[Trial-taker Bai Yiran has failed the challenge!]
Someone… failed?
Yun Jin's eyes flickered slightly.
She still remembered Bai Yiran quite well. Among all who grasped the Yin-Yang Law, Bai Yiran's comprehension was second only to herself and Di Xiao. That woman had always appeared aloof, but in truth, with just a few words, she could seize control of the situation. She was by no means a simple character.
And yet—
She was eliminated this quickly.
The Automaton switched the view to Path Three.
Bai Yiran was encased in ice, utterly powerless.
"The cultivators of your world still lack a bit in overall aptitude. Aside from you and Di Xiao, the remaining seven are all rather ordinary. Even for Di Xiao, the odds of passing Path Two are only fifty-fifty. As for Bai Yiran, she overestimated herself."
The Automaton's voice was chilling: "Therefore, she could only be eliminated."
By contrast, those who chose the easier paths, though their grasp of the laws was inferior to Bai Yiran, had lower difficulty to face and might very well succeed.
This was the matter of personal choice. And properly recognizing oneself was also part of cultivation. She had ranked third in the selection. She actually had more room to choose, yet she was eliminated. That was her own problem.
The Automaton pressed a button.
The next moment—
Bai Yiran vanished from the trial space.
"Where did she go?" Yun Jin asked curiously.
"She has finished her trial and was transmitted back to where she was before," the Automaton replied.
A faint sigh rose in Yun Jin's heart. The path of cultivation was truly cruel. A single mistake in a small choice could lead to disastrous consequences. This trial space, created by a powerhouse from the God Realm, was likely one of the greatest opportunities of this world.
Each stage passed meant greater rewards.
Bai Yiran… could have gained much more.
But now, the opportunity was severed. All for nothing.
…
In a daze, Bai Yiran returned to her place of seclusion. Her eyes flickered with bewilderment.
She… failed?
Yun Jin chose the first path, and she succeeded, but she failed?
Was the gap between them really that big?
Yun Jin was just a junior still in the Tribulation Realm!
While she herself—
Ever since she'd first seen the Yin-Yang Wheel and sensed the Primordial Yin, she'd devoted herself to understanding it. To deepen her comprehension, she'd come all the way to the extreme north to cultivate in isolation.
This land was nothing but boundless snow and ice. Here she secluded herself for thousands of years. Yet her thousands of years of effort, before a true genius, were reduced to a joke?
Bai Yiran's chest rose and fell violently. At that moment of turmoil, her expression suddenly shifted. She was at the heart of the glacial expanse, a place where almost no life could exist. Within a thousand miles around, she was likely the only living being.
But now—
She suddenly sensed another presence.
And not a weak one. This aura was powerful.
What is going on?
And that aura was drawing closer and closer!
Bai Yiran's expression changed. A faint sense of dread seized her heart. Her instincts screamed that this was no good omen!
At her level, such warnings could not be ignored. This was very likely the Heavenly Dao's premonition. Without hesitation, Bai Yiran shattered the ice around her and fled in the opposite direction.
…
In the midst of the frozen land—
A figure halted.
It was originally the figure of a handsome man.
But now—
His face was covered in strange black markings.
The designs started from his forehead, winding all the way down, wrapping across his face and body, exuding a terrifying and sinister aura.
The man's voice was hoarse as he muttered, "That prey… seems to have fled."
Then, a voice rang within his mind.
"How interesting! The demonic black marks on your body have already been etched completely. With the power of the markings, you've almost drained all the life in this frozen land. That prey, however, her cultivation is the highest in this region. Even among Mahayana experts, she's top-tier!
Such prey must not be missed! Once you consume her, your path to the peak will take yet another step forward." The voice was filled with temptation, endlessly bewitching.
If Yun Jin were here, she would have instantly recognized him.
This man was none other than the long-vanished Demon Sovereign: Yang Yun.
And the voice in his mind—was the fragment of the Devourer Demon God.
Yang Yun's cultivation had once plummeted to rock bottom. Yet in just a few short months of disappearance, his aura had already recovered to Mahayana. Such rapid growth—yet Yang Yun's face showed not the slightest trace of joy. He could not help but say, "Our cultivation has already risen fast enough. If I continue to absorb more, I fear my body won't hold together."
The demonic soul's voice was icy cold: "Won't hold? No. You will hold. This body of yours has undergone eight cycles of Nirvana, and it is an excellent vessel. This little bit of power is far from your true limit."
After arriving at the frozen plains, Yang Yun had been forced through another Nirvana by the demonic soul. Now, he had undergone Nirvana eight times, with only one final chance remaining. Gritting his teeth, Yang Yun said, "I think… we should consolidate our gains before absorbing more. That would be better."
"Oh?"
Suddenly, an eerie laugh rang in his mind.
In the next instant—
Yang Yun's expression twisted. With the demonic laughter, the black markings on his body writhed to life. They crawled along his flesh, twisting, squirming. Then, from the markings, thin black thorns extended, piercing into his body. These thorns pierced not only flesh, but pain that drilled directly into his soul. Though Yang Yun had immense endurance, he still howled in agony.
"I know what you are scheming." The demonic soul's voice dripped with mockery. "It is useless.
The Demon God is destined to descend upon this world. And you are destined to open the barrier of space. I cannot wait any longer. The Demon God cannot wait any longer either. The demonic marks are carved into your very blood and bone. You cannot break free, you cannot escape.
"I know what you fear. But do not fear. Once the Demon God descends, all your problems will vanish. The Great One will reward your contribution and grant you a brand new life."
The demonic soul's voice rose higher and higher, wilder and wilder.
"I… I understand." Yang Yun forced the words through gritted teeth.
"That is better." The demonic soul cackled. The black markings finally settled down. "Now, come. We continue the hunt. Once we consume that cultivator, we will move to another place."
Yang Yun could only comply, compelled to give chase. Yet his expression darkened further still. He might look powerful now, but this strength was not his. It belonged to the demonic marks. To the demonic soul. He, the Demon Sovereign, Yang Yun, had been reduced to nothing more than a vessel for power.