He is the Will of the Wind

After a long time, Wu Xuan's voice sounded once more, mixed with an indescribable undertone. Bearer of the Black Tortoise Mark, your choice exceeded my expectations, yet... it makes perfect sense.

It had made its decision.

Ten thousand years was too long, and even a few years was the same. It no longer wanted to gamble on those odds.

As the words faded, the chaotic void suddenly collapsed inward.

The stripped memories flooded back into his mind like a bursting dam.

He became the young man carrying the coffin once again, still standing before the stone stele.

The memories of the past traveler dissipated like the wind. The current Chen Guan was completely unaware; in his eyes, everything had passed in a mere instant.

You have passed the trial, Wu Xuan's voice echoed in his mind. Bearer of the Black Tortoise Mark, you have found your own third path.

Following Wu Xuan's words, the totem on the stone stele surfaced and spun on its own, then actually peeled off from the stone surface, transforming into a streak of flowing light that flew toward Chen Guan.

At almost the exact same moment, the Black Tortoise Token fragment in his hand leaped out on its own.

The two fragments converged in the air, seamlessly piecing together.

The erupting light made the entire stone chamber as bright as day.

As the light faded, a complete Black Tortoise Token hovered quietly over Chen Guan's palm.

An ancient and unadorned aura washed over him.

The token was pitch-black throughout, engraved with complex and mysterious runes that were still incomprehensible to Chen Guan.

The Black Tortoise Token has never been a simple token of inheritance.

Wu Xuan's voice rang in his mind, carrying a solemn tone.

It is the Key of Balance, the credential to harness the power of the past. What it can unlock goes far beyond the secrets of the Black Tortoise lineage.

I have guarded this place for a hundred years, only to wait for a true bearer.

Now, my wish has been fulfilled. The rest of the path must be walked by you alone.

Chen Guan rubbed the warm, smooth token with his thumb, chewing on the deep meaning in Wu Xuan's words.

He had not looked closely at the piece in Long Ao's hand, but since the fragment given to him by the White Tiger could transform into a complete token, it was enough to prove that this place was connected to the Origin Return Group.

The complete Black Tortoise Token emitted a soft luster in his palm, and an ancient map unfolded in his mind along with it.

The map featured crisscrossing mountains and rivers, dotted like stars, marking several locations. There were domestic and overseas spots, and even some places completely outside of human jurisdiction.

There was no time for further thought. At the very moment Chen Guan obtained the Key of Balance inside the tower, the scales of balance in the world outside were rapidly tilting.

Yin Chen and Hong Yuan, having finished their trials, walked out from their respective cultivation grounds.

However, the joy on their faces from their advancing strength was quickly washed away entirely.

Yin Chen's eyelids twitched slightly as he turned his head to look at the distant horizon. Hong Yuan also dropped her expression, her giant axe silently sliding into her palm, her muscles tensing.

Several tyrannical auras were approaching at high speed, making no attempt to hide.

A moment later, six figures treading on the snow arrived, stopping a hundred meters in front of them. The tall, thin young man leading them scrutinized Yin Chen and Hong Yuan.

Finally found you, the so-called strongest squad? The tall, thin young man lifted his chin slightly, his tone arrogant.

The five people behind him spread out, forming a half-moon encirclement. Various colors of spiritual energy surged, firmly locking onto Yin Chen and Hong Yuan.

Sorry, but your training camp ends here. The tall, thin young man sneered as he handed down his judgment.

The wind and snow paused for a moment in deference to the tense, explosive atmosphere.

Facing the oppressive aura of the six people, Yin Chen paid it no mind, and Hong Yuan was even more disdainful: "Just you lot?"

Before her voice even faded, she slammed the giant axe in her hand heavily onto the ground.

With a muffled boom, the entire ice field trembled violently. Centered on the axe handle, the ten-thousand-year-old ice beneath their feet let out an overwhelmed wail. Spiderweb-like cracks spread madly towards the feet of the six people, and a mountain-like imposing aura erupted from Hong Yuan, pressing down ruthlessly.

