After enduring Sanctuary Force capable of inflicting near-fatal damage, Qin Ran had developed considerable resistance to the ordinary Sanctuary Force that appeared again.
It wasn't that the pain had vanished. He had simply grown somewhat accustomed to it.
Under the light, Qin Ran turned to look at the figure behind him.
Although there had been footsteps, the figure was clearly a projection: his upper body was distinct, while his lower body was translucent. Yet he lacked a ghost's chilling aura.
Still, the projection reacted exactly as a real person would.
When Qin Ran's gaze met his, he responded immediately.
"Well done!"
"Congratulations, you passed!"
Smoot's projection clapped his hands in what seemed like congratulations.
His tone, however, was utterly cold.
But no matter how cold his tone was, the system notification still appeared.
[Main quest 1: Pass the Holy Knight Trial within one week (completed)]
Yet Qin Ran felt no joy as he looked at the notification.
He sneered at the projection before him.
"Passed?"
"Someone with demon power like me actually became a Holy Knight? How absurd!"
"Or..."
"Was this so-called trial a lure, a trap from the very beginning, designed to draw in everyone with ulterior motives?"
Qin Ran demanded.
"You're different!"
Smoot's projection didn't deny it.
"Of course!"
"I'm the all-important bait!"
"Without me, the God of the Earth's assistant, how could you, someone jealous of the God of the Earth, carry out all those plans supposedly targeting me?"
Previously, he had only pieced together scattered clues. But after hearing Black Hound's words when he got carried away, the whole affair had become largely clear.
Qin Ran didn't know what Smoot's original plan had been.
But once he appeared, Smoot had built the plan around him.
Smoot had deliberately exaggerated his jealousy of Nikelei, using