After our girls entered, they arrived at a normal-looking room with a large circular formation in the middle.
Walls of stone, a fountain to the right, and a floor adorned with rock slabs gave the room a calming atmosphere.
A male deep voice was heard after they looked around. It was the same voice they'd heard before. "Welcome to the Library of Trials. You have managed to obtain a Key and passed the initial test. The number of individuals who arrived with the key is nine, and the number of people who entered this room is also nine. This shows that the group is united, and the bonds are strong."
Evelyn tilted her head. "Oh? What would've happened if the key was stolen?"
Cecile spoke. "Shouldn't they be praised as strong for robbing a key from a group?"
Yasenia asked aloud. "Hello, seniors. Do you have a conscience?"
The male voice continued. "With the key, you've arrived, and now, you are fighting for the end reward. This reward is the ability to enter the Cultivation Library and choose one of those methods that are attractive to you."
Yasenia muttered. "It seems not. This is prerecorded."
Angel asked. "Is that important?"
Valeria commented. "This just means that the creator of the realm was not strong enough to leave a lasting soul strand to manage this place. So, their level was probably between the first and fifth levels of the Transcendence Realm."
The man's voice continued. "When you arrived, you were accompanied by people close to you. However, that was a benefit focused on ties and the ability to stay together in adversity to gain the right to participate. The following tests are individual tests with a scoreboard that will rank you. All those who entered will compete against each other."
Our girls frowned and continued listening.
"The fountain is a healing fountain, and you can heal all kinds of injuries and tiredness with it. The total participants this time are… The trial has not finished yet. Please wait for a while until all creatures enter a door or leave the area."
Yasenia pondered for a second, then she turned around and approached the door they used to enter. With a curious expression, she grabbed the handle of the door at her height and tried softly pushing and pulling until there was a reaction.
When she pulled, the doors slightly moved. Yasenia blinked and pushed it close again. "It seems that we can leave if we want. What do we do? Since the challenges are individual and we will compete with each other, it can get dangerous."
Mirrory spoke. "First, take a bath in that fountain. Then, it's time for a small training lesson."
The girls obediently turned and looked at Mirrory. "Yes, Master."
Mirrory nodded. No matter how close they were, if a senior teaches a junior, calling them master respectfully was basic etiquette.
After five minutes of recovering and feeling refreshed, the girls dried their clothes with their energy and stood in front of Mirrory.
Mirrory spoke. "During the secret realm, situations like the one you are in will be common. A situation where a group might need to fight between each other."
Mirrory crossed her beautiful and plump long legs in the air and continued. "As you know, entering dozens or even hundreds of secret realms during a mortal cultivator's life is very common, not to mention cultivators above the mortal realm. The number can easily exceed a thousand. Even if all the treasures are dug out, secret realms can become separate ecosystems with bountiful natural treasures, so as long as a secret realm exists, people will dive inside even if it has appeared thousands or tens of thousands of times before."
Mirrory continued after the girls nodded. "Therefore, being doubtful of the creators leaving traps behind while knowing how popular these places are is a correct mindset. Yet, too much doubt is also harmful."
Evelyn understood where Mirrory was going. "Master, will you teach us a way to evaluate the secret realm's intentions?"
Mirrory nodded indifferently. "That's right. While this method is not foolproof, it will work almost every time. For those times that it doesn't work, well, you'll have to learn to improvise."
Andrea asked. "How is the accuracy?"
Mirrory pondered. "It depends on the secret realm's level, but even in high-level ones, it works 99.9999% of the time."
Yasenia muttered. "So, it doesn't work one in a million times?"
Mirrory nodded. "That's a rough estimate, but it's not too far off."
Mirrory then crossed her arms under her large breasts and asked. "What was the last thing you've learned from me?"
Angel lifted her arm. "We learned how to analyze natural energy structures to guide us even in an environment without clear signs! Also, we learned Spiritual Sense control and how to meditate to peer into the secrets of intents!"
Mirrory's lips arched a bit. "Good. We'll apply a big part of the first lesson you mentioned."
Mirrory turned and waved her hand. Her profound energy rippled in the air, creating a holy and dignified atmosphere.
Then, the invisible energy flow of the room became visible, creating mesmerizing and colorful semi-transparent energy waves, threads, and all kinds of ethereal phenomena.
Mirrory explained. "This is the energy flow of the World. The further down you go down the cultivation path, the more you can perceive, analyze, and manipulate this energy flow. The ability to manifest your own energy flow is called a [Law], and the Intents are just a basic understanding that will eventually, if learned correctly, lead to an understanding of a Law. Yasenia, use your War Intent."
Yasenia's energy moved across her meridians, and the feeling around her changed as her irises were tainted with a vibrant red color.
The girls saw the World's energy flow slowly converge around Yasenia while changing colors to a light red and seemingly coming under Yasenia's control.
Mirrory commented. "An intent can manipulate the Energy Flow to a certain extent, depending on the level it is in. A level two like Yasenia's has a limited effect, but… Tatyana."
Tatayana unfolded her [Death Intent Level Nine], and the girls saw the energy flow ripple and change colors to a deep black, instantly surrounding Tatyana in a hurricane of semi-transparent darkness.
If Yasenia was stirring the lake with her hand, Tatyana was moving the entire lake with a whirlpool.
The difference between the level two and level nine intent was so abysmal that comparing them felt foolish. The dragoness realized that with just this intent and nothing more, Tatyana could thrash her around like an adult fighting against a child.
Mirrory saw their awed expressions and commented. "That's why a person with a higher-level intent will, most of the time, be stronger. The ability to compensate that strength gap can only be filled by either an absolute distance between realms or…" Mirrory's eyes landed on Yasenia. "… With absolute talent."
