"Ah!"
Wei Huan, who was rushing forward, suddenly heard a muffled groan. The sound was not loud, as if held between clenched teeth, but since it came from the front, Wei Huan instantly became tense.
Then, a flash of white light arrived before them like lightning, blocking Wei Huan and the two others. Captain Fang frowned as he revealed himself and said:
"There's a trap ahead. I was attacked by Dark energy. Be careful, everyone."
Wei Huan noticed that the white light on him was somewhat turbulent, and the edge of the halo was being eroded. A closer look revealed that it was indeed Dark energy. Seeing the Dark energy, a guess formed in Wei Huan's mind.
Aglis spoke faster: "Oh? Dark energy? Let me see! It really is!"
Aglis's blood mist had already reached the spot where Captain Fang was attacked. The blood mist, like her arms, searched the depths of the area for a circle and then, with a look of tasting a delicacy, said: "It's pure Dark energy, so rich it doesn't have a trace of evil or ominousness. It's a flavor I like."
Then Aglis looked at Wei Huan and Yake and asked: "Do you guess there's a task for us inside too?"
Aglis's voice had not yet faded when a "caw, caw, caw" sounded above Wei Huan's head. Wei Huan looked around and said: "The number of people is just right."
The punchline fell flat, and Aglis pouted, unhappy. Yake smiled with a doting expression.
There were three of them here, and among the people Wei Huan rescued, there was also a Dark system professional, plus the disfigured man with broken limbs—that made the number exactly right.
The journey here had made it clear: the tests of Light and Darkness were intended to block a portion of people. Only when they reached the required number of clearers could the entire group pass to the next stage. It was a very simple assessment, yet the ultimate test of human nature.
If this assessment hadn't included Wei Huan and his "casual help," it's truly hard to say what the outcome would have been. After all, who would have thought that those purple blobs of mud could actually be saved?
Aglis and Yake went in first. The one Wei Huan rescued was a Calamity-grade Male Witch. Now able to walk, he once again transformed into the flying Blood Shadow mode and drifted in. As he passed Wei Huan, he thanked him again. Wei Huan noted that among the two Calamity-grade male and female witches, who also transformed into Blood Shadow mode, the male witch was indeed far inferior to Aglis. His blood energy was less than 1/10 of hers, which was clearly due to Aglis possessing a "Heart of Darkness" and talent compatibility.
After the three went in, Wei Huan also brought a Burrow Beast Mother with him. The Burrow Beast Mother was carrying the crippled man on its back. He was also a Male Witch, but only a Fallen Sorcerer, one tier lower than them.
The [Sleepless Sequence] is the most numerous among the Dark system, and it's also very easy to progress in the early stages. The Sleepless Sequence is close to and controls the Dark Element. So, after awakening as a Sleepless at the start, they can get out of the vehicle and search for treasure chests. The treasure chests found in the forest are definitely better than those on the highway. With the advantage accumulated early, excellent individuals can snowball their way to becoming stronger, which is why there are also many [Sleepless] in the high sequences.
Wei Huan walked in with the crippled man. The environment looked identical to the previous room of Light, except that this one was enveloped in a dense Dark Power. Non-Dark system challengers would have their vision affected in such an environment, but Wei Huan and the others would not.
Wei Huan immediately saw the five circles on the ground that required them to stand on. The two closest to the door were left for them. Wei Huan found the nearest circle and stepped into it, ordering the Burrow Beast Mother to also go to the other circle. Then, pale, phantom Undead Hands materialized from the void, grabbing the Burrow Beast Mother and dragging it back. The Burrow Beast Mother, which naturally belonged to an alternate dimension, was easily pulled and vanished from this world.
"Ugh." The crippled man fell to the ground somewhat awkwardly. He looked very pitiful.
Wei Huan's sudden action was clearly a bit rough. The Male Witch's expression changed slightly. He was clearly confused as to why Wei Huan did this. As for Aglis and Yake, their expressions didn't change at all.
Once everyone was in place, Wei Huan felt a force of attraction emanating from under his feet. The sensation was like someone pulling out a strand of his hair. Rather than hurting him, it felt more like taking a hair for verification.
Soon, their Dark energy was recognized. The dense Dark energy in the room rapidly dissipated, returning the environment to one where they could move freely.
But Aglis said: "Ah, did you notice? When we were enveloped in darkness just now, I felt my strength increase a little. I should have stayed longer."
Yake nodded: "Yes, it turns out that pure Dark power can accelerate cultivation, and this is so pure, without a single trace of impurity. This place is not simple."
