"Let's not mention the history of the Sea Spiral Holy Institute, which isn't even five hundred billion years old. Even if it truly were an empire with such a long legacy, how could there be no records or rumors at all? Is that possible?"
"And who, exactly, approved such a report that sounds like utter nonsense?"
Instantly, the entire palace fell silent.
Moments later, a middle-aged man beside the elder slowly spoke, "It seems it was you, Elder, who rushed the internal meeting, so it was approved..."
Instantly, the elder's face stiffened, extremely embarrassed.
"Ahem!" After coughing twice, the elder waved his hand and continued, "This... bragging about oneself is quite normal; even our Sea Spiral Holy Institute has done such things. So, it's understandable, young people have vanity and might exaggerate their descriptions to puff themselves up."
"When the time comes, help make alterations, changing it to fifty thousand years, about right. Toward young people, we should adopt a tolerant attitude, 'embracing all rivers,' which is the true demeanor of our Sea Spiral Holy Institute."
"A small mistake by a young person shouldn't be nitpicked, understood?"
The elder's words left the crowd dumbfounded and in awe.
After a good while, the people snapped back to reality.
"Indeed, Elder Zheng is right, what profound insights."
"Elder Zheng's golden words, I'll record them immediately, carve them into a plaque, and hang it above my bedhead to contemplate day and night."
"These words will benefit me for a lifetime, thanks to Elder Zheng's guidance."
In the palace, a chorus of flattery ensued, with Elder Zheng nodding incessantly.
On the other side, the middle-aged man, nodding helplessly, continued watching the scene unfold before him.
He had not expected that the Overlord Alliance's people would collide with Lin Qian so soon.
"The Fierce Hunting Clan..."
This clan, renowned within the Sea Spiral Holy Institute, derives its talents from their souls.
Naturally hunters, once they set their sights on prey, there's no shaking off their soul's lock, and they're thoroughly tracked.
During combat, their innate combat prowess is terrifying, even seasoned hunters possess unsettling expertise.
They can understand your habits in the shortest amount of combat time, see through your weaknesses, then strike accordingly.
Ordinary members of the Fierce Hunting Clan appear lazy, showing lack of interest in other things, but once they target their prey, they become exhilarated, their originally dark gray skin turning to a vibrant red, radiating intense heat.
Terrifying power, fierce hunters.
Such is the Fierce Hunting Clan!
In the dense forest, the Trialists of the Fierce Hunting Clan, wherever they passed, exhibited dominance, countless Spirit Woods crashing down, the ground marked with deep ravines.
"Getting close, this presence..." the tall, robust man of the Fierce Hunting Clan, just as the middle-aged man had envisioned, his body's skin had turned vibrant red and emitted terrifying heat, steaming the surrounding air.
"It's you!" Bursting out of the dense woods, a robust man from the Fierce Hunting Clan charged into a valley, his right fist suddenly smashing forward as the ground behind him exploded, raising dust.
At the same time, standing in the center of the valley, the figure faced the charging Fierce Hunting Clan trialist without backing down.
The golden red Thunderbolt Power filled his body, and the roar of the Thunder Dragon resounded from within him as his hair flew wildly and his fist collided with that of the Fierce Hunting Clan trialist.
The fists, differing in size by double, collided at the center of the valley, creating high-temperature steam and interweaving with the golden red thunder, making the entire space seem to pause.
A violent booming sound erupted; from the center of their clash, the fierce punch sent shockwaves in all directions, stirring up layers of dust, which rose up high.
The surrounding mountains of the valley shook violently but did not collapse, clearly showing that the geology of this planet, under the dense Spiritual Energy, was not as fragile as the artificially formed surface of Soul Martial Star.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
At that moment, a fierce wind suddenly started swirling in the middle of the valley, howling as it cleared the dense dust to reveal the scene at the center.
At this moment, the two figures stood face to face, a mere thirty feet apart.
Not only that, but the ground beneath their feet had also cracked and sunk down more than ten feet, with only the spots they stood upon remaining intact.
"Kuang Zhan, you're fierce!" The tall man from the Fierce Hunting Clan, his red skin deepening in color, grinned at Lin Qian in front of him. "Impressive, Human Clan!"
"Lin Qian, you're not bad either." Looking at the tall foreign figure before him, Lin Qian also smiled, his eyes filled with admiration. "It's been a long time since I felt what it's like to have tingling hands."
"So have I!" Kuang Zhan proudly declared, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit. Rubbing his right hand, he looked at Lin Qian, "But for the interests of the Overlord Alliance and our agreement, an unstable factor like you can only be dealt with in three ways."
"First, ensure you won't compete for the top ten rankings and withdraw from the competition, just making sure you can enter the Sea Spiral Holy Institute. Given your abilities, and the power of the Starry Sky Blue Phoenix clan, it should be a piece of cake for you."
"Second, join us in the Overlord Alliance, affiliating with our Fierce Hunting Clan. That way, we can at least secure you a top fifty ranking."
"Third, be expelled from the Trial Land and completely lose your qualification to enter the Saint Institute."
After presenting the three choices, Kuang Zhan looked at Lin Qian, waiting for his decision: "What will you choose?"
Lin Qian remained silent, not immediately responding. Instead, suddenly from a distance, a streak of light emerged and struck towards him.
This streak of light, very clear to Kuang Zhan, who narrowed his eyes—this was a key element of the trial: the Mark!
The Mark, like a streak of light, entered Lin Qian's body.
"Hmm?" At this, Lin Qian suddenly showed a hint of surprise in his eyes. The Mark inside his body felt like a gentle stream, flowing through him, extraordinarily comfortable. This power was incredibly soft and gentle, and his Soul Energy inside became even more solidified, boosting his strength even further.
At the same time, a faint light surfaced on Lin Qian's body, barely noticeable.
Unless one possessed significant strength and exceptional vision, it would be difficult to see.
"A mark?" This scene took Kuang Zhan by surprise; clearly, one of Lin Qian's servants must have defeated a trialist, causing the Mark to transfer to him.
Following this, the surrounding trees surged, and the Red Rabbit Army emerged continuously from the woods. The iron hooves of the red warhorses tapping on the ground produced a clear sound, drawing attention.
Kuang Zhan's heart pounded as he realized that he was completely surrounded.