Arriving at the altar, Lin Xia placed the Light Spring encased in an iron box onto the altar.

Suddenly, a figure in black robes appeared from the void, nodding at them:

"The first round of the trial task is complete. Begin returning to the Death Space. You have 24 hours of rest ahead."

As the words fell, a column of light appeared, enveloping their bodies.

Settlement information surfaced in Lin Xia's mind:

[Trial Task: Light Spring]

Task Performance Rating: S-Class.

Points Earned from Task:

Combat Points (combat performance): 8,342 points

Desperate Points (dilemma breakthrough performance): 4,292 points.

Team Collaboration Points: 925 points.

Task Points: 3,000 points.

Total Points Earned: 16,559 points.

...

When his vision cleared again, Lin Xia noticed he and his teammates had returned to the Death Space.

Standing before him was the point stone tablet from which items could be exchanged for points.

Lin Xia placed his hand on the black stone tablet, and immediately various items available for point exchange were listed in his mind.

Injury Healing: 323 points (increased cost with strength enhancement)

Defeat Demon Potion: Upon drinking, significantly enhances element resistance for a duration of 135 minutes.

Price: 250 points.

Sky-splitting Battle Axe

Equipment Level: C-level

Equipment Introduction: Made from black essence ore iron, incredibly sharp, capable of dealing physical damage to enemies.

Equipped Trait: Sky Splitting Slash.

Price: 3,500 points.

Attribute Enhancement: Spend 100 points for one freely assignable attribute point. Once total attributes reach 100 points, the cost for free attribute points increases... .

...

Glancing at his point balance, Lin Xia chose to heal his injuries first.

After consuming 323 points, a purple stream of light surged from the monument, striking his body and permeating through his pores.

He immediately felt a warm and immense power quickly moving through his limbs and bones, with a tingling sensation spreading inside him.

The deep, bone-visible wound on his arm healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, with the new flesh returning to its original bronze hue, as if it had never been injured.

The tension in Lin Xia's nerves finally relaxed, leading him to instinctively close his eyes and savor the surging energy inside him. His face, which was as pale as paper, gradually regained a bit of blood color.

After a long time, he slowly opened his eyes, fatigue had faded from them.

Having undergone the first round of death trials, a change occurred in Lin Xia's gaze.

After experiencing life and death trials, he became silent, with an infinite thirst to continue living.

"Brother Xia, we plan to keep following you."

At this time, three teammates who underwent the trial together approached, and Lin Xia looked at the three teammates who had shared life and death with him, nodding gravely.

They had been together for only 28 hours.

Yet this journey was one measured with their lives on a path between life and death.

Especially the oldest Zhang among the three, who, when their team fell into a desperate situation, disregarded his own safety and shouted angrily:

"I'm done living!"

Then turned around to draw the monster's fire away.

The decisive back remained unforgettable to Lin Xia.

During the 28 hours of the trial task, every second was filled with the risk of death, and they barely completed the task by supporting each other.

This bond forged between life and death made Lin Xia trust them deeply.

After inquiring about the points earned from this task, Lin Xia decided to take a portion of his own to help these three brothers enhance their strength.

...

Three months later.

Death Space.

The column of light descended with a roar, and after the white light dissipated, the members of the 78-person team led by Lin Xia appeared.

Lin Xia's gaze swept over this familiar yet reviled space.

At this point, the initial tension and bewilderment he had when he first entered had faded from his face, replaced by a deep ocean-like calm.

Having undergone five death trials, each fraught with peril, requiring frantic struggle to survive.

These experiences were like a sculptor's knife, erasing the puerility from him and teaching him how to survive in desperation.

But the most profound impact, beyond the powerful monsters within the trial environment, was human complexity.

Starting from the second trial, the enemies included numerous competitive teams beyond just monsters.

They were once his compatriots.

Yet under the compulsory task requirements of the Death Space, they became objects of slaughter.

To vie for task points, he witnessed someone in his team secretly colluding with external forces, betraying him.

The collapse of trust was more heartbreaking than any enemy's attack; when the truth was revealed, those faces that once fought alongside became unfamiliar and ferocious under the lure of profit.

Old Zhang, who had accompanied him through the first round of trials, fell to the enemy team's ambush due to a teammate's betrayal.

This incident taught Lin Xia how to properly get along with his teammates.

His mindset grew with each trial.

Glancing at the stone tablet, the team he established, "Destruction", was engraved second on the ranking.

It was anticipated that in the next Ultimate Trial, they would likely encounter the "Iron Cavalry" team ranked first.

Approaching the stone tablet, he began enhancements on his attributes and abilities.

With 24 hours of rest time remaining, he needed to prepare for battle in advance.

Ending the attribute and ability enhancements, buying a batch of recovery potions, Lin Xia instructed his teammates to gather information on the "Iron Cavalry" team at the Space Square.

Once the Ultimate Trial concluded, he and his teammates would all become "Resonators".

According to the description by the black-robed Guide, they would be sent to the real battlefield.

As for the harsh trials in the Death Space, the Guide described them as nothing more than children's games.

He once curiously asked the Guide what the real battlefield was and what the trial represented.

The Guide's answer was that the definition of the trial could be understood as the Newbie Village in a game, except most trial goers get eliminated and die there.

The trial scenes are woven by great Gods, and the rewards earned are bestowed by the Gods.

The purpose of this is to hone Willpower, teaching them how to become warriors.

Moreover, after each trial, there are series of adaptation issues with newfound abilities.

The next trial serves as adaptation training for newly mastered abilities.

Only completing five rounds of trials and successfully passing the Ultimate Trial qualifies one for the real battlefield.

At that time, their identities would change.

And they would gain two special privileges.

The first privilege is occasionally returning to the real world.

The second privilege is receiving a certain number of death resurrection opportunities under specified conditions.

Lin Xia could not fathom how terrifying the real battlefield the Guide mentioned must be, and he found it incredible to project the mighty power of the unknown Gods.

What transcendent existence could allow them to resurrect post-death?

Could this so-called war merely be a game among the Gods?

The hypothesis Lin Xia conjured was of countless Gods waging a war game, each cultivating Super Soldiers to send to the real battlefield for slaying.

And as a Jile Warrior, his task was to create value for the God behind him on the real battlefield.

His fist slowly clenched.

He understood that the trials waiting for him were still ongoing.

But facing unknown dangers, Lin Xia felt no panic in his heart.

His heart held only the determination to keep living.

Feeling the newly surging power inside him, he lifted his head to the black stone tablet, ready to face the unknown challenge.

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