Chapter 24

Chapter 24: The Possibility of Spiritual Furnace Evolution (Part One)
“Hmm?” Just as he was preparing to hurry back to his lodging to try out the cultivation method he had just comprehended, he caught sight of something ahead. Not far in front of him, a green bamboo staff lightly tapped the ground, producing a rhythmic sound: tap, tap, tap.
It is her. Long Haochen’s heart jolted. Suddenly, he felt the joy brought by his comprehension fade significantly, while another strange, entangling emotion began to sprout within his heart.
Taking a few quick steps forward, Long Haochen softly called out, “Cai’er.”
Cai’er, who had been walking ahead, paused slightly. “Long Haochen, is that you?”
By now, Long Haochen had reached her side. “It’s me.”
Cai’er smiled gently. Although she still wore a veil that hid her features, Long Haochen could be absolutely certain that she was smiling.
“Take me back, okay?” She lifted her hand once more on her own.
“Alright.” Long Haochen suddenly realized that his hand, warm and burning just a moment before, had now turned somewhat cold from nervousness.
He carefully took Cai’er’s hand, as if afraid of profaning her.
Her hand remained as soft as ever, yet now carried a warmth that hadn’t been there yesterday; even the chill that usually emanated from her body had noticeably faded.
Long Haochen held her hand just like that, walking slowly forward—slower even than he had the day before. At this moment, his mind was utterly clear and empty; thoughts of cultivation no longer occupied him. He felt only a profound tranquility within his heart, as if all urgency and joy had been thoroughly cleansed away in this instant, leaving nothing but the indescribable bliss brought by the touch before him.
No matter how slowly one walks, every road eventually comes to an end; besides, the place where they met was very close to Cai’er’s home.
Long Haochen even found himself wondering in his heart, why didn’t she live a bit farther away?
“We’re here.” Long Haochen stopped walking, yet a hint of reluctance lingered in his eyes.
Cai’er gently withdrew her hand. “Thank you.”
Long Haochen hurriedly shook his head, but only after doing so did he suddenly remember that Cai’er was blind.
Just then, Cai’er said softly, “I need to go out on business again tomorrow, though it might take a bit longer. Would you be willing to escort me back?”
“Of course,” Long Haochen replied almost instinctively. Tomorrow, the competition would enter its third round. On the Knight Temple’s side, only thirty-some participants remained, so the matches would surely conclude before long.
Cai’er waved to him, tapped her green bamboo staff against the ground, turned, and walked into the hotel.
This time, Long Haochen kept watching until her figure completely disappeared before snapping back to reality. He had truly grown fond of the feeling of holding her hand.
Regarding matters of love between men and women, having devoted himself solely to cultivation for the past five years, he was at most slightly bewildered. He didn’t know what he should do. Yet he could feel that merely thinking about seeing her again tomorrow filled his heart with a sense of anticipation.
Returning to his quarters, Long Haochen sat cross-legged on the bed. This time, unlike yesterday when he had struggled for ages to enter a meditative state, he immediately slipped into meditation.
His heart was calm, even serene; that moving sensation made Long Haochen feel as though cultivation itself had become a delight.
He did not know why this was happening; he only felt that he must have been influenced by some unique quality within Cai’er.
In the next moment, a pale golden mist of light ignited around Long Haochen’s body as he activated Gathering Momentum. Astonishingly, he had managed to unleash the Gathering Momentum skill right within his own room.
This time, since there was no need to observe his opponent or engage in combat, his mind was entirely focused on monitoring the skill of gathering momentum.
Long Haochen clearly perceived the internal spiritual energy within his body converging rapidly like rivers flowing into the sea, swirling around the funnel vortex in his chest. Yet at this moment, the funnel vortex itself seemed to freeze; it no longer rotated slowly but remained perfectly still, resembling a golden awl.
Thread-like streams of spiritual energy continuously poured into this awl-shaped point, where the gentle yet powerful internal spiritual energy pulsed with a peculiar rhythm.
No matter how immense the influx of external spiritual energy became, the volume of the awl-shaped funnel vortex remained unchanged; only its color grew increasingly intense.
Yes, it’s the color.
