Chapter 177 – The Expectations of Cold Moon

After withdrawing from the fourth trial, Mu Yuan let out a long breath of turbid air and chose not to continue the challenge immediately.

He needed to give Deadbone and the others some time to recuperate.

Otherwise, even if their physical and mental states were restored to peak condition during challenges, an intangible ‘fatigue’ would still accumulate over time, hindering the maximum absorption of combat experience.

Thus, he granted his troops a period of rest and reflection, planning to challenge again in the afternoon.

“To successfully condense a Legion Soul, we must deploy the same type of troops for battle. The previous lineup… with Dolai, Isloria, Lu Liu, and others present, it interfered with the Undead Legion’s cohesion. The next challenge must feature a pure undead roster.”

Among his commanders, only Deadbone, Bone Two through Four, Rakshasa, and Red Robe could participate.

This would undoubtedly increase the pressure they faced. If not for getting too carried away earlier, honing skills in the third trial would have been more appropriate.

With only eleven challenge opportunities remaining—once exhausted, he’d have to wait for a slow natural recovery—he couldn’t afford to waste them.

He had heard that lords who advanced to the deeper regions of the giant tower not only gained more challenge attempts but also possessed various extraordinary privileges.

But that was still far beyond his reach.

He was a complete novice who couldn’t even clear the fourth trial of the Crimson Giant Tower… at best, he might barely scrape through it.

“These eleven challenges shouldn’t all be allocated to the Undead Legion. I need to distribute them fairly. Lu Liu, Seventeen, and others also require combat training, along with elite treefolk, human legion elites, and Asun, among others.

“Oh, and Sophia’s group too. Although they’re primarily administrative staff, having some combat prowess is always beneficial. Daisy’s performance earlier was lacking—a Prominent-grade unit struggling against a mere 32W Hundred-Faced Scholar is underwhelming.”

Mu Yuan decided to mix his other commanders and elites into a ‘motley crew’ to enter the Land of Trials for combat training, separate from the Undead Legion.

This included himself.

The matter was settled cheerfully.

To accelerate the condensation of the Legion Soul, Mu Yuan bolstered the Undead Legion’s strength.

While reserving a small reserve of Evolution Points, he swiftly evolved 20 Bone Undertakers and 20 Wraiths.

This meant over half of the hundred-strong legion now consisted of Prominent-grade units, supported by commanders like Rakshasa and Red Robe, all under Deadbone’s leadership. The emergence of their Legion Soul was imminent.

…

In the afternoon, Mu·Elegant Young Master·Yuan stepped into the Land of Trials once more, noticing that the number of lords present had increased from over a dozen in the morning to more than thirty.

“He’s here, he’s here!”

“The mysterious newcomer has arrived, intending to challenge the fourth trial again.”

“Brother, are you truly a first-timer in the Secret Realm? How old is your territory?”

Mu Yuan’s lips twitched slightly as he cupped his hands respectfully toward the surrounding Seniors. “This junior’s newbie status is genuine. I’ll be frequenting this place for some time, enduring the torments of the Land of Trials.”

The lords responded with good-natured laughter.

And rightly so—after newcomers break through the first three trials, they inevitably hit a wall and suffer under powerful foes. It was a rite of passage every lord underwent.Typically, after reaching their current limit in the trials, Lords would need at least one or two months of accumulation to advance further—sometimes even half a year, a year, or two years.

Most Lords had a clear understanding of whether they could clear the stages.

The answer was usually no.

Yet, these life-and-death battles, unafraid of Death, were exceptionally effective in honing skills and willpower. Even knowing they would be utterly defeated, the Lords pressed forward without fear, enduring the pain yet finding joy in it.

Newcomers, too, would eventually walk the same path.

Suddenly, they felt a sense of familiarity, no longer viewing them as aloof, heaven-favored prodigies but as kindred spirits.

As Mu Yuan stepped inside, a point of light flickered on and off in the fourth layer of the Crimson Giant Tower.

It was a light destined to be extinguished, yet stubbornly persistent.

…

…

Deep within the Wilderness, a certain place.

This was a region countless times more desolate than the territories of newcomers, where no human traces could be found for thousands of miles. Yet, here stood a majestic and imposing Pale Blue Fortress.

The fortress spanned over a kilometer in length and width, towering more than two hundred meters high. Its structure rose vertically at first, like towering City Walls, then slanted inward toward the center, resembling an enormous blue box or a massive block of ice.

It was sealed tightly, yet exquisitely carved.

On the two-hundred-meter-high walls, undulating waves of icy blue light flowed rhythmically, adorned with massive diamond-shaped gems that seemed to store immense energy.

Undoubtedly, this was a colossal and formidable war machine.

Standing here, though the fortress itself remained pristine, the surrounding area was littered with uneven craters, dried and solidified blood, and the remains of monsters buried in the earth—hastily processed but still faintly visible.

From the fortress outward, stretching north for thousands, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of meters, these signs were everywhere.

A bone-chilling cold permeated the air.

But in stark contrast to the exterior, the interior of the fortress appeared remarkably tranquil. A miniature sun, created by some means, hung high in the sky, casting warm, gentle sunlight.

The streets were lined with numerous flowers and plants, infusing the surroundings with vibrant life.

If not for the towering walls at the outermost edge, the interior gave no indication of being a front-line fortress.

