On the day when Zhao Shuning wobbled onto the bamboo raft, it was also the day when Kong Shishuang led her team and reached the fourth altitude at one go.
At that time, Kong Shishuang was already extremely exhausted.
Se Se was so tired that she couldn't straighten her back.
After going through untold hardships, they finally reached the fourth altitude. By this time, five months had passed.
It was said that before they reached the fourth altitude, Zhang Tianyuan had already led the people of Tianyuan Sparrow to the fifth altitude.
The fifth altitude was also the last altitude of the Dark Marsh Land.
Now it seemed that Zhang Tianyuan's team must be the first to complete the mission.
I'm afraid that by the time they climbed to the fifth altitude, Zhang Tianyuan would have already left the Dark Marsh Land and returned to the Misty Rain Tower.
It was said that when Zhang Tianyuan reached the fifth altitude, Viper had also arrived there.
When the two teams met, no one knew what had happened. Later, an insider revealed that Zhang Tianyuan had ceded half of the territory at the fifth altitude.
However, in the end, somehow, the winner was still Zhang Tianyuan.
Viper had no intention of competing with him. And when Zhang Tianyuan left the fifth altitude and returned to the Misty Rain Tower through the teleportation array, Viper was beside him. He didn't go back. Some people vaguely felt that he seemed to be lingering on something and was reluctant to leave. Or rather, Viper was waiting for someone.
But no one knew who he was waiting for.
When Kong Shishuang and her group successfully reached the fifth altitude, more than half a year had passed since they came to the Dark Marsh Land. Most people's trials ended in about half a year, but they had spent nearly eight months.
When they reached the teleportation array, they could see that under the towering tree, there was still a gray figure standing there.
All the second - level students who had gone through this trial had become pitch - black, and most of their skin and hands were chapped.
However, the figure under the towering tree was much more handsome than when they first saw him. Even Se Se couldn't help letting out an exclamation at the first sight of that figure.
It was Viper!
Why didn't he leave yet?
Seeing their group reach the fifth altitude, a disappointed smile appeared on Viper's face.
Because he didn't see the figure he wanted to see among this group of people.
"Where's Zhao Shuning?"
Viper remembered that there was a five - year - old baby named Zhao Shuning in this team.
When he was fighting with Zhang Tianyuan before, he had also accidentally heard about her. Viper thought that if Zhao Shuning could escape alive, she would definitely come to find Kong Shishuang and the others. But now it seemed that she still hadn't appeared.
Finally, Viper smiled self - deprecatingly.
"Maybe I'm overthinking."
After that, Kong Shishuang and her group said nothing. Their expressions were very confused.
Then, Viper disappeared from their sight.
What on earth was he waiting for? And what did those words he murmured to himself mean?
Actually, even Viper knew that for the person he was waiting for, he was at most just a passing figure in her life.
With the senior's status, how could she have so much contact with him?
He had spent eight months in the Dark Marsh Land, but the number of times he had seen her was less than three.
Since she gave him the pills four months ago, she had disappeared from the Dark Marsh Land. That was the last time he saw her.
Viper thought that maybe the senior still had other things to do in the Dark Marsh Land. He didn't know how to find her, but if she wanted to leave, she would definitely pass through the teleportation array at the fifth altitude. So as long as he waited here, maybe he could still see her one last time.
Now it seemed that it was all wishful thinking on his part.
Maybe the senior would never remember from the bottom of her heart that there was a young man named "Xiao An" waiting for her in the Dark Marsh Land.
Viper's lonely figure disappeared from their sight.
Kong Shishuang said, "What's wrong with him?"
"He seems to be waiting for someone."
"Waiting for us?"
"Judging from his expression just now, seeing us just made him more disappointed. There should be no one he's waiting for in this Dark Marsh Land. Even if the second - level students haven't passed the trial after half a year, they will be taken out of the fifth altitude. No one knows why Viper stayed, but the deacons in the tower actually agreed to it."
Kong Shishuang stared at the teleportation array in the distance.
Why did the deacons agree? Why did Teacher Su agree?
There could only be one reason, that was, Viper might have become stronger, become the strongest, or one of the top three students in terms of combat power among the second - level students. He was qualified to make a request to the tutors in the academy.
However, why would Viper waste this request in this place?
All the students who came to the Misty Rain Tower for the trial were eager to seize the opportunity to be promoted. Now that Viper had passed the second - level student's trial, he would naturally become a third - level student after going out. Third - level students could receive the guidance of some tutors' mental methods, which would be of great help to their cultivation of spiritual arts.
The first month was especially crucial.
But judging from the situation, Viper obviously gave it up.
Kong Shishuang and her group looked down at the altitudes behind them. Occasionally, they could catch a glimpse of something floating on the Undercurrent River, but when they blinked, it was gone.
They were so far away. Maybe what they saw was just an ordinary tree.
"Let's go back."
"Yeah, back to Shuiyunsheng."
In Shuiyunsheng, most of the first - level freshmen's trials should have ended.
The five of them held hands and walked towards the teleportation array together. A soft yellow light shone under the tree, slowly covering their bodies. Then they felt their eyes go black. When they opened their eyes again, they were already at the place where they had teleported before in the Misty Rain Tower.
Seeing that Kong Shishuang and her group were teleported back intact, all the deacons heaved a sigh of relief.
Even this time, the four deacons in the tower came to greet them.
"First - level freshmen actually successfully passed the second - level trial. This is really unprecedented!"
Among those who came to greet them, besides some second - level seniors, all the first - level freshmen were present.
The second - level students were just wondering how these first - level students managed to hold on when they themselves couldn't.
Most of the first - level freshmen who had gone through the trial before were from Shuiyunsheng. They came mainly to welcome the arrival of their leader. The fact that their leader had successfully passed the second - level trial was the pride of all the first - level freshmen.
But when all five of them walked out, and there was even a Lotus Green Silk Cat beside Kong Shishuang, and the light behind them gradually faded.
The people of Shuiyunsheng didn't see Zhao Shuning's figure.
For a moment, an uproar ensued.