The pale gold was the original hue of his inner spiritual energy, while the bright gold resulted from a qualitative transformation caused by compression. The color change manifesting on the surface of his body was entirely due to this internal compression.
In that instant, the feeling of enlightenment returned once more: the gaseous and liquid states of spiritual energy were essentially differences in the degree of compression applied to it.
Exactly, that was it. Liquid spiritual energy was, in fact, produced when spiritual energy was compressed to a certain extent. The key issue lay in maintaining the stability of this liquid form.
The buildup continued, and the golden hue of the funnel-shaped vortex grew increasingly intense; once again, a layer of golden mist enveloped the Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove. This time, however, Long Haochen did not stop after compressing fifteen hundred units of internal spiritual energy. Instead, he exerted his full strength, compressing every last bit of his internal spiritual energy and channeling it all into the buildup technique.
The four minutes of compression prior paled in comparison to the dramatic effect produced by this final surge of spiritual energy compression. It must be remembered that although his total spiritual energy had reached over eighteen hundred units, this figure included more than two hundred units of external spiritual energy. After completing the compression of fifteen hundred points, barely any remained.
Long Haochen clearly saw that, tightly surrounding his Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove, what had initially been a thin layer of mist gradually thickened as his internal spiritual energy continued to compress. Drop by drop, golden liquid began to appear around the Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove.
At that very moment, the originally milky-white Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove unexpectedly emitted a faint, ethereal white glow.
Since acquiring this spiritual stove, this was the first time Long Haochen had ever witnessed such a phenomenon. The droplets of golden liquid, formed through accumulated momentum, began to slowly rotate while clinging tightly to the surface of the Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove, accompanied by the emergence of this white ethereal light.
This… this is…
At that very moment, Long Haochen’s body suddenly trembled. The spiritual energy within him had been fully compressed, causing the golden funnel to vibrate violently. This compression originated from his mental power. It was precisely because Long Haochen possessed extraordinary mental strength that Long Xingyu had dared to leave the skill “Gathering Momentum” in the inheritance ring for him to learn once he reached the fourth rank.
Releasing a long breath, Long Haochen ended his buildup, allowing the massive spiritual energy he had compressed to dissipate.
But his observation did not end; he continued to watch silently as the spiritual energy interacted with the Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove.
This sensation was utterly exquisite. Though Long Haochen’s body felt empty, his mind grew increasingly agile with each passing moment.
The dissipation of spiritual energy occurred swiftly. First, the golden hue of the funnel-shaped vortex gradually faded, causing the previously compressed powerful spiritual energy to scatter. Only afterward did the layer of fine water droplets revolving atop the Holy Guidance Spirit Furnace cease their rotation and slowly vanish.
Yet Long Haochen clearly noticed that these golden droplets surrounding the Holy Guidance Spirit Furnace dispersed far more slowly than the spiritual energy dissipating from the funnel vortex.
Is this the advantage of liquid spiritual energy? A thought stirred within Long Haochen. Clearly, compared to gaseous spiritual energy, liquid spiritual energy was vastly more pure and concentrated.

The Possibility of Spiritual Furnace Evolution (Part Two)
Gradually, those fine droplets of water vanished entirely. Long Haochen was left completely alone, with not a trace of spiritual energy remaining within his body; he felt utterly empty inside.
However, the very instant after his internal spiritual energy had completely dissipated, Long Haochen felt a slight tremor run through his entire body. Light elements from the air rushed into him at a speed that astonished him, transforming into wispy threads that swiftly converged toward the Holy Guidance Spiritual Furnace within his chest.
A funnel-shaped vortex, still in its nascent form, formed almost instantly. At this moment, he had already recovered at least ten points of internal spiritual energy.
The funnel-shaped vortex began to rotate slowly, and his internal spiritual energy started to recover on its own. Throughout this process, Long Haochen did nothing; everything happened spontaneously.
Could it be that exhausting one’s internal spiritual energy triggers such a transformation? At this moment, the rate at which his internal spiritual energy recovers is at least twice as fast as usual.
However, Long Haochen soon discovered that this recovery speed gradually decreased as his internal spiritual energy increased. Once his internal spiritual energy recovered beyond the halfway point, the restoration rate had returned to its original state—or rather, to be precise, it seemed slightly faster than before.
