Yu Xuan waited in silence.
Time passed.
The golden glow around him had faded, but his body still pulsed with a dull ache — the kind that lingered after testing one's limits.
Eventually, a flicker of light in the distance caught his eye.
One by one, people began to emerge from the fog-shrouded trial path.
But not many.
From the initial tens of thousands, now only a few thousand remained.
As they stepped past the hundredth line, most immediately collapsed, their bodies crumpling from exhaustion. Some lost consciousness on the spot. Others slumped down, gasping for air, trembling from the sheer toll the body trial had taken.
Then came the now-familiar golden glow.
It descended gently over the new arrivals, soothing them, numbing the pain. It didn't heal — but it helped. They groaned in relief, too tired to speak.
Among the crowd, Yu Xuan spotted Lingluo.
