But reality was often unexpected. Though the first stage wasn't difficult, it made everyone understand that this first stage was actually key - it would affect everyone's results and subsequent performance.
"By the way, your servants and attendants cannot enter. If you want to bring things, carry them yourselves."
Sometimes, in such large-scale trials, servants could enter, but their role could only be serving their masters, not helping them. Violating this would result in disqualification.
"No need."
Some people said very proudly, entering the entrance lightly. They didn't take anything from their servants' belongings, possibly because they felt it was burdensome.
"Give it to me."
Fourth Prince and others were silent for a while. They chose to bring some food, drink, and wilderness necessities. Though they felt they would finish quickly, no one dared guarantee there wouldn't be accidents. Bringing some could prepare for unexpected situations.
"If you all don't want them, give them to me. I think I need them."
Young Miss came before those servants, took a backpack, packed some food and drink into it, then disappeared inside. She did this because she saw Guxing seemed to have prepared such a pack, carrying it on her back.
She thought about it and felt that if she got hungry, that would be troublesome. Better to bring some.
Nangong Suxin and others also took some food backpacks following Young Miss's lead. These weren't all from those servants - quite a few were prepared by Administrator Lin, who felt it was better to be prepared.
Afterward, many people felt this preparation was too necessary. At that time, they all wanted to hug Administrator Lin and kiss him hard.
Because only afterward did everyone discover that this first stage was actually so long. The first person to emerge took a full four days, while the longest person remained inside without coming out. However, seven days was a limit - after seven days, those who hadn't exited the first stage were all eliminated.
If people inside couldn't persist anymore and didn't finish soon, they would starve to death. Who told them not to bring food in?
In the first stage area, there was basically no food. What could be found wasn't much. From the beginning, this place was destined to be a wilderness survival location under extremely harsh conditions. So those who didn't bring food spent the first stage in hunger.
Afterward, they blamed the examiners for not speaking clearly, causing their failure. But the examiners' response left them ashamed - in wilderness survival, not bringing food was foolish behavior. You were already told to bring supplies from the start. You chose not to bring them.
Of course, if it were just wilderness survival, these people believed they could persist. But this first stage wasn't just that - several routes were specified in the middle, and you could choose one of them.
Each route would have extreme situations appear, such as conquering cliffs - climbing up from straight, steep precipices; such as crossing rope bridges - thin iron chains over bottomless canyons you had to cross; such as rapids where you needed to go upstream; or mechanisms and traps...
Once a route was chosen, you couldn't change it. Any change meant giving up.
This tested many things - lightness skills, arm strength, waist strength, endurance, and mental strength, etc. This was a great trial.
However, whichever type it was, all were very physically demanding. Without food to replenish stamina, it would definitely be tragic.
Whichever route, none were easy. Going all the way, even if you didn't die, you'd lose a layer of skin. This made people curse - who designed these things? This wasn't a trial but buying people's lives.
"What's going on? Why is this different from the blueprint in my hands? This route clearly didn't have this thing in front of me."
When Fourth Prince, Li Yuan and several others walked with princesses and county princesses, they discovered the route ahead was completely different. Originally he'd chosen a slightly simpler route, but now it didn't look simple at all - still that difficult, with many things that shouldn't be there.
Of course, for their strength level, this wasn't much. Though a bit harder and more laborious, they could still pass easily.
On the fifth day, they passed this long first stage. Only then did they discover that actually this first stage area wasn't very large - they had just been going around in circles inside.
Though they were somewhat angry at the designer, they had to admire them. This person could place over a thousand people in such an area and actually separate them for individual trials, with few chances of meeting. The route design was also perfect - at least their experience was perfect.
This route almost tested everyone's abilities, eliminating some unqualified people. Moreover, this method didn't injure anyone.
Fourth Prince very much wanted to see who designed this. Such design could completely match final competition designs held in Great Tang Empire, and Great Tang Empire was the top level of the entire Dragon Gate Tournament.
Afterward, Fourth Prince discovered something else:
"The blueprint in my hands was preliminary. It seems just changing some things in it could achieve such effects."