At the center of the fortress, on a teleportation platform over ten meters in diameter.

Hum—

Hum—

As the blue light barrier, shaped like an inverted bowl, dissipated, a woman clad in black-and-white armor emerged.

She had a valiant appearance, with chestnut hair twisted into a bun at the back of her head. Bangs framed her forehead and temples, and her eyes, also chestnut in color, seemed influenced by some unique Bloodline.

Her figure was petite, yet the fullness of her curves was unmistakable even beneath the thick armor. The armor itself was form-fitting, accentuating her slender waist. She wore a battle skirt resembling an evening gown that reached her ankles, layered with protective plating, and her arms were covered with heavy bracers.

At a glance, it was clear she was a heavily armored vanguard-type player.

This was Shen Linglong, who had been fully wrapped up in the Land of Trials, revealing only her eyes.

Now, this was her everyday attire.

She strode purposefully toward the garrison headquarters not far away.

A few other players within the fortress greeted her as she passed.

“General Shen!”

“Sister Linglong!”In the eyes of others, Shen Linglong was an exceptionally heroic and formidable lord, renowned for her bravery and combat prowess, hailed as the ‘Dragon Warrior General’. She had entered the Eternal World slightly earlier than Han Yue, yet within just a few years, she had risen to the rank of Great Lord.

She was also a prodigious talent admired and pursued by many lords of her generation.

Only in front of the Cold Moon City Lord did Shen Linglong act like an adoring fan.

As she stepped into the estate, her pace lightened considerably, and she swiftly followed the familiar scent.

At that moment,

In the study of the estate, a woman of ethereal coldness leaned against the wall.

She wore an ice-blue gown that accentuated her tall and graceful figure, yet anyone who saw her would not first notice her slender form or her stunningly beautiful face, but rather her eyes that seemed to freeze the entire world.

Her eyebrows resembled wind and snow, her hair flowed like an icy river, and wherever she stood, even on the hottest summer days, the air would turn cool and refreshing.

However, at this moment, the Cold Moon City Lord, revered and admired by countless followers, was staring at an ancient text in her hand, her brows furrowing bit by bit, then furrowing again, until she could no longer suppress a slight twitch.

It was as if an explosion had shattered solid ice.

“This ancient divine script—this City Lord refuses to study it any longer!”

As she spoke, she was about to slam the ancient text onto the desk when she heard footsteps approaching.

Liu Xiyue’s descending hand halted ten centimeters above the desk, pausing for a full half-second before she casually withdrew it and smoothed down her hair and robes, which she had ruffled in her frustration.

She pretended to lower her head and continue studying the ancient text with intense focus.

A few seconds later,

“Sister Han Yue, let me hug you~!”

“No hugging.”

Shen Linglong lunged forward like a Kunpeng in flight, but as she drew near, her forehead was stopped by two slender, pale fingers. She flailed her arms in mid-air several times before ultimately landing with regret.

“Sister Han Yue is studying ancient texts again? Even though you’re already so powerful, you’re still so diligent. Truly worthy of being Sister Han Yue. I could never force myself to read this stuff.”

She spoke with admiration.

Liu Xiyue slightly tilted her chin upward, smiling without a word.

“You came here because Tianyuan has entered the Land of Trials to challenge the stages, right? There was no need to come in person; you could have just used a communication tool.”

“No, something this important must be reported face-to-face. Besides, Tianyuan is actually quite impressive.”

Shen Linglong said with a serious expression.

She then vividly described the scenes—even though she could only observe through external light points and judge based on time—as if she had personally witnessed each stage of the challenging battles, recounting them with thrilling intensity.

“Right now, Tianyuan is challenging the fourth stage, probably honing his combat skills.”

After finishing, she stared intently but saw little surprise on Sister Han Yue’s face.

That didn’t make sense.

Liu Xiyue said, “I’ve told you before, Tianyuan’s talent is no less than mine. Breaking through three stages in a row is quite normal. But whether he can reach sufficient heights in the future is still uncertain—it depends on whether he can maintain his current fierce determination and progress.”

She was still somewhat surprised.

When she first challenged the Land of Trials, it was nearly five months after entering the world. From this perspective, Tianyuan was stronger than her. However, times were changing. This year’s crises and opportunities were greater than in previous years, so Tianyuan’s performance did not shock her.

Rather, if Tianyuan continued with such ferocity, he might genuinely have a chance to compete for the Taixuan representative spot in the Dragon Court Competition.

By then, the other ‘old friends’ would likely be astonished when they witnessed Tianyuan’s performance.At this thought, Liu Xiyue grew especially expectant.

‘Tianyuan, you better give it your all—don’t disappoint my sister.’

But Shen Linglong firmly believed, “Tianyuan must be slightly inferior to Sister Han Yue.”

How could she prove this point?

Shen Linglong pondered.

Shen Linglong couldn’t come up with anything.

Maybe… directly challenge Tianyuan to a fight? To gauge his Move techniques.

She was a battle enthusiast to begin with—otherwise, she wouldn’t have become Han Yue’s die-hard fan.

In her eyes, Tianyuan’s ability to break through three levels at such a young age surely meant he possessed extraordinary combat talent.

Thinking this, she, too, ignited with excitement.

First update, one more chapter to go.

(End of Chapter)