A Waste of Time

Chapter 138: Silent Apex

Su An reached the halfway point of the trial.

The instant her feet touched down on that step, it was as if they had been nailed in place. She tried to lift her toes, to shift her weight forward, but her body refused to move. The harder she struggled, the deeper that invisible hold seemed to sink into her flesh.

Even the stones beneath her looked different. Their texture, their muted color, their subtle patterns — none resembled the earlier half of the path. This stretch of the mountain road felt alive, as though it had been waiting for her arrival.

An oppressive heaviness pressed down from all sides, stealing the air from her lungs and dimming the fire in her limbs. Each breath grew labored, each heartbeat dragged slower, as though the mountain itself was testing her resolve at this crucial halfway mark.

Hundreds of Outer Disciples stood on both sides of the step where Su An was stuck, most of them trapped in a similar predicament.

A rare few dozen had managed to inch forward — half a step, perhaps a little more — rather than being frozen in place and glued to the mountain by the overwhelming pressure.

But more than half of the Outer Disciples, even those who had once endured this very trial during their Promotion from Applicants, or those who seized their rank directly through the Sect-Entrance Examination, faltered here. They were either unprepared for this heightened challenge or had wasted the time since the last Sect-Competition in idleness, failing to sharpen their abilities.

The majority were forced backward, retreating to the step below the halfway point. Faces turned pale, and hearts sank all the way down to their stomachs as illusions and devilish whispers gnawed at their minds. Their vulnerabilities were laid bare — ugly expressions twisting features, confidence crumbling to dust.

Yet there were exceptions. Some disciples advanced boldly, eyes alight with fighting spirit, striding against the pressure without hesitation. Strangely, a handful with weaker Cultivation Bases even surpassed Su An, leaving her biting her lower lip, regret flickering in her gaze. She shook her head quickly, refusing to let distraction take root.

Daemon’s Life-Blood… His face filled her mind, that annoyingly confident smile, that frustratingly mature presence. You can’t deny it, Su An. You miss that little guy. His dependable shadow is exactly what you need right now.

“Sup.”

The childish voice in her ear startled her so badly she thought a ghost had brushed her hand.

“Kyaaa!” She jumped with a shriek, nearly losing her balance.

Daemon rolled his eyes. “Since you can jump so high and scream so loud… guess you’re fine. You didn’t forget your promise to make it into the top thousand of this trial, did you?”

Her cheeks flushed crimson. She patted her chest, trying to calm the frantic pounding of her heart. “Of course not!” she snapped, glaring at him before forcing herself forward against the pressure.

“Good.” He nodded, glancing from her to the disciples slowly but steadily widening the gap. “Just tell me if you’re too exhausted and want a piggyback ride to the top.”

“S-shut up!” she barked, mortified. The words were overheard by nearby disciples, distracting them enough that some lost focus and were shoved backward by the trial’s force. Their annoyed glares only deepened her shame.

Daemon tilted his head when he noticed someone with a weaker Cultivation Base overtake her. “Were you injured before the trial began?” he asked, genuine concern in his voice.

That was the breaking point. The pressure tore at her body, her strength fraying, her cells screaming under the weight. “It’s your fault!” she burst out.

He gave her a puzzled look, one eyebrow cocked — until Wei Shun and Kang Lai appeared, striding past her with little resistance.

“I see…” Daemon murmured. He stepped back down the stair, planting himself in front of her with that mischievous smile she knew too well. “Now be a good lassy and open up for me.”

Su An’s hands twitched with the urge to twist his ears. His teasing always carried double meanings — most of which only sank in too late, leaving her to stew in private frustration. This time, though, she understood all too well. Yet when her eyes strayed to those passing her by, her resolve cracked. She closed her eyes, lips parting, because one look at his expression would weaken her competitiveness even further.

Su An, oh Su An… you already owed him for your breakthrough. Now the debt grows heavier, because once again he’s pulling you out when you’re drowning.

A drop of hot, metallic-tasting liquid slid down her throat. She swallowed — and the effect spread instantly, pressure aiding its flow through every corner of her body.

Freedom came in a heartbeat. The invisible prison shattered, her limbs released. She turned to voice her gratitude — but Daemon only gave a polite bow, gesturing upward with theatrical flourish.

“Ladies first.”

Su An giggled despite herself. She accepted the invitation, stepping forward. He followed close behind, eyes gleaming with quiet satisfaction.

Beneath the old oak tree, Shen Duan’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

For the briefest moment, his lips moved — shaping words without sound.

Mo Qiuya noticed. A shadow of a smile flickered through her gaze before vanishing, as if it had never been there. She lifted her cup with steady hands and sipped her tea in silence, the calm of her posture betraying nothing of what she had just seen.

High above the trial grounds, Elder Cuifen hovered in midair, poised atop a vast globe of water. From this lofty perch she supervised the mountain path below, her delicate figure as still and poised as a painting.

For a while she remained calm — almost bored — until a voice rippled into her ear through sound-transmission.

“From this moment forward, this brat is no longer allowed to provide his Life-Blood to any of the contestants of the Sect-Competition. Otherwise, it will be considered a violation of the rules. The fairness of this stage cannot be compromised when others are forbidden from relying on Spiritual Treasures, Pills, Talismans, or Beast-Companions.”

The voice of Chief Shen carried authority sharper than a blade. Elder Cuifen’s body stiffened at once. She bowed her head slightly in midair and replied, “Yes, Chief Shen. I’ll notify him immediately.”

With a flick of her sleeve, she descended toward the boy.

“Applicant Daemon.” Elder Cuifen landed beside him, her green eyes sharp, her presence pressing down like a drawn Sword. “You are forbidden from assisting other contestants with your Blood. If it happens again, you will be immediately disqualified from the Sect-Competition.”

Su An’s shoulders tensed. Guilt and self-blame clouded her face, her hands trembling as she cast worried glances at the boy beside her.

But Daemon only nodded, unshaken. “Would I also be disqualified,” he asked evenly, “if I helped others in different ways? Not with my Blood, of course. Suppose I shielded them from Elemental attacks, or carried them on my back?”

Gasps rippled through the surrounding Outer Disciples. To question an Elder so directly — without fear, without bowing his head — was unthinkable. Yet Daemon spoke to her as if they stood on equal ground, though he was merely an Applicant still waiting for his Promotion.

The girl beside him tugged urgently at his sleeve, silently pleading with him to stop. He ignored her, eyes locked on Cuifen’s.

A taut silence followed. The air itself seemed to tighten until Elder Cuifen narrowed her eyes slightly and said, “No. That would not disqualify you.”

“Thank you, Elder. It won’t happen again.” Daemon cupped his fist and bowed politely — not a full bow of subservience, but a measured gesture of respect.

“You may continue, then.” Cuifen turned, stepping on air as she ascended once more. But in her heart, a ripple lingered. In that brief exchange, she had felt it — the boy was prepared to fight her if she showed the slightest intent to discipline him.

Of course, she would never strike down a contestant in the middle of the trial. Still, she could not deny the temptation. His spirit, his defiance — she longed to test them herself.

And her thoughts strayed, unbidden, to her elder sister Ping. A hermit who spent her days tending flowers and her nights drinking alone at the foot of the mountain… perhaps she was the only one eccentric enough to appreciate a youth like this.

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