A spiritual-type student immediately let out a muffled groan, his face turning deathly pale.

What shocked them even more was that behind Hong Yuan, a massive, earthy-yellow phantom of a turtle and snake intertwined flashed and vanished in an instant.

At the same time, Yin Chen raised his hand.

The six people in the encirclement simultaneously froze. They felt as if every wisp of wind had transformed into a sharp blade, pressing against their vitals.

An enhancement-type student had just tried to move his feet when a bloody gash split open out of thin air on his cheek. The blood had barely seeped out before it was frozen into ice beads by the bitter cold. He had not even seen where the attack came from.

Their anticipated suppression of auras was completely wiped out.

The opposing side only had two people, yet it gave the six elites the illusion of being surrounded.

"Damn it..." The tall and thin young man's face turned livid.

These two were more than just one level stronger than they had imagined.

But he could not retreat. Retreating also meant elimination.

He had to see through the path he chose to the bitter end.

"It is just a bluff!" He forcefully suppressed his shock and shouted sternly, "Do not be scared, attack!"

The young man clapped his hands together, and light elements condensed into a dazzling spear. Of the two people beside him, one summoned an explosive fireball, while the other had arcs of lightning dancing wildly at his fingertips.

The spiritual-type student's eyes glowed with blue light, and an invisible shockwave pierced straight into the minds of Yin Chen and Hong Yuan.

Of the remaining two, one's muscles bulged as his skin turned to stone, and the other drew a dagger, his figure blurring.

In an instant, countless attacks completely swallowed the figures of Yin Chen and Hong Yuan.

Ice shards and flames of light were churned into a destructive white noise.

The corners of the tall and thin young man's lips curled into a smile.

This was the full-force combined strike of six elites.

Even an opponent a tier higher could not possibly emerge completely unscathed.

However, the smoke and dust at the center of the explosion had not yet dispersed.

A muffled impact rang out from within, shaking the entire ice field.

Thud!

The handle of the giant axe struck solidly against the ice surface.

An earthy-yellow shockwave spread out with Hong Yuan at the center, sweeping away all the raging aftermath of the attacks.

In front of her, a giant tortoiseshell shield stood towering and majestic. The attack just now, which was enough to level a hill, had unexpectedly failed to leave even the slightest scorch mark on it.

The sinister smile on the lips of the tall, thin young man stiffened.

That sense of complacency faded from his face.

"Is this all you have got?"

Hong Yuan's voice came from behind the shield, but sparks of excitement danced in her tone.

She took a step forward.

The giant tortoiseshell shield disintegrated in response, scattering into motes of light that flowed back into her body.

Behind her, a massive and ferocious phantom of an intertwined turtle and snake roared at the sky.

Although the phantom flashed and disappeared in an instant, that primordial pressure originating from her bloodline pressed heavily against the chests of the six attackers, making their lungs sting with every breath they took.

The spiritual-type student bore the brunt of it.

A roar echoed within his skull, the world tumbled before his eyes, and two warm lines of blood immediately trickled from his nostrils.

"Cheap tricks!"

The tall, thin young man suppressed the wild beating in his chest and sternly commanded.

"She blocked the first wave, so she must be exhausted. Focus your fire!"

The elemental-type students beside him once again attempted to condense fireballs and lightning arcs.

But their casting movements grew sluggish, eventually coming to a halt.

The wind stopped.

But it did not dissipate.

Every current of air across this icy tundra condensed into something tangible, entangling their bodies.

Every snowflake suspended in the air transformed into a miniature blade, waiting to reap its harvest.

Yin Chen's figure had already vanished from where he stood.

He was the very will of the wind.

An Enhancement-type student had barely sensed the approaching danger when a sharp, piercing chill struck the skin on the side of his neck.

A bloody gash bloomed out of thin air.

He could not even catch a glimpse of the attack's trajectory.

His body instantly lost all control, swept to the ground by a gentle yet forceful gust of wind.