Chapter Twenty-Five: The Divine Calculation (5)

Celestial Child frowned deeply as she looked at Shadowbane.

“Hahaha! Celestial Child, you wrote the wrong number! That number just now is my code.” Shadowbane, her long hair flowing, stared with violet eyes and sneered, “Once your code is known by another, you’ll be eliminated. So the sum must exclude my code—one four five. You wrote the number before I left the trial, but put your answer in the colored ring after I had departed. So whoever writes the wrong number must leave the Divine Mind Calculation Bureau as well.”

“Is that so.” Celestial Child seemed unconcerned.

Suddenly, the trial’s colored ring emitted a blue radiance.

Shadowbane’s eyes widened, almost unable to believe what she saw.

Clearly, Celestial Child’s answer was correct. In other words, the number Celestial Child casually wrote had already excluded Shadowbane’s code!

A streak of blue light flashed across Celestial Child’s body, and she immediately left the game.

“You!!” Shadowbane, furious, shouted as she flew upward to grab Celestial Child, but as soon as her feet left the ground, she collapsed as if her soul had departed.

The writing on the cave walls shifted again, reducing the number by two.

Divine Mind Calculation Bureau

Trialists: Ten

Promoted: Two

When Shadowbane stood again, her appearance had changed—her hair now a mass of golden-brown curls, freckles scattered across her nose. She muttered, “I hate Sixth Sister the most! Always making things so dark and messy! I can’t even look in the mirror!”

She glanced at her nails, pouting, “Second Sister is so annoying! Always acting like a man, only knowing how to fight. She ruined my nails. I can’t stand her!”

After grumbling for a while, the curly-haired Shadowbane stood in the cave, talking to herself, “Now Celestial Child’s escaped. What good does it do our six sisters to know only our own codes?”

But then her eyes brightened. She sprang up and declared, “I’ve got it! I, the Seventh Sister, always have solutions!”

She stretched out her hand, and from behind a distant rock came a strange cry. A male disciple flew out, as if against his will, landing in Shadowbane’s grasp, her hand clamped around his neck.

“Speak! Tell me your code!” Though her figure seemed more delicate than before, the male disciple was powerless against her, struggling in midair.

Shadowbane threatened, “If you don’t tell me, I’ll strangle you!”

The disciple kicked frantically, nearly suffocated, and managed to gasp out a few words: “Seven nine one one three.”

“Good! That’s all I needed!” Shadowbane released him, and he fell to the ground. At the same moment, a white light flashed and he vanished.

The cave wall inscriptions changed again.

Divine Mind Calculation Bureau

Trialists: Nine

Promoted: Two

The number of trialists had clearly decreased, while the promoted remained at two.

Shadowbane saw her feet kicking in midair and cried out four times, “Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no! I forgot—if you say your code in this round, you’re out of the trial! So whether you tell or don’t tell, it’s the same!”

She rapped her own head with both hands, scolding herself, “Seventh Sister, how could you be so brainless! Sixth Sister was eliminated for making her code public, and you forgot right away? You really have no brains!”

The curly-haired Shadowbane sighed deeply, sat on a rock, but soon jumped up again, muttering, “Right! There aren’t many left. We six sisters already know each other’s codes, so if I force the rest to reveal theirs, or make them all exit, we’ll win!”

With this thought, Shadowbane felt she’d found a shortcut. She spun and rose into the air, murmuring incantations. The entire cave floor began to tremble.

Those massive rocks, weighing tens of thousands of pounds, didn’t require brute strength; just a sweep of Shadowbane’s gaze sent them flying, countless stones floating in the air. Anyone hiding behind them, if slow to escape, was left exposed.

Sure enough, two male disciples who had been hiding behind rocks were spotted. Shadowbane tossed her golden-brown curls, moved her fingers slightly, and the two were instantly suspended in midair, seized by her.

Clutching one in each hand, she shook her head, “Ah, so you’re just mortals, to have lasted this long is impressive. But ordinary humans are no match for me. I’ll give you a choice: reveal your codes voluntarily, or suffer a bit first?”

The two disciples shot beams of light from their hands, but before the spheres reached Shadowbane, they vanished. Clearly, their skills were no match for her.

“Trying to hurt me? How impressive!” Shadowbane pouted, “If you bully a girl, I’ll cry!”

As she spoke, their necks bore indentations, gasping for breath, limbs flailing. Shadowbane showed no sign of letting up, intent on knocking them out. Yet both stubbornly refused to reveal their codes.

