Pre-death assessment

Thanks to the combined efforts of Jiang Luo and Li Qingxue, the group finally got to eat some real wild game.

Everyone sat around the campfire, enjoying a rare moment of leisure and relaxation in this hellish fourth level of the pre-death assessment space…

Just as they were eating grilled fish, Ling Wu suddenly moved closer to Xiao Bai.

Then a hand was placed on her shoulder.

This sudden action made Jiang Luo frown slightly.

Brother-in-law, what are you doing? How come you're hooking up with a female ghost?

She's not our teammate; we're just working together temporarily for now.

"Have you ever thought about... leaving this pre-death assessment space?"

Ling Wu put one hand on Xiao Bai's shoulder and asked.

These words made Xiaobai pause for a moment.

Leaving the pre-death assessment space?

How do I leave?

After leaving, where will they go?

It's strange. She had never considered these questions before, but ever since Ling Wu came, his questions have always hit the nail on the head.

It always makes her start to think about life.

Although she had long since passed away...

"You can obtain crystals by killing the lord. After obtaining the crystals, you can collect enough fear points to issue a challenge."

Xiao Bai continued, "Once you overcome the hurdle that you fear most in your heart, you can leave here and head to the fifth level."

"But I am not a challenger. I cannot fuse crystals and therefore cannot initiate a challenge."

So, of course, there's no need to mention leaving here.

The lords of the fourth level of the pre-death assessment space are like fixed NPCs, forever stuck in the same place.

They had never even considered leaving that idea.

"Actually, there is still a way for you to leave here," Ling Wu continued with a smile.

"What method?" Xiaobai asked, even more curious.

"If the Ninefold Assessment Space is liberated, all beings confined within it will be able to leave," Ling Wu said slowly.

Hunters, lords, and those steel beasts of the third level.

In fact, they could all leave the pre-death assessment space and go to the present world.

Only when the space for the pre-death assessment is completely destroyed will one be completely liberated.

"What does this mean?"

Xiao Bai was confused: "How can I be considered to have liberated the space for the pre-death assessment?"

"It's very simple!"

Ling Wu smiled and continued, "Once we defeat the final boss here, this place will naturally be liberated."

Ultimately, all the existence of pre-death assessment spaces is nothing more than a curse.

Once the final boss is defeated, the curse will naturally disappear.

"So, this is your goal?"

Xiao Bai then asked, "You want to unlock the space for the pre-death assessment?"

"I guess so!"

Ling Wu smiled and replied, slowly withdrawing his hand as he spoke.

Just as his hand was retracting, it brushed past Xiaobai from behind.

Suddenly, a contract mark on his hand glowed faintly, then gently disappeared into Xiaobai's back.

This is the contractual ability I obtained from Nie Lei.

After Nie Lei and the others died, they gained many superpowers.

Ling Wu only took one contract ability; the rest were distributed among Li Ming and the others.

A contract can only be established when the other party is unprepared or willing.

So, taking advantage of the opportunity to chat, he planted the contract inside Xiaobai's body.

In this way, no matter how strong Xiaobai becomes in the end, he can still command him.

Although the probability of Xiaobai turning against them is very, very low, it's always good to have a backup plan.

"So you have to help me."

Ling Wu then laughed.

"How can I help you?"

Xiao Bai was confused: "Aren't we helping each other right now?"

Ling Wu helped her kill more lords, and she helped Ling Wu and others obtain crystals, as well as help Ling Wu and others deal with other challengers.

What other way can we help?

"Help me... deal with Lao Gui!" Ling Wu then said.

Upon hearing this, Xiaobai was immediately startled.

Li Ming and the others were also slightly surprised.

How to deal with...the old Gui (癸) of the Heavenly Stem?

Why did he want to target the Heavenly Stems?

That's the management of the pre-death assessment space. How could a challenger or a fourth-level lord possibly deal with it?

"You really dare to think that way?"

Xiao Bai turned her head to look at Ling Wu.

To fight against the Heavenly Stems is tantamount to courting death.

Those are the Heavenly Stems, second only to Yin and Yang and the Five Elements!

Even at the seventh or eighth level, I doubt anyone would dare to have such thoughts or such strength.

Besides, this is only the fourth level.

Someone who has just reached the fourth level dares to provoke an existence of that level?

"Don't overreact, it's not like we're saying we have to kill him!"

Ling Wu smiled and continued, "It's just taking a few things from him."

"Isn't the difficulty the same?" Xiaobai sighed.

Wanting to take something from the Heavenly Stem and wanting to kill the Heavenly Stem are essentially the same thing, aren't they?

Doesn't it always require winning against the other side?

"Of course they're different!"

Ling Wu replied, "If it's about killing him, he'll go all out, but if it's just about taking things, he might not be so willing."

