My Simulated Road to Immortality

A radiance flashed past, and the dying True Immortal vanished directly in front of everyone.

It wasn't that he escaped again, but the second trial had already ended.

Li Fan felt the strange glances from the surrounding cultivators, but he responded with a smile.

"The third trial..."

"Live!"

Before the cold voice finished, the Dao Network, which had been a mere backdrop, suddenly descended from above. It was like the sky was falling, the Dao Strings hung across, resembling massive stones and broken walls.

In this unexpected disaster, many cultivators died on the spot. It appeared they weren't transported away before their deaths but truly died!

The Dao Network, which they relied on, now turned into a weapon against them. The cultivators participating in the trial had no choice but to depend on their own abilities to dodge this inexplicable calamity.

But...

The Sea of the Northern Stars cultivators, especially those participating in the Immortal Hunt selection, had all their cultivation and strength heavily reliant on Dao Origin Symbols and Dao Network instructions. Without the Dao Network's support, the means they could deploy were pitifully few.

How could they survive under such a sky-high calamity?

Except for the elites of various factions, the rest were quickly killed.

The remaining people, faced with the overwhelming disaster of the collapsing Dao Network, were merely struggling desperately. As the collapse worsened, the places for them to hide grew fewer and fewer.

It was clear that everyone had gradually been pushed to a dead end.

Li Fan, relying on his Light Escape Technique, managed to navigate with ease. However, seeing that only sixteen people, including himself, remained in this brutal selection, a sense of doubt arose in his heart.

"The previous Immortal Hunt trials were nowhere near this strict. Could there be some major change in the Sea of the Northern Stars recently?"

This time's rigorous test had clearly surpassed everyone's expectations. The prior composure on their faces was replaced by uncontrollable panic.

Using every measure possible, they fought for survival in this apocalyptic scene.

"Ah!"

Another person was crushed to death by the falling Dao String.

It happened right in front of Li Fan. The Divine Soul was annihilated, turning into light spots, merging into the Dao Network.

But just this glance revealed something to Li Fan.

Li Fan witnessed the annihilation of countless living beings. Yet the "deaths" happening now seemed different from the true demise of a cultivator.

With a sudden insight, Li Fan understood.

"So that's it. This trial appears to test the candidates, but it's actually a death test. Surviving such a calamity without relying on the Dao Network's power means one's own cultivation and attainments must reach an astonishing level. Sea of the Northern Stars cultivators, raised with Dao Network teachings, have almost no chance of completing the trial..."

"Anyone who survives to the end might be suspected of being a lurking criminal from outside!"

"Those who die might actually pass the trial. Surviving to the end may lead to being arrested and severely interrogated."

Li Fan pondered and quickly understood the essence of this trial.

"Certainly, dying too quickly won't work. The first batch of people probably really died. But at the moment disaster strikes, having no response ability is deserving of death. Only those who die neither too early nor too late can be selected." Li Fan considered the trial's deeper meaning from the perspective of an examiner rather than a candidate and quickly grasped the underlying logic.

So he slowly pretended to falter, entering a precarious situation. Frankly, even if one could guess the truth of the trial, ordinary people would find it hard to give up resistance and calmly embrace death when faced with the collapsing Dao Strings.

There is great fear between life and death.

This scene of the Dao Network collapsing further compels the innate survival instincts for resistance.

Li Fan, accustomed to teetering on the edge of life and death and narrowly escaping crises countless times, nearly couldn't resist the urge to break free and evade the descending Dao Network Strings once they were about to crush him.

Luckily, he managed to hold back.

Allowing the Dao Strings to grind him into pieces.

His vision was instantly filled with endless silver radiance.

Li Fan's Divine Sense seemed to lose consciousness.

In the numbness, Li Fan vaguely sensed a vast presence sweeping through his soul.

Instinctively alert, Li Fan's mind fell silent, returning to infinite peace. Instantly, he relied on the miniature Dao Network hidden in his Divine Sense and casually surfaced Ma Tiande's life memories.

