Night swallowed the Deep Forest.
Mist rolled between the trees like a silent tide, thick, cold, and restless.
Above the canopy—
Three immortal figures regrouped, their expressions darker than before.
"This time," the leading immortal said, voice edged with killing intent,"we shatter their defenses completely."
They stepped forward.
Each stride across the void sent tremors through the forest's spiritual veins.
The air itself screamed.
Within the Mortal Sect
At the heart of the trial grounds—
Shen Yan stood at the front line, eyes sharp.
He felt it before anyone else.
The disturbance.
The pressure.
The unmistakable arrival of immortal hostility.
"Steady!" he barked.
"Maintain rhythm—no panic!"
Behind him—
The guiding senior aunt from the inner palace remained calm.
Her voice, soft yet commanding:
"Follow your breathing."
"Do not force power."
"The spirit beasts will move with you."
To the side—
A newly admitted prodigy from the common folk tightened his grip on a wooden sword.
Young.
Composed.
Eyes burning with anticipation.
"So this," he murmured,"is the first real trial?"
"…Good."
Immortals Strike
They descended like falling stars.
No warning.
No restraint.
The First Immortal
Thunder erupted from his palm.
A pillar of lightning crashed downward—
Splitting darkness apart.
The Second Immortal
Violet staff slammed through space.
Reality warped.
Terrain twisted.
Trees bent unnaturally.
The Third Immortal
Eyes like blades.
Mind like a predator.
He locked onto every disciple—
Predicting movements before they happened.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The entire trial forest shook violently.
Unexpected Resistance
And yet—
What followed defied immortal logic.
• Spirit beasts vanished in blurs of motion, tails sweeping fallen leaves into defensive barriers.
• The young commoner prodigy shifted his stance at an impossible angle, guiding spiritual flow just enough—
—Immortal lightning missed its intended mark.
• The senior aunt's breathing cadence spread through the formation like an unseen metronome.
—Disciples moved as one.
A Living Formation emerged.
Fluid.
Adaptive.
Terrifyingly precise.
• Shen Yan darted across the battlefield, blade flashing, spiritual force weaving between strikes—
Suppressing chaotic immortal energy.
• Xiao Xuanyin stepped directly into the center.
Dragon-patterned sword igniting.
One slash—
He tore open the incoming spiritual turbulence—
Creating a safe path for every disciple behind him.
• High above—
Su Wan's fingers danced across her phone.
[Sect Assist Module: FULL POWER][Combat Trajectory Adjustment: REAL-TIME][Team Synchronization: MAXIMUM]
Every movement…
Refined.
Corrected.
Optimized.
Immortals — Shock
The first immortal's pupils contracted.
"No…"
"…Impossible!"
"How are mortals controlling battlefield rhythm?!"
For the first time—
Their attacks were not overpowering.
They were being outpaced.
Second Wave — Total Suppression
Snarling, the immortals unleashed combined force.
Spiritual power surged like an ocean collapsing from the sky.
Crushing.
Endless.
Overwhelming.
Perfect Coordination
Shen Yan's blade rose.
Steel met storm.
Spirit beasts lunged forward—
Bodies forming a synchronized defensive wall.
The commoner prodigy exhaled slowly.
Spiritual force pulsed from within—
A subtle counter-shock.
The incoming energy shifted—
Just slightly.
Just enough—
For Shen Yan's defense to intercept flawlessly.
Behind them—
The senior aunt spoke calmly:
"Breathe…"
"Adjust…"
"Now."
Every disciple's respiration aligned.
Spiritual flow stabilized to millisecond precision.
No wasted effort.
No collapse.
No fear.
Observer — Immortal Realization
At the forest's edge—
The visiting immortal stared in disbelief.
Face grim.
Breathing tight.
"This isn't cultivation…"
"…This is a system."
"A rule-based suppression structure."
"They're not resisting immortals…"
"…They're rewriting combat itself."
A chill crept into his spine.
"If this spreads…"
"…Immortal superiority becomes meaningless."
Total Breakthrough
Within the forest—
Victory crystallized.
Spirit beasts no longer panicked.
They obeyed seamlessly.
Disciples moved like a single organism.
Prodigies from palace and populace revealed astonishing battlefield instincts.
No deaths.
No catastrophic injuries.
Only growth.
Only evolution.
System Notification
Su Wan's phone blazed:
[Deep Forest Expedition — Phase Four Complete][Sect Combat Growth: +85%][Spirit Beast Growth: +70%][Immortal Interference: FULLY BLOCKED]
Su Wan's lips curved upward.
Aftermath
In the shattered clearing—
The immortals retreated simultaneously.
Not defeated.
But shaken.
Their eyes—
No longer arrogant.
But conflicted.
Uneasy.
"These mortals…"
"…Have exceeded projections."
The Emperor's Declaration
Standing amidst drifting mist—
Xiao Xuanyin lowered his sword.
Eyes cold as winter steel.
Voice absolute.
"This…"
"…is the strength of the Mortal Sect."
Su Wan's Verdict
High above—
She smiled faintly.
"They thought mortals were weak."
"But true power…"
"…has never belonged to brute force."
"…It belongs to cooperation."
"…And intelligence."
Immortal Fear
Beyond the forest—
The visiting immortal clenched his fists.
A flicker of genuine dread in his gaze.
"If their rules continue to evolve…"
"…The Immortal Realm loses everything."
Nightfall
Deep Forest, silent once more.
Disciples.
Spirit beasts.
Spirit pets.
Palace prodigies.
Commoner geniuses.
All gathered by the forest's edge.
Faces glowing with exhilaration.
Pride.
Belief.
They had done the unthinkable.
They had used rules, teamwork, and strategy—
To crush the rhythm of immortals.
On the High Platform
Su Wan spoke softly:
"This was only the first step."
"They will send real elites next."
Xiao Xuanyin's gaze remained steady.
Unshaken.
"Let them come."
"Our Mortal Sect…"
"…will teach them again and again—"
"That even mortals…"
"…can use rules…"
"…to dominate the Immortal Realm."
And far above—
The heavens stirred uneasily.