"Shut up!" Lu Yin growled, shattering the energy bolstered by the melody with his Ninefold Strength, and clamped his hand over Xiyue's mouth. The music stopped instantly.
Xiyue glared at him with a fury that could almost melt him.
Lu Yin exhaled, astonished by Xiyue's abilities—she was no ordinary student. "I'll say it one last time. I came here first, you came later, and you even stepped on me."
Xiyue grabbed Lu Yin's arm, trying to pry it away, but she was no match for his strength, even less so than Lulu.
"Did you understand what I said? If you act out again, I won't be so polite," Lu Yin warned before slowly releasing her.
Xiyue glared at him angrily, then suddenly bit his hand hard. Lu Yin winced and quickly pulled back. "Are you a dog?" Xiyue swung a punch at him, frustrated beyond measure. She had never been treated like this before—not only had she been taken advantage of, but she also couldn't even fight back.
Lu Yin caught her fist and yanked her into his arms. The softness and warmth of her body made his heart flutter. As he tried to speak, he realized they had descended deeper into the sand sea. The first layer was 30 meters thick, and they had reached exactly 30 meters. With their movements, they both fell into the second layer.
Between the first and second layers was a kilometer of distance. Lu Yin held Xiyue tightly as they fell, feeling immense pressure as soon as they entered the second layer. Xiyue couldn't withstand it and fainted instantly. Lu Yin's head spun, but he managed to stay conscious. With a thud, they hit the desert sands of the second layer.
Up above, the Sand Sea Mentor watched with interest. "They actually fell. The flower of the Eighth Institute was pulled down by a brat from the Tenth Institute. The old geezers in the Eighth are going to be furious. Haha, interesting!"
In the dimly lit desert, Lu Yin rubbed his head, feeling the intense pressure around him. In his arms, Xiyue was unconscious.
He sighed wryly. What a mess. He didn't even know who this woman was, and the introduction from Cannon didn't mention another layer in the Sand Sea.
His head throbbed, and his pupils flickered. The pressure around him was enormous, making him feel dizzy. Then, he heard a whistling sound, like a gale from a distance.
Wind in an underground desert?
Lu Yin turned to look, his eyes narrowing. He quickly shielded Xiyue with his body, facing away from the wind.
The next moment, the wind tore through the air, shredding his shirt and cutting his skin with its sharp edges, leaving bloody marks. The pain was excruciating.
This wasn't wind; it was blades, a wind made of blades.
The gale passed quickly. Lu Yin panted, immediately applying medicine from his space ring to his back. Fortunately, his body was tough, and he only suffered surface wounds. If it had been Xiyue, she would have been torn apart.
Suddenly, another gale approached. Lu Yin's scalp tingled—this was too frequent. Without thinking, he shielded Xiyue again. This time, the wind didn't harm his body but brought an overwhelming mental pressure that made him spit blood and almost pass out. It felt like being trapped in darkness for eons, experiencing boundless loneliness and pressure.
Sometimes, the greatest pressure is the one you place on yourself. Lu Yin felt this crushing despair, and if not for his strong will, he would have fainted.
The gale came and went quickly.
Lu Yin's face was pale as he looked up, realizing they needed to leave this strange place.
But how?
He tried to fly, but each time he ascended, a gale forced him down, tearing his flesh. Frustrated, he knew they couldn't get out.
Meanwhile, Cannon slapped his forehead at the Tenth Institute. "I forgot to tell Sister Xiyue not to go too deep. Falling to the second layer is trouble."
Little Cannon waved his hand dismissively. "Relax, if she can't get out, she can just call the Sand Sea Mentor for help."
"True, Sister Xiyue is smart. She'll figure it out. Let's go listen to some music."
"Let's go."
…
After some time, Xiyue stirred, slowly opening her eyes to see a dim desert. She felt someone holding her and turned to see a man. Shocked, she instinctively pushed him away and fell into the sand.
Just then, another gale swept through. Lu Yin quickly grabbed her. "Careful."
Xiyue glared at him. "Let go of me, you pervert!"
The gale grazed Lu Yin's arm and struck Xiyue, tearing her clothes and leaving bloody marks on her fair skin. Lu Yin yanked her back and shielded her.
