In that instant, the girl broke all her previous principles. It seemed she was fulfilling her mission to help A Jun—but she also had her own reasons. Her familiar absolute defense shielded the boy once again. She stood firmly in front of him, blocking the attack.
But this enemy wasn't like the Birdfolk—it was far more formidable.
The black mist beast launched a barrage of attacks. Though the Nangong clan's Realm Seal was unmatched across the five counties—like the hardest shield, only the sharpest spear could pierce it—this time, the girl struggled. She could only maintain a defensive stance.
A Jun noticed something—her usual artifact was missing.
He looked up at her in shock, feeling both moved and ashamed. His recklessness had caused this, and he felt powerless.
"You can try."
Sensing the anomaly, the Saintess fought the overwhelming force while encouraging the boy. As a Guardian Envoy, her power was far greater than this. But inside A Jun's Mind Realm, without the Tear of Xuanwu's support, she could only exert half her strength.
Moreover, the unknown force before them was harder to decipher than expected. The Saintess couldn't understand why A Jun's backlash was so extreme—what was hidden inside him?
"But…"
A Jun hesitated. Her words echoed his own thoughts. Though it defied logic, perhaps their powers were now linked—allowing her to sense his mind. But it wasn't mind-reading—she knew where to draw the line.
"—But with my condition, I probably can't even activate the Phoenix Seal…"
Thinking of the past, A Jun's heart was full of conflict. Countless failures and setbacks resurfaced, shaking his confidence. He didn't know if he could succeed—but he felt compelled to try.
"You can."
The girl fighting before him spoke again—simple words, but full of strength. A Jun began to regain confidence, which grew steadily. He recalled what the Saintess had said earlier—this place was different from reality. Physical limitations didn't apply.
—Yes, this was his Mind Realm. His domain, his rules. What was impossible before might now be achievable.
"Mm!"
After all the inner turmoil, A Jun looked at the girl beside him—bearing immense pressure because of his recklessness. He made up his mind to give himself a chance… to undo the crisis his impulse had caused.
But here, exclusive weapons and hidden tools couldn't be used. He had to rely on spell arts. Unfortunately, he had never trained in any—he knew them, but had never practiced.
In desperation, A Jun remembered the unique spell art of White Tiger County: formation techniques. Unlike secret arts, these could be cast directly.
His eyes sharpened. He quickly formulated a plan—choosing a solo formation from the combination array his elder sister had once demonstrated: the strongest defensive formation, Star Polar.
Without support personnel, even a solo formation consumed immense energy. A Jun knew this well. But he had no better option.
—As the saying goes, "Misfortune may be the source of blessing." To his surprise, the attempt succeeded.
The Saintess saw, through the reflection of the shield, a glow appear on the boy's forehead—the unique light of a Guardian. It was bright, stable, and pure silver.
A Jun felt it too. His long-dormant talent was resonating with his inner energy.
He was thrilled. The boy who couldn't even use basic techniques had now activated the Phoenix Seal. That meant the formation might work. He recited the mantra carefully, mimicked his sister's posture, and let the power flow—like long-suppressed emotions finally released.
Once he finished the incantation and called out the formation's name, a surge of power burst from within him. He formed the celestial seal, shifted his stance, raised both hands in support. The energy transformed into streaks of lightning, weaving a new protective layer—gradually merging with the Realm Seal.
The Saintess remained composed, but her subtle expression revealed surprise. She felt an overwhelming force—more explosive than expected.
Now, with dual defenses, they had a better chance of turning the tide. But A Jun wasn't done. He had studied hard since childhood. Though he lacked achievements, his theoretical knowledge was vast. Elders had taught him: 1 + 1 > 2.
If Guardian powers were properly matched and combined, they could produce endless variations and greater strength. Now, A Jun was like a bird breaking free from its cage—ready to explore more possibilities.
This method, in the Saintess's view, carried significant risk—so their perspectives didn't fully align. As the Saintess, she understood the logic, but with the Nangong clan's capabilities, such methods were generally unnecessary.
