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Sovereign of the Three Realms · Chapter 78

Chapter 78: The Third Task

January 17, 2020 · 5 min read · 1,037 words

"Tian Du, convey my decree. During the Hidden Dragon Trials, send additional men to lie in wait near the Marquis Jianghan's residence and protect the Jianghan estate. You shall go personally and covertly protect 's safety. Do not allow any threat to approach him."

"Your decree is received."

had never imagined that the Jiang family youth who had once been such a source of frustration would, by now, compel him—a king—to deploy his strongest forces for the young man's protection.

"… what kind of person are you, exactly?" found himself lost in thought.

Meanwhile, every corner of the Royal Capital was abuzz with reactions.

The Medicine Master Hall was ecstatic, naturally. The more powerful proved to be, the more solid their partnership with him would become, and the brighter the future would look.

No one was happier than Marquis Jianghan, . In recent days, he had remained in the Royal Capital, bearing an enormous amount of pressure. The harassment from the Dragon Rising Marquis's camp, though not overly brazen thanks to the royal family's intervention, had still weighed heavily on .

Now, at the Hidden Dragon Trials, had outshone both Long Yinye and . Even if it was only a marginal victory in one minor detail, it filled with delight.

"Chen'er, splendid work!" had not been optimistic about this second task. Especially the trip back to the Jianghan fief— had not felt confident about it in the slightest.

He knew full well that as long as he, , was present in the Jianghan fief, it was as solid as iron, and no one would dare cause trouble. But with going back alone? Whether the tribal chieftains and the clan elders would listen to 's commands was anyone's guess.

Yet the facts proved his worries were unfounded.

had not only seized control of the situation smoothly, but had also eliminated —a deeply rooted menace—in one clean stroke. When he acted, he acted decisively, and when he struck, he struck clean.

had to admit that his son's boldness and cunning surpassed even his own younger days. Being outdone by his own son? was more than happy to accept it.

He had noticed that ever since the incident at the Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony, his son had undergone a transformation that could only be described as earth-shaking.

…

The Hidden Dragon Trials continued in full swing.

The time for the third task had finally arrived. This task would involve all the feudal heirs participating in the assessment.

Task Three: The Trial of the Endless Grotto.

The Endless Grotto, located in the northeast of the Eastern Kingdom, was a wondrous subterranean world. Since the dawn of the Eastern Kingdom's history, the Endless Grotto had never been fully excavated.

Even the most extraordinary cultivators the Eastern Kingdom had ever produced had never managed to explore the Endless Grotto to its end.

No one knew whether the Endless Grotto even had an end.

No one knew where, if such an end existed, it might lie.

It was a world beneath the earth—a paradise for subterranean creatures. For the trial participants, however, that paradise could easily become a hell from which there was no return.

was tackling a first-rank task, meaning its difficulty was of the highest order.

"Collect one hundred Green Spirit Pearls, or ten Silver Spirit Pearls, or a single Gold Spirit Pearl!" stared at the task requirements, his mind going blank.

Fortunately, the task scroll included a briefing on the Endless Grotto at the bottom.

Within the Endless Grotto dwelled a wide variety of subterranean creatures, among which the Green-Winged Sword Bird was a notable species. On the crown of its head sat a luminous green Spirit Pearl.

Since the Endless Grotto was an underground world—dark, damp, and shrouded in poor visibility—this green Spirit Pearl on the Green-Winged Sword Bird's head granted it a tremendous advantage.

The Silver Spirit Pearl, on the other hand, belonged to the Silver-Winged Sword Bird—a variant of the Green-Winged Sword Bird. The Silver-Winged Sword Bird was the evolved form of its green counterpart, appearing only once in a hundred.

The Gold Spirit Pearl came from yet another evolution. The bearer was the king of the Green-Winged Sword Birds. A single one possessed power on par with a True Qi grandmaster.

From the Endless Grotto's briefing, had gained a rough understanding of what he was dealing with.

The text also mentioned, however, that the Endless Grotto harbored countless species of subterranean creatures, and the Green-Winged Sword Birds were merely one of the more common spirit beasts among them.

"All feudal heirs participating in the Hidden Dragon Trials, listen well. Tomorrow morning, assemble here. We will depart for the Endless Grotto. In three days, the third task officially begins."

Princess Gouyu announced in a clear, carrying voice: "Remember your individual quota requirements, and bear in mind the one-month time limit. Fail to complete within one month, and the task is considered failed. If you collect your quota ahead of schedule, you may exit early. This task is a matter of life and death—fate decides your outcome. Those who lack the courage may apply to withdraw."

No one at the Hidden Dragon Trials would withdraw. The feudal lord's decree was at stake; abandoning the trials was simply unthinkable.

In the world of martial cultivation, death and survival could never be avoided. Only by passing through the gauntlet of life and death could one grow, step by step.

"Very well. This temple has said all that needs to be said. Return to your estates tonight and assemble here tomorrow. Remember the appointed hour. Latecomers will not be waited for!"

Back at the Jianghan estate, locked himself inside his cultivation chamber.

This task was more complicated than the previous ones. He needed to make preparations.

As of now, was at the peak of the Eight-Meridian True Qi stage. In as little as three to five days, or at most ten days to a fortnight, he might break through to the Nine-Meridian True Qi.

End of chapter 78