Su Xi would never love anyone, but the moment his eyes first followed Wu Liuyin's disappearing figure, his heart followed her. He knew that as long as he loved someone, he would give his life for them, willing to sacrifice the world for just one person.
The demons and monsters responded in unison, and Su Xijue scooped up the trial stone, leaped into the air, and disappeared from the ground. His body plummeted rapidly, and after stabilizing the air pressure, he landed steadily.
Inside the Trial Valley, not a ray of sunlight could penetrate; it was all gloomy. Fortunately, there was a unique stone here—the Fluorescent Stone—that only emitted a faint glow in the absolute darkness, adding a touch of coldness to the entire Trial Valley.
Dear readers, if you've made it this far, please leave a comment! Feel free to point out any shortcomings in the writing, and any suggestions you may have for the story are welcome. I will consider everyone's input before writing. I'm not a master, just a newbie, and my writing isn't great, but I'll strive to reach master level. Please favorite, comment, recommend, and click! I only ask for these four things, please! Also, this story is participating in a competition.
☆、031
Su Xijue possessed a certain aura, which quickly attracted a large number of monsters. These monsters were formed from the malevolent energy of the dark people of the entire continent. They loved to absorb human aura to strengthen themselves. However, when no one was around, they would sometimes fight and devour their own companions or weaker monsters. This was the survival rule of the Trial Valley: the strong live and the weak die.
With a smirk and a chilling aura in his cold eyes, he flicked his wrist, unleashing a slash of spiritual energy that swiftly struck the orcs, cleaving them in two. Instantly, more than a dozen orcs vanished as wisps of smoke in the wind.
Today, facing Su Xijue means the end of their lives...
At the Dance Mansion, Wu Liuyin got up early in the morning, without waking Liehuo who was still sleeping, and quietly left the Dance Mansion.
On the main street of Fandu, before the sun had even risen above the horizon, vendors were already calling out their wares. Wu Liuyin found a special weapon-making shop on the street, looked at it from the outside for a while, and then went inside.
"Clang, clang, clang..." As soon as I entered the inner room, the sound of metal clashing reached my ears, and as I got closer to the sound of hammering, the surrounding temperature began to rise.
In the furnace workshop, a tall man silently picked up a large hammer and began hammering at the slightly red-hot iron on the stone table. He was focused on forging weapons, seemingly oblivious to Wu Liuyin's arrival.
"Make me two things, and I'll pay you."
Wu Liuyin walked up to the big guy and looked at him as she spoke.
The big man put down his work, stood up, dusted himself off, and put the unfinished ironware back into the stove.
"Since you're here, you should know my rules," the big man said, his eyes filled with a chilling gaze as he looked at Wu Liuyin.
Wu Liuyin smiled and took out a bag from her waist and placed it on the table.
"Of course I know."
The big man scooped up the bag, opened it, looked at it for a while, seemingly checking the number, and then turned and walked into the inner room with the bag given to him by Wu Liuyin.
"Leave the blueprints here, come back in three days to pick them up," Wu Liuyin said, leaving without saying anything more. She believed that the big man could understand her blueprints, and then she left.
The big guy was given crystal stones. Wu Liuyin had specifically asked a merchant at the weapon-making shop about it last time. She learned that the weapon maker had a strange quirk: his craftsmanship was superb, but he was unmoved by money. He had crafted many powerful weapons and famous swords, but he never charged money for making weapons; he only accepted ninety-nine crystal stones. Therefore, most people couldn't afford that many crystal stones. If someone really wanted a weapon, there were plenty of people willing to help!
Dear readers, if you've made it this far, please leave a comment! Feel free to point out any shortcomings in the writing, and any suggestions you may have for the story are welcome. I will consider everyone's input before writing. I'm not a master, just a newbie, and my writing isn't great, but I'll strive to reach master level. Please favorite, comment, recommend, and click! I only ask for these four things, please! Also, this story is participating in a competition.
☆、032 was somewhat unexpected
It was already noon when they returned to the Wu residence. Wu Liuyin had only gone out for a short while, and the whole morning had passed. It was Liehuo who suffered, as no one provided him with food, and he could only wait for Wu Liuyin to return with roast chicken.
"Third Miss, the clan leader requests your presence in the main hall." After several days of silence, Wu Yao finally sent someone to find Wu Liuyin.
He glanced at the servant with a headache, then changed direction and walked towards the hall.
Wu Yao sat in the main seat, and when he saw Wu Liuyin enter, his originally serious face showed a slight smile.
