Dù Jīn stood on the high platform,
Raised his arm once more.
His gaze swept across Xuán Chén stepping onto the arena.
In his mind flashed the scene from the day of enrollment—
That unnatural talisman breath,
The chilling silence that silenced the examiners during the impromptu trial.
A sudden tightness gripped his chest—
If anyone's doomed today…
It's probably that Silver Mirror talismanist.
He raised his voice,
Cutting through the whispers—
"Second match—begin!"
—
The Silver Mirror talismanist stepped back,
Putting distance between them.
A glint of cold calculation passed through his eyes.
His mind replayed the conversation with Sītú Jìng before the match.
—
Back then,
Sītú Jìng had looked at him,
Voice sharp as a blade—
"If you think this opponent is easy—
Then this is the last time we speak."
The talismanist frowned—
"Leader, what's so special about this new kid?"
"Since enrollment, he hasn't shown anything impressive…"
"Honestly, that spear guy looks more dangerous."
Sītú Jìng smiled faintly—
"They're equals."
"You see one—
You understand the other."
"One bright, one shadow.
One outward, one inward."
"They've lasted this long.
Why do you think that is?"
The talismanist fell silent.
Sītú Jìng asked again—
"You and that White Profound swordsman—
How far apart are you?"
The talismanist nodded, voice cold—
"About the same."
"He just lacks brains.
Wins and loses by brute force."
Sītú Jìng smiled coldly.
A flash of ice in his eyes—
"Then be careful."
"If he lost—
You'd better think twice about stepping up."
"Because you might not walk away."
—
The talismanist snapped back to the present.
His pupils contracted.
A flicker of malice surfaced—
Ridiculous.
Walk away? Of course I will.
Leader, you worry too much.
—
Xuán Chén's talisman breath coiled beneath his feet like a serpent.
The four corner pillars lit again.
The barrier sealed.
Inside and out—
All killing intent was locked in.
—
Voices stirred beneath the stage—
"Xuán Chén… he really dared to step up?"
"Talismanist versus talismanist—what's he got to win with?"
"That Silver Mirror guy's pureblood talisman lineage.
Specializes in control and sealing…"
"Xuán Chén might get locked down alive."
—
Shī Tóngbǎi hid at the edge of the crowd,
Fingers clenched white.
He stared at Xuán Chén's back,
Muttering silently—
Senior brother…
Please make this right.
—
The Silver Mirror talismanist stepped forward.
Blades of talisman light slid from his sleeves,
Spinning into sharp edges mid-air.
His smile was cruel—
"Don't worry—
I won't let you die too fast."
"I'll seal every meridian in your body—
Watch you crawl like a worm."
—
Xuán Chén stood still.
An invisible hourglass turned between his fingers.
Talisman breath undisturbed.
His eyes calm,
Only a faint chill at the corner of his lips.
—
The talismanist raised his hand.
Talisman blades flew.
Inside the barrier,
Light rained like knives—
Sweeping toward Xuán Chén.
—
Spectators saw only flashing light.
Xuán Chén's figure vanished,
Wrapped in layer upon layer of talisman chains—
Like a cocoon.
The talismanist watched coldly,
Stepped forward.
From his sleeve,
He drew several talismans of varying colors.
Their runes glowed at his touch.
—
He recalled Sītú Jìng's warning.
Scoffed.
A cruel smile curled—
"Hmph…
Leader worried too much."
"Today, I've got a test subject."
—
He reached the cocoon.
Drew a dark red talisman.
Voice low—
"These are all my own designs."
"Never tested on a person…"
"You'll be the first."
—
He cast the talisman.
It stuck to the cocoon.
He chanted.
Dark red light flared.
The talisman turned into a swarm of centipedes—
Grotesque, crawling inward.
A muffled groan echoed from within—
Like a distant cry.
—
The talismanist laughed hoarsely—
"This is the Ten-Thousand Venom Centipede Talisman."
"Bites you to death…"
"Don't die too fast."