Long Haochen slowly opened his eyes. “It seems I have discovered a brand new method of cultivation.”
Generally speaking, no practitioner would allow their internal spiritual energy to be completely exhausted, as doing so is far too dangerous. Therefore, very few people could ever experience what Long Haochen had just felt. Moreover, his affinity for the light element was nearly perfect, making his sensations far more profound than those of an ordinary person.
What Long Haochen did not know was that the skill called “Gathering Momentum” had originally been transformed from a cultivation method by a great expert during their own practice. His realization today had essentially reversed this process, restoring the skill back into its original form as a cultivation technique—a method of which there existed no record whatsoever within the Temple Alliance.
Perhaps it is not the optimal method of cultivation, but undoubtedly, it remains the best choice for breaking through from gaseous to liquid spiritual energy.
Next, what Long Haochen did was to restore his internal spiritual energy to its peak state, then deplete it completely using the Gathering Momentum skill. He continuously focused on experiencing the process by which his internal spiritual energy transformed from gaseous to liquid form around the Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove.
Moreover, Long Haochen also discovered that every time he made such an attempt, the moment his liquid internal spiritual energy appeared, his Holy Guidance Spiritual Furnace seemed to respond in some way.
Could it be? Is this the evolution Father spoke of? Is my Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove about to evolve?
Long Haochen still clearly remembered his father once telling him that the Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove could evolve a total of five times. As for how to achieve this evolution, even his father did not know.
What Long Xingyu had not told him, however, was that to date, no one possessing a Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove had ever succeeded in evolving it to its fifth stage.
Both Li Xin and Long Haochen smoothly passed the second round, but Lin Jialu met her Waterloo; she was defeated in the second round by a seventh-rank Archmage.
Lin Jialu had no intention of staying in the Holy City any longer; that very night, amidst Li Xin’s farewell, she departed together with the brothers Chen Si and Chen Chen.
Since Long Haochen was cultivating, Li Xin did not disturb him.
Morning arrived once again. Perhaps because the preliminary rounds had entered a critical phase, when Long Haochen and Li Xin followed Ye Hua out of the hotel, he even felt as though the entire atmosphere of the Holy City had grown tense.
The preliminary rounds entered their third day, now midway through. The Knight Temple had originally registered one hundred and thirty-eight participants; however, four fifth-rank experts had not competed in the first two rounds. Thus, the actual number of competitors stood at one hundred and thirty-four.
After two rounds of competition, one lucky participant receives a bye in tomorrow’s matches. Thus, thirty-four contestants advance, and adding the four fifth-rank professionals brings the total to thirty-eight.
Today, these thirty-eight competitors will determine the top nineteen. Tomorrow will feature the final elimination round.
Over the past two days of preliminary rounds, Ye Hua watched every match from start to finish. He has brought Long Haochen a piece of news—one that makes today’s competition even more tense.
Since today’s matches will determine the top nineteen competitors, one participant is guaranteed a bye in tomorrow’s contest for the top ten. This coveted bye spot will be awarded based on today’s results. Whoever demonstrates compelling strength in their match and earns the approval of the judging panel on the main podium will secure direct entry into the top ten, claiming this advantageous bye.
More importantly, yesterday the judging panel announced that since the five-tier practitioners had byes in the first two rounds, this bye slot would not be allocated to those four five-tier individuals.
Undoubtedly, such a decision will inevitably make today’s competition even more fierce. Who wouldn’t want to secure that bye slot? Obtaining it means directly advancing into the top ten of the Knight Temple’s preliminary round, and also guarantees qualification as a member of a Demon Hunter Squad. This is not only an honor, but also opens a gateway to the heavens.
In the history of the Demon Hunter selection trials, no member of a Demon Hunter team has ever achieved a final rank lower than Tier Six. Moreover, their actual combat prowess far surpasses that of non-Demon Hunters of the same rank. They constitute the core strength of the Temple Alliance.
It goes without saying that being a member of a Demon Hunter team guarantees preferential allocation of resources from the Temple Alliance, greatly increasing one’s chances of becoming a powerhouse of their generation.
