Myriad Realms Gatekeeper

A faint glow gathered in the void, condensing into small lines of text:

"The wager is established."

"This wager is a Technique born from the opponent's fundamental Divine Power. You cannot resist it, nor can you refuse it; you must carry out the contents of the wager."

"You are about to face the final test of this examination, as well as the true trial of the True Law Realm."

"If you succeed, the Master of Demon Prison will spare you."

"But if you fail—"

"Your soul will belong to the Master of the Weeping Demon Prison."

"—Starting from the most inconsequential chips to willingly offering your own soul, that is her style of conduct."

Shen Ye couldn't help but sigh.

There was no choice.

The opponent didn't play any petty tricks; they simply forced him toward the final test.

And then, they would take his soul.

Perhaps this was their style, or perhaps they were so confident that they didn't kill him right off the bat.

In any case—

He still had a single opportunity!

Shen Ye looked at the two people opposite him, hesitating.

"Are you really not going to fight me now?" he asked.

"Please, be our guest. We will not make a move," The Skinner said with his arms crossed.

He was covered in bloodlight, wearing a pair of black gloves as if ready for a big fight at any moment.

However—

He spread his hands, releasing countless steel wires into the water.

The creatures lurking deep within the water were driven out, and upon sensing Zhao Yibing's aura, they immediately fled in panic.

This was—

Were they collaborating to clear a path for him?

Shen Ye turned to Zhao Yibing.

Zhao Yibing had a mild and amiable smile, softly saying:

"I sent many messengers with Divine Statues to collect Soul Power from various worlds and have never encountered a problem. You are the first to overcome the statue and develop rare abilities."

"I can't bear to see you die."

"But in the wager, I could still die all the same," Shen Ye countered sharply.

"The wager is a separate matter. I hope it helps you grow and see the truth about humanity—"

Zhao Yibing explained patiently:

"Go on, feel the traps those people have prepared for you and deeply experience their malice."

"I hope that one day you will use the Strength I bestow upon you to kill them all."

"On the altar of endless wailing souls, I will personally preside over your corruption ritual."

Shen Ye listened intently, and a cold smile crossed his mind.

—I'm not Lich King Arthas, nor am I Vampire Count Dracula, let alone Lucifer.

You want me to fall?

Did you pay me?

He swung the Dusk Shortsword, cutting across the log bridge beneath his feet.

The enormous tree was severed.

Crash!

The cut section of the giant log could no longer rest on the surface of the water and fell straight down.

Shen Ye stood on the section he was originally on.

He gestured with his hand, and a wooden door appeared in his grasp.

He used the door as a paddle, sticking it into the stream and rowing forcefully.

On the other side.

Zhao Yibing and The Skinner stood on another section of the giant log, also falling into the water.

"What about his phone? Is it still recording?"

Zhao Yibing asked.

"Look." The Skinner pointed at Shen Ye.

Shen Ye could be seen hunched over, paddling nonstop on the log.

The phone had been stuffed into the back pocket of his pants, with the top half sticking out.

Although the camera on the back of the phone twisted with the movement of his buttocks, it was consistently aimed at the two of them.

This was too indecent.

Even if one were to recall his path to corruption in the future, such a scene really wouldn't be presentable.

"Hmph... I'll take something from you and bestow something on you in return," said Zhao Yibing as she extended a finger and gently tapped through the air.

"Snap."

Shen Ye's buttocks twitched.

The phone shattered inside his pocket.

At the same time, a crimson thread appeared on his wrist.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't make a move on me?" Shen Ye said coldly, turning his head back.

"The power within you, and even your entire being, is very precious. I simply can't bear to see you die in such a selection," Zhao Yibing said with a charming smile. "If you're about to die, just pull on this strand of hair and I'll come to save you right away."

Shen Ye turned his head back silently.

He continued to paddle with the door, disappearing into the end of the underground river after a short while.

Only Zhao Yibing and The Skinner were left behind.

