Jian Dan slashed forward. The swarm of black beetle larvae at the front was instantly torn apart. Mo Su followed up, his Cold Moon Blade swinging wide to freeze the next wave of advancing larvae. The two of them worked seamlessly, alternating attacks. After more than an hour of relentless slaughter, not a single beetle was left.
The intense combat had forced the demonic energy in their newly strengthened Nascent Soul meridians to settle and circulate more smoothly. Neither of them complained. Exchanging a quick glance, they moved on to the third stair.
The scene ahead shattered like glass, revealing a giant black beetle—just like the one Jian Dan had crushed outside the Chilang Secret Realm, only larger. This was simply a scaled-up version of the larvae from earlier.
No need for words. Jian Dan drew her sword. Mo Su readied his blade. Together, they charged.
Jian Dan targeted its membranous wings, hindering its movements. Mo Su went straight for its leg joints, aiming to disable it by breaking them from the pivot.
But the beetle wasn't brainless. It lashed its antennae toward them, disrupting their attacks, while using its massive body to crash forward with its armored shell.
At the perfect moment, Jian Dan leapt, grabbing one of the flailing antennae. It flung her through the air like a ragdoll, but she held on tightly, refusing to be thrown off. She recalled her sword into her body and activated the Obsidian Bracelet. One hand gripped the antenna firmly while the other began striking the same spot repeatedly, every blow packed with power.
Mo Su was equally ruthless. He first used ice magic to freeze the leg joints, then slashed down with his Frost Moon Blade, cutting through one of the front legs. Without pause, he turned to the central abdomen legs.
Realizing it was at a disadvantage, the beetle vibrated its wings and tucked its abdomen inward—it was preparing a massive attack.
Jian Dan summoned the Mò Xī Sword again. Her internal forces, both demon energy and spiritual energy, surged and gathered into the blade. She unleashed a silent strike. The moment it clashed with the beetle's abdomen, the creature exploded into fragments, shattered by the immense force.
Both were hit by the shockwave and thrown back to the third stair. They exchanged a look and stepped onto the fourth stair together.
This time, two giant beetles emerged. The two had no choice but to split up.
It took more time than before, and for the first time, both sustained injuries.
Jian Dan had assumed this was just an illusion trial, but the realism shocked her. She could feel the beetle's strikes on her flesh, sense the pain, the impact. It was too real to be fake.
Back on the fourth stair, Jian Dan did not rush forward. She turned to Mo Su Zhēnjūn, noticing blood still lingering at the corner of his mouth. His demonic qi fluctuated wildly. He met her gaze, both of them understanding.
"Zhēnjūn, do you think those creatures were real?"
"If they weren't, then this illusion is far too real. Our wounds are very real."
"I think we should be cautious. Let's rest for a bit. When we enter the next trial, maybe we can find a way to bring something back with us."
Mo Su Zhēnjūn nodded. No argument this time. The two sat cross-legged and began to recover their spent energy. Before half an hour had passed, they were forcibly pulled into the fifth stair's trial.
This time, four giant beetles. Both Jian Dan and Mo Su's expressions darkened. Each was pinned down by two beetles. Forced into a defensive stance, they were tossed through the air, barely able to counter.
Meanwhile, in another space, Mó Yuè Zhǎn was devouring demonic energy, repairing damage accumulated over thousands of years. Its spirit began to take form—manifesting as a three-inch-tall girl in black robes, bearing a face that resembled its former master, Mei Ji.
She lounged comfortably inside the blade, absorbing the rich demonic qi to nourish herself. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, filled with murderous intent. Who dared to bully her master while she was away?
Mó Yuè Zhǎn trembled, expanding into a three-meter crescent moon blade. It spun once, slicing through a spatial node, then returned to its original size. Following the residual energy trails, it slashed toward a hidden point in the darkness.
Jian Dan and Mo Su were still struggling when, mid-defense, Jian Dan's red lips curved into a smirk. One of the beetles was suddenly cleaved in two from tail to head by a streak of light. That same glow circled her once and settled by her side. Mó Yuè Zhǎn had returned.
Mò Xī Sword gave a polite nod before vanishing into her dantian. This was clearly Mó Yuè Zhǎn's battlefield.
"So, you finally came back. Looks like your repairs went well."
"Mm! Not bad. But you're so weak. I leave for a bit and you start getting bullied? You were struggling with these little bugs?"
The blade spirit did not appear, only communicated directly through divine sense.
"Isn't that why I need you? Now that you're back, I feel unstoppable."
"Mm!" The blade hummed beside her in agreement.
With Mó Yuè Zhǎn's help, they gained breathing room and regrouped for round two.
Jian Dan moved with elusive steps, bolstered by the Obsidian Bracelet. She disabled one of the beetle's abdomen legs, then swiftly withdrew her Black Gold Ring and charged the next one.
With their full strength combined, they finally defeated all four beetles. They were returned to the fifth stair. Both immediately swallowed healing pills and meditated, eyes snapping open before their wounds had fully healed.
Mo Su Zhēnjūn silently activated his storage bracelet. A piece of beetle shell the size of two joined palms appeared—glossy black with a metallic sheen.
Jian Dan retrieved the severed abdomen leg from her Black Gold Ring. They exchanged trophies without a word.
"Looks like we were right."
"You mean, this space is artificially divided, but the beetles themselves are real? That we can only leave once we defeat them?"
"Seems that way."
Silence fell between them for a moment as their theory solidified.
"Zhēnjūn, it seems we'll have to start using our trump cards. Otherwise, we'll just become these insects' next meal."
"Agreed."
A heartbeat later, they vanished from the fifth stair, entering the sixth trial.
This time, they floated mid-air. All around were the remains of a brutal battle—fragments of black beetles drifting through the air, broken magical tools left behind by fallen cultivators. The entire space exuded a murderous atmosphere.
The scattered remains began to shift, as if pulled by some unseen force. Jian Dan and Mo Su Zhēnjūn both noticed a large ochre cloud rapidly approaching from the distance.