"Is it time for the fourth wave of monsters?"

"I wonder what the fourth wave will be. We're so far away, we can't sense the monsters' cultivation. The first three waves were all easily annihilated by Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu. This fourth wave shouldn't be too much trouble, right?"

"Heh, look at your eyes. Haven't you noticed they're struggling more with each monster? That means the monsters are getting stronger. The fourth wave will definitely be tougher."

"I wonder if they'll be able to get through it."

"It has nothing to do with us whether they make it or not. If you ask me, they should just die already so we can go home and stop watching their performance."

"Isn't that the truth? I was watching outside during the Wan Jiao List event, and they chatted for an entire night. I wanted to hack them to pieces back then."

"Alright, alright, stop being so bitter. We all know you. You're just jealous of Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu's talent and background, wishing they'd die soon. If they survive, our Lei Feng Realm will have two more powerhouses in the future, a divine couple."

"Look, the monster is coming out."

"What is that? A skeleton? And it's holding a giant axe?"

"I don't know if it's strong."

"It's jumping! It's attacking! My heavens... Wan Lei's formation was shattered with a single axe strike?"

"That's impossible. Wan Lei's mastery of formations is comparable to the阁主s of the Tian Zhen Pavilion. How could it be so weak?"

"It's not that he's weak, it's that the monster is too strong."

"That light orb was also extinguished. Gone in one strike."

"Damn it, we can't see anything now. The only light source is gone."

"What about Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu? Are they dead or alive?"

"They're probably dead. That formation was so amazing, yet it was still shattered by the monster's axe?"

"They might be dead. Let's go home."

"Heh, don't speak so definitively. Five years ago, everyone thought they were dead too, but what happened? They came back perfectly fine, and even stronger."

"Then... let's wait another two days and see. We don't have anything else to do anyway."

Inside, it was pitch black. Nothing could be seen, nothing could be heard. Even divine sense couldn't penetrate the spatial barrier. Those outside had no idea what was happening inside.

Old Fang only saw the giant skeleton leap into the air, shatter the grand formation, extinguish the light orb, and then swing its axe towards the two figures below...

"Why... is it always this outcome..."

Old Fang slumped to the ground, covering his face with his hands, his eyes filled with despair.

"Don't worry, they... will create a miracle."

Wan Hongxin patted Old Fang's shoulder, comforting him, but in doing so, he was also comforting himself.

Outside, Huo Liuli sneered as she watched the two figures disappear, muttering curses under her breath about something.

In the Kai Tian Sword Sect's group not far away, Qi Xiaoxiao noticed Huo Liuli's expression, a faint smile curling her lips. Her eyes darted around, thinking about something.

"We mustn't let go."

Wan Lei held Fang Xiaoyu's hand as they flew rapidly,

More accurately, they were fleeing.

The moment the light orb was extinguished, the two of them had no hesitation in escaping. The skeletal giant was too terrifying to fight against.

They were so terrified they didn't even have the will to resist.

There was no light here, nothing to see. Divine sense couldn't even leave their bodies, let alone probe their surroundings.

The only thing they could see were the two balls of ghostly flames that were relentlessly pursuing them.

The two blue flames flickered, sometimes close, sometimes far. What puzzled Wan Lei was that no matter how far or near they were, they could still deliver an axe blow.

The impact wasn't strong enough to kill them, but it was enough to wound them.

The two fled aimlessly, the blue flames like demons from hell, clinging to them like maggots, stubbornly chasing them.

They didn't know how long they ran. Perhaps two hours, perhaps a day. Time seemed to cease to exist here.

There was nothing here.

Suddenly, in the endless darkness, a low, whimpering sound of sobbing emerged.

The sound of sobbing reached their ears, completely igniting the fear in their hearts.

Finally, a faint glimmer of light appeared in the distance. The two saw a woman in green clothes sitting on the ground, hugging her knees, leaning against a large tree.

The crying was coming from there.

It was as if they had grasped a last straw of hope, the glimmer of light igniting their spirits.

They flew towards it.

However, they soon fell into despair again. No matter how they flew, the woman remained far away.

"Where are you all? Who will save me? I'm so scared. Where did you all go... Don't leave me alone like this. You are all so capable, you won't be helpless like me. I'm just a waste, always a waste, a burden. When danger comes, everyone else has a solution, but only I lament my fate, only I am so helpless. I'm truly a waste..."

The woman in green wept.

"You were never a waste, never."

The little yellow dog watched her, murmuring to itself.

The woman in green continued to cry and sob. After an unknown amount of time, she raised her head.

"I don't want to be a waste anymore. I don't want to be a burden anymore. I don't want to be taken care of by others anymore. I want to become powerful. I have my Dao, my Dao of Life Force. It should be filled with infinite hope. If I remain so dejected, when will my Dao advance to Supreme Dao? Without Supreme Dao, how can I become a Saint? We all agreed to become Saints together."

"Hope, my life force, is the Dao of Hope. Bringing hope to myself, bringing hope to everyone, bringing hope to all living things..."

A faint glow gradually appeared on the woman in green.

"My Dao, my hope, is to bring hope to everyone, to bring light to everyone. I am not a waste. I want to become their light, guiding their spirits towards brightness. I can also... become a hero standing in the light..."

The scene suddenly vanished. Neither Wan Lei nor Fang Xiaoyu spoke. Everyone knew this was Mu Xian's epiphany moment from the past.

Half a day later,

Wan Lei seemed to have gained enlightenment. He stood still, his inner fear completely swept away.

As he stood still,

The skeleton also stopped.

"Wan Lei, what's wrong?"

Fang Xiaoyu felt the person beside her stop and quickly tightened her grip on his hand.

Wan Lei raised his head,

Looking towards the place where the woman in green had disappeared,

He chuckled,

"You've shown me so much, and it has indeed given me much to reflect upon. However, your Dao is ultimately your Dao, not mine. Mu Xian, you said you wanted to be a hero standing in the light. But I want to say, who says only those standing in the light are heroes?"

Wan Lei snapped back to reality,

Looking at the two balls of blue ghostly flames,

He smiled leisurely,

"I think... I know who you are. Your name... is called... Fear. Am I right?"