The seven-colored radiance of the Illusory Music Star Array had not yet faded when boundless darkness abruptly descended, completely enveloping Lin Zhixia. The support beneath her feet vanished, leaving her suspended in the void. Above her, a massive Eye of Fear slowly opened. Its scarlet pupil radiated a soul-shaking pressure, reflecting the deepest and most hidden fears within her heart.
"Fourth trial: Trial of Fear—Azure Hao World-Shattering Left Leg Bone," the Will of the God Realm said coldly. "Face your fear and break free. Only then will you pass."
The moment its words fell, the Eye of Fear's light abruptly focused, and a black shadow emerged from the darkness—a colossal ferocious beast, its fangs and claws gleaming coldly. It was the phantom of the beast that had hunted her in childhood, except it was far more hideous than she remembered, with speed and strength far beyond anything she had known back then.
"Roar—" The beast lunged with a roar, its claws aimed directly at her vital points. Lin Zhixia instinctively dodged, only to discover that her left leg was trembling beyond her control. Her Soul Power circulated with extreme difficulty, and every movement left her left leg briefly numb, as though invisible chains had bound it. The despair of being hunted as a child instantly flooded her heart, choking off her breath.
She forcibly channeled her star power and narrowly evaded the attack, though cold sweat had already soaked her back. This beast phantom was the embodiment of her deepest fear of death. Every attack struck precisely at her psychological defenses, making her want to retreat.
As the trial continued, the shadows of fear escalated without end. Once the beast phantom faded, a figure identical to her appeared—the Shadow of Failure. She was dressed in rags, all Soul Power gone,