Chapter 1269: Chapter 1269: Slaying the Mutated Ferocious Beast
The black-robed man quickly cast a spell and fled towards the exit of the Secret Realm; he had to escape before the Yunlong Heavenly Palace received the information about his exposed identity.
Otherwise, once the upper echelons of the Yunlong Heavenly Palace knew his identity and set up restrictions to intercept him, it would be difficult for him to escape.
Soon, the black-robed man exited the Secret Realm through the portal.
As he walked out, Elder Zhao was waiting at the entrance, his gaze fell upon the black-robed man.
"Young man, you’ve come out of the Secret Realm, have you obtained the Spiritual Medicine for the second round of assessment?"
Elder Zhao looked at the black-robed man and asked.
There were still about ten days before the Secret Realm would close; if this boy could complete the task so quickly, his strength would indeed be above the Top Ten Heroes.
Of course, sometimes luck is also a part of strength.
But to finish more than ten days early, that seems unlikely.
"I’m afraid I must disappoint you, Elder. I encountered a powerful Magical Beast in the Secret Realm and was seriously injured as I couldn’t match its strength. I didn’t acquire the Spiritual Medicine. The Secret Realm is truly too dangerous, and I feared for my life if I stayed any longer, so I came out early."
The black-robed man feigned a look of being shell-shocked and said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Elder Zhao’s face showed a look of disdain. It turned out this guy didn’t complete the task but was merely a cowardly deserter, withdrawing due to mere injuries. This kind of person is certainly not the type that the Yunlong Heavenly Palace needs.
However, everyone has their ambitions. Elder Zhao wasn’t fond of such opportunists and didn’t say much.
"In that case, you may leave. Since you didn’t complete the assessment, go to the inspection department ahead to have your Spatial Treasure checked, then you can go down the mountain."
Knowing the black-robed man was a cowardly and self-preserving type, Elder Zhao gave him a cold remark.
If it was for other reasons, Elder Zhao might have said some encouraging words, for any Martial Artist who passed the first round of assessment was no ordinary being.
However, the black-robed man before him withdrew purely from a state of mind that sought self-preservation, naturally unworthy in Elder Zhao’s eyes.
Yet, if Elder Zhao knew that the black-robed man was an attendant of the Black Yan Hall, he would not think so now.
After all, to become an attendant of the Black Yan Hall, one must have extraordinary strength, no less impressive than the top Elite Disciple of the Yunlong Heavenly Palace.
Of course, the black-robed man concealed himself well, and Elder Zhao couldn’t imagine that a dignified attendant of the Black Yan Hall would act under his nose.
"I take my leave, Elder!"
The black-robed man saluted and said, then hurriedly left.
He had not taken any treasures from the Secret Realm, so he quickly passed the inspection and dared not linger within the Yunlong Heavenly Palace. He hurried down the mountain.
The black-robed man managed to infiltrate the Yunlong Heavenly Palace not because he was bold, but because he was not the only Martial Artist of the Black Yan Hall within Yunlong City.
Even some forces, tempted by the interests of the Black Yan Hall, would willingly offer their services and become lapdogs.
Therefore, as long as the man left the Yunlong Heavenly Palace and descended the mountain to Yunlong City, he would have a place to hide and naturally wouldn’t fear being found by the people of the Yunlong Heavenly Palace.
Shortly after the black-robed man’s departure, another man, clad in a Golden Light dragon robe, appeared at the Secret Realm’s portal.
"Prince Yun has come out."
Elder Zhao looked at Yun Kaige, who stepped out from the Secret Realm portal and immediately greeted him with a warm smile.
If not for the strength, Yun Kaige’s status was far more noble than his, after all, Yun Kaige was a Prince of the Yunlong Country Royal Family.
Yun Kaige, as the leader of the Top Ten Heroes of Yunlong City, had undisputed strength, recognized as the strongest among the disciples participating in this assessment.
Elder Zhao estimated that in this month’s assessment, Yun Kaige should have passed the assessment in five or six days at most and should have been the first to come out.
Except for the cowardly deserter who came out earlier, Yun Kaige was indeed the first to emerge, yet it took him more than ten days.
So this performance did not meet Elder Zhao’s expectations.
"In the Secret Realm, I encountered a mutated Magical Beast, which delayed me for some time."
Yun Kaige cast a nonchalant glance at Elder Zhao and said.
There was no trace of respect in his words. After all, as a prince of the Yunlong Country Royal Family and the strongest Martial Artist of this batch, he would soon surpass Elder Zhao in status after joining the Yunlong Heavenly Palace.
Moreover, his royal status was more prestigious than Elder Zhao’s.
Elder Zhao didn’t mind Yun Kaige’s attitude, after all, Yun Kaige’s identity as someone of Heavenly Pride warranted a bit of aloofness, which was normal.
However, Elder Zhao was surprised that Yun Kaige encountered a Magical Beast with mutated bloodlines within.
Although the Yunlong Heavenly Palace periodically clears the strongest beings in the Secret Realm, they selectively preserve certain Magical Beasts with precious bloodlines as opportunities for the assessment disciples.
After all, some Magical Beasts with mutated bloodlines are rare, and the Yunlong Heavenly Palace can’t bear to exterminate them.
Elder Zhao did not expect Yun Kaige to encounter one; those mutated Magical Beasts are not weak.
Beings like those have intelligence not less than that of humans and understand that the Yunlong Heavenly Palace allows them to exist in that Secret Realm without exterminating them, so they don’t make things too difficult for the assessment disciples.
"Did the Thirteenth Prince sustain any injuries?"
Elder Zhao looked Yun Kaige up and down, inquiring with concern.
"That Nine-Headed Lion was indeed formidable. I fought it with all my might for seven days and nights, ultimately using up all my Spiritual Power to barely kill it, suffering some injuries myself. However, I won in the end."
"As a Martial Artist, seizing the fortune of heaven and earth and battling against powerful existences, getting injured is normal."
A trace of a proud smile appeared on Yun Kaige’s lips as he spoke.
Evidently, this killing of the Nine-Headed Lion benefited him greatly.
However, his casual remarks caused a huge stir in Elder Zhao and the surrounding four elders guarding the area.
They hadn’t anticipated that Yun Kaige would be capable of exterminating that Nine-Headed Lion.