The Trial Ends Early

Outside the mystic realm, everyone turned their gaze to Su Mingyuan.

Huang Siqi looked askance at Su Mingyuan, a hint of surprise in his tone. “That was a supreme-grade talisman just now, wasn't it? You certainly are generous.”

Wu Lianfeng, always straightforward, voiced the question on everyone's mind: “The Grand Primordium Sect is in such a state, yet you still have supreme-grade talismans?”

Su Mingyuan chuckled, his expression calm and composed. “My master obtained it by chance before his passing and cherished it for many years. Mingzhao is not only my personal disciple, but she also saved my life. It is only natural that I passed such a life-saving trump card to her.”

Hearing this, the crowd believed him to some extent. Many years ago, the Eastern Territory had been rich in spiritual energy, its prosperity comparable to Yunque Heavenly Capital. It was not unusual for a few supreme-grade talismans to have been left behind.

However, using it on a Qi Condensation disciple was simply too extravagant, a bit of a waste.

Wu Lianfeng tsked. “A life-saving favor? She seems more like your own daughter to me.”

Su Mingyuan waved his hand. “There was only one. Rather than letting it gather dust in the sect, it was better to give it to my disciple to save her life. Besides, if I hadn't passed it to Mingzhao, I'm afraid none of our disciples would have made it out today.”

Everyone deeply agreed. Although a supreme-grade talisman was expensive, without it, all of their disciples would have perished inside. They had to acknowledge this debt of gratitude.

Xie Huairen couldn't help but press, “Just one? Are there any more?”

Su Mingyuan gave a bitter smile. “If there were more, I would have sold them long ago. You all know what state the Grand Primordium Sect is in right now.”

These words were honest. For the Grand Primordium Sect to produce even one was indeed their absolute limit.

Zhou Bupo stepped forward to interrupt their conversation. “Everyone, this trial has been fraught with unexpected events, and the remaining disciples' spiritual energy has been completely drained by the toxic bugs. For safety's sake, in my opinion, let us end this trial here.”

Huang Siqi nodded, and the other sect masters expressed their agreement as well.

After agreeing on the decision, Zhou Bupo turned toward Xue Mingzhao's direction and projected his voice, “Uh... disciple of the Grand Primordium Sect, now that the trial is over, please help everyone crush their jade plaques so they can come out.”

Xue Mingzhao's voice rang out from the Floating Light Array Disk, sounding rather cheerful: “Understood! Tell them to get their spirit stones ready and wait for me!”

Zhou Bupo's mouth twitched. Hearing her tone, anyone who didn't know better would think she had kidnapped their disciples and was waiting to collect the ransom.

Su Ye was the first to be teleported out, followed by Shen Chaoyue, Yun Yanchen, and the others, one by one, as Xue Mingzhao crushed their jade plaques.

Before crushing her own jade plaque last, Xue Mingzhao cast a regretful look at the mystic realm one last time. “Sigh, I have to leave without taking anything.”

The Chaos Spiritual Root chimed in: “Why don't you just carry the whole mystic realm away then?”

Xue Mingzhao's eyes lit up again. “How do I do that?”

The Chaos Spiritual Root was rendered completely speechless by her serious expression. “With your meager Qi Condensation cultivation, you can't even break a single remnant rune of the mystic realm's formation, yet you want to carry the mystic realm away? You're daydreaming!”

Xue Mingzhao completely ignored its cold mockery. Applying pressure with her fingertips, she decisively crushed her identity jade plaque.

A blinding white light instantly enveloped her body. In the next moment, her figure vanished entirely from the empty lakeshore of the mystic realm, teleporting her out of the venue.

Outside the mystic realm, a flash of white light appeared, and Xue Mingzhao landed steadily on the ground.

Su Mingyuan, who had been waiting nearby, quickly rushed over to meet her. “Mingzhao, you must never take such risks again. Fortunately, you had the supreme-grade talisman left by your Grandmaster this time, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

Xue Mingzhao blinked. “I have worried you, Master. I will remember your words.”

