Ming Qi rested in Santai Town for three days, but he was curious because the patrolman's death seemed to have caused no commotion at all, with little discussion on the streets.
During these three days, Ming Qi did tour Santai Town.
He also discovered that warriors of the fourth and fifth levels of the acquired realm abounded in Santai Town, and even occasionally encountered powerful innate masters.
However, Ming Qi was concerned because there had been no news of Zi Yuan during these three days. However, he knew that the little boy named Zheng Yao seemed to possess a mysterious object that could peer into the void. If Zi Yuan still wanted to retrieve the Zi Yuan feather, she would definitely come looking for him.
On the morning of the fourth day, Ming Qi packed up and headed for the Biyou Sect's entrance exam.
The Biyou Sect's entrance exam took place in the vast square in the center of Santai Town. When Ming Qi arrived, the square was already packed with people. A large number of acquired realm warriors were pouring in.
Although the Biyou Sect wasn't considered a powerful monastic sect, it still held immense power within a thousand-mile radius, and many sought to enter its ranks.
It's worth noting that the Biyou Sect also boasted several innately powerful cultivators.
Soon after Ming Qi arrived at the square, he heard countless exclamations.
"Look! The Biyou Sect's masters are here!"
Ming Qi followed the crowd and looked up, only to see dozens of emerald green lights drifting from the distant sky.
In the blink of an eye, these emerald green lights rapidly grew larger, and Ming Qi saw that they were truly enormous leaves. Atop each leaf stood a long-robed Biyou Sect disciple, standing proudly.
Leading this group of Biyou Sect disciples was an elderly man in white, with a white beard and eyebrows, wielding a white flying sword, resembling a great sword master.
"Ah, am I seeing things right? Could the person piloting the flying sword be Prince Xu, the Sword-wielding Elder and one of the three great elders of the Biyou Sect?"
"Is it really Prince Xu, the 'Sword God'?!"
"See? That's a leaf from the Biyou Divine Tree, the Biyou Sect's treasured treasure. With just one leaf, even a mortal can fly!"
Ming Qi heard someone whisper nearby.
"I know the Biyou Divine Tree, but legend has it that it grew from a divine seed planted by a powerful ancient figure. This tree naturally holds immense energy, capable of supporting even a mortal's flight for dozens of days."
Ming Qi had memories of the Biyou Divine Tree, and seeing it with his own eyes was awe-inspiring.
But his focus now was on the elder in the lead, Prince Xu, the Sword-wielding Elder of the Biyou Sect. He could soar through the skies with a flying sword—a truly terrifying presence!
As they spoke, a dozen or so Biyou Sect disciples had already arrived above the square. Then, a flash of green light appeared, and one by one, they gathered up their sacred tree leaves and descended to the ground.
Prince Xu also sheathed his flying sword and stood steadily in the center of the square, where a seat had been prepared for them.
Prince Xu landed, briefly scanning the crowd around him, then walked directly to the center of the square and sat down. The other Biyou Sect disciples formed two rows and stood on either side of Prince Xu.
"The sect's prestige is truly extraordinary!"
Seeing the spirited Biyou Sect cultivators, Ming Qi couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Ming Qi also knew that it would be impossible for a casual martial arts practitioner, unaffiliated with a sect, to possess such grandeur and aura.
Random martial arts practitioners are always a vulnerable group, constantly in a passive and awkward position in the predatory world of cultivators. It was precisely because of this that Ming Qi considered joining a sect.
Soon, a resounding voice echoed in the square. It was a disciple of the Biyou Sect, having received instructions from Crown Prince Xu.
"Everyone, according to custom, our Biyou Sect's entrance examination should be held in Santai Town. However, this year is an exception. This time, the entrance examination will be held at the Xihe Ancient Battlefield, a hundred miles north of Santai Town. The venue has been set up. Those interested in participating should depart immediately and arrive before noon!"
"What? The Xihe Ancient Battlefield!"
Upon hearing that the examination would be held at the Xihe Ancient Battlefield, site of the great war between humans and demons hundreds of years ago, everyone in the square began to murmur.
"The Xihe Ancient Battlefield?"
Ming Qi began to search his memories, and soon he had gathered information about the Xihe Ancient Battlefield.
Three hundred years ago, a massive battle between demons and human cultivators took place there, resulting in the deaths of countless demons and human cultivators, and rumor has it that even powerful innate cultivators perished.
These things were nothing to a cultivator, but for ordinary people, the Xihe region was a mysterious and terrifying place of great danger.
For a moment, everyone was so excited about the terrifying reputation of the Xihe Ancient Battlefield that they had forgotten the rule of arriving before noon.
But how could Ming Qi not see this?
It was already morning, and there were only three hours left until noon. In three hours, they had to cover over a hundred miles, and they had to maintain their strength for the upcoming test.
This was a test of endurance and wisdom.
