In truth, this island was meant to test the participant's knowledge of arrays through a puzzle. But Mingyue had other plans. With Vesa in control, the trial was deactivated. Instead, something else had been sent in. As Lin Hua scanned her surroundings, she noticed a wooden mannequin crouched in the center of the area.
If Alex had been here, he would've immediately recognized it. "Wait… is that a Mokujin?" And then, realizing what it meant, he would've muttered, "Oh… that's not something you wanna mess with."
But Lin Hua knew nothing of that reference. Even if she had, she wouldn't have thought much of it—Alex's world was not hers. However, Vesa had taken Alex's knowledge and improved the puppet. Originally a simple construct running on basic commands, it had now been reprogrammed into a self-learning AI, equipped with various fighting styles. Its goal? To half-kill Lin Hua.
As soon as it detected her presence, the mannequin's eyes flickered red. Then, it stood up, raising its hands in a combat stance.
BAM!
The puppet shot forward. Lin Hua reacted instantly, flowing into Echoes of the Wind Dance. Her sword slashed forward—only for the puppet to move in an unnatural way. It ducked at the last moment, smoothly slipping under her attack. Then—an uppercut. Lin Hua quickly stepped back to dodge— But the uppercut never landed. It was a feint. Before she could counter, the puppet lunged, its head low as it drove a fist into her side— Right into her liver.
A sharp, twisting pain shot through her body. Her breath hitched. Her face paled. Then, BAM! BAM! BAM!!!
A barrage of brutal punches slammed into her stomach. Lin Hua froze as agony overtook her senses. She had to escape. With a strained breath, she forced her Qi downward, launching herself high into the air.
Gritting her teeth, she pulled out an artifact from her storage—a reward from a previous stage. Its effect? Converting Qi into wind. That meant flight. Suppressing the pain, Lin Hua gathered her Qi and fired a wind blade at the mannequin. The puppet didn't dodge. Instead, it jumped straight into it, raising its arms in defense— And suddenly, a slab of rock materialized in its hands.
CRACK! CRACK!
The wind blade struck the rock, reducing it to dust and debris. As the dust settled, Lin Hua's eyes sharpened. 'Where is it?' A chill ran down her spine. The presence, It was behind her. Her pupils shrank as she twisted her head— Just in time to see the mannequin, now wielding a sword, slashing straight for her neck.
CLANG!
In a desperate move, she forced her Qi into her arm, pushing it beyond its limits—damaging it in the process—just to block the strike in time. The puppet's red eyes glinted. Its leg shifted—
BAM!
A powerful kick struck her square in the torso, sending her crashing down to the ground.
BANG!
The impact rattled her bones. Before she could recover, the puppet landed as well— Its sword pointed directly at her. Feeling death closing in, Lin Hua's mind raced. She had exhausted every trick just to make it this far—there was only one thing left. The pill. Her hesitation vanished. Without a second thought, she pulled it out and swallowed it.
A surge of warmth spread through her body, mending broken bones and torn muscles. Without wasting a moment, she burned her Qi, summoning a fierce wind to propel herself into the air. Her movements turned fluid, graceful—lethal. Wind wrapped around her blade, amplifying her strikes as she flowed into Echoes of the Wind Dance.
Slash. Slash. Slash.
A relentless barrage of attacks rained down. The puppet tried to block, but it was no use—its position left it vulnerable.
BANG!
The mannequin crashed to the ground, splintered wood and dust scattering into the air. Lin Hua didn't hesitate. She dove down at full speed, wind accelerating her descent as she thrust her sword downward.
BANG!
The blade pierced through the mannequin's body. Watching from a projection created by Vesa, Mingyue smirked. Her amber eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She knew exactly what was coming next. The mannequin twitched. Then, its wooden fingers snapped shut around Lin Hua's wrist. The Qi within its core churned…
BANG!
It exploded. And took her hand with it. "AARRRGH!" A piercing scream tore through the air. Pain crashed into Lin Hua like a tidal wave, overwhelming her senses. Shock. Panic. Confusion. Fear. Why had it only taken her hand? If it had pulled her closer, she would've been dead. The realization sent a shiver through her battered body.
Meanwhile, Mingyue's lips curled into a cold smile. "Serves you right, bitch," she muttered, voice laced with venom. "You tried to kill me. I'm generous enough to let you live."
[Shall we proceed, Queen?]
"Yes. Do it as planned," Mingyue replied, her tone casual. She leaned forward slightly. "But are you sure the elder won't suspect the cultivation method?"
[No, The elder won't understand how this technique works. You don't need to worry, Queen. She'll hide it.]
Mingyue's gaze darkened in thought. Vesa was right. If she were in Lin Hua's position—stumbling upon an Ancient-grade cultivation method—she wouldn't breathe a word about it. History had proven time and time again that those who did… simply disappeared. "Alright then," Mingyue said. "Give her the information. Do it as we planned."
Lin Hua lay on the ground, breathing heavily. She ripped off a piece of her sleeve, tying it tightly around her shoulder to slow the bleeding. Her senses remained sharp, her body tense. She couldn't afford another surprise. Then—A voice, neither male nor female, echoed through the air. "You have done well to come this far."
Lin Hua's breath hitched. "I have waited many years for someone worthy to inherit my cultivation." A flicker of anticipation sparked in her pain-filled eyes.
"I deem you suitable. However, you will receive only half of my teachings for now." The voice paused. "Once you prove yourself, you will learn where to find the rest."