Night had deepened, and all of Angel God Mountain had fallen quiet. Moonlight streamed through the dormitory window, spilling over its occupants.
Inside the dormitory, Yang Chang'an sat cross-legged on his bed like the others, focused on meditation. Soul power flowed slowly through his body, steady and rhythmic.
At the training camp, almost everyone replaced some of their sleep with meditation. Yet very few could go an entire night without sleeping as Yang Chang'an did, restoring their energy through meditation alone.
Although Vincent, Han Yun, and Niu Wenchuan could not push themselves as hard as Yang Chang'an or meditate all night without sleeping, they were desperately extending their meditation time. None of them wanted to fall behind.
Before long, Vincent, Han Yun, and Niu Wenchuan reached their limits and slowly opened their eyes, one after another.
The first thing all three saw was Yang Chang'an, still sitting motionless on his bed, immersed in Deep Meditation.
As Vincent gazed at Yang Chang'an's back, fierce resentment flashed through his eyes, leaving a sour, bitter ache in his heart.
In talent, he had been praised as a genius since childhood, yet he fell far short of Yang Chang'an. In effort, he was already giving cultivation his all and stretching his meditation time to the limit, yet Yang Chang'an still pushed harder and persisted longer.
Whether in talent or perseverance, Yang Chang'an firmly held the upper hand. How could someone as proud as Vincent accept that?
Beside him, Han Yun felt much the same, his expression slightly strained. He considered himself inferior to no one, yet whenever he was compared with Yang Chang'an, he came up noticeably short. Being crushed on every front left a deeply unpleasant taste in his mouth.
Only Niu Wenchuan remained his cheerful, carefree self, staring at Yang Chang'an with wide eyes and undisguised happiness.
To him, the stronger Yang Chang'an became, the better. Yang Chang'an's strength meant the Yang Family's strength, and the Yang Family and their Niu Family were bound together. The higher Yang Chang'an rose in the future, the better life would be for the Niu Family. He felt no jealousy whatsoever; instead, he was genuinely happy for Yang Chang'an.
Each had his own thoughts and concerns. After a moment of silence, they could no longer withstand their exhaustion and drowsiness. They lay down one after another and soon drifted off to sleep.
Terrifyingly intense training awaited them tomorrow. Without proper rest, they would never endure it.
Soon, only the steady fluctuations of Yang Chang'an's soul power and the other three's soft breathing remained in the dormitory.
Just as Yang Chang'an devoted himself fully to meditation, sensing the flow of soul power around him, he suddenly felt as though an unimaginably terrifying soul beast had fixed its gaze on him. Every hair on his body stood on end!
Without a second thought, Yang Chang'an snapped his eyes open!
The moment he did, his entire body froze. His heart lurched, and cold sweat instantly coated his back.
On a chair not far from his bed sat an extraordinarily burly middle-aged man. When had he appeared?
The man sat there quietly, studying him with an indifferent gaze. He made no sound, and even his soul power fluctuations were completely concealed. Yang Chang'an had not sensed the slightest trace of him during his meditation!
At the sight of this stranger who had appeared out of nowhere, Yang Chang'an's pupils contracted sharply, and his heart raced!
Instinctively, he swept a quick glance over Vincent, Han Yun, and Niu Wenchuan in the neighboring beds. All three were sound asleep. Not only had they failed to wake, they had noticed nothing at all, seemingly oblivious to everything happening around them.
At that sight, Yang Chang'an's heart sank to the depths.
How terrifying must this man's strength be, to slip silently into their dormitory, remain beside his bed for so long, and leave three fellow soul masters completely unaware? This was right beneath Angel God Mountain!
The burly man studied Yang Chang'an impassively for a while, then suddenly grinned.
Without another word, he slowly rose, turned, and walked to the door. He opened it with a creak and stepped outside, leaving it wide open.
Yang Chang'an stared at the open doorway, then glanced back at Niu Wenchuan, who was still fast asleep. He gritted his teeth and hesitated briefly, but ultimately clenched his fists and followed with quiet steps.
The burly man ahead walked at an unhurried pace, his steps leisurely, as though deliberately waiting for him. He seemed in no hurry at all.
Yang Chang'an followed behind, keeping a moderate distance. He was desperately tense but dared not show it.
