A tense silence gripped the air as Ling Xueya stepped back from the Spirit Stone, her hands clenched into tight fists. The lingering energy of the darkness affinity swirled around her, an invisible yet oppressive force that made the watching disciples uneasy.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"She actually passed the first stage?"
"This must be a mistake! Darkness affinity is a curse!"
"The elders will never allow her to continue…"
Xueya ignored them. She knew this was only the beginning.
Elder Mo remained silent for a long moment before finally turning toward the remaining elders. "The second stage will now commence—the Trial of Combat."
At his words, the platform at the center of the courtyard trembled slightly as golden inscriptions lit up along its edges. It was a Formation Arena, a specialized battleground that would prevent fatal injuries while allowing the combatants to fight at full strength.
"The rules are simple," Elder Mo continued. "Each disciple will face an opponent in combat. Victory will be determined by either forcing your opponent to concede or knocking them out of the arena."
Excitement filled the crowd—this was what they had been waiting for.
"But..." Elder Mo's gaze swept over the gathered disciples. "Due to the… unique nature of Ling Xueya's affinity, we will assign her a special opponent."
Xueya's eyes narrowed.
"A special opponent? What are they planning?"
Sure enough, a cruel smirk spread across Ling Tian's face. He turned toward a tall, broad-shouldered figure standing among the elite disciples.
"Senior Brother Ling Hu," Tian called out with false respect, "since this girl has been allowed to disgrace the Ling Clan by participating, would you do us the honor of educating her?"
A collective gasp rippled through the disciples.
Ling Hu—the strongest young warrior of the Ling Clan, second only to Ling Tian himself. At the age of twenty-one, he had already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, a level far beyond ordinary disciples.
Ling Hu cracked his knuckles, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he stepped forward. "Hah! A mere servant girl with a defective meridian dares to participate? This will be over in seconds."
Xueya's heart pounded, but she forced herself to remain calm.
She had expected unfairness—but this was a direct attempt to crush her completely.
The Trial Begins
Elder Mo raised his hand. "Both participants, step forward."
Xueya climbed onto the battle platform, her bare feet touching the cold stone. Across from her, Ling Hu towered over her, his muscles tensed with barely restrained aggression.
"You should've stayed in the kitchen where you belong," he sneered. "Now, I'll show you what happens when trash steps out of line."
A surge of laughter rippled through the crowd.
Xueya said nothing, simply lowering herself into a defensive stance.
Elder Mo raised his hand.
"Begin!"
Ling Hu moved instantly.
With a single step, the ground beneath him cracked as he lunged forward, his fist enveloped in fiery Qi.
"Fast!"
Xueya barely had time to react. She twisted her body, narrowly dodging the strike as his fist slammed into the stone floor—sending debris flying.
But before she could counterattack, he was already moving again.
"Too slow!"
A heavy kick slammed into her side, sending her flying. She crashed against the barrier of the formation, gasping as pain shot through her ribs.
Laughter erupted from the audience.
"Is that all the cursed girl can do?"
"She can't even fight back!"
Xueya wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, her breathing ragged.
No… I can't fall here.
She forced herself to stand.
Ling Hu raised an eyebrow. "Still standing? Fine. Let's end this properly."
His Qi flared, and the ground trembled beneath his feet. Flame Lion Fist! A giant burning lion formed around his arm as he shot toward her.
The attack was overwhelming. If it hit, the fight would be over.
But Xueya didn't run.
She closed her eyes.
And then—
A whisper echoed in her mind.
"Why do you hesitate?"
A chilling energy erupted from deep within her meridian. Her veins pulsed with a strange, dark power, and suddenly, the world around her slowed.
She could see everything—the movement of Ling Hu's muscles, the flow of his Qi, the perfect moment to strike.
Xueya's eyes snapped open, glowing with eerie black light.
The audience gasped.
"What's happening?!"
"Her aura—it's completely different!"
Ling Hu's fist came crashing down—
But it never landed.
At the last second, Xueya vanished.
Reappearing behind him.
Ling Hu's eyes widened. "Wha—?!"
BOOM!
A pulse of dark Qi erupted from Xueya's fingertips, slamming into his back and sending him skidding across the arena.
The laughter stopped.
Shock spread across the audience.
Ling Hu groaned, struggling to stand. He spun around, his face twisted with fury. "You damn—!"
But Xueya was already moving.
With an unnatural, ghostly speed, she darted forward. Shadows curled around her hands as she struck, her palm colliding with his chest.
CRACK!
Ling Hu coughed violently, stumbling back. His aura flickered—his Qi faltering.
The spectators were stunned.
"How is she winning?! She was losing just a moment ago!"
"Is this the power of darkness?"
Xueya didn't give him time to recover. She raised her hand—this time, she felt it.
The darkness was listening to her.
A sphere of pure black energy formed in her palm, pulsating with eerie power.
"You—you monster!" Ling Hu spat, fear creeping into his eyes.
Xueya's expression remained cold.
"I will not be weak anymore."
She thrust her hand forward—
And the darkness erupted.
A shockwave exploded from the arena, sending Ling Hu flying out of bounds. He crashed outside the stage, groaning in pain.
Silence.
Then—
Elder Mo raised his hand.
"Ling Xueya wins."
Aftermath
The entire Ling Clan stood frozen, unable to process what had just happened.
She had won.
A servant girl.
A cursed child.
A supposed weakling.
She had defeated one of the strongest disciples in the clan.
Ling Tian's face was twisted with rage, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. This shouldn't have been possible!
Meanwhile, Elder Mo studied Xueya with a strange gleam in his eyes.
"Darkness affinity… and complete mastery over it?"
He exhaled slowly.
"This girl is not ordinary."
But in the shadows, hidden from all eyes—
A mysterious figure watched from the distance.
And a deep voice murmured, "So… she has finally awakened."