Wei Huan did not speak, but he thought of the question he had been pondering before coming in: Was there any way to speed up cultivation? It seems the purest Dark power is the answer! What an obvious truth. Wei Huan felt a bit foolish for not thinking of such an easy answer... No, it wasn't that he didn't think of it, but that he didn't have an environment shrouded in such pure darkness.
Wei Huan was thoughtful. On the other side, Aglis had already called for Captain Fang and the others. Captain Fang's halo was still on. The Male Witch, who had been outside the halo for a while, let out a long breath, feeling himself being healed, and said: "Thank you very much, Captain Fang. Your power is more of a pure healing power than a power of Light. The Sleepless Sequence can use black magic to heal Dark system people. I have never been healed by the power of Light before."
Captain Fang said: "The energy that restrains darkness is Holy. Mine is still Holy Power, but the purification element in it has been deliberately stripped away by me, so it does no harm to the Dark system."
"How did you do that?"
"It requires long-term persistence and meticulous control of details. I have been trying to interpret the most basic elements within the power I possess over the years..."
Wei Huan was listening attentively, feeling he was learning something, when Aglis sidled over to him and whispered: "Did you find anything?"
Wei Huan raised an eyebrow.
Aglis said: "Just now, that crippled man. I know what you're thinking. He doesn't give me a good feeling either."
Wei Huan's eyes narrowed slightly. Making a crippled person fall to the ground roughly was certainly for a reason. As Aglis said, he wanted to see what the man was hiding. Wei Huan recalled that when he took away the Burrow Beast, the man's premonition of falling made him try to use something. In that instant, Wei Huan sensed an anomaly, but the anomaly quickly disappeared, and the man fell heavily to the ground. This made it even stranger, didn't it? He was a challenger, so having some skill was normal. Why would he hide it? What was he afraid of?
Wei Huan couldn't figure it out, but his vigilance towards this man increased a notch. Speaking of which, he hadn't checked his profile carefully yet.
The Silver Glasses flashed a light. As Wei Huan gazed at him for a long time, the man's data appeared before Wei Huan's eyes.
Attribute: ...
Value: …
Name: Denton
Age: 20 years old
Gender: Male
Profession: Fallen Sorcerer (Sequence 4)
Endurance: 310/1100
Strength: 190
Agility: 10
Spirit Power: 1220
Special Status: Severe Injury, Mania, Depression, Dark Erosion
Wei Huan first noticed his Special Status. When Mu Zhong was severely injured and got on the vehicle, he had many negative statuses. What Wei Huan was most satisfied with was that the current Mu Zhong had no negative statuses at all. This person, however, had Severe Injury and Mania, meaning he was actually very aggressive. The other was Dark Erosion. It seemed similar to his own "Dark Energy Invasion," but a careful consideration showed a clear difference. His was in the process of invading, while this person used "erosion" to describe it. Did this mean the invasion was already complete?
Looking further up, the basic attributes were unremarkable, just the most basic "three perfections" that a current ordinary Sequence 4 challenger should have. The reason for the low Endurance was, of course, due to the "Severe Injury" status.
Additionally, two points were worth noting for Wei Huan. One was his age: 20 years old. This meant he was the same age as himself and a rookie this year.
For a rookie to appear here, they must be a true standout. One must remember that some people took more than half a year to heal after the Tier 1 highway assessment, and the main force has only barely reached the Tier 3 world. This person, however, obtained the "Colossus" fragment, which even veteran challengers had to compete for—this was an artifact fragment.
The other was the name. At a glance, "Denton" seemed fine, but upon closer scrutiny, one would notice that he only had a first name and no last name. One could only say this was the standard for an "Immigrant" to name themselves.
Wei Huan found many anomalies in this "Denton," but they weren't problems that could be grasped immediately. Other than increasing his vigilance, there seemed to be no other way, as he hadn't made any mistakes so far. Even when Wei Huan treated him roughly, he remained silently compliant.
After leaving the Dark Energy room, the passage ahead was still identical, leading to unknown places. Yake said: "We're close to the core."
He then explained: "I measured it on the way here. The diameter of this object is about 500 kilometers. We have penetrated over 200 kilometers so far."
"That's too big," Aglis exclaimed. "What on earth is this? Is it an aircraft carrier?"
"It's not impossible, but not finding the command center means it could be something else," Captain Fang walked in the middle of the team this time, as his halo was still continuously healing the others, so he was with Wei Huan. The scouts became the Crows and Aglis's Blood Shadow.
"Or a planet?"
"Also possible."
"It can't be a weapon of the gods, can it? Like an arrow? If we dig down, can we find the arrowhead?"
