The Black Flowers Blooming in the Hall

Not far from the yellow walls, Wen Xuanyu, wielding a black nine-section steel whip, felt a flicker of suppressed anger as he advanced toward the black-armored student kneeling before him.

If it weren't for his determination to compete with the unknown opponent in the spear formation within the stone hall, he would not have endured such pain and injuries, entangling himself for so long with this so-called "Fire Yan Bird," whose strength was hardly remarkable and whose name was absent from any list.

However, the time had come to end this, as his opponent's left leg could no longer sustain him.

Just then, he heard a faint, unusual sound and instinctively leaped to the left, turning his body.

He spotted a black-armored student wielding a long black knife, standing less than twenty paces away.

"Are you attempting to ambush me?" Wen Xuanyu coldly called out, his voice sharp upon recognizing the opponent's stance. As he noticed the emblem on the opponent's chest, his gaze turned icy, and he remarked, "Silver Fox... if memory serves, you have also graced the rankings."

"Black Bat? I recall you being listed as well." Lin Xi glanced regretfully at the ground beneath him. He had indeed intended to launch a surprise attack; had it succeeded, the kneeling "Fire Yan Bird" would have posed no threat, allowing him to swiftly claim two golden pentagon badges and conserve considerable effort. Yet, he had not anticipated that the small object he landed on, which resembled a stone, was in fact half of an unfamiliar eggshell—an unforeseen misstep that thwarted his ambush.

"Make your move." Wen Xuanyu stood resolutely before Lin Xi, unaware that this was the unknown adversary from the expansive stone hall. He regarded Lin Xi with an air of arrogance, declaring, "I trust your numerous five-star victories were not all achieved through ambushes?"

Lin Xi shrugged nonchalantly, silently closing the distance toward this presumably formidable opponent.

Suddenly, he cast a glance behind Wen Xuanyu with a hint of "delight."

Instinctively, Wen Xuanyu turned slightly, only to find the area behind him empty. Just then, Lin Xi's foot struck the ground with force, sending dust and air swirling as he propelled himself forward like a gust of wind. With a powerful motion, he drew the black long knife, carving a deadly arc toward Wen Xuanyu's neck!

The ferocity of the strike sent a chill through the black-armored student still kneeling on the ground. Yet, Wen Xuanyu remained unfazed, merely stepping to the left and executing a precise maneuver with his black steel whip, deftly blocking the blade's path.

"Clang!" The sound rang out sharply.

Lin Xi held his breath as the force of the impact jolted his body, nearly throwing him off balance. In a swift motion, he executed a sliding step, twisting his body to deliver another lethal strike at Wen Xuanyu's neck.

"Clang!"

Another resounding clash echoed, as Wen Xuanyu, unable to turn in time, expertly countered with a backhanded whip strike, propelling himself several steps forward. Lin Xi, however, stood firm, pivoting on the spot, gripping the knife with both hands.

Though his opponent's strength surpassed his own, sending a tremor through his right hand, Lin Xi remained calm and focused, devoid of fear. Drawing upon Tong Wei's teachings, he awaited the right moment.

Wen Xuanyu, too, took deep breaths, aware that the previous exchanges had aggravated his injuries from the day before. He needed a moment to alleviate the pain to avoid hindering his subsequent actions. Despite the formidable skills and speed of his opponent, Wen Xuanyu felt confident in his ability to handle this "Silver Fox," even with the pressure of the black armor.

Suddenly, Lin Xi made his move.

Casting another glance behind Wen Xuanyu, he surged forward with a fierce yet graceful momentum, the black long knife slicing through the air like lightning.

"Must you resort to such despicable tactics?" 

A smirk of derision crept onto Wen Xuanyu's lips as he planted his right foot firmly, sinking slightly into the ground. He unleashed a powerful chain of movements, drawing strength from his leg, waist, and arms, causing the black whip in his hand to strike fiercely against Lin Xi's black long knife.

"Clang!"

Lin Xi's body jolted from the impact, and he used the momentum to execute a flawless backflip, thanks to his mastery of the Qingluan Twenty-Four Forms.

However, for Wen Xuanyu, aesthetics held no value. With his left foot coiling with energy, he prepared to leap and deliver a decisive blow to Lin Xi.

But at that moment, a sudden chill gripped him, instinctively raising the hairs on the back of his neck. As he turned his head slightly, a black spear pierced through the air, striking him with brutal force.

A wave of searing pain and impact sent him tumbling forward, losing his balance.

As Lin Xi landed, he slid to the side, delivering a powerful downward strike.

"You—!"

Wen Xuanyu's heart surged with fury, yet he had no time to regain control of his body. Lin Xi's heavy blow landed squarely on his right shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground. Without pause, as he struggled to roll away, another vicious strike severed through his right knee joint.

"I concede!" 

Before the black spear could descend again, Wen Xuanyu cried out in agony, tossing away the two golden pentagon badges from his shoulder, "But such ambushes will never earn my respect!"

"On the battlefield, there is only victory or defeat; there is no room for respect." 

Lin Xi shrugged, unperturbed, feeling entirely justified, for to him, even this ambush was an opportunity he had patiently awaited and crafted.