Actually, the blueprint in Fourth Prince's hands was real, but some things were changed later. Just needing to break and reconnect several routes, just doing some minor work, using less than a few days, could achieve current effects.
After Fourth Prince and others exited the first stage, waiting examiners brought them to rest areas - mountain villas just built here that could accommodate several hundred people, specially prepared for this Dragon Gate Tournament.
This was where everyone rested before the second stage began. Naturally, they'd enter the second stage together - otherwise, those ahead would have too little competition.
At this time, Fourth Prince and others all felt they should be the first group. They were too lazy to even ask - this was their proud confidence.
"Mo Yu, stop right there. If you don't kneel and sing for me today, I won't spare you."
"La la la, come if you can, crazy woman. Don't think you can oppress me just because your strength is a tiny bit stronger than mine. Push me too far and I'll bite."
"Yes, you're a dog."
"Bullshit, I'm a tiger."
"..."
When Young Miss and Nangong Suxin appeared chasing each other in front of Fourth Prince and others, Fourth Prince's group was immediately stunned. The facts before them told them they definitely weren't first.
Looking at how energetic these two were, they'd definitely been here for quite a while and had rested enough.
Fourth Prince's group now all had somewhat fatigued bodies. The physical consumption along the way was great, especially the last few parts, which were key points among key points.
"Leaving Fire Sword Technique - Blazing Flame."
"Mo Family Sword Technique - Following Rules Rigidly."
While everyone was still surprised, the two's battle quietly escalated. Nangong Suxin's Leaving Fire Sword Technique was a major sword technique of the Nangong family, very powerful. If combined with Crimson Fire Divine Art, the power would rise another level.
Nangong Suxin practiced Crimson Fire Divine Art. Her Crimson Fire Divine Art naturally wouldn't have side effects like Nangong Jingming's. She had already mastered Crimson Fire Divine Art, plus she originally had fire-attribute constitution. Practicing this Crimson Fire Divine Art was like a fish in water.
Sword energy carrying intense fire force bombarded toward Mo Yu.
If it were before, Mo Yu could only dodge, but now she was different. She used a defensive sword technique from Mo Family sword techniques. Though it was Mo Family sword technique, it had already changed, containing her own comprehension.
Under this move "Following Rules Rigidly," Nangong Suxin's "Blazing Flame" was redirected, all striking to one side.
This side seemed very unlucky - right beside Fourth Prince and others. Though it only hit the ground, it stirred up a large cloud of dust that flew toward Fourth Prince's group.
Normally, they would easily dodge, but at this time, their stamina was mostly exhausted. Though their reaction nerves were still okay, their response ability was poor. They moved backward, but dust had already stuck to their bodies.
As a result, Fourth Prince and others were all covered in dust. This made these noble people's faces change greatly, especially Fourth Prince, whose eyes looked like they wanted to kill.
The two who caused this result didn't stop, continuing with move after move of attack and defense, very fast - already going back and forth over ten times in an instant.
It must be said, both women's strength was very strong. Though Young Miss's strength was weaker than Nangong Suxin's, for Nangong Suxin to defeat Young Miss wasn't a matter of a short time.
Generally, such situations would continue for over half an hour before determining victory.
This situation also surprised Nangong Suxin. Previously she felt she could resolve Young Miss within ten minutes, even taking her time.
But now, Young Miss could actually last half an hour under her hands. If Young Miss's breath weren't insufficient, she could probably last even longer.
From this point, Nangong Suxin knew that in sword techniques, she might not necessarily beat Young Miss steadily anymore. Young Miss's sword techniques seemed to have suddenly advanced greatly - this distance could be described as "when a scholar has been away for three days, one should view him with new respect."
Of course, Young Miss also said this was because she'd achieved comprehension. This made Nangong Suxin very envious. Comprehension was something you could encounter but not seek. Some people, even with supreme talent, might never comprehend anything in their lifetime.
This wasn't related to talent but to a person's comprehension ability. As for comprehension ability, this was very mysterious.
(End of Chapter)