Losing Again and Again

Most importantly, there was someone Bai Lan knew well here.

Princess Bing Li of the Ice Clan stood directly before her, none other than Xue Yue’s true elder cousin.

Bai Lan’s distant demeanor had driven most others away.

Yet, Bing Li and a few other trialists persisted, eager to make her acquaintance.

“Younger sister, I am Bing Li of the Snow Domain’s Ice Clan. May I ask, are you also from the Snow Domain?” Bing Li inquired, her expression etched with curiosity.

Bai Lan currently dreaded encountering relatives the most.

What could she possibly say if they met?

Should she reveal her true identity?

That seemed highly improbable, leaving her at a loss as to how to respond to Bing Li.

She suspected that her battle a week prior had revealed something about her.

Bai Lan was well aware that she had disregarded Xue Feng’s innate abilities and even countered all the Snow Clan techniques he employed in his transformed state.

It was difficult for people not to connect her with the Snow Domain.

“Forgive me, but my identity is not something I can conveniently disclose,” Bai Lan ultimately chose to keep her information private, refusing to answer Bing Li’s query.

Upon hearing Bai Lan’s direct refusal, Bing Li fell into a pensive silence.

She likely pondered why Bai Lan dared not answer her question.

If Bai Lan were a disciple from a super-influential force, she would not be so secretive.

If she belonged to a divine legacy, even if unwilling to reveal her origins, she wouldn’t outright refuse either.

Observing Bai Lan’s expression, Bing Li sensed that she harbored some unspoken difficulty.

Crucially, the girl exuded a strange sense of familiarity, and her attitude toward Bing Li differed from how she treated others.

Bai Lan had simply remained silent when others posed questions, which suggested a certain connection between her and the Ice Clan’s royal family.

Perhaps, the other party recognized her.

Bing Li could discern this from the way Bai Lan looked at her—it was not the gaze one reserved for a stranger.

A person might remain silent, prevaricate, or lie, but their eyes never deceive.

The gaze of an acquaintance is utterly different from that of a stranger.

Nevertheless, Bing Li ultimately decided to let the matter rest, no longer pressing Bai Lan about her identity.

Bing Li fell silent, but another individual stepped forward: Lan Yuqi of the Azure Clan, a good friend of Xue Yue’s from the Void Heaven Realm.

“Greetings, Miss Bai. I am Lan Yuqi of the Azure Clan. Since you prefer not to disclose your identity, I shall not press. May I ask if we could perhaps become friends?” Lan Yuqi asked with a smile.

Facing Xue Yue’s former close friend, Bai Lan’s demeanor softened ever so slightly.

“Yes, that’s fine. However, let’s chat while we watch the battle. This fight today seems quite intriguing,” Bai Lan replied.

Lan Yuqi noticed the unusual warmth in Bai Lan’s attitude towards him, stirring a peculiar feeling within his heart.

Bing Li, observing from the side, first glanced at Bai Lan, then at Lan Yuqi.

She was certainly aware that Lan Yuqi and her younger cousin were good friends.

Bai Lan, who was generally aloof with everyone else, seemed to harbor an inexplicable fondness for Lan Yuqi, even if she didn’t display any overt emotions.

Subsequently, everyone’s attention shifted back to the battlefield, where Long Lingyu and Song Que had already arrived.

Upon his arrival, Long Lingyu’s gaze swept around, clearly searching for someone.

When he spotted Bai Lan among the spectators, a faint smile touched his lips, and he finally turned his attention to Song Que.

“What’s this? Still unconvinced after your last defeat?” Long Lingyu asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Hmph! While I don’t know what trick you used last time to draw me into the depths of my soul—some kind of illusion, I presume—this time, I won’t fall for your trap so easily,” Song Que retorted, his eyes cold and sharp.

Long Lingyu remained utterly unfazed.

No matter how fierce Song Que’s gaze, he maintained an air of calm indifference.

Soon, the consciousness of the Void Heaven Realm announced the start of the battle.

Song Que immediately closed his eyes, once again charging at Long Lingyu with his Blood Sea Blade Intent.

He believed that by avoiding eye contact with Long Lingyu, he could escape the influence of his power.

Again, the surging Blood Sea artistic conception and tyrannical blade energy swept forth.

Yet, Long Lingyu maintained his previous combat style, standing rooted to the spot, unmoving.

He was like a reef in the vast ocean, unyielding despite the tumultuous waves crashing against him.

“Hmph! Do you truly believe closing your eyes will prevent my power from interfering? Such a method is useless against the force you seek to break,” Long Lingyu’s voice echoed in Song Que’s ears once more.

As the voice resonated, Song Que, enveloped in darkness, was suddenly startled.

Deep within his mind, a pair of golden pupils slowly opened, like the eyes of a deity, looking down upon him from the shadows.

All his thoughts were laid bare beneath those eyes, with nothing left to conceal.

Song Que watched those eyes, his expression morphing from astonishment to outright fear.

An inescapable sense of oppression permeated his inner being.

What kind of feeling was this?

It was as if no matter how he resisted or hid, he could never overcome his opponent.

“Impossible! What kind of power is this?” Song Que stared at the eyes, his gaze growing vacant, until his consciousness plunged completely into darkness.

Outside, the spectators were once again taken aback.

Song Que’s body had fallen before Long Lingyu again, only to be teleported away.

In other words, Song Que had lost once more.

“What? Lost again? Another inexplicable defeat! Song Que couldn’t possibly be going easy on him. What exactly is Long Lingyu’s ability? Illusion?” The crowd was filled with bewildered questions.

Bai Lan couldn’t discern anything either.

So far, Long Lingyu hadn’t used any distinctive moves, remaining motionless throughout the entire fight.

Aside from the confident smile on his face, it was impossible to tell what he had done to Song Que.

“Miss Bai, did you see anything?” Lan Yuqi asked, his voice filled with doubt.

Upon hearing the address “Miss Bai,” Bai Lan felt a twinge of awkwardness, especially coming from Xue Yue’s friend.

A hint of displeasure crossed her features as she corrected him.

“Young Master Lan, I prefer not to be called ‘Miss.’ Please, just call me by my name, Bai Lan.”

Lan Yuqi paused, but said nothing more, merely nodding his head.

“Alright, Bai Lan. Then you shouldn’t call me ‘Young Master Lan’ either,” Lan Yuqi replied.

“Mm, that feels much more natural. This Long Lingyu must have used some form of illusion. Besides that, I can’t think of any other method. After all, only illusionary attacks can ‘kill’ without a trace. As for how he cast it, I’m not sure,” Bai Lan answered.

Her explanation was as good as saying nothing at all.

Everyone could tell Long Lingyu was using illusions.

However, illusions had their pros and cons; they were effective against those with wavering willpower.

Such techniques were largely useless against cultivators with strong divine sense and formidable willpower.

And they hardly considered Song Que to be weak-willed.

Could a person capable of comprehending such profound Blood Sea Blade Intent truly possess weak willpower?

Moreover, after his previous loss, he hadn’t been disheartened; instead, he returned to the first floor to challenge again.

This alone demonstrated that Song Que was not only a person of strong perseverance but also one who remained indomitable in the face of setbacks.