The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Everyone fell silent at Ava Jones's statement. Slowly, they made their way to the small room with heavy steps and a sinking feeling in their stomachs. Most of them, even Oscar, knew that the labyrinth wasn't a breeze to get through, and it was only the first part of the exam.

The second and final part of the exam was sure to be worse than any of the trials they had encountered during the labyrinth.

Oscar strode ahead and sat at the round table with a straight back. The other students started to file in and keep some distance from each other, but Serena went ahead to sit next to Oscar, invoking Mary's caution.

'What is that greedy merchant thinking?' Mary's eyes narrowed at Serena, and she thought about what Serena was planning to do with Oscar. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought this prideful, stubborn, and wily girl was in love with Oscar and wasn't planning anything nefarious.

Serena looked at Mary with a smirk to goad her. 'She thinks I'm playing some kind of angle. It's funny seeing her face like that. Though it doesn't seem like you're interested in Oscar romantically, what's the fuss about?'

Once everyone sat down around the round table, Ava Jones and Elder Dustin poured in their Ein, activating a formation around the round table. It was another teleportation formation.

Oscar immediately reacted by taking out his buckler. Serena, Mary, and the other students reacted similarly to be prepared for sudden attacks. With how unpredictable the entire Inner Hall Promotion Exams were, the second part of the exam could have already begun.

The light of formation flooded the room, swallowing everyone, including the elders, and dispersed into nothing. The room was empty and devoid of people.

Oscar felt his stomach feel uncomfortable but held it in; he was getting more used to the discomfort of the teleportation. The others around him were also pale but holding on. However, they soon forgot about the pain as they observed the place they teleported to.

It was a vast tundra wasteland with a cloudy sky that snowed down slowly; fierce winds blew, kicking up a snowstorm that encased Oscar and the others. However, the snow could not go past a certain distance from them due to a barrier the elders had set up. Oscar cursed inwardly and thought that the Inner Hall Promotion Exam was taking things too far.

Ava Jones ignored the howling winds and pounding snow that tried to cover them and clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.

She gestured to the snowy, unstable landscape and said, "This is where the second and last part of the exam will take place. This is a small realm of snow and ice that we discovered near the Pavilion. By setting up a teleportation formation here, we can go in and out of the small realm with ease."

"Small realm?" Serena rubbed her arms to warm herself.

"You've all heard about the Ashen Grove that will open up in the coming years. It's the same thing. This Tundra is a realm within a different pocket of space; it's not a part of our world, yet it's intrinsically tied to it. Tunnels to small realms can appear, and we can stabilize that opening to ease access." Elder Dustin stepped forward to explain, to which Ava reacted with a scowl. "Consider it a very small world. Now for the rules."

"This Tundra contains different Exalt Beasts ranging from Apprentice to even a few Knight Exalt Beasts." Ava Jones noticed the looks of fear on the students and quickly spoke, "Don't worry, we have closed off the part with only Apprentice Exalt Beasts. Any other Exalt Beasts will be forced away. But they are not the objective."

Ava Jones waited a moment to build up the suspense before continuing, "There are three things you must gather from this place and make your way to that mountain up there. At the very top, you will present the three items to us. The students who complete this will be promoted to the Inner Hall, and there are special rewards."

"But this trial is a little different from the others. Some who have gone through the secret trial of the safe zones would understand. This is a team trial; you will be split into pairs." Ava Jones smiled like a jester while dropping the bomb.

Oscar felt a shudder again, recalling everything he had to endure during his trial with Serena. At the same time, Serena's eyes were sparkling, and they glanced at Oscar.

'Another team effort….' Oscar furrowed his brow. 'They seem to love throwing unexpected team endeavors on us.' He sighed after noticing Ava Jones's eyes were full of laughter at him and Serena.

You may be wondering how we divide the teams. First, let's put up the scoreboard!" Ava Jones waved her hand, and a large scroll appeared and unfurled.

