After a brief, dead silence, an uproar erupted like a volcanic eruption!
"This... This is... they passed? The Five Elements Dao Sect passed the first stage?!"
"My god! So fast? How long has it been? Has it even been fifteen minutes?!"
"How is that possible! Weren't they stuck for ages? How did they suddenly pass? And so quickly?"
"The Hehuan Sect hasn't even stepped onto the bridge! They finished the first stage already? This speed... it's just ridiculous!"
Exclamations, doubts, and screams of disbelief blended into one. The entire plaza was in complete chaos!
The disciples of the Hehuan Sect, who had just been worrying for the Five Elements Dao Sect, all had their mouths agape, their expressions dazed.
The disciples of the Water Moon Sect also looked at each other in confusion, their faces blank.
Over by the Sword Heart Sect, the relaxed and gloating expressions on the faces of Li Nanyi and the others instantly froze, replaced by extreme shock and incredulity!
"They passed? How is that possible!" Li Nanyi cried out, his voice cracking. "Weren't they trapped by the array? How could they be so fast?"
Cang Dongqing stared fixedly at the glowing light point representing the second stage. For the first time since the start of the competition, her normally calm and indifferent eyes showed a violent surge of emotion. Her knuckles turned white from the force of her grip on her sword hilt.
But the Five Elements Dao Sect... how long had it been? Fifteen minutes? Perhaps not even that!
How did they do it? Without Feng Qingping as the core of the array, how could they possibly have cracked such a complex formation so quickly?
Could it be... had Li Nanzhu used some other inconceivable method?
At the thought of Li Nanzhu's face with that crafty smile, Cang Dongqing's heart sank. A sense of unease, as if things had spiraled completely out of control, gripped her instantly!
"The Five Elements Dao Sect... what on earth did they do in the illusion?" The disciples of the Wuji Sect, the Xuan Tian Sect, and other sects were all dumbfounded, and a cacophony of discussion broke out.
"This speed... it's simply unheard of!"
"The way they farmed points in the previous round was ridiculous enough, and now they've cleared this stage so fast? Are they even going to let anyone else compete?"
"Li Nanzhu... it must be Li Nanzhu up to her old tricks again!"
Below the stage, everything was a mess. Everyone was stunned by the terrifying clearance speed of the Five Elements Dao Sect.
On the high platform, the sect leaders and elders watched the explosion of activity below with varying expressions.
Meanwhile, within the illusion, the five members of the Five Elements Dao Sect were completely unaware of the commotion.
The moment the five members of the Five Elements Dao Sect stepped through the stone gate at the end of the first stage, a familiar sense of dizziness washed over them.
The scene before their eyes faded and distorted like ink in water. In the next instant, their consciousness was forcibly pulled back, returning to their physical bodies on the bridge.
Li Nanzhu snapped her eyes open and found herself still standing near the starting point of the central Heart-Probing Bridge. Firm ground was beneath her feet, and ahead of her, the illusory bridge body still stretched into the depths of the mist.
The thrilling Gobi illusion from just a moment ago felt like a vivid dream.
She instinctively looked back and saw that the once-illusory first section of the bridge behind her was now completely solid, emitting a warm, jade-like luster. It represented their successful conquest of the first stage.
"We're back!" Duan Xianxing moved his arms and legs, savoring the solid feeling of his physical body. He grinned. "That was a real rush!"
Jiang Yifan, Zhu Yinxi, and Feng Weilan also regained their senses one after another. They looked at each other, seeing relief and a hint of excitement in each other's eyes.
Though the process had been twisted and turning, the result was good. They had cleared the stage practically unscathed!
Just then—
Dong!
A melodious chime of a bell echoed through the plaza!
On the high platform, Sect Leader Bu Qingwei's resonant voice followed:
"The fifteen-minute time limit is up! Hehuan Sect team—step onto the bridge!"
The moment his voice fell, the restriction representing the Hehuan Sect's permission to board the bridge was lifted.
Li Nanzhu's eyes lit up. The opportunity had come!
She immediately turned her head to look at the Hehuan Sect team preparing to step onto the adjacent Heart-Probing Bridge, specifically targeting Senior Sister Qinghe, who was leading the group.
A bright and somewhat mischievous smile appeared on her face as she waved her hand vigorously, calling out in a clear voice:
"Senior Sister Qinghe! Over here! The view is great over here! Why don't you come to the bridge next to ours?"
As she shouted, she pointed seemingly at random to the central bridge beneath her feet and gave a quick wink.
Qinghe, who was about to step onto her bridge, paused slightly upon hearing the call. The moment her eyes met Li Nanzhu's, she saw that familiar glint of "looking for trouble" and the highly suggestive wink.
Qinghe's mind instantly cleared!
This was the secret signal they had agreed upon earlier!
If Li Nanzhu took the initiative to invite them and gave a hint, it meant she had discovered a potential rule loophole or a clever shortcut in the current stage!
Although Li Nanzhu couldn't state explicitly what the loophole was, the signal itself was the greatest hint and help she could provide!
A brilliant smile bloomed on Qinghe's face as she responded readily, "Sure! I was just thinking the side felt a bit secluded. The view from the middle is much more open!"
Without hesitation, she changed direction and led the four Hehuan Sect disciples directly toward the Heart-Probing Bridge immediately to the left of the Five Elements Dao Sect's central bridge!
"Why is the Hehuan Sect going to the middle?"
"Li Nanzhu called them over!"
The disciples below the stage began to discuss the scene once more.
The members of the Sword Heart Sect, Wuji Sect, and others furrowed their brows, staring intently at the teams standing side by side on the two bridges.
Seeing that Qinghe had understood her meaning, Li Nanzhu's smile grew even brighter. "Senior Sister Qinghe! Then we'll take the first step! Good luck to you all!"
With that, without waiting for a reaction, Li Nanzhu beckoned the four people beside her.
"Let's go!"
Before her voice had even faded, she took the lead and leapt lightly onto the second section of the bridge ahead, which had just begun to condense and was still slightly illusory.
Zhu Yinxi and the other three followed without hesitation. The five figures landed steadily on the second section of the bridge and were quickly enveloped by the light radiating from the newly lit second stage point. Their souls left their bodies once more, entering the second stage illusion!
At the same time the Five Elements Dao Sect five entered the second stage—
Qinghe, having stepped onto the bridge to the left, took a deep breath and whispered to the four junior sisters behind her, "Since Junior Sister Li has given us a hint, there must be a secret to this stage. Once we're inside, observe carefully and look for any rules we can exploit. Do not just rely on brute force!"
"Yes, Senior Sister!" the four Hehuan Sect disciples replied in unison, their eyes burning with determination.
With the experience of the Five Elements Dao Sect and Li Nanzhu's hint, their confidence soared!
Qinghe no longer hesitated and led the four onto the bridge!
Buzz!
The same light flared up, and the five figures of the Hehuan Sect were swallowed by the illusion.
Liu Changhe, seeing that his son's team still had to wait for the next batch, was so anxious he was practically scratching his head, wishing he could just kick Liu Qingyang onto the bridge right now.
Rong Lingmeng, however, wore a faint smile, quite satisfied with Qinghe's quick-witted reaction.
The competition for the second stage of the Heart-Probing Illusion Bridge had officially begun!
Rate on N.U.
