"Heh heh, the Trial Contest is an old tradition of the Ancient Alliance—nothing unfamiliar to any of you. But some of our juniors here are taking part for the first time, so this old man must ramble a bit and explain once more just what the Trial Contest is." Xin Yi'an smiled and went on: "The Trial Contest, as the name suggests, is the preparation made for the Ancient Trials. Its purpose is to examine whether your strength is sufficient to qualify you for the Ancient Trials—and this, too, is out of consideration for your safety. The Ancient Trials are exceedingly perilous; if your strength falls short, you may well throw your life away for nothing."

"May I ask, Uncle-Master Xin, what counts as sufficient strength? Do you draw a line at some cultivation realm, with all above it qualified and all below it barred from the Ancient Trials?" someone asked impatiently.

"Not so. A single clean cut is simple and clear, but it does not accord with the purpose of our Ancient Trials. You must all remember: the Ancient Trials are no ordinary trial. Their existence has but one meaning—to let those disciples who truly possess strength stand out from the crowd and become the ones whom the various Ancient sects and clans will focus on cultivating in the years to come." Xin Yi'an paused, then added: "Of course, the strength this old man speaks of does not refer merely to cultivation rank. What matters more is innate aptitude and potential. Understand this: a genius disciple of outstanding aptitude, even if for the moment only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, is in no way less valuable than a fine hand at Foundation Establishment perfection."

"Then how are aptitude and potential to be judged? By the spirit roots?" the crowd asked one after another.

"The spirit roots are only one aspect. To look solely at spirit roots would be far too narrow a view. After all, so-called geniuses who possess outstanding spirit roots yet end by fading into the common ruck are everywhere. Therefore the high council of the Ancient Alliance has unanimously decided: only those disciples who distinguish themselves in actual combat are true geniuses worth cultivating." Xin Yi'an's expression turned grave.

"Actual combat? How is that to be done?" The crowd was at a loss. Though a Trial Contest was held before every Ancient Trials, the content of each contest differed from the last. In the earliest days there had been a single clean-cut threshold. In recent years, however, the contests had taken various forms of mutual competition—internal contests within each sect, and team contests between sects. The forms were myriad, never the same twice.

"Heh heh, the ability to adapt on the spot is itself one of the qualities that must be tested. As for the specific content of the contest, forgive this old man for keeping you in suspense. The Trial Contest formally begins three days from now; all will be explained in detail then. Go back, rest and gather your strength, and make your preparations—that is all you need do," Xin Yi'an said with a smile.

The crowd wished to press him further. But Xin Yi'an was, after all, the Uncle-Master leading the expedition, and a fine hand at the Golden Core stage besides; since he had said as much, no one dared question him too much to his face.

Xue Jianming, however, had no such scruples. He too was now a fine hand at the early Golden Core stage, and had already begun to hold Xin Yi'an somewhat in contempt. At once he said, in a voice thick with innuendo: "Uncle-Master Xin puts it very prettily, but who knows whether you might secretly tip off your own people in advance? That would hardly be fair to the rest of us, I'm afraid?"

The crowd had already been muttering inwardly; stirred up by these words, their expressions at once turned somewhat strange. Anything else might be overlooked, but where the Cangwu Sect of North Island was concerned, they could not rest easy. The image Xin Yi'an had built up over the years was indeed a fine one—but to claim that he was truly impartial and utterly without private interest would convince no one who heard it. At the very least, he would surely let a hint slip to the disciples of his own Cangwu Sect of North Island beforehand.

It seemed no great matter—yet one party prepared in advance and the other caught unawares could well mean a world of difference in performance when the Trial Contest truly came. Even if this were merely the crowd's own imagining, with contests and examinations of this sort, the slightest unfairness is magnified without limit, and everyone feels certain to be the victim. In the end passions ran high, until the situation threatened to slip beyond all control.

"Xue Jianming. Are you questioning whether this old man conducts himself unfairly?" Xin Yi'an's face darkened as he gave a cold snort.

"I wouldn't dare. I merely feel that in matters like the Trial Contest, it is best to be a little open and transparent, lest people whisper behind your back and let suspicion breed phantoms. I say this for your sake too, Uncle-Master Xin. Wouldn't you all agree?" Xue Jianming said carelessly.

"Right, Senior Brother Xue is right!" the crowd echoed in unison.

With passions running so high, Xin Yi'an dared not forcibly suppress them. His face ugly, he snorted coldly: "Very well. What you say is quite reasonable. It is only a pity that this old man still cannot tell you the content of the contest—because even I do not know it yet. For now only the general framework has been set; as for the specific events, the high council of the Ancient Alliance is still deliberating. Three days from now the events will be transmitted here on schedule, and all will be revealed then."

The crowd exchanged glances. Since even the high council of the Ancient Alliance was still deliberating, there was nothing left to doubt.

"Any other questions? Best raise them all together, so that certain people needn't go gossiping behind our backs again." Xin Yi'an looked at Xue Jianming as he spoke. To be confronted to his face time and again by this man, though he was the Uncle-Master leading the expedition—even a mild temper could not truly swallow such insults. His stance now was a direct challenge to Xue Jianming.

Anyone else would have backed down long ago, but Xue Jianming did not hold Xin Yi'an in his eyes at all. After all, he had far too many things to rely on: he was himself a fine hand at the early Golden Core stage; behind him stood a father who was vice-head of the Xuejian Sect; and most important of all, he had the backing of that vast and mysterious organization, the Center. With his habitual arrogance, it would have been a wonder indeed if he still held Xin Yi'an in any awe.

"I have one more question. Must everyone in the Transit Isles take part in this Trial Contest?" Xue Jianming asked, though his gaze drifted to Wei Zhao and the others. He did not yet know that Wei Zhao had long since resolved to have them all enter the Trial Contest, and was in fact afraid they might not take the bait.

"Not necessarily. The Ancient Trials have never compelled anyone to take part, and the Trial Contest is no different. Whether to enter is entirely a matter of personal will. But if one gives up the Trial Contest, that is tantamount to giving up one's chance at the Ancient Trials," Xin Yi'an said flatly.

This answer was no surprise, yet it left Xue Jianming's face somewhat grim. The plan he had proposed to Dr. Glasses rested on one minimum precondition: that Wei Zhao and his people must take part in the Trial Contest. Otherwise he would be at a loss.

But this was not the same as the undersea mining expedition last time. After all, for those present, taking part in the Trial Contest was by and large no distasteful obligation, but rather a right that the great majority sincerely yearned for.