Chapter 91: Chapter 91 - The Shameless Master and the Shadow Beasts’ Charge

The moment Su Bai crossed the northern end of the training ground, a wave of cheers rose from the viewing area.

"Senior Brother Su is amazing!"

Most of the voices came from the Outer Sect side.

The favoritism was very obvious.

Yan’er was clapping with both hands. Her face was bright, as if Su Bai crossing the finish line was more important than her own cultivation.

The senior sisters beside her were even louder.

Su Bai turned his head and saw them.

He smiled faintly and nodded.

The cheers became even louder.

Above the training ground, several Peak Masters looked at one another.

Their expressions were strange.

They had all seen it clearly. Su Bai had clearly slowed down.

At first, they thought he was conserving strength.

Then they saw him breathing deeply again and again.

He was... enjoying the mist.

Peak Master Huo Yan could not help but look toward Lu Canghai.

"Old Lu. Martial Nephew Su... seems rather unusual."

Lu Canghai nearly choked on his saliva.

Rather unusual? That was a polite way of saying his disciple had treated a sect trial as a medicinal bath.

Lu Canghai knew Su Bai could have fought for first place. Yet this brat had chosen to lag behind just to inhale a few more breaths of toxic mist.

Lu Canghai did not know whether to laugh or sigh.

Still, he naturally would not explain Su Bai’s Reversal Body.

That was Su Bai’s greatest secret.

So Lu Canghai only stroked his beard and said calmly, "He is merely giving others a chance."

The air above the platform became quiet.

Several Peak Masters looked at him at the same time. Their eyes carried the same meaning.

Shameless. Truly shameless.

Jian Wushuang was especially silent.

His disciple Han Yuelin had taken second place. But after Lu Canghai’s sentence, it somehow felt as if Han Yuelin had only obtained second place because Su Bai had generously declined to compete properly.

Jian Wushuang wanted to argue. Unfortunately, he had also seen Su Bai slow down.

That made the old swordsman feel even more aggrieved.

The other Peak Masters were not much better.

If their disciples were not already over thirty years old, they would have sent them down to prove Lu Canghai wrong.

Sadly, rules were rules.

They could only endure. And in their hearts, they had to admit one thing.

Su Qingshan’s son was indeed extraordinary.

...

At the northern end of the training ground, more disciples began arriving one after another.

They looked like they had just crawled out of a swamp full of invisible mountains.

But they had passed.

When they saw Ji Ruyue, Han Yuelin, and Su Bai standing at the front, they cupped their hands.

The three nodded back.

Soon, Liu Meng arrived.

She was the tenth disciple to cross the finish line.

Her breathing was slightly uneven, and a thin layer of sweat covered her forehead, but her eyes were bright.

Su Bai turned toward her and gave her a thumbs up.

Liu Meng froze, then she beamed at once.

All the exhaustion on her face seemed to disappear.

"Senior Brother, I passed!"

"You did well," Su Bai said.

Liu Meng’s smile grew even brighter.

Around them, more disciples continued arriving.

Su Bai watched quietly.

At first, he had treated the first phase as a trial that happened to contain useful mist.

But now, looking at the disciples crossing the finish line one by one, his thoughts slowly changed.

Some disciples had weak foundations compared to Core Disciples. Some had average movement techniques. Some were clearly struggling against the pressure.

Yet they did not give up.

Su Bai looked at them and felt a rare trace of respect.

He could cross easily because his constitution was strange.

These disciples crossed because they were disciplined.

There was a difference.

If he did not have his Reversal Body, would he be able to do the same?

Su Bai thought about it, then silently shook his head.

’Probably not.’

Because of that, he had even less reason to be arrogant.

Soon, the hundredth disciple crossed the northern end.

The moment that disciple stepped past the line, Li Xuanzong’s voice echoed across the training ground.

"Phase One has ended."

The Peak Masters moved at once.

The array discs glowed.

The mountains of light faded, the pressure disappeared, and the glowing mist slowly scattered into the air.

The remaining disciples who had not passed were removed from the array safely.

Li Xuanzong glanced over the hundred disciples who had passed and nodded slightly.

"You will be given one incense stick of time to rest before Phase Two begins."

The disciples immediately sat down.

No one wasted time.

They circulated their cultivation methods, stabilized their Qi, calmed their breathing, and adjusted their condition.

Su Bai also sat cross-legged.

The mist he had inhaled earlier had already been mostly converted into energy. It was not enough for a breakthrough, but it refreshed his mind and slightly nourished his body.

...

An incense stick of time passed quickly.

When the final thread of incense smoke faded, Li Xuanzong opened his eyes.

"Phase Two will begin shortly."

The disciples stood.

The atmosphere changed again.

Li Xuanzong raised his hand.

"The illusionary valley will now be created."

The Peak Masters moved once more.

This time, the array discs they used were different. The discs flew into the training ground and sank into the earth.

Hum.

The world changed again.

The open training ground twisted into a vast valley. A gray sky appeared above them. The ground became dark soil. Cold wind passed through the valley, carrying a faint smell of blood and damp stone.

At the center of the valley, ten massive jade pillars slowly rose from the ground.

On every pillar, one character glowed faintly.

Mortal.

Li Xuanzong’s voice echoed over the valley.

"Gather around the jade pillars."

The hundred disciples moved quickly.

"During this phase, you may cooperate. Your goal is to protect the ’mortals.’"

The disciples looked at one another.

For a brief moment, silence spread.

There were only ten slots to advance to the final phase.

That meant ninety of them would eventually be eliminated.

In many sects, this would have been the point where disciples began scheming.

But the disciples of Radiant Sky Sect only exchanged glances.

Then they nodded.

No one spoke of betrayal.

Their first thought was simple. Protect the mortals and coordinate.

Above the valley, Li Xuanzong watched this scene.

His eyes softened with satisfaction. This was what he wanted to see.

Strength was important. Talent was important. But Radiant Sky Sect did not raise blades that only knew how to cut.

Su Bai stood among the disciples and quietly watched them.

In his past life, when too many people fought for too few opportunities, cooperation usually ended the moment benefits appeared.

Here, however, these disciples knew that only ten could continue, but their first instinct was still to guard the jade pillars together.

Su Bai lowered his eyes, then he smiled faintly.

Right. He was no longer that corporate slave from his past life.

He was Su Bai of Radiant Sky Sect. And Radiant Sky Sect was not a bad place.

Soon, the hundred disciples divided themselves naturally.

Ten disciples guarded each jade pillar.

Su Bai and Liu Meng ended up at the same pillar. Several Inner Sect disciples joined them.

Liu Meng looked at the pillar behind them and took a deep breath.

"Senior Brother, I will support from behind."

Su Bai nodded.

"I will take the front."

A shield-bearing disciple immediately said, "Then I will hold the side."

The others followed.

In only a few breaths, their small group had arranged basic positions.

The valley became quiet.

Cold wind passed through the dark soil.

The ten jade pillars glowed faintly behind them.

Then Li Xuanzong’s voice descended.

"Phase Two begins."

For a moment, nothing happened.

The valley remained still.

Then, at the edge of the valley, shadows began to move.

One shadow... Ten shadows... A hundred shadows...

Illusionary Shadow Beasts crawled out of the darkness. Their bodies were black and vague, like ink given claws and teeth.

At first, their auras were not strong.

They were only at Qi Refining level, but there were many. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The Shadow Beasts lowered their bodies.

Then they charged.

"Hold formation!" someone shouted.

Sword light flashed. Talismans burned. Spells flew.

The first wave struck the disciples like black water crashing against stone.

Su Bai raised his hand.

Dark needles appeared around him.

The Shadow Beasts were still some distance away.

Then, suddenly, their speed changed.

The beasts that had been approaching slowly became violent.

The pressure of the illusionary valley suddenly surged.

Su Bai’s eyes narrowed.

’So this phase was not only about defending. It was also about adapting.

The first Shadow Beast lunged toward their jade pillar.

A dark needle vanished.

Pfft!

The beast’s head burst into black mist.

Then ten more leapt behind it.

Su Bai stepped forward.

The battle had begun.