"We can try."
"Captain Fang."
"Yes, Vehicle Commander Franglin."
"Were the three of you mass-produced in the same factory? You're all so boring."
Wei Huan, Yake, and Captain Fang exchanged glances. What did she mean by mass-produced in the same factory, just because they didn't like to joke? It's not a good thing if a leader likes to joke. This wasn't a stereotype; it was simply that every word spoken by a leader had to be responsible for hundreds of millions of lives. A talkative leader is also difficult to trust.
In comparison, Captain Fang spoke a bit more, probably because he was more polite and humble, always answering when asked. Wei Huan, however, was truly the one who didn't like to talk.
No one was upset by Aglis's joke. Once their status was completely equal, the Witch, who was feared and mysterious to everyone outside, was actually just an innocent young girl. They chatted and laughed, but their feet did not slow down. After walking for about another 50 kilometers, just as Yake had predicted, they truly arrived at the central area of this massive structure.
"This is..."
"I didn't expect the inside of the destroyed forest to look like this."
"So what are we supposed to do here?"
Wei Huan also fell silent, looking at the vast indoor space in the center of the building, which was filled with a huge forest. So, what would be here?
Captain Fang said: "Let's search. So far, the information revealed by this assessment is not about making us kill each other. This place should also be safe. We can explore in groups of three who can move, each taking one direction."
Perhaps thinking it was the endpoint and the opportunity to seize the prize had arrived, some challengers who seemed unwell earlier quickly joined in the exploration work, soon finding companions willing to team up. There were also two groups of two who left immediately.
Wei Huan kept the corner of his eye on Denton while watching Yake. Yake was casting his "Eagle Eye." A light breeze blew, and a subtle energy instantly traveled far away. Yake's forelocks fluttered. As he opened his eyes, he should have seen the scenery 50 kilometers away. Wei Huan envied this talent; it could see so far.
Just as Wei Huan was waiting for Yake to share what he had seen, his gaze suddenly shifted, falling directly onto Denton. Denton had actually "stood" up. Dark energy wrapped around his body, extending into his limbs, and then he left alone without looking back.
Wei Huan frowned at the black limbs that Denton had "grown." That was a dense, sinister power. Although they were both Dark system, Wei Huan detected a hint of threat from that Dark energy.
"Wait, this smell..." Aglis looked at the direction Denton had left, confused: "This foul smell, is it a demon?"
"Do you know what it is?" Wei Huan turned to look at her.
Aglis said: "The sorcerer's degeneration comes from the temptation of demons. We borrow the demon's power, but we don't want to be controlled by the demon. However, demons love our souls. If a soul is given to it, it will use our shell to come to the mortal world."
Wei Huan frowned: "I know that, but I also know that even if one desperately craves power and wants to offer their soul to a demon, the demon often won't respond. Cultivation still requires step-by-step persistence."
Aglis nodded then shook her head: "The demon doesn't respond only because it doesn't like the soul being offered. It only loves souls filled with pain and anger, misery and hatred." Then Aglis sighed: "Be careful of that guy. If the demon responded to his prayer, he will temporarily possess the ability of a Night Apostle. Although he will be miserable afterward, a Sequence Six ability is indeed a threat to us."
Reaching Sequence Six... most challengers would possess a "Dharma Aspect" and a "Domain." Does this mean a Sequence Four person, by selling their soul, can temporarily possess a Sequence Six "Dharma Aspect"? A demon descending is certainly a Dharma Aspect. Wei Huan had fought the Dark Beast Royal Family's "Dragon Body Dharma Aspect," and he didn't know how Denton's ability would compare.
He didn't expect to find someone here to be wary of, and a challenger from his own batch, too. So, there are many people with lucky encounters in this world, and he is not the only powerful one. Wei Huan reminded himself to be careful.
There was no Shaman here, so he couldn't unleash ten times his power, meaning he couldn't display his full strength.
After a period of silence, Yake suddenly turned and said: "I found something. Let's go straight there."
Including Jones, who had dutifully followed Wei Huan, the five of them mounted their rides and set off. Since the difference in their abilities was small, their ways of traveling each had their own advantages. Most importantly, they all possessed the ability to fly.
Moving forward from above the forest, it wasn't long before they arrived at the anomaly Yake spoke of. In the center of this forest, there was a large clearing devoid of trees, revealing wet, black soil. There was an unusually conspicuous Twelve-Leaf Sapling. The sapling was verdant, seeming to emit a faint glow, and a slight closeness allowed them to smell the fragrance of grass and wood. It was less than half a meter tall, with three branches, each bearing four leaves resembling maple leaves.
