The Origins Dungeon Hall stood quietly at the edge of Pyradine City, as though it had nothing to do with the bustling world beyond its doors.
No banners.
No guards.
No spiritual aura worthy of notice.
And yet—
Inside its walls…
People were beginning to lose themselves.
---
"AGAIN!"
BANG!
Spirit crystals slammed onto the wooden table with reckless force.
Min Luan stood there, chest heaving.
His hair was a mess.
His robes wrinkled.
Sweat clung to his skin.
But his eyes—
They burned.
Wild.
Unstable.
"I'm going back!" he barked. "This time I'll kill it!"
---
Yuan Bi didn't even look up immediately.
"You said that the last six times."
"This is different!"
"It's always different," Yuan Bi replied flatly. "The result is the same. You die."
Min Luan froze for a moment.
"…Just take my money."
---
The crystals disappeared into Yuan Bi's sleeve.
Min Luan immediately turned—
Sat on the black seat—
Placed the helm over his head—
And fell silent.
---
Yuan Bi leaned back slightly.
Watching.
Observing.
"…So fast," he murmured.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Only desire.
---
Outside—
Footsteps began to slow.
---
A small group gathered near the entrance.
"What's happening here?"
"I've seen that fat guy go in multiple times already…"
"How many?"
"…At least three."
"…That's over twenty spirit crystals."
Silence.
"…Is he rich or insane?"
---
An old man nearby stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"…Whichever it is," he said, "it's interesting."
---
More people stopped.
More whispers spread.
"I heard it's a hidden trial realm."
"No, it's an illusion formation."
"My cousin said you can die inside and come back!"
"That's impossible."
"…Then why does he keep going back?"
No one answered.
---
Inside—
Yuan Bi yawned.
"…It's starting."
---
Creak—
The door opened again.
Two figures entered.
A young man in green robes.
Straight posture.
Sharp gaze.
Arrogance practically radiating from him.
Behind him stood a burly guard, silent and watchful.
---
The moment they entered—
The crowd outside leaned closer instinctively.
---
Inside—
"You," the young man said coldly. "Are you the owner?"
Yuan Bi remained seated.
"Yes."
---
The young man frowned.
"…You don't stand to greet me?"
Yuan Bi finally looked at him.
"Are you paying extra for that?"
---
A flicker of anger crossed the young man's face.
"…You have some nerve."
---
He glanced around the shop.
At the strange seats.
At the helms.
At Min Luan—
Who sat motionless, breathing faintly.
---
"What kind of trick is this?" he asked.
---
Yuan Bi pointed casually.
"Watch."
--
Above Min Luan—
A faint distortion appeared.
Not a clear image.
Not a perfect illusion.
But enough—
To glimpse fragments.
---
Dark corridors.
Rotting walls.
Something moving in the shadows.
A figure—Min Luan—struggling to survive.
---
Outside—
The crowd gasped.
"I saw it!"
"There really is something inside!"
"…That's not normal illusion technique…"
---
Inside—
The young man's expression changed.
"What is that?"
---
"A trial realm," Yuan Bi said calmly.
---
"Impossible."
---
Yuan Bi tapped lightly on the table.
"Watch this."
---
"Exit."
---
Inside the unseen world—
Min Luan froze mid-motion.
"WAIT—!"
---
FLASH.
---
He was gone.
---
Outside—
"AHHHH!"
Min Luan shot upright from the seat.
Gasping violently.
---
The crowd recoiled.
"IT CAME OUT!"
"DID SOMETHING FOLLOW HIM?!"
"IS HE POSSESSED?!"
---
Inside—
Min Luan turned, furious.
"WHY DID YOU PULL ME OUT?!"
Yuan Bi pointed calmly at the young master.
"Demonstration."
---
Min Luan: "…Can I go back?"
"Pay."
"…You're heartless."
---
Outside—
The whispers exploded.
"It's real!"
"He disappeared!"
"No—his consciousness entered!"
"This is an inheritance!"