Yet A Jun didn't consider any of that—not even the Saintess's opinion. He directly initiated the attribute fusion step. The formation slowly approached the Saintess's protective barrier until the two merged into one.
A Jun had many reasons for doing this—not only to help the Saintess conserve energy, but also because, as a boy, he felt it was his duty to shoulder the burden. After all, this mess was his doing.
The Saintess could sense and understand the boy's resolve. She chose to cooperate silently, staying closely in sync with him—because the situation truly required more time to wait for an opportunity.
The glowing currents danced across the frost, wrapping around the barrier like a protective cloak. Just moments ago, the barrier had shown tiny cracks under the monster's assault.
Now, with new energy support, those cracks were quickly repaired. A new joint spell emerged, shielding the two children.
A Jun stood beside the Saintess as he wished, holding his stance and gently telling her she could rest—he'd hold the line for now.
His gaze was sincere and full of trust. For the Saintess, who had never encountered such a situation, this person made her feel unexpectedly safe. Rationally, she chose to cooperate—to buy time and wait for the right moment. That was also the question A Jun had just asked… and the Saintess's answer was: wait.
"—So what do we do next?"
Having tasted the power, A Jun began thinking of strategies. But he could only consult the Saintess—he had no idea what to do.
"Wait a little longer."
The Saintess meditated calmly, her voice steady and certain—not a discussion, but a confident directive.
"—What are we waiting for?"
A Jun was curious. Her answer was so brief that he couldn't form a clear judgment or tactical plan.
"You'll know soon."
She reaffirmed her stance—firm yet kind. But that wasn't enough for A Jun. He had many thoughts and concerns, needing details to avoid further mistakes.
"It's coming!"
Suddenly, her warning interrupted his planning, filling him with hope. They were resisting with all their strength, but barely holding on—the monster was too powerful.
Thankfully, the Saintess's timely reassurance showed she remained calm, knowing what was coming.
As her words fell, the ground beneath them began to glow. A Jun saw a new force he'd never encountered—power from the Cold Jade Pond, part of the Heart Refinement mode's protection. The Saintess had activated it upon entering.
Cold light rose from the ground, tracking the monster's movements, shrinking, condensing, intensifying—then grasping the creature like a giant hand, squeezing tightly, nearly crushing it.
The Saintess knew the moment had come. She calmly alerted her teammate, preserved her spell, and placed her hand on A Jun's shoulder again—ready to retreat.
"Let's go."
"—Does this mean the trial failed?"
A Jun, full of reluctance, asked a question that left him torn. The Saintess had feared this.
"Mm."
After a brief hesitation, she gave a firm answer—she wouldn't lie, not even a kind lie. As they left under the protection of a light pillar, A Jun struggled internally. He glanced at the trapped, struggling monster, his eyes flashing with uncertainty. Then he looked at the gemstone—now dangerous again under the black mist's corrosion.
From these clues, the boy sensed hidden risks. He remembered past details well—once bitten, twice shy. But the Saintess focused solely on the retreat, unaware.
"It's safe now."
Soon, the Saintess gently reminded him to deactivate the spell—they were out of danger. But A Jun didn't move. He held his stance, sensing a new crisis approaching—something even harder.
He turned to the girl, smiling with determined eyes. She was puzzled—she could no longer read his thoughts.
Just before the retreat completed, A Jun broke free from her hand, carrying the spell alone, once again defying her plan. He didn't want the innocent girl to be dragged into danger again—he owed too much. And he wanted to finish the trial, even if it meant risking himself. He wanted to protect his friend with his own strength—even if he stood alone.
"No! It's too dangerous!"
The Saintess's eyes filled with panic—she hadn't expected such recklessness. She wanted to help him again, but her hand couldn't reach.
In the next moment, she realized the new threat. Perhaps without A Jun's action, neither of them could've escaped. Still, he was too impulsive.
The gemstone, after a series of transformations, now gleamed as before—its alluring glow and mysterious power stirred, resonating with the monster. The creature's eyes glowed deep red, growing darker—terrifying.
"—Thank you."