To date, the vast majority of high-ranking officials within the Six Great Temples, including even those legendary Tier Nine experts, have all emerged from Demon Hunter teams.
Any Demon Hunter team member may choose to retire from their team and take up a position within the Temples after ten years of service. In the eyes of the common people, they are heroes!
Stepping into the trial grounds, Long Haochen’s gaze instinctively swept toward the front row. They hadn’t arrived particularly early today; by now, many of the contestants who had passed the first two rounds were already present.
Long Haochen immediately spotted the four individuals seated in the front row.
The young man in black from yesterday remained seated in the same spot as before, his attire unchanged. It seemed he felt no need to don his armor ahead of time.
As for the other three, Long Haochen could only see their backs; all of them were men.
To be precise, among professions like knights and warriors, the number of outstanding female powerhouses is very small. Currently, on the Knight Temple side, Li Xin is surprisingly the only female knight who has managed to rank within the top thirty-eight.
Today, Long Haochen did not engage in meditation. Since the number of participants had decreased significantly, it was highly likely that he would be called to fight in the early rounds.
Nearly everyone present, including Li Xin herself, felt somewhat tense. Most were silently praying, hoping not to encounter those four individuals from the first row in today’s matches. They were fifth-rank powerhouses! Facing them would almost certainly mean losing any chance of breaking into the top ten.
Only Long Haochen was an exception. After sitting down, the first thought that crossed his mind was that once today’s competition ended, he would be able to see Cai’er again and even escort her back home.
Thinking of this, a faint warmth appeared in Long Haochen’s pale golden eyes.
Li Xin looked at Long Haochen’s calm demeanor and thought to herself: He’s only fourteen! How can his mindset be so steady? I’m already in my twenties; could it be that I still can’t match Haochen’s composure? Closing her eyes to settle herself, the tension in her heart eased somewhat.

The Possibility of Spiritual Furnace Evolution (Part Three)
The Magic Temple’s Trial Grounds.
When two contestant numbers appeared on the dome’s luminous screen, the entire rest area of the Magic Temple’s trial grounds fell silent.
Of the two numbers, the first displayed sixty-one, nothing extraordinary, but the second number was one.
Number One, Number One is about to appear.
In the preliminary rounds of the Six Holy Temples Selection Tournament, the first ten numbers are reserved for participants above the fifth rank; if there are fewer than ten such competitors, the remaining single-digit numbers will remain vacant. The appearance of Number One means that a fifth-rank Mage will take the field in the very first match of the third day’s competition.
A young girl rose somewhat dazedly from the resting area and walked toward the arena; she was the unfortunate competitor bearing number sixty-one.
In the first row, Lin Xin, clad in a fiery red mage robe, slowly rose to his feet. Yes, that number one was indeed him.
Lin Xin was already handsome by nature, but his most striking feature was his ink-green long hair, cascading down to his waist.
The fiery red mage robe he wore rippled with an incredibly dense concentration of fire elements; even the mages present could sense faint traces of fire elements joyfully dancing upon the fabric.
Rows of golden runes densely covered the robe, and with Lin Xin’s every movement, these golden patterns shimmered with flowing light, as if they had come alive.
Lin Xin turned around, ran both hands through his long hair beside his face, and offered the contestants behind him an elegant, composed smile. His confidence and poise caused several female mages’ heartbeats to noticeably quicken.
Only then did Lin Xin step forward at a leisurely pace. As he made his way toward the competition arena, dense flames of fire element began to surge around his body. This was not because he had cast any spell; rather, it seemed that some effect had been triggered within the magical robe he wore.
Raising his right hand, he made a single gesture in midair. The abundant fire elements in the atmosphere, as if having found their source, instantly converged upon his palm. Droplets of crimson liquid trickled downward, gradually forming in midair into a peculiar staff of scarlet gold.
The staff was not large, yet the moment it appeared, a dense aura of fire element seemed to permeate the entire Magic Temple’s trial grounds.
“So powerful! Is this the strength of a mage?” The contestants couldn’t help but hold their breath as they watched Lin Xin stride arrogantly into the arena. Some felt envy, others jealousy, but most were filled with fear.
There was no doubt that contestant number one was a fire-element mage; judging by his demeanor, he had clearly mastered the true laws of fire.
