Through the Test

A pale golden halo spread quietly, enveloping the entire arena in silence. Though it lacked overwhelming pressure, it possessed a bizarre power that struck directly at the soul.

In the next second, Zhao Wuji, who was just about to exert his strength, suddenly froze in place. His eyes turned hollow and vacant, and he plummeted completely into the mental illusion constructed by Qin Chuan.

The intense battlefield before him faded away, replaced by a raw, youthful scene from many years ago.

At this moment, Zhao Wuji appeared as a sixteen-year-old boy. His frame was still immature, yet he carried a reckless, youthful impetuosity.

He was tiptoeing along the brick wall of an open-air bathhouse, holding his breath as he secretly peeked at the alluring spring scenery within.

The pool water shimmered with ripples, mist swirled in the air, and the view was so captivating that the young Zhao Wuji felt his heart sway, his eyes unable to look away.

But this peek into the alluring scene did not last long before he was caught red-handed by the master of the house.

After a stern reprimand, he was given a brutal beating, leaving him in a wretched state and utterly humiliated.

This shameful and frustrating memory was the darkest history Zhao Wuji had buried deep in his heart for years. It had always weighed on him, and every time he recalled it, he was filled with guilt and regret.

On the actual battlefield, the burly and imposing Zhao Wuji had completely lost his previous ferocity and dominance. His legs went soft, and he slowly crouched to the ground. His massive head hung low, his brows filled with desolation and remorse, and the violent soul power around him fell completely silent.

This was the true power of [Sinful Haze]: it did not attack the physical body, but shattered the mind, forcibly dragging out the darkest, most unspeakable memories from the depths of one's heart, trapping the victim in emotional shackles from which they could not escape.

After a few breaths, Zhao Wuji, whose willpower far exceeded that of an ordinary person, suddenly shuddered. The vacancy in his eyes dissipated instantly. Relying on years of combat experience and a profound mental foundation, he forcibly broke free from the shackles of the illusion and snapped back to reality.

The moment he returned to reality, a bone-chilling sense of crisis swept over him.

He saw countless fine Blue Silver Grass vines already wrapped around his body, binding his limbs tightly and pinning him firmly in place, leaving him unable to move an inch.

Beside him, Zhu Zhuqing moved like a ghostly afterimage, having already closed the distance. A kick carrying a sharp, fierce wind was inches away, aimed directly at his chest.

Bang!

A dull thud echoed as thick soul power surged outward.

Even while restrained, Zhao Wuji's physical foundation remained formidable. He took the blow head-on, using the impact to retreat several steps, causing the ground beneath his feet to tremble slightly.

He steadied himself, his face turning livid with anger. Gritting his teeth, he let out a low growl, "Hmph, damn it, you little brats!"

In his fury, Zhao Wuji's soul power surged instantly, glowing with a dazzling, brilliant light as a terrifying beast-soul pressure swept across the arena.

"Seventh Soul Skill..."

Just as the powerful, domineering shout left his throat, at the very last second, Dai Mubai, who had been watching the entire time, suddenly spoke up loudly to interrupt: "Teacher Zhao, the time of one incense stick is up!"

As his voice fell, the battlefield went silent.

Zhao Wuji's extended fist froze in mid-air, his seventh soul skill, which had been primed and ready, stuck in his throat, and his surging soul power instantly turned chaotic and receded.

He turned his head to look at the incense stick used for timing. Seeing the ash had already burned out, his face turned as black as ink. He felt stifled to the extreme, his overflowing rage having nowhere to vent.

"What, so fast! Damn it, consider yourselves lucky!"

He gritted his teeth, filled with unwillingness, but bound by the rules of the assessment, he could only forcibly suppress the urge to strike.

Beside him, Dai Mubai watched his teacher's frustrated and helpless expression, biting his lip to hold back his laughter, nearly bursting out on the spot.

Zhao Wuji let out a heavy, cold snort and glared fiercely at the group before finally turning around and flicking his sleeves, leaving the field with a belly full of frustration.

Only when Zhao Wuji had walked far away did the group finally exhale, their tense bodies instantly relaxing.

Even the composed Tang San could not withstand the exhaustion. Ignoring all decorum, he slumped to the ground and then simply lay flat, gasping for air, having exhausted most of his soul power.

Ning Rongrong's delicate body trembled slightly, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, her dark hair sticking to her cheeks. She was drenched in perspiration, looking utterly exhausted.

Oscar, who had been waiting and watching from the sidelines for a long time, immediately hurried over. With a fawning smile, he licked his face and struck up a conversation: "Beauty Ning, you must be exhausted, right? I have a special sausage here that restores soul power; the effect is excellent. I'll give you a special discount—no charge, it's on the house!"

Ning Rongrong panted slightly. At these words, she cast a faint glance at the obsequious and greasy youth before her. There was not a ripple in her eyes, only a hint of imperceptible detachment.

Facing Oscar's deliberate flattery, she did not linger for a second. She turned and walked away decisively, not looking back, heading straight toward Qin Chuan.

She walked directly to Qin Chuan's side and sat down, tilting her small head slightly. Her clear eyes stared unblinkingly at the youth beside her.

At this moment, Qin Chuan was still immersed in the clash of soul skills and the mental battle of the illusion, muttering to himself as he reviewed the details of the fight, completely unaware of the beauty's gaze.

Just then, a wisp of elegant, exotic fragrance drifted into his nose. It was not the heavy scent of flowers, nor the coldness of morning dew, but the sweet, natural fragrance unique to a young girl—gentle and pure.

Startled by this scent, Qin Chuan snapped back to reality. His body stiffened slightly, and he turned his head, looking a bit flustered as he shook his head and explained, "I'm sorry, Miss Ning. I was lost in thought just now; did I disturb your peace?"

Ning Rongrong pretended to be calm on the surface, but her earlobes turned quietly red. Her mind had already turned into a mush, and her heart was racing like a deer.

Compared to the greasy and fawning Oscar, the composed, handsome, and slightly shy Qin Chuan before her was ten thousand times more pleasing to the eye.

As she thought about it, she couldn't help but let out a soft giggle, finding the youth before her exceptionally cute.

Realizing that staring at him so directly was quite rude, she quickly averted her gaze and waved her hands in a panic to cover it up: "It's fine, it's fine, you didn't disturb me. By the way, the martial soul you used just now was a mutation, right? What is its name?"

Qin Chuan responded calmly, "It is called the Heavenly Dao [Illusion Bell]."

The two sat side by side, chatting softly, the atmosphere relaxed and harmonious.

Not far away, Xiao Wu sat quietly beside Tang San. Her position remained the same as before, but her state of mind had undergone a complete upheaval.

She looked at Tang San beside her, and there was no longer the reliance or the brilliant light of the past in her eyes. The palpitations and tenderness that once filled her heart had dissipated entirely, replaced by a faint sense of detachment and disgust.

Turning her gaze toward Qin Chuan and Ning Rongrong, who were laughing and talking not far away, and seeing how harmonious they were, a sour feeling inexplicably welled up in Xiao Wu's heart. It was indescribable, leaving her feeling stifled.

And Tang San, lying exhausted on the ground, was completely oblivious to all of this.

He probably never would have guessed that Xiao Wu, who had clung to him since childhood and had him entirely in her heart, had already, without him noticing, completely shed her attachment to him and had already become a belonging of Qin Chuan.