Chapter Sixty: An Assault with No Other Choice

Many things come naturally, as water flows and forms a channel. As the power of the sun filled her body, in almost an instant, Liu Ru felt herself breaking through to a new realm. The effects of this breakthrough were immediate, for she could sense all these enhancements at once.

The most obvious change lay in the sunlight still pouring into her body. Previously, Liu Ru had only felt countless rays of sunlight transforming into warm droplets, entering her body like gentle beads. But now, she seemed able to count exactly how many droplets there were. She could guide those beads wherever she wanted, rather than merely crushing and dissolving them mechanically into a more basic form of energy.

Beyond this, her perception and observation of the outside world, her control and application of her own energy—all of it entered a much more refined and detailed process. Even though this was only the first stage of the wondrous realm, Liu Ru felt as if she had undergone a fundamental transformation.

Thus, she instinctively opened her eyes.

Above her, the sun still shone warmly. The girl stretched out her palm, attempting to gather the surging sunlight into her hand. In the next instant, a small, furry golden sun appeared in her palm.

This was the result of her guiding the sunlight to converge. Even Liu Ru found it incredible; after all, she had not truly attained enlightenment, yet through her breakthrough in the third wondrous realm, she accomplished something almost akin to enlightenment.

...

...

"Liu Ru has finally stopped," someone announced in the monitoring hall, where everyone had been waiting for this moment for what felt like an eternity.

"She opened her eyes."

"She extended her hand."

People almost unconsciously reported her every move.

"Is that... did Liu Ru gather an actual sun in her palm?" someone exclaimed in shock.

"Her mastery over energy is that pure?"

"She crushed that sun again? What a pity; if she had managed to condense it successfully, it would have earned her a high score."

"Liu Ru is moving now—she's finally leaving this bright, windless field."

In everyone’s gaze, after displaying her extraordinary affinity with sunlight, Liu Ru began to roam the grassland. She finally started, like the others, to sense and capture the rampant energies present on the prairie. Yet, clearly, her speed was far greater than anyone else's.

"Impossible—she’s already captured a strand of lightning, and subdued it at first contact!"

"She quickly obtained the condensed rainwater and the core of the wild wind as well."

"Was she deliberately hiding her abilities to give others a chance?"

The monitoring hall erupted in chaos. In the previous trial, Liu Ru had already shocked them, but this time, even with prior preparation, they never expected her to act so wildly and bring them fresh, unimaginable surprises.

"On the surface, Liu Ru isn't just attuned to the power of the sun," Qian Shu mused. "It seems she has a high degree of mastery over all energies. That raises the question: in what field did she attain enlightenment?"

Everything before them had surpassed even the understanding of these top students. All who participated in the exam were exceptional, and those who reached the second trial were absolute elites.

Yet even among elites, expertise comes with specialization. The idea of a tenfold genius, adept in all disciplines, exists only in imagination—such a prodigy would never appear among such young candidates.

"There’s another possibility," Lan Ying remarked, watching the water screen. "What if she hasn’t attained enlightenment?"

If she had not, her body was still a blank slate, making it easy to absorb and utilize all elemental powers in this particular exam room. She could even discard them carelessly, like a bear picking corn and dropping it as she goes.

"Are you joking?" someone immediately retorted. "How could Liu Ru not have attained enlightenment?"

Enlightenment is difficult, but not impossible; someone as talented as Liu Ru surely achieved it long ago. No way she’d reach the third trial without it.

To say nothing else, just this second trial alone presents vastly different challenges before and after enlightenment.

"But she really hasn't shown any realm above enlightenment," Lan Ying insisted. She couldn’t explain why she felt this way, but perhaps it was simply intuition.

"Enough—Liu Ru is about to submit her answers," someone suddenly reminded them.

Everyone ceased their debate and refocused on the screen.

...

...

Liu Ru was indeed preparing to turn in her answers.

The benefits brought by the subtle realm were immense. She was always in a state where enlightenment could be attained at any moment, and this environment, rich in energy, was perhaps the most ideal place for enlightenment in the entire world.

But Liu Ru, against expectations, chose not to attain enlightenment.

Having tasted the enormous advantages of the subtle realm, she grew curious about what the next stage, the celestial realm, might offer, and what perfection might be like.

She had a vivid example before her: Su Ziye, by virtue of the realm of perfection, could transform at will into anyone he wished, blending seamlessly into any crowd like a drop of water in the sea. If he did not want to be found, no matter what, he would remain hidden.

Her own third wondrous realm differed from Su Ziye’s, whose was more mystical, whereas hers was practical—a skill that would profoundly influence her cultivation path.

After understanding this, Liu Ru tried to absorb other energies to see if they could help her further, but after comparing, she found she could attain enlightenment in any field she wished. For now, her affinity with sunlight remained highest, and from her perception, sunlight had the densest energy. However, she preferred to wait and take Su Ziye’s advice before choosing her direction for enlightenment. Although this was indeed an ideal place for enlightenment, through the experience, Liu Ru realized it was no longer a major obstacle for her—the crucial point was choosing her future path.