Thus, only those with a deep understanding of their own abilities and the ability to allocate their energy wisely could pass the test.
Ming Qi had a plan in mind. Glancing around, he spotted a man on the edge of the square, watching the excitement. Delighted, he trotted over and bought the horse without a second thought.
With a horse to carry them, he could naturally conserve his energy for the upcoming test.
Thump, thump, thump!
The clatter of hurried hooves echoed, and Ming Qi, aloft in a cloud of dust, was the first to set off.
"This kid has some wisdom."
Sitting on a large chair in the center of the square, Crown Prince Xu casually glanced at Ming Qi.
"Fifth level of the Acquired Realm, quite intelligent. Basically meets the requirements. I just wonder if he can survive the formations arranged by the Sect Master."
Not only did Crown Prince Xu know Ming Qi's strength intimately, but even from his mere presence, he could grasp every ounce of information about everyone in the square, to the point of knowing everything by heart.
It wasn't until Ming Qi galloped out of Santai Town and disappeared onto the main road that the people in the square who had come to take the test suddenly realized their mistake and immediately deployed their full strength, rushing towards the Xihe Ancient Battlefield.
A small number, intimidated by the strange and treacherous nature of the Xihe Ancient Battlefield, immediately abandoned their plans.
Despite these abandonments, the number of Acquired Realm cultivators leaving Santai Town and heading towards the Xihe Ancient Battlefield still exceeded a thousand!
Swish, swish, swish!
Countless figures gathered, the initial crowd gradually dispersing. An hour later, the avenue was deserted.
Ming Qi had already far surpassed the others. In just over an hour, he had already covered seventy or eighty miles, and estimated that he would reach the Xihe Ancient Battlefield in another half an hour.
"This Biyou Sect's entrance examination is quite unique. I wonder what it will be like next. I'm really looking forward to it."
Ming Qi thought as he galloped along.
Just then, a mournful, bereaved voice suddenly cried out from behind him: "Beautiful lady, don't run! Wait for me!"
Hearing this, Ming Qi almost stumbled and fell from his horse. Just as he was about to turn around and scold the brain-dead person behind him, a cold wind suddenly blew by, and a graceful figure sprinted forward.
The woman, as she sped past Ming Qi, unconsciously glanced back, but her pace showed no sign of slowing down.
At this sight, Ming Qi was instantly struck by a sense of wonder. While this woman wasn't breathtakingly stunning, her appearance was definitely worthy of the term "cold and elegant," a pure, cold, and stunning beauty, an icy beauty.
Ming Qi marveled, wondering how there were so many beauties in this world. He had to remember that most of the beauties in his past life were artificially created, but here, there was no high-tech involved; everything was completely natural.
Whoa!
A few breaths later, a handsome young man in elegant attire, as fast as a galloping warhorse, rushed towards him from behind like a whirlwind.
Needless to say, this was the man whose madness was caused by the sight of a beautiful woman.
Ming Qi didn't bother to pay attention to him. Unexpectedly, he slowed down as he approached Ming Qi, glanced at him with his handsome face, and suddenly looked up at the sky in surprise, exclaiming, "Look! There's a moon!"
"Moon?"
Ming Qi was startled, and instinctively wanted to look up.
Seeing Ming Qi fall, the handsome young man flashed a sly smile. Suddenly, he grabbed Ming Qi with both hands, attempting to push him off the horse.
The boy's reaction was incredibly fast, and even though Ming Qi was prepared, he was caught red-handed.
"Boy, get off!"
The young man in elegant attire shouted, exerting force with both arms.
But Ming Qi was no ordinary man. His five years of physical training hadn't been in vain. Upon being attacked, he exerted his strength, clinging to the saddle like a rock, unmoving the young man's grasp.
"You want to attack me? You're a bit naive!"
Ming Qi showed no mercy. As he spoke, he swung his right fist and delivered a powerful punch.
But the young man in elegant attire was no ordinary man. Seeing Ming Qi's fist coming with a powerful gust of wind, he instantly shook his arm, and his entire body moved like a fish, dodging Ming Qi's punch with a single twist.
However, as he did so, he suddenly lost control of his body and fell straight down.
The young man in fancy clothes didn't get angry after falling to the ground. He scrambled to his feet and shouted, "I want to pick up that girl. Help me!"
Seeing the young man's ruffian attitude, Ming Qi was both angry and amused. He laughed heartily and said, "Pick up your sister!" Then, ignoring him, he continued forward.
The Xihe Ancient Battlefield was approaching, and he didn't have the time to waste it here.
After a while, Ming Qi saw a vast, empty space before him. It was shrouded in a white mist, so deep and profound that the mere sight of it gave him an eerie feeling.
Dozens of people were already standing outside the mist.
Ming Qi immediately knew he had arrived at the Xihe Ancient Battlefield.