The Prodigies War

The Calamitous Zone was a world plagued by constant calamities and countless disasters. The calamities here were no mere natural disasters. They were tribulations of the great dao itself. Even the most common lightning tribulation possessed destructive force enough to threaten beings of the Immeasurable Realm.

Beyond lightning tribulations, there were wind, fire, water, dust and other tribulation forces, each perilous beyond measure. Since ancient times, those who entered this zone rarely dared to roam or explore it. The calamities were strewn across heaven and earth in such numbers that any misstep could be fatal.

Shua!

On this day, Lin Xun appeared without warning upon a vast and desolate plain. The moment his figure solidified, a crimson sandstorm howled across the horizon. It swallowed the sky in an instant, its shrieking wind like the lament of fallen gods. The sound pierced the soul, cold and mournful.

Lin Xun reacted at once, shifting away in a single step. He had barely steadied himself when the nearby void suddenly collapsed with a thunderous crack. Space collapsed inward, and from the rupture burst a violent torrent of pitch-black water, surging like a broken dam. The aura it radiated was thick with a terrifying corrosive force.

Lin Xun had no choice but to move again. A chill crept into his heart. There are simply too many tribulations in this Calamitous Zone...

With his current cultivation, he could clearly sense that both the crimson sandstorm and the black deluge that crushed the void were infused with an aura capable of threatening even Immeasurable Realm beings! Ordinary experts would likely be unable to withstand, let alone counter, such forces.

“Ten months have already passed. Xia Zhi must be tired of waiting.”

Lin Xun drew a deep breath, steadying his mind and extending his senses. When they parted in the Mortal Transformation Zone, he had given Xia Zhi a talisman token. With it, the moment he entered the Calamitous Zone, he would be able to sense her location. A moment later, his eyes flashed. His figure flickered and vanished, traversing the void in a single stride.

......

Xia Zhi sat quietly on a solitary boulder, eyes gently closed. Her delicate features were suffused with a tranquil, almost sacred stillness.

In the distance rose a towering mountain. Its ridges were undulating and barren, not a blade of grass in sight. Gray mist coiled around its slopes from peak to base, and within that haze, faint silhouettes could be seen standing upon it.

Each figure stood motionless at a different point along the mountain. Every now and then, a handful would suddenly take a few steps upward, only to halt once more. The movements were strange and unsettling.

This mountain was the Test of Past Life! To pass the Test of Past Life, one had to climb this mountain and transcend it. However, passing this test was far from easy.

Because the very first step upon the mountain was akin to stepping onto the path of past life itself. Every thought, every intention, every trace of consciousness would be pulled into a strange realm of reincarnation.

If one could break free from that cycle, one would sever the path of past life, and thus pass the trial. On the other hand, if one failed, one would remain forever trapped on that path. Their cultivation would gradually dissipate with the passing of time and their existence eroded until nothing remained.

To enter one’s past life was to walk toward death! Throughout the ages, there had been no shortage of cultivators who became trapped on the path of past life, their bodies destroyed and their dao extinguished.

At this moment, before the Test of Past Life, many people stood in silence. They did not attempt the trial, but merely watched from afar, as though waiting for something to unfold. Others, like Xia Zhi, were scattered across the surrounding area, seated in meditation.

“Miss.”

Suddenly, a man approached. He wore flowing purple-gold robes, his bearing elegant and refined, and his features strikingly handsome. The aura that emanated from him was equally astonishing.

“Is there something?” Xia Zhi opened her eyes. Her voice was clear and melodious like celestial music, but beneath its sweetness lingered a trace of cool indifference.

How beautiful!

The man’s eyes brightened. For an instant, an inexplicable heat surged through his chest. He steadied himself, drew a slow breath, cupped his hands in greeting and said politely, “My name is Du Canzhao. Forgive my boldness, but I noticed that when you first arrived here, you were alone. It has been ten months since then, yet you have not once attempted the test of Past Life. Might you be harboring some hesitation?”

“I am waiting for someone.”

Xia Zhi’s expression remained calm and serene. Her gaze was on Du Canzhao, but within her eyes there was no ripple of emotion. Most people, faced with such indifference, would have withdrawn long ago, but Du Canzhao did not.

“Oh?” he pressed gently. “May I ask who you are waiting for?”

“None of your concern.” Xia Zhi’s brows knitted faintly.

These words were blunt, with no attempt at courtesy of softening. It was a clear and undisguised rejection. A flicker of embarrassment crossed Du Canzhao’s face. Forcing a faint smile, he cupped his hands once more and said, “Forgive the disturbance.”

Then, he turned and left. Xia Zhi closed her eyes again.

Over the past ten months, countless people had approached her in this manner. It had long since become tiresome. She truly could not understand why these cultivators, beings who had lived for countless years, would waste their time attempting idle conversation with a complete stranger. Did they not realize how tedious it was?

She did not know that it was precisely because she was so breathtakingly beautiful. Nor did she realize that, as a woman who had attained the Greater Boundless Realm and stepped through the heavenly gate of the Mortal Transformation Zone, she carried a rare temperament and irresistible allure.

Fortunately, although many were unwilling to give up, they all knew better. After all, they were beings who had lived through countless ages. None would behave like reckless youths and resort to forceful measures. When the purple-gold robed man returned, the mighty beings who had been watching the exchange could no longer hold back their laughter.

“That makes thirty-nine, doesn’t it?” someone remarked with amusement.

“I wonder what sort of man could possibly capture the heart of such a beauty...” another sighed.

“Didn’t she say she’s waiting for someone?” someone else whispered.

“Then I would very much like to see this man,” another scoffed. “To make a woman like that wait here alone for ten months? It’s outrageous!”