The miniature Dao Network and the Dao Network were essentially Tao imprints, essentially no different. At this moment, seamlessly integrated, even under the faint gaze of the vast presence, nothing was discovered.

The pressing feeling of being watched by a terrifying monster in the shadows vanished, and Li Fan "came back to life", regaining his body and consciousness.

He was no longer in the previous trial space but had arrived at a circular place floating in the void. Outside the floating location stood many figures. Though their appearances were unclear, they all gazed at the remaining participants, gesturing and conversing cheerfully and without malice.

Li Fan scanned his surroundings.

The other survivors seemed to still be in a daze, somewhat confused.

Occasionally, shadows flickered, appearing within the circular enclave.

After half a cup of tea's time passed, everyone had arrived. The voice that had announced before resounded again. This time, however, it was no longer cold and solemn.

It had taken on a somewhat gentle tone.

"The final test, duel!"

Li Fan understood in his heart: "Reaching this point likely means the test is completed. This so-called duel is more like establishing a ranking."

One must admit that those who reached this round were definitely among the chosen elites of the Sea of the Northern Stars.

Although they hadn't fully recovered, upon hearing the command, they instinctively launched a sudden attack on the "enemy" beside them.

Li Fan was also naturally under attack.

His body moved like lightning, easily evading all offensives.

At the same time, he shouted angrily, "Shedding Armor!"

The cultivators targeting Li Fan all felt a slight stiffness in their bodies and retreated backward simultaneously.

All present were smart people and understood that this final test was merely a formality. In a duel, losing was not the end.

The onlookers around were obviously the comrades of the Immortal Hunt. If someone were to have their clothes stripped off, leaving them bare, how could they interact in the future?

Thus, under the deterrence of "Shedding Armor," everyone tacitly chose not to face Li Fan as an opponent, only firing occasional sneak attacks, which Li Fan easily dodged.

This duel was only meant to go so far.

Soon after, it was all clear.

A light curtain descended above the circular enclave, listing the names of everyone present.

From top to bottom, there were twenty-eight people in total.

Based on their performance in the four tests, they were ranked comprehensively.

Ma Tiande's name was ranked fifth.

"It must have been that he raised his score during the operation of hunting the True Immortal in the second test."

Li Fan looked at the list to see who was ranked first. Nine out of ten of the crowd's gazes were focused on this person.

It was the cultivator who had earlier used the Divine Wind Power to counter the rain of the True Immortal.

The surname was Dao, first name Yuan.

He was tall and slim, with deep eyes. Despite the crowd's attention, he showed no fear. Instead, he smiled and made a cupped-fist salute.

Recalling the materials he had seen before, Li Fan remembered the person's background.

From the Sea of the Northern Stars, Myriad Dao Palace.

Since Myriad Dao Palace dared to bear the name Dao, naturally, they had the confidence.

They were originally a surviving force from other Broken Star Seas, firmly establishing themselves despite covetous eyes from all sides.

It is said they made an outstanding contribution to the establishment of the Dao Network and can now be compared with the Sword Domain and Dao Island.

"You all have joined the [Immortal Hunt], from now on, you must obey orders."

"Those who disobey orders will be executed without mercy."

"Next is the first task you must face."

Upon hearing this, everyone present had a slightly subtle expression.

They did not expect that after joining Immortal Hunt, without any training, they would be tasked with a mission.

"Half a day ago, a True Immortal, attracted by our setup [Immortal Bait], transcended to the Oblivion Land, entering the region covered by the Dao Network."

"It is already not far from the Sea of the Northern Stars."

"This True Immortal is severely injured, and the path he cultivates is [Yi]. It is quite suitable as practice for your first hunt..."

A figure emerged from the audience outside the circular enclave.

Although short in stature, he was full of muscle, wearing a blood-red short robe, with a black stone pillar on his shoulder. He looked extremely strange.

"I hope your first hunt will be an instant success!" The Blood-Clothed Man grinned viciously, patting the stone pillar on his shoulder.