It didn't matter; they needed to uncover more about Yu Xiao's identity.
She had passed the first trial, and now she steadied herself, manifesting her will for the next.
Yu Xiao returned to the threshold, spine straight and gaze sharp, and invaded the second gate in silence.
The corridor was dark and dim, its atmosphere heavy and uncertain.
As she stepped forward, she felt the subtle give of sand shifting beneath her feet.
Each footfall was accompanied by a soft, gritty crunch, grounding her in the present and heightening her awareness of every movement.
Her eyes flicked along the walls, searching for hidden dangers.
What tricks will they throw at me this time?
The thought danced in her mind, edged with both anticipation and wariness.
Halfway through, a gentle breeze swept in from the north, cool and teasing against her cheek, swirling around her neck.
She paused, the sensation both unexpected and strangely reassuring—a sign of something ahead, or perhaps a warning.
The corridor itself pressed in tightly, its sandy floor muffling her steps, its stone walls unyielding.
It was a one-way passage, no escape routes, and she was utterly alone.
Yet, she could sense that this path led to an exit, though what awaited her beyond was uncertain.
The outside world felt close, but she knew from experience that such hope could be a mirage.
Yu Xiao's lips twitched into a quiet, self-assured smile.
She had faced deadlier traps and more cunning deceptions in her two decades in the martial world.
Her hands remembered the weight and shape of weapons—swords, knives, arrows, sticks, and guns—a familiar extension of her will.
But beyond her mastery of such arms, it was her commitment to Wushu and the cultivation of her internal force that set her apart, a well of strength steadying her spirit.
These trials were nothing she hadn't seen before—just another test of her resolve and skill.
For Yu Xiao, this was just another step along a path she had walked many times.
Drawing a measured breath, she advanced, her every sense sharpened, feet steady in the shifting sand, ready to meet whatever awaited her in the shadows.
No matter what dangers lay ahead, Yu Xiao's determination was unshakable—she would find Tiaopi, whatever the cost.
Unbeknownst to her, Long Jianyu and Yun Qingjue lingered behind, their forms shrouded in invisibility.
Silent observers, they watched Yu Xiao's every move, curiosity flickering in their eyes as she approached the heart of the second trial.
Yun Qingjue leaned closer to Long Jianyu, his voice barely a whisper.
"Dijun, do you think Yu Xiao has sensed the invisible traps hidden in this place?"
Long Jianyu's eyes narrowed, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Guesswork means little. Only when truth is revealed to our naked eyes does it truly matter."
Yun Qingjue nodded, a quiet chuckle escaping him.
"You're right, Dijun."
He glanced at Yu Xiao, admiration softening his gaze.
"Judging by her composure, she's more than capable, I'd say."
For a long moment, Yu Xiao remained unaware that she had already stepped into the trap's deadly embrace.
Without warning, Long Jianyu, watching from the shadows, conjured a subtle gust of wind.
The spell threaded through the corridor, swirling around Yu Xiao's back—a delicate, deliberate touch meant to alert her.
She spun around instantly, instincts sharpened by years of training.
Her hair flared out as she turned, only to be abruptly severed mid-motion, the strands falling silently to the sandy ground.
The hem of her robe fluttered and then, just as suddenly, a piece sliced clean away, drifting down beside the lock of hair.
Yu Xiao's hand shot to her shoulder, fingers searching for the source of the unseen contact.
Her eyes swept the corridor behind her—empty, silent, and unchanged.
She had entered alone.
No one should be here.
A soft gasp escaped her lips, quickly stifled as she masked her surprise.
Forcing herself to appear unfazed, she turned back toward her path, her resolve tightening.
But her sharp gaze caught something at her feet—a glossy strand of her own hair, cleanly cut, lying atop the sand.
Next to it rested a sliver of fabric from her robe, sliced with uncanny precision.
The realization dawned on her: the trap was not just hidden, but already sprung, silent and invisible.
Yu Xiao's heart hammered once, then steadied.
She knelt, examining the evidence—a warning, and a challenge.
With renewed caution, she rose, eyes narrowed, determined to outwit whatever unseen danger lay ahead.
Invisible trap? If so, I'm about to kill!
Yu Xiao's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. Looking forward, she already suspected what kind of danger lay ahead.
A glint of debris beside her boot caught her attention.
She stooped and picked it up, turning the shard over in her palm, studying its weight and shape.
For a moment, she simply stared, calculating.
With a steadying breath, she centered herself.
Then, in one fluid, practiced motion, she flicked her wrist and sent the debris sailing down the corridor.
As soon as it crossed an unseen line, the fragment exploded—shattered midair into a spray of tiny pieces, which rained softly onto the sandy floor.
Yu Xiao watched, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction at her own tactical acumen.
A slow, knowing smile curled at the corner of her lips.
The invisible trap was exposed, and she was ready to face it head-on.
Basic! But not enough.
Yu Xiao's gaze swept the dim corridor, where only the faint glow of shimmering stones illuminated the way ahead.
