly a foot longer than his arm, matched perfectly, differing only in the absence of a sheath and the lack of the thick cloth strap used by border troops to prevent slipping.

Gripping the somewhat weighty black long knife, Lin Xi felt a surge of security. However, just as he was tempted to test its might against a nearby stunted, withered tree, a sudden "crack" echoed as footsteps crunched on dry branches not far behind him.

An opponent was approaching!

Startled, Lin Xi swiftly turned to face the adversary, his tension escalating upon recognizing the figure wielding a weapon.

This sudden appearance of a similarly clad opponent, donned in silver armor and black mask, brandished a black long spear.

The faintly bluish gleam of the trident spearhead and the waxy sheen of the black wooden shaft reminded Lin Xi of a stark truth: this was also a genuine local military standard long spear, known as the "Black Flower"!

The "Black Flower" spear shaft was crafted from specially tanned black vine wood, making it not only incredibly difficult to sever but also lightweight and highly flexible. Skilled soldiers could easily unleash a flurry of spear strikes, even swinging the spear in a semicircle, using its powerful elasticity to propel an opponent away, while the trident spearhead would bloom like a flower—blood flower—upon piercing.

The "Black Flower" was roughly a head taller than Lin Xi, leading him to instinctively feel at a disadvantage in this encounter.

Moreover, the right shoulder guard of his opponent's black armor bore three golden pentagram badges, while the left shoulder guard displayed one, indicating that they had at least secured a victory in the day's trials.

Lin Xi unconsciously glanced at the opponent's chest, where a black rose emblem was marked.

The opponent's gaze also settled on Lin Xi's chest, likely recognizing the silver fox insignia emblazoned there.

"You..." Lin Xi began, intending to inquire about the opponent's specialization. Yet, before he could finish a single word, the adversary had already made their move.

To Lin Xi's surprise, the first attack came in the form of a stone!

The opponent, wielding the Black Flower long spear in their right hand, suddenly moved their left hand from behind to hurl a stone the size of half a head towards Lin Xi without hesitation. As the stone was thrown, the left hand landed back on the spear, propelling the entire figure forward as the long spear thrust fiercely towards Lin Xi's abdomen.

"What a treacherous tactic!"

Lin Xi instinctively dodged the incoming stone, but the long spear thrust violently struck his abdomen.

The black armor proved remarkably resilient, absorbing the impact. The Black Flower long spear arched in a semi-circle between Lin Xi and the opponent, but the overwhelming force and the spear's inherent elasticity sent Lin Xi tumbling backward, rolling uncontrollably.

Although protected by the black armor, Lin Xi bore no visible injuries; however, the tremendous force struck him squarely, causing him to momentarily lose his breath.

"Thud!"

The second thrust of the opponent's spear came down mercilessly, but due to Lin Xi's instinctive roll, it embedded heavily into the muddy ground beside him.

This granted Lin Xi a brief respite. Gritting his teeth against the urge to vomit, he rolled several times before forcing himself to stand.

However, the opponent yanked the spear from the ground, wielding it like a staff, and struck down with tremendous force. Lin Xi had no time to evade and was struck heavily on his left shoulder, causing his body to sag and a pained cry to escape his lips.

Yet, at that moment, Lin Xi's resolve ignited. With both opponents now in close proximity, as the adversary thrust the spear again, Lin Xi stood his ground, swinging his knife fiercely towards the opponent's head.