Sikeke's Second-Stage Trial Was Actually a Fight Against Cosmic Darkness? The Entire Divine Realm Was Left Dumbstruck!

The afterglow of the sunset shone on her profile, casting a soft, warm glow on her pale face. Her eyes were no longer empty and lifeless, but held a complex emotion that was difficult to describe.

There was relief, there was struggle, and there was also a hint of... tenderness that she herself was unaware of.

Ying grilled the fish and presented it to her like a treasure, a bright smile on her face.

"Here you go! Try my cooking!"

This time, Sikeke didn't refuse.

She silently accepted the fragrant grilled fish and, under Ying's expectant gaze, took a small bite.

At that very moment, for the first time, the corners of her mouth curved upwards in a tiny arc.

It was a smile that was almost imperceptible, yet undeniably real.

It was as if the snow-capped mountains, Ice Seal for millions of years, had finally welcomed the first breath of spring, and a tiny snow lotus had bloomed.

[She is no longer just a weapon that lives only to become stronger.]

[After encountering the light, she began to accept the world anew, and also began... to reconcile with her lonely self.]

The narration on the Light Screen brought the story to a warm close.

The entire center of the God Realm was filled with warmth and emotion.

"That's wonderful, what a perfect ending," Ye Yinzhu sighed softly.

"Yes, at least we didn't let that kind girl down," Zi echoed.

"To unleash potential by protecting what you love is the true path," the Dragon God's deep voice rang out again, filled with approval.

However, just when everyone thought it was all over and was preparing to offer their blessings to this lonely Witch—

The Light Screen suddenly turned completely black.

An even more terrifying and profound malice than when Surtrochi appeared instantly enveloped the entire hall!

A mocking yet chilling voice rang out without warning, carrying a hint of sinister laughter.

"It seems you've found your 'true love,' my most prized disciple, Sikeke."

"That's... wonderful."

"Then, as a reward—"

"The second stage of the trial..."

The voice paused there, the malice almost tangible, causing all the Deity present to feel a chill.

"Now, let's officially begin."

On the Light Screen, new text slowly emerged, like the only spark in the Abyss, instantly capturing everyone's attention.

It was a completely different kind of aura, no longer the struggle of mortals, but involving a grander, more ruthless realm.

silence.

A deathly silence.

"Holy crap!"

A curse broke the silence, and Zhou Weiqing's eyes widened; he almost jumped up from his seat.

"Is this master even related to us? Fighting against the darkness of the universe? He throws his disciple into the Abyss?"

His loud and boisterous voice echoed through the space, but it didn't elicit much agreement, because most people were stunned by the words "cosmic darkness" and "Abyss."

"This is more than just being heartless."

Master Chef Rong Nianbing gently shook his head. He had witnessed the joys and sorrows of life and understood that the ultimate cooking required the ultimate ingredients and state of mind, but he could not understand this kind of education.

"This is an absolute indifference, an indifference that treats disciples as mere tools."

Tang San's Purple Demon Eye narrowed slightly.

The universe is dark...

Only those at his level can truly grasp the weight of this term. It represents an existence that even the God- Royal Capital finds troublesome, a terror capable of overturning the entire Divine Realm Order.

To undergo such a torturous trial in order to fight against that thing... should we say that this powerful man named Surtrochi was farsighted, or that he was utterly inhuman?

"Using a world as Trial Ground, and a hundred years of solitude as a whetstone."

Chang Gongwei's voice was deep, tinged with a hint of regret.

"This Surtrochi has grand ambitions."

Lei Xiang and A'Dai (Mandun) beside him remained silent, but the glint in their eyes revealed their inner turmoil. They had both fought to protect their world and knew the weight of that responsibility.

"But she's just a child..."

Ning Rongrong couldn't help but whisper, her eyes filled with sympathy.

In her view, no matter how noble the reason, throwing a seemingly young girl into an "Abyss" that sounds like a bad place is unacceptable.

Niu Tian and Tai Tan, two towering men, also had their brows furrowed at this moment. They valued family and protection above all else, and this action completely touched upon a blind spot in their knowledge.

Xue Ye and Dai Hao exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes. As Emperor, they understood the ruthlessness of cultivating successors, but compared to the line of words on the Light Screen, all their methods seemed like child's play.

The Light Screen didn't give them much time to discuss it; the images shifted, and new text appeared again.

[Sikeke wandered Teyvat for a century, during which time she unexpectedly taught a boy for three months...]

"One hundred years!"

Huo Yuhao's body trembled violently, and he almost lost control of his emotions.

One Hundred Years of Solitude!

The word struck him like a heavy hammer. He remembered the years he was abandoned by Dai Hao and struggled alone in the Duke's Mansion, and his near-death experiences in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Those days had already caused him unbearable pain, while this girl named Sikeke had been wandering alone in the Abyss for a hundred years!

What despair and loneliness that must have been!

Tang Wulin's fist clenched without him realizing it, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He recalled the time he had been sealed away for ten thousand years, waiting in solitude. He knew all too well the feeling of being forgotten by the world, of time itself losing its meaning.

He looked at Gu Yuena beside him and noticed a complex emotion in her eyes. As the Silver Dragon King, a hundred years was but a blink of an eye, but she could understand the loneliness of being an outsider, out of place in the world.

"Wait, you're going to teach this boy for three months?"

He Caitou always has such unique perspectives.

"After wandering in that godforsaken place for a hundred years, he still has the mood to teach others? And only for three months? What kind of operation is that?"

Xu Sanshi stroked his chin, a playful look on his face.

"Perhaps they were just Shi Xing whim? But a boy who can survive in the Abyss is no ordinary person either."

Xiao Xiao frowned slightly. "I just feel that those three months might have been the only light in her century of solitude."

One sentence brought the surrounding laughter to an abrupt halt.

Tang Ya's eyes dimmed as she recalled the years she struggled in darkness under the control of Evil Soul Master, and how it was Bei Bei's unwavering search that pulled her back.

Those three months of companionship must have been incredibly meaningful for Sikeke.

Just as everyone was sighing over the century of solitude and wondering about the brief three-month encounter, the text on the Light Screen changed again, and this time, the content made everyone's heart skip a beat.