Chapter 189: Six Days Left
Like this, the figure stalked Yu Xuan and Lingluo’s every step. Silent, patient, and relentless.
Each time they clashed with a guardian or their underlings, the figure remained unseen, watching from the edges of the battlefield. He never interfered. He never struck. He simply waited.
When the victors departed, he would emerge, with a crimson crystal in hand.
The fallen corpses — whether guardian or underling were always devoured into its depths. Blood and souls seeped into the crystal’s core until it pulsed with a baleful aura, as though it were becoming a living heart.
And so it continued.
At the first node. The second. The third. The Fourth and the Fifth.
Each bloody confrontation, each vanished battlefield. By the seventh day, the cycle was complete.
The cloaked figure stood at the final node of the pentagram, the bloody moonlight warping against the aura that surrounded him. He looked down at the blood crystal, now nearly red, brimming with malice.
At last, he let out a slow breath, almost like a prayer.
"All the pieces are set."
His voice was neither loud nor soft, but the forest itself seemed to shudder at the words.
A faint smile curled beneath his hood.
’Fortune favors me. Those outsiders rid me of the pests I could not touch. Hehe truly a delight.’
His thoughts were cold, pragmatic.
By the rules binding him, he was unable to strike at the guardians directly. If he was free, then he would have already completed the ritual, he was glad that these outsiders were strong.
And Yu Xuan and Lingluo... these outsiders... they were free of such shackles. Free to kill. Free to be used.
’If not for them, I would have had to wait endlessly or use myself as sacrifice. But now... there’s no need. the pentagram is nearly completed.’
The ground beneath his feet hummed, the faint lines of the massive formation hidden in the earth glowing for but a heartbeat before vanishing again. The figure tilted his head, his eyes gazing toward the distance.
Toward the center.
To the abandoned castle.
The figure began walking, his steps unhurried. His shadow stretched unnaturally long across the trees, as if revealing his true form.
Now, he only needed the outsiders to continue forward. To step willingly into the central area. To arrive at the heart of the pentagram.
Where the true performance would begin.
He paused. The figure’s voice softened, reverent, and almost trembling.
"I just hope... my lady awakens her power soon."
For the first time, a trace of unease broke through his otherwise calm tone.
Then he vanished, swallowed by the night, leaving behind nothing but the whisper of his footsteps.
***
After surveying the surroundings again, Yu Xuan finally broke the silence.
"Sister... should we enter the central region? It’s already been seven days, and today marks the eighth."
Lingluo stretched lazily, her lips quirking into a faint smile.
"Let’s rest. Our goal is to survive, not rush. And to be in peak form, I need food."
Her tone was casual, almost playful, but her words carried a faint edge of truth. Though the past week had been filled with endless battle, something inside her — whether instinct or spirit, thrummed with excitement.
She would never admit it outright, but part of her had enjoyed the chaos. Still, Lingluo was Lingluo. She preferred to fool around, to tease, to act unbothered. Being serious was never her strong suit.
Yu Xuan frowned. "We already rested yesterday."
But, as usual, she ignored him.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
’She’s still holding onto it,’ he thought, recalling the frustration she had shown due to a reason. Though she wasn’t the "official" leader between them, Yu Xuan always sought her opinion before making their next move.
He sighed inwardly. ’Should I bribe her with food?’
The idea almost made him chuckle, but he quickly dismissed it with a shake of his head. And while his storage had plenty of food left, wasting them just to coax her was out of the question. Definitely not because he was too lazy to cook.
Besides, time was not their enemy.
He hadn’t forgotten the rule of this place: a week here lasted thirteen days. Which meant, counting today, they still had six days remaining before the trial’s end. Enough time to recover, to fight, and to prepare.
For now, he let Lingluo have her way.
"Then in the meantime, what should we do?" Yu Xuan asked.
"Why are you asking me? I’m not the leader," Lingluo shot back instantly, her tone light but her eyes daring him to press further.
Yu Xuan’s brow twitched. ’She’s definitely still holding onto it.’
"Fine, fine," he sighed. "Why don’t we talk about cultivation then?"
"Don’t wanna," she said without missing a beat, already leaning back against a tree like she was dismissing the very concept of hard work.
Yu Xuan shook his head helplessly. "Ok, forget it... do you have any plans after we leave here?"
Lingluo tapped her chin, pretending to think deeply. "Hmm... maybe beating the shorty? And... sleeping for a week straight. Oh, and eating roasted meat."
Her answers were nonsense, but at least she was talking. That much was enough for Yu Xuan. He kept the questions light, tossing in random topics just to get her to answer with equally random nonsense. Somehow, it relaxed him too.
Still, even while talking, Yu Xuan’s gaze kept scanning the forest. His instincts never dulled, not even for a moment.
Before long, the sky dimmed. Night fell swiftly. Today, Yu Xuan decided to cook a proper meal. No food pills — real food. He set up quietly, pulling ingredients from his space ring, and soon the air filled with the smell of sizzling meat and spices.
He didn’t consider the possibility of an ambush. After all, they had already defeated the Five Guardians. The chances of another surprise attack were slim. And even if there was one... the aggressor would have to deal with an angry Lingluo fresh from her meal. That thought alone was enough to calm his nerves.
As they ate together under the glow of the blood moon, their shoulders eased.
The trial might have been impossible on paper, but so far, they had endured.
Yu Xuan only hoped that things would remain simple tomorrow.
Because tomorrow, they would enter the central area.