"Could this be the reward for the assessment?" Aglis walked forward, seemingly unafraid of others misunderstanding her. She squatted down to observe the sapling and took a deep breath: "A Divine Tree! It seems to emit pure energy and might offer some boost to cultivation."
Wei Huan also walked over upon hearing this. He didn't need to get too close. From a meter away, he felt the pure energy wash over him. After careful thought, he realized: "This is the power of nature. I didn't expect it to also offer a boost to the Dark system."
Captain Fang, on Wei Huan's left, also seemed to have finished sensing and said: "Nature is the most inclusive power. The Five Elements, Dark and Light powers, all come from the power of nature. Or rather, this is the source of power. We can all get a boost because we are touching the source of power."
"So what's next?" Aglis continued to feel the slow increase in her strength, while curiously pointing at the huge Colossus floating beside her: "Has the assessment ended? What's the purpose of the Colossus? Can't this assessment be more straightforward? I always feel like it's not over yet."
"It's not over," Yake was the one who spoke this time. Yake had been squatting in front of the sapling for a while. He pointed to the area near the root of the sapling: "Look, there are purple spots here."
As his voice fell, everyone's heart sank, and they quickly gathered around. Wei Huan stared at the root of the sapling, half-covered by the soil. It was indeed that cursed purple spot. Although very small now, it was obvious that this sapling was also contaminated.
"Yes, it's contaminated. I'll try," Captain Fang said, releasing the halo he had just withdrawn again. The power of healing encircled the sapling.
But after a moment, expressions of disappointment appeared on everyone's faces. It was no use. Even while shrouded in Captain Fang's power, the purple spots on the sapling were spreading upwards. This trick didn't work.
"So now what? Are we supposed to protect the sapling now? Or what?" Aglis asked, puzzled, then looked at Yake: "Is there anything else anomalous besides this?"
"I'll look again," Yake recast Eagle Eye.
On this side, Captain Fang continued to increase his power, attempting to heal the purple spots on the sapling. A sapling that could accelerate cultivation just by being near it was undoubtedly very precious, but clearly, taking it away was not the goal of this assessment. The greater possibility was healing this sapling.
Wei Huan was not idle either. His Crows had dispersed, searching for anomalies both above and below. Additionally, Wei Huan directed his gaze upwards. This was a massive circular dome, smooth and made of the same material they had seen along the way. It emitted a soft, non-blinding light that illuminated this internal space.
Wei Huan noticed that the demonic runes on the dome seemed different. He then summoned the Elite Eye Demon Lord and projected his vision onto it. Without even having to fly too high, in the telescope-like vision of the Eye Demon Lord, Wei Huan quickly discovered the anomaly of this dome. He looked at the circular edge, where there were several small valleys, and the large tree at the center, with three branches and twelve leaves. The implications were too obvious.
"A map..."
Wei Huan, who had been to the edge of the assessment area, immediately guessed that the demonic runes on the dome formed a map of the entire assessment world. He even knew where he had come from.
Then, Wei Huan's attention was drawn to the patterns at the edge of the map, which looked like they were drawn on the outside of the circular disc. They were located on Wei Huan's left and right sides, each having a human-like figure. The gender was indiscernible, but the figures felt massive and burly. The humanoids had both feet planted on the ground and their hands raised above their heads. One held a sun pattern representing light, and the other held a crescent-like moon pattern.
What did this mean? Was it just a mural? Most importantly, the sudden appearance of human-like figures after seeing a large number of non-human races in the assessment world felt highly unusual.
But soon, Wei Huan realized that they were not human at all, but Titans. Yes, if all goes well, the fully merged Colossus will eventually become a Titan. This aligns with the massive "human" figures in the mural. Holding the sun or the moon in their hands would then be normal.
So, what next? Wei Huan was staring at the two figures, focusing his attention on the small circles where they were located, and the point where they connected with the large circle in the mural, which seemed to be an opening, when he wanted to confirm further.
Suddenly, a loud "crack" sounded. Through the "antenna" behind the Eye Demon Lord, it was as if it exploded in Wei Huan's ear. Wei Huan instinctively looked at the source of the sound, and his pupils suddenly contracted. He saw a fissure suddenly appear on the mural, right at the center, where the Twelve-Leaf Sapling was drawn.
The fissure was slanted, as if cutting the sapling in half, and the fissure was still spreading outwards. This is!? Is this place going to be destroyed? Thinking of the huge, towering nature of this building, Wei Huan instinctively held his breath. They were going to be buried alive here.