Simply tossing debris into the heart of these invisible traps wouldn't suffice.
She needed a method to reveal their shape fully—and to avoid their deadly touch.
Crouching low, she scooped a handful of sand into her palm.
Without hesitation, she flung it forward in a graceful arc.
As the grains rained down, they caught on something unseen—lines that shimmered to life, outlining themselves in faint, flickering threads.
Revealed at last, the trap became visible: razor-thin laser threads, glowing with a menacing blend of purple and red.
They crisscrossed the air, strung tightly between the stone walls in an intricate web.
To make their pattern unmistakable, Yu Xiao seized more sand, repeating the motion three, four, five times.
Each cascade of grains clung to the lasers, making them gleam even brighter and exposing the entire deadly lattice before her eyes.
Studying the glowing web, Yu Xiao nodded with quiet satisfaction, her mind already working to plot a safe path through.
Just a piece of cake!
With a confident smirk, Yu Xiao strode forward, arms folded across her chest like a domineering boss surveying her domain.
Then, with a fluid motion, she unfolded her arms and assessed the glowing laser web before her.
She stepped into the trap's domain, her body shifting seamlessly into motion.
Using her well-honed tactical skills, she navigated the deadly lattice with the grace of a seasoned acrobat—twisting, ducking, and leaping between the crisscrossed beams.
Each movement was precise and controlled, her robe fluttering behind her as she wove effortlessly through the labyrinth of light.
In that moment, Yu Xiao turned the treacherous challenge into a display of effortless mastery.
She passed.
At the end of the corridor, Yu Xiao glanced back, her eyes cool and composed.
With a flick of her wrists, she snapped her palms together, brushing off the lingering grains of sand as if dismissing the challenge itself.
From their concealed vantage, Long Jianyu and Yun Qingjue exchanged stunned glances.
Even in their invisible forms, disbelief flickered across their faces as they witnessed Yu Xiao's hidden skills laid bare.
The effortless way she navigated the deadly trap left them both in silent awe.
After conquering the challenge, Yu Xiao resumed her search, her low humming echoing softly through the corridor's depths.
She pressed onward, steps purposeful, until—almost without realizing—it opened up before her: an exit, framing the view of a shrouded mountain peak in the distance.
A rush of fresh air enveloped her, cool and invigorating.
She drew in a deep breath, filling her lungs and savoring the crispness, though it could not dispel the restless longing within her.
But this wasn't what she sought. In the quiet corners of her mind, her thoughts circled relentlessly around Tiaopi—the one she was determined to find.
Turning back, she retraced her steps.
Yet as she moved through the corridor, she noticed something she hadn't before: another open threshold she'd previously overlooked.
It beckoned, mysterious and inviting.
Rather than risking the deadly laser traps again, Yu Xiao made her decision in an instant.
She stepped through the new opening, ready to face whatever awaited on the other side.
As Yu Xiao ventured onward, she soon emerged into a wide, perilous chamber.
Dust blanketed every surface, swirling in the stagnant air with each step she took.
The corners and ceiling were choked with thick, tangled spider webs, glistening faintly in the dim light and swaying as if disturbed by unseen movements.
To one side stood an old, rusted jail—the iron bars twisted and corroded with age, casting long, menacing shadows across the floor.
A heavy fog clung to the ground, curling around her ankles and seeping through the air with an eerie persistence, shrouding the chamber in a chilling, cinematic gloom.
The entire scene resembled something from a nightmare, every detail steeped in the unsettling tension of a horror movie.
Yu Xiao's senses sharpened, and she moved with heightened caution, ready for whatever threat might be lurking in the shadows.
Above the chamber, concealed within a hidden passage, Long Jianyu and Yun Qingjue continued to monitor Yu Xiao, their forms cloaked in invisibility.
Silent and watchful, they tracked her every movement as she navigated the perilous room below.
Yun Qingjue leaned closer, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"Dijun, this is her final challenge. Are you truly going to go through with this?"
Long Jianyu remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on Yu Xiao, unreadable.
Yun Qingjue pressed on, anxiety flickering in his eyes.
"Do you think she'll succeed this time?"
Long Jianyu finally glanced over, exhaustion shadowing his features. He let out a quiet sigh.
"You wished for this outcome. There's no need to worry—this challenge is merely a minor setup."
Despite the reassurance, Yun Qingjue exhaled, his unease lingering in the air.
"Let's begin," Long Jianyu intoned. With a measured gesture, he cast a spell, summoning a paranormal event to unfold in the chamber below.
The atmosphere thickened, charged with an unnatural energy, and the final trial began.
WOOOOOH!
A chilling, unpleasant sound echoed through the chamber, reverberating off the stone walls and weaving through the fog.
Yu Xiao's head snapped up, her body tense as her eyes darted to every shadowed corner, searching for the source of the eerie noise.
"Who is it?" she called out, her voice steady but edged with caution, ready to confront whatever—or whoever—had disturbed the silence.