The two walked single file along a path on Angel God Mountain. Everything around them was silent except for the wind rustling through the leaves, and the atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme.
Before long, they arrived beside a waterfall.
Water thundered down from above, throwing up a veil of mist that looked especially cold and desolate beneath the moonlight.
At last, the burly man ahead stopped.
Seeing him halt, Yang Chang'an immediately stopped as well, not daring to take another step. He stood perfectly still, staring at the man's back.
The surrounding air seemed to have solidified, its oppressive weight making it difficult to breathe. Neither said a word, yet this was more unbearable than fighting face-to-face.
Finally, the burly man slowly turned toward Yang Chang'an. A faint smile appeared on his face as he said, "You actually dared to follow me. You've got some nerve!"
He had expected the young man to cower in the dormitory, too frightened to move, or start shouting outright. He had never imagined that Yang Chang'an would truly dare to follow. That courage exceeded his expectations.
Yang Chang'an drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the storm-tossed waves in his heart. He respectfully cupped his hands toward the man, offering the salute of a junior.
Only after straightening did he answer honestly, "You jest, Senior. Quite the opposite-I'm not brave at all. In truth, I'm someone who cherishes his life."
The man nodded slightly at his words.
Clinging to life was every creature's instinct. There was no shame in that; cowardice lay in fearing death. Charging blindly ahead despite being afraid was stupidity. Cherishing life without being cowardly-that was reason.
After a brief silence, the burly man spoke again, his tone carrying a trace of curiosity and a faint, elusive pressure.
"Since you're so timid, and you know I'm far stronger than you, why did you still follow me? Aren't you afraid I might kill you right here if you displease me?"
As those words fell, the temperature around them seemed to plummet!
An invisible aura abruptly bore down on Yang Chang'an, enveloping his entire body in an instant. His limbs stiffened, and even breathing became difficult.
Facing a death threat from an unknown, supremely powerful expert, Yang Chang'an merely shook his head lightly, showing not the slightest fear.
"Of course I'm afraid. But I know you won't kill me, Senior."
Yang Chang'an raised his head to look at the burly man before him. Forcing a reasonably presentable smile, he said slowly, "It's not because I believe you're kindhearted, Senior. It's because this is Angel God Mountain."
What sort of place was Angel God Mountain? It was Spirit Hall's absolute core, its sacred ground!
Not only was it guarded by Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined, Qian Daoliu, who stood at the pinnacle of the world, but a divine artifact left behind by the legendary Angel God also protected it. Its defenses were formidable beyond measure!
Forget ordinary experts-even Tang Chen, known as "Unrivaled on Land," could not possibly stroll in so brazenly and quietly lead him to the waterfall.
With that in mind, the identity of the man before him was already clear-he undoubtedly belonged to Spirit Hall, and very likely was one of the enshrined from the Worship Hall!
The burly man raised an eyebrow and continued, "Even if I am from Spirit Hall, why did you have to follow me?"
Yang Chang'an stared intently at the man before him. The bearing of someone who had long occupied a lofty position and held power over life and death could not be concealed.
He steadied himself and said earnestly, "You wanted me to come, Senior, so I came."
After a pause, he looked at the man's still largely expressionless face and continued, a trace of resolve in his voice. "If I must give a reason, then it's this-I came for change."
For Yang Chang'an, if there was even the slightest opportunity to change his fate and the future of those around him, he had to seize it and never let go.
If he lacked even this much courage, if he dared not grasp an opportunity, then the only road awaiting him was destruction.
After hearing him out, the burly man's expression finally turned amused. He regarded Yang Chang'an with the hint of a smile. "Pretty words. Aren't you afraid that I sought you out precisely to kill you?"
At that, Yang Chang'an immediately countered, "Would you need to?"
The burly man was momentarily taken aback by the question. Then he could no longer contain the laughter in his eyes and burst out laughing!
His booming laughter made even the nearby waterfall tremble slightly. He pointed at Yang Chang'an, admiration written across his face.
Only after laughing for a good while did the burly man stop. Looking at Yang Chang'an, he curled his lips into an immensely proud smile and slowly declared:
"I am the Sixth Enshrined of the Worship Hall. My title is Qian Jun!"