---
A man pushed forward.
"I'm going in!"
Another grabbed him.
"Line up!"
"Who said there's a line?!"
"I just did!"
"YOU WANT TO FIGHT—?!"
---
The tension rose.
Qi began to stir.
Tempers flared.
---
Then—
The door creaked open.
---
Yuan Bi stepped out.
Calm.
Unhurried.
---
He flipped the wooden sign.
---
No disturbances allowed. Violators will be banned permanently.
---
Silence.
Instant.
Complete.
---
"…Banned?"
"…Forever?"
"…No entry again?"
---
The crowd stiffened.
Aggression vanished.
---
"Brother, you go first."
"No no, you go."
"Let's maintain order."
---
Yuan Bi nodded faintly.
"…Good."
---
Inside—
The young man's gaze had turned serious.
"I'll try it."
---
Yuan Bi pointed at the board.
---
The young man read it.
"…Seven spirit crystals."
He sneered.
"Expensive."
---
"Then leave," Yuan Bi replied.
---
Silence.
---
Outside—
The crowd watched closely.
"He's hesitating."
"…Maybe it's fake?"
---
The young man's pride ignited.
"Pay him."
---
The guard stepped forward—
Placed the crystals down.
---
Moments later—
The young man sat.
Placed the helm.
And vanished into stillness.
---
He entered.
And faced—
Fear.
Pain.
Death.
---
The faint projection flickered again.
---
The crowd watched.
Entranced.
---
"He's running!"
"Why is he screaming?!"
"That thing is chasing him!"
---
Someone laughed.
Another swallowed nervously.
---
Then—
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
---
The young man exploded out of the seat.
Fell to the ground.
Crawled backward.
Eyes wide with terror.
---
"It tried to eat me!"
---
Silence.
---
Then—
Laughter erupted.
---
"That's a young master?!"
"He screamed louder than a child!"
---
The young man's face burned red.
---
And yet—
He stood up.
Turned.
And went back.
---
Again.
And again.
---
The pressure built.
---
After some time—
The young man burst out again.
Breathing heavily.
Eyes bloodshot.
"I'll pay more!"
---
Yuan Bi didn't move.
"No."
---
"I'll double it!"
"No."
---
"Five times!"
---
The crowd gasped.
---
"…Five times?!"
"He's crazy!"
---
Yuan Bi paused.
Then said—
"…No."
---
Silence.
Shock.
Disbelief.
---
"He refused?!"
"What kind of shopkeeper refuses money?!"
"…He must be an expert…"
---
The young man stood there.
Shaken.
Frustrated.
---
But more than anything—
Reluctant to leave.
---
Finally—
He turned.
And walked out.
---
But his expression said everything.
---
He would return.
---
The moment he left—
The crowd surged forward.
"I'm next!"
"No, me!"
"I have crystals!"
---
Yuan Bi raised his hand slightly.
"Line."
---
Instant obedience.
---
Min Luan leaned closer.
"…You're going to get rich."
---
Yuan Bi leaned back in his chair.
Eyes calm.
Voice steady.
---
"No."
---
A pause.
---
"I'm going to get busy."
---
His gaze shifted—
Toward the empty seat.
---
Then—
For the first time—
Yuan Bi stood.
---
He walked forward.
Sat down.
Lifted the helm.
---
And placed it over his head.
---
🌑 Inside the Dungeon
Darkness.
Then—
The world returned.
---
The mine.
The stench.
The silence.
---
A corpse approached.
---
This time—
Yuan Bi didn't hesitate.
---
He moved.
Clean.
Precise.
---
One strike—
Straight through the skull.
---
The corpse fell.
---
A faint warmth entered his body.
---
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…So this is how it feels."
---
Then—
From the shadows—
Something else moved.
---
Not slow.
Not clumsy.
---
Fast.
Silent.
---
Watching him.
---
Yuan Bi smiled faintly.
---
"…Good."
---
The dungeon…
Was finally becoming interesting.