Chapter 448: Gaokao-Level Elimination Rate

As time passed, one group after another crossed the Immortal Bridge and entered the Immortal Mountain’s paradise.

From Mount Tai in Huáguó, Mount Fuji in Japan, the Wasteland Mountain of the Wanhuang Realm, the Undying Mountain of the Tianhong Realm, and countless other heavens, countless heroes, ancient beings, and even ordinary creatures surged forward.

No one wished to miss such an opportunity.

After brief exploration, all beings understood: this Immortal Affinity from the Jixia Academy did not discriminate by wealth, status, or rank—anyone who could cross the Immortal Bridge and pass this trial had a chance.

Across the myriad worlds of the heavens, there were tens of thousands of worlds; no one knew exactly how many worlds existed.

Now, all beings from every world were climbing for Immortal Affinity—the scene was unprecedented, never seen before, destined to be unforgettable, etched into history and passed down through eternity.

The number of people kept growing.

The total number who had entered had already reached one hundred million.

In just a short while, the number across all heavens reached one hundred million.

Those who had entered gazed at the scenery within, awestruck; those still outside strained to cross the Immortal Bridge, desperate and terrified of falling behind, for they knew this recruitment could not be permanently open—it must have a time limit.

Otherwise, ancient beings like the Wuming Immortal King would not have waited ten thousand years.

Indeed.

Half a day later, the heavens cracked open, the sky’s clouds churned and converged, forming a colossal humanoid figure stretching from horizon to horizon, as if lying within chaos, wrapped in misty vapor, its body semi-translucent.

Its eyes, like those of heaven itself, opened.

Within it, oceans, rolling mountains, suns, moons, and stars flickered faintly—as if hiding another universe!

A voice, as if the supreme and sole authority of the cosmos, echoed throughout heaven and earth.

“One hundred million reached. Others, await the next opportunity.”

One hundred million!?

Those outside turned pale—did that mean one hundred million had already entered? Exactly one hundred million, no more, no less?

Then the next sentence nearly made people weep.

“Await the next opportunity?” Did that mean waiting ten thousand years? Or longer? I’ll be dust by then.

Instantly.

Those who had entered cheered, rejoiced, and thrilled; those who had not were filled with sorrow, regret, and mixed emotions—but helpless.

Immortal Affinity is fate; only those with destiny may obtain it. Those who failed simply had no affinity with the Jixia Academy.

“Next time—I’ll get in next time!”

One Immortal-Demon roared to the heavens—he had not passed, for he had committed sins, making his steps on the Immortal Bridge agonizingly slow; he had nearly reached the end, but just as he neared, the time limit struck—just one step away.

Then, without further complaint, he turned away with a grim face, leaving without hesitation.

He was not returning home.

He was preparing to do good deeds.

His failure this time was entirely his own doing—he must reduce his sins to have a chance next time, or else he would face the same fate on the Immortal Bridge.

He did not care when the Jixia Academy would open again; beings of his Immortal-Demon tier had ways to extend their lifespans.

One method allowed them to live over a hundred thousand years—stopping the Blood Gate of Life, sealing all vitality to slow lifespan consumption, though they would fall into slumber. But this was the only way they could extend their lives.

Extending life by over a hundred thousand years was no small feat—there was always a cost. Losing freedom for extended life: to enter the Jixia Academy and achieve immortality, sleeping for ten thousand years was worth it.

Suddenly.

A strange phenomenon emerged across all worlds.

Many great figures began performing good deeds, giving alms, accumulating merit—wherever there was injustice, sin, or inequality, there they appeared.

Crimes like world invasions decreased; the great figures banned such acts, turning invasions into world exchanges.

These were matters for later.

At this moment, within the Immortal Mountain’s paradise.

This vast, wild land held oceans and continents, dense forests, barren deserts, endless mountains and rivers…

The sky was high, blue, and boundless.

In this vast realm stood a majestic Immortal Mountain, springs gurgled, trees stood lush and green, immortal mist curled in soft clouds, faintly echoing auspicious cries, with Immortal Palaces glimpsed—clearly the dwelling of immortals…

A somewhat lower peak directly connected to the heavens.

Its summit was a platform built of ancient blue bricks.

On the platform.

Countless people emerged from the ancient stone-carved gateways, densely packed, too many to count.

At least ten million.

Each bore a haggard expression, pale-faced, deeply weary and shaken—they had endured the desolate desert, icy tundras, raging oceans, and six other trials, tested in wisdom, courage, reflexes, and character, surviving through nine parts effort and one part luck.

Below the green peak stood clusters of buildings, rising and falling in height, forming an ancient-style village also filled with people.

At this moment, several spots outside the village suddenly appeared large groups of people—these were worse off, their faces yellow and sallow, eyes vacant, utterly lifeless.

No need to ask—these were those who had failed the desert, tundra, and other trials, eliminated.

Some leaned against trees, staring blankly at the sky; others gazed eagerly at the barren forests impossible on Earth.

Who had ever seen towering trees ten meters in diameter, their deep green canopies blotting out sun and sky?

Or rabbits taller than a man, butterflies the size of a sedan car…

Even ordinary animals were this colossal—what terror must the carnivores like wolves and lions be? And some of them hunted in packs…

One could imagine: if anyone stepped outside the village, their chance of death approached one hundred percent.

Beyond astonishment lay excitement and sighs.

Those on the green-brick platform were excited—they had passed the trials.

Those in the village below sighed—they had failed, likely forever cut off from Immortal Affinity. The only consolation: the trial’s overseers possessed mercy—they had not died in the trials, still alive, a stroke of luck amid misfortune.

“At least eighty to ninety million were eliminated.”

Zhang Hao stood on the platform, gazing down—the crowd outside the village was dense, far outnumbering those on the platform.

“Nine out of ten eliminated. The rejection rate is terrifying.”

Gao Xiang Hong responded, sighing at the terrifying difficulty of the trials.

The platform currently held roughly ten million people. Remember, one hundred million had entered—only ten million remained. A ninety percent elimination rate was unimaginably high.

“I feel like I’m back in the Gaokao—trying to stand out among all students nationwide. This is insane.”

Zhang Hao couldn’t help complaining—this trial was as brutal as the Gaokao.

As he spoke, he and Gao Xiang Hong glanced at the beings from other worlds—had they, having endured the Gaokao, gained any advantage?

Indeed, they had.

Seeing the ninety percent elimination rate, the beings from other worlds exchanged glances, shaken with dread.

Only the Initial Realm people remained calm.

Compared to the Gaokao? Child’s play. The Gaokao was pure hell—you had to climb the highest peak, and one extra point meant outpacing tens of thousands.

Whether in Huáguó, Japan, or other nations, the Gaokao was a major turning point in life.

“I feel it’s not over yet.”

At that moment, the First Immortal Sovereign of Jiuzhou approached, frowning slightly.

If the trials had ended, there should be no such commotion—this was likely not the end.

His voice was quiet, but all nearby heard it, their hearts pounding.

“More!? No way—ninety million already eliminated, and you’re going to cut more? Are we picking one in ten thousand…?”

One being from another world groaned—desert and tundra had been brutal enough; if more trials were coming, the difficulty could only rise. Who could endure this?

Many turned pale, silently praying they would pass.

After all this effort to reach the green-brick platform, no one wanted to end up among those in the village.

…