Even if one had a tiny bit of aptitude, a tiny bit of potential, they wouldn’t be suppressed to such an extent by the Sword God Restriction.

What was the First Level of Body Tempering? Any random fierce beast inside the Azure Dragon Valley could easily kill him.

Even the lowest-level ones would be enough for him to drink a whole pot of suffering.

A genius at the Ninth Level of Body Tempering might be encountered at most once in a century.

But a piece of trash at the First Level of Body Tempering could absolutely be considered an encounter rare in a millennium.

It truly fulfilled Torin’s words, never mind getting a result. Whether he could even walk the entire course was a problem.

Sylra gritted his teeth, his expression becoming incredibly ugly.

He had never inspected Alex’s cultivation, nor had he tested his aptitude.

However, just based on the fact that this brat had lived in the cave dwelling of the Hidden Broken Sword Cave for an entire month... and wiped swords in the Hidden Sword Pavilion every day, yet remained completely safe and sound... it was enough to prove he was a rare talent not seen in a century.

Sylra also didn’t know why he would be suppressed to the First Level of Body Tempering by the Sword God Restriction.

But at this very moment, facing Torin’s mockery, he was so angry his sword-like eyebrows stood on end and his beard and hair bristled.

He immediately couldn’t suppress his anger and gritted his teeth.

"Torin, do not act so arrogant here."

"If you have the ability, how about you bet a round with me?"

"Oh?" Torin raised an eyebrow.

"Bet how?"

"Let’s bet on who can reach the mountain peak first between your Blair and my Taryn!" Sylra said coldly.

"Whoever loses will forfeit a Heaven and Earth-tier weapon to the other party!"

The other elders couldn’t help but gasp.

A bet of a Heaven and Earth-tier weapon could no longer be considered small, even the weapons they used as elders were merely High-Grade Heaven and Earth-tier.

The important thing was that this bet basically had no suspense whatsoever.

How could a mere First Level Body Tempering cultivator defeat someone at the Ninth Level? Was this a bet? This was clearly giving away a free gift.

"Heh, Senior Brother Sylra, are you certain?" Torin laughed mockingly.

"Since you are so generous, why don’t we play a bit bigger?"

"Senior and Junior Brothers, do you want to add to the pot?"

"Whoever participates, if Senior Brother Sylra loses, he will owe them a Heaven and Earth-tier weapon!"

The several elders looked at each other, clearly tempted.

Lorin was the first to step forward. "Alright, then I’ll participate too."

Nerin also stepped forward. "Count me in."

Blake lowered his head and said bashfully. "Can I bet two?"

Aside from Aerin, who did not participate, the other five all joined the bet. Without a doubt forming a united front with Torin, placing their bets on Blair.

Thinking about losing six Heaven and Earth-tier weapons, Sylra’s face turned ashen green, feeling a sharp pain in his flesh.

But right now, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say coldly with a stiff mouth.

"Hmph, just you all wait and see."

"My Taryn will absolutely not lose!"

...

Inside the valley, Alex wallowed in self-pity for a moment. Then helplessly accepted his fate and stepped onto the path leading to the mountain peak.

Ever since inheriting the position of the Hale family’s Saint Lord a thousand years ago, he had always been decisive in slaughter. Vigorous and resolute.

This feeling of being weak, small, and helpless... it was the very first time he had experienced it.

"Right now, my cultivation is merely at the First Level of Body Tempering. I should be the absolute weakest in the entire valley."

"Therefore, not only do I have to avoid other people, but I also have to avoid those fierce beasts to prevent being bitten to death in one bite."

"As for whether I can take the champion spot, that doesn’t matter anymore."

"Being able to walk the entire course safely and exit this valley alive can be considered a success!"

He absolutely did not know that Sylra had placed a bet of six Heaven and Earth-tier weapons on him.

At this moment, the thoughts in his heart were extremely simple and pure.

Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. No matter how much massive humiliation I suffer, I must survive.

Once I get out, I’ll directly use the Vault of Divine Sword Jade to blast this bullshit Azure Dragon Valley into slag.

"Meow!" Suddenly, Pearl jumped down from Alex’s shoulder and bounded happily forward.

A trace of doubt revealed itself in Alex’s eyes, he immediately followed.

Pearl ran forward about five hundred meters and arrived behind a massive boulder. Alex focused his gaze, behind the boulder shockingly hid the bloody corpse of a fierce beast.

"What... what is this?" Alex’s face was full of bewilderment, not understanding what Pearl meant.

Pearl blinked its big watery eyes, licked the blood on the fierce beast’s body with its tongue. Then smacked its lips, revealing an expression full of longing.

Alex’s expression was somewhat complicated. "You... you want to eat it?"

Pearl’s face was full of excitement as it immediately nodded its head desperately.

"...Fine, eat it." The moment Alex nodded, Pearl immediately opened its mouth and spewed out a cloud of white mist.

The white mist completely enveloped the fierce beast’s corpse. In an instant, it squeezed it into a fist-sized mass of blood essence, sucked it directly into its mouth, and let out a satisfied burp.

Alex didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Pearl, you truly have a good appetite."

But immediately after, Pearl happily bounded forward again. After running for about one mile, it found another fierce beast corpse.

Alex focused his gaze, this fierce beast corpse, just like the one before, had its meridians severed by a lightning technique and its heart pierced by a sword tip.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind, a trace of excitement revealed itself in his eyes.