[Nightfall, Offline, Ning'an, Jiang Province]
[Xinheng Yufu, Jianghai District]
At the dining table, Lin Mo only ate two bites before immediately returning to his room and going online.
Because he had already learned from Ling Xue that the Ghost King Soul Master · Zade had successfully obtained the Soul Refining Pearl with the help of the "Boss," Lonely Island.
And by combining it with the Soul Refining Pearl, he was absorbing soul power throughout the entire realm, allowing Soul Devourer to grow at an extremely fast rate.
Moreover, those with bloodlines above the Ghost King level could freely enter and leave the Land of Abandoned Ghost without restrictions.
Lin Mo could already imagine it: once the Ghost King Soul Master · Zade used his S-rank Soul Devourer to clear the divine power from his body and recover from his weakened state.
The first thing it would do would inevitably be to return to the Land of Abandoned Ghost and kill Lin Mo.
And with Lin Mo's current strength and condition, he would definitely be unable to contend with a fully recovered level 100 Ghost King.
So, he could not place all his hopes on Ning Xi completing the SS-rank hidden quest, Heart Knot, for him in the outside world.
Lin Mo also had to find a way from other angles to crack the secret realm as quickly as possible, and find a way to get out of the Land of Abandoned Ghost before Soul Master · Zade recovered from his weakened state.
Ever since he had been trapped in the Land of Abandoned Ghost, Lin Mo appeared calm and composed on the surface, but inside, he was extremely anxious, and it was obvious that he had become much more haggard.
Ning Xi saw it all and felt pain in her heart.
"No, I must complete the God-Creation Trial, enter the Divine Kingdom, and help Brother Lin Mo complete the quest!"
As soon as Ning Xi finished speaking, the strongest support, Ning Fei, who was also worried about his brother-in-law, offered his sister some advice, "Sis, I know you're really worried, but don't worry just yet!"
"I've already found out the specific format of the God-Creation Trial! The entire trial is divided into five rounds. The fourth round tomorrow morning is still PVE. It's still not easy for ordinary players, but for you, it's nothing."
"You're guaranteed to pass the fourth round. You only need to pay attention to the final fifth-round trial tomorrow afternoon, because the fifth round is PK-based."
"Of course, you don't need to worry too much. You only need to watch out for one person. As long as you don't get matched against him, first place is guaranteed."
Hearing this, Zhao Lingyun asked, "You mean that Boss, Lonely Island? I heard from the Divine Nation Guild that his strength seems to be really strong."
Ning Fei shook his head, "Lonely Island's SS-rank talent effect is to strengthen Magic Scrolls tenfold, but to ensure balance, the system has set it so that players can't use any Magic Scrolls during the trial, so his talent is completely useless. He's even less of a threat to my sister than I am."
"Besides, Lonely Island just arrived in Inferno City and didn't participate in the previous few rounds of the trial, so he's not qualified to participate in the fifth round."
Ning Xi's brows furrowed tightly, and she blurted out, "Nether."
"That's right!"
Ning Fei said, "His class potential, Judgment, has a 99% damage suppression effect that's too overpowered. Other than brother-in-law's Divine Advent Seraph being able to counter it, basically no one else can beat him one-on-one."
"But the fifth-round trial is also based on points. Sis, as long as you don't encounter Nether in the fifth round and farm points by matching against other people, you can secure first place."
At this moment, Ning Xi was resolute, "I must take first place!"
———
The next day, early morning, at the God-Creation Trial grounds, inside Divine Mountain Forest, there were still crowds everywhere, bustling with activity.
Its popularity was second only to the main city area, Inferno City.
Because right now, the fourth round of the God-Creation Trial was underway.
Although after three rounds of screening and elimination, by the fourth round, the number of players who could continue participating in the trial was already less than one-thousandth of the initial number of participants.
But that didn't stop the eliminated players from coming to watch the excitement.
After all, this was a chance to witness the "birth of a god" with their own eyes.
As the qualified players entered the altar one after another to participate in the trial.
The spectators gathered around watching the excitement seemed even more excited than the trial participants themselves.
"Before I knew it, we're already at the fourth round! As long as we pass this round, we'll advance to the final trial, and once we pass the final trial, we'll be able to join the God Race."
"The supreme race of Divine Oracle, the God Race! This is literally my life's pursuit!"
"No, bro! You again! Didn't you say before that your life's pursuit was your goddess Xiaorou?"
"It is Xiaorou! If I can become a member of the supreme God Race faction, my Xiaorou will definitely look back at me!"
"Bro, that's awesome! Then good luck!"