Many gazes flickered with curiosity. All of them wondered who it was that this woman, whose beauty had stirred even the hearts of mighty beings, was waiting for.

“He’s certainly no formidable figure. His cultivation must be inferior to that young lady’s. Otherwise, why would she have arrived first, while he still hasn’t managed to leave the Mortal Transformation Zone?”

“If you ask me, the one she’s waiting for is likely not even our equal.”

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

At that moment, Xia Zhi suddenly opened her eyes. “In my eyes, he is a thousand times stronger than all of you!” Her voice was cold as frost. The crowd fell silent at first. Then soft chuckles rose, and many shook their heads in amusement.

“Miss, if your beloved is truly so powerful, why has he yet to appear?” Du Canzhao, unable to restrain himself, stepped forward once more. ”And if he remains trapped in the Mortal Transformation Zone, will you truly wait for him for the rest of your life?”

“He will come.” Xia Zhi’s voice was tranquil and unhurried, as though she was stating an undeniable fact.

An inexplicable unwillingness welled up in Du Canzhao’s heart, or perhaps it was jealousy, a rare and unfamiliar jealousy. “And what if he doesn’t?”

“Then I will wait.” Xia Zhi answered without hesitation.

Du Canzhao’s expression flickered repeatedly. At last, he let out a long breath and forced a strained smile. “I truly don’t know who that lucky fellow is. But if I ever meet him...”

His gaze sharpened. “I’ll be sure to measure him myself!”

Before his words had faded, a soft chuckle drifted from the distance. “You wish to spar with me?”

The voice was not loud, yet it rang clearly, echoing across heaven and earth. Du Canzhao froze. The nearby mighty figures were equally startled.

To their astonishment, the moment that voice echoed across the heavens, the celestial maiden who had sat cross-legged upon that boulder for ten long months rose to her feet at once. A radiant smile bloomed across her serene, breathtaking face. It was a smile born from the depths of her heart.

It was so beautiful that it left people momentarily dazed, as though their very souls had been gently stirred. In all these ten months, none of the mighty beings present had ever seen her smile even once!

A faint, unspoken jealousy flickered through the crowd. Then they saw him. From afar, a figure emerged through the void, clad in moon-white robes, handsome and composed, bearing an air of otherworldly elegance. It was none other than Lin Xun.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting.” Lin Xun smiled gently and reached out to ruffle Xia Zhi’s hair, his tone unmistakably apologetic.

“It was only ten months. It’s nothing.” Xia Zhi’s eyes curved slightly as she looked at him. Her serene, delicate face that had remained aloof for so long now shone with undisguised joy. That smile alone sent another ripple through the hearts of those watching from afar.

Then Xia Zhi suddenly turned around and pointed toward the man in purple-gold robes. “He said earlier that he wanted to compete with you.”

Du Canzhao froze for a moment. Then a confident, faintly arrogant smile spread across his face. “I did. The reason is simple. I pity this young lady. If it were me, I would never leave a woman waiting alone for ten months.”

His tone carried a subtle sting. Lin Xun paused, then glanced at Xia Zhi beside him, and a deeper trace of shame flickered through his expression. He cupped his hands toward Du Canzhao in the distance. “Fellow Daoist is absolutely right. I was indeed at fault.”

Du Canzhao was caught off guard for a moment. Then he let out a cold snort. “Though you appear apologetic, you were still in the wrong from the start. How about this? You and I exchange a few moves. I’ll take it as helping this young lady vent her grievance. What do you say?”

In truth, he wanted to see for himself what kind of ability Lin Xun possessed to win Xia Zhi’s heart. Beneath his calm exterior lurked a faint resentment.

Xia Zhi frowned, about to speak, but Lin Xun stopped her gently with a smile. “There is neither enmity nor grievance between us, Fellow Daoist. There’s no need to resort to blades and blows...”

Before he could finish speaking, Du Canzhao cut him off sharply, “Enough, do you dare accept or not?”

“You...” Lin Xun let out a soft sigh. “Very well. Since you insist, I shall grant your wish.”

“Good! At least you’ve got some backbone!” Du Canzhao burst into laughter. “Come, let me see what you’re capable of. I won’t bully you. Since you’re new here, you may strike first. Remember, use your full strength. Otherwise, when you lose, you might not even know how it happened!”

Lin Xun hesitated. “That...doesn’t seem appropriate.”

“Enough talk! If I tell you to strike, then do it!” Du Canzhao grew more relaxed and domineering.

“Very well, Fellow Daoist, then do be careful.” Lin Xun nodded. He extended his right hand and casually pressed down upon the void.

Boom!

A moment ago, Du Canzhao had been brimming with confidence and arrogance. Now, he felt as though an ancient divine mountain had descended upon his mind. His entire flow of qi nearly collapsed into chaos in that instant.

His expression changed drastically. Without hesitation, he drove his cultivation to its absolute limit. However, the force behind Lin Xun’s palm did not target flesh or bone. It fell directly upon the mind. How could he possibly withstand it?

Bang!

In the next instant, Du Canzhao’s legs gave way. His body went limp, and he dropped heavily to the ground, crying out in alarm, “I concede!”

Everyone froze, stunned. He lost? So quickly?

Only moments ago, Du Canzhao had been boasting, telling Lin Xun to strike first and warning him to use his full strength or he would lose without even realizing how. Now those very words echoed strangely in everyone’s minds.

It seems the outcome has unfolded in exactly the opposite way.

At that moment, Lin Xun withdrew his palm and said apologetically, “Fellow Daoist, my apologies. I failed to control my strength properly and gave you a fright.”

Failed to control his strength...

The corners of countless lips twitched. The gathered mighty beings looked as though their composure was on the verge of collapse.

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