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Jonathan's group of candidates was set to have their meals on the other side, where there were five empty tables.
Chester and Elijah naturally followed Jonathan along with Catherine.
To everyone else, the four of them appeared to be a small group.
Although the other candidates had not planned to form cliques initially, they decided to do so due to feeling pressured by Jonathan's group.
Walter naturally went over to Lesley's side. Being a level- headed person, the latter was courteous toward him.
Hence, the two hit it off right away. After that, Lesley also roped in two other candidates. The four of them formed a small group and sat at a table.
In the end, the only ones left were Simon, William, and Landyn.
William and Landyn immediately decided to sit together before casting their doubtful stares at Simon.
Among all the candidates, Simon was probably ranked the first in terms of abilities.
Hence, they felt that as long as they could win over him, they would no longer need to be afraid of the others.
At that moment, he sat alone at a table while exuding the air of a loner, making it hard for anyone to approach him.
He did not seem to require any friends.
William and Landyn approached him with awkward smiles on their faces. “Let's sit together, Simon!” While William was saying that, he and Landyn sat down at the table.
Simon lifted his head and stared at them with an icy expression as he shouted without a hint of hesitation, “Get lost!” His response stunned William and Landyn as they did not expect him to be so unamenable.
Furthermore, they dared not say a word upon sensing his imposing aura.
Their faces reddened with humiliation, and after hesitating
for a while, they got up and left.
This scene was witnessed by all the other candidates.
Chester glanced in Simon's direction before whispering to Jonathan and Elijah, “I heard that Simon is not the descendant of a prominent family. He used to be an assassin, but because he saved Old Mr. Tanner in Hallsbay later on, the man gave him a recommendation.” Jonathan shuddered while also feeling slightly taken aback.
Having sensed Simon's terrifying aura before, his thoughts were that a son of a prominent family should not possess this kind of aura, and now, Chester's words had confirmed his speculation.
Elijah scoffed upon hearing that, saying, “So, he's just a mere assassin. | thought that he was someone influential, acting all arrogant like that.” Jonathan glanced at him. “Status and background don't matter for spiritual fighters. The more reckless people are, the more they can get the true meaning of the fighter's bloodthirst.”
Elijah's expression turned grim almost immediately.
Noticing that the atmosphere had turned awkward, Chester immediately attempted to smooth things over. “Times are different now, so it's pointless to say that.” After a pause, he continued, “However, | must say that Simon will be our biggest threat. Thankfully, he's an introvert, so we don't need to fear him.” Jonathan decided to drop the conversation.
Although Simon was the strongest, Jonathan had experienced deadly wars and also possessed Haemocore, so he was not particularly afraid of him.
Moreover, he also had another thought in mind. I'l be wary of Chester instead as he's definitely a two- faced person.
The menu of the day consisted of four dishes, which tasted quite good.
After they had their fill, everyone was sent back to the dorms to rest.
Upon reaching the dorm, Simon immediately sat cross-
legged and started cultivating.
Due to the lack of entertainment options, the others soon followed suit.
Catherine did not utter a single word, merely doing whatever Jonathan told her to do. This made him feel deeply touched.
As the night approached, everyone remained in their little cliques as they went for dinner.
Simon was the only one without a group.
William and Landyn tried to suck up to him, but unfortunately for them, Simon was not interested. They did not attempt to join another group, as the Divine Realm only had four places this time. Hence, if a group had six people, two would have to be eliminated.
As such, the group would certainly not be united.
During the meal, Chester suggested to Jonathan's group, “Jonathan, seeing as there are only four places in Divine Realm, | sincerely hope that all four of us can be recruited.
However, you can tell that the others aren't weak either. So for us to win, we must be united. Don't you think so?” Jonathan smiled and responded, “You're right.” Chester then went on, “However, we should select a leader among us, shouldn't we? Just so that it's easier to handle things when there's an unexpected situation. Don't you think?” Upon hearing that, Jonathan stared at him a little longer before replying, “I think that there's no one else more suitable for this role than you, Chester.” Chester looked slightly surprised. “That won't do! We should take a vote,” he suggested with a smile.
However, Jonathan replied, “There's no need for that.
Anyway, my wife and | both think you're best suited for this.” Elijah naturally had no objections.
Seeing this, Chester no longer pretended to be polite.
“Since everyone has agreed, then I'll accept it begrudgingly.”
Jonathan smiled in response.
He naturally would not compete to become the leader, knowing that even if he did, Chester and Elijah were unreliable.
Chester's words were clear and he was merely going with the flow.
By seven in the evening, everything was covered in white.
The layer of snow that blanketed the training ground was an inch thick, extending into the horizon.
In the dorm, all the candidates were focused on cultivating.
