Chapter 115: It Seems...

"Heh, truly, ignorance is bliss. To think they actually intend to burn their very essence—the agony of incinerating both soul and body simultaneously is beyond anything you could ever imagine!"

Watching the teenagers' display, Qilu murmured to himself in his heart. A strange, inexplicable smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and for a fleeting moment, his eyes grew distant, as if he were lost in a memory.

"Their performance is passable. I'll grant them a reward."

With a mere thought, about half of the milky-white liquid in the pool surged forth, vanishing in a flash. Qilu promptly dismissed all other concerns and began to focus intently on his... cultivation.

***

"It's here!"
"We're going to die!"
"Ahhhhh! I don't want to die!"
"I want my mommy!"
...

The black light arrow reappeared. Without a shred of hesitation, it shot directly toward the dim, flickering barrier, immediately drawing screams and wails from the youths.

"Everyone, get ready! Prepare to burn your essence together!"

Ignoring the panic of the others, Prill, who had been temporarily appointed leader, gripped his magic staff tightly. He stared fixedly at the incoming black arrow, his voice carrying a subtle, imperceptible tremor as he forced himself to sound calm.

"Three!"

The black arrow drew closer. The teenagers standing around Prill gripped their weapons, their eyes locked on the lethal black light, each harboring their own unspoken thoughts.

"Two!"

In the blink of an eye, the arrow was right before the barrier, hurtling forward, ready to collide with the fading, five-colored shield in the next heartbeat.

"One!"

In the span of a breath, the black arrow struck the dim barrier. Simultaneously, Prill’s shout rang out. The students huddled around him closed their eyes, preparing to ignite their essence. Nearby, those who had not joined the effort stopped their cries, staring blankly at the youths, their eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions.

*Splatter...*

The sound of falling rain suddenly echoed. The youths collectively looked up to see milky-white liquid cascading down like a downpour. As droplets of pure soul energy dissipated into the air, the exhausted teenagers felt an immediate surge of vigor.

The black light arrow, of unknown origin and form, seemed to have met its nemesis. It melted into the milky-white liquid without a sound, leaving it no room to resist.

"Look at that black light! It seems to—"

One youth, having witnessed the light melt away, froze before crying out in pleasant surprise. Hearing this, the others looked over, their faces erupting in wild joy.

"I knew Brother Qilu wouldn't actually kill us!" the eccentric Bonnie boasted triumphantly. Privately, however, she felt a lingering chill; if not for the sudden arrival of this liquid that had momentarily stalled her resolve to burn her essence, she would likely be dead by now.

"I suppose we passed Qilu's test!"
"Thank heavens, I'm still alive!"
"I must cultivate properly from now on!"
...

From the brink of death to salvation, the transformation was so swift that the youths began to express their relief, overjoyed and unaware of the old adage: extreme joy often begets sorrow.

*Crackle—*

A sound like shattering glass rang out. The five-colored barrier disintegrated instantly. The youths were momentarily stunned but paid it no mind; with the threat of the nameless black light gone, the shield was no longer necessary.

"This is all pure soul energy!"
"Yes! It's even purer than the white pearls!"
...

With the barrier gone, the milky-white liquid drifted through the sky toward them. Feeling the potent energy, the youths waited expectantly. Some even opened their arms, closing their eyes to savor the experience.

"Ah—"

In a heartbeat, the milky-white liquid made contact with the youths, and a shrill, piercing scream shattered the air.

"Ah—"
"Ah—"
...

Successive screams followed. Those who felt nothing yet looked on in confusion, only for their expressions to contort in horror. They scrambled to avoid the milky-white liquid, terrified of even a single drop touching them.

Watching another person nearby be pierced by the liquid, only to erupt into transparent flames and be reduced to ash in an instant, Prill’s face turned deathly pale. He shouted, "Everyone, stay away from this stuff! It—Ah!"

Before he could finish, the descent of the liquid accelerated, turning into a torrential downpour. Prill was struck by countless droplets in an instant. He felt a searing agony rip through both body and soul—the very sensation described in books as burning one's essence.

The next moment, as he opened his mouth to scream, a distorted, agonized Prill watched transparent flames consume his own body. His vitality drained rapidly, and a crushing sense of weakness overcame him.

"So, the moment of death is actually this long..."

As images flashed rapidly before his eyes, this thought crossed his mind. The next instant, his body turned into black dust, scattering into the forest.

By now, the dozens of youths who had stood there had vanished. The milky-white liquid, too, had disappeared, leaving no trace, as if it had never existed at all. The forest returned to its original silence, save for the sounds of a certain someone still busy with their... field work.

***

A white light flashed, and five figures slowly coalesced. Like Shabi, the earth-attribute mage from before, they required no rescue, waking up naturally with no trace of fear in their eyes.

Seeing this, the others could not help but look on with envy. They had already learned of Shabi’s fortune; having so much pure soul energy available for refinement and absorption would make anyone jealous.

"Did you all see a pool filled with energy?" Elijah asked, voicing what everyone else was thinking. Although they had already guessed the truth, seeing all five nod still left them in awe.

"Shabi said there were seven energy pools in total. Counting the five of you, only six have emerged. Is there someone in the last pool?"

The pools were filled with energy; the longer one stayed, the more one absorbed, and the greater the benefits. Among the five who had just emerged, two were at the peak of the fifth level, two at the peak of the sixth, and one was at the half-step seventh level. With enough elemental energy, they would soon reach the seventh level. If they had all emerged, wouldn't the person still in the last pool be even more monstrous, with even greater talent?

Hearing Elijah, the crowd realized the implication, and their gazes converged on the five, though most eyes lingered on the graceful, curvaceous figure among them.

"It seems..."