Disregarding the two golden pentagon badges flung by Wen Xuanyu, he turned to Jiang Xiaoyi, who held the black flower spear, and smiled, "It seems luck is on your side; not only have you acquired a suitable weapon today, but you've also achieved a five-star victory."

Jiang Xiaoyi glanced at the black flower spear in her hands and the four golden pentagon badges on her shoulder, smiling in return, "Indeed, luck has favored me. The previous opponent was quite formidable, but fortunately, I found a weapon I excel at."

"Well then, it seems I too am fortunate; I've just gained another five-star exit victory." Lin Xi smiled slightly as the kneeling "Fire Yan Bird" tossed out a golden pentagon badge.

"You shameless wretches, ignorant of what true glory is!" Wen Xuanyu seethed, watching the two divide their spoils. He fought to rise, but Lin Xi's final strike landed precisely on his injury, and the intense pain drained the color from his face, leaving him drenched in cold sweat, unable even to sit up.

"Let's go." Lin Xi nodded at Jiang Xiaoyi. As she recognized that she could learn from Lin Xi's footwork and slashing techniques, they had previously agreed to meet near the yellow walls. Wasting no time, they retrieved the golden pentagon badges and hastened toward the yellow walls.

"Are they also heading in to train?" Wen Xuanyu observed Lin Xi and Jiang Xiaoyi's direction, but the searing pain prevented him from rising. He focused on calming his breath, hoping to alleviate the pain as quickly as possible.

...

Without delay, Lin Xi charged into the entrance of the vast, silent stone hall like a gust of wind.

Lingering too long at the entrance would only compound the painful memories of the numerous spear thrusts he had endured, causing him to tremble with dread.

The best way to forget fear is to confront it before it has the chance to take hold.

However, as he took his first step onto the muddy floor of the stone hall, a cold sweat broke out on his back. Due to his enhanced cultivation, his speed and distance in this step had noticeably increased compared to his previous training. While this was not apparent in combat, within the familiar hall, he suddenly felt a hint of discomfort, causing his movements to become slightly stiff.

Yet, the barrage of spears soon chased away any lingering unease. He swung his knife with urgency, relying on his instinct, and charged toward the bronze back door without hesitation.

Sparks flew as metal met metal in the dim stone hall.

Lin Xi fell repeatedly, resting briefly before leaping back into action.

His combat prowess had significantly improved compared to earlier days; initially, he would be struck after covering several dozen paces, but within a hundred paces, he had only fallen three times.

This newfound ferocity astounded Jiang Xiaoyi, who had always held a favorable impression of Lin Xi, leaving her slightly taken aback.

As usual, Lin Xi had risked his life in battle, but this time, even as he fell heavily and teetered on the brink of unconsciousness, he glanced at the marks he had left in the mud.

Approximately one hundred and fifty paces!

Given his current strength, having pushed himself to the brink of pain, he had traversed one hundred fifty paces within the hall, an improvement of nearly twenty paces since yesterday!

This was undoubtedly due to enhancements in cultivation and physical conditioning, but equally attributed to his fortified will and martial skills.

"Return!" 

Filled with excitement, Lin Xi shouted those two words with fervor.

...

With the lingering tremors of past pain, Lin Xi once again stood at the entrance of the grand hall.

At the limits of his endurance, his body became acutely aware of pain. Recalling Luo Houyuan's recent teachings, Lin Xi understood that the longer he lingered, the fainter his memory of the pain would become. After taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip on the black edge military long knife and charged into the stone hall once more, unflinchingly.

"Clang!"

"Clang!"

"Clang!"

The black long knife clashed continuously with the incoming spears, and Lin Xi's footsteps echoed like a relentless rain.

Unbeknownst to Jiang Xiaoyi, who had previously witnessed Lin Xi's first attempt, her breath caught in her throat.

Twenty paces, thirty paces... fifty paces... one hundred paces!

Lin Xi seemed to transform into a whirlwind, an unstoppable black tempest. He surged through over a hundred paces, evading every spear that sought to pierce him!

And he did not stop there; he pressed forward!

Perhaps it was due to Luo Houyuan's urging to accelerate, or perhaps Xu Shengmo had not adjusted the intensity of his training, allowing Lin Xi's physical state upon entering to be described as effortless. Lin Xi felt remarkably good this time, especially after dispatching the spears that had previously struck him, filling him with a powerful sense of confidence.

The fear that had once gripped his heart seemed to dissipate with each swing of his knife, his movements fluid and his focus unwavering.

"Ah!" 

Jiang Xiaoyi's startled cry echoed in the vast hall.

She witnessed Lin Xi cover at least one hundred seventy paces, and from her vantage point, the bronze back door appeared almost within reach for him!

Overwhelmed by astonishment and breathless with disbelief, her uncontrollable exclamation rang out sharply in the empty hall.

Lin Xi momentarily paused, startled by her voice, and suddenly realized that the bronze door was now just ahead of him.

"Hiss!" 

With instinct kicking in, he saw four or five black spears hurtling toward him. Drawing on every ounce of strength, he inhaled deeply, his legs propelling him off the ground as he leapt toward the bronze door, crashing into it!

The black spears whirred through the air, and his black long knife danced amidst the chaos. His body soared, and at the far end of the shadowy hall, it was as if a black flower had bloomed in the air!