Chapter 314: World Merchants Gathering

"Happy birthday."

Those four words seemed to carry a strange magic, dispelling the last lingering shadow and loneliness in Xia Wan's heart. The blessing light-rain scattering across the sky, the great doors of the Temple thrown open, and Qin Feng's flat yet seemingly weight-laden voice in her mind together formed a birthday scene she would never forget.

She no longer hesitated and stepped onto the road emanating a heavy aura. The road appeared to be paved with ordinary bluestone, but with every step she felt as though bearing a mountain on her back—gravity dozens of times that of the outside world! Moreover, waves of heavy, oppressive will power, as if capable of crushing souls, spread like tides from both sides of the road, assailing her mind.

This was a dual trial of body and will!

Before her breakthrough, Xia Wan might have struggled with every step. But now, power surged within her; her body, reshaped by the formation diagrams, was incomparably resilient, and the power awakened deep within her Bloodline granted her an ancient toughness. Her gaze was firm, her steps steady, as though walking an ordinary mountain path, treating that terrifying gravity and will-assault as nothing. Her speed even grew faster and faster!

From the other seven paths, faint energy ripples could also be sensed—seemingly other beings were attempting the trial as well—but their auras were isolated from one another, impossible to probe.

In less than the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Xia Wan had already reached the end of this "Mountain Path" and stepped onto the Sacred Hall Plaza at the center of the lake.

The plaza was vast, its floor paved with warm white jade, inscribed with ancient patterns of sun, moon, stars, flowers, birds, insects, and fish. Directly ahead stood the towering "Origin Sacred Hall," radiating a vast, majestic pressure. Within its open doors was a deep, boundless light, as if containing the mysteries of the universe's first dawn.

Xia Wan adjusted her breathing, preparing to step into the Temple and complete this final Trial.

However, the very instant she lifted her foot, another change occurred!

Above the Sacred Hall Plaza, the originally brilliant and serene seven-colored energy curtain suddenly twisted and churned violently! As if invisible giant hands were forcibly tearing at the Barrier of this space from outside!

Hum—!

A piercing tearing sound rang out, as if space itself were wailing!

The seven-colored curtain was forcibly ripped open, revealing a huge, jagged fissure! Beyond the fissure was not a brilliant starry sky, but a chaotic, twisted darkness of void!

Immediately after, a vast will utterly incompatible with Miao Fa Xuan Zhou—saturated with greed, chaos, and aggression—poured in through the fissure like a filthy flood!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Four figures radiating powerful energy fluctuations and wildly differing styles plummeted through the fissure like meteorites, landing heavily on the Sacred Hall Plaza and forming a standoff with Xia Wan!

These four were clearly not trial-takers, but… uninvited guests!

The first on the left was a tall, muscular bald man wearing a splendid robe inlaid with gemstones of every color. His skin was a deep bronze, his muscles knotted and bulging. Around his neck hung a necklace made of unknown beast fangs, and in his hand he gripped a door-sized great axe wreathed in dark-red flames. His aura was violent and scorching, like a walking Volcano. His gaze swept across the Temple, filled with undisguised covetousness.

The second was a tall, thin figure shrouded in a wide black robe, his face unseen—only two points of ghostly green soul-fire flickered beneath the shadow of his hood. An aura of cold, deathly stillness radiated from him. In his hand he held a white-bone staff, its top set with a black crystal that constantly spun and drank in the surrounding light. Where he stood, even the white-jade floor seemed to be coated with a layer of decay.

The third was an extraordinarily well-dressed silver-haired old gentleman, as if he had just stepped out of some top-tier business banquet. He wore a gold-wire monocle, carried a walking stick, and wore a formulaic smile at the corner of his lips. Yet his gaze was sharp as an eagle's, constantly scanning the Temple and Xia Wan, as though appraising the value of a commodity. His aura was not outwardly released, but gave a feeling of unfathomable depth and sharp calculation.

The last was a voluptuous woman in tight leather armor, with a head of flame-like long hair. A bewitching smile played across her face. In her hands she toyed with two daggers that flickered with a poisoned green light. Her gaze, like a venomous snake's, prowled over Xia Wan with appraisal and a trace of cruel interest.

The arrival of these four instantly made the atmosphere on the plaza as taut as a drawn bowstring!

Xia Wan's heart sank. Her whole body instantly shifted into combat mode, energy coursing through her. She could sense that any one of these four was extraordinarily powerful—far beyond the "Shadow" Mercenaries she had faced before or any trial's test! Moreover, the dense otherworldly aura and aggression they carried instantly reminded her of what "Yun Ge" had once warned about… the tentacles of "them"?

"Tsk tsk tsk, so this is the legendary 'Origin Sacred Hall'? Magnificent indeed, worthy of its name!" The bald man with the great axe spoke in a voice like a great bell, greedily inhaling the dense energy in the air. "This energy is even purer than my Lava Core! It should belong to me, the 'Blazing Sky Lord'!"

"Hmph, a barbaric lava creature, and you dare covet the power of Origin?" The figure beneath the black robe let out a hoarse, cold laugh. "Only by merging into eternal death can one find the final resting place. This Temple shall serve as the Altar for my master's, 'King of Extinction's', descent!"

The enchanting woman licked her red lips and giggled: "Don't fight, you two big brothers. Such a wonderful place—wouldn't it be a shame to break it? How about… we deal with this tender little girl first? Her soul smells absolutely delicious…" Her gaze locked onto Xia Wan, as if looking at prey.

Only the silver-haired old gentleman maintained his composed smile. He lightly tapped his walking stick against the white-jade floor, producing a crisp sound that drew everyone's attention.

"Gentlemen, patience." He spoke, his voice warm and magnetic, yet carrying an unquestionable authority. "Fighting and killing should be the last resort. Before we act, why not discuss business first?"

His gaze turned to the battle-ready Xia Wan. He bowed slightly, executing an impeccable courtesy, and smiled:

"Beautiful lady, and… the master of this place, who, though unseen, must surely be watching."

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Mephisto von Kleist, a humble merchant who wanders the seams between worlds."

He adjusted his monocle, his smile deepening:

"It is a great honor to be invited to this… ah, in terms you would understand, 'World Merchants Gathering'."

"I believe we can discuss the question of… ownership of this Temple, and of that interesting 'commodity' upon this lady."

World Merchants Gathering?

Commodity?

Xia Wan's pupils contracted sharply! These people had actually come under the guise of doing business to seize the "Origin Sacred Hall" and her "Origin Contract"!

And that self-styled merchant, Mephisto—though his aura was subtle, he gave Xia Wan the most dangerous feeling of all!

The Blazing Sky Lord, a subordinate of the King of Extinction, and this mysterious merchant Mephisto… these powerful beings from different worlds and different factions had all set their sights on this place at once!

The situation instantly became incomparably dire!