She then turned around, giving a sweet smile to the sect masters present, and bowed respectfully. “Junior Xue Mingzhao, personal disciple of Su Mingyuan of the Grand Primordium Sect, greets all the sect masters.”

Seeing this, the sect masters' favorable impression of her increased significantly.

Just moments ago, Xue Mingzhao had stepped in to save all the endangered disciples, preserving the new generation of cultivators for each sect. This was a tremendous favor. Now, seeing her humble, polite, and well-mannered behavior, they immediately cast aside their previous teasing thoughts and praised her sincerely.

“The Grand Primordium Sect truly produces outstanding talents!”

“The crisis in the mystic realm this time was entirely resolved thanks to your intervention, young friend! This is truly a boundless merit!”

“Words cannot express our gratitude. This life-saving favor is something all of our sects will firmly keep in mind!”

Xue Mingzhao accepted the praise with a beaming smile. But in the next second, her tone suddenly shifted, the smile on her face fading slightly, replaced by a perfectly timed look of weakness.

She frowned slightly, her tone tinged with regret. “It's just a pity about that supreme-grade talisman left by my Grandmaster. It was the only treasure our entire sect had left. Even Master himself couldn't bear to use it, yet he passed it to me.”

She coughed softly, lowering her eyes to feign physical exhaustion as she continued to set the stage. “Moreover, fighting that demon beast just now completely exhausted my spiritual energy. I'm afraid it has damaged my foundation. I will probably have to slowly recover in the thin spiritual energy of the Grand Primordium Sect for half a year to a year before I can get better.”

Then, her gaze turned clear and upright, showing a self-sacrificing demeanor as she spoke firmly, “But to be able to save so many fellow cultivators, it was all worth it. I don't regret it in the slightest!”

Wu Lianfeng's mouth twitched. She had instantly obliterated the opponent with a single talisman, so where exactly was she injured?

The sect masters looked at each other and laughed, understanding her intentions perfectly. How could they not hear the underlying message? She was reminding them to pay up.

They all knew very well that the Eastern Territory's spiritual energy was barren and its sects were declining. A supreme-grade talisman was something even their major sects might not be willing to use to save others.

To have such a precious trump card completely used up in exchange for tens of thousands of spirit stones as compensation was entirely reasonable. They would not be so stingy as to withhold it, let alone be ungrateful.

Huang Siqi was the first to step forward. With a frank and gentle expression, he said, “I am Huang Siqi, the Sect Master of the Heavenly Origin Sect. My Heavenly Origin Sect has twenty disciples in total. Here is one million spirit stones. Please take them.”

Xue Mingzhao accepted the spirit stones with both hands and quickly looked up at the Sect Master of the Heavenly Origin Sect. So, this was Huang Siqi.

Back in Sunset Valley, she had originally intended to go to the Heavenly Origin Sect, hoping to ride the female lead's coattails and join his sect.

Instead, by a twist of fate, she had saved Su Mingyuan and ended up in the Grand Primordium Sect.

She never expected that the first time she met him in person, it wouldn't be to apprentice under him, but to collect money.

Suppressing the slight irony in her heart, she said with a bright smile, “Sect Master Huang is truly generous.”

Huang Siqi took out another jade plaque and handed it over. “Supreme-grade talismans are priceless, and you saved so many of my Heavenly Origin Sect's disciples. I shall grant you a promise. If you face any difficulties in the future, bring this jade plaque to the Heavenly Origin Sect to find me. As long as it is within my power, I will not refuse.”

He had witnessed Xue Mingzhao's performance in the mystic realm with his own eyes.

Although her cultivation was low, she had learned the Mind-Clearing Spell in a single breath. Her talent and comprehension far surpassed her peers.

Faced with multiple fatal crises, while the other disciples panicked and lost their composure, she alone remained unfazed, calmly resolving the situation and saving everyone. Her courage and state of mind were top-tier.

It was truly a pity for such an excellent seed to be stuck in the barren and declining Grand Primordium Sect. If she was willing to join the Heavenly Origin Sect in the future, he would definitely spare no effort to nurture her.