Chapter 1021: Trial Tablet Blank Name

Just then, Ye Mo grasped the trial tablet's purpose. It wasn't merely a ranking; the intense pressure and killing intent fostered enlightenment, benefiting cultivation. He also understood why many cultivators succumbed to the terrifying killing intent. Failure damaged their mental state, but success proved immensely inspiring.

Subconsciously, Ye Mo unleashed his power and killing intent, immediately easing the pressure. Recognizing this as the key, he fully released his strength.

Above 18 meters, the killing intent materialized, instantly plunging him into a simulated ancient battlefield. Countless spirit beasts, cultivators, and demons roared their challenge.

Ye Mo held nothing back, deploying Zi Xu and the Illusion Cloud Strikes. Purple sword rays decimated wave after wave of attackers. He recalled his slaughter of countless earth scorpions on the herb plain.

Spirit beast corpses piled beneath him as he ascended. Soon, the beasts thinned, and the area ahead opened. Before he could breathe, a level six mammoth charged.

A primary stage level six mammoth! Equivalent to a Nascent Soul state level one cultivator. Its powerful aura threatened to engulf him before it even reached. Ye Mo instantly unleashed his Purple Eye Soul Sever, along with the fifth and sixth Illusion Cloud Strikes.

Weakness washed over him. His Illusion Cloud formation kill strike unleashed countless sword rays, forming a yin-yang dual kill formation. He knew it wouldn't decisively defeat the mammoth, but it could prevent immediate annihilation.

Sizzle

His spirit sense attack connected, and the Illusion Cloud formation tore the mammoth apart.

Ye Mo breathed a sigh of relief; he hadn't expected such an easy victory. He knew his spirit sense attack and Illusion Cloud formation, while powerful, weren't enough to kill a level six spirit beast alone. The combination's power surprised him.

Suddenly, the pressure lifted, and he found himself back at the trial tablet. He was utterly bewildered.

He observed Xiao Fei and others; their attempts seemed casual, without magic artifacts. Their approach starkly contrasted his own.

"What's he doing?" onlookers gazed at Ye Mo, perplexed.

A golden core state level four cultivator hesitantly offered, "He seemed to unleash a magic artifact, emitting purple light, but something stopped it."

"Why's he attacking? He's supposed to just write his name," another cultivator questioned.

"I don't know, but he seems to have surpassed 21 meters," a third cultivator observed.

"So what if he surpassed 21 meters? Many use burst pills to reach near 21 meters, but still can't leave their names."

Ye Mo then saw a milky white, blank tablet. Understanding dawned, and he murmured, "So you don't need to fly high; you just need to leave your name."

Without hesitation, he wrote, "Ye Mo."

He watched Xiao Fei's faintly golden name immerse into the tablet. His own, however, remained stubbornly unabsorbed.

Had he failed? The pressure intensified. His full-powered attack had weakened his spirit sense; he could no longer maintain his position and began to descend.

"He's coming down! He wrote 'Ye Mo.' Look for his name! What rank is he?"

Ye Mo anxiously searched, but his name was absent. How was this possible? He checked repeatedly, but it remained missing.

Laughter erupted from the square. "We told you! What's the point of going high? If just anyone could leave their name, it wouldn't be called a trial tablet!"

Ye Mo's heart sank. He was certain he wasn't weaker than Xiao Fei, yet Xiao Fei ranked 11th, while he received no ranking at all. Something unusual must have occurred, given his unique encounter with the level six mammoth.

Their contemptuous remarks stung, especially considering the public nature of the event.

He knew his failure wasn't due to lack of strength. Furthermore, the trial had yielded valuable enlightenment. Initially unconcerned about the tablet's ranking, he left immediately. He needed to find a place to cultivate and then seek Ning Qingxue.

The Ethereal Immortal Pond, an eight-star sect, likely offered easier contact than a nine-star sect. He might be able to see Qingxue there. He wouldn't stay long, perhaps just two days to gather his thoughts.

As he sought a hotel, he noticed two golden core state cultivators rushing from a hotel, mounting flying spirit artifacts and leaving the city.

"Let's go to the north gate," one said. Ye Mo suspected their connection to the city guard. The city's strict exit regulations allowed departures only at specific times.

Normally, he wouldn't care, but now, he was cautious. If they could leave now, he would follow.

He trailed them discreetly. His stealth skills prevented detection. He followed them to the north gate, where over ten golden core state cultivators and even a Nascent Soul state cultivator awaited.

The city gate restriction opened, and Ye Mo followed cautiously, hiding amid the crowd.

"How is it?" the Nascent Soul state cultivator inquired.

"We've searched a 100-kilometer radius around the north gate, including all hotels and recently rented rooms; we're sure we haven't missed anyone," the golden core cultivators reported.

Ye Mo thought, Fu Rong commands this many golden core and even Nascent Soul state cultivators? The An Bei three demons have taken action! He was fortunate to have avoided a hotel; otherwise, he'd have been blocked.

"Right. The city has six exits; we guard the north. I want no problems at our gate. Even an ant leaving must be known. Tomorrow, our Lightning Cloud sect elders arrive. Whoever it is, their soul will be extracted and burned for killing our core disciple," the Nascent Soul state cultivator declared coldly.

"Martial Uncle Li, don't worry. He's our mortal enemy. If he dares come, he'll never leave," the golden core peak cultivator Ye Mo had followed stated with lethal intent.

The Nascent Soul cultivator nodded. "Good. That guy is no simple character; be careful. Elder Tian arrives tomorrow morning at the latest. He ambushed Aofeng at the Heartless Sea; if he wants to leave, he must pass through South Peace City. So you needn't worry he won't come."

Ye Mo realized it was about Tian Aofeng, the nine-star sect disciple he had killed. Without caution, he could die without ever knowing how.