[Vol. 6] Chapter 234: If You Choose, Choose the Biggest
Top-tier warriors from all corners of the [Ancient Spirit Realm], having passed through rigorous selection, rushed into the swirling, glowing portals one after another. Even those who had hesitated at first, driven by the growing excitement and the fear of missing their ideal choice, hurried to follow suit.
The portals began to twist and shrink just seconds after being entered, stabilizing into fixed points. Whoever emerged victorious inside wouldn’t matter for the time being, as it seemed unlikely the situation would change anytime soon.
“Boss? Stop standing there! Move already!”
Seeing the number of available portals quickly dwindling, Le Qiaoqiao started getting anxious. Even though these portals felt like a gamble, no one could know what lay beyond until they stepped through, making an active choice was always better than being forced into one. Despite her casual demeanor, the rogue secretly longed for a chance to explore the Immortal Island.
Understanding her intentions, the priestess glanced at her companions, each showing a mix of emotions but all clearly waiting for her decision. After a moment, Violet nodded and casually pointed at a medium-sized portal nearby.
“That one. You, Hongyan, and Murong Yun go together. There’s only three of you, but with your skills, you should be able to make it back alive. We cleared a lot of [False Mirrors] earlier, so we already have an advantage in points. There’s no need to risk going into a tougher portal.”
“Oh! ...Eh?”
Le Qiaoqiao froze for a moment in surprise. The swordswoman furrowed her brows, and Murong Yun, who knew Violet better than anyone else, immediately picked up on the subtle inconsistency in her words. His tone turned serious.
“Miss Violet, are you planning to do something dangerous again?”
The black-haired girl’s lips curled into a faint, almost teasing smile.
“Not exactly. Uncle Murong, do you still think I’m the kind of person who forces myself to take on things beyond my limits? If you’ve got the time to worry about me, you should focus on keeping yourself alive. After all, you’re the last heir to the [Heaven-Opening Sect] legacy.”
“But this time is different from the others...”
Violet raised her hand, cutting off his words before he could finish.
“There’s nothing different about this. It’s just some evil spirits. Haven’t we fought them plenty of times before? Stop wasting time and get moving. If you don’t leave now, I’ll kick you through the portal myself.”
Hearing Violet’s impatient, almost dismissive tone, the three exchanged uneasy glances.
After witnessing her public duel with Xiao Kong earlier, they had long understood that her true power, as well as Xiao Kong’s, was far beyond that of ordinary mortals. The battlefields they tread upon were not meant for normal people. Following them would only create unnecessary trouble.
Since that was the case, it was better to do what they could—small as it might seem, it was not entirely insignificant.
“Boss… you’d better stay safe...”
“Take care, senior.”
“...Damn it, let’s go!”
With reluctant curses, the trio rushed into the portal and disappeared. Watching them vanish, Violet gave a helpless smile.
“You all better make it back alive. At the very least, bring your bodies back if it comes to that...”
She exchanged a glance with Xiao Kong, and after a mutual nod of understanding, they approached the fox-eared envoy standing nearby.
By now, most of the contestants had already charged into the portals formed from destructive energy and spatial laws. A few who had been hesitant finally made their decisions, choosing from the dwindling options. With only a handful of people left, it was their turn to act.
At that moment, the fox-eared envoy was using the reappeared token to channel her power into the crystal wall, working to hold back something inside the inner valley. But even after just a short time, her face had grown noticeably pale.
“Xiao Kong, help her quickly. She’s not going to last much longer.”
“Got it.”
The cat-girl, already prepared, took a deep breath. She stepped forward, placing her hand over the token alongside the fox-eared girl and channeling her strength into it, taking over her task.
“Ugh! Cough… hah... hah...”
It was as if she had been struck by lightning. The fox-eared girl stumbled back several steps, barely managing to steady herself. She kept gasping for breath.