A Jun, defiant, expressed his gratitude to the Saintess. Back turned, he maintained the spell, hoping to protect her retreat. Meanwhile, the monster broke free—snapping its restraints like rubber bands, launching a fierce attack. Waves of black mist energy began eroding A Jun's spell. He fought desperately, holding on until his teammate escaped.
Watching her ally struggle, the Saintess felt both shocked and helpless. Exhausted from the battle and the enemy's influence, she was physically drained. Yet she persisted—maintaining the trial's protection and watching over A Jun. That was all she could do now.
"Ning'er!"
"Meow…?"
Outside the Mind Realm, back in reality, Xiao Xi and the cat were growing impatient. They kept peeking through the sanctuary's holographic display, watching the chaos inside. A Jun's strange condition and the Saintess's sudden weakness worried them deeply. They could only shout from outside, expressing concern.
Their voices echoed into the hall—but the Saintess kept them back.
Inside the Mind Realm, A Jun relaxed after ensuring his companions' safety. But now what? The situation was barely sustainable. He had power, but not enough to win—let alone reverse the tide.
The black mist devoured the spell like ice cream—bit by bit. A Jun thought of Uncle. If only he were here, maybe there'd be a way.
The boy mocked his own ignorance and stubbornness, yet kept fighting with all his might.
Until the black mist completely surrounded him… the monster watched gleefully. But its joy didn't last.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed from behind A Jun—like a tiger's claw, it tore through the terrifying energy around him.
The Saintess saw it clearly through the Ruyi Mirror—A Jun had narrowly escaped disaster. Then the lightning struck the monster directly. In a blink, the smug creature was obliterated.
The girl finally breathed a sigh of relief. But the backlash overwhelmed her—she lost balance and collapsed.
Xiao Xi and the cat saw it all. The chubby boy rammed the barrier repeatedly. Eventually, with the help of strong winds, they broke through—perhaps because the Saintess's power had weakened, disabling the spell.
They rushed into the hall. Xiao Xi immediately helped the weakened, stunned Saintess, fussing over her. The cat dashed to A Jun, leaping onto his shoulder and meowing.
But the silent Saintess pushed away the contact, sat down quickly, and began recovery. Xiao Xi stayed nearby, while everyone watched A Jun's status through the mirror.
With lightning's help, the crisis was resolved. But just as A Jun thought victory was near, he saw a familiar figure appear beside the gemstone.
—Thankfully, it was Uncle! It seemed he had saved A Jun.
The boy ran over, calling out habitually—no response. After a moment, the figure replied.
"Good boy, are you alright?" Uncle asked gently.
"Mm! I'm okay…" A Jun paused, then replied, "—Thanks for checking on me. What was that thing just now?"
"You're welcome. That monster appeared because your trial had a problem. But it's safe now!" Uncle explained calmly and kindly.
"So… did I succeed?"
"Yes, you did great!"
"Uncle, where were you just now? Why did you come so late?" Sensitive as ever, A Jun asked another odd question.
"Hmm, secret—come here."
This time, Uncle wasn't annoyed. He smiled and led the boy to the gemstone. "It's safe now. You've always wanted to touch it, right? Go ahead."
A Jun looked at the gemstone, then at Uncle—still puzzled, but smiling. Uncle nodded warmly.
"But…"
Though his face was calm, A Jun hesitated. The gemstone's pull was too strong—his right hand reached out involuntarily, as if someone had tugged it.
Inside the hall, the three watched through the mirror, growing nervous. They saw the power that had resonated with the black mist monster—somehow leaking out, forming again.
The Uncle before them was created by that terrifying force—a fake. But A Jun didn't know. Nor did he know that outside his Mind Realm, his body at the Cold Jade Pond was now faintly surrounded by black mist.
The stage was set. The fake Uncle's smile turned sinister.
But A Jun was clever. He sensed something was off. This wasn't the Uncle he knew and trusted.
Still—what could he do?
He struggled, trying to pull back his hand —— used his left hand to pull back his right, struggling with all his might—but his strength was clearly insufficient. Even worse, his five senses were beginning to fade, one by one…