The Trial's Outcome

Ye Chen pulled out the bloodstained dagger, released Xiaowalus, and staggered backward a few steps before collapsing to the ground.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Once he was certain he had completely dealt with his final prey, the tension in Ye Chen's heart finally eased.

That was when he fully registered the strange, rancid stench in his mouth. He immediately bent over and started coughing, even retching.

During his savage attack on Xiaowalus's flesh, Ye Chen had inevitably swallowed quite a bit of Abyss Matter.

Aside from making him feel profoundly sick, the writhing sludge had also attacked Ye Chen from within, making the pain in his head even worse.

"Ugh..."

As the boy retched miserably, he focused what little strength he had left, directing the Auling Power to wash through every corner of his body and promptly purify and burn away the Abyssal remnants.

After struggling on the ground like that for quite some time, Ye Chen's complexion finally began to improve.

He quickly wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth, then staggered to his feet.

The world spun around him.

Clutching his forehead, he took stiff steps toward the corpse of the bodyguard he had disguised as himself—the one wearing the Gold-Patterned Black Cloak—and struggled to lift the cloak.

At last, Ye Chen turned to look back at Xiaowalu Mansion.

Every part of the mansion was now engulfed in flames. Fire swept through it in blazing torrents, and waves of heat billowed into the sky. There was no way he could return to the study on the second floor to retrieve his long saber.

So be it. I should head back...

Ye Chen sighed inwardly. With his trembling, powerless right hand, he supported his nearly useless left arm and walked one step at a time out of the gates of Xiaowalu Manor, heading for the exit of Frost White City.

The streets were packed with countless people. They were all residents of Frost White City, forcibly driven out of the city earlier by Xiaowalus.

With Xiaowalus dead, the mental hypnosis affecting the residents and guards had been lifted. Most people had no idea what was going on, but instinct urged them to go home, packing the streets shoulder to shoulder.

Among them were many Frost White City residents hurrying along, brushing past a blood-soaked boy in a black cloak.

But the scene was far too chaotic for anyone to notice anything unusual about him.

"Haah... haah..."

Ye Chen watched the crowds coming and going, their voices rising in a noisy din. He breathed weakly and dragged his feet toward the city gates.

Just hold on a little longer. Just a little longer, and I'll make it.

He gritted his teeth and thought to himself, forcing his heavy eyelids open and straightening his shattered ribs. Slowly, laboriously, painfully, he fought his way against the crowd, inching closer to the city gates.

The agonizing struggle lasted a minute, five minutes, ten minutes—and finally, thirty minutes.

When Ye Chen made it through the gates of Frost White City and collapsed into the snow, utterly exhausted, Old Ma Heiqi had already sensed him approaching. Ignoring the stable keeper's attempts to stop him, Heiqi leaped straight over the fence and rushed to Ye Chen's side.

"Heiqi..."

Ye Chen half-opened one eye and looked at the familiar hooves standing right in front of him. He instinctively reached out to push himself up, but his strength gave out, and he fell back, his consciousness sinking into darkness.

"Mm-hm."

The old horse lowered his head and gazed at the unconscious boy, giving a low, meaningful whinny. Then he seized Ye Chen by the collar and effortlessly swung him onto his back.

Heiqi carried Ye Chen and galloped off toward the distant Snow Mountain, setting out on the journey home.

The boy's eyes flew open.

The moment he woke, a jolt of unease ran through his heart.

"Huh!?"

Ye Chen cried out, then abruptly sat up on the bench and looked around.

A spacious, chilly hall, shabby walls, a Broken Statue standing in the light—and beside him, a middle-aged man sitting with his eyes closed, silent and still.

This is... the Prayer Hall in the Old Church?

As Ye Chen took in the scene before him, the confusion on his face gradually faded.

Did Heiqi bring me back?

He murmured to himself, then looked at his left palm. The bandages were gone, and so was the deep wound that had pierced the bone.

Not only that, the only damage to Ye Chen's body now was his tattered shirt and trouser legs. His skin was completely free of cuts and bloodstains, and his broken ribs and arm had all healed.

It was as if the fierce battle he had fought had been nothing but a dream.

He was now completely unharmed, as good as new.

Ye Chen was speechless for a moment, then realized that this was his teacher's doing.

After Heiqi had brought him back to the Old Church, Lyle had healed every injury on Ye Chen's body, leaving not a trace.

Then the boy's open palm clenched into a fist of its own accord.

A feeling of resentment welled up in Ye Chen's heart, and he bit down hard on his lip.

Ye Chen had thought that he would triumph in this final trial just as he had in the first two, living up to Lyle's expectations perfectly. But in the end, he had still passed out. He had still needed his teacher's help...

How could he face Lyle now and say, "Teacher, I completed the hunt"?

He had been so close!

Ye Chen bit his lip and clenched his left hand until it creaked. He was filled with regret, furious with himself for not being just a little stronger in body and mind.

But Lyle, sitting beside him, slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Ye Chen, immediately saw what was on his mind, and spoke in a calm voice.

"Even if you came back in a sorry state, you don't need to look like that. No matter what, you hunted down every prey in Xiaowalu Mansion connected to the Abyss."

"You still passed this Third Trial."

"Well done, Ye Chen."

At his teacher's praise, the boy stared up at him.

Then Ye Chen noticed the faint smile tugging at Lyle's lips.

In the seventeen years before that, Ye Chen had never seen him wear such an expression.

Lyle had always been cold toward him. But now, this man, so full of mysteries, was smiling at him—a heartfelt smile, filled with relief and pride.

"..."

Ye Chen met Lyle's gaze, unable to speak for a moment. But the regret and resentment that had filled his heart were now swept away by a deep warmth and gratitude, leaving him feeling wonderfully at ease and proud.

"Thank you, Teacher. I completed the hunt."

The boy rubbed his slightly stinging nose, then smiled back and proudly reported the results of his journey to his teacher.