After a long moment, the girl whose name was revealed to be Ming Lianxin, apparently the younger sister of the Immortal Envoy Ming Lianyun, finally caught her breath. Some color returned to her pale face as she approached Xiao Kong, who was now calmly maintaining the seal without much visible effort. Ming Lianxin exchanged a glance with Violet.
“That was terrifying. Even just indirectly facing that aura through the [Seal of Heaven and Earth] Array, I could barely hold on for even a short while. No wonder the original plan required us to work together...”
“Of course. This is the power that truly caused the calamity of the monsters. The gap between gods and pseudo gods is so vast it defies comprehension, Oh, right. I forgot you all refer to it as [Hidden Immortal] and [Bright Mist] on your side.”
The cat-girl Xiao Kong, seemingly well-practiced at handling the token, chimed in without looking up.
“I’ve diverted about half of the destructive energy outward. The remaining concentrated force should now be manageable and can be directly eliminated. That should reduce the damage outside significantly, right?”
“Huh?”
The fox-eared girl blinked in confusion before nodding furiously, as if realizing the significance of what was just said.
“Absolutely! Without you, the Immortal Island’s forces would have been entirely consumed just trying to stabilize this concentrated destructive energy. We wouldn’t have been able to send any reinforcements to the external battlefields. What you’ve done will save tens of thousands of lives across the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. Don’t worry, the Immortal Island will never—"
“Alright, alright, enough of the speeches.”
Violet waved her hand dismissively, interrupting the somewhat naive and less composed younger sister, who clearly lacked her older sibling’s maturity and grace. Shaking her head, Violet said,
“I’m not looking for any reward. Honestly, my connections with Spirit Veil Immortal Island and with [Dawn], is deeper than it seems. Helping out is no big deal. That said, once the Immortal Island appears, I’d like to get up there quickly to handle some things. Is that okay?”
The priestess smiled faintly.
“Or are you saying you can’t make that call?”
“Eh? Of course I can! You mean reserving a spot to ascend to the island, right? Don’t worry! The elders are all very interested in you. Even without this request, they’d certainly grant you the qualification!”
Ming Lianxin nodded confidently, though it was clear she didn’t entirely grasp the full weight of Violet’s words. Seeing this, Violet could only sigh and shake her head, choosing not to press the matter further.
These words were, in truth, just a way for Violet to set the stage and manage expectations. Whether or not Ming Lianxin had the authority to represent the Immortal Island, or whether the island itself would choose to cooperate, Violet’s plans would remain unchanged.
Of course, unless absolutely necessary, she had no desire to create conflict with a powerful organization like the Immortal Island. Especially with her connection to the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden complicating matters.
“I’ll leave things outside to you. Once the problem is solved, I’ll return as soon as I can.”
“Alright, but be careful,” Xiao Kong replied, her gaze fixed deeply on the black-haired girl.
“And don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Relax, relax~”
Violet smiled, patting Xiao Kong on the shoulder. Then she turned and headed straight toward the entrance that had been opened in the crystal wall. Beyond it lay the inner valley of [Mirror Valley]. A space engulfed in darkness so impenetrable that nothing inside could be seen.
She moved forward step by step, crossing the smooth, mirror-like crystal boundary.
The figures of the two girls standing behind her grew smaller and smaller, eventually swallowed by the void that seemed to consume everything around them. Soon, absolute silence descended. An oppressive, terrifying quiet.
The world itself seemed to shift and churn, as if she had stepped into a spinning globe. Waves of destruction surged like wild beasts, only to be blocked by the golden light radiating from Violet’s body.
A strange, almost imperceptible gaze swept over her briefly before vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
Violet smiled faintly, completely unfazed. The surrounding darkness was so absolute it could even blind the sight of divine beings, but after enduring the trials of the “Gate of Humanity”, such conditions no longer fazed her.
She raised her staff, holding it firmly in her hand, and pointed it into the void ahead.
“Stop hiding in the shadows. Come out and take your beating.”