The next day, early in the morning.

The students who had been in the training base for a whole day, all prepared themselves according to the instructor’s instructions, and then arrived at the other side’s gate before 7 o’clock.

"Squawk!"

With a piercing shriek, the Rhinoceros Horned Crane circled above everyone’s heads.

At the moment of diving down and being about tens of metres away, Dong Xuan and Zhi Zhengqing jumped off together.

One relying on his strong body and the other on the lightness effect of his robe, both landed on the ground steadily.

"Classmates, the survival trial will officially begin today and will last for seven days."

"After discussions between Branch conductor Zhi and myself, all the rules have been confirmed. Please pay close attention to my following words and listen carefully."

"Yes!"

The students shouted in unison.

After yesterday’s experience, no matter how they performed, everyone had gained something more or less.

Whether they were nervous or excited about the journey ahead, once the gears of time began to turn, they could only forge ahead.

"This trial does not seek ’brutal competition’."

As soon as Dong Xuan started speaking, he finalized the basic policy, repeatedly emphasizing:

"As inexperienced new Patrons, the academy hopes that your first exploration of nature will focus on participation and experience."

"Among you, no form of fighting, insulting, robbing, or framing is allowed... those who violate this will be dealt with corresponding punishment depending on the seriousness of their actions."

As soon as this was said, there were immediately sounds of annoyance from the group of students.

Ye Hanjun glanced over and saw that they were all young boys and girls who liked to show off in their daily lives, with Liu Xin prominently among them.

"No fight? Isn’t that too peaceful?"

"Yeah, I can understand not being able to be deadly, but if several people discover something like a rare treasure in the wild, are they supposed to just give it to one person? It’s hard to convince others without fighting..."

Dong Xuan revealed a kind smile and signaled the students not to worry.

"In this trial, you do not need to ’kill each other’."

"You have a common enemy, an unknown environment, and unknown wild Fond Spirits, just these two things will keep you busy."

"If the situation you just mentioned arises, where a valuable treasure is discovered and it’s hard to determine ownership."

"Then I sincerely suggest that you can distribute the benefits reasonably according to the degree of contribution, and try to achieve a win-win situation."

Zhi Zhengqing nodded, then stepped forward with a serious and indifferent expression.

He took over the topic with a serious and detached voice, and emphasized:

"The trial will divide you into different teams in a grouped manner."

"Each team will have a team leader."

"You need to respect the leader’s opinion as much as possible, and work together as a team to get through this week."

"That sounds great!"

Among the students, the ones with the weakest strengths brightened up.

They were worried about being weak and unable to withstand a crisis on their own.

If they could explore together as a team, work together to strategize, their safety would definitely increase significantly.

"Next!"

Zhi Zhengqing paused, his oppressive gaze swept over the crowd, any slight agitation burying deep.

He continued to say:

"In order to ensure the trial is ’interesting’, not just finding a place to hide and muddle through."

"Elder Child and I placed a large number of coins in the main area of the trial last night."

"Ding -"

As he said this, Zhi Zhengqing opened his palm and showed everyone the blue metal coin in the morning light.

"As you can see, there are about 1000 of these coins."

"Mountain streams, gorges, cliffs, burrows... the more dangerous a place looks, the more likely you are to find such a coin."

"Of course, you can particularly pay attention to monster dens, some powerful monster dens have coins hidden in them that are dozens of times more than other places, one adventure could possibly get you several times the return."

"...In short, I don’t care if you set traps, hunt wild animals or wander about, as long as you don’t hunt each other, the other methods are all acceptable."

"After seven days, the teams that have the most coins and rank in the top three will receive a small gift from Elder Child and me."

"So that’s how it is, it sounds very interesting!"

Gu Guangtao clenched his fist, the stubborn frog on top of his head croaked twice, looking very spirited.

Liu Xin’s spirit also lit up again, laughing heartily while looking at Wang Xinfei next to him, his mind already calculating how to team up with her.

If he could, it would definitely be the ceiling of the students in terms of combat power, and the possibility of getting first in the coin count would be very high.

From a interpersonal relationship perspective, spending seven days together would certainly bring them closer.

If danger arises, playing the role of a hero who rescues the beauty might immediately improve Wang Xinfei’s cold attitude towards him...

Liu Xin’s mind was running wild.

However, it seemed as if the mentor was deliberately opposing him, as he then announced further rules:

"Next, we will form teams."

"In order to maintain basic fairness and a reasonable challenge, Elder Child and I decided to select the six strongest individuals as team leaders, who will then one by one select team members until a small five-person team is formed."

"Liu Xin, you are the team leader of team one, step forward."