Sitting with his legs crossed, Jonathan was channeling his senses into feeling the power of the Haemocore.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt‘With a shift of intention, he could allow the Haemocore to absorb part of his vitality.
According to a secret technique by the Requiem, all of Jonathan's energy, spirit, and essence had been concealed, making him seem like a person without cultivation.
This was the mystical power of the Requiem.
He also discovered that his Haemocore was still growing alongside his continuous cultivation, and he did not know to what extent it would reach.
After cultivating for two hours, Jonathan finally opened his eyes.
The lights in the dorm were off, and all was quiet.
Noticing that the others were still cultivating, he decided to lie down.
There was a tension around him that he did not like.
It gave him the feeling of a prison that was trapping him inside.
In this place, he had to abide by the rules of Divine Realm and must obey instructions.
Jonathan was used to living a carefree life, wandering around every corner of the world. Because of that, he did not enjoy feeling burdened.
Despite that, he knew that he could only accept it. In life, one cannot live freely without any constraints forever as there would always be responsibilities to shoulder.
Jonathan gave it a lot of thought. He knew that Mabel and Polly did not need to enter the Divine Realm as they did not require any motivation to keep improving.
However, he was aware that he was too lax and required this environment to train him.
He figured that his master had sent him to Smealand back then because his master had an astute understanding of Jonathan's personality.
Jonathan knew very well that if he wanted to be free, he had to keep climbing upwards. It was only when his abilities had reached a certain level that he would attain a certain degree of freedom.
However, little did he know that his life's turmoil would begin once he had stepped into the Divine Realm.
Accompanied by these mixed emotions, Jonathan slowly
drifted off to sleep.
He slept exceptionally well for the rest of the night, and it was seven in the morning when he woke up.
Everyone did not need to wash up, as a Nascent Soul expert's body was free from filth.
Shane came to take everyone to breakfast. “You have fifteen minutes to have breakfast. Gather at the training ground after that,” he instructed.
Everyone was engrossed in their own thoughts during breakfast, trying to guess what the test would be like on that day.
Once breakfast was over, they went to the assembly location on the training ground.
Amid the snow, the first person they spotted was Lailah, who looked valiant and charismatic in her military uniform.
Behind her were several service staff as well as two military aircraft.
As everyone arrived in front of her, she glanced at them
before shouting out commands, “Attention! At ease! Look left! Look ahead!” Everyone was well-trained by now, so they followed obediently like a new recruit.
Lailah stood before them, sweeping her gaze across all the candidates before saying seriously, “I have bad news for you. | received an order from the headquarters of Divine Realm, which is that only one spot is available at this time.
The person who gets it shall receive intensive training from our organization.” Everyone's faces fell upon hearing that.
Jonathan was also in complete shock. He was not afraid of any enemy. However, if there was only one place, a choice had to be made between him and Catherine.
We'll rely on our own abilities. Anyway, no matter which of us is chosen, I'll still protect the Harrington family in the future to repay Old Mr. Harrington's kindness.
With that thought in mind, his heart settled instantly.
Lailah continued, “The final elimination round is also the
cruelest. We'll send you to Ophidian Island in Norham.
You'll have to Kill everyone else to win, and the final survivor will be recruited.” Jonathan's heart sank again.
The faces of Chester, Elijah, William, and the others also turned ashen except for Simon, who remained impassive as usual.
Jonathan could not help but sneak a glance at Catherine.
She appeared indifferent like Simon.
A hint of anguish flashed across his eyes.
Never would he have expected that the entire universe would conspire to play a practical joke on him.
If only one could live between him and Catherine, there was no doubt what his choice would be, for he could never take her life for his own survival.
Jonathan had a quick change of mind. I'll quit or ask Catherine to quit. However, I'm worried about her. She's so naive. What if someone took her life on the island? How will
| face Old Mr. Harrington then? Just then, Lailah exclaimed, “I have eleven golden silkworms here. Consume them if you're willing to participate in the final assessment. If not, you may quit now.
1 would like to remind all of you that once you've consumed the silkworms, you'll be killed by them if you don't return within ten days and get close to their mother.”
The golden silkworms were like young children. They needed to be close to their mother to remain calm.
Currently, the dormancy period for the golden silkworms was ten days. After ten days, if the victor did not return to the military base, they would die on Ophidian Island.
Jonathan lamented inwardly. Prior to this, he had ingested a Supreme Nascent Pill. Thus, his body was immune to poisons. However, the golden silkworms were exempt from the effects of the pill. They were not poisonous because they were parasites that consumed people from the insides of their bodies, thereby rendering the effects of the Supreme Nascent Pill useless.
The moment the golden silkworms were ingested, the person was stepping on a path of no return. There was no turning back.
However, it was completely up to their own volition whether to take them or not.