Seeing there was no more benefit to be had, Liu Ru made the same choice as in the first trial: she sampled each power injected into the exam room, successfully condensing each into a crystal core as required. These were irregular crystals, each glowing with a different light, hard in texture but essentially fragile; only with these could she pass the second trial.

"Here," the girl said, opening her palm to reveal a handful of colorful pebbles.

"Would you like to pick the one you’re most satisfied with?" the examiner asked tentatively.

"I’m satisfied with all of them; can’t I submit them together?" Liu Ru replied.

"You can," the examiner nodded.

Theoretically, it was allowed, but in practice, few could do what Liu Ru did—selecting one from a thousand streams.

The difficulty of affinity and acquisition differed for each energy, and each pebble corresponded to a different score. Most people could pass by capturing just one strand of energy, but Liu Ru’s playful handful was almost unheard of.

Yet the examiner knew Liu Ru had scored full marks in the previous trial, so he was somewhat prepared for her to pull such a stunt.

He took the handful of pebbles from Liu Ru and nodded, "You may leave."

Liu Ru thanked him and walked toward the exit.

Unlike last time, when she left almost last, this time she was in the first group; the whole process lasted only about three hours, and it was just noon.

Su Ziye was already waiting for her in the exit corridor.

"Let’s go," the boy said quietly, taking her hand and leading her onward. For now, they still maintained their master and servant role, though Liu Ru knew in her heart that soon, there’d be no need to keep up the act.

Perhaps even she herself was about to become one of those remarkable figures.

Yet even so, Liu Ru understood her most important task at present.

To act as bait.

To lure out that man and kill him.

...

...

Mo Yun calmly handed a dark, lightless crystal to the examiner and left the exam hall amid their astonishment.

For Mo Yun, such a third trial posed no difficulty—his only anticipation lay in his final score.

His original mission was to enter Ye Night Academy, join the student council, and approach Kalotes to obtain more intelligence.

But now, having already confronted Kalotes in such a manner, there was no chance of completing that mission.

He had a more important task now.

In the deep, dark corridor outside the exam hall, Mo Yun quietly extended his right hand, and a gray crystal orb appeared soundlessly in his palm.

The Eye of the Foreseer could be activated by a drop of blood, allowing him, at the cost of today's luck, to see glimpses of his own future throughout the day.

Though draining luck brought subtle changes, used properly, this spiritual device was a powerful strategic asset.

He deftly nicked his fingertip, letting a drop of blood fall onto the gray crystal orb. As if energized, the mist within the orb began to swirl wildly, emitting a faint, gloomy glow.

Mo Yun stared intently at the mist inside the crystal; as it spun, countless silhouettes began to emerge.

These were fleeting fragments—some complex and blurred, some seemingly trivial—but Mo Yun memorized them all.

He closed his eyes, pondered carefully, then pressed his earlobe lightly.

"Today is the day—execute the plan as discussed."

A moment later, a reply echoed at his ear.

"Understood."

...

...

Liu Ru and Su Ziye walked almost side by side through the streets of Ye Night City. According to Su Ziye, as long as Liu Ru showed herself in Ye Night City, she would inevitably be attacked—a desperate assault by the enemy after their previous failure.

Liu Ru didn’t know why Su Ziye was so certain, but she could only trust and obey.

The city's streets were far emptier than any Liu Ru had seen; few pedestrians, and the patrols of the Snow Burial Society, responsible for security, had become the most prominent feature.

But then, Liu Ru saw something unexpected ahead.

She saw masked figures clad in silver cloaks.

Eight of them.

They stood silently, as if they had been waiting for a long time.

Liu Ru stopped in her tracks.

Yes, the enemy chose to act today.

And rather than pulling her into an isolated world as in the previous failed attempt—proven futile by the Third Prince—they opted for a direct approach. With their window of opportunity closing and all other methods exhausted, the simplest way was the most effective.

The eight masked figures in silver cloaks raised their right hands in unison. In the next moment, silver moonlit currents formed in their palms.

Rotating silver light, shooting toward Liu Ru from eight directions and angles, like arrows loosed from a bow.

Liu Ru froze.

She didn’t even attempt to dodge.

Or rather, she simply had no ability to dodge.

Even if it was only a probing attack, it was still deadly.

From spotting the enemy to their strike, barely a second passed.

But in the next instant, the eight streams of silver stopped in front of Liu Ru.

Because a man stood before her.

He glanced back at Liu Ru, having just extended his right hand to dissolve all attacks into nothing.

"You’re not my brother, are you?" he said to Liu Ru.

Liu Ru looked at him—at his handsome, almost unearthly youthful face, his dazzling golden hair and eyes.

Without hesitation, she shook her head.

"I see," the golden-haired man replied simply, then turned to face forward. "So, you really did make a move against me."

"Bastards of Dark Star."