Bang.

  With a dull, muffled sound, the earth element orb glowing with thick yellow light shattered in Qin Yi’s hand.

  It dissolved into countless motes of light and slowly faded.

  The anticipated click of the lock did not come.

  The massive bronze lock remained tightly fastened to the stone door, utterly unmoved.

  The chamber fell into deathly silence.

  Everyone stared at Qin Yi’s back, waiting, hoping, clinging to the possibility of a miracle.

  Seconds passed.

  The door did not respond.

  Then, without warning, shrill laughter ripped through the stillness.

  “Hahaha hahahahaha!”

  Mei Ji stood with arms crossed, laughing wildly. Her eyes were filled with naked contempt as she looked at Qin Yi.

  “I said it from the beginning. He’s just a self important fool. And you insisted on placing all your hopes on this piece of trash!”

  She pointed at the others with lacquered fingers.

  “Wonderful. We only had two chances, and he’s already wasted one!”

  Her voice rose higher and higher, dripping with mockery.

  “Still standing there pretending. Won’t even turn around. What, too ashamed to face us? After boasting so loudly, this is the result? If I were you, I’d smash my head against a wall rather than keep embarrassing myself!”

  Her tirade cut off abruptly.

  In the span of a heartbeat, Qin Yi moved again.

  Without giving anyone time to react, his left hand shot out like lightning and seized the wood element orb glowing with gentle green light.

  Almost simultaneously, the right hand that had crushed the earth orb flashed toward a water element orb radiating soft blue light.

  He squeezed.

  Crack.

  He was too fast.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  With their mortal bodies, the others could not even process what he had done, much less stop him.

  Before their minds caught up, a clear and melodious sound rang in their ears.

  Clink.

  The enormous bronze lock dropped from the stone door.

  It struck the cold ground and echoed sharply.

  Mei Ji’s smile froze.

  Her alluring eyes widened in disbelief.

  “How… how did you do that? Did you really see something?”

  For the first time, urgency crept into her voice.

  But Qin Yi ignored her completely. He did not spare her even a glance.

  After the lock fell, he calmly pushed the stone door open and walked out.

  The others stared at his steady back. He did not look surprised at all, as though opening the lock had been inevitable.

  Only now did they realize that his composure from beginning to end might not have been an act.

  Even facing the unknown beyond the door, there was no hesitation in his steps.

  Feng Wuya was the first to follow, his shadowed face unreadable.

  The rest snapped out of their daze and hurried after them.

  As for the three who had refused to trust Qin Yi, they could only snort coldly and trail behind, unwilling but with no choice.

  They had not gone far before the crowd ahead suddenly stopped.

  At the back, Mei Ji’s view was blocked.

  “Why did you stop? Move!” she called impatiently.

  The line shifted forward again, and she stepped out of the doorway.

  Then she froze.

  Outside was not an open world, but a solitary island.

  Beyond it stretched an endless black sea, ink dark and perfectly still, like a giant mirror reflecting nothing but silence.

  The sky above was gray and empty. No sun, no moon, no stars.

  They were trapped in a sealed, hopeless world.

  The group stood in stunned silence.

  Mei Ji was the first to recover. A mocking smile curled her lips as she looked at Qin Yi.

  “What a pity. Even if you want to part ways, on a tiny island like this, where could you possibly send me? I’d happily separate from you, but it seems this secret realm disagrees.”

  The moment she finished speaking, she noticed the strange looks directed at her.

  Feng Wuya’s hoarse voice sounded.

  “You wish to part ways? That’s simple.”

  “To leave this place, we must each choose a ship. When the time comes, you take the ship you choose. We will take ours. That will be the separation.”

  “What?”

  Mei Ji shoved through the crowd and finally saw it.

  At the island’s edge stood an ancient black stone stele.

  On it, glowing characters were inscribed in archaic script.

  Upon touching the stele, one hundred ships would pass. They must choose one among them to cross the sea.

  Her expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly scoffed.

  “Fine. Separate then! You think I want to stay with you idiots? Qin Yi was just lucky earlier. Watch. If you keep listening to him, he’ll get you all killed this time!”

  Feng Wuya sneered.

  “Lucky? Without him, we would still be trapped inside that chamber. Whether by luck or insight, the result is the same. He opened the lock. That is enough for me to follow him.”

  “Who says it wasn’t luck?” Mei Ji shot back. “Maybe if I had tried, I could have opened it just as quickly. Then would you follow me?”

  Seeing her stubbornness, Feng Wuya fell silent.

  Qin Yi, observing coldly from the side, let out a faint laugh.

  Perhaps offering explanations was unnecessary.

  No need to justify. No need to prove.

  Those willing to follow would follow.

  Those unwilling would never be convinced.

  This was the Demonic Sect.

  No one here cared for childish debates. Only overwhelming strength commanded respect.

  And in this strange realm, what was strength?

  The ability to pass its trials.

  He was certain that among them, he was the strongest in that regard.

  As for the weak and foolish

  They could remain here forever.

  Qin Yi stepped forward and pressed his palm firmly against the cold black stele.

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