—
He pulled out a golden talisman.
Slapped it onto the cocoon.
Smirked—
"And this—
Gēngjīn Piercing Array Talisman."
"Ten thousand blades to the bone…"
"Let's make sure you're really dead."
—
The chant fell.
Blood burst from the cocoon—
Spraying into the crowd.
A student was hit in the face—
Screamed and stumbled back.
Another turned pale—
Vomited on the spot.
Cries erupted.
The crowd was in chaos.
Even Shī Tóngbǎi lowered his head,
Tears slipping from the corners of his eyes—
Senior brother…
I failed you.
To die like this…
—
Only two remained unmoved—
Xiǎo Chén, seated cross-legged, eyes closed.
And Dù Jīn, silent on the high platform.
Dù Jīn frowned.
The crowd screamed and gagged—
But he saw nothing unusual.
Just one man laughing,
And another sitting motionless.
—
The Silver Mirror talismanist circled the cocoon.
His final talisman spun between his fingers.
He stared at the blood-soaked shell,
A cruel smile forming—
"All tests complete…"
"Let's see what you've become."
"Hopefully there's something left to study."
—
He chanted.
The cocoon's talisman breath began to fade.
Many in the crowd peeked through their fingers,
Afraid of gore.
Some turned away.
—
But when the cocoon dissolved—
Only a pool of dark red blood remained.
The talismanist sighed,
Sneered—
"Hah…"
"So fragile?"
"Not even a full corpse left?"
—
Before he finished—
A thread of talisman breath lit behind him.
He spun around.
Eyes wide.
Xuán Chén stood unharmed
In the center of the bloodstain.
The invisible hourglass turned in his fingers.
A cold smirk touched his lips—
"You thought you could seal me?"
—
The talismanist's face twisted.
He stumbled back,
Pointed at Xuán Chén, shouting—
"Impossible!"
"You can't be alive!"
"I saw it—
You were chained, cocooned—
You should be dead!"
—
The crowd fell silent.
Just moments ago,
They'd heard groans,
Seen blood spray.
Now—
Xuán Chén stood untouched.
—
His gaze was calm as water.
His lips curled—
"Are you so sure…"
"That you really 'saw it'?"
—
The talismanist froze.
Doubt flashed through his mind.
He turned to the crowd,
Screamed—
"You saw it too, right?"
"He was dying—wasn't he?"
—
The students looked at each other.
No one spoke.
The blood, the screams—
Suddenly felt like a dream.
—
The talismanist paled.
He pointed at Dù Jīn, shouting—
"Referee!"
"He cheated!"
"He used a substitute talisman!"
"Judge him—he broke the rules!"
—
Dù Jīn
stared at the arena,
Confused.
This talismanist is mad.
From start to finish…
No one moved.
Where's the substitution?
He sighed, stood,
Declared—
"No foul play.
Match continues."
—
The talismanist's face turned pale, then green.
He shouted—
"Are you blind?"
"We all saw it!"
"Just you didn't?"
"Did you take a bribe?"
—
Dù Jīn froze.
Cold sweat broke across his brow.
A possibility surfaced—
One he didn't want to face.
His back soaked through.
He said nothing.
Sat down.
Eyes locked on Xuán Chén.
—
Xuán Chén saw the stiffness in Dù Jīn's face.
He knew—
No need to keep acting.
His true body, still seated,
Rose slowly.
He chanted.
Talisman breath slithered from his sleeve.
—
In the talismanist's eyes,
The "standing Xuán Chén" shattered—
Into chains of talisman light.
They reversed—
Wrapped around him.
His legs froze.
He couldn't move.
Bound exactly as Xuán Chén had been.
Only now—
He was the one trapped.
—
His face went white.
He screamed—
"Impossible!"
"How do you know my talisman arts—"
—
Before he finished—
Centipedes crawled through the cocoon's seams,
Tearing flesh.
He thrashed in agony.