Lailah surveyed the crowd before her. In a cold voice devoid of any emotions, she announced, “Those who wish
to participate, step forward and ingest the golden silkworms. Those who are unwilling to do so will be eliminated. We will arrange for a military aircraft to take dropouts back home.” Simon was the first to step forward and swallow the golden silkworm.
He was followed by Lesley, and the third to step forward was Elijah.
It was going to be a life and death situation, with only one victor emerging amongst them.
The candidates had already come so far, and many of them carried the pride of their families on the line. Thus, they could not afford to back down. There were nine of them, but there could only be one winner who emerged victoriously.
Even a tactful person like Chester stepped forward to consume the golden silkworms.
The people who have made it thus far were all exceptional people who were lofty and prideful. It was simply shameful
and unacceptable to back down without even trying. It was a joke to even suggest dropping out.
Naturally, among the eleven candidates, not every one of them was unafraid of death. William and Landyn exchanged glances with each other before simultaneously announcing their withdrawal from the battle.
Lailah said blandly, “Go back to your dorms. Arrangements will be made to send you home.” Both William and Landyn heaved sighs of relief. It wasn't an easy decision, but they felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders. Their hearts also felt much at ease. The two of them bowed at Lailah, then turned and walked away.
After their departure, the rest of the candidates quickly consumed the golden silkworms.
Finally, Jonathan and Catherine were the only ones left.
At that moment, Jonathan was still stuck in a dilemma.
It wasn't that he had no intention of dropping out. However, Mabel had such high expectations for him.
Old. Mr. Harrington also expected great things from him.
These expectations placed upon him were like invincible shackles that bound him, making him unable to break free.
He felt that if he were to quit, he would become a colossal joke.
But what if he proceeded to the next stage? Would he be pit against Catherine in a battle of life and death? That was impossible. He would be unable to live with himself if he did such a thing.
Moreover, Catherine was too naive. He was afraid that she would fall prey to the more cunning and sinister candidates.
Jonathan couldn't bear to stand by and watch her die.
Therefore, the best possible solution was for Catherine to drop out now.
However, Jonathan wasn't sure how to broach the subject.
It would be too selfish to force her to quit just because of
his personal reasons. oo From the point of view of an outsider, it would seem like Jonathan was afraid to compete with Catherine, thus forcing her to quit in order to ensure his victory.
Jonathan stood rooted to the spot as countless thoughts ran through his mind.
Catherine glanced at Jonathan, perplexed.
Lailah and the other candidates also turned to look at Jonathan and Catherine.
“If the two of you won't consume the golden silkworms, I'm going to assume you're quitting,” Lailah said calmly.
Jonathan was unable to speak.
Faced with their silence, Lailah said, “Go back to your dorms. Someone will send you home later on.” “No, | will do it!” Catherine finally reacted. Without giving Jonathan a second look, she strode forward.
She stood before Lailah and quickly swallowed the golden silkworms.
Jonathan wanted to stop her, but in the end, he could not bring himself to say the words.
“Catherine, please give up.” It was so simple, and yet try as he might, he could not muster the courage to utter those four words.
“What about you?” Lailah looked at Jonathan.
He saw that Catherine had already swallowed the worms, and his inner turmoil vanished. There was no turning back.
He sighed to himself. Fine, Old Mr. Harrington. I'll protect Catherine with my life. Consider this me paying off my debt to you.
As soon as he made up his mind, Jonathan no longer wavered. He strode to Lailah, grabbed the golden silkworms, and swallowed them in one gulp.
The moment the parasites entered his body, they instantly sought out his intestines and attached themselves.
Even if he went for surgery, Jonathan knew he wasn't going to be able to get the parasites out. Because once the
golden silkworms awakened, they would move about freely within the body.
There was no cultivation technique that could suppress this type of parasite.
“Good!” After Lailah made sure all the candidates who were proceeding had ingested the worms, she declared, “The elimination round lasts a total of ten days. On the morning of the tenth day, we will send a military aircraft to pick you up. The victor needs to collect the heads of the nine other candidates. If they fail to obtain the heads, it will be considered a mission failure, and our military aircraft will automatically turn back.” Such brutal rules! It could be said it was perversely barbaric, almost.
However, there was nothing they could do.
The candidates had entered the tournament willingly.
Therefore, they would have to abide by the rules.
Following the briefing, the candidates were split into two
military aircraft. The military aircraft took off once the candidates were seated.
Lailah did not follow.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmJonathan could not help but look at Catherine as the aircraft soared into the air.
Catherine's expression remained calm, there wasn't a single trace of apprehension on her face.
Jonathan's heart ached. Oh, Catherine, when you chose to participate in the tournament, did you think of what it would mean for us? Perhaps you won't care even if | died.
Nonetheless, Jonathan wasn't one to dwell on sentiments.