On hearing these sentences, Liu Xin immediately became distraught.

Needless to say, selecting the strongest meant that he couldn’t be in the same group as Wang Xinfei, they would end up competing against each other.

"Li Jingming, step forward, you are the team leader of team two."

"Captain of Team Three... Wang Xinfei."

"Team Four... Hu Linlin."

"Team Five... Qin Shui."

Zhi Zhengqing was succinct, successively naming the five individuals.

The students’ gazes followed the two men and three women who stepped forward.

As for the captains of the first three teams, there was no room for doubt. They were the outstanding performers in the trial, universally recognized.

Hu Linlin and Qin Shui, albeit not as famous, also had Contracted Fond Spirits at the Great Completion stage of Clay Body.

Compared to Liu Xin and Li Jingming, they lacked experience, had different dispositions, and their Contracted Fond Spirit’s Skills may have been weaker. Overall, they fell short.

But their election as team leaders was not controversial. After all, there were only so many students, and picking leaders from a small group seemed a rational allocation.

"Captain of Team Six..."

Zhi Zhengqing’s pace of speech suddenly slowed. His hesitant gaze seemed somewhat indecisive.

A strange thought emerged in Ye Hanjun’s mind. Could the captain of Team Six be Su Mei?

Her Pink Ostrich had advanced to the Great Completion stage of Clay Body, and her performance in yesterday’s rabbit hunt was passable.

Among the trial students, she would definitely rank in the top 10. If she became a team captain, it could be a good opportunity to develop her team coordination skills...

Several thoughts flashed through Ye Hanjun’s mind in a split second.

But his temples suddenly tightened. Standing in a corner against the wall, his limbs slightly stiffened.

For some unknown reason, both Dong Xuan and Zhi Zhengqing, two mentors of the third rank, suddenly looked at him at the same time.

"Captain of Team Six... Lord Han."

"..."

"..."

The students standing in line became restless.

Some looked confused, not sensitive enough to the title ’Jun’.

Others, such as Piao Chenlong and Su Mei, incredulously shifted their gaze.

Their eyes moved towards the back of the team, where the assistant tutors should have been standing, towards the man among the seven assistants who was dressed in black, his black hair and black pupils almost forming a stark contrast to the sun.

"Why me?"

After a prolonged silence, the shock gradually faded from his face.

Ye Hanjun stared directly into Zhi Zhengqing’s eyes, his brow furrowed, his tone nonchalant.

"Indeed, why Assistant Han?"

Piao Chenlong was dumbstruck, as was Su Mei.

Liu Xin, Wang Xinfei, Li Jingming... All the students had seen Ye Hanjun make his move, slaying the Red-eye Meat-eating Rabbit with a single stroke.

Such a mighty assistant, protecting the team, would naturally bring a strong sense of security.

But why... all of a sudden...

Why would this man, who should have been standing behind them, be chosen by the mentor to serve as the captain of the last team and participate in the trial with the students?

The students could not understand.

Ye Hanjun could not understand.

The other six assistant tutors, Wu Chong, Shen Jiaoyun, Tian Sai, Wei Hongying... they didn’t understand either.

Their expressions locked in place, they appeared utterly dumbfounded and confused.

Apparently, none of the six had received any prior notice, which was why this news came like a flood breaking a dam, unstoppable.

"Let me explain briefly."

Elder Child cleared his throat, his weathered face revealing a hint of unintelligible amusement:

"As you all know, Hanjun, Assistant Han."

"He is a teaching staff, not a student, there is no doubt about this."

"But... to be honest, he is the same age as you, and he only contracted his Fond Spirit a few days ago."

"According to Canghai Pavilion’s definition, he’s just entered cultivation within the past year and quite fittingly wears the label ’new Patron’."

"What?" Piao Chenlong clutched his chest as if he had been sucker punched.

Master Han... is he really our age? Even his rank is the same as ours?

Has the world gone mad, or have I?

Piao Chenlong looked dazed, his mind seemed a little unstable at that point.

There were gasps from the crowd — everyone was wide-eyed, sporting faces as if they had seen a ghost.

That included Liu Xin.

And Li Jingming.

And also Wang Xinfei.

No one was spared the shock; they all stood there, stupefied.

"Assistant Han’s actual combat power... is not as great as you imagine."

"He has been injured, his weak body and fragile Contracted Fond Spirit cannot handle the upcoming patrol and border defense like the other assistants, who are there to truly protect your safety."

"So—" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Dong Xuan stretched the final note, not hiding the playful light in his eyes, smiling:

"After much consideration, and with a total of 29 students, we are just one person short."

"Having him fill that spot, leading a team, this trial might become even more interesting~~"