The complexion of the sixty-first contestant, a young girl, appeared deathly pale. She felt her luck was truly terrible; not only had she encountered a fifth-rank expert, but this fifth-rank opponent before her was very likely the strongest among all the Magic Temple’s participants in this competition. The overwhelming aura of fire properties rushing toward her had already destabilized her mind and spirit.
The referee was an elderly man. According to the rules of the Demon Hunter Team Selection Competition, whenever fifth-rank contestants were competing, the referee was required to be a seventh-rank expert.
He glanced at Lin Xin and said, “Stop showing off. Before I announce the start of the match, you are not permitted to use any skills, including amplification abilities from your equipment.”
“Yes, as you wish.” Lin Xin smiled faintly, the golden-red light in his hand receding. He sighed softly and murmured to himself, “I didn’t want to use my staff, but since it’s come to this, I might as well.”
Upon hearing his words, the young girl opposite him instantly grew even paler with dismay. She even found herself cursing the referee for meddling. He was already so powerful; if he now wielded his staff, just how overwhelmingly strong would he become!
A flash of red light appeared, and a staff materialized silently in Lin Xin’s hand. To be precise, it could hardly be called a staff at all—it was merely a strangely shaped, fire-red crystal.
This crystal was about half a zhang in length, its thickest part roughly the diameter of a fist. Its overall form was slightly twisted, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to a conventional staff, nor did it feature any embedded gems or ornaments.
However, the referee who had just scolded Lin Xin now stared wide-eyed and exclaimed in disbelief, “Such a large Fire Cloud Crystal? You intend to use this for a staff?”
Lin Xin smiled faintly, as if holding something utterly ordinary. “I bought it just a few days ago and haven’t yet found a master craftsman to carve it. I’ll make do with it for now. Although Fire Cloud Crystal isn’t top-tier material, its ability to condense fire elements should be adequate, right?”
The referee’s expression shifted repeatedly. In his heart, he cursed silently: Too showy! This kid is far too showy!
Fire Cloud Crystal is not a demon crystal, but a natural mineral crystal containing extremely pure and condensed fire elements. It can only be found deep within magma that has been submerged for over a thousand years.
Even a piece of Fire Cloud Crystal no larger than an egg, when embedded into any staff, could instantly elevate it to the level of a Spirit-Mage tier fire-attribute equipment. The staff Lin Xin held was so long; even uncarved and without any inscribed magical arrays, it could still double the power of his spiritual energy. This already placed it within the realm of Brilliant-tier equipment. If one could find a powerful mage to inscribe magical arrays upon it, this Fire Cloud Crystal might even have the potential to become a legendary staff.
An entire staff crafted solely from Fire Cloud Crystal—what concept does that even represent? Such an item couldn’t be bought even with vast wealth; its market value would be at least five hundred thousand gold coins or more.
The girl stationed at position sixty-one opposite Lin Xin now stared blankly, her gaze frozen. She was a dual-element mage specializing in wind and fire magic. Her own staff did contain a piece of Fire Cloud Crystal, but it was merely the size of a fingernail, while on the other side was embedded a Wind Spirit Crystal of similar size.
Looking at the staff in her opponent’s hand and then down at her own, the girl bearing number sixty-one felt an overwhelming urge to hide her wand.
“The match begins,” the referee declared in a deep voice, barely suppressing his longing for that Flame Cloud Crystal.
Lin Xin offered a gentle smile to the young woman across from him. “Beautiful lady, how about we come to an agreement? Magic is blind, and my control over fifth and sixth-tier spells isn’t quite perfect yet. It would be unfortunate if you got hurt. Since we both belong to the Magic Temple, as a gentleman, I should show some chivalry. Here’s my proposal: since you seem proficient in fire magic as well, I’ll perform a simple demonstration of fire control. If you can match it closely, I’ll concede victory to you. This way, we avoid a brutal fight that might damage our friendly relations. What do you say?”
Hearing his words, the girl opposite visibly relaxed; anyone could see the vast gap between her abilities and Lin Xin’s.
He hurriedly nodded and said with a hint of gratitude, “Please guide me, Senior Brother.”
Lin Xin remained calm and composed, a faint magical aura gently pulsating around his body, exuding the demeanor of a true master.
