The outer perimeter of Dragon Lock Abyss.
A massive torrent of water plummeted from a 100-meter-high cliff, crashing into the deep pool below.
The resulting spray of mist drifted through the entire valley.
“This is the place.” Su Zhentian’s voice carried a strange sense of resolve.
He walked to the edge of the waterfall and stood before a rock that had been polished smooth by the rushing water.
His eyes, which had regained their spirit, stared intently at the violent curtain of water as his lips moved soundlessly.
A string of ancient, obscure, and mysterious rhythmic syllables flowed from his mouth.
As the final syllable fell—
“Rumble!”
The violent waterfall came to a bizarre halt.
The world-shaking roar vanished, replaced by a momentary, deathly silence.
Immediately following that, the massive wall of water was split down the middle as if sliced by an invisible blade.
The currents receded to both sides, revealing a smooth, black rock wall that had been hidden for thousands of years.
In the center of the rock wall, a gate composed of pure light slowly emerged.
Inside the gate was a bottomless pitch-black darkness that swallowed all light, appearing as if it connected to another world.
“The first trial left by our ancestors is strength.”
Su Zhentian’s voice trembled slightly with a mix of excitement and fear.
In this moment, he straightened his back.
Without sufficient power, one could not even enter this gate.
He was the first to step forward.
However, just as his toes touched the edge of the light gate—
-Whirr!
A blinding golden light suddenly exploded from within the gate.
A domineering, unreasonable force slammed into his chest.
“Ugh!” Su Zhentian let out a muffled groan of pain.
He was sent flying by the massive force, staggering back several steps before he managed to steady himself, his face turned deathly pale in an instant.
The bottle of the Fountain of Life had healed the hidden injuries he had accumulated over the years and reignited his hope.
However, more than ten years of stagnation could not be made up for overnight.
His strength had recovered significantly, but he was still just a hair’s breadth away from the threshold set by his ancestors.
“Dad!”
Su Nian’s heart tightened, and she immediately stepped forward to support his wobbling body.
“I’m fine.”
Su Zhentian pushed her hand away and forced himself to stand straight.
However, the light that had finally been rekindled in his eyes dimmed once more, leaving behind nothing but bitterness and frustration.
He turned around, his gaze first landing on his daughter’s face, which was filled with worry.
Then, his gaze moved past her to the man who had remained calm from the beginning.
“Nian, Chu Tian…”
“The rest… is up to you.”
“I can’t go in.”
Su Nian nodded vigorously, her nose stinging with emotion.
With a thought, the purple kitten emerged from a spatial rift.
“Little Violet, take my father to Big Mountain.”
The purple Ling Cat nodded silently.
A soft glow radiated from its body, enveloping Su Zhentian.
“Chu Tian.”
Just before being completely swallowed by the teleportation light, Su Zhentian looked at Demon Chu Tian one last time.
His gaze was full of absolute trust.
“I’m entrusting my daughter to you.”
Demon Chu Tian nodded slightly, “Rest easy, Uncle.”
A flash of light occurred, and Su Zhentian’s tall figure disappeared.
Only Su Nian and Demon Chu Tian remained in front of the waterfall.
With her father gone, the pressure of having to maintain the persona of a “couple in love” at all times vanished instantly.
Su Nian let out a long sigh of relief.
The surrounding air seemed to become much fresher.
“Let’s go.”
The two figures, one following the other, vanished into the bottomless darkness within the gate.
***
A moment later, another group of people arrived before the roaring waterfall.
The leader was none other than Su Changhai.
His face was a twisted mask of malice and greed.
Behind him stood several figures wrapped in black robes, radiating a cold aura—they were the assassins sent by the Third Prince.
Looking at the open light gate that emitted an ancient aura, Su Changhai could not suppress his wild joy.
“Indeed! That old fool really did tell Su Zhentian the secrets of the Su Family!”
“Heaven is truly helping me!”
“You two can go in and trigger the traps for me!”
“In the end, all the treasures will be mine!”
“Hahaha!”
Meanwhile, not far away, two figures stood silently in the shadows of the forest.
The Dream-Weaving Demon Queen, Yousha, let her red lips curl into a smile.
Beside her, Gareth let out a disdainful grunt from his nose, a sound like giant rocks grinding together.
“We should just crush them, kill them, take the items, and leave,” Gareth said dismissively.
“What’s the rush?” Yousha glanced at him.
Her purple pupils were filled with the playfulness of a cat Toying with a mouse.
Her gaze fell upon the dark entrance.
“The real show is all inside.”
***
The moment she passed through the spatial gate, Su Nian’s vision went black.
It felt as if her five senses were instantly stripped away.
The sensation of weightlessness and disorientation lasted for only a moment before her feet touched solid ground.
The area before her opened up into a bizarre and fantastical space.
There was no sun or moon in the sky, only a chaotic gray mist flowing slowly.
A narrow bridge made of white crystal stretched straight out from her feet, disappearing into the depths of the mist with no end in sight.
Beneath the bridge was a bottomless abyss churning with black energy.
Bursts of shrill screams—the wails of countless souls being torn apart—echoed, piercing directly into one’s mind.
Three words were carved into a nearby stone.
“Heart Illusion Bridge.”
Demon Chu Tian’s voice sounded beside her.
Su Nian’s heart skipped a beat.
She had heard of this kind of trial.
It didn’t test strength, but rather one’s mental fortitude.
The bridge would reflect the scenes the intruder feared or hated most in their heart.
Su Nian’s breathing hitched for a second.
Her body went stiff, and she instinctively turned her head to look at the man beside her.
The man happened to be looking at her as well, with a playful curve to his lips.
His expression suggested he had already seen through all the secrets in her heart.
“What, are you afraid to walk?” He spoke slowly, his tone entirely teasing.
“Are you afraid of seeing something on the bridge that you shouldn’t see?”
“Who’s afraid!” Su Nian practically shouted the words.
She forced herself to look away and was the first to step onto the white crystal bridge.
One step, two steps…
The surface of the bridge was sturdy, feeling cold and hard beneath her feet.
After she had walked more than ten meters, a sudden change occurred!
The surrounding gray mist churned and twisted violently.
In front of her, it coalesced into a scene she never wanted to remember for the rest of her life.
In the mountains of the Magic Forest, being imprisoned by the Horned Demon.
Shadowmoon Manor.
That luxurious yet cold bedroom.
She was kneeling before that man, offering up the Chain with both hands.
In the illusion, that voice with its aggressive laughter sounded all too clear, ringing right in her ear.
‘No!’
‘This is an illusion.’
‘I’m supposed to be inside the secret realm right now.’
Su Nian’s pupils shrank suddenly.
She shook her head, wanting to throw that humiliating image out of her mind.
However, the scene before her grew clearer and more realistic.
It even showed some scenes she had imagined but that had not actually occurred.
Scene after scene, event after event, played out repeatedly before her.
“Ah…”
Su Nian let out a low groan of pain.
Her mind fell into chaos, and her footing faltered.
Her body tilted uncontrollably toward the edge of the bridge.
Just as she was about to plunge into the bottomless abyss, her waist was suddenly gripped tight.
A massive force yanked her back, slamming her into a firm, hot chest.