In the Profound Yellow Sect's Back Mountain, since Black Wind Stronghold had been exterminated, this large area had become the sect's territory, and Players had built quite a few structures here.

The path from the Back Mountain to Black Wind Stronghold passed through a small basin with relatively low terrain.

The grass and trees here had long been swept clean by Players, leaving the area bare. Because of the terrain, people seldom visited.

But this time, Xu Nian regarded this place as the trial point for the Third Test Players.

He had already planned the method for the trial.

First Test Players and Second Test Players who logged in were arranged to wait here.

They also had some inkling of what was to come—after all, the Second Test Players had been bullied by First Test Players at the Mountain Gate.

This could be considered the Profound Yellow Sect's welcome ceremony.

As for Xu Nian, he was currently standing with the Blood Demoness at the Entrance of the Great Hall, quietly awaiting the arrival of the Third Test Players.

The Blood Demoness had grown accustomed to the presence of Players and didn't show much surprise.

After all, her Sect Leader was no simple figure. She understood the principle of 'a wife following her husband's lead' very well.

Soon, a loud bell rang out from nowhere, echoing throughout the entire territory of the Profound Yellow Sect.

Then, one by one, Players emerged from Yingyang Hall and Gathering Sun Hall, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and excitement.

Like the Players before them, these Third Test Players were also filled with nervousness and anticipation.

Gazing at the incredibly realistic buildings around them, and at Xu Nian and the Blood Demoness standing at the entrance, the Third Test Players were beside themselves with excitement.

"This is really being in the thick of it! I can finally experience the 100% reality that those jerks talked about."

"Mom, did I travel through time? This is so amazing!"

"Is this real? Holy sh*t, even the smell of grass is so real! I'm going to die of happiness—is this the joy of being a Player?"

"That must be the Sect Leader and the Blood Demoness, right? Now I see why they say the Blood Demoness is the most seductive. Who the hell can resist this?"

The Third Test Players chattered excitedly, looking around in surprise.

A few with a screw loose even stooped to sniff the flowers and taste the grass.

They were even more excessive than the First Test Players.

Some who knew no fear ran up directly, trying to take advantage of the Blood Demoness, and were flipped onto the ground with a single sleeve strike from Xu Nian.

Shameless! Xu Nian fumed internally. These Third Test Players are even more shameless than the First Test Players. They even want to snatch his woman—the Sect Leader's woman? Are they mad?

"It hurts, it really hurts! I actually feel pain in the game!"

A Player climbed up from the ground, excitedly proclaiming, "Sect Leader, keep hitting me! Quick! Hit me more!"

This time, in addition to the five hundred basic slots, there were another three hundred, bringing the total to a colossal eight hundred Third Test Players.

And this time, the number of female Players had also increased significantly, accounting for half of the total.

To put it in perspective, during the First Test and Second Test, there were only five female Players in total!

Apart from Sister Zhou, the other four were treasured like gems by the members of Cloud Lament, who were afraid they might run off with someone else.

Now that there were more female Players, many were bound to compete for them.

As usual, Xu Nian explained the basic situation—it was all about painting the big picture anyway.

Some Players had recorded videos before, so many of the Third Test Players knew what the Sect Leader was going to say.

After he finished, the Players became impatient.

"This damn Sect Leader is so long-winded, just like our boss."

"Huh? Brother, are you that bold? The Non-player Characters in this game can understand us. Be careful the Sect Leader holds a grudge against you."

"Am I scared? I'm a High-level Player of Monster Hunter!"

"Heh, this game won't indulge you. Whether you're a High-level Player is up to the recognition of Lingxiao Hall—that's where the true High-level Players gather!"

The Players were chattering non-stop.

The Blood Demoness felt it was too noisy and turned to enter the Great Hall.

With recent developments, the Profound Yellow Sect now housed many small arrays. For example, the Great Hall had its own soundproofing array that could block all external noise.

Xu Nian was also feeling somewhat exhausted.

These Third Test Players seemed even harder to manage than the Second Test Players.

And there seemed to be quite a number who were not right in the head.

He watched as a Player ran to a corner and dug up the Stinky Tofu that a Dung Beetle had hidden away.

Then, after stirring it with a finger, the Player eagerly put the black, sticky Stinky Tofu into their mouth.

The expression on that Player's face was actually one of enjoyment!

Someone was actually relishing the Biological Weapon of a Dung Beetle. Truly astonishing! Xu Nian thought.

Then there was another Player standing in the corner, looking somewhat nervous. They were piling pots, pans, and even the lid of a water jar on themselves as if they were weapons.

What on earth is this guy planning? Xu Nian wondered. What do you do with problem children who won't listen? They're probably just faking it! A good smack is all they need!

Xu Nian cleared his throat. "My friends, if you wish to join the Profound Yellow Sect, you must undergo a certain trial. Follow me to the Back Mountain."

With that said, he began walking slowly, leading Everyone towards the Back Mountain.