Then—
Golden sword light erupted from within,
Piercing him from every direction.
—
The crowd was stunned.
They saw him torn,
Stabbed,
Blood spraying.
But the air was empty.
Still—
Blood splashed into the crowd.
One student was hit in the face—
Frozen.
Couldn't even scream.
No one could tell—
Illusion or real death?
—
Everything that had once struck Xuán Chén
Now returned to the talismanist.
—
When the final talisman dimmed,
The Silver Mirror talismanist
Was nothing but a pool of blood.
Dead.
Silent.
—
The arena fell silent—
Like ice.
—
Xuán Chén
stood before the blood.
He looked up, voice calm—
"Referee.
May I hear the verdict?"
Dù Jīn rose.
Stared at the pool of blood.
His throat tightened.
He turned and vomited.
His voice trembled—
"S…Second match…"
"Xuán Chén wins…"
—
Before he finished,
He bolted from the platform,
Fleeing in panic.
His retreat was messy,
His thoughts in chaos—
This isn't talisman crafting…
This is soul seizure.
Mind control.
That's what makes him terrifying.
—
Outside the arena,
Only one person remained untouched by the illusion—
Xiǎo Chén, already seated cross-legged.
When Xuán Chén began the reversal,
He'd already heard the whisper—
〖Xiǎo Chén.
Leave now.
Don't look back.〗
—
Before leaving,
Xiǎo Chén glanced at the arena—
Dare to provoke my brother?
That's your fate.
—
So he walked out,
Saw Dù Jīn fleeing pale-faced,
Didn't even turn his head.
He murmured—
No wonder…
Brother told me to leave first.
Now I understand.
—
Soon after,
A group of students staggered out of the barrier.
Faces pale.
Bodies soaked in blood.
At first,
Some thought it was illusion residue.
But in the courtyard corridor,
Sunlight hit the stains.
The blood began to dry.
The stench rose.
In that moment—
Everyone knew it was real.
—
Screams.
Vomiting.
Crying.
One by one,
They broke.
Some scrubbed themselves raw.
Some fled to the well.
Some collapsed, clutching their heads,
Howling.
It looked like hell had spilled from the arena.
—
From behind a pillar,
A head peeked out—
Shī Tóngbǎi,
Holding two bottles of wine.
He crept forward,
Eyes wide at the blood-soaked, panicked students.
He hadn't yet grasped what had happened.
—
Earlier,
Before Xuán Chén struck,
Xiǎo Chén had already pulled him out of the barrier.
Patted his shoulder—
"Go get the wine."
"My brother will be out soon."
"We'll celebrate—
That blood debt is half repaid."
—
Shī Tóngbǎi didn't question it.
Ran back to his dorm,
Dug out two bottles he'd hidden for ages.
Humming a tune,
He returned to the arena gate—
Just in time to see Dù Jīn fleeing, pale and gagging.
He nearly dropped the wine.
—
Before anyone could recover,
More students—
Covered in blood—
Rushed to the well,
Splashing water over themselves like madmen.
The stench of blood drifted on the wind.
Shī Tóngbǎi wrinkled his nose,
Muttered—
"What the hell happened here?"
—
Still,
He gritted his teeth,
Smiled,
And walked toward Xiǎo Chén and Xuán Chén.
The two exchanged a glance.
Then, without a word,
Each grabbed one side of Shī Tóngbǎi—
"Let's go."
"This smell ruins the mood."
"Find a better place to drink."
—
As he was lifted,
Shī Tóngbǎi chuckled to himself—
"…This wine's probably blood wine now…"
"Whatever.
Wine's wine."
—
Later,
Shī Tóngbǎi pieced together what had happened.
Some students had to be forcibly counseled by instructors
Before they could speak to people again.
Others bathed for three days straight—
Still convinced the blood stench hadn't left their skin.
—
From that day on,
For a long time—
No one at Ao Tiān Academy
Dared provoke the three who stood side by side.
Not even a stray word.