"Master, he doesn't trust us," The Skinner said.

"It's fine. One must be utterly disillusioned with humanity to grasp the true nature of this world and then come into our embrace," said Zhao Yibing.

"But Master, weren't we originally here to kill him?" The Skinner asked, puzzled.

Zhao Yibing narrowed her eyes and said with a smiling face:

"Watching a soul gradually tread the path to damnation is the most exquisite of affairs."

"He must be one of ours—I want his soul, and I want his abilities; they are all mine."

"Not to mention, I've thought of some exquisite ideas..."

The Skinner couldn't help but sigh.

"The desire to kill is uncontrollable?" Zhao Yibing asked.

"Yes," The Skinner groveled on the ground.

"Once the matter here is settled," Zhao Yibing's expression was cold, "let Yunshan Port fall."

The Skinner perked up again, exclaiming loudly:

"As you command!"

Elsewhere.

Nangong Sirui sped through the crisscrossing underground passages without stopping.

At a certain moment.

He suddenly crashed through a wall and landed in a concealed room, immediately pulling out his cell phone.

——There was no signal on the phone at all.

Communication was cut off!

"How could this be..."

Nangong Sirui's heart sank, and he took out a small Divine Statue from his hand and placed it on the ground.

"Watch over me; I need to start contacting the outside world," Nangong Sirui said.

The statue nodded slightly.

Nangong Sirui pressed his hand to the ground and shouted, "Emergency family message!"

A streak of red light burst forth from him, attempting to pierce the void.

But in the next instant——

The red light flew around in the void before returning to him.

"The void has been blocked by something... Could it be that monster wants to devour all the candidates?"

Nangong Sirui muttered to himself in a low voice.

"Sirui brother!"

A delicate voice reached his ears.

The girl from before had already landed in the room.

"You ran off so fast just now—take the exam with me, Sirui brother, I'm a bit nervous–afraid—"

The girl's petulant voice suddenly cut off mid-sentence.

She stared blankly at Nangong Sirui.

The handsome young man's face was full of seriousness and solemnity, his eyes held a trace of despair.

But the Nangong Sirui of the past, no matter what he faced, always brimmed with confidence, handling any adversity with ease.

She had become accustomed to his calm and arrogant demeanor.

——She had never seen Nangong Sirui like this before!

"Zhang Tianjiao, now is not the time for jokes, you—"

Before he could finish speaking, their playing cards suddenly vibrated.

Nangong Sirui took out his card to look, and saw new lines of text emerging:

"You have completed all tests, you will now be transported."

Completed?

Nangong Sirui was taken aback.

Then, what was the deal with the girl he saw just now?

In his Dharma Eye, she was radiating endless grey light, with countless skeletons appearing and disappearing around her.

He even mistook her for a catastrophe!

As he puzzled over this, the space around him shifted.

A burst of enthusiastic applause broke out from the crowd.

"The second one to finish the test, Nangong Sirui!"

"Third place, Zhang Tianjiao!"

——Nangong Sirui and the girl landed together in the hall!

Xiao Mengyu's eyes flickered with a hint of anticipation.

Time slowly passed.

More and more new students completed the test.

Yet, Shen Ye's figure never appeared.

"The final five minutes, those who haven't completed the test will be eliminated."

Atop the high platform, the proctor announced.

Xiao Mengyu felt a surge of unease.

Had he not passed that monster?

Surely not.

The crowd stirred.

Xiao Mengyu followed the noise and saw Nangong Sirui enveloped in the glow of a Technique, engaged in secret communication with his family.

——Is this necessary?

Making such a conspicuous move upon coming out, wouldn't using a cell phone be just as effective?

Or could it be—

Something unknown to her had occurred inside?

Xiao Mengyu grew increasingly anxious.

Time continued to slip away.

Finally——

"Time is up, the test is over!"

The proctor declared.

All the students who passed the test burst into cheers.

Xiao Mengyu's gaze slowly dropped.

He didn't pass?