At this moment, Ye Luo recalled a phrase, a very popular phrase in the Great Tang Empire, or rather, a term.

Border Guard!!

Why was the Great Tang Empire so prosperous, yet relied solely on its border city walls for protection?

Perhaps it was because of this special cultivation method!

Some people, in fact, were assigned the duty to defend the nation right from the start. They possessed formidable strength, but they never appeared within the country, for they had only one duty—to guard the city walls!

Border Guards, the strongest warriors of the Great Tang Empire, the most elite presence and, at the same time, the fundamental backbone of the Empire’s existence!

Border Guards, directly under the control of the Great Tang Royal Family, but in fact, operate independently. Even the Royal Family could not interfere with the Border Guards’ operations.

All these people in grey turned out to be Border Guards!

Upon closer contact with these individuals, Ye Luo realized that almost everyone participating in the assessment was very honest. Clearly, the Border Guards had an immense and unparalleled pressure on all.

Could it be that this assessment is related to the Border Guard? Related to the border city walls?

Ye Luo speculated in his heart. Of course, before the contents of the assessment were announced, no one knew what kind of test it was!

Over twenty thousand people!

Geniuses gathered from all over the Great Tang Empire, each one full of confidence!

But merely at the entrance of the assessment hall, the vast majority were eliminated.

After everyone had entered, Ye Luo was astonished to find that less than a thousand remained!

No one knew what sort of assessment it was, but just the opening act had already shocked everyone.

Even Ye Luo felt a trace of fear in his heart!

More than twenty thousand people, yet only less than a thousand were left!

And moreover, nobody even knew why they had been eliminated!

Just what sort of assessment was this!

However, since the Border Guards had appeared, it proved that this assessment was anything but simple.

Suddenly, a figure flashed. Even Ye Luo felt a blur before his eyes, and then saw a middle-aged man appear before them!

A middle-aged general wearing specially made armor!

"Greetings. Let me introduce myself; my name is Li Long, and I am the commander of the Independent First Legion of Western Frontier Guards. Today, with the Royal Academy as our venue, we wish to recruit a batch of suitable personnel to join our Western Legion. Of course, I am honored to inform you that you do not have the right to choose!"

A calm statement, yet it left everyone on the spot utterly stunned!

People whispered among themselves: "The Western War God! It’s actually the Western War God. The Western War God has actually appeared here!"

"Who is the Western War God?"

"You don’t even know the Western War God? Our Great Tang Empire is divided into five regions—east, west, south, north, and central. The central region refers to the Imperial Palace, so strictly speaking, it is not one of the realms. The other four realms are the four Border Guard Legions that guard the four sides of our city walls. This Western War God Li Long is the current Emperor’s own younger brother. However, since there is no affection in the Royal Family, Li Long was sent to the Border Guard Legion at a very young age, just to prevent him from competing with the current Emperor for the position of Crown Prince..."

"Right, the matter was well known at the time and is no secret. Moreover, the Royal Family did not try to cover it up. After all, compared to the few princes who were inexplicably put to death later on, the Western War God is already considered very lucky!"

...

Ye Luo listened to the discussions, finally understanding what was going on.

It turned out that Li Long’s identity was not simple, but why was he here today?

Today was the day of the Royal Academy’s selection of new students, so doesn’t Li Long’s appearance break the rules?

What Ye Luo and the others who stayed didn’t know was that, outside, those who had been eliminated were gathered again for a new assessment!

In other words, Ye Luo and his companions had actually been abandoned.

The Border Guard used their special authority to intercept all these young people who were originally prepared to join the Royal Academy!

"Alright, listen carefully to what I am about to say, as it concerns your life and death. I can now tell you clearly, out of all of you, only five hundred will survive, the rest can only face death!"

A single word, ’death’, cast these young students’ faces pale. Only five hundred could live — wasn’t that saying nearly half of them were doomed to die?

No one doubted Li Long’s words, for the Border Guard always meant what they said, without any nonsense!

"Listen up, after today, all of you who survive will become a part of my independent legion in the Western Frontier. Of course, as for the arrangements thereafter, let’s talk about it if you manage to stay alive. Next, I will send you to the battlefield at the frontier. Each of you must kill ten enemies, and then a guard will take you away; fail to do so, and you’re waiting for death!"

"Activate the Transmission Array, send them to the battlefield!"

Li Long’s face was void of any emotion, as if the lives and deaths of Ye Luo and the others were not even worth his attention!

Following Li Long’s command, a light screen emerged, revealing a massive Transmission Array. The fact that the Border Guard had such a method was not the slightest bit surprising.

"Get in!"

A Border Guard shouted loudly, and the crowd hesitated but ultimately gritted their teeth and walked forward.

Of course, there were exceptions.

"No, no, I won’t go, I won’t go, I won’t join the Border Guard, I came to join the Royal Academy, I want to leave this place!"

A student shouted loudly, those around him also displaying panic, some even stepping backwards to retreat.

"Kill!"

In an instant, a flash of light, and those few people’s heads fell to the ground so directly!

Without the slightest mercy, without even half a sentence of explanation, to kill was just to kill!

This completely disregarded the value of human life!

Ye Luo was shocked in his heart, the sudden change was beyond his imagination.

Of course, it was likely that no one present could have anticipated such a turn of events.

They clearly came to participate in the Royal Academy selection, and as long as they cultivated diligently in the Royal Academy, they could inherit titles and live the life they wanted when they returned home after leaving the Royal Academy!

But what they never expected was that the shift would come so suddenly, without giving them any time to prepare!

The rest, who dared to hesitate any longer? Whether they liked it or not, they no longer had the luxury of choice.

Other than following the orders of the Border Guard, what other choices could they have?

Ye Luo remained silent, just quietly walking forward. In fact, Ye Luo felt a surge of excitement in his heart.