The sword array of the second challenge is not particularly difficult.
It only requires constant movement and dodging, similar to the first challenge, relying on "high-intensity combat" to push the limits of one’s own abilities.
At moments of crisis, martial artists are more likely to distill their own "martial intent."
This is a union of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, an understanding of one’s own Martial Dao.
After the trials of these two challenges, Baiyu already has a rough idea in his mind.
Completely unexpected.
It is just an empty room, without any array or mechanical warriors.
A challenge that does not require combat.
After careful inspection of the room, Baiyu reached this conclusion.
There is a chair in the room.
Besides that, there is really nothing else inside, not even any lighting equipment.
At the moment Baiyu entered.
The door behind him closed with a bang, sealing the entire room, plunging it into darkness where nothing could be seen, a terrifying silence.
He doesn’t understand the meaning of this third challenge.
Locked in a dark room?
Although confinement has always been an effective way to drive someone to a mental breakdown, is this really effective?
He sat on the chair, quietly waiting for time to pass.
After all, Yang Jinhua said that the requirement to pass each challenge is twelve hours. Unless he admits defeat and quits midway, he still has to endure twelve hours in this silent environment.
Qian Xue, Lin Shan, and Jiang Xi stared intently at the screen.
On it are two images.
Wanwan and Baiyu, both sitting in a room, unmoving like they are dead.
Gan Yuhan had already quit halfway.
"Baiyu’s current score is full marks, totaling seventy-two hours; Wanwan has seventy hours, though there’s a two-hour difference, it’s still unclear who will perform better in the end."
Yang Jinhua explains.
The three women also know this is the crucial moment.
Having just woken up, they maintain their full Spirit, eager to understand the test of the third challenge, observing how others distill their martial intent.
As time passes, sweat beads start to form on Wanwan’s forehead, her chest heaving with breaths, headlights trembling slightly, as if enduring great suffering.
"In the pitch-black darkness and absolute silence, under such conditions, is a tremendous test of one’s Spirit. After the intense depletion of the first two challenges, even if they can recover physically, the Spirit cannot be healed.
This third challenge tests their Spirit, providing them a quiet environment to discover their martial intent from within."
Yang Jinhua’s eyes glowed with brilliance.
No matter who among the two manages to distill their martial intent, it would make him feel a bit better about the losses of this Celestial Profound Cultivation Room.
More accurately, it’s Baiyu’s twelve hours.
Since Wanwan entered the third challenge before him, Wanwan has already been inside for twenty hours.
"What is my martial intent?"
Baiyu gradually feels out the thread: "Ever since I traversed here, I’ve only wanted to live a peaceful life. Because the parents of this body died, because of all sorts of bizarre existences, people are like fodder...
For ordinary people to continue living in this world is too difficult.
So I want to study Mysticism.
Everything I’ve done is simply to achieve genuine inner peace, to have the ability to protect myself in the face of crisis.
It proves I didn’t choose wrong.
If it weren’t for diligently learning, practicing, unlocking the system, I would’ve perished in the streamer incident.
My martial intent is to ’maintain a peaceful life, avoid those dangerous factors, not argue with idiots, minimize conflicts and battles, avoid creating enemies.’
If I must take action, then wipe out those evildoers."
Baiyu once again crystalized the central ideology of martial arts in his heart.
Summed up in two words.
A stable man doesn’t get hurt.
After affirming his ideology, an immense force appeared within Baiyu’s Spirit, profound and mysterious, impossible to describe.
In the panel of the scholar space.
The section of spiritual power, which he had not moved, directly increased from 130pa to 150pa.
"To explain the distillation of martial intent scientifically, it’s an increase in spiritual power?"
Baiyu’s mind flashed.
At this moment, he felt that any Spirit Technique he used could carry this inexplicable force, greatly enhancing its power.
Is this martial intent?
Facing the exit door of the room, Baiyu’s Blood Qi surged, releasing the Great Ape King Fist fiercely, with the force attached, a phantom demon ape behind him roared deafeningly.
The whole door shattered into pieces, light poured back into the room.
Baiyu strode out confidently.
Inside the control room, Yang Jinhua frowned.
The three women stood behind him.
Qian Xue and Lin Shan stared at him, though they said nothing, their expressions clearly conveyed "Is this it? Is this it? Is this it? Your cultivation room’s really lacking, isn’t it?"
"Let’s go, outside the control room is the exit. Baiyu must have gathered his martial intent early!"
Yang Jinhua walked out of the control room.
Baiyu, after traveling the lengthy mechanical corridor, also finally emerged from the Celestial Profound Cultivation Room.
Sunlight once again shone on him.
The experiences of these days felt almost like a different lifetime to him.
Being able to crystalize the central ideology of martial arts within himself, distill his martial intent, with a significant rise in power, meant these days of arduous cultivation weren’t wasted.
Seeing Lin Shan and the others outside, he froze.
"Want me to help? I’m just a mere student, what kind of help can I provide, surely I’d only be a burden if I go."
Inside the meeting room.
Baiyu spread his hands, expressing helplessness.
Lin Shan rolled her eyes, glancing at the others.
Yang Jinhua coughed, and walked out.
Jiang Xi and Qian Xue gave the two a peculiar look, then quickly understood her meaning, promptly following Yang Jinhua’s footsteps and leaving.
The meeting room remained with only Baiyu and Lin Shan.
Lin Shan got up, locked the door, turned off the meeting recorder, then gazed at him with a grievance similar to a maiden locked in deep chambers.
"What do you want to do?"
Baiyu leaned back in his chair, "I’m telling you, don’t act recklessly, this is a society ruled by law, you’d be jailed for this kind of behavior."
"Stop fooling around." Lin Shan approached him, exuding mature allure: "Just give a clear answer, will you help or not. You must understand this is a matter concerning the entire Linjiang City, no egg can remain intact under a toppled nest."
"I want to help, but my capability doesn’t allow it."
Baiyu clearly understands his own limits.
He’s simply a diligent high school student, engrossed in studying and being a model citizen, how can he confront those monsters.
"No need for you to act, just use that thing from last time."
Lin Shan’s face blushed, her eyes brimming with tears, her voice unusually soft and alluring.
"It’s... it’s from when I taught you Cannon Fist last time..."
Before finishing the sentence.
Lin Shan suddenly felt a warm current rising within her, instantly spreading throughout her body.
That electric touch in her heart made her mind go blank for a moment, instinctively closing her long, fair legs.
Lin Shan spoke a bit muddled, like a baby murmuring, her face already red to the ears.