Chapter 123

Chapter 123

It wasn’t much of a loss.

This was just as well. Since they were already dead, it saved him the trouble of going back to finish them off.

"One was already killed by me earlier. If you’re certain there were only ninety-eight Phantom Spirits, then my task here is done."

Duo Duo nodded. "I remember every single one of my clansmen clearly. There’s no mistake."

"Thank you... thank you for helping me reclaim my home."

"From now on, I will guard these waters with my life and never let invaders set foot here again."

Her voice suddenly grew somber.

She walked over to the corpse of an elder and silently knelt beside it, cupping the lifeless face in her hands as she fell into silence.

Nearby, Qin Han watched but said nothing.

With a wave, he recalled his Spirit and Nightmare, then pushed off with his toes, propelling himself upward like an arrow through the water.

Everyone had their own path to walk.

Duo Duo would protect her homeland, while he—he would continue advancing toward his own goal.

Ten thousand meters deep, in waters so dense not even a feather could float, it wasn’t long before a blue figure burst through the surface, leaping high into the air.

Just as he was about to plunge back into the water, a magnificent horse appeared beneath him at the perfect moment.

Swinging onto its back, man and steed stood firmly atop the terrifying waters without so much as a ripple.

Qin Han scanned his surroundings, locked onto the island’s location, and urged Nightmare into a swift gallop!

Soon, the figures of both rider and horse faded into the distance.

Meanwhile, a day had passed, and some had already arrived on the island via the platforms.

The Competition Leaderboard had shifted once more:

Chen Chaoxi reclaimed first place with 5,000 points.

Jiang Ningxue held second with 5,000 points.

Qin Han, with 4,000 points, now ranked third.

At this moment, Chen Chaoxi walked across the island, his eyes tinged with disappointment.

When he had reached the platform and sensed the lethally toxic, unsupportive waters below, he had chosen to wait.

As one of the Myriad Realms’ top elites, merely observing the fluctuations in the rankings had told him what his competitors had done.

During his day of observation on the platform, many of the top-ranked players had vanished from the leaderboard entirely.

Clearly, they had entered the waters and met their demise.

Qin Han had cleared the stages far faster than him—he should have reached the platform and arrived on the island first.

Yet now that Chen Chaoxi had passed the fifth trial and stepped onto the island, Qin Han’s score remained unchanged.

This could only mean one thing: Qin Han had also jumped into the water!

"Calmness and wisdom are the hallmarks of a true powerhouse. To recklessly leap into such terrifying, unknown depths—even if he survives by sheer luck this time, such recklessness will surely lead him to ruin someday."

"Someone who once held such a commanding advantage has now fallen beyond the top hundred. How lamentable."

"A man may be blessed with fortune and reap countless rewards, but if his virtue does not match his station, even the greatest riches will crush him."

"Luck always runs out in the end. Only by assessing the situation with clarity and acting with decisive intelligence can one go far."

Shaking his head slightly, Chen Chaoxi steadied his breath and focused his mind, advancing deeper into the island.

The entire landmass was densely forested, with barely any open ground to tread upon.

There was only a single stone path, winding its way inland.

He followed the stone road, advancing steadily, and soon arrived before a stone gate.

A young man in green robes, carrying a sword on his back and embroidered with the character "Void," had long been waiting eagerly.

Upon seeing Chen Chaoxi, the youth immediately stepped forward.

"Finally, a newcomer to join the sect! Please, come with me!"

Chen Chaoxi's gaze flickered slightly, but he remained silent as he followed the other to the stone gate.

The young man pointed to the winding path beyond the gate and said, "From here, walk inward for 5 kilometers, and you will reach the mountain gate of our Tai Xu Sect."

"If you make it there successfully, the trial will be complete."

Chen Chaoxi pondered to himself.

This island had only this one path— Could this sect-entry trial be the sixth challenge of the competition?

"Brother, if I may ask—what should I be mindful of next?"

Hearing this, the young man's expression shifted slightly.