After hearing Jiu Jiu's description, Xie Zhaolin's face didn't change. Her gaze slipped past the girl, falling on the shadowy rift valley beyond the tunnel's mouth.
A harsh wind whistled through, carrying a chill that bit to the bone. Faint metallic screeches echoed within it, unsettling to the heart. She didn't move to check it immediately. Instead, she fixed her gaze back on Jiu Jiu, cold and scrutinizing.
"Seems like you know this place well." Her voice was calm, emotionless. "Since that's the case, you go first."
She showed no courtesy at all, simply ordering her to test the bridge. If Jiu Jiu's knowledge was real, she'd have a way through. If not, then this would be the perfect trial by fire.
The sudden demand caught Jiu Jiu off guard. Her smile froze, then she pouted, putting on a look of mock grievance. "Ah, benefactor, you're really cruel! Making a weak little girl like me serve as your stepping stone!"
Her words sounded pitiful, but a glint of mischief flashed in her eyes. She'd clearly expected Xie Zhaolin's wariness, maybe even welcomed the test.
"Fine, fine, I'm the guide after all." She shrugged, clapped her hands, then turned toward the exit. The careless mask on her face faded, replaced by rare seriousness.
She didn't step straight onto the lethal stone bridge. Instead, she stopped at its head, formed a strange hand seal, and murmured a spell.
Buzz!
A faint golden glow shimmered from her body, thin as silk, wrapping her in a tranquil aura that clashed starkly with the sinister air around them. Only then did she take a deep breath and step onto the bridge.
The moment her feet touched stone, everything changed. The entire bridge seemed to come alive. Carved patterns flared with ghastly green light.
Wooo!
A chorus of wails shrieked through the air, ear-piercing and grief-stricken, like countless resentful spirits screaming in her ears. From the stone and void alike, translucent, twisted blade souls surged forth, shrieking as they slashed toward her. These weren't physical. They pierced straight through defenses, striking directly at the Primordial Soul.
At the same time, the stone beneath her feet turned sticky, wet, as though she were walking on writhing blood mud. A powerful suction dragged downward, trying to pull her into the abyss.
Illusions flickered before her eyes, hideous visions stabbing into her deepest fears.
The golden light around her flared, burning away the first wave of blade souls with a sizzle. But the pressure mounted fast. Her face paled, her steps faltered, and her body swayed as she struggled against both suction and hallucinations. Every step forward looked like a fight through a swamp.
Xie Zhaolin stood calmly at the bridgehead, watching. There was no faking Jiu Jiu's performance. The Hundred Blades Soul-Locking Bridge was as vicious as she'd said, strange and deadly, aimed straight at the soul. So she hadn't lied—at least, not about this danger.
After observing a moment and confirming the pattern of the attacks, Xie Zhaolin no longer hesitated. Her spiritual power surged, and in her sea of consciousness, her Yuányīng slowly awakened. Hardened by two lifetimes, it radiated a chilling, overwhelming force.
On top of that, the Rebirth Flower's fusion had strengthened her soul nearly to the level of a Divine Transformation cultivator. Anything less would've been unworthy of its name.
She didn't waste energy with flashy spells or shields. Instead, she condensed her Primordial Soul's strength into a seamless, unshakable barrier, while running the Clear Heart Mantra to steady her mind. No illusion could invade her clarity.
Then she stepped onto the bridge.
Buzz!
The same sickly green light flared. The same wraith-blades screamed and lunged. But when they struck her soul barrier, they shattered like waves breaking against a cliff, unable to stir even a ripple.
The suction below and the illusions ahead were equally useless, scattering against her clear mind like smoke.
Her steps were steady and fast, starkly different from Jiu Jiu's halting struggle. She didn't spare the girl a glance. Her gaze stayed locked on the far side of the rift, as if she were simply walking across flat ground.
Jiu Jiu fought on, but when she saw Xie Zhaolin moving forward so effortlessly, her eyes lit with awe—and something far stronger.
"Wow! Benefactor, your soul's crazy strong!" Her voice trembled faintly beneath the chorus of wails.
Xie Zhaolin ignored her, striding past with ease. In moments she'd overtaken her and stepped onto the far side. She turned briefly, watching the girl still "struggling" mid-bridge. Then, without a word, she turned away, heading into the deeper darkness.
Whether Jiu Jiu lived or died wasn't her concern. The girl had chosen to play games, so she could live with the consequences. But as Xie Zhaolin's cold silhouette retreated, Jiu Jiu's mask cracked. The pained, staggering act vanished in an instant.
"Wow, so cold! You really left this delicate little me behind all alone?"
The sticky, treacherous bridge suddenly turned into solid ground beneath her. Her steps lightened, her body moving with ease. All trace of struggle disappeared. Instead, she skipped across the last span of the bridge, practically gliding, before landing behind Xie Zhaolin in the blink of an eye.
Dusting off nonexistent dirt, she grinned wide. "Ah, benefactor, why're you in such a hurry? Wait for me!"
Xie Zhaolin's steps froze.
Slowly, she turned. Her aura plummeted to icy depths, pressure pouring through the air. She looked at the girl, perfectly composed and smiling, her energy steady and untouched. All her suspicions fell neatly into place.
"Had enough pretending?" Her voice was so cold it could freeze bone. "Who are you really, and what's your goal?"