92: Tracing the Light

【The next day, Liu Ruyan came directly to find you and asked, "Where did you get so many Spirit Stones?"】

【You understood that the matter of participating in the auction yesterday definitely couldn't be hidden, and you didn't intend to hide it either, so you said directly, "I found them!"】

【"You have such good luck?" She frowned and continued to ask, "What did you bid on?"】

【"A void flower, a demon kings inner core, and a heavenly craft tablet." You answered truthfully.】

【After this auction, you knew that these three items were not worth her coveting, so it didn't matter if you told her.】

【She nodded, understanding that you wanted to refine a heavenly spirit pill.】

【Then she said, "The content for the three assessments this time has been released. Help me think of how to pass them over these next few days."】

【You listened carefully, feeling that you might be able to use this information yourself in the future.】

【She explained in detail—】

【"The three assessments are conducted from the three aspects of Internal, External, and Strategy."】

【"The first assessment is the literary test, which examines the Foundation of 'Dao' and 'Logic'—Dao Heart, Comprehension Ability, and knowledge."】

【"The second assessment is the intelligence test, which examines the wisdom of 'Planning' and 'Judgment'—strategy, decision-making, and management."】

【"The third assessment is the martial test, which examines the application of 'Method' and 'Technique'—combat power, willpower, and actual combat."】

【"The literary test is not an ordinary written exam, but rather entering a Divine Thought space constructed by the supreme treasure 'Questioning Heart Dao Tablet'. The Dao Tablet will display a section of an incomplete ancient Cultivation Technique or complex runes, and candidates must deduce and complete the principles, as well as explain the involved Laws of Heaven and Earth, such as the Five Elements, Yin and Yang, space, time, etc..."】

【"The intelligence test involves everyone entering the illusory Magic Treasure 'Canglan Myriad Phenomenon Disk' to conduct multi-dimensional strategic games, from building a Sect and recruiting Disciples, to occupying territory and developing influence, while also contending against other opponents..."】

【"The martial test is not a simple arena melee, but rather climbing the 'Nine Heavens' Heaven Rank in the Secret Realm. Each step climbed enters an illusion space, facing different combat challenges. The nine stages are: Step of Strength, Step of Speed, Step of Defense, Step of Illusion, Step of Crowd, Step of Power, Step of Endurance, Step of Change, and Step of Heart..."】

【After she finished speaking, you understood.】

【You didn't expect the three assessments of the grand competition to be so complex and intricate.】

【How could a good-for-nothing playboy like you possibly understand this?】

【It's practically like using algebra, geometry, and calculus to calculate the operating Laws of the Universe, and then having to find loopholes and fix them—】

【Doesn't this require a System simulation, being able to divine, predict the future, know everything, and do anything?】

【If you really had such ability, would you have died so many times?】

【She said seriously, "Each person participating in the grand competition can bring two followers with low cultivation into it. I want to bring you. Are you confident?"】

【Although you had no confidence in your heart, you still earnestly patted your chest: "No problem, small matter!"】

【She nodded with satisfaction and turned to leave.】

【At night, you came to the courtyard and placed the heavenly craft tablet flat on the ground. Cracks spread across the tablet body like a spider web, and four incomplete large characters vaguely appeared at the beginning—】

【The character 'Zhu' only had one stroke left, like a broken sword slanted into a mountain of corpses;】

【The character 'Shan' lacked its peaks, leaving only a withered cliff holding up a lonely moon;】

【The character 'Qian' only retained the cold light of a half-blade, like a poisoned dagger hidden in a sleeve;】

【The character 'Guai' was as broken as shattered jade, as if a prophecy had its lower half of destiny struck away by heavenly thunder.】

【When your fingertips brushed over the broken stroke of the 'Zhu' character, you suddenly trembled—】

【That was clearly the character 'Zhu' (slaughter) with its speech radical sliced off!】

【'Shan' was the fallen remains of the character 'Xian' (immortal) after it collapsed!】

【'Qian' was the remaining edge of the character 'Jian' (sword) after the blade snapped!】