Glancing at the young woman opposite him, Lin Xin’s lips curved into a faint smile. He raised the Fire Cloud Crystal in his hand and slowly traced a fiery red circle before him.
Though this circle was fiery red, not a single wisp of flame emerged from it; instead, it seemed branded into the air itself, its crimson light unwavering and unbroken wherever it passed.
Liquid spiritual energy—only liquid spiritual energy could create such a marvel. Moreover, judging by his demeanor, his control over this liquid spiritual energy had clearly reached the level of an extension of his own limbs, far beyond that of a novice who had just entered the fifth rank.
As the Fire Cloud Crystal returned to its starting point, the fiery red circle completed its formation, hovering silently before Lin Xin. Suddenly, all traces of fire-attributed aura converged entirely, with not a hint spilling outward, yet the circle’s crimson hue remained unchanged.
The young girl opposite him had turned deathly pale; merely witnessing this scene meant she could never accomplish such a feat. Was controlling one’s own aura really that easy? Moreover, she had to prevent the spiritual energy she released from dissipating. Keep in mind, Lin Xin currently shared no point of contact with that ring of light.

The Possibility of Spiritual Furnace Evolution (Part 4)
“Watch closely; I’m about to begin,” Lin Xin said, offering the young girl opposite him a gentle smile.
What? He hadn’t even started yet? The girl’s delicate body was already swaying unsteadily.
The Fire Cloud Crystal flared again, tapping lightly against the halo with a soft chime, as if striking a metal ring. The crimson halo instantly shattered, dissolving into countless fiery red specks that hovered in midair.
At this moment, all the contestants’ gazes fixed upon Lin Xin; no one knew what he intended to do.
“Transform,” Lin Xin whispered softly. Clearly visible, the Fire Cloud Crystal in his hand began to tremble rapidly. His lips moved silently, seemingly chanting an incantation, but his words were so fast that neither his opponent nor the referee could make them out.
Indeed, those floating sparks of fire transformed. They grew larger, and most miraculously, throughout this expansion, they slowly unfurled like budding flowers.
One by one, fiery red roses materialized out of thin air in midair, slowly revolving around Lin Xin’s body.
This scene was truly breathtaking. Lin Xin, already handsome and striking, resembled a fire spirit beneath the roses formed purely from condensed fire elements.
The contestants almost held their breath as they watched this unfold, unable to believe their own eyes.
There were at least hundreds of those flaming roses; what immense control was required to manipulate the fire elements with such delicacy!
Lin Xin’s opponent, the young girl who had barely managed to pass the preliminary rounds over the past two days, no longer looked pale. Instead, a blush graced her cheeks. Being close, she saw everything most clearly. All girls love beauty, especially when it involved such exquisite control over fire-attributed magical power. In her eyes, there was no longer any pain from impending defeat; instead, a trace of admiration began to rise.
However, Lin Xin’s performance was not yet over. Pointing the Fire Cloud Crystal forward, he commanded, “Condense.”
Instantly, all the crimson roses seemed to find a guide, swiftly converging and condensing before him into a heart-shaped pattern of brilliant red, perfectly presenting the beauty of the roses in their dazzling fiery hue.
Lin Xin gently pointed to the left side of his chest. Instantly, a “thump-thump, thump-thump” heartbeat echoed through the air, and the heart-shaped pattern formed by flame roses rose and fell in rhythm with the sound, just like a real beating heart.
The Fire Cloud Crystal darted forward once more. Amidst the gasps of everyone present, that massive “heart” shot straight toward the young female mage on the opposite side.
The young girl, still reeling from shock and awe, had no time to react. As that massive flame surged toward her, her face instantly paled, but any attempt to dodge was already too late. Gazing at the heart formed by flaming roses, her mind went completely blank.
Yet at that very moment, all the roses seemed to wither and silently dissipated. The heart-shaped flame transformed into an even larger heart-shaped halo that enveloped the girl, delivering no attack whatsoever; it simply faded quietly around her body. The crimson glow bathed the young sorceress’s face in a deep red hue.
The girl stood there dazed, utterly unsure of what to do, while among the spectators watching the match, nearly every female mage’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
So magnificent, so romantic. Who would have thought magic could become so beautiful?