"Liuyin, come to Grandpa's," Wu Yao said with a smile, beckoning.
Wu Qinian, Wu Qiyao, and Wu Bailing's direct descendants were all there, staring at her with disgust, but she didn't care. There was also a girl Wu Liuyin had never seen before. She didn't seem very old, but the aura she exuded made Wu Liuyin look at her with new respect.
The girl also saw Wu Liuyin arriving as Wu Yao spoke, and smiled slightly.
Mai Ryuin responded with a faint smile.
“Liuyin, this is Wu Hailan from the Wu family branch in Huocheng. She is also one of the best among your generation. Her spiritual power has now broken through to the blue level. There are two spots in the Trial Valley this time, so I have decided that you and Hailan will go among all the younger generation. Let’s set off tomorrow, otherwise the weather will get colder and colder, and we won’t be able to travel long distances to the trial. I will have Hailan go back to the villa with you later, so that you can take care of each other.” As Wu Yao spoke, Wu Liuyin saw the surprised expressions on the faces of Wu Qinian and everyone else.
Because no one expected that Wu Bailing would be eliminated, Wu Liuyin and Wu Hailan from the Pang family went to the Trial Valley for the trial, and the genius Wu Bailing was eliminated.
Wu Liuyin also noticed several jealous and hateful gazes directed at her, but she didn't care. She didn't care about the opportunity to participate in the trial, because she could go to the trial no matter what if she wanted to. However, Wu Bailing's hateful gaze made her very interested in watching what would happen next.
"Father, what about Bailing? Are you really going to just give up on her like this?" It was Wu Qinian who spoke. How could he not be anxious when his precious daughter had lost her chance to participate in the trial?!
"Shut up! The capable shall prevail. Bai Ling is too arrogant. Let her go next time," Wu Yao scolded. Wu Qinian lowered his head and remained silent. Standing behind her, Wu Bai Ling glared resentfully at Wu Hai Lan and Wu Liu Yin. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh, but she didn't feel any pain.
"Grandpa, Bailing is not feeling well, so I must take my leave first." As Wu Bailing was leaving, she gave Wu Liuyin a deep look.
"Sister Bailing, wait for me!" Wu Nishang immediately followed after Wu Bailing when she saw that Wu Bailing had failed to go to the Trial Valley.
And so, everyone dispersed, leaving only Wu Liuyin, Wu Hailan, and the elderly Wu Yao in the hall.
Dear readers, if you've made it this far, please leave a comment! Feel free to point out any shortcomings in the writing, and any suggestions you may have for the story are welcome. I will consider everyone's input before writing. I'm not a master, just a newbie, and my writing isn't great, but I'll strive to reach master level. Please favorite, comment, recommend, and click! I only ask for these four things, please! Also, this story is participating in a competition.
☆、033 Wu Hailan
"Grandpa, let Wu Bailing go. I don't want to go to the Trial Valley for the time being," Wu Liuyin said.
"Liuyin, how can you be so willful? The Trial Valley can give you a good test. In any case, this matter is settled. You and Hailan should go back and rest early," Wu Yao scolded, but Wu Liuyin seemed not to hear him.
"I won't need the Wu family's quota to go, don't worry. I'll go to the Trial Valley with them, but I'll earn the Trial Stone myself. I, Wu Liuyin, don't want anyone to help me; I only feel comfortable doing everything myself."
"Alright, my child, you should rest well. Go with Hailan and Bailing tomorrow. Tell your grandfather if you need anything. Also, I will ask the Emperor for another spot and send the trial stone to you as quickly as possible." Wu Yao sighed. He really had no way to deal with Wu Liuyin.
Wu Hailan's gaze towards Wu Liuyin seemed to show some more favor. Since entering the Wu family compound, only Wu Yao and Wu Liuyin have been pleasing to the eye. Everyone else is unpleasant to look at, and they are all just scrutinizing her. Her nominal brothers and sisters don't even acknowledge her, a sister from a collateral branch, so why should she bother to pay attention to them?
However, Wu Liuyin's amiable smile dispelled her previous negative feelings towards the direct descendants of the Wu family.
“Well, let’s give that spot to Wu Bailing. Taking away someone else’s love is not my style,” Wu Liuyin said, standing up. Wu Yao seemed to agree and nodded.
Without lingering any longer, Wu Liuyin walked towards the door, but stopped at the doorway and turned back to look at Wu Hailan, who was still sitting there motionless: "Aren't you coming with me?"