Over at the Back Mountain, First Test Players and Second Test Players had already gathered.

Inside the pavilions on both sides of the basin, Players had also gathered around their respective Halls.

They were getting a bit bored, so they'd exchanged some Contribution Points for poker cards and started a game of Fight the Landlord.

A round cost 100 Contribution Points, bombs double!

Now, they were loaded. They still had the Tasks from the Ten Great Clans waiting for them to grind, so Contribution Points weren't an issue.

"Here they come! The Third Test Players are here, with Brother Xu leading the way!"

"Are they getting such good treatment? Brother Xu didn't personally guide us Second Test Players. I'm green with envy."

"Wow, so many female Players! I feel like there's hope for my dual Cultivation Technique."

"See that guy following the Sect Leader with rainbow-colored hair? Is he some kind of punk?"

While they were watching the Third Test Players, those Players were also observing them.

After all, there weren't many First Test Players and Second Test Players, and many had shown their faces on the forums.

Plus, because of the leaderboards, the Third Test Players already knew quite a few of them.

Seeing those Players with "Lord" titles, the Third Test Players became excited too. After all, they usually could only see these people on the Official Website.

"Those people wearing Akatsuki Organization clothes, they must be from Lingxiao Hall, right? Taking up such a big area, they really do seem like a High-level Player gathering spot."

"You don't count Sister Zhou among the High-level Players, do you? She's just a tool!"

"Is that Flourishing Flowers? Why does he have such a punchable face? It's so irritating just to look at him."

"Why don't you say that to his face instead of just muttering about it here?"

For Third Test Players, they couldn't establish new Halls.

They could only join the existing ones.

Each of the six Halls had its own merits.

Lingxiao Hall only wanted High-level Players. Without skill, they wouldn't even give you a second glance. However, the atmosphere there was quite good, and they weren't short on Contribution Points.

It was the most popular among the six Halls for the Third Test Players.

Cloud Lament came close behind in terms of Power, but it had too many goofballs like Hero Xu Xian, Fearless Ning Caichen, and others of that ilk.

This place was a mix of different kinds of Players, and any Player could join.

Celestial Realm was a favorite among Life Players, perfect for those wanting to go the Life Stream route.

The Second Legion and Hundred Herbs Hall were primarily composed of Second Test Players.

They occupied two Halls, making them the most populous faction among Players, and they didn't get along with Cloud Lament.

Lastly, the War Alliance was straightforward: an Official faction that others weren't qualified to join.

Of the six Halls, Lingxiao Hall and the War Alliance were tougher to get into. New Players were free to choose from the remaining four Halls.

The Third Test Players were also conflicted about which Hall to choose.

Xu Nian said loudly, "New Disciples who wish to join smoothly can choose to form teams or act alone to challenge the veteran Disciples. Gaining their approval will complete the trial!"

Here it comes! Everyone heard this with mixed feelings.

The happy ones were the First Test Players and Second Test Players; they had been harboring grudges against the Game Designers.

They knew that if the Third Test Players were approved, they would ascend to the Qi Cultivation Realm in a single leap.

Currently, only Junlin was in the Qi Cultivation Realm!

How could they let the Third Test Players easily snatch such a good deal? In their dreams!

The Third Test Players, on the other hand, were utterly devastated. They didn't know anything yet; they had to fight the Veteran Players straight away?

"Are you kidding?"

"How are we supposed to fight?"

"Aren't we just going up there to get beaten up?"

"Stupid Game Designer! Do you even know how to make a game? Go back to farming!"

"I knew it wouldn't be this simple! That Damn Game Designer is definitely doing this on purpose! Best regards to your whole family!"

"Don't say that. If we pass the trial, we'll be on par with Junlin. We're not losing out."

"Indeed! For us, this truly is a chance to shoot straight to the top!"

There were some sensible ones among the Third Test Players too.

At least they were very aware of how rich the Rewards for this trial were.

Consider the unfortunate Second Test Players from before; to improve their Power, they were ruthless enough to consume Poison.

Now it was their turn, and it really wasn't too bad.

Xu Nian glanced over the crowd and said, "Teams cannot exceed five members. You can freely choose any veteran Disciples to challenge."

"I have a question!"

Just as he finished speaking, a Player called 'Starting with a Dog' stood up.

Xu Nian turned to look. "What's your question?"

"What if we get killed? We can't resurrect without Contribution Points, and the veterans won't hold back!"

His concern reflected the thoughts of many Players.

After all, nobody wanted to get banned because they ran out of Contribution Points.

"This area is protected by an Array. Any Disciple who is heavily injured or dies will be automatically sent out by the Array, so there's no need to worry!"

Xu Nian stared at him and asked, "Any other questions?"

"Yes!"

Starting with a Dog continued, "What if we win, but they still don't acknowledge us?"

"Figure it out yourself!" Xu Nian responded with a smile.

There's no such thing as ascending to the heavens in a single step, he mused. Wanting to become a top Player without enduring some hardship? Dream on.

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