【'Guai' was actually the character 'Jue' (technique/formula) with its spell pact erased by an unknown force!】

【"Zhu... Xian... Jian... Jue?!"】

【The moment the four characters were blurted out, a monstrous Sword Intent burst forth from the tablet, and the beams and pillars of the entire room resonated in unison, as if the immortal remains slashed down from eons ago were awakening within the tablet!】

【Your mind was shocked, and you were secretly expectant, feeling that this mysterious Cultivation Technique was extraordinary.】

【Suppressing your excitement, you put away the heavenly craft tablet, quickly returned to your room, and closed the doors and windows.】

【Until ten days passed, you acted as if nothing had happened and came to the second-floor private booth of 'Lan' to drink tea.】

【Very unluckily, that Yan Feng who had been swindled by you was in the private booth right next to you.】

【The private booths on the second floor were only separated by a screen, so you could hear everything they said clearly.】

【"Fellow Daoist Peak, are you saying Xuanyuan Yao took all your savings and then turned her back on you?" someone asked in surprise.】

【Yan Feng nodded vigorously: "That was all my Family wealth, which I originally intended to use to buy Materials for refining a Magic Treasure..."】

【"As far as I know, Xuanyuan Yao is not that kind of person," another person said.】

【"Exactly, do you think Xuanyuan Yao would lack those few Spirit Stones of yours?" someone echoed.】

【"Fellow Daoist Peak, why did you give it to her at the time?" another person asked.】

【"She asked me for it! I felt that her words had a kind of magic, and I gave it to her without realizing it..." Yan Feng recalled with a happy expression.】

【At this moment, Xuanyuan Yao suddenly walked into their private booth and said coldly, "Yan Feng, are you the one going around saying I swindled your Spirit Stones?"】

【Yan Feng hurriedly stood up and shook his head: "No, no! I gave it willingly!"】

【Xuanyuan Yao's eyes turned cold: "Say that again?"】

【Yan Feng trembled all over, staring blankly at her, not daring to speak.】

【Xuanyuan Yao took a deep breath, having probably guessed what happened, and asked, "Are you sure you gave the Spirit Stones to me at the time?"】

【Yan Feng nodded fiercely: "I swear to the heavens! At the time, I gave you all my Spirit Stones. You said it wasn't enough, so I went to borrow some more, and when I came back, you were gone..."】

【The few people in the private booth looked at each other, each having their own guesses.】

【"Could it be that someone impersonated Xuanyuan Yao?" someone spoke up.】

【"Fellow Daoist Peak, did you use your Divine Sense at the time..." the other person changed his words before finishing, "Forget it... you were probably swindled."】

【Xuanyuan Yao seemed prepared, and she took out a Magic Treasure—a bronze mirror.】

【This Magic Treasure was named "Light Tracing Mirror," a supreme treasure of the Xuanyuan Family, capable of briefly tracing back time.】

【However, it could only trace back events within one year, and it required a drop of the person's essence blood.】

【Seeing this treasure, everyone immediately understood.】

【Xuanyuan Yao looked coldly at Yan Feng: "Essence blood."】

【Yan Feng immediately slashed his arm, waved his hand, and a drop of essence blood flew into the Light Tracing Mirror.】

【Immediately after, Xuanyuan Yao pinched a seal to outline a complex rune and struck it into the mirror—】

【In an instant, the surface of the Light Tracing Mirror projected images of Yan Feng's last year.】

【The images started from a year ago, with Yan Feng in seclusion in his Immortal Cave.】

【On the wall of his Immortal Cave hung over a dozen portraits of a woman, and all of them depicted the same person—Xuanyuan Yao.】

【Looking at the images from a year ago, Yan Feng stood to the side with his head lowered, remaining silent.】

【Xuanyuan Yao pinched a seal again, and the images in the mirror suddenly accelerated.】

【Seeing this scene from the private booth next door, you immediately panicked.】

【You stood up calmly and slowly walked out of the restaurant.】

【Immediately, you quickened your pace and bolted toward the teleportation plaza.】