Awakening of the Ancient: Rise of the Fallen

"You look awfully similar to someone I know. Are you Xu Ming's brother?" 

A man saw Xu Ming and walked up to him.

"I'm Xu Ming, brother Zi Zhenfeng," Xu Ming replied.

"Hmm? Have you been drinking milk? Your growth is so fast," Zi Zhenfeng said to Xu Ming in surprise.

"Yeah, I had some growth. I was told that it's because of my sudden breakthrough to the Spirit Establishment Realm that I grew up," Xu Ming answered him.

"Hmm? Is that really possible? I thought these were just rumors?" Zi Zhenfeng asked with a frown.

"Of Course it's possible. Can't you see yourself? The proof is right before your eyes," Wu Tian said as he entered their conversation.

"Hmm? Wu Tian, you're here as well? Sorry, I didn't see you," Zi Zhenfeng said as he shifted his focus to Wu Tian.

"How's your health now? I heard that you were sick? I was worried about your life, you know" He continued.

"Of Course I'm fine. And don't act ignorant. I know that it was you that spread that rumor about me. Even my master believed that rumor and came to check up on me!" Wu Tian said. He looked quite irritated as he thought about it.

"Isn't that a good thing? It shows that your master cares for you," Zi Zhenfeng said smilingly.

"There's no benefit in talking to you. You're just a person that loves chaos. You'll never accept it," Wu Tian said.

"Oh, right, I just realized. How are you inside the arena? Did you break through to the 2nd Stage of Spirit Establishment Realm already? Are you a monster in disguise?" Zi Zhenfeng asked Xu Ming.

Xu Ming just looked at him awkwardly. All he could reply was that he was lucky.

"When is the test going to start?" Xu Ming asked as he looked around. Only outer sect disciples could be seen inside.

"I don't know, There's no information yet. We don't even know what the test will be about. It should be quite different this time. There are many more participants since they decreased the participation criteria," Zi Zhenfeng let out.

He had just finished saying when they saw 3 people walking inside.

They seemed like they were all in their early 20s. They were wearing a uniform of the inner sect disciples.

Xu Ming could see that they had a way higher cultivation than him.

'Gold Realm Cultivators,' He thought as he looked at them.

"Everyone Silence! My name is Silus and I will be overseeing the selection exams this time," The man standing at the center announced.

The disciples turned silent before he continued speaking.

"The exams this time will be quite simple, but most of you won't be able to pass. There are around 1000 of you, but only 60 amongst you will pass the exams. That's the criteria set by the exams and that's what will happen. Now it depends on you if you're one of those 60 or not," Silus further said.

"I guess I'll let you join my team," Zi Zhenfeng said to Wu Tian and Xu Ming.

"What made you think that I'll let you be the leader? I'll be the leader. You can join my team," Wu Tian said.

"There's no need for a leader, right? If there ever comes a need, we can select a leader?" Xu Ming told them. He could feel that Wu Tian and Zi Zhenfeng were like friends. Zi Zhenfeng was an annoying friend while Wu Tian was a serious friend.

"Sigh, Let it be that way then. If worse comes to worst, I and Xu Ming can just vote you out of the team," Zi Zhenfeng said to Wu Tian.

"Hey Brother Zi, Brother Wu, how about the 3 of us form a team?" A beautiful girl walked up to them and asked.

"Sorry, but we already have a team," Wu Tian and Zi Zhenfeng both said at the same time.

"Oh," the girl disappointed walked away.

It didn't end with her, though. Many people came to them to ask them to form a team together, but Zi Zhenfeng and Wu Tian kept denying everyone.

"Time's up! Everyone, stand together with your team members. Keep a distance of at least 5 meters with other teams so that I can see," Silus said.

Everyone followed his orders and separated accordingly. Fortunately, there was not a single person that was without a team.

"Alright. Come forward one after another and write your names team-wise so that we can know who was in which team," Silus told everyone.

One after another, people kept coming forward and writing their names.

It took another half an hour before everyone was ready.

"Good. Now let me explain the test. It's survival!" Silus said as a smirk formed on his face 

"There's a vast forest behind the Martial Arena. It's spread for many miles. It contains many beasts inside it that would kill you on sight, fortunately, for this year, the High Spirit Grade Beast and higher have been removed from the forest, but the Lower Spirit Grade Beasts are also during and they can tear you to pieces," He continued.

"So we have to survive in the forest?" Xu Ming muttered as he tried to guess.

"You will all enter the forest. You can all stick together or go randomly, but after a few hours, we will drop 20 Enlightening balls inside randomly. The balls have a specialty that they shine so brightly at night that one can see a bright pillar of light on the location of the ball. They can't be hidden inside clothes or placed in storage rings,"

"Your mission is to stay 7 nights in the forest. The people that came out on the 8th day with that ball will pass the test along with their team," Silus finished explaining.

"So it's about surviving with the ball. That's quite an interesting concept. The ball will be a bright beacon of light that will attract the other teams towards the holder during the night. The holder would be targeted by everyone for the ball. So to pass the test, one might have to go against all the teams. Many people might die in this," Wu Tian said with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Indeed. The ones that have the ball will have a chance to win, but they will be targeted as well. It seems like a double-edged sword that might give you victory, but it can even cut your own hand," Zi Zhenfeng replied.

"The real problem is the numbers. There are only 20 teams that will have the ball and there are 334 teams in total. In the best situation, A team will only fight 1 team, but in the worst situation, the team might have to save 314 teams," Wu Tian said as he frowned.

"That best plan will be to stay away from the ball until the 7th night," Xu Ming told his suggestion.

"Indeed, We can get the ball on the last night. That will be easier than protecting it for 7 nights and there will be fewer teams left as well," Zi Zhenfeng said as he nodded his head.

"We should follow that strategy. Don't pick up the ball if you find it," Wu Tian said.

"Oh right, If you come across the enlightening ball, you must pick it up or you will be disqualified," Silus announced.

"That's alright. It's not like the ball will land right beside us," Zi Zhenfeng said with a wry smile on his face.

"Alright. Everyone, time to enter the forest. Follow behind me," Silus let out as he started walking towards the end of the hall.

Everyone followed him and they were brought to a door that was locked. Silus opened the door and finally, everyone was able to see the forest.

"Enter. The balls will be dropped in the evening. You can check the location if you wish," Silus said as he stepped aside.

The outer disciples started entering the forest. None of them seemed like they were in a hurry to enter at the moment and everything finished smoothly.

Silus locked the door after everyone entered.

"I knew that the inner sect had an entire forest inside, but I didn't expect it to be so magnificent. The air feels so nice," Zi Zhenfeng said as he stepped through the forest.

"The inner sect has many more amazing places. That's why the outer sect disciples try to enter the inner sect. I personally like the practice hall where we can practice our skills at their full strength without causing destruction. The outer sect should have a place like that as well," Wu Tian said.

Slowly, the teams spread out in the forest.