The scores were recorded on it.

"First Place  :  Oscar T. :  Number 9 :  42000 points"

"Second Place  :  Serena F. : Number 2 : 38000 points"

"Third Place  : Edward C. : Number 1 :  34500 points"

"Fourth Place :  Lucy M. :  Number 4 :  30000 points"

"Fifth Place  :  Adam E :  Number 7 : 24000 points"

"Sixth Place  :  Mary J :  Number 5 :  23000 points"

"Oscar Terr has an overwhelming lead in first. Step forward." Ava Jones said.

Oscar took a step forward and bowed.

"Since you are first, you can choose your partner first. But you cannot choose anyone from the second or third place." Ava Jones's words made Serena frown with a soft click of her tongue. "Who will you choose?"

Oscar turned back, looking at the others in fourth, fifth, and sixth place. He pondered and then said, "Mary Jones in sixth place."

"Huh?" Ava Jones was stunned and stared at Oscar with a funny expression. The other students were also confused that Oscar, who had the precious right of the first pick, would choose the one at the bottom.

Serena sighed as if she knew this was going to happen. She understood a bit of Oscar to know that he preferred to work with those he knew rather than choose a stranger. On the other end, Mary was stunned like her aunt, unable to muster a reaction.

Oscar turned to Ava Jones. "Is there a problem with my selection? I do have that right, don't I?"

"You do." Ava Jones shook her head and looked at her niece, who was still stunned. 'You're lucky to have him as a partner in this trial. Don't squander this chance and make your way to the Inner Hall.'

"Then next, Serena Fulgir, select one of the remaining two." She continued the selection process.

In the end, Serena took Lucy Maine, the fourth place, as her partner. In a way, she felt grateful to Oscar for leaving Lucy open as an option. Lucy's points were 6000 more than the next person, meaning she had some skill.

Finally, Edward Calpto was left with Adam Erio.

"Now that everyone has settled into their pairs let me explain further about the rules. You have four days to find the three items and make your way up the mountain. Three sets of the three items are scattered around, so every team can potentially pass." Ava Jones looked at the relieved faces of the students with a smirk. "However, you can fight each other. If a team fails to pass, their rewards are split and given to the remaining teams. One team can reap all the rewards if all the others are put out of commission."

'That makes things worse. A team can go around and fight the others first and look for the items. Not to mention, beating a team down and preventing them from completing the task means they would lose their chance to be promoted.' Oscar felt this tundra trial would be a bloodbath. Anyone would leap at the chance to have fewer rivals around them.

"Don't worry too much about it." Ava Jones said. "You will all be teleported to different start points. You have some leeway at the start, and there's a chance you may never run into anyone."

Suddenly, three small circles of light formed on the snowy ground under them.

"These circles will teleport you to your respective starting points." Ava Jones took out small scrolls and gave them out to the teams. "The first place also has a special clue written in their scroll as to the precise locations of one item type."

Everyone eyed the scroll in Oscar's hand with a hint of desire, but Oscar quickly stowed it away in his chest pocket. The explanation finally ended, and Oscar went toward one circle with Mary.

After all the students were positioned, the circles lit up again, and the teleportation began. Ava Jones let out a tired breath and stretched her back. "That was a long explanation."

Elder Dustin looked at the mountain. "We should make our way there and wait."

…….

Oscar and Mary appeared in the middle of a snowy ravine. The high cliffs of snow and ice provided some cover from the raging winds above. Long icicles were covering the cliffs and seemed very sharp.

"Oscar. Why did you choose me?" Mary asked while letting out puffs of white breath.

"I much prefer not working with strangers. Besides, you're not that weak." Oscar answered while looking around the ravine.

Mary lowered her round eyes with a grateful look. "I–"

ROAR

An echoing roar interrupted her words. Oscar and Mary turned to the source of the noise.

"Looks like we have to save the talking for later."