Chapter 15: The Road Ahead Is Fraught with Hardship

When the fist is raised, power follows, and savagery erupts. When savagery is restrained, civilization emerges. When savagery is eradicated, civilization becomes the new savagery.

The world of the Great Wilderness is unusual, filled with countless unimaginable phenomena. For instance, there are ten suns in the sky, almost never setting, creating day without night. At the end of each month, a torrential rain is guaranteed to fall, stars flicker, the full moon vies for brilliance, and the heavens shift in endless transformation.

Yet, some traditions endure. Every ruler who governs the land places great emphasis on nurturing talent, always seeking out those with potential for cultivation, guiding them to grow stronger quickly.

The Butterfly Queen, who wears the crown of a ruler, is no exception.

At regular intervals, she issues orders for all regions, from the smallest villages to towns and cities, to actively search for those with potential for cultivation. As long as one passes the assessment and pays the tuition, they can study at the Butterfly Academy. Those who excel may even be granted an audience with the Queen herself, receiving her teachings and exclusive secret techniques.

The lowest level of the assessment is at the city. Within the jurisdiction of each city, in all villages and towns, anyone with a certain level of strength can register to participate. If eliminated, one can try again next time. If successful, they soar to new heights, with infinite possibilities ahead.

At worst, one enters as a Brave and leaves as a Brave, but is then permitted to challenge the current town leader; if victorious, they become the next leader. If one is at the General level, they can challenge the City Lord. At the Commander level, they may challenge the Domain Lord, and so on. Those at the Marquis level may even challenge the Gate Master...

Of course, this is only in theory. A Marquis can have nearly anything they desire—why bother with challenges? But it must be known that in times when the Emperor withdraws, Kings cultivate in seclusion, and Counselors hide themselves away, the Marquis are the most formidable beings in existence. The appearance of each one can stir up storms and turn the world upside down.

Among the hundreds of billions in the Great Wilderness, most yearn to break through to the Marquis realm. In reality, very few succeed. The vast majority are stuck at the General level for life. Without comprehending the mysteries within, there is no hope of progress.

Above the General is the Commander, another great barrier. Beyond that lies the Walker, a realm so difficult it brings despair to countless cultivators.

In old ballads, only three words are used for the Walker: “Traverse the world.”

It means to journey across the world, seeking the five elemental essences in perfect balance, in order to ascend to the peak of the Marquis. Though it sounds simple, it is a path stained with the bitter tears and blood of generations of cultivators.

A lone person, wandering the world through hardship for a mere sliver of hope—what torment that must be. Especially now, when resources grow scarcer with each passing day.

Of every ten Walkers, at least nine end their lives in disappointment. The last one may succeed only by great fortune or deliberate cultivation, and the five elemental essences they finally gather are often of poor quality—enough to break through into a true Walker, but shattering any hope of further advancement.

Such are the hardships on the road of cultivation!

...

“Dugu, is that you?”

Dugu Farewell was leading his little sister, cradling an infant, and waiting in the crowd to submit their tokens when a loud voice called from behind. He turned to see a tall, thin man who seemed vaguely familiar.

“It’s me, Wolf,” the man introduced himself, quickly approaching. “I’m here for the selection too. This is my sixth time—who knows if I’ll pass this time.”

Dugu Farewell nodded casually. “I’ve heard the assessment is difficult?”

“Of course,” Wolf replied with frustration. “There are always talented cultivators; how can an ordinary person like me compete? Twice I was lucky to escape with my life.”

“What?” Dugu Farewell asked in confusion. “Isn’t it just an assessment? How can killing be allowed?”

Wolf stared at him in surprise, his look strange. “Survival of the fittest, life and death determined by fate—these are the Butterfly Queen’s own words. If you have the power, you can kill everyone else and naturally pass... Each round, only ten people make it through.”

“But there must be hundreds of people entering—how difficult can the assessment be?” Dugu Farewell asked, curiosity piqued. His little sister and the baby stared up with clear, watery eyes, their little ears pricked to listen.

Wolf gave a bitter smile. “Most come only for the rewards. Whether you pass or not, there’s some prize, encouraging cultivators to try again next time. Don’t be fooled by the crowd; soon there will be even more. But after a few rounds in the assessment zone, few remain. The first step requires a long trek to find the second-stage labyrinth—if you’re late, you’re eliminated. Then in the labyrinth, you must exhaust yourself searching for tokens and collect the required number. But the tokens are scarce, so if you don’t want to work hard, you can steal from others—ten tokens equal one pass. After that, you must quickly leave the labyrinth and reach the grand arena for the third stage, where you’ll face one-on-one or group battles until the ten best are chosen.”

“I see,” Dugu Farewell mused, weighing the situation in his mind. He was confident in himself, but his two companions had not even begun cultivation, not even at the Warrior level, which could be troublesome. Moreover, he was not clear on the details or precautions of the selection. His gaze lingered on Wolf, and a thought sparked: “Are you alone?”

Wolf nodded, his expression bitter. He had no background, was practically a wandering cultivator with no friends, struggling daily—what choice did he have but to go it alone? Unlike those from clans, who came with brothers and friends, always looking out for one another.

“I’m entering as a team—if you’re willing, join us. It’s better to support each other than to struggle alone.” At Dugu Farewell’s offer, Wolf’s eyes lit up instantly and he nodded without hesitation. “Willing, more than willing! It’s my honor to be included.”

What a joke! A cultivator at the Brave level, undefeated in ten consecutive arena battles, even able to spar with a Commander and injure him—such strength Wolf had rarely seen in his lifetime. To team up with such a figure—only a fool would refuse.

Seeing Dugu Farewell’s keen interest in the selection, Wolf, eager to prove himself as the newest member of the team, hurried to explain, “At the city-level selection, all the villages and towns send their best Braves, and some clans send their prized heirs. The strong gather, and there are always those stronger still—you must be careful. If you get into conflicts with these people, you’ll be in for endless trouble. Some are so ruthless they’ll kill without hesitation. Once, when I joined, a member of the Kuang clan swept across a hundred miles, leaving piles of corpses and rivers of blood. Even the Butterfly Queen was alarmed and personally named him for immediate entry to the academy and gave him special cultivation.”

Wolf rambled on, while Dugu Farewell listened patiently, both enjoying the conversation.

Unnoticed, they had followed the crowd close to the gate for identity verification, when suddenly a commotion erupted. Several men shoved their way through, cutting the line with arrogant disregard. At their head was a bald man who brazenly waved his token, announcing, “See this? We’re going in.”

“Why do you get to cut the line?” demanded the Brave whose turn it was for verification.

“Why? Ha!” The bald man laughed, his companions jeering, utterly unconcerned. Then, suddenly, the bald man punched the Brave square in the face with a thud, sending him flying, blood gushing from his nose.

“People like you want to enter the selection? Don’t waste everyone’s time. Get lost, or if I see you inside, you’re dead!”

“You... you...” the Brave stammered in rage, wanting to argue, but the City Lord’s attendants ignored the scene as if nothing had happened. He immediately understood these were not people to provoke and left, seething with anger.

The bald man was not finished. He called after the Brave, “No need to ask—I’m Kuang Feng, from the Kuang clan. My big brother is Kuang Zhan!”

The crowd erupted.

With those words, a ferocious, wild aura seemed to sweep through the crowd, spreading rapidly and filling the whole area with alarm and awe among people and beasts alike.

[Editor’s note: For more hot titles, visit and bookmark our site.]