After responding and greeting Wu Yao, Wu Hailan followed Wu Liuyin, who had left earlier.
The two walked silently back to the villa.
“I like your personality. I’ve also heard about how you defeated Su Xijue. You’re different from them,” Wu Hailan broke the silence first, speaking with her lips parted.
Wu Hailan's voice was low and husky, unlike the voice a young girl of her age should have.
"..." Wu Liuyin glanced at Wu Hailan but did not say anything.
"Am I bothering you?" Seeing that Wu Liuyin ignored her, Wu Hailan thought that Wu Liuyin disliked her for talking so much, so she asked.
"No, I don't like to talk," Wu Liuyin explained awkwardly. She didn't have any ill feelings towards Wu Hailan and thought that Wu Hailan was more upright than Wu Bailing and the others. She didn't want Wu Hailan to speak up because she felt uncomfortable.
It seems that she is now somewhat moved by the sensitive topic of love. Perhaps because of the connection she has with love, she is no longer completely oblivious to it.
Dear readers, if you've made it this far, please leave a comment! Feel free to point out any shortcomings in the writing, and any suggestions you may have for the story are welcome. I will consider everyone's input before writing. I'm not a master, just a newbie, and my writing isn't great, but I'll strive to reach master level. Please favorite, comment, recommend, and click! I only ask for these four things, please! Also, this story is participating in a competition.
☆、034
"Oh, hehe, actually I don't like to talk much either, but only to people I don't like. I like to talk to people I like, and I don't like to talk to people I don't like. So you belong to the type of person I like. I like talking to you." Wu Hailan smiled and scratched the back of her head, her eyes narrowing into slits with laughter. The two dimples at the corners of her mouth made Wu Hailan look so cute at that moment.
"Hehe, why?" Wu Liuyin chuckled, the light veil covering her face swaying slightly.
"Because you're not like them, you don't judge people with prejudice, you're approachable."
Wu Hailan's explanation surprised Wu Liuyin. Affability? Does she have affability?
The west courtyard of the Wu family, the original route where Wu Qinian and his family lived, was where Wu Bailing angrily walked to the door and kicked it open with a heavy kick, seemingly venting her anger on the door. The thought that Wu Yao had sent Wu Hailan and Wu Liuyin to the Trial Valley instead of her, a genius like herself, filled her with resentment. Something seemed to be stuck in her chest, making her extremely uncomfortable.
"Sister Bailing, don't be sad. Grandpa was just temporarily bewitched by Wu Liuyin. Wu Liuyin and Wu Hailan had a messy relationship, and she must have said bad things about you to Grandpa, which is why you didn't go. Don't be too sad. The Trial Valley is too dangerous. You can go next time." Wu Nishang, who came right after, saw that her idol looked disappointed and immediately stepped forward to comfort her.
"Ni Chang, in what way am I not better than that good-for-nothing? Isn't it just because she's powerful? Wasn't she a good-for-nothing before? How did everything change so suddenly? Grandpa's mind is now entirely on Wu Liuyin. I guess he'll even pass the position of clan leader to her in the future. I'm not reconciled, I'm not reconciled!" Wu Bailing, who had always been favored by heaven, was so unhappy when faced with all this. She was indeed unwilling because Wu Liuyin had replaced her as the number one in spiritual power in the Wu family. Anyone would be unhappy about that.
Just like emperors, who would willingly hand over the throne that is destined for them?
“Sister, let’s not bother with that bitch Wu Liuyin. Maybe Grandpa sent them there because he wanted to get rid of Wu Liuyin and Wu Hailan. You know how difficult it is to get out of the Trial Valley once you’re in, so don’t take it to heart.” As Wu Nishang was speaking, a servant walked in. He was one of Wu Yao’s people.
"Young Miss, the master wants you to pack your things. You'll be departing with the trial team tomorrow morning," the servant said.
"What, first thing tomorrow morning? Okay, I understand, you can go now," Wu Bailing said, somewhat surprised, but quickly calmed down and waved her hand in greeting.
"I knew it! How could Grandpa let such a genius like you go unchecked?" Wu Nishang said, pouting as she genuinely cheered for Wu Bailing.
Dear readers, if you've made it this far, please leave a comment! Feel free to point out any shortcomings in the writing, and any suggestions you may have for the story are welcome. I will consider everyone's input before writing. I'm not a master, just a newbie, and my writing isn't great, but I'll strive to reach master level. Please favorite, comment, recommend, and click! I only ask for these four things, please! Also, this story is participating in a competition.
☆、035 Special Fragrance