All he wanted was the power of the Death God's clone seed, just to break the third seal within his body.

It's not like we're really going to fight to the death with Tianqian.

"And what happened afterward?"

Xiao Bai continued, "Even if you successfully take what you want, what about me?"

Afterwards, Ling Wu and the others left, but she stayed behind.

What will she do when she's all alone?

He won't hold it against you.

Ling Wu said with a smile, "Just like a low-level hunter might attack a high-level hunter, insubordination... is allowed in the pre-death assessment space."

Because positions of power have always been awarded to the most capable.

"Is he really that magnanimous?" Xiaobai was skeptical.

If I have committed an act of insubordination, will Lao Gui forgive and forget about it afterward?

is it possible?

"Don't worry, he's more magnanimous than you think, when it comes to Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and the Heavenly Stems."

Ling Wu's lips curled into a smile.

Because they are all traitors.

All the high-ranking officials are traitors!

"You must believe everything I say," Ling Wu added.

As he spoke, he directly activated the power of the contract.

Upon hearing this, Xiaobai frowned slightly.

Because she suddenly felt that she couldn't refute Ling Wu's words.

Even his own thoughts could no longer be shaken.

For no apparent reason, he began to trust Ling Wushen completely.

"So what do you plan to do?" she then asked.

"Our strength is not enough right now."

Ling Wu slowly said, "We can't kill the Heavenly Stem in a fight, but we can infinitely even out our chances of winning!"

"So until then, both you and we need to become as strong as possible."

The way for a newbie to become stronger is simple: just keep devouring lords.

But for them to become stronger, they need some... training!

"Only after passing the fourth level of the test can we take action."

Ling Wu continued.

Once everyone has completed the fourth level of assessment, everyone's overall strength will inevitably be greatly enhanced.

We'll have a better chance of winning if we wait until then to make our move.

Boom! ! !

Just then, a loud bell rang out, spreading throughout the fourth level of the pre-death assessment space.

The sound of the bell resounded throughout the land, clearly audible in every urban area and mountain region.

The hunt is about to begin!

Ling Wu and the others all turned their heads slightly, looking in the same direction, toward the source of the bell sound.

The sound of the bell was very, very far away from them, at least tens of kilometers away.

But they could hear it clearly.

Not only can you hear it, but you can also...see it!

It's like encountering the ruler of the Earthly Branches in the first level.

No matter how far the distance, no matter what's in between, you can see and hear it directly.

Everyone saw it: at that moment, a bell appeared in the sky above a crimson, dilapidated city.

A giant purple-gold-red bell appeared out of thin air and hovered in the sky.

On that giant bell sat a hunched figure, legs crossed.

It was a gaunt old man who looked a bit like... the mad Ji Gong.

He wasn't wearing the same clothes as Ji Gong, and he didn't have a hat or fan.

He was wearing a Tang suit and had nothing in his hands.

He sat there on the giant bell, expressionless.

His gaunt face was covered with wrinkles from age.

A pair of eyes as strong and ancient as withered pine trees.

Above his forehead was a third eye, like a third eye.

That third eye had no pupil.

Inside, however, was a single character: Gui!

One of the Heavenly Stems, Gui!

Everyone calls him Lao Gui.

As Lao Gui's aged hand struck the giant bell, spatial distortions appeared throughout the fourth level of the pre-death assessment space, in various urban and mountainous areas.

Then, from that distortion, figures of purple-gold and red metal slowly emerged.

This time, it's a top-tier hunter!

Hunters at the junior, intermediate, and senior levels are basically useless at this fourth level.

Therefore, most of the time, what Lao Gui summons are top-tier hunters.

The purple-gold-red body of the top-tier hunter is an existence that many challengers cannot shake.

Once the top-tier hunter appears, the reconnaissance mode is immediately activated, and the hunt begins in the fourth level of the pre-death assessment space.

Unless they hide inside the lord's territory, they will be found by top-tier hunters.

Of course, there are also some powerful individuals who are not afraid of top-tier hunters, so it doesn't matter to them.

At this moment, the top ten hunters in an abandoned urban area all looked up at Lao Gui.

Then Number 1 waved and said, "Let's go!"

After saying this, they all rushed away, seemingly to deliberately avoid the hunt, or perhaps to deliberately avoid Lao Gui.

Above the sky, at the top of the giant bell.

After Lao Gui summoned the Special-Grade Hunter, his eyes suddenly narrowed slightly.

Then he turned his head slightly, his aged and deep eyes looking in one direction.

That direction was precisely where Ling Wu and the others were.

His gaze seemed to pierce through all obstacles, landing precisely on Ling Wu and the others.

When they noticed Lao Gui's gaze coming their way, Li Ming and the others' expressions changed slightly.

In that instant, they felt the hairs on their bodies stand on end...