Immortal of the Ages

After mulling over the questions, though they were as tricky as a coiled snake, they didn't stump Yun Xiao. Sixty breaths later, he stood up, sweeping his robes aside with a flourish, and declared to Song Ze and the ten overseeing teachers, "I'm done!"

The newcomers, deep in their brain-wracking session, almost toppled over in shock to see someone turning in their work so soon. For them, the stakes were sky-high at the Primordial Academy!

Especially for those from the lower worlds, success here meant glory that would shine through ages, a legacy for generations.

Lian Xi, worried, asked, "Did you really breeze through that?"

Yun Xiao, with a chuckle, responded, "Piece of cake."

"Really? But I've heard the Academy's tests of spirit are the toughest. Even the brightest sparks have stumbled here," Lian Xi said.

"They just weren't straight shooters," Yun Xiao quipped with a grin.

Lian Xi, now almost in awe, nodded in agreement.

As time dragged on, the room buzzed with anticipation. Finally, after a long half hour, papers were collected, and many a candidate staggered up, legs shaky, backs drenched.

Yun Xiao, eyeing the heap of extensively scribbled papers, wondered aloud, "Why'd they write novels?"

Lian Xi just sighed.

Then came the thrill—the senior teachers began their review right then and there. They huddled, occasionally casting bewildered looks at Yun Xiao.

And so, with a dramatic flair, Song Ze announced the scores. A perfect score was 30 points.

"Tian Qingxue, with 28 points, A leader in the making!"

In the crowd, a young girl about 12 or 13 flashed a confident smile.

Then, the scoring continued, each person receiving their evaluation from a teacher.

"Why does it seem like we're going from high scores to low?" Yun Xiao wondered aloud.

"You're just realizing this now?" Lian Xi facepalmed.

"Darn, what about me?" Yun Xiao had a bad feeling.

The scores were announced swiftly.

At this point, a score of nine was declared, followed by the remark, "This is the second to last for today."

Suddenly, all eyes turned to Yun Xiao.

With an impassive face, the announcer declared, "Yun Xiao, zero points, evaluation; a desperate fugitive with a twisted mind!"

Yun Xiao was petrified.

Laughter erupted around him.

"That's it, I'm convinced."

"How many years has it been since the Primordial Academy saw such a uniquely scoreless talent?"

"My mother said, scoring zero in this test usually means there's something off upstairs..."

Even Uncle River was taken aback.

"Let me see!" He grabbed Yun Xiao's answers and scanned them.

"Darn." His initially puzzled expression cleared up immediately.

"Calm down," Lian Xi hurried to console.

"I am calm." Frozen, yet with a serene expression, Yun Xiao remarked, "The Primordial Ruins are shackled by too much chaos and disorder, blurring the lines between saints and devils. That's why a normal person like me seems abnormal here."

Lian Xi paused, digesting his words.

Without saying more, she took Yun Xiao's hand and smiled sweetly. Her gesture said, "No matter what, I'm here for you."

For Yun Xiao, the understanding of the world didn't matter.

Having her get it was enough.

"I propose we frame his test paper and hang it at the academy's gates for all in the Primordial Ruins to see just how twisted his insides are," came a chilly female voice from the crowd.

Heads turned to find Huyan Pin speaking.

"Enough with the nonsense," Uncle River chided sternly before instructing Song Ze, "Next round."

"Understood!" Song Ze nodded.

"There are only 70 points left. Thirty for the second round and 40 for the third. You need to score over 60, or it'll be trouble," Lian Xi cautioned Yun Xiao.

Yun Xiao got her drift. Too many eyes in the Primordial Ruins were fixed on them, a place laden with shackles. Not just her, but even her master, Dean Yu, was bound by countless restraints.

"No worries," Yun Xiao assured with a nod.

The next challenge was the Bronze Men Formation.

Bronze Men, celestial automatons, tailored to each participant's age, awaited them for a head-on battle.

This was a walk in the park for Yun Xiao!

He stepped into the arena, his Flying Sword whirling out, turning dozens of Bronze Men into dust that settled into three words on the ground—Lian Xi's Hubby.

The overseeing teacher, begrudgingly, awarded him 30 points.

The final round, worth 40 points, loomed ahead.

This was the main event, the ultimate test!

"Form up, we're heading into the Demon Prison!" Song Ze announced to the newcomers with a grave look, "A reminder, the third round with the Demon Prison simulates a real demon-slaying mission. There'll be no elders to watch over or protect you. You'll enter an unsupervised realm and rely on teamwork to slay demons and pass. The trials set by the Primordial Academy mirror life itself. How you communicate, collaborate, unite, and fight within a group defines your lifetime!"

Yun Xiao was puzzled.

He thought today's test would be a breeze, but it turned out to be more complex than he imagined.

Heading into a real Demon Prison?

"How are we splitting up?" Yun Xiao quizzed Lian Xi.

"Based on the prowess you showed in the second round, the teachers will team you up with four others. You're strong, so your teammates might be less so. They aim to balance the overall strength of each five-man squad," Lian Xi explained.

"And how do they score us in a place even a supervising teacher can't see?" Yun Xiao was puzzled.

"It's all about how many demons your team takes down. Doesn't matter who does what; the score's split five ways at the end," Lian Xi said.

"Darn, so I'm stuck carrying dead weight and sharing the spoils? What kind of sense does that make?" Yun Xiao couldn't help but protest.

"Truth be told, the real test here is about the human spirit, teamwork, and rivalry... It's a measure of one's true mettle. The Primordial Academy stresses one thing: Talent's just the hand you're dealt. How you play it often counts for more. Many with a full deck end up folding early, and that's why," Lian Xi earnestly put forth.

"Fair point, but let's not get carried away." Yun Xiao wasn't all that taken with the academy's philosophy. All he knew was he'd be lumped with four laggards.

And sure enough! A quarter hour later, he was staring down at four kids, none older than twelve.

"Y-Yun Bro, hi!"

Seeing Yun Xiao's strength, they were at least sensible.

Their good manners spared them Yun Xiao's scorn.

With all teams set, some were jittery about entering the Demon Prison, where real and fierce demons were locked up.

Then, right before Yun Xiao's eyes, the ground shook, and a circular cavern yawned open.

In a blink, a surge of demonic aura blasted up from the abyss below, bringing with it ferocious roars of brutality.

"Once you descend, your fate's in your own hands! The Primordial Academy doesn't care for excuses, only the Blood Crystals you bring back," Song Ze announced, his voice as cold as ice.

It was clear; it was every man for himself down there.

"This is truly a trial by fire on the path to immortality," Yun Xiao sneered.

No elders to watch over, no one to know if you'd breathed your last.

It was like stepping onto a battlefield of demons, where luck was your best ally.

Yet, Yun Xiao's blood boiled with anticipation.

"Go!" One by one, young souls, eyes ablaze with passion for their dreams, leaped into the Demon Prison.

Yun Xiao, with his four young charges in tow, was the last to enter.

BOOM! The gates of the Demon Prison slammed shut.

They wouldn't open again for half an hour...

A hush fell over the place.

"Song Bomei," Huyan Pin glanced at the man beside her.

"In there, Yun Xiao's without Lian Xi's protection. No heavens to hear his cries, no earth to heed his calls, with all blame laid at the feet of demons..." Song Bomei smirked coldly, his hands coming together, hiding a white worm that slowly came to life within his grasp.

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