“Wait!” A youth’s voice called from behind Shadowbane.

She turned, hands still holding tight, but the marks on the disciples' necks pressed even deeper.

There were more than one youth behind her—Hua Sheng and the Young Lord Taishang. It was Hua Sheng who had called out.

Seeing Shadowbane’s grip unrelenting, Hua Sheng hurried, “Shadowbane, let go! If you injure them, you’ll violate the academy rules and be eliminated.”

Shadowbane laughed softly, “What does it matter if I’m eliminated? I have other sisters.”

Hua Sheng replied, “Killing them is pointless. But I have a way for us all to win this round!”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Hua Sheng. Disciple of Immortal Yu Ran.”

Shadowbane laughed again, relaxing, “Oh, so you’re the newcomer ant.”

She glanced at the cave wall—nine remaining. Clapping her hands with delight, she exclaimed, “With our six sisters, it seems all participants are here. No need to worry anymore! I’m so happy!”

Hua Sheng couldn’t help but urge, “Shadowbane, let go!”

Shadowbane lifted her chin, “Why should I listen to a little ant?”

Suddenly, the silent Young Lord Taishang beside Hua Sheng stretched out his hand. The two suspended disciples fell like broken puppets, halting before they hit the ground and then landing gently.

Young Lord Taishang spoke slowly, “Because you may not be a match for us.”

“What did you say!” Shadowbane, startled and about to flare up, paused and said, “You’re Young Lord Taishang?”

He replied, “Your eyes are sharp.”

Shadowbane’s eyes flashed. Instantly, her golden curls darkened to crimson, transforming into a shorter, childlike bob. In a blink, her lashes grew long and curled, her lips vivid as if painted. The air filled with the scent of lotus blossoms, subtle and pure, emanating from the red-haired Shadowbane.

Her robe tightened, her aura alluring, drawing others near. Yet, despite the distance, Hua Sheng felt a crushing pressure emanate from her, making it hard to breathe.

Red-haired Shadowbane eyed Young Lord Taishang, saying, “So you’re the grandson of Grand Master Taishang. You must be spoiled, needing someone to straighten you out.”

Young Lord Taishang, clearly feeling her invisible force, still replied nonchalantly, “Then I’ll trouble you, sister, to do just that.”

Red-haired Shadowbane traced her lips with a finger, lifted her robe, revealing slender pale arms. Her delicate fingers shaped a lotus in her palm, instantly igniting a crimson flame.

Young Lord Taishang smiled, “Samadhi True Flame? I doubt that alone can teach me a lesson.”

His face suddenly grew solemn, shocked, “No, this isn’t just Samadhi…”

At the heart of the flame, bright golden metal spheres appeared, spinning rapidly and roaring. The spheres whirled faster and faster, their sound waves shaking the cave walls, shattering the ceiling’s stone pillars. Massive columns fell, sending shards flying everywhere.

“Wind Fire Wheels!”

Young Lord Taishang blurted out the words.

Hua Sheng’s heart clenched, eyes wide. Those two marbles, barely larger than his own eyes, were called “Wind Fire Wheels” by Young Lord Taishang!

Could these Wind Fire Wheels be the legendary ones used by Nezha?

Before Hua Sheng could look closer, the two marbles shot out, flying straight at Young Lord Taishang. His expression changed; he dodged left with blinding speed, but the marbles curved like magnets, heading straight for his face.

Young Lord Taishang shouted, “Away!” and vanished. The Wind Fire Wheels disappeared midair as well.

He reappeared high atop the cave wall.

Barely catching his breath, the Wind Fire Wheels materialized nearby, not a bit farther than they had been on the ground.

Young Lord Taishang kicked off the wall, hurtling to the floor at lightning speed. The wheels followed, their speed and heat shaking the cavern, the space filling with their scorching energy and rising heat.

Seeing things turn dire, Hua Sheng saw Young Lord Taishang land, the wheels close behind. He shouted, “Look out behind you!”

Young Lord Taishang was ready. Seeing no way to dodge, he touched his left ear and cried, “By decree, urgent as law!”

“Wait! Stop!”

A girl’s voice shouted from somewhere, and the Wind Fire Wheels abruptly halted three yards in front of Young Lord Taishang. Their speed sent a gust his way.

Stunned by the shout, Young Lord Taishang quickly shielded his face, but the forceful wind couldn’t be checked and crashed into him, sending him flying and smashing a deep crater in the cave wall.