“My demonstration is complete. Please,” Lin Xin said politely to the young girl opposite him.
“Ah!” The sixty-first young mage cried out in surprise, her legs giving way as she nearly stumbled, her cheeks flushing crimson with embarrassment at her own loss of composure.
“I… I can’t do it. I admit defeat.” As soon as she spoke these words, her heart began to race violently. She didn’t dare look at Lin Xin again and fled as if escaping from something.
Not only was the young girl stunned, but even the referee of this match, a Grand Magus of the seventh rank, stood utterly dumbfounded. He had to admit that while he himself could achieve such exquisite control, he could never accomplish it with such speed and composure as Lin Xin had. This level of mastery over magic transcended mere genius; it was nothing short of extraordinary talent!
At the center of the front row on the dais, an elderly mage seated there let out a heavy snort. “Showboating! All flash and no substance.”
His assessment left the other mages flanking him utterly astonished. An old mage sitting to his left remarked, “Elder Lin, surely ‘all flash and no substance’ is not the right description for this. Such a magnificent spectacle conceals extraordinary creativity and control. This child’s comprehension of magic is nothing short of breathtaking brilliance; he is destined to become a leading figure of our Magic Temple.”
Elder Lin snorted angrily. “Old Ge, your eyesight must be failing. He is no leading figure whatsoever. He is merely a clown courting popularity.”
Elder Ge’s expression darkened. “Old Lin, you cannot speak like that. We are all at this age; could it be that you still harbor jealousy toward talent and ability? Although you are the commander of the Mage Legion, if you intend to suppress such young talent, I will absolutely not allow it.”
Elder Lin abruptly stood up. “That’s it, I’m not watching this competition anymore; I’m furious! Do you think I would suppress that little bastard? Don’t I know exactly what he’s capable of?”
Elder Ge exploded in anger. “How can you use such language? Have you lost all dignity befitting a Saint Magus?”
Elder Lin snorted. “I’m cursing my own grandson; what business is it of yours?” With those words, he stormed off in a huff, casting one last vicious glare at Lin Xin, who was down in the arena smiling and waving to all the contestants.
Lin Xin felt a sudden chill run down his spine; daring not to continue showing off, he hurriedly returned to the rest area.
Elder Lin has left, and Elder Ge also showed a look of sudden realization. “So this kid is Old Lin’s second grandson, that legendary prodigy. No wonder the old fellow was so upset.”
Assassin Temple Trial Grounds.
Among the Holy Alliance’s grand trial grounds, the Assassin Temple’s venue is the most peculiar. Unlike the other five brightly lit arenas, this one appears rather dim, even bordering on eerie.
Today’s competition at the Assassin Temple Trial Grounds started slightly later than those of the other temples, as some arrangements had been made here.
Within the spacious trial grounds, tall stone pillars stood erect, arranged without any apparent pattern. Each pillar was thick enough to require two people embracing it to encircle. These had just been set up.
A low, chilling voice drifted down from the main podium as if emanating from the deepest abyss, “There were forty-eight participants in this tournament. After two days of competition, only twelve remain. Today, the top ten will be decided. You will all enter the arena simultaneously to compete. You may use any means necessary; anyone who loses their ability to fight will be eliminated. The first four eliminated will draw lots for an additional match to determine the final two who will be eliminated. Enter the arena now. I will count down from ten, and then the competition begins.”
“Ten.”
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…” A series of sounds erupted as the contestants, who had been resting in the waiting area, shot forward like arrows.
These assassins from the Assassin Temple appeared far more mysterious than those from other temples. Each wore a veil capable of concealing their features; some even wrapped their entire heads, leaving only their eyes exposed. Moving with swift agility, before the cold voice could finish counting to three, those who had dashed out vanished as if they had never existed.
“Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud…” In an increasingly quiet environment, any sudden sound becomes all the more noticeable, and such was the case now.
Not every contestant sprang into action immediately; there was one exception.
Her long purple hair hung quietly down her back, her lifeless eyes radiating an aura of utter desolation. Lightly tapping the ground with her bamboo staff, she advanced slowly, step by step, toward the center of the trial grounds.