The girls gulped.
Mirrory continued. "Now, learning to read this energy flow is the skill I want you girls to learn. Naturally, I'm not speaking about deeply understanding it. Not even Tatyana has reached that level yet. I'm talking about feeling the "intentions" that flow through it."
The senior waved her long red sleeves again, and the energy flow disappeared like an illusion. "Now, sit cross-legged and try to feel the energy around you. Not the flow, just the energy around you."
The girls did as told and closed their eyes.
After ten minutes, Yasenia felt something tickling her arm, like a soft feather. 'Hm? Is this it?'
Mirrory, Tatyana, and Valeria turned to look at Yasenia simultaneously with a flash of appreciative light in their eyes. 'Already?'
Yasenia focused on the feeling around her arm and observed the energy fluctuations in her body compared to the outside. 'Ho? The principle is based on resonance. I should change the energy moving inside me to match the energy around me.'
Slowly, that feather-like feeling spread across her body, from her forearm to her entire arm, her torso, and finally, her entire body, including the dragon tail.
Fifty minutes had passed in the room when Yasenia felt the feeling enveloping her figure.
At this time, the other girls were starting to feel what Yasenia felt initially, with Cecile being the most advanced by already feeling it on her entire arm and part of her torso, thanks to her sense of sharing with Yasenia's soul.
Being her [Interlocked Soul] didn't just allow her to see into her soul, but a large part of Yasenia's talent was also passed down to her.
Interlocked Souls was a connection that blurred the line between two individuals in many senses. That's why it felt so destructive when one side died.
Yasenia opened her eyes, and a soft ripple extended one meter around her. 'I see…'
The seniors were looking at her with surprise. Mirrory spoke into Yasenia's mind. 'Great job, child. Now, focus on that ripple around you to feel the aura of the room.'
Yasenia nodded and closed her eyes again. After a while, the feather-like feeling changed and became a gentle touch that sometimes altered to become a powerful aura.
Mirrory asked, curious. 'How does it feel?'
The dragoness frowned. 'Gentle, but strong? A firm will that doesn't bend, but a strange warlike atmosphere surrounds it. It doesn't feel dangerous.'
Mirrory's lips arched in an actual smile. 'That's what you must focus on when feeling the intentions of the secret realm. Unless you feel danger in those ripples, there is no need to be too cautious.'
Yasenia opened her eyes again and saw Mirrory smiling, surprising her momentarily. After getting rid of the surprise, she also smiled back and nodded. 'Thanks, Mirrory.'
Mirrory nodded and focused on the rest, giving them tips occasionally. After all, understanding everything without any guidance was something absurd to do.
Tatyana came to her side and leaned on her shoulder while Valeria also joined and hugged them from behind, enveloping them with her ample and soft embrace.
Tatyana only rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. She had to admit that the arms of the Nature Spirit Queen felt very comfortable, even for her, who had an affinity with the Death attribute.
It took four hours for Ebirah, the last girl to understand it, to complete the process. Sierra and Ebirah didn't have much general understanding as pure beasts who didn't practice the Spiritual Path. It was more instinctual for them, so consciously understanding something was complicated.
However, their connection with Evelyn and Andrea helped them a lot, allowing them to understand it before the time limit of the test concluded.
It would've probably taken them a few days if they were by themselves.
The girls discussed their experiences with each other for ten more minutes. After that, the voice of the man reached them.
"The number of participants is [2509]. Please step into the transporting formation to go to your individual spaces. The number of winners is limited to 50."
Yasenia smiled and looked at them. "If we meet each other, don't hold back. If we meet each other and others, remember to team up, hahaha."
The girls chuckled and nodded. Kali smirked. "Should I use Valeria, then?"
The girls besides Angel felt their lips twitching.
Yasenia gave Sierra and Ebirah a ten thousand cubic meters Spatial ring and poured quite a few resources like pills, one-time formations, talismans from the Lost Town, and four life-saving talismans. One with a barrier and another with a 100-kilometer range teleportation spell. "Be careful when you are inside."
Ebirah hugged Yasenia, burying her face in Yasenia's ample bosom like Angel did while her beautiful crystal-like pink lobster tail flapped up and down. "Thank you, Yasenia."
Yasenia hugged her and patted her head with a smile. "You are welcome, little Ebirah."
Ebirah giggled bashfully. She really liked Yasenia's embrace because of her scent and softness. 'No wonder Angel always hugs Yasenia when she has a chance. It feels so nice, and she also smells so good~.'
Sierra also smiled and hugged her briefly after Ebirah separated. "You should also take care of yourself, Lady Yasenia."
Yasenia nodded. "Good luck, Sierra."
Yasenia walked toward the circle first and smiled after she turned around. "Remember to keep your communication devices outside, just in case."
Then, the girls saw Yasenia being enveloped in white light and disappearing.
The rest also walked and stepped into it, entering the [Library Of Trials] tests.
****************************************************
Evelyn: Let's go!
Cecile: I can compete with my love in a serious match.
Author: A competition has started! Let's also summon today's dear. I summon you!
Arfa42: Hello!
Cecile: Hi.
Arfa42: Author, please summon Sarah.
Author: Right away~.
Sarah: Hm, I'm here again.
Arfa42: Sarah, in chapter 662, the system mentions that you need to focus on a more difficult target to be efficient. So, will you constantly upgrade the weaker harem members so that they can follow you? And do you plan to make a sect or a base for your harem?
Sarah: Well, I also need to get stronger, right? So, I'll help them to the extent that they are not too far behind. I need to be intelligent with my resources. Also, building a sect for my harem should be ideal. In the future, I want to create a sect like Yasenia did.
Arfa42: I see.
Author: And that's all for today, bye-bye ~.