"No chance! I was eliminated in the first round the day before yesterday."
"Then why the hell are you talking!"
"What a guy. Getting eliminated in the first round and still trying to chase your goddess! Are you planning to catch up with your goddess just to give her and her boyfriend some little umbrellas?"
———
As beams of white light descended from the altar, among the people who had just finished the fourth round of the trial, some were happy, some were worried.
At this moment, white light shone down.
Ning Xi stepped out of the altar.
Outside the altar, Qin Feng, Ling Xiao, Xia Wanwan, as well as Skinny Monkey, Fat Dahai, and the others, who had already been anxiously waiting for a long time, all gathered around.
"How'd it go, sis-in-law! Did you pass?"
Ning Xi nodded, "I passed."
"That's great! I knew you definitely wouldn't have a problem!", Qin Feng breathed a sigh of relief.
Fat Dahai sighed, "After finally making it to the fourth round, in the end, among the few of us, only Brother Xiao passed~"
"Wake up!", Skinny Monkey didn't forget to take a shot at Fat Dahai, "The ones who made it to the fourth round were Brother Xiao and sis-in-law. The two of us already got eliminated in the second round yesterday!"
Qin Feng then looked toward Ling Xiao in surprise, "My sis-in-law Mo passing is normal, but I didn't expect you to pass too?"
"An A-rank talent, Jade and Stone Burn Together, is badass! Blow up anyone you don't like!"
"Tomorrow's fifth-round PK final trial is your chance to protect sis-in-law Mo. The mission of blowing Nether to death is yours!"
Ling Xiao said, "I'll do my utmost!"
[Ding~ Player Liuli, congratulations, you have passed the fourth round of the God-Creation Trial! The current number of players who have passed the fourth round is 92. The final God-Creation Trial will begin in 3 hours and 25 minutes. Please be prepared!]
Ning Xi closed the system notification panel that had popped up in front of her, She murmured, "Brother Lin Mo, hold on a little longer."
"I will definitely pass the trial and obtain the qualification to enter the Divine Kingdom!"
Just as Ning Xi and the others had left Divine Mountain Forest...
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Amid the continuously flashing white light of the altar, Qin Ming, Ji Ningshuang, and Super God Athena walked out.
System notifications simultaneously appeared in front of the three of them.
[Ding~ Player Nether, congratulations, you have passed the fourth round of the God-Creation Trial…]
[Ding~ Player Frost Dance, congratulations, you have passed the fourth round of the God-Creation Trial…]
[Ding~ Player Super God Athena, congratulations, you have passed the fourth round of the God-Creation Trial…]
"This God-Creation Trial really is fair and impartial," Ji Ningshuang, who was only level 35, said proudly.
Beside her, Super God Athena was full of disdain and mockery, "Hopefully you'll still be able to say that about the PK-based trial this afternoon."
Ji Ningshuang smiled, "Hmm~ You wouldn't happen to not know that, according to the rules, in the fifth-round PK trial, the levels of all trial participants will be raised to the same average level, right?"
"Looks like I need to prepare a set of level 70 equipment in advance! Don't think I'll go easy on you just because we're on the same side when you get matched against me."
"Hmph," Super God Athena snorted coldly, "Beat me first before you say that!"
Just as the two women were fighting, a Demon Knight in completely black, fully enclosed heavy metal armor, Lonely Island, appeared beside the three of them at some point.
Ji Ningshuang and Super God Athena quickly stopped fighting and respectfully addressed Lonely Island in unison: "Godfather!"
Lonely Island ignored Ji Ningshuang and Super God Athena.
He only said to Qin Ming, "Liuli passed the fourth round too."
"The God-Creation Trial concerns the rewards for members of the God Race faction. If Liuli becomes a member of the God Race faction, her threat will be no less than that of Rulebound."
"I want you to defeat Liuli in this afternoon's final trial."
"Under no circumstances can you let her become a member of the God Race faction."
Qin Ming said, "Okay."
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
As Lonely Island, Qin Ming, and the others left the altar, two figures appeared among the nearby crowd.
They were none other than the level 74 Assassin [Shadow] and the level 74 Magic Illusionist [Zhao Ling'er].
Zhao Lingyun said worriedly, "Oh no, they really are planning to target Ning Xi in this afternoon's final trial."
Staring intently at the departing Lonely Island, Qin Ming, and Ji Ningshuang, Ning Fei's clear eyes were filled with determination.
"As long as I'm here, no one should even think about hurting my sister!"
"Don't worry, Sis. You just keep going straight ahead."
"I'll remove every obstacle and threat for you!"