After allowing himself to wallow for a brief moment, he immediately gathered his thoughts and made himself calm down.
There were a total of nine candidates and four of them were seated in Jonathan's aircraft.
They were Chester, Elijah, Catherine, and Jonathan himself.
The atmosphere was strangely tense.
Chester and Elijah remained eerily silent, but that was to be expected. None of them had foreseen an elimination round.
They had intended to form a team of four and work together to clear the round, but their plans had been foiled by the conditions as only one person could win.
It no longer mattered if the four of them were a team, for they had to Kill the other three to pass.
At that moment, a gulf had formed, and even Chester and Elijah kept their guards up around each other.
All of a sudden, Chester broke the stagnant silence. He coughed and smiled wryly. “Jonathan, Elijah, | have something to say.” Jonathan had already managed to regain his composure.
Smiling, he said. “Sure, go ahead!” Elijah looked at Chester wordlessly.
Chester continued, “Without a doubt, our biggest enemy is
Simon. It doesn't matter if the four of us have to fight each other later on. Our chances of winning will be greater if we work together and take care of them first. What do you think?” Elijah stared at Chester. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“With me as the team leader, I'm suggesting we hunt down the other candidates first. After we Kill the others, we can go our separate ways,” Chester said.
Elijah pondered for a moment before agreeing. “Okay!” Jonathan glanced at Chester. Each one of them was harboring their own ulterior motives, but Chester's suggestion wasn't a bad idea.
Jonathan did not trust Chester and Elijah anyway, thus, he had no choice but to wait and see how things would unfold. “Okay,” he said.
“I will be the team leader. Are you all okay with that?” Chester asked.
“All right!” Jonathan said.
Elijah agreed.
Naturally, Catherine had no objections.
After deciding on their battle plan, the four of them began to quietly cultivate, and the cabin fell into silence.
The military aircraft weaved through the clouds.
Focusing internally, Jonathan could sense the golden silkworms inside himself.
The parasites were currently nestled in his duodenum, unmoving. They were currently in a dormant state.
Jonathan could move the vitality in his body freely, but it wasn't possible for him to relocate his organs. Thus, he was really helpless against the golden silkworms.
He lamented at the Divine Realm's ability to make so many experts endure humiliation in order to join the ranks. To have countless people giving up their dignity, and risking life and death, just for one spot. Was it worth it? Jonathan felt that he was forced to participate in the Divine Realm's test due to unavoidable circumstances. The Divine
Realm was the place where the most experts and the most talented people were gathered. It contained unimaginable glory, enticing people who practiced Destino Art to participate.
For ordinary students, getting into prestigious universities was their pride and joy.
For fighters who wished to join the Divine Realm, this was their equivalent, or perhaps regarded as an even higher existence than the prestigious universities. The conditions to get in were much more brutal.
It was eleven o'clock in the morning. After flying for about three hours, the aircraft finally landed on a small tropical island near Norham.
Ophidian Island was surrounded by the endless sea on all sides. From the view of the military aircraft above, they could see that the island was entirely covered by green foliage, and it almost made them think it was a primeval forest.
The sunlight beat down fiercely on the beach.
Coming in from the winter of Yaleview, Jonathan and the other candidates felt as if they had traversed two seasons.
Fortunately, they had been prepared and left their thick military coats on board the aircraft. The coats would have been a liability.
They were here to kill each other, perhaps it would have been better not to come.
Just then, a cool breeze blew in from the ocean.
The military aircraft immediately left the moment the candidates got off.
From this moment onward, the brutal elimination round officially began, and it was time to start the bloodshed.
There were five people in Simon's group. They clustered far away, seemingly without the intention to approach Jonathan's group. The two groups stood thirty meters apart, both surveying each other from afar as the scent of the salty sea brine permeated the air.
“Simon has always been more of a lone wolf who refuses to
work with others. | reckon they will soon fight it out. | say we wait for them to cull their own numbers before making our move,” Chester suggested after a moment of observing Simon's group.
Jonathan nodded. He saw no reason to object to Chester's suggestion.
Elijah agreed.
Just as they were about to move away, something happened within the other group.
Acry of pain pierced through the air from the direction of Simon's group, and it was immediately punctuated by a loud roar.
Jonathan's sharp eyes immediately spotted the corpse lying on the ground. That person was killed by Simon.
“Everyone, Kill him!” The remaining three candidates went after Simon.
The moment they made their move, Simon turned tail and fled. He nimbly made his way toward the jungle, his speed so fast that they could only see an afterimage.
Soon, Simon escaped into the jungle with the three candidates hot on his heels.
Simon was obviously a person that acted fast. Casting aside caution, he had made his kill the moment they got off the military aircraft, seemingly without any plan in mind.