Zhao Tianyu came to Qin Yuheng after Floor 54.

He did not come angrily.

That was new.

He found Qin Yuheng in the academy training yard after evening drills. Qin Yuheng was practicing controlled transitions between War Thunder Advance and Five Roads Thunder Command Step. The movement created faint gate-like afterimages beneath his feet.

Zhao Tianyu waited until he finished.

Then he spoke.

"I want to enter Floor 30 again."

Qin Yuheng looked at him.

"You cleared it already?"

"With S. My path stabilized badly."

That was honest.

Qin Yuheng sheathed his sword.

"Why tell me?"

"Because Yu Qingmei said I need a path review before attempting any class correction floor."

"And you want me to support it?"

Zhao Tianyu looked away.

"I want you to tell me if this is stupid."

That was even more honest.

Qin Yuheng studied him.

Zhao Tianyu’s aura was cleaner but still uneven. His Crimson Beast Champion class had survived Blood Sun contamination, but the removal left scars. If he continued climbing without addressing them, his future might warp.

"What do you expect from a re-entry correction?" Qin Yuheng asked.

"Not power. Stability."

Good answer.

"Are you willing to lose temporary strength?"

Zhao Tianyu’s jaw tightened.

Then he said, "Yes."

"Are you willing to record contamination history honestly?"

A longer pause.

"Yes."

"Are you willing to stop comparing every step to mine?"

Zhao Tianyu glared.

Old anger flashed.

Then faded.

"I will try."

Qin Yuheng nodded.

"Then it is not stupid."

Zhao Tianyu looked surprised.

"That is all?"

"No. It is dangerous. But necessary danger differs from pride danger."

Zhao Tianyu laughed bitterly.

"I hate that I understand that now."

Yu Qingmei organized a controlled correction trial for Zhao Tianyu with instructors. Qin Yuheng did not enter with him. That was important.

Zhao Tianyu had to correct his path himself.

The trial took place in a special academy class-stabilization chamber linked to Tower law fragments. Zhao Tianyu faced remnants of his contaminated Crimson Sun Beast Champion path and chose to burn away the hidden "Sun" residue, weakening his class temporarily but purifying its structure.

When he emerged, his public class remained Crimson Beast Champion, but internally it had shifted.

Less explosive.

More stable.

His evaluation was not spectacular.

But his eyes were clearer.

He approached Qin Yuheng three days later.

"I lost about twenty percent output."

"For now."

"Yes."

"And gained?"

"Control."

Qin Yuheng nodded.

"Worth it."

Zhao Tianyu looked annoyed. "You could sound less certain."

"No."

For the first time, Zhao Tianyu smiled faintly.

Not friendly.

But no longer hostile.

This mattered because Mo Cangyan had planned to use Zhao again.

When he learned Zhao Tianyu had voluntarily corrected his path, his expression cooled.

"Another piece leaves the easy board."

Xue Rong asked, "Should we eliminate him?"

"No. That would push Qin Yuheng’s circle tighter. Let Zhao live. A recovered rival can still create future tension, but not as our tool."

Mo Cangyan adjusted his plan.

The next board piece would not be Zhao.

It would be public risk.

The Central Exchange Merit market announced a traveling restricted auction coming to Heavenly Gate City.

Among its listed items was an old ruin coordinate fragment.

Title:

[Shadow Road Beneath False Light — Fragmentary Map]

Qin Mo saw the listing and nearly crushed the paper.

"They are not subtle."

Qin Yuheng looked at the map listing.

Bait again.

But the seller was official Central Exchange, not black market.

Meaning the item had entered legal channels.

That made it harder to ignore and safer to study.

Yu Qingmei’s message arrived soon after:

Do not purchase directly.

We investigate provenance first.

Qin Wanshan’s reply was even shorter:

Legal bait is still bait.

Qin Yuheng agreed.

But the game had changed.

Blood Sun no longer needed hidden notes.

It could push fragments into legitimate markets.

That meant future traps would wear official seals.