Xiyue spat blood, enduring the pain, and took out new clothes from her space ring. She couldn't believe the gale's power. If not for this man, she would have been more severely injured.
"Another one is coming. This one's mental pressure. Be careful, or you might die," Lu Yin warned.
Xiyue was confused, but the next gale hit, making her feel like her brain was being struck. She nearly fainted. Lu Yin wasn't doing much better, but he stood firm, a faint flow of energy surrounding him, unnoticed by either of them.
The gale passed quickly. Xiyue spat blood again, her face pale.
Lu Yin sighed. "It's over," he said, looking at Xiyue, who had just awakened only to face mental pressure.
Xiyue panted, drenched in sweat. She instinctively moved away from Lu Yin, scanning their surroundings before turning to him. "Who are you?"
"Tenth Institute student, Lu Yin."
Xiyue was shocked. "Tenth Institute?"
She finally realized this person had defeated her, even with her special melody. This person from the Tenth Institute was stronger than Michelle.
Lu Yin studied Xiyue. Despite the dim light, he could see she was beautiful, even more so in her disheveled state. "Who are you?"
Xiyue's tone was cold. "None of your business."
Lu Yin pursed his lips. "Rude."
Xiyue fumed. "Pervert."
"Stop saying that. I told you, I was here first, and you came later," Lu Yin said.
Xiyue opened her mouth but couldn't argue, only letting out a huff.
After a while, she looked around. "Where are we?"
"I don't know," Lu Yin replied casually.
Xiyue glared at him. "You're a Tenth Institute student and you don't know?"
Lu Yin rolled his eyes. "I'm a new student. I don't know more than you."
Xiyue was surprised. "You're a new student?"
"Don't I look like one?" Lu Yin retorted.
Xiyue's eyes flickered. She had thought he was an old student left behind like Cannon. But he was a new student with such strength. She suddenly remembered something—Lu Yin, the one who completed the highest-level exploration mission.
"Why are you staring at me?" Lu Yin was wary.
Xiyue looked away. "We're underground in the desert."
Lu Yin didn't answer, checking his terminal for the time. They had been down here for seven hours, with a gale every ten minutes. One physical, one mental. The next one was in a few minutes.
Xiyue's eyes shone. She had thought of calling for help, but she remembered the legends of the Sand Sea. This was a holy land for battle qi training. The constant pressure and gales made it the true Sand Sea.
She wanted to train here, but the pervert next to her was a problem. She glanced at Lu Yin, who met her gaze, and huffed, turning away, her face pale with anger.
Lu Yin was speechless. He was the victim here. Although he had taken a little advantage, he didn't care about that. This woman was crazy.
"Stay away from me," Xiyue said coldly.
Lu Yin raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
Xiyue was furious, but remembering the gale, she hesitated. If not for this pervert, she would have been seriously injured. Asking him for help was humiliating, but she had no choice.
Looking up at the swirling sand above, Xiyue considered calling the Sand Sea Mentor for help.
Just then, the whistling sound came.
Lu Yin's eyes changed. "Another gale is coming. Can you handle it alone?"
Xiyue bit her lip and moved closer to him. Lu Yin chuckled and shielded her. The next moment, the gale slashed his back, leaving more bloody marks. Xiyue, partially shielded, only had minor injuries. Her frail body trembled, evoking sympathy.
Lu Yin smirked and pulled her into his arms. Xiyue's eyes widened in anger. "Pervert, let go of me."
Lu Yin was annoyed. "Stop calling me a pervert. I have a name, Lu Yin. You can also call me Seventh Brother."
Xiyue was so angry she spat blood, striking at him with her palm. The gale passed, and Lu Yin stepped back, dodging her attack. She lost her balance and fell, the next gale hitting her. She fainted instantly.
Lu Yin's face turned pale as he endured the pressure, a
faint energy flow appearing on his skin. When the gale passed, he sat down, exhausted. This place was unbearable. He glanced at the unconscious Xiyue—serves her right.
Five hours later, Xiyue woke up again, rubbing her head. She checked herself, relieved to find her clothes intact.
"Hey, what do you mean? Do you really think I'm a pervert? Even if I were, I wouldn't